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Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)
Lovely story about Family
"Her Name was Rose" had vibrant characters, and was a loving look at what really makes a family. The story was engaging right from the first page, and held my interest until the very end. Even though some unhappy elements were dealt with, It is definitely a "feel good" book.
My only complaint is that everything was tied up way too neatly. But that said, it was beautiful story.
Joan P. (Owego, NY)
Her Name Is Rose
Iris is having a very hard time. She lost her husband, her job and has newly discovered health problems. After this depressing, slow start, "Her Name Is Rose " takes off. Because of a death bed promise to her husband, Iris tries to find her adopted daughter's birth mother. Rose, a talented violinist who is studying in London, was born in Ireland to an American mother. Iris has reason to believe that she will find her living in Boston. The story tells of the search and her experiences in America and finally concludes back in Ireland. This is a warm story and I cared what became of Rose and Iris. My book club would enjoy this book
Leslie G. (Peabody, MA)
Engrossing Tale
For the most part, I found the novel engrossing. The major characters, especially Iris and Rose, were defined enough to make the reader care about their experiences. As I read, I became caught up in their life complications and adventures. As someone who lives in the Greater Boston area, I enjoyed being able to recognize the Boston locations described in the book. My only criticism would be that there is an inordinate amount of coincidence used to connect plot points. The way some of the relationships were resolved at times seemed to be somewhat too simply accomplished.
Dorothy M. (Maynard, MA)
Music, Flowers and Romance
Christine Breen's debut novel is a charming love story about recovery from loss and the acceptance of new possibilities. It is the story of Iris Breen and her adopted daughter Rose - flowers and music flow through this story - and the men they meet. Set in Ireland with lovely descriptions of the land and the gardens, it deals with very old losses and much newer ones. If the story is a bit heavy on coincidence and love at first sight, it is still a quite lovely tale.
Melinda H. (Cornelius, NC)
Lovely
On the first page of Her Name is Rose I immediately cringed thinking this was going to be another cancer story, like so many others. However, I was thrilled to discover that was not the case. Christine Breen has created a lovely story of a mother and daughter. Her Name is Rose is a quick read, not too intense, and quite benign. This makes it a good beach choice, or a perfect air travel companion. That being said, I would not recommend it for someone looking for something substantial or worthy of a book club discussion. The book addresses the emotional topic of adoption, yet somehow the reader never becomes emotionally invested.
Her Name is Rose is a pleasant read.
Cheri S. (Newburgh, IN)
Not all that I had hoped for
My issues with this book center around construction and design. I feel the constant back and forth between characters has been done to death by too many authors as of late. There is nothing wrong with maintaining a flow of thought and action. The drama of the plot was not actualized as fully as I had hoped. All in all, I was disappointed in this book.
Debbie M. (Grand Junction, CO)
Her Name Is Rose
Her Name Is Rose makes you aware of the twists and turns life can take. Iris Bowen had made a promise to her husband before he died and feels she must honor the promise. The book is the story of her journey. Her quest seems rather hastily made and it made me wonder how things would have turned out in real life.
Dorothy L. (Boca Raton, FL)
OK Read but Lacks Depth
I found the opening pages of this book slow. The pace picked up but I felt the plot was predictable and the characters were sometimes wooden even though the author tried to make them likable. It is an easy read but there wasn't enough depth to the characters to always hold my interest. I liked the variety of settings and the gardening aspect was symbolic to me--Rose was a nurturing person. I did find far too many coincidences near the end for the outcome to be realistic. If you want a light book, this is fine but I wouldn't recommend it to my book club because I don't think there is enough substance to stimulate good discussion.
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