Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorites
Review: Stephen, Duke of Ashburton, is dying. Rosalind, an actress with her family's traveling theatre troupe, seems an unlikely match for him. But they fall in love, marry, and (after the plot twists are resolved) live happily ever after. Not the most origional plot.....but the writing is spectacular. Ms. Putney's character development is at its best in this novel. Stephen and Rosalind are NOT perfect, one-dimensional symbols--these characters seem alive. These are people most of us would want as friends: smart and funny and honest and kind. They have fears and pasts and families that affected their character. Secondary characters are also given distinctive personalities and roles, but do not overwhelm the story. The attraction between Stephen and Rosalind feels authentic. And these two genuinely like each other BEFORE they hop into bed. As an English major, I also enjoyed Ms. Putney's literature references. My suggestions: read some of John Donne's poetry, The Tempest, and a Midsummer Night's Dream (by Shakespeare). References to all of these are sprinkled throughout the book. It's always interesting to see the connections between different types of literature.
Rating: 
Summary: One Perfect Rose is an exceptional, passionate romance.
Review: The book compelled me to keep reading until the end. I felt the heartache and love for Stephen and Rosalind and hoped that a miracle would happen to sustain them. I especially found the near death experiences described in the book such a comforting thought. When a character finds that life, love and hapiness are within their reach, and all they have to do is grab it, it gives the reader hope that all those things are within our reach as well.
Rating: 
Summary: not a book that stands out
Review: This book had very likeable characters. I wanted to know where it was going to lead to. That is what kept me reading actually. A Duke decides that since he's dying he is going to take off for a month of anonymity. Wouldn't we all like to do something of that nature. Anyhow, he falls in love and marries someone most unlikely. The ending has a nice twist to it that is resolved and we can move on to the cookie cutter type happy ending. I did enjoy it, but there were no real surprises.
Rating:
Summary: not a book that stands out
Review: This book had very likeable characters. I wanted to know where it was going to lead to. That is what kept me reading actually. A Duke decides that since he's dying he is going to take off for a month of anonymity. Wouldn't we all like to do something of that nature. Anyhow, he falls in love and marries someone most unlikely. The ending has a nice twist to it that is resolved and we can move on to the cookie cutter type happy ending. I did enjoy it, but there were no real surprises.
Rating:
Summary: A magnificent tearjerker you'll never forget
Review: This has to be one of Putney's best books, along with The Rake and Thunder and Roses. Stephen Kenyon, Duke of Ashburton, who was introduced to readers in Shattered Rainbows as the stiff but essentially good-hearted older brother of Michael Kenyon, discovers that he is suffering from a fatal illness, the symptoms of which appear - to the reader - to be consistent with stomach cancer or severe liver damage. He has, he is told, between three and six months to live. Unable to bear the thought of carrying on with his normal life under those circumstances, he packs a small bag, takes his favourite horse and rides off to be by himself until he can at least come to terms with his fate sufficiently well to enable him to set his affairs in order and say goodbye to his family. And by the way, contrary to what one reviewer says, he always intended to arrange his affairs and talk to Michael; he just needed time to accustom himself to his fate. Counting his remaining time in days, with a countdown from three months - any time he lives beyond that he considers will be a bonus - after about a week he falls in with a company of strolling players. He is immediately attracted to the adopted oldest daughter of the family, Rosalind, already a widow, and it's clear the attraction is mutual. But she doesn't know who 'Mr Ashe' really is, and nor does she know that he is dying, and Stephen not only doesn't want her pity but since he is also escaping from himself and his life, he wants for a short time at least to pretend that all is normal. Until one day she sees him having a bad attack, and the truth comes out, and he makes her an offer of convenience.... Stephen is a magnificent hero, proving that heroes of romantic novels don't always have to be strong and powerful and slaying all dragons in their path. In many ways, in fact, he becomes strongest in spirit when he is weakest in body. Rosalind, the foundling who has no idea of her background, is a strong and caring heroine who loves Stephen and is devastated at the thought of losing him. The story is lovingly and carefully depicted, with clearly a large amount of research having gone into it. The characters are all three-dimensional, entertaining as well as poignant, and it is good to see some old friends: Rafe and Ian Kinlock, as well as Michael and Catherine. Given the subject-matter, it would have been very easy for this book to slip past pathos into melodrama, but Putney treads that line carefully, providing touches of humour and of the mundane to balance the emotional moments. As such, although there is poignancy throughout, it wasn't until the last fifty pages that I found tears flowing. Incidentally, when reading the book I had completely forgotten the editorial and customer reviews here which made reference to a happy ending: I had got to the point where I really believed Stephen would die. A real tear-jerker! A fantastic, powerful, memorable book; my only regret is that it is the last of the Fallen Angels series, and so I will not meet any of these characters in subsequent books.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book - warning, plot spoilers
Review: This is one of my favorite MJP books. Loved Stephen and Rosalind. Loved the suspence - "will he die"? (I was actually worried about his fate for a while.) And unlike some reviewers, who harped on the "tired old plot point" about his deception, I found it perfectly believable. The man has just found out he is dying. He has spent his entire life doing his duty to others, and it is going to end just when he was beginning to live for himself. OF COURSE he slips the traces. Most people would. He wanted to live for a while. How could he do that, with everyone bowing and scraping to him? As for the reviewers who wanted "conflict". What did they expect? For Stephen to ravish Rosalind, marry her when she becomes pregnant, then decide she is poisoning him, and lock her up, only seeing her now and again to have sex when they are not screaming invectives and accusations at each other? Talk about tired plot points! The hero trusts the heroine? Now, THAT is original! No, the only thing that bugged me is when Rosalind (in a totally unbelievable scene) discovers her roots. I suppose I understand her curiosity about her natural family. But considering the loving care she received from her parents, it really bugged me that she spent so much time ruminating over her past. She has a family that adores her. That is a lot more than most orphans got in those days. Even now, there are people who will never find their biological family. In those days, it would have been next to impossible. Why could she not accept the love of the only family she ever knew? Will there never be a book where the hero/heroine says "My adoptive parents ARE my real parents, I don't need another set"? I know several people who have no interest in searching out their biological families. And WHY, if it was neccessary to the story to have her discover who her parents were, did they have to be nobles? Why does every hero or heroine have to be a blueblood? After all the speeches that Stephen makes to Rosalind and to his rotten sister, Rosalind turns out to be an aristocrat. "Now, I am worthy of him". Hey, Roz, he thought you were worthy of him before. What does that say of her loyalty to her family, that she is ashamed of her background before she finds out she is descended from French aristocracy? Not much. And her reaction to her natural family was disturbing. "She felt a sense of belonging for the first time in her life". What of her parents, who saved her from the streets, adopted her, and showered her with devotion? For all her lip-service to her love for her parents (whom she starts calling by their first names) one gets the feeling that she is willing to jettison them in favor of the new family. The one with the fancy name.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect.
Review: This was an incredibly sweet book. I would have liked a little more arguing in the book, however. Like Michael and Catherine's story. Otherwise, it really kicked. :)
Rating:
Summary: Full of emotion!
Review: This was my first MJP book and it was excellent! I have never been so emotional reading a book. My heart really went out to the characters and what they were going through. I immediately went out and bought all the books in the fallen angels series and loved them all! Waiting for Kyle's story...
Rating:
Summary: This confirmed to me that Putney is of a different class.
Review: This was the second Putney book I read (the first was The Rake.. which was awesome!). I discovered Putney two months ago. Since then, I've read all the Fallen Angels series along with others. Her characters are always superb, but among all of them, I fell in love with Reggie Davenport (The Rake), and Stephen. I loved Reggie for his flaws, and Stephen for his perfection. In my pov, Putney took every strength she gave to all the men in the Fallen Angel's series and balanced them perfectly on Stephen's characterization. Rosalind was supposed to be the "perfect rose," but Stephen had his own 'perfection.' And overall, the two of them was just perfect, how they met, how they loved each other...! I didn't put the book down.. literally. I neither ate, nor slept 'till it was done. I'm an avid reader, but even how I reacted to this book is rare. It wasn't suspense that held me... I just couldn't let go. It was so emotionally gripping, and so intelligently done (that whole Shakespeare stuff, and playing the "Duke" was the best!) I knew after reading "One Perfect Rose," I had finally met a romance/historical fiction writer who could touch me intellectually as well as emotionally. Putney is amazing and if I had to recommend her to someone based on one book, I would say read "One Perfect Rose." It was this book that made me want to read about Stephen's brother (Michael), and then Michael's Eton friends-- Nikki, Luce, and of course, the stallion, Rafe! ;-)
Rating:
Summary: A tear jerker
Review: Wow, what an incredible story. Stephen, diagnosed with a deadly disease decides to go on a 'holiday' for a while. With a theater group in town, he decides to attend. He meets Rose. They immediately feel a mutual attraction. Knowing that he's dying makes him rethink a relationship. He doesn't feel it would be fair to her. As the days count down, he starts getting sicker and sicker, losing weight, etc. I had to put the book down several times to wipe my eyes. I know this sounds stupid but it's the truth. I didn't realize this is the 4th of the Fallen Angel series. Had I known, I think I would have read them in order. Instead I have to go back and at least read the other three in order. Thunder & Roses, Dancing on the Wind, and Shattered Rainbows are the first three. A Perfect Rose is the 4th. Neverthless, this is a very good read.
|
