Title: Black Rose
Series: In the Garden Trilogy
Author: Nora Roberts
Read copy: eBook (Kindle)
Published: May 31, 2005
Publisher: Berkley
ASIN: B000OCXIY4
A Harper has always lived at Harper House, the centuries-old mansion just outside of Memphis. And for as long as anyone alive remembers, the ghostly Harper Bride has walked the halls, singing lullabies at night...
At forty-seven, Rosalind Harper is a woman whose experiences have made her strong enough to bend without breaking—and to weather any storm. A widow with three grown sons, she survived a disastrous second marriage and built her In the Garden nursery from the ground up. Through the years, In the Garden has become more than just a thriving business—it is a symbol of hope and independence to Roz, and to the two women she shares it with. Newlywed Stella and new mother Hayley are the sisters of her heart, and together, the three of them are the future of In the Garden.
Hired to investigate Roz’s Harper ancestors, Dr. Mitchell Carnegie finds himself just as intrigued by Roz herself. And as they begin to resurrect old secrets, Roz is shocked to find herself falling for the fascinating genealogist—even when he learns more about her than anyone has before...
My rating:
Rosalind "Roz" Harper doesn't need a man in her life. Not after losing her one true love and then marrying (and quickly losing) a cheating bastard. But she just might need genealogist Dr. Mitchell Carnegie. At least to solve the mystery of the escalating ghost haunting her old house.
Another strong installment in this trilogy. I'm always afraid of "middle" books, because of the possible lull in the story between the establishing of the main story arc and the big finale, but this one was far from dull or weak.
The characters continued to shine in this one (both main and supporting cast). I loved the strong, proud Roz (Nora Roberts's staple heroine just without the second heaping of bitchiness) and the quiet and deceptively mild Mitch (yet another staple of NR hero). They were interesting individually and adorable together. I especially loved their romance, since they were both older, wiser and had quite a few "romance" miles under their belts. They were friends, lovers and partners and I just adored to read how their story progressed.
There was just a smidgen of let's-call-it-suspense thrown in to liven things up in the form of Roz's slimy, cheating ex, but what pushed the story forward is the entity at the center of this trilogy, the Harper's resident ghost.
Her story is intriguing and compelling, she's both pitiful and freaking scary depending on the iteration facing the characters at a particular moment and I really cannot wait to learn what really happened to her and how they might put her spirit to rest.
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