A tale of twisted love and obsession. Complex characters with their own flaws. Nice twist at the end.

Perfect example of “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side" it keeps you guessing right the way through. It had me fully engaged and had an ending that I didn't predict.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! As one of the professional reviews on the books first pages said (and I’m paraphrasing) there were many twists and turns but never for the sake of having a plot twist. All of them were integral to the narrative.
The characterisation is so rich, I wanted to work at Scotts Dental and to hang around with these ladies. Cian was less rounded than the other characters and a little bit pantomime baddie, but even that didn’t help the reader to fully understand what had happened and Allen gave Emily’s character so much depth and so many layers of possibility that you could see why she was drawn to him, whether she was an alcoholic fantasist or a victim of domestic abuse.
It doesn’t matter to a lot of people but I do love details. Allan made sure we always knew what characters were wearing, how their houses were decorated, how buildings were laid out etc which meant it was so easy to create vivid scenes as you read.
The epilogue I had expected and I was glad I’d guessed it correctly having not entirely got the ending of the main story itself correct. It was a lovely ending and richly deserved for those characters.
If Claire Allan writes more thrillers I will definitely be reading them!

A very well plotted and executed psychological thriller. A well paced page turner with oodles of suspense. Who can you trust? Loved the ending!

I received an ARC of Her Name Was Rose by Claire Allan from NetGalley. It’s a psychological thriller and the first that I’ve read by this author. I didn’t know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised because honestly, I just really enjoyed this book! It’s a story that deals with domestic abuse, jealousy, low self esteem and betrayal. You don’t really know who to believe or who to trust. There are a lot of twists and turns that really hold your attention. What really surprised me was the ending. It was not what I expected but I was so happy with how it turned out. It’s nice to see good things work out for people who haven’t always had the best in life. This is a book I will be recommending to all my reader friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I hate spoiler reviews, especially when they give a lot of the plot away, so I won't do that. What I will say is that this is the first book I have read by this author, and it won't be the last. I almost deleted my social media and fled to a cave after the last page. The first two chapters I read on the same held breath. A wonderfully twisty read, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book. Heart stopping escapism. Buy it now, tell all your friends. This is going to be huge.

When Emily witnesses a fatal hit and run she’s convinced that it was meant to be her, not Rose, the young mum. From that point on she tries to “be” Rose, finding out everything she can, like a stalker would. What she didn’t take into account is the fact that no one has the perfect life, not even Rose. Emily is scatty and needy after being in an abusive relationship and comes across as desperate, always trying too hard to ingratiate herself which makes her unlikeable. The book has plenty of twists, some unexpected and it really comes to life a bit later in the story, so a slow burner. I enjoyed this, the first book I’ve read by this author and look forward to many more.

Her Name Was Rose is a psychological thriller that’s predictable in parts, but in the author’s defence I should point out I do read a lot of books in this genre so where I guessed what was coming next plot wise, other readers may miss the signs and be surprised by the twists. I’m sure Her Name Is Rose is going to be a very popular read this summer, and I can see why it has all the hallmarks of best seller with themes of jealousy, abuse, obsession and secrecy at its core. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers with a leaning towards domestic noir then Her Name Is Rose is definitely one to add to your TBR pile.
Full review to follow on my blog

Her name was Rose.

Emily is witness to a fatal hit and run that will change her life. Rose - the victim of the hit and run, apparently had the perfect life and Emily wants it for herself. Follow Emily’s story as she tries to take on Roses life and all the drama it entails. A great psychological thriller that is fast paced and will keep you guessing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, in the face of it, Rose led the perfect life, had everything, Emily a broken pill taking fond of alcohol woman who had escaped an abusive relationship, one in which nobody believed her including her own family witnessed Rose being fatally run down by a joyrider, fuelled by guilt as she let Rose ahead of her in the lift, she was convinced it was her Ex trying to kill her and it should be her that died. She stalks Rose's Facebook page and sees what it is to be loved with the declarations of loss & love from Rose's widow Cian on her page or is all what it appears to be?

After losing her job, she sets about stepping into Rose's shoes & applies for her job, why can't she have a piece of that happiness!!!

The story was very well written from both Emily & Rose perspective, with twists & turns along the way, who do you believe, surely Cian is this amazing guy that is put forward, a perfect and well thought out plot about psycological domestic abuse and the ramifications of it. It's an eye opener!!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books and of course Claire Allen for affording me the opportunity to review an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Her Name Was Rose is the first psychological thriller from author Claire Allen, previously known for her success in the genre of women's fiction.

The story starts as Emily stops to let a young mum, pushing a pram, go through a door ahead of her. Seconds later, Emily watches in horror as the woman, after thanking her, steps out into the street and falls victim to a fatal hit and run, sacrificing herself to protect her baby son.
 
Traumatised, Emily runs away from the scene and slowly starts convincing herself that there has been a terrible mistake, and that she was the real intended target of the hit-and-run via her ex-partner - a controlling man who had threatened her with revenge for her behaviour when their relationship had ended. Subsumed with guilt, she reads newspaper reports of the tragedy and becomes immersed in Rose's 'perfect' life on social media.
 
Soon, she can't get enough. The outpouring of grief from Rose's friends and family, particularly her husband Cian, a successful author, and her now motherless baby, Jack; the heartbroken platitudes from her work colleagues, the previous Facebook posts and photographs that paint a picture of her perfect life with her perfect husband and baby.
 
Emily has found herself at one of those points you come to in life - she's estranged from her family, she lives in a rubbish flat, her best friend has moved to another country and she's just lost her job...and with a new vacancy appearing at the dentist surgery where Rose used to work, she begins to wonder if there is a gap left that she could perhaps fill - in more ways than one.
 
This is a  novel about how people use social media to promote a perfect image of a not-so-perfect life, and the repercussions that can bring. It touches on themes of jealousy, obsession, control, insecurity, and secrets - lots of secrets - some you'll see coming, some you might not. There were a few times I saw what Emily was about to do and wondered why she didn't just tell the truth, but the character is quite anxious and socially awkward, so frustrating as it was, it did make sense.
 
Ultimately, I enjoyed this book. I felt awkward, sometimes uncomfortable, and other downright annoyed (mostly with Emily), but it's a great read and will keep you speeding through the pages until you reach the very end.

I enjoyed this book, however it’s a tough read. It shines a light on abusive relationships. I really liked how the book really emphasized that everything is not as it seems on social media.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a great psychological thriller with lots of twists and it’s hugely addictive. It kept me intrigued throughout and the ending was unexpected.

Emily is a damaged and broken woman, having left an abusive and controlling relationship. Her life changes the day she lets a young mother with her baby step in front of her and she is killed in front her. A hit and run. Emily is terrified that she was meant to be the victim. She decides to find out more about the woman who was killed. Her name was Rose and she had the live that Emily has always wanted. Emily becomes obsessed and actually thinks that maybe she could walk in her shoes. Emily is a romantic and only sees the good in everyone, she needs to wake up before it is too late.
Once I started this book I could not put it down. A really good read.
I would like to thank the author Claire Allen, Avon Books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

Her Name Was Rose didn’t quite live up to the hype about it for me. Emily, a damaged soul, becomes obsessed about Rose, someone she sees mown down by a car right in front of her. She takes her job and tries to take her husband. However, the life of a Rose can suffer from blight and this is something Emily painfully discovers. It was clear from the outset that the grief shown in the dental practice where Rose used to work was peculiarly excessive. So it turns out. Similarly, the outpouring of grief from Rose’s husband made one question what it was hiding. Sadly, it was predictable and in so doing, became rather boring.

WOW!!!

I can't believe how much I loved this book. From page one to the last sentenced I was on the edge of my seat to see what happens next. Trust me, you really have no idea how this one will end. Even though she passed, my heart ached for Rose and also for Emily in a complicated way.

Great story line that progressed at the perfect speed. Interesting characters. Intriguing plot.

As a crime thriller and psychological thriller Claire Allan has certainly created a very engaging story with 'Her Name Was Rose'.

At first I thought it was going to be rather twee, However I was soon drawn in by the carefully crafted and well developed characters.

I really liked the twists and turns in the plot. There are certainly plenty of red herrings along the way.

Yes there is a twist at the end. It is worth waiting for.

I have not read any books by this author before, but on the strength of this I will certainly look out for future books and I will investigate her back-catalogue too.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for a copy in exchange for this review.

An enjoyable read, if a little far fetched at times! The plot is original and the characters are well developed. The story definitely kept my attention, mainly because it is well written and easy to read. Nice twist at the end and we'll worth a read.

This thriller was so well written! This one had me guessing the entire story line. Emily witnesses a hit and run accident and is determined to find out all about the victim's life. The characters were well written. I loved this one! Would definitely recommend this!

I can't make my mind up about this book. I found it quite unbelievable, who walks into a job they have to have these days. Also meets the man they have to meet almost immediately. Hard to believe . I know it's a story but I like book's that aren't too far fetched