I was drawn to this book because of the title to begin with. I'm not a fan of rose gold the metal, so why this caught my attention I have no idea.
I love stories of the underdog who goes out and gets revenge, so this was the perfect read. What a mother!

I liked this book, just didn't love it (Maybe a 3.5 for me). It is super dark, and looks at Munchausen by Proxy from an interesting angle. While most books/shows/movies about this topic dive into the mind of parent who harms the child and explores the damage it does to that child to the time it's happening, what's an even more interesting question is, "How do those kids go on to lead normal lives after all of those years of psychological conditioning and trauma?"

Thinking that children of Munchausen parents would want revenge is a natural progression and certainly gives this book lots of forward momentum. However the downside is that makes both Rose Gold and her mother pretty unlikeable characters, which affected my enjoyment of the book, (particularly towards the end when it becomes clear how Adam will play into this story--a twist I honestly didn't see coming.)

These two characters are super messed up people. While the reader may be tempted to root for Rose Gold to come out on top simply because of her upbringing, it's hard to cheer for ANYONE who is being awful to an innocent bystander, no matter how traumatic their past.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Patty is being released from prison after only a few years and she's going home with her daughter Rose Gold, the victim of over a decade of abuse through Munchhausen by proxy and the reason she was in prison in the first place. Told through alternating mother-daughter perspectives, Patty's portion covers present-day while Rose Gold narrates life during her mother's imprisonment and shows us how she's become her own unique brand of twisted.

Rose Gold was raised thinking she had a list of medical problems. Her mother took her from doctor to doctor getting her false diagnosed. The town had several fundraisers and Patty took money from family and friends for Rose Golds care.

Rose Gold finally realized her mom was poisoning her and eventually Patty went to jail. Five years pass and Patty is getting out of prison.

Will Rose Gold forgive her?

Great read. I highly suggest this book.

Only loosely based on the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case (& with a much more satisfying ending!)

** Trigger warning for child abuse and suicide. This review contains vague spoilers. **

“Most people don’t like holding on to anger. They feel it crushing and consuming them, so they let it go. They try to forget the ways they’ve been wronged.

“But some of us cannot forget and will never forgive. We keep our axes sharp, ready to grind. We hold pleas for mercy between our teeth like jawbreakers.

“They say a grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

“Good thing we’re extra strong.”

For most of her first eighteen years, Rose Gold Watts was in and out of the hospital, battling a plethora of health problems. Constantly nauseous and unable to eat, she was weak and thin – skeletal, even, weighing just seventy pounds at the age of eighteen. Since her stomach couldn’t tolerate regular foods, Rose Gold got most of her nutrition from a feeding tube that the doctors put in at her mother Patty’s request. Patty insisted on shaving Rose Gold’s head, claiming that her hair would otherwise fall out in clumps, or grow in unevenly. Rose Gold had her own wig collection by the time she was a teenager, along with a wheelchair for those days when she was feeling too unsteady to get around on her own. She suffered from sleep apnea and had a mouth full of yellow, rotten teeth, thanks to the havoc all that bile wrought on her enamel.

Home schooled, Rose Gold had little contact with the outside world; that is, until she convinced Patty to get the internet – “to help with school work” – at the age of sixteen. It was then that she met Phil in a chat room; Phil, who would piece together Rose Gold’s terrible symptoms and unconventional life experiences, and figure out what should have been plain to Rose Gold’s doctors. Namely, that she wasn’t sick at all, but was being poisoned and starved by Patty.

Though DARLING ROSE GOLD is obviously inspired by a recent and rather infamous case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy – the murder of Dee Dee Blanchard by her nineteen-year-old daughter Gypsy Rose, and Gypsy Rose’s online boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn – the story veers from IRL events in some pretty significant ways: Dee Dee was not tried for her crimes; Gypsy Rose’s bio dad and his new wife are not total turds; and the real Gypsy Rose, the one rotting away in jail (unjustly, imho), seems much saner and more well-adjusted than the non-murderous but still stone cold Rose Gold of fiction. Which is all fine and good, as long as you know that from jump street. Otherwise you might find yourself offended on the real Gypsy Rose’s behalf – if only initially, before the story’s twist becomes evident. I know I did.

Darn it, I’m trying my best not to give anything away, but it’s exceedingly difficult to review this book without dropping some spoilers! Even if they’re just of the maddeningly vague variety!

DARLING ROSE GOLD is told in two narratives: past tense, in the weeks and years following “Poisonous Patty’s” trial, from Rose Gold’s perspective; and present day, five years later, when Patty is released from prison and is taken in by Rose Gold, in Patty’s POV. It’s evident pretty early on – from the time they pull into the driveway of Patty’s childhood home; or rather, when she has such an extreme, visceral reaction to it – that Rose Gold has a few tricks up her sleeve. Even so, Wrobel manages to sustain the psychological tension and keep the “will she or won’t she?”/”who’s the real villain here?” suspense throughout the story, escalating things to delicious heights (depths?) with the denouement. This is a much more satisfying tale than its “ripped from the headlines” inspiration.

Rose Gold makes for a compelling protagonist, whether you’re cringing in vicarious embarrassment for her teenage, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT just-sprung-from-a-bunker awkwardness, or rooting for her to get sweet, sweet revenge on her tormentor. Patty is appropriately frustrating, so much so that it’s hard not to root for her demise; I would’ve liked a few more present-day chapters from her perspective, so we revel in her anguish just a bit longer. And Billy, what a freaking tool. I really hope he was roasted and then summarily cancelled by the masses, otherwise he got off a little too easy, with just a few months of panic and suffering.

Also: I hope Rose Gold is able to get those new teeth she always wanted. I have a serious hang up about teeth, and it’s always the dental stuff that haunts me.

Read it if: you devoured THE ACT, but didn’t want to see Gypsy Rose serve any time for what was clearly a case of self-defense.

Darling Rose Gold was the child of mentally ill mother. When Patty was let out of prison, Rose Gold was ready to take her in and make her a part of her life.
The book takes a lot of different turns and I think the reader will know where it is heading.
It was a difficult book to read.

I really enjoyed this crazy book. I was so happy to be approved for it on Netgalley. The synopsis really drew me in, and of course that beautiful cover. This is a psychological thriller that keeps you turning pages because you NEED to know what's going on. Who's crazy and who's not? What's true and what isn't? It was a wild ride for sure.

I will rate Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel a solid 5/5 stars. This was a great and I mean great psychological thriller. It truly will leave you thinking and trying to figure out what's going on inside the minds of the two protagonists, Patty Watts and her daughter Rose Gold. Patty Watts was convicted of poisoning her daughter for almost 18 years of her life and was sentenced to a 5 year term in prison. Rose Gold begins to learn how to live and be a healthy adult once her mother is placed behind bars. She gets to try out all types of different foods without her mother constantly convincing her that she is sick or trying to control every single aspect of her life. When Rose Gold turns 16 years old, they get the internet in the home and she finally has an outlet into the real world which sets the pace and theme for the story. The story jumps back and forth between the present, told through Patty's eyes, and the past, told through Rose Gold's eyes.

What I enjoyed about this book:
It truly sheds light on Munchausen syndrome. This book and story is so unique because it is the first fictional story that I read of it's kind. I enjoyed reading the story from Patty's warped mind and viewpoint. She truly was an awful character and mother. The twisted thoughts that were in her head were totally inconceivable for a mother towards their child, their only child at that. I am so thankful that she didn't have more than one child.

I also enjoyed reading the story from Rose Gold's point of view, as well. It showed how truly damaged she was mentally from her mother's abuse and control over her life all of those years when she was younger. It showed how she was a victim of her mother's constant manipulation. The book shed some light on Stockholm syndrome and at one point in the story Rose Gold definitely portrayed this.

What I didn't enjoy about this book:
Neither Patty or Rose Gold were likeable characters. I didn't like either one of them, but their twisted minds kept me hooked and intrigued and I just had to continue the story and find out what was going on inside of their minds.

I did not like how Rose Gold tried to manipulate her father and I did not like how her father, Billy, and his family acted all high and mighty around her. They really did not try to include her in their lives or open up to her with welcomed arms. I have been on the receiving end of this type of situation with meeting family members and I could definitely relate to Rose Gold's disappointment and hurt, but she took things way too far with her lies. She turned out to be a little manipulator and liar just like her mother.

I did not like the fact that Patty was so fixated on believing that her daughter was ill. That bothered me to my core. It is a sickness and she was truly mental.

Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book and it was refreshing to read a story that didn't have the same old theme inside a thriller. I really get tired of reading psychological thrillers which focus on killing someone, a murder mystery, or someone is having an affair with someone else and blah, blah, blahhh… I will highly recommend this book to others just based upon the fact that the storyline is far different than others that are on the market. Be sure to keep your eyes appealed for the twist at the end... While I had suspected something similar... It truly was an amazing ending and very well thought out and put together.

Thank you, NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Patty Watts, born to be a mother, and loves the smell of hospitals.  The thoughts that go through her mind are not normal.  She likes to step on peoples toes, literally and <i>on purpose</i>.  Her daughter, Rose Gold, likes to hide things.  Her smile, her teeth, and whatever it is that she is so careful to keep locked up in her room.  Obsession, second chances, suffocating relationships, looking at madness as an option.  Is there revenge in the offing, or has one bad mommy nurtured another to fruition?

5 years ago, 23-year-old Rose Gold Watt’s mother, Patty, who has Munchhausen by Proxy, was convicted.For years Rose  suffered from malnutrition and other illnesses due to her mother's abuse but after Patty’s release though Rose Gold lets her mom move in with her Has she finally forgiven her mom or does Rose Gold  have revengeful plans of her own ?

Darling Rose Gold is an extremely dark and twisted psychological thriller .This book was certainly not what I was expecting . It’s filled with terrible characters who have no morals or thoughts for anybody else but in this story it works.Told in Patty and Rose Gold’s POV’s this book was fast-paced, entertaining, and difficult to put down

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing Group & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Patty Watts has maintained her innocence. She did not poison her daughter, Rose Gold. Rose Gold was seriously ill as a child and required extensive doctor visits and medical treatments. Only thing is, Rose Gold wasn't actually sick. Patty served five years for her treatment of Rose Gold and is finally out of prison. It seems mother and daughter have reconciled when Rose Gold allows Patty to live with her upon and start anew. Things may not be as they appear as Patty resents Rose Gold for testifying against her and Rose Gold must face her horrific past.

This was such a thrilling page-turner for me. I am already fascinated by Munchausen By Proxy and was intrigued by how a thriller could be written about this syndrome. Patty and Rose Gold are very complex characters. As the story switched back and forth between their perspectives, you learn more about their pasts and how they developed into their present day characters. While both make very questionable decisions, I found myself sympathizing with them due to their upbringings.

I did predict the twists, but that did not stop me from enjoying the book. Instead, I read faster to try and figure out how this twisted story could ever be resolved. This was one of the best thrillers I've read in a while and I definitely recommend it!

“Darling Rose Gold”....is one of the new psychological thriller *It* books. We have them every year. Excitement for the newest thrilling-thriller.
“Rose Gold Darling”, won’t be released until March of 2020....but the early reviews were expressing ‘suspense-entertainment’ with words such as “dark, shocking, creepy, and unputdownable.
Being curious - I jumped on the OMG wagon.

My first dislike: ( as in a pet peeve dislike)....I’m not a fan of the ‘name’, “Rose Gold”. I’d never want to be called ‘Rose Gold’ any more than I would Dick.
The first creepy thing about this book is in the title.
Rose Gold ( fiction character), was very similar to the name Gypsy Rose
( the real character)
I wondered how in the world debut author, Stephanie Wrobel, could sleep at night, not acknowledging her inspiration for this book? Not a word about the true story.

As for the word ‘Darling’, in the Books’s title....
don’t get your hopes up. The youngest character, ( a two year old), was not even allowed to be a ‘darling’.

The small town was not darling either.
‘Deadwick’ is a small dreary town with old wretched houses and yards littered with knee-high weeds, spare tires, and fast food wrappers.

Rose Gold purchased a dreary house in Deadwick just three months before Patty was released from prison. HER MOTHER’S CHILDHOOD home!

Rose Gold picked Patty up from prison the day she was released. Never mind that it was Rose Gold’s testimony that sent Patty to prison in the first place.
Never mind that Rose Gold brought Patty home to live with her and baby Adam.
And.

There were no baby photos of 2 year old Adam in the house anywhere.

Many reasons to be suspicious — however I guessed the ending the very first day that Patty was released from prison... within the first 10 minutes of reading this novel - when I knew immediately the only character I felt protective of was about was baby Adam.

This book is similar in theme...(munchausen by proxy), to the true story of Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard, story.
....(there is an HBO documentary called “Mommy Dead and Dearest”).
I didn’t see any mention or plot-inspiration- reference from the author in this book.
Is the author an innocent victim or villain for not acknowledging Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee?
It bothered me.

As Rose Gold was touching and kissing baby Adam,
Patty noticed -on her first day out of prison- that Rose Gold cared more about the baby than her.
Patty says to herself: “We’ll have to fix that”.
Creepy was just getting started.
Creepy continues....
Painted on the ceiling in one of the rooms in the house were two giant lifelike ‘eyes’.

This story is about revenge, retaliation, with plenty of lies and manipulation.

Alternating points of view from Rose Gold and Patty...
I honestly wasn’t on the edge of my seat -
I saw the lies miles away - I saw ending twist ‘sooo’ early.

Personally I would’ve preferred a more in-depth character study of manipulation, control, and feelings of fear,....the fragility of turbulence that ‘lack-of-trust’, causes in relationships —rather then a purely suspense revenge driven plot.

I am reminded, however, just how dangerous & harrowing - some families can be.....and how profoundly disturbing a survivors tale can be.

WOW!! Darling Rose Gold is an intense psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your chair.

Nicknamed Poisonous Patty, Patty is sentenced to prison for five years for child abuse. Patty thought she was giving her daughter the loving childhood she never had but she was oblivious to the fact that she was abusing her daughter. Now while her mom is in jail, her daughter, Rose Gold, a young adult, is trying to live and adjust in the real world without her mother. The world can be a cruel place. The story is told from Rose Gold and Patty’s perspectives. When Patty gets out of prison, Rose Gold lets her come live with her. Has Rose Gold learned of Patty’s deceptive ways; is she going to repeat her past?

Wrobel’s debut novel will have you hooked from the very beginning! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers. Wrobel has a great voice and really brings the characters to life.

Thank you to netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Stephanie Wrobel for the advance copy in exchange for my review.
This book is crazy! Crazy good. In the beginning I really wasn't sure I would like it. It seemed to drag at times but in the end it all made sense. Crazy mother, crazy daughter. Not sure which one is worse. The apple didn't fall far from the tree for sure.

Oh my goodness, this was quite a book. It was also the author’s MFA thesis. It is the stories (present and past) of Patty and Rose Gold Watts, mother and daughter. Patty has just spent five years in prison for having abused Rose Gold for the first eighteen years of her life. Rose Gold’s testimony was the convicting element of her trial. When Patty is released from prison, Rose Gold is there to pick her up and take her home to the house Patty’s abusive parents had lived in and her older brother had committed suicide in the basement. Then everything really started. I won’t go any further into the plot because of spoilers but will describe the two protagonists as thoroughly diabolical. Thanks to Net Galley and Berkeley for an ARC for an honest review.

I am clearly in the minority on this book, but I have to say I did not really enjoy it it and therefore skimmed through most of it and basically consider it a DNF. I found the characters unlikeable and the writing style just not to my liking.

Darling Rose Gold is a creepy story of a twisted mother/daughter relationship that kept me wondering which one was crazier! I don't want to say too much because I don't want give anything away. Darling Rose Gold is one of my most anticipated 2020 releases and I can't wait for others to read it!

Great book! Fast paced and I could not put it down.

Wrobel did a great job of the characters in this story, the back and worth style between the mother and daughter really pulled this book together.

I look forward to seeing what Wrobel comes out with next!

This book IS AMAZING
.... i have been waiting for this book for over a month now...I LOVED IT...RoseGold, allthough is not a likeable character. neither is her mom, Patty. As i was reading this book i never knew what ditection it was going go in. That was what i loved so much about this book, besides the entire storyline.

This is a difficult novel to rate.
Rose Gold believes for the majority of her life that she is terminally ill. She was in a wheelchair, constantly in and out of the hospital and even had her head shaved since her hair wouldn’t keep falling out in patches. With no real diagnosis Rose Gold eventually comes to the conclusion her mother Patty Watts is to blame. Patty is incarcerated for five years and comes out to her daughter with an infant and a new independence. What has happened during these past five years? How does Patty plan on mending their relationship?
This book kept me on edge and was extremely hard to put down. I felt a lot for the the main characters and was very conflicted by my emotional response which honestly is what I think the author was going going for here. Good book but a little predictable. Overall 3.8/5 stars.