This book was not a good fit for me, as I make a point of selecting reads that are clean, without gratuitous details on the physical relationship of the characters. In that respect I was disappointed by this story, and it dampened my enjoyment of the plot itself.

Eveline Stanhope lives in the seaside town of Cowes on the Isle of Wright, her mother Adelaide is a widow and she has two older sisters Louisa and Beatrice. Her mother wants Eveline to make a suitable match like her sisters, she has her sights set on Charles Sandham for her daughter and she’s not keen to get married.

Eveline’s different most young ladies at the time, she finds her mother’s ideas and societies rules stifling and boring. Eveline isn’t happy about the new railway line being build, she thinks it will ruin the countryside and cut off the fisherman’s cottages. Her father’s friend Mr. Watson is the director of the railway company and Mr. Armitage is the engineer. They assure her they will preserve as much of the landscape as they can, and a bridge will be built for the fishermen.

Eveline is friends with her maid Jennie and they both have an interest in photography, when Jennie's offered a job working for Mr. Fry and Eveline's happy for her. She envies Jennie’s freedom, when she can Eveline escapes her mothers clutches, and spends time with Jennie, her fiancée Ned and Thomas Armitage. She sees a different side to Mr. Armitage, he’s a nice man and Eveline finds him rather attractive.

The railway track, station, ticket office, waiting room, house for the stationmaster and workers cottages are finished on time. Eveline and her entire family are invited to the railways grand opening, they ride the new line to Newport and have a wonderful day. It means Thomas will be leaving, Eveline doesn’t know where he will be working next and he goes to London for an interview!

I received a copy of Stealing Roses by Heather Cooper from NetGalley and Allison & Busby in exchange for an honest review and I loved Eveline’s character. She drove her mother crazy, by wanting to do things that respectable young ladies didn’t do in the 1860’s and her mother finally appreciates her daughter’s unconventional ways. I highly recommend this book, a quick and entertaining read and five stars from me.

Growing up in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1862 we have Eveline Stanhope. She is the youngest daughter of three daughters in this privileged family. After her father dies the family is struggling and the mother is very prim and proper and feels she must keep up appearances of being very well off,craving dinner invitations and seaside visits. Sort of like keeping up with the Jone's sort of thing.
Evaline offers to help out financially ,not get new dresses or new things all the time and the mother scoffs at the idea. She must keep up appearances. I think the daughter is more realistic and mature than the mother here.
Evaline is hardheaded and smart she puts it to use and is involved in learning all she can about photography and the development of it.
As times become more modern we see the railroad coming in, there is objection to it from some including those in Evaline's family.
A woman's place is to marry and marry a wealthy man according to her mother and older sisters and they won't let her forget it but Evaline is set to make something of herself in this world, marriage can wait.

Published October 24th 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Heather Cooper’s Stealing Roses is a warmly delightful debut novel set in the small seaside town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1862. Aside from brief mentions of Queen Victoria’s summer home at nearby Osborne House, major historical events and figures don’t intrude. The focus is on a young woman’s growing into adulthood amid social change in her immediate world.

The writing style enhances the sense of period, employing the Victorian tendency toward long, winding sentences and a tone of elevated formality. It makes a nice contrast with the personality of its heroine, 19-year-old Eveline Stanhope, the adventurous youngest daughter in a well-to-do family. She has two older sisters who married well, a mother she loves despite her tendency to meddle and gossip, and a caring aunt. Living with them is Eveline’s former governess, Miss Angell, who would have had nowhere else to go if the Stanhopes hadn’t taken her in.

The building of a railway line between Cowes and Newport alarms Eveline at first, since she shares her late father’s love of natural landscapes and hates to think of the ground being torn up. Over time, she comes to realize the benefits that trains will bring for local fishermen, other businesses, and even their family. Two suitors present themselves in her life: Charles Sandham, nephew of Mrs Stanhope’s good friend and social rival, and chief railway engineer Thomas Armitage, a Yorkshireman.

Eveline is an engaging heroine, a product of her time who recognizes but sets aside the limitations imposed on young women of her class. Eveline’s mother despairs of her interest in photography and desire to go sea-bathing, but as with many things, Mrs. Stanhope can be persuaded to change her mind if she’s told such pursuits are fashionable or progressive. (While she can be flighty and marriage-obsessed on Eveline’s behalf, she’s no Mrs Bennet; over the course of the novel, her character shows significant depth.)

Jane Austen fans should enjoy this novel with its emphasis on family interactions, social responsibility, and the economic position of women. The era depicted in is firmly Victorian, though, and delves into the era’s proprieties and improprieties (with examples both saucy and serious). Some parts of the ending feel too abrupt, but overall, it’s enjoyable to spend time within these pages.

(Published at Reading the Past)

Eveline Stanhope is growing up on the Isle of Wight in 1862. She's a rather modern young woman much to the discontentment of her Mother.  Mrs Stanhope and Eveline's sisters would prefer the young woman was concentrating on marrying a wealthy man. Eveline, on the other hand, is interested in learning new skills and campaigning for better conditions for the new railway line workers. Eveline's head is turned by railway engineer Thomas Armitage, but is there a future for them?

I had a little bit of a difficult time getting started with this story but once I was about 50% through it, my interest increased and I enjoyed the story much more.

Eveline is a youngest daughter from a well-to-do family whose father has passed and whose two older sisters have married well and are out in society. Eveline is 19 years old and is feeling trapped by her mother and older sisters who want to see her marry well. She is interested in so many more things than being married and just living the socialite life that her sisters and mother live. She develops a love for photography when photography was first really being introduced. The railroad has come to her small town in England.

I did enjoy the fact that Eveline did not wish to conform to society in a time where that was expected. She was her own woman and while she tried to please her mother, she also found ways to assert her independence. In the end, that independence made her a happier person.

There is one very brief sexual encounter and one almost violent attempted sexual assault. In both cases, Eveline stands her ground and demands what she wants.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

I enjoyed this story. I found Eveline's character to be wonderful. She was seeking independence. She didn't want the life of a lady. Thomas is a educated, strong man. The problem I have is that these two barely have any interaction, but fall in love. Everything else about the book I really like....I just think there needed to be more time spent on Eveline and Thomas and less on some other characters.

The cover is gorgeous. The book/story didn"t grabbed me as I expected it would. I love historical fiction but for some reason I found most characters to be annoying and childish. The only one I actually liked and cheered was Eveline a head strong and an independant spirit. I would of loved to have connected with more characters.
I want to thank Netgalley, Allison &Busby and Heather Cooper for this advance copy in digital form in exchange for an honest review.

An enchanting and engrossing Victorian tale written with elan, flair and heart, Heather Cooper’s debut novel Stealing Roses is a vivid, captivating and spellbinding read I struggled to put down.

Eveline Stanhope cannot help but chafe at the shackles of duty and expectation that bind the free-spirited miss to a life of convention and responsibility. Growing up in the small seaside town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Eveline has always yearned for adventure yet she is constantly trapped and imprisoned by her well to do family’s ideals of how she should live her life. Girls like Eveline do not go on wild adventures or do anything out of the ordinary, but they focus all of their time, energies and efforts into attracting a suitable husband – and according to her mother and two elder sisters, there is nobody more suitable for her than Charles Sandham. Charles seems to fit all the necessary criteria for her family: he is wealthy, handsome and charming and makes every girl on the island go weak at the knees. Yet, Eveline cannot help but yearn for something more. She wants more from life than to be somebody’s wife and the arrival of the railway could well end up being the answer to all of her prayers.

Eveline adored her late father and she still cherishes the time she had spent learning at his knee and her memories of her dear papa are amongst her dearest treasures. Eveline’s father was passionate about the landscape of the island and he was keen to preserve it for future generations. Always keen to honour her beloved parent’s memory, Eveline cannot help but be worried about the arrival of the railway and the destruction it could possibly wreak onto the landscape her father loved so much. As Eveline begins to get more closely involved with the railway, she also finds herself drawn to engineer Thomas Armitage, a man who awakens deep within her feelings which she has never experienced before.

Thomas is as far removed from her family’s idea of a perfect suitor as it is possible to get. However, the more time Eveline spends with him, the more she finds herself falling head over heels in love with him. With the completion of the railway spelling the end of Thomas’ time on the island, will Eveline end up losing the only man she will ever love? Is a future for her and Thomas possible? Or is theirs a love that simply cannot be?

It is impossible not to fall under the spell of Heather Cooper’s debut Stealing Roses. A writer of great scope, talent and ingenuity, Heather Cooper has this wonderful gift of sweeping the reader back to the past with vivid descriptions, evocative period details and a stellar recreation of Victorian England. Her characters are brilliantly drawn and exquisitely rendered and readers will not be able to resist falling in love with Eveline and Thomas.

Romantic, beautifully crafted and mesmerizing from start to finish, Stealing Roses is a fantastic historical novel from a writer to watch out for: Heather Cooper.

★★★★ 4.5 stars

I requested STEALING ROSES on a bit of a whim upon reading the premise which sounded like a delightful breath of fresh air. Indeed I was not wrong. An easy read, which I devoured in two sittings lost within the Victorian era of such social considerations of which would be so strange to us today.

A gentle Victorian romance, STEALING ROSES is populated with a delightful (and some not so delightful) cast of characters set upon the Isle of Wight in 1862. It was a time when a woman's sole purpose was to marry and produce children, with a prestigious marriage to a someone of substantial wealth considered most advantageous.

This is the predicament in which Eveline Stanhope finds herself. As the youngest of three girls, Eveline is on the cusp of spinsterhood at the tender age of 19. Her mother, Adelaide Stanhope (but more referred to as Mrs Stanhope throughout), has designs on a marriage between the nephew of one of the more respectable families, Charles Sandham, and her youngest daughter. But Evie is a girl of independent spirit which sets her apart from her older sisters with her forward thinking and modern ideas. She doesn't see marriage as her only option nor does she see spinsterhood a failing, for she believes women should have the power to choose their own destiny...even if that means being happy and alone, tied to a loveless marriage or even working for a living.

But not everyone is as modern in their thinking...her mother nearly fainting from the sheer distress of such an idea (someone pass the smelling salts!) and instead attempting to find a respectable match for her through a volley of dinner parties, garden teas and various other social engagements, where two suitors catch her attention. Charles Sandham and railway engineer, Thomas Armitage. Whilst her mother sees a marriage between the socially acceptable and wealthy Charles an attractive venture, Eveline finds herself somewhat drawn to the rather unaffable Thomas...without even considering the idea of marriage. She has far more important ventures to pursue. And yet she each time she comes across the reserved Thomas, she still catches herself with thoughts of him.

Eveline's older "married" sisters, Louisa and Beatrice, are always on hand to offer advice regarding such important issues as lady's maids, hairstyles, clothing and its various accessories. But Eveline feels the confines of her sheltered life is almost like a prison, particularly when her mother strictly forbids her to visit the "Professor of Photography" shop, where she and her maid Jennie spent hours learning about the art, as well as the swimming lessons Jennie had been giving her. Why should a man have more freedom to do the things she herself would like to do? But as her sisters wisely pointed out, she will have far greater freedom once she is married...as if marriage were the answer to everything!

And yet her mother is secretly hoping for a union between Charles Sandham and her youngest daughter to happen quite soon. When Eveline takes herself off to London on a private family matter, Mrs Stanhope has no qualms in letting slip the hotel in which she is stayed to the charming Charles, who claims to have some business to attend to in the capital and promises to look in on Eveline whilst he is there. Moreso, he gives Mrs Stanhope the assurance that he will accompany Eveline back home, to which she is most agreeable. She is so sure than an engagement will be announced upon their return that she confides in half the town on the intention.

But Eveline is not to be swept off her feet by the charms of Charles Sandham. In fact, whilst she is most polite to him she wishes nothing more than to escape his presence at the earliest opportunity. But while the cat's away the mice will play and Charles has other ideas. Strong in spirit, Eveline puts him in his place but not before she feels the sting of his hand and anger of his rage. The next morning she is at the station for the first train to escape his path but he soon catches up with her and when they disembark the steamer on the Isle, Eveline is disheartened to see the darkness fall across Thomas Armitage's face when he catches a glimpse of her with Charles. By the time she disentangles Charles' hand from her arm, Thomas has already looked away...and Eveline is surprised to find herself distressed by the whole thing.

When Eveline arrives home to find her mother has her already engaged to the unsavoury Charles, she realises she has no alternative but to regale her mother with the events that took place in London. At first, she refuses to accept such a thing and then she assumes that Eveline must have done something to provoke him...but finally, the following day, Mrs Stanhope concludes that her daughter is telling the truth. And then the prospect of having to face such humiliation after already marrying the couple off, Mrs Stanhope concedes to simply ignore it.

But alas, as in all good historical romances, it doesn't end there. It isn't long before we see Eveline giving herself the extra freedom she so longs for, albeit secretly, as she and Jennie's friendship remains steadfast long after the young girl had left the Stanhope's employ. And thereto Evie finds another type of freedom encountering Thomas Armitage once again. But no sooner does she find herself and love at the same time, does she also learn of heartbreak and a sadness she never thought she could feel after her father's death. In the ensuing chapters, we see Evie pining and mope about before anticipating a satisfying ending.

But will Evie find her happily ever after?

A simply delightful read, STEALING ROSES is a leisurely stroll through the Victoria era of romance and etiquette. But if one anticipates this to be an enthralling tale of romance...it is here, but sparingly. STEALING ROSES is more about Evie's journey...where she feels restricted by all that is expected of her class and longs to have the same freedoms afforded to those of lower classes. She may be the youngest of the three Stanhope daughters but in some ways she is far wiser than her older siblings. If she is to marry, and it wouldn't be the end of the world if she didn't, then she desires someone to support her and share in her views as not only a woman but as an equal. Forward thinking for the Victorian age, and not widely accepted. But Evie found a way to make her mark.

I thoroughly enjoyed STEALING ROSES, and the only thing keeping me from rating it 5 stars was the ending...as I felt it a little too abrupt to be in line with the rest of the story. I would have preferred to see a happy ending peter out into a satisfying conclusion. But it is still a delightful read and incredibly enjoyable.

The best way to simply describe STEALING ROSES to other readers, I feel, is that it is a kind of "Jane Austen meets Downton Abbey" .

Definitely recommended for fans of historical fiction.

I would like to thank #HeatherCooper, #NetGalley and #AllisonAndBusby for an ARC of #StealingRoses in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness, what a breath of fresh air! I requested this book from NetGalley on a whim and it really surpassed my expectations in almost every way.

It seems like a fairly straightforward story of a young girl, Eveline, who in 1862 is nearing spinsterhood (at the tender age of 19, my God) - but it was so much more than that. In subtle and simple prose, it tells the story of a girl that absolutely refuses to be held to other's standards of what is right, or proper, or expected, and is bound and determined to live her own life.

I loved how (...mostly) realistic the book seemed and how accurate it felt for the time it was written in; there were a few instances where Eveline did things that we would now know to be completely untoward, but this was acknowledged (as were the potential consequences of her actions). Her fierce and independent spirit was so easy to root for, and the more the story progressed the more I found myself waiting to see what she would make of her life.

The absolute only thing that kept me from rating this 5 stars was the ending, as it was quite abrupt and felt wildly out of pace with the rest of the story. (Pace is not to meant to be "place," no typo here.) The story progressed at a slow and leisurely pace, with all things happening in due time, and then BAM conclusion. I would have loved to see that part of the book expanded on a bit, but the general idea of all of it was just so great I can only fault it but so much.

Also, if you're coming in to this one looking for romance, it's here - but sparingly. Evie's journey is really what this book is about, and the romance plays second fiddle throughout (even though her mother and sisters mention her inability to find a suitable husband at least once a chapter, it's not at the forefront of Evie's story).

I would recommend this to reader's that enjoy a good period drama (speaking of which, would love to see this in mini series form!!), and I think I would say that the best way to simply describe it is as a mash up of Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, but for modern readers. Definitely recommended!

I could not put this book down. I loved Evie, I loved the unique setting of the Isle of Wight, highly recommend!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

An engrossing and entertaining historical romantic fiction that kept me hooked and root for the characters.
I loved the well researched historical background, the well written cast of characters (Evelyne above all) and the plot.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is a lovely gentle tale of Evie, a young woman living on the Isle of Wight in 1862 and feeling her way into the world. She's the youngest of three daughters and her mother wants nothing more for her than that she marry well. Her family is in reduced straits (although living far far better than most) and a good marriage will lift things for these women. Unfortunately, Evie's not a fan of Charles, the person her mother has picked but she does feel a spark for Thomas, an engineer who is working on the railway. This is about more than the romance though, as Evie takes steps to expand her vistas. There are good characters and good dialogue with best of all, a good sense of the period. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

This is what I would call a very light read. It was very easy to get into but at times I found the actual line of the content very shallow and predictable. It did however have a little bit of social history in regards to a women’s place in society and the advent of the railway and its impact on people’s life.

Stealing Roses by Heather Cooper is a wonderful historical fiction piece that is set in 1862 in Cowes, Isle of Wight. This story focusses on 19 (21 by the end of the novel) year old Eveline Stanhope, a fiery, youngest daughter of a fairly well-off home and family (well not as well off as in the past, but still well off). This book describes many things. It is part coming of age, part descriptive novel on the inner workings of a Victorian family and estate and their imperfections and relationships with themselves and each other, part romance, and part of a story discussing the monumental addition of the railway to their far and away area. This addition rocks the community in positive (almost all positive) ways as well as a few negatives.

I love the descriptions and images that the author gives the reader, not only of what seeing and experiencing a first railway, but also in how each character exhibits their emotions and thoughts, and how we literally feel as if we are there with Eveline and her inner and outer struggles.

I love that she is fiery and feisty, yet apprehensive and still loyal and concerned about how her actions will affect her family. She is a good soul, yet she is not without error in her judgement once in a while. I love that she knows she needs others, yet is independent and wants her own identity and passions in life.

I truly enjoyed the ending and that it feels just right. I laughed, I felt sorrow and empathy, and I felt tension and stress at wanting a positive ending and the other characters their “come-uppings”. I also enjoyed learning a bit more about the railways and their advancements as well as early photography. Fascinating.

Maybe a second installment for America?

Excellent read.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Allison & Busby for this great ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am submitting this review to my GR account immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Bookbub, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Received from Net Galley to read. Characters were in love,you feel the emotions that they have but as the story went it had me having a time to get through the book. It sounded like I was sitting here reading someone else's story,a diary of sorts. Loved where it took place and the era,first time reading work from the author and will read another one if offered. I just am sorry I got bored!

~ I was given an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review, I'm not associated with the author or publisher in any way and the views expressed are completely unbiased and entirely my own. ~

My rating: 3*

Set on the Isle of Wight in 1862, 'Stealing Roses' by Heather Cooper tells the story of Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of a Victorian family who's independent spirit sets her apart from her older sisters and peers. Her family are keen to find a good match for her and marry her off, but Elizabeth has other ideas. This novel does have a bit of romance, however, the focus is much more about Elizabeth asserting herself as a woman in her own right.

You'll enjoy this if you like historical fiction which immerses you in the day to day details of it's characters lives - it took me a little while to warm up to the story because of this - I personally prefer character development to lead the way initially to really draw me into a story, otherwise it feels like information overload with not much context. Nevertheless an enjoyable little historical romancy fiction overall.

~ Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this title ~

I was totally pulled into this book; loving every minute of reading about Eveline's life in Victorian England. Heather Cooper's debut is beautifully written with characters who are so well developed that we know their thoughts and even sometimes anticipate their next move (I'm thinking of the gentleman, Charles, here). Tom is a bit of a reluctant suitor but then he does have several misconceptions about Eveline. Victorian England is another character in the book for that is what sets the tone, successes and historical triumphs. I strongly recommend this book to Historical Romance fans and Historical Fiction fans. This is a winner!

I received this book free for review from the publisher.

I found this book very dull. There is a plot, of a sort, but it mostly reads like the novelization of a young girl's diary. Eveline goes to dinner parties, the dressmakers, the photography studio, the beach. But nothing every really happens.