Can you forgive and forget?

For eighteen years Rose Gold believed she was extremely ill. From severe allergies to being confined to a wheelchair to have a feeding tube, she practically lived in a hospital bed. Neighbours and friends did everything they could to help Rose Gold and her mom Patty, holding fundraisers and dropping off food. But no doctors could ever find any cause for these serious afflictions.

Turns out, Patty may not be the a good mother, just a good liar.

After five years in prison Patty is released. Everyone has turned on her and with nowhere to go she is shocked when Rose Gold allows her to stay with her.

However Rose Gold is no longer weak, sick or dependent. She’s also not her sweet little darling....

What a great story. It was exciting and suspenseful and kept me wanting more. The characters were great and I really found myself unable to decide who was good, and who wasn’t. I love books that keep me on my toes like that. I found the writing nice and fluid and the chapters a great length. I also loved the dual narrative! Definitely recommend this one!

This was an interesting read. It was a twist and turn here and there for Rose and her mother. What bothers me about this story is that whether or not this is about Gypsy Rose Blanchard or if this is just such a similar story to hers because of the Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. Sure, the exact details in medical conditions and small details vary. But it’s just so similar that I’m not sure whether this was someone else’s story that happened to be similar. Or in each and every case, we have similar medical conditions that the parents take on. I gave this book a three stars because it was a really well written book and I enjoyed the differences in this story vs. Gypsy Roses story. Which left me not exactly knowing where the ending was heading. But it was well worth the read to see how Stephanie ended this story.



Munchausen Syndrome by proxy

If you know the horrifying true story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother Dee Dee, then you know the basic premise of “Darling Rose Gold”. This one swerves from the original story a little and gives us a twist towards the end, but it felt like Wrobel heard the Gypsy Rose story and just fictionalized it. She does give a nod to some of her sources in her Acknowledgements, but I think this book would be a better read for those who aren’t familiar with its origins.

Rose Gold suffered at the hands of her mother, Patty, for most of her childhood. Patty, who herself was physically abused as a child, made Rose Gold sick by poisoning her for years as a result of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP). She shaved Rose Gold’s head for sympathy, and spent countless hours at medical appointments under the guise of helping her ailing daughter. The community rallied around this sick child, showering Patty in sympathy. Years later, Patty has been released from prison and is reunited with Rose Gold.

This book was ok. It’s a page-turner, a quick and easy read, and yes, it’s entertaining. The writing is mediocre - I’m starting to find it hard to overlook similes that make no sense (can someone tell me what on earth a “pop tart bed”is???), and the use of overly colloquial language such as “f’ed up”. I didn’t expect this to be literary by any means, so maybe I’m just too pretentious a reader to enjoy a book simply for entertainment’s sake.

With all that said, this book is easy to read and hard to put down. I wish Wrobel went deeper into the psychology and trauma of MSBP. This is a fightingly disturbing cycle of abuse that leaves children severely traumatized. While I felt compelled to finish the book, I found it just ok. I’m in the minority here, as most reviews for this book are excellent. So, if you’re looking for a twisted, fast-paced thriller that isn’t a typical domestic drama, this could be worth picking up.

What a fantastic book! I thoroughly enjoyed the complex relationship between Rose Gold and her mom, and found the story incredibly engrossing. Although I was able to figure out some of the twists (not all!), it didn’t matter at all in my enjoyment of the book which, to me, is definitely an indicator of a great book!

I did get through the book, but only because I wanted to be able to review it, based on its entirety. My problem was that I could not understand how Rose Gold was able to do all tat travelling, and save money for teeth, and then was able to afford a house (instead of doing her teeth), all pretty much on a salary of a cashier.
But putting that issue aside, I was curious enough to keep reading until the end, to find out what happens with Darling Rose Gold.

Definitely don’t judge this book by its sweet looking cover. This is one creepy, messed up psychological thriller that is highly entertaining (and gut twisting) to read. With multiple points of view and flashbacks, the book is narrated by both mother, Patty, and daughter, Rose Gold.

Patty has been imprisoned for aggravated child abuse throughout Rose Gold’s childhood. In a “Munchausen disorder by proxy” situation, it is alleged that Patty is responsible for her daughter’s lifetime of illnesses - rendering her wheelchair dependent with a feeding tube without having an actual diagnosis.

After 5 years in jail, Patty is being released, and Rose Gold has agreed to pick her up. Is revenge or forgiveness going to colour their new relationship?

Patty and Rose Gold are fascinating characters. Their motivations and actions are slowly revealed, in such a twisty, thoughtful way that kept me guessing most of the way through. The writing is clear, and the author has a lot of skill in eliciting different emotions. I felt sickness, rage, embarrassment, warmth. It’s a rollercoaster as we are taken from present to past and to present again.

This is an impressive debut. I think this will likely be a very popular novel, and despite its macabre tone and mind-boggling manipulation by both mother & daughter, it’s an easy read, with deeply unsettling characters.

My main complaint is that some details sound similar to a few real-life cases, and there’s no acknowledgement of such anywhere in the author’s notes. When you’ve heard of these tragic real-life cases the story doesn’t sound quite as fresh and original.

I will definitely look out for future works from Stephanie Wrobel! 4⭐️
Thank you so much to @netgalley and for free access to this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a great debut novel! Before driving into this book, I had absolutely no idea what Darling Rose Gold was about other than a mother/daughter relationship. Oh wow. What a dysfunctional relationship! Darling Rose Gold tells the story of Patty Watts and her daughter Rose Gold. Patty clearly has Munchausen syndrome by proxy and has spent 5 years in prison after being convicted of aggravated child abuse, a conviction helped by the testimony of Rose Gold, who had unknowing suffered from various ailments and a never-ending battery of medical tests for all of her life. When Patty is released, surprisingly Rose Gold allows Patty to stay with her and what follows is a bit of a crazy ride of who will get back at who first...
l really enjoyed that the dual timelines and points of view in this novel. The characters reminded me a little too much of the real life case of DeeDee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard, which I felt distracted from the story, but the novel was still interesting in the fact that it explored the aftermath of abuse and kept me guessing at what would happen until very close to the end.

I love psychological thrillers. And I really love the title and cover for this book. So I chose this debut author to be my first read of 2020!

The book has alternating 1st person POVs and timelines. The two POVs are a mother and daughter. The mother (Patty) is in the present. And the daughter (Rose Gold) is in the past (starts 5 years before and gradually moves forward to the present).

The book starts with Patty being released from prison. The next chapter goes back 5 years. Rose Gold is 23 in the present (18 in the past). The two timelines were an interesting choice. Not sure if I loved it. But it worked well enough for the story.

I love psychological thrillers. And in this one there are lots of intriguing characters, some of which are crazy. The reader has to figure out what is really going on.

I wasn't sure if this book would be full of great reveals or just have one big twist at the end. I really wish that the story had been full of amazing reveals. The set-up was good. But I wanted more.

There was one surprising reveal towards the end. But overall some of it was a bit predictable. And I really wanted a better clarification about something from the past.

Overall, this is sure to be one of the most talked about psychological thrillers of early 2020.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I love a good suspense novel & Darling Rose Gold did not disappoint! It is a dark mother-daughter story with lots of good twists and turns, I recommend this book to fans of Liane Morriarty, Ruth Ware, and Gillian Flynn. Pick this up soon & prepare to be surprised and entertained!

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication: March 17, 2020
“Darling Rose Gold” by Stephanie Wrobel is the definition of family dysfunction. For her entire childhood, Rose Gold believed she was ill. She used a feeding tube to eat, got around in a wheelchair, and spent weeks at a time in the hospital, but no doctor was ever able to give Rose Gold a genuine diagnosis. Turns out, her illnesses and symptoms were completely made up….by her own mother. After five years in prison, Rose Gold’s mother Patty is released and returns to her daughter, looking for reconciliation and a happy reunion. But Rose Gold is happy and healthy and now has a plan for her mother too. If her mother thought she was a good liar, wait until she sees what Rose Gold can do…..
This novel is the debut novel by Stephanie Wrobel, and it was the novel she used for her Master’s thesis. To learn that this powerhouse of a gripping family drama was the first by Wrobel is impressive, and speaks of many great things to come.
Both Rose Gold and Patty are dysfunctional and highly disturbed characters. Although there is sympathy for Rose Gold throughout, there is just enough doubt carefully written into the pages that makes it easy to empathize with Patty as well. Throughout the novel, questions are intricately laid and doubt leaves its fingerprint. Was Patty the monster everyone thought she was? Is Rose Gold the innocent child of an abusive parent, like everyone claims?
Told in both present time from Patty’s perspective and in reverse time from Rose Gold (starting when Rose’s mother gets out of prison), the tension builds right from the start. There is one unexpected twist that really threw me for a loop, and the ending had a nice, satisfying crunch to it.
Superbly written and well-told, this novel definitely leaves me excited to see more from Wrobel

Overall, I liked this book and thought it was a compelling read. Oddly, I was not a major fan of either main character and was not really rooting for either of them. Usually when his happens, I stop reading. However, in this book, the writing and story made me curious enough to read and enjoy until the end. The little twists and hints were well thought out too. As I read this train wreck of a mother-daughter relationship, I was definitely filled with gratitude for my own relationship with my mother. I can't imagine growing up like Rose Gold or Patty and turning out any other way than they did. I appreciated how easy this book was to read and also appreciated the acknowledgments - a lot. They were longer than usual and felt more personal. I would definitely be tempted to read the author's next book! I got this ARC at a busy time. Otherwise, I think this book would have been easily digestible in 1-3 days. Would definitely recommend to anyone seeking a solid thriller.

This book was an enjoyable read. I love psychological thrillers like this . It was fast paced. I could relate to the characters. I would recommend.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book before it's released. I really enjoyed this book. Even when it was over I still wanted another chapter.

I would highly recommend reading this if you like suspense and thrillers. There were a good loop in the book which I didn't guess on my own.

It reminded me a bit of the War of the Roses in a strange way.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rose Gold Watts has believed all her life that she was seriously ill—she was allergic to everything, needed the use of a wheelchair, and was a permanent fixture at the hospital. But no matter how many doctors and tests, nobody can figure out what is wrong with Rose Gold.

What's actually wrong? Her mother is a really convincing liar.

Patty is being released from prison after serving five years. She's lost all her friends and has been shunned by the very same neighbours that supported them and held fundraisers. When her daughter agrees to take her in, the entire community is shocked—it was Rose Rose Gold that turned her in and testified against her.

Wanting to reconcile, Patty has forgiven her daughter. But unfortunately for her, the feelings are not mutual. Rose Gold is not her little darling anymore, and she's waited a long time for her mother to come home.

As far as debuts go, this is a stellar effort. A solid 3.75 stars.

Mothers and daughters can be complex, but this is on a whole other level. Wrobel pens one of the most layered and convoluted mother-daughter relationships I have ever read with two very complicated and twisted characters.

Alternating between Patty and Rose's perspective, we are trying to figure out exactly who is manipulating who. Both women are unreliable, vile, and insidious. Readers will go back-and-forth as to who to believe and will be questioning their loyalties to both.

My only criticisms are that I wanted more of a character study and that the pacing was off. Given that Patty has a psychological disorder, the manipulation and control should have been fully fleshed out. And the timelines didn't quite come together as they should, and the ending seemed rushed.

Darling Rose Gold is an intriguing story about a mother and daughter that keeps you guessing until the end. The characters are complex and lead complicated lives that stay with you after you've finished the book. Rose Gold's childhood experiences influence her as she grows up and affect her relationships with family and friends. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a book about complicated Mother Daughter relationships.

Revenge is sweet especially if it well thought out, devious and in this case deserved. Rose’s childhood was over at conception. Her lying , conniving and disturbed mother created a mirror imaged daughter. This book shows how isolation , lies and being emotionally, physically and socially abusive renders a person from experiencing positive relationships and living a sad sick life. A book tracking a bizarre mother-daughter relationship.

Here's one for the <i>True Crime junkies!</i> Calling all Murderinos!

If you're fascinated by <b>Munchausen syndrome by proxy</b> like I am, you <u>NEED</u> to read this book.

I had barely read the first paragraph of the synopsis before I knew I had to read this. Rose Gold is a fictional novel inspired by the true crime story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mother Dee Dee Blanchard. This is not the spoiler it sounds like. While Rose Gold has a childhood that is similar to the one that Gypsy Rose had, the book stands on its own as its own distinct work.

That said, anyone who loves true crime should check out both this book and the story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.

What will really get you in this novel are the little things, the casual little asides that characters have in their heads. We all have these stray thoughts, these bitter angry things that we think, but Darling Rose Gold takes it to a new level. There is something sinister at work throughout the novel, but normalized to the point that it becomes mundane. Punishing someone becomes as day to day as remembering to get milk from the store.

I can't recommend it enough to anyone who likes true crime, but is also looking for a good read that will keep them guessing.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel is a compelling page turner, surprising since the two main characters are highly unlikeable women. Patty, Rose Gold's controlling mother is a disturbed, damaged woman whose denial of her crimes makes her all the more threatening and dangerous, Rose Gold, the daughter, is a sad, pathetic young woman whose childhood was destroyed by her mother and whose adult years continue to be affected by the trauma.
The story begins with Patty being released from jail after serving five years for poisoning, starving and reducing her healthy daughter to invalid status until concerned friends help Rose to break free and report her mother's crimes. Strangely, however, Rose meets her mother from prison and invites her to stay. Keen to re-establish her dominance, Patty is surprised and accepts, hoping to slot right back into Rose Gold's life. But is the daughter offering an olive branch and putting the past behind her, or is something more sinister at hand as these two damaged women jockey for the upper hand using an arsenal of weapons—lies, secrets and devious cunning.
Told from alternating points of view, Wrobel ratchets up the tension with some surprising twists and turns until you simply have to find out who wins in the surprising ending. A terrific read.
Thanks to Net Galley for providing a preview copy in return for an honest review.

This book was very well written but I found it hard to read as it was quite disturbing. Rose Gold was mentally and medically abused by a mother who was manipulative, overbearing and possessive. At 18, Rose Gold realizes she is being poisoned by her mother and sends her mother to jail for five years. Even after Rose Gold has been in therapy she is still mentally unstable from the years of abuse. She is manipulative, deceitful and revengeful to everyone who she feels is not giving her the attention she deserves. In the end, I don't know if she got justice or not, all I know is I disliked both characters by the end of the book.

If you like your psychological thrillers to be cutting, dark and twisted, with unreliable protagonists for narrators, than this may be the perfect story for you. Told in alternating POV format, both mother Patty and daughter Rose Gold come across as unlikable characters. Both are dysfunctional, self-focused, manipulating, controlling and revenge-seeking, albeit in different ways, given that one is able to present a better "public face" than the other one is, or is that just because the townfolk are unforgiving when they discover that they have been duped?

Overall, this made for a rather captivating read. Yes, dysfunctional characters can have a way with catching and holding my attention as I try to anticipate their next move. You just never know when Patty or Rose Gold are lying or actually telling the truth. Added to the mix are some unexpected (and cringe-worthy) plot twists – as well as one jaw-dropping reveal near the end – that kept me page-turning late into the night.

If you don't like being "messed around" with as a reader, or if you need to have a likeable character before you can enjoy a story, than this probably isn't for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Stephanie Wrobel for the digital ARC I received in exchange for this early review.