Her Name Is Rose

In Western Ireland, Iris is a gardener and adoptive mother to Rose, a brilliant violinist at the Royal Academy. Rose is still working through her father’s death and her mother is struggling with both the news she’s just received from her doctor and the promise she made to her late husband. Honoring the promise to find Rose’s birth mother, Iris travels to Boston with a 20 year old letter to guide her on her quest

Iris Bowen is a widow, two years in time and forever in her heart. She mourns the loss of her husband Luke every day, losing herself only in her gardening and her daughter Rose. Iris struggles with her promise to Luke that she'd locate Rose's birth mother, while worries for her future health and Rose's happiness. . Rose is struggling with her own grief and the pressure of training as a classical violinist. This book chronicles a personal journey that will test both women's strength and trust. Along the way there are visits to Boston, New York and London bringing new and interesting characters into their orbit.

The author writes beautiful prose and is at her best weaving the Irish landscape like a verdant dreamy painting. The middle portion of the book drags and flounders with sections that don't seem to coalesce with the main plot line, but alas it all comes together. The cast of characters are well drawn, but not fully revealed leaving more to be discovered about their past and future. If, as a reader you want all the loose ends tied up in a nice tidy ending, then this might not be the book for you. But, it will leave you wanting to know more about these characters and what life has in store for them. I hope the author completes a sequel and brings us back to their world, poised on the edge of change. This is a light and leisurely read and will be enjoyed by readers of women's fiction, romance and literature.

With the background of Ireland, the story of Iris, a gardener and mother, and her daughter, Rose, will warm your heart. Without giving away the whole story, Iris is worried about her health, and since her husband died 2 years earlier, she worries about Rose and a promise she made to her husband. I really liked this one.

Ireland, a mother Iris, and her adopted daughter, Rose. Iris had promised her husband Luke, that she would would Rose's birth mother after he dies. Rose is a violinist attending the Royal Academy of Music, each is on their own journey. Iris travels to Boston, where she discovers the truth about Rose's birth mother Hillary and she meets Grace and Hector. Wonderful characters and writing, a charming debut novel. I loved it!

I really enjoyed this book, which takes you in the past for the sake of a girl. You discover links and crave to know more, page after page, you feel you are peeling layers of thick skin, or getting to the heart of a flower,to keep the parallel with the title. I don't know what to compare it with, it is original without being totally different from other books you have read. No special effort needed to read it. A good four stars.

Enjoyable story about a widowed mother and her teen daughter.

Mother and daughter are both on journeys to find themselves and to decide what the future holds for each. Iris Bowen was unable to have children, so along with her husband they adopt a beautiful girl and raise her in Ireland. Rose is the daughter and is trying to decide how much violin matters to her and what she wants for her future; along with dealing with the death of her father.

I absolutely adored this book. Just like the cover, it read so elegantly and I loved having both a mother and a daughter go on a journey where they are trying to find themselves. There aren't that many books where you get to follow both mother and daughter and both have a need to find something. Her mother has a potential cancer diagnosis and doesn't want to leave Rose abandoned and alone and I felt for her as she wants to provide security for her daughter, but doesn't want to invite a stranger into the fragile family. Rose was a great character - she has strived for a level of perfection in violin and is now doubting everything and must either walk away or find confidence and I loved her story arc.

If you love a simple mother/daughter story that had such an ease in reading, then you would love this one and should put it on your list.

I wasn't sure what to actually expect from this book, but I can say I was pleasantly pleased. There were very strong characters and a great story. I was a little perplexed when all of a sudden Rowan was introduced into the story late in the book. However, it didn't take long to figure out why.

I read this all in one sitting and was thoroughly entertained. Although I was very bummed to see it end. I wanted to hear more of became of the couples, but alas I'm just going to have to think they lived happily ever after.

Thanks St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Romantic, engaging and a perfect escape novel.....