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Ohhh because I am a very very very impatient reader This book is amazing! Ohhh because I am a very very very impatient reader I wish MJP had done without it Also some of the spiritual scenes became almost comical for me But despite all that you have to read this book. I cried a great deal, but I definitely recommend this book! Rosalind and Stephen worked well together. They were nicely developed and likable.
It was very refreshing how the two actually LIKED each other through out the whole book, and never got mad at each other. He was such a different romantic hero. He was kind and nice and not overbearing or bossy. He was genuinely a really good person. I felt SO protective of him.
And I loved his brother, Michael. Their relationship was sweet. Rosalind's sob story was a little silly and pointles Rosalind and Stephen worked well together. Rosalind's sob story was a little silly and pointless and overdone. It was a bit too much for my tastes, but The whole thing just felt too overdramatic.
Oct 16, Keri rated it it was amazing Shelves: Wonderful story and wonderful ending to a great series. I loved how MJP kept us apprised of the other couples throughout the entire series without being intrusive about it. I would love to see a reunion book done, but that is just me never getting enough ending. Jun 26, Christine rated it it was amazing Shelves: But in a good way. This was an amazingly romantic story, honest and heartbreaking, and it kept me riveted from page one. Stephen, the Duke of Ashburton, has three months to live, six on the outside.
After receiving the news, he fills two saddle bags with supplies and takes off alone to come to terms with his mortality. He might only have been gone a week, but when he saves the life of a boy who might have drowned into the river, he becomes a part of the boy's family -- a traveling theat Intense.
He might only have been gone a week, but when he saves the life of a boy who might have drowned into the river, he becomes a part of the boy's family -- a traveling theater troupe. He particularly stays for Rosalind, a foundling child rescued by Thomas and Maria Fitzgerald when she was 3 years old, roaming the streets of London. Now she's 28, longs for a home of her own as much as she loves her family, she is really no actress , and here is Stephen -- clearly a nobleman, but hiding from something.
I did guess part of the ending -- though I was pleasantly surprised to learn the why of it. But even if I had guessed at the whole thing, Stephen's pain was real He was dying, and he didn't know how to deal with that. Neither did Rosalind, when she learned the truth. I thought this was an utterly amazing romance novel. Don't read it if you're in the mood for something light and fluffy, but do read it if you're looking for raw emotion and powerful themes -- life, death, love, and forgiveness.
Jan 13, LaFleurBleue rated it really liked it Shelves: I really enjoyed this book. The overall writing is rather better than most of recently written books and that really makes it pleasant to read. The plot with some secrets, some fool play, some adventure, came along very nicely, without ever dragging for too long.
It supported the characters' development and change over time, especially regards their relationship which came unexpected but felt nonetheless true and strong enough to last a lifetime whatever came to them. I liked that the secrets are I really enjoyed this book. Their feelings felt humane and not only ink on paper. Following this book I decided to go on reading all the others I had from this author, and wondered why I left those aside for so long. This really hit the spot. Both have experienced pain but neither is defined by their traumas.
It's a relief to read about some likable characters who like each other rather than another tragic hero rescued by a saintly heroine. My only quibble, and it's a small one, is that the ending is a little too neat and a little too sweet. One Perfect Rose isn't the first in This really hit the spot. One Perfect Rose isn't the first in the series, but I didn't experience any difficulties because of that. Aug 02, Sue rated it it was amazing Shelves: Those of you who know me, know I rarely give out 5 star ratings.
So take that as a sign of a great novel, I laughed, cried and smiled until my cheeks hurt. Touching is to soft a word but I can't seem to select another. Unfortunately this is not on audio, definitely an oversight I would have gladly purchased it and listened to it immediately if that was the case. A great voice would have had me bawl I know. Definitely a HEA ending so have no fear BTW - I'm actually surprised I haven't read this type of plot in the past Jun 20, Debra rated it it was amazing.
I don't care much for Regency books unless they are really good. Stephen Kenyon, Duke of Ashburdon, has always faithfully fulfilled his obligations. He even married a woman because that was his obligation. She died, and sometime later Stephen is given a death sentence of his own.
He decides it is time for him to do the things he would like to do for a change. One of the things he does, is to set off on an adventure across country where he runs into a family of stage actors. As he I don't care much for Regency books unless they are really good. As he becomes sicker, and closer to dying, this is where the story really begins. Mar 23, Megzy rated it really liked it Shelves: I am a sucker for terminal illness romance but this one was so much more.
It can be read as a stand alone.
I don't think there was a character that I didn't care for in this book except the old already dead Duke Feb 20, Ash rated it really liked it. Jan 31, Sommertime rated it liked it Shelves: This was a sweetly romantic book. The MCs were amazing and I loved their relationship. They were loving, honest, supportive, and patient with each other.
It was a refreshing change. Most of the conflict revolves around the fact that Stephen has been given a diagnosis that means he only has a few months to live. This changes the way he views everything in his past, present and future. I give this 3 stars because it all was so predictable to me. I immediately guessed that view spoiler [the pills w This was a sweetly romantic book. I immediately guessed that view spoiler [the pills were poisoning the Duke.
I also immediately knew that Rosalind was going to be a long-lost heiress separated from her family hide spoiler ]. Since there was no mystery to the story, it dragged for me. I just wanted to get to the reveal so we could move on. It's totally a ME thing so others may love this book more than I did. As always the writing was excellent and the secondary characters made me want to read more from the series to find out their stories.
Oct 24, P. A book I liked despite itself. Here, in a flourish of spoilers, is why this is a real grain of salt book: NO ONE asks for a second opinion- even the guy who is told he has 3 months to live, until the midnight hour when he's going down for the count.
The guy who is deliberately responsible for attempted murder is forgiven by almost everyone for pretty flim A book I liked despite itself. The guy who is deliberately responsible for attempted murder is forgiven by almost everyone for pretty flimsy reasons: I won't mention the sheer coincidence that propels the plot, but it might be a record. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
This is one of my favourite Fallen Angels books, the last in the series and doesn't really concern the group of friends at Eton, but Michael Kenyon's older brother who reached out to him in his own book and finally finds happiness here. It's also a great introduction to the world of the strolling players, the wandering theatre troupes touring England at the time and the plays of Shakespeare. Because of a misdiagnosis with a sinister background, as is later on revealed , Stephen Kenyon believes he This is one of my favourite Fallen Angels books, the last in the series and doesn't really concern the group of friends at Eton, but Michael Kenyon's older brother who reached out to him in his own book and finally finds happiness here.
Because of a misdiagnosis with a sinister background, as is later on revealed , Stephen Kenyon believes he only has a few weeks to live. He wants to get away from his responsibilities as a Duke and come to terms with this - and then hopefully see his brother and sister again. While riding incognito through England a bit aimlessly, he saves the life of a boy falling into a fast moving river and gets adopted by the boy's family.
The group are personable and interesting and deal with him as himself and not as a Duke, but the drawing attraction is the oldest adoptive daughter of the brilliant theatrical couple that runs the troupe. Rosalind Jordan is the calm centre of the theatrical storm, not very gifted as an actress but the person who can organise anything and calm any waters. Stephen and Rosalind develop a deep attraction that starts when she nurses him back to health from his water experience and his bouts with his illness, but she doesn't know that right then and he stays with the troupe as a helper and later even playing minor roles for a few days until the sexual tension and his outlook in life make him ask her to be with him as his lover until he isn't hale enough any more.
Rosalind and the rest of the troupe already know that he's a gentleman, so she has no preconceived ideas of being offered marriage. She actually was married to a faithless womanizer before and has no problem with sharing body warmth with a man she esteems and likes, but the very desire and compatibility they discover make her more worried about him when she realizes how ill he is - and she decides that he needs her more at the moment than her family. Stephen wants her to be his because he literally never has met and loved a more kindred spirit than Rosalind we get flashbacks to his childhood and his marriage , but it leads him to subterfuge because he is realitically worried that she will feel too inferior when she finds out that he is a Duke.
Meanwhile his physician and the brother he has lately made up with, Michael Kenyon, are upset that he seems to have vanished and are slowly but surely gaining on him. Rosalind's parents accept their grown-up daughter's decision to be with Stephen she doesn't tell them that he will die soon , Stephen not only makes her his mistress, he marries her he had proposed but then she had found out he was a Duke which was awkward and they set off for London to hopefully enjoy what time is left him. Because Stephen is a caring and managing man he even manages to find a theatre he can set-up as the family theatre because he treasured the care and company of the Jordans, so they will be secure when he is no longer there.
The sicker he gets, the more worried both Rosalind and Stephen are - Stephen because he realizes that Rosalind will mostly remember him as a burden and sick person and he doesn't want that so he tries to withdraw, which hurts her and Rosalind who has acknowledged her full-on love for him and just wants to find a cure for his disease. They do find it and if MJP could have avoided the paranormal epilogue bit with Rosalind's true heritage and parents I would have been even happier.
Jun 08, Oleta Blaylock rated it it was amazing. This is probably the saddest book of the entire series. Stephan is such a contrast to Michael and their father. He is kind, caring, compassionate and so very lonely. He has always tried to be what was expected of him and when he is told he is dying he realizes that he has never really lived the way he wanted.
His adventures after finding out he is going to die lead him to a woman that makes him feel things that he This is probably the saddest book of the entire series. His adventures after finding out he is going to die lead him to a woman that makes him feel things that he thought had been beaten out of him years earlier.
Stephan also begins to see what is really important in life. He sees the beauty in the things around him and finds to time to stop and enjoy the simple things that he never noticed before. This is a story of discovery and love. I also loved seeing Michael and Catherine again. Michael is such a good brother and he is so protective of Stephan when he learns that he is dying. Rosalind Jordan is an orphan that was adopted by a pair of travelling players.
She is intelligent, organized, practical and very caring. She has been the stage manager for her family's traveling troupe of actors. Rosalind also a romantic in many ways. She wants a stable home and someone to love her. She doesn't realize what she is looking for in a husband until she meets Stephan.
I liked her take charge attitude and her willingness to take of Stephan even as his condition gets worse.
She is very typical of the heroines for this series and I have enjoyed each and every one of them. This story could have gone very wrong very quickly. Putney doesn't allow her characters to get bogged down in the misery of dying. Stephan makes wonderful use of the time that he thinks that he has. He learns to live and love and not take things for granted. This is a wonderful story and an outstanding way to end the series. I think that any of the fans of historical romance will thoroughly enjoy this series even though it was written in the 's.
The later books in this series have more passion and steamier love scenes than the first few books. These books are also not so formulaic as other books published in this genre at this time. Nov 22, Ashley rated it it was ok. Reading my way through a box of old books. This was good as far as a love story goes. Man thinks he's dying, runs away from his title for a while, meets and falls in love. The problem I had is it just seemed like too many plot lines. He is dying, confronted with his mortality he behaves in a way that leads to his meeting his soulmate, but not to worry he isn't dying.
Oh and by the way she is an orphaned child found wandering the streets and adopted by actors, and she's really a countess. And he comes from a history of abuse and has to learn what love is. And he doesn't believe in god but comes to have a religious experience that changes his mind. Just felt like too much in the air. In the last chapter of the book the main characters discover: Just felt too tidy and all at once. I may have given three stars if not for the religious commentary at the end and skimming over love scenes, though I'm sure it's a book a different breed of girl would love.
Nov 07, Bev rated it liked it. I'm still trying to make up my mind about Mary Jo Putney. She was recommended to me as being similar to Brenda Joyce, which, after 2 books, I really can't agree with. Still, this book was enjoyable, exciting, romantic and held my attention. That's worth three stars, in any case. The plot was unusual as well as highly dramatic: But my biggest knock on the book was the total lack of development of the female character. The male character had lots of flaws and the progress of the book was taken up with correcting them, while the female character started and ended "perfect".
I had the exact same issue with The Marriage Spell, so I'm wondering if it's actually the author. Feb 15, Eleanor rated it it was amazing. This book was what originally drew me to Mary Jo Putney. A remarkable book with depth, this book is truly a wonderful culmination of one of my favorite series of all time. Stephen is such a complex man facing his own mortality and finally casting off the bonds of a "privileged" lifestyle that afforded him so much heartbreak.
Truly the backbone of his family, I wish so desperately for him to survive and yet love the way he embraces his life on the brink of death. The connection between Rosalind and Stephen is very well done. The pull each feels is palpable and, as mature adults, they discuss it, but resist becoming lovers for both know, though for different reasons, that the affair could only be of short duration.
But when the attraction becomes love, truths must be told and decisions must be made. He was always a good man, but watching him come to terms with his fate makes him a remarkable one.
There is a delicious sense of melancholy that pervades the story. Stephen rarely broods over his fate, but the knowledge that his time is short is always with him and colors his experiences. His decision to love and find what happiness he can with Rosalind is a bittersweet one, and the scenes of reconciliation with his siblings are intense and poignant. One Perfect Rose is a romance, and so there is the requisite HEA, though the way this is achieved is my only small point of contention with the novel. But this is a tiny niggle in an incredibly moving and emotional read.
Forget your two-hanky reads — grab the whole box of tissues, unplug your phone, send your family away for the day and settle in for one of the most affecting and touching romances you will ever read in One Perfect Rose. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Buy One Perfect Rose: Cheryl Sneed Review Date: June 25, Publication Date: A- Sensuality Warm Book Type: European Historical Romance Review Tags: Leave A Comment Cancel reply Comment.