MY REVIEW
FINDING ROSE
AN INTRIGUING AND ENTHRALLING READ
I so enjoyed this book. My title says it all. FINDING ROSE is intriguing and enthralling from the first to the last page.
This is three books in one as Julie effortlessly takes you into the lives of three families of three centuries - the 1500's - the 1900's and the present day. And in each you have a real sense of the era.
Each family has a gripping story -
Mary, Rose and a mystery monk of the 1500's
Mathew and Rose of the First World War
And the dying Eddie and his daughters, Sally, Molly and Ginny of the present day.
There is a link between each of their lives and the lives of the present day family - The finding of the the thread that binds them is triggered by Eddie's last words - 'Find Rose.'
These words send his daughters on a mission of discovery - what they find out is so unexpected, but their journey has an impact on their strained sibling relationship.
We take a journey with each one too, as they unravel heir own personal, emotional lives, and loves.
All of the characters are richly drawn and their issues are sensitively handled.
IF YOU HAVE EVER ENJOYED BARBARA ERSKINE OR PAMELA HARTSHORNE - YOU WILL SO ENJOY JULIE RYAN - HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Click on the book to find out more - free for a limited time on kindle!
WIN * WIN * WIN - YOU CAN WIN A SIGNED COPY OF JULIE'S BOOK - FINDING ROSE
TO ENTER: READ THE LOVELY INTERVIEW WITH JULIE AND ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN A COMMENT: -
WHAT IS JULIE'S DAY JOB? WHAT INFLUENCES HER WRITING?
MY INTERVIEW WITH JULIE
Hello, Julie,
Welcome to my blog, it is lovely to host you, especially after you have hosted me so many times, thank you for all your support.
Can you start by telling us a little about yourself?
Thank you so much for hosting me today, Mary. My name is Julie Ryan and I was born and grew up in Yorkshire. I’ve always had a passion for languages and travel so after studying French at Hull University I lived and worked in Greece, Poland and Thailand. I didn’t realise at the time just how much those experiences would come to influence my writing. It was only when I reached my fifties that I published my first novel and it’s hard to believe that there are now five books of mine out there.
When I’m not writing, I run our local village Post Office and I also work from home as a distance language tutor so I’m kept pretty busy. I’m an avid reader and blogger and enjoy amateur dramatics. This year I’ll be playing The Sorceress in our local panto.
Lovely to find out more about you. To add to that and give us all a deeper insight to your likes and dislikes will you share with us - WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE:
Food? - chocolate! I’m an absolute chocoholic and count it as one of my five a day. Well, it does come from a bean.
Film? - Shirley Valentine. I saw this film five times when it first came out and then went to see the play. I never tire of it.
Song? - ‘Always look on the bright side of life’ from Monty Python’s Life of Brian. It’s just so silly but reminds us to try and stay positive.
Book? My all time favourite is The Magus by John Fowles. Set in my beloved Greece, it captures the mystery of the country perfectly.
If your book was to be made into a film, which actors and actresses would you like to take the main parts?
I think Emilia Clarke who plays Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones would be perfect as my Tudor Rose. She certainly has the right hair for it – exactly as I imagined.
I would love Tom Hardy to play Matthew, the WW1 soldier. Why? Just because – need I say more? I’m sure he’d look good in a uniform!
What modern day item, if you could, would you like to mostly give to the characters in your book to make their lives better?
Whilst there are many modern day items that would make life easier for my characters, I’m not sure that they would necessarily make their lives better. On the other hand, giving penicillin to my WW1 characters might just save their lives. It’s hard to believe that penicillin wasn’t discovered until 1928, ten years after the end of WW1.
Who, from history would you liked to have met and why?
A few years ago I was fortunate enough to visit South Africa. While I was there I went to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Looking at the tiny cell where he spent eighteen years of his twenty-seven years of imprisonment, it’s hard not to imagine that he felt a grudge yet he was a remarkable, forgiving person. I’d love to know what kept him going during those dark days.
Answer.
Wonderful, interesting answers, Julie thank you and thank you so much for visiting my blog. Good luck with your brilliant book. Much Love, Mary x
WIN * WIN * WIN A SIGNED COPY OF FINDING ROSE BY ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN A COMMENT:
WHAT IS JULIE'S DAY JOB? - WHAT INFLUENCES JULIE'S WRITING?
ALL CORRECT ANSW
ERS WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAW TO BE DRAWN ON MONDAY 12 NOON - GOOD LUCK