The Rose Garden

The Rose Garden

Susanna Kearsley

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Summary (from the publisher):  "Whatever time we have," he said, "it will be time enough."

Eva Ward returns to the only place she truly belongs, the old house on the Cornish coast, seeking happiness in memories of childhood summers. There she finds mysterious voices and hidden pathways that sweep her not only into the past, but also into the arms of a man who is not of her time.

But Eva must confront her own ghosts, as well as those of long ago. As she begins to question her place in the present, she comes to realize that she too must decide where she really belongs.

Review:  This book was entertaining to read, but not spectacular.  The time travel element was reminiscent of Diana Gabaldon's books without the potential for believability or attention to historical detail that her books are known for.  I was bothered that the men from the past were completely unperturbed by the appearance of this mysterious woman from the future, and that Eva seemed to find it surprisingly normal and didn't miss modern day conveniences.  The love story between Eva and Daniel developed too quickly for me, and I would have liked more detail around their story and their emotions prior to their declarations of love.

Rating: 3 stars