A Stolen Rose

 


A Stolen Rose by Amy Corwin in the Archer Family Series was the second book I read this year. I really enjoyed this series and as it was included in my Audible Plus catalog and in the middle of a pandemic my entertainment options are limited, but obtaining audiobooks can be done in the comfort of my own home at any hour and with ease of pressing a couple of buttons on my phone. This is the dream of 15-year-old Martha come true. Almost any book at any time can be mine, to a girl that went to midnight sales at bookstores or looked for a favorite book only to find it sold out, not carried in the store inventory, or out of print were always risks. I think we should all take a moment to appreciate this world of marvels that we live in. 

I forgot to mention in my previous review that this series is very chaste and tame. This is an audiobook that can be listened to in the car with kids and you only risk their boredom and complaints, not awkward questions about throbbing and thrusting. I'm not against graphic passages and done right they add to the enjoyment of a book, but it's best to know what you are getting into and if the audiobook requires headphones. 

This book follows the Earl of Wraysbury, Harnet Archer is visiting a distant and unpleasant relative Fredrick Archer in a bid to repair a family rift between the branches of the Archer family. While visiting his cousin he rescues the lovely Anemone Cornstock from a runaway carriage. But sadly they seem destined to be star-crossed lovers as Fredrick is a mortal enemy of her Uncle Albert with whom she is staying. 

Like the other heroines of this genre Anemone is a "spinster" considered not to be conventionally attractive and is of course spirited and intelligent. No one wants to read about a biddable native teenager who never had an intelligent thought in her head. As readers, we want our love interests to only have the most relatable and forgivable flaws, We want our heroes to be rich, sophisticated, distant, and only open to marrying his equal. Bonus points if he has a title. In this genre, they must fight against their desires as life throws them together only to finally give in and marry. 

This branch of the Archers and Cornstocks used to be great friends and neighbors until a night 40 years ago when the Late Mr. Cornstock the father of Albert and the Late Mr. Archer met one night at the local inn for a night of gambling and drinking. Later it was found that Cornstock bet his family home on a card game which he lost to Archer. Cornstock unable to face his wife and some fled to the Americas and Archer followed to make his former friend come home. Or at least that's what everyone thought for the past 40 years relying on the note left by Cornstock. Bad blook festered at the Cornstocks moved into the guest cottage and the Archers moved into the magnificent Cornstock Hall. 

Anemone and Harnet can't help but be attracted to each other. Both know such a union is impossible, Anemone knows that even if the families were on good terms the daughter of a gentleman could never marry an Earl. Harnet believes that the cold and aloof Anemone can't put aside decades of bad blood to love him. They meet as they explore Roman ruins at the border of the property their families share. Things come to a climax when Fredrick steals Albert's prized and rare rose bush and transplants it at his home. With the inevitable duel looming over them Anemone and Harnet race to find the truth of the events that separated the families. 

As always they solve the mystery and give in to their love, with the satisfying Happily Ever After guaranteed.  What I love about this series is the humor interjected and the comedy of misunderstandings that only resolves at the end, with every loose end fixed and nothing left to spoil the happiness of the couple.


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