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marypippen's review
4.0
Louisville born author!
Such a great piece of escapism - a woman separates from her husband (perm or temp, read to find out!) and spends time in Paris, healing and reflecting and exploring all parts of herself.
I liked reading the thoughts of this women, and thought she seemed like an actual real-life person who feels and empathizes and struggles…it was a really cozy read!
And some sexy parts! These scenes weren’t just thrown in as cheap ways to garner attention - they made sense and were beautifully descriptive but not over the top - as was the rest of the book!
Such a great piece of escapism - a woman separates from her husband (perm or temp, read to find out!) and spends time in Paris, healing and reflecting and exploring all parts of herself.
I liked reading the thoughts of this women, and thought she seemed like an actual real-life person who feels and empathizes and struggles…it was a really cozy read!
And some sexy parts! These scenes weren’t just thrown in as cheap ways to garner attention - they made sense and were beautifully descriptive but not over the top - as was the rest of the book!
thathappyreader's review against another edition
4.0
Half-Blown Rose by Leesa Cross-Smith is a thought-provoking novel built on the concept of betrayal. It is raw, honest and full of passion. It is a love affair not only between a woman and a man, but also one with Paris. I enjoyed it.
This is a book that feels like it requires the reader to experience what Vincent is experiencing. At times, a single line will come from what the author refers to as ”the narrator”. I feel the depth of Vincent’s despair, learning her husband Cillian has a son from a relationship at the age of 15 after he revealed it all in his latest book. This is not the way one wants to find out about this secret that he has been holding onto for decades.
Vincent’s love affair with Paris is felt in every part of this book. . Even her music playlists which are provided throughout the book exemplify this passion. Those of us who share this sentiment about the city will enjoy this aspect of the book.
The attraction between Vincent and Loup is undeniable. Despite there being a twenty-year age difference, the push and pull of this relationship are palpable. There is no question that the author knows how to write about passion.
What bothers me about this book is the laissez-faire manner in which Vincent holds the hearts of both her husband and Loup. While the conclusion of the book is left to interpretation, I wanted something more cohesive. What a great novel this would make for a book club or buddy read!
I listened to the audiobook version of Half-Blown Rose which was narrated by Mela Lee and Tim Campbell. I appreciated both of their performances which felt natural and easy to listen to. I loved Tim’s Irish accent and Mela’s ability to speak French. I have no hesitation to recommend the audiobook to those that enjoy this format.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Libro.fm for the ALC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.
This is a book that feels like it requires the reader to experience what Vincent is experiencing. At times, a single line will come from what the author refers to as ”the narrator”. I feel the depth of Vincent’s despair, learning her husband Cillian has a son from a relationship at the age of 15 after he revealed it all in his latest book. This is not the way one wants to find out about this secret that he has been holding onto for decades.
Vincent’s love affair with Paris is felt in every part of this book. . Even her music playlists which are provided throughout the book exemplify this passion. Those of us who share this sentiment about the city will enjoy this aspect of the book.
The attraction between Vincent and Loup is undeniable. Despite there being a twenty-year age difference, the push and pull of this relationship are palpable. There is no question that the author knows how to write about passion.
What bothers me about this book is the laissez-faire manner in which Vincent holds the hearts of both her husband and Loup. While the conclusion of the book is left to interpretation, I wanted something more cohesive. What a great novel this would make for a book club or buddy read!
I listened to the audiobook version of Half-Blown Rose which was narrated by Mela Lee and Tim Campbell. I appreciated both of their performances which felt natural and easy to listen to. I loved Tim’s Irish accent and Mela’s ability to speak French. I have no hesitation to recommend the audiobook to those that enjoy this format.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Libro.fm for the ALC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.
bookoverbsjess's review
3.0
So it took me a LONG time and I mean over half the book to really get into this story. Breaking it down to things I loved vs. things I hated.
I loved the setting in Paris was so idyllic and picturesque the way it was described. I loved Loup, he was my favorite character that seemed the least drama through the whole book.
I hated hated hated the cheating aspect of this story and how it was supposed to be about a woman finding herself…by finding a lover? It made me feel like as woman we can’t find ourselves on our own. Vincent was such a strong character with her own business blowing up, traveling across the world trying to find herself only to find a lover. I hated that part. I didn’t like that it wasn’t about revenge - but yet she couldn’t be honest with Cillian, her husband, or with anyone else and got upset every time she thought of his book.
I get that she had two great loves…but I hated how it all fell into place by her cheating. She was so upset about the betrayl of her husband secret child from his college years, but here she is galavanting around Paris with a lover…
I loved the setting in Paris was so idyllic and picturesque the way it was described. I loved Loup, he was my favorite character that seemed the least drama through the whole book.
I hated hated hated the cheating aspect of this story and how it was supposed to be about a woman finding herself…by finding a lover? It made me feel like as woman we can’t find ourselves on our own. Vincent was such a strong character with her own business blowing up, traveling across the world trying to find herself only to find a lover. I hated that part. I didn’t like that it wasn’t about revenge - but yet she couldn’t be honest with Cillian, her husband, or with anyone else and got upset every time she thought of his book.
I get that she had two great loves…but I hated how it all fell into place by her cheating. She was so upset about the betrayl of her husband secret child from his college years, but here she is galavanting around Paris with a lover…
donnicakelsey's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
+Age Gap Romance (older woman, younger man)
+Love Triangle
The book follows Vincent on a journey of self-discovery after a betrayal by her husband, Cillian. He's held on to the secret of the child he fathered when he was a teen before his parents whisked him away to another country to start fresh. However, she finds out from his most recent novel and not from him directly. She moves to Paris for a new beginning and starts a love affair with a dashing, younger man Loup.
The playlists.
The swoon-worthy confessions of love and obsession in French.
The emails. The descriptions of memories and colors.
All of it was perfection.
My only issue is the ending. I was so invested, and I think I know Vincent's decision, but I would have loved Leesa to have given us a bit more.
I recommend the audiobook. Hearing the French language added another level of intensity to the romance and indecision.
+Love Triangle
The book follows Vincent on a journey of self-discovery after a betrayal by her husband, Cillian. He's held on to the secret of the child he fathered when he was a teen before his parents whisked him away to another country to start fresh. However, she finds out from his most recent novel and not from him directly. She moves to Paris for a new beginning and starts a love affair with a dashing, younger man Loup.
The playlists.
The swoon-worthy confessions of love and obsession in French.
The emails. The descriptions of memories and colors.
All of it was perfection.
My only issue is the ending. I was so invested, and I think I know Vincent's decision, but I would have loved Leesa to have given us a bit more.
I recommend the audiobook. Hearing the French language added another level of intensity to the romance and indecision.
katewutz's review
4.0
This book…I loved it. It’s a coincidence that I read two books about women who love two men in a week, and they were so different—More Than You’ll Ever Know being true crime and thriller-y and this one being a love letter to love itself. Leesa Cross-Smith understands that there doesn’t need to be a murder to make this sort of story a tragedy; someone is going to get hurt, there’s going to be heartbreak and loss, no matter what.
One odd thing: I wasn’t sure why the screenplay conceit in parts of it. Probably it underlines the French cinema theme, but honestly parts of it felt like she just formatted the text differently rather than changing writing styles. But overall I liked the pastiche effect of narrative, screenplay, emails and playlists (which I will now be stalking Spotify for).
One odd thing: I wasn’t sure why the screenplay conceit in parts of it. Probably it underlines the French cinema theme, but honestly parts of it felt like she just formatted the text differently rather than changing writing styles. But overall I liked the pastiche effect of narrative, screenplay, emails and playlists (which I will now be stalking Spotify for).
abookarmoire's review
4.0
“She had the baby and they’re out there somewhere and you never told me about it. You wrote a book about it instead. A whole-ass book,” Vincent said. She took two big gulps of wine.
Cillian writes a tell-all, autobiographical book revealing that when he was a teenager he had a child that was left behind in Dublin. After years of marriage, and two grown kids, Cillian’s wife Vincent is blindsided and betrayed by this secret.
Vincent escapes to her parent’s condo in Paris. Leaving reality behind, Vincent creates a cocoon of friends, art, romance, work and a new found sensual freedom.
Loup is an artist, a musician and is taking Vincent’s art class. He is enamored by her and the tension is palpable.
“I fought off my feelings for you… for a while,” she says.
“I didn’t even attempt to fight off my feelings for you. I knew I couldn’t. I didn’t waste my time trying. Ça sert à rien?” Vincent asks.
Cillian is trying all he can to win Vincent back, not an easy feat being separated by an ocean, and competing for her attention with Loup in the picture.
Vincent and Loup are trapped in their own web.
Beware of this intoxicating story. It will pull you in. Paris will enchant you. And so will Loup.
Paris, France has charmed romantics around the globe.
But.
A non-ending ending.
Why is there no ending?
When you realize you are flipping through the last few pages and there is no resolution to an intense predicament, you know it will not end well for the reader.
Unless this was an intentional full circle of Karma and what goes around, comes around - I can’t think of any other reason to not end the story. Is that it? The husband reveals something shocking from the past that upsets Vincent - which, in exchange for unintended retribution, the wife has to deal with her own complications and actions - to which we do not know what happens. Oye vey! I find that so infuriating.
Reminiscent of [b:Call Me By Your Name|36336078|Call Me By Your Name (Call Me By Your Name, #1)|André Aciman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519203520l/36336078._SY75_.jpg|1363157]. Very enchanting, tense, brief and European.
Cillian writes a tell-all, autobiographical book revealing that when he was a teenager he had a child that was left behind in Dublin. After years of marriage, and two grown kids, Cillian’s wife Vincent is blindsided and betrayed by this secret.
Vincent escapes to her parent’s condo in Paris. Leaving reality behind, Vincent creates a cocoon of friends, art, romance, work and a new found sensual freedom.
Loup is an artist, a musician and is taking Vincent’s art class. He is enamored by her and the tension is palpable.
“I fought off my feelings for you… for a while,” she says.
“I didn’t even attempt to fight off my feelings for you. I knew I couldn’t. I didn’t waste my time trying. Ça sert à rien?” Vincent asks.
Cillian is trying all he can to win Vincent back, not an easy feat being separated by an ocean, and competing for her attention with Loup in the picture.
Vincent and Loup are trapped in their own web.
Beware of this intoxicating story. It will pull you in. Paris will enchant you. And so will Loup.
Paris, France has charmed romantics around the globe.
But.
A non-ending ending.
Why is there no ending?
When you realize you are flipping through the last few pages and there is no resolution to an intense predicament, you know it will not end well for the reader.
Unless this was an intentional full circle of Karma and what goes around, comes around - I can’t think of any other reason to not end the story. Is that it? The husband reveals something shocking from the past that upsets Vincent - which, in exchange for unintended retribution, the wife has to deal with her own complications and actions - to which we do not know what happens. Oye vey! I find that so infuriating.
Reminiscent of [b:Call Me By Your Name|36336078|Call Me By Your Name (Call Me By Your Name, #1)|André Aciman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519203520l/36336078._SY75_.jpg|1363157]. Very enchanting, tense, brief and European.
ashpolo17's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was good. It was not my favorite, but very enjoyable. I don’t think I would have ready this if it wasn’t a book club book. It definitely surprised me and I enjoyed all the twists. The ending left me wanting so much more. I wish I knew what happened.
whatkellireads's review
4.0
4.5/5 — I listened to this one on audio and loved it so much that I HAD to have a physical copy for my shelf. This book is absolutely beautiful - from the cover, to the Parisian atmosphere, to the age-gap romance, I fell completely in love with this story. It was really powerful and it touched on many deep, real topics that we deal with today in society.
I could feel the chemistry between Vincent, a 40 something year old women betrayed by her husband & trying to find her sense of self and Loup, a 24 year old charismatic artist & hunk of a man also trying to find his place in the world. Sensual, sexy and romantic. Outside of their relationship, the supporting characters were also fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat literally not knowing how this story was going to end. (I STILL feel like I need an epilogue!) This book challenged me to realize that not all in love & life is black and white, that sometimes living in the gray space is acceptable too.
Overall, Half-Blown Rose presents itself as a work of art and I think that's what made it a stand out for me. Cross-Smith intertwines playlists, novel excerpts, journal entries, text messages and emails together to create what felt like a scrapbook of Vincent's life. I enjoyed the references to food, art, music and travel and immediately wanted to book a trip to Paris when I finished!
Read if you liked "The Paper Palace" or "The Idea of You"!
I could feel the chemistry between Vincent, a 40 something year old women betrayed by her husband & trying to find her sense of self and Loup, a 24 year old charismatic artist & hunk of a man also trying to find his place in the world. Sensual, sexy and romantic. Outside of their relationship, the supporting characters were also fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat literally not knowing how this story was going to end. (I STILL feel like I need an epilogue!) This book challenged me to realize that not all in love & life is black and white, that sometimes living in the gray space is acceptable too.
Overall, Half-Blown Rose presents itself as a work of art and I think that's what made it a stand out for me. Cross-Smith intertwines playlists, novel excerpts, journal entries, text messages and emails together to create what felt like a scrapbook of Vincent's life. I enjoyed the references to food, art, music and travel and immediately wanted to book a trip to Paris when I finished!
Read if you liked "The Paper Palace" or "The Idea of You"!
kaliaddy's review
I have mixed feelings, so this is one of those rare times where I am not ready to give this book a rating. It has several features that I tend to dislike in a book. These things can be ok if there is only one or two happening, but the author put it all in here - emails, text messages, a book within a book, playlists, letters and lists. It’s a lot and I dare say too much - less would have been more. Those distract me when I’m reading. I realize that’s a “me” problem and this style may work for some. Oddly, it seemed to work better in the author’s book This Close to Okay (emails and texts are included there as well).
I thought I was going to be reading a singular love story, but instead there are multiple things going on and I found myself less invested in all of it. I didn’t care about her husband. I didn’t care what happened before they even met. I was even less interested in his son and really any of their kids. When “everything” is happening, I find it hard to care about anything. Also pregnancy as a plot point is the lowest on the totem pole for me, and this book has that. I will say when there is prose (and not a list, email, or text message) it is lovely. Having enjoyed the insular feel of This Close to Okay, I think my expectations were misplaced.
***
And my last point - which is totally my own hang up. The main character is expecting her period in the beginning of the book. She even checks for it during a dinner party when she goes to the bathroom. Yet she goes to bed with no feminine products and there’s a blood bath the next morning in her sheets. The male protagonist, who will eventually become her lover, is in the apartment because he slept over on the couch after the dinner party and he sees her in all this disarray with blood dripping.
I couldn’t get over the fact that a grown women who has been having periods her whole adult life - has two grown children - wouldn’t preemptively put a pad on or something. It’s such a dumb thing for me to pick on, but since she proceeds, on the following pages, to go on and on about how horrified she is that he saw her in that state I couldn’t help but say in my head over and over again “you should have put a pad on when you went to bed dummy - you knew it was coming and expected it because you literally just checked for it 6hrs ago!!” It wasn’t like it came on a week early! So, in closing, it wasn’t the period that annoyed me. I was annoyed by the lack of foresight the character displayed and that set the tone for me by page 60 - ok rant over.
I thought I was going to be reading a singular love story, but instead there are multiple things going on and I found myself less invested in all of it. I didn’t care about her husband. I didn’t care what happened before they even met. I was even less interested in his son and really any of their kids. When “everything” is happening, I find it hard to care about anything. Also pregnancy as a plot point is the lowest on the totem pole for me, and this book has that. I will say when there is prose (and not a list, email, or text message) it is lovely. Having enjoyed the insular feel of This Close to Okay, I think my expectations were misplaced.
***
And my last point - which is totally my own hang up. The main character is expecting her period in the beginning of the book. She even checks for it during a dinner party when she goes to the bathroom. Yet she goes to bed with no feminine products and there’s a blood bath the next morning in her sheets. The male protagonist, who will eventually become her lover, is in the apartment because he slept over on the couch after the dinner party and he sees her in all this disarray with blood dripping.
I couldn’t get over the fact that a grown women who has been having periods her whole adult life - has two grown children - wouldn’t preemptively put a pad on or something. It’s such a dumb thing for me to pick on, but since she proceeds, on the following pages, to go on and on about how horrified she is that he saw her in that state I couldn’t help but say in my head over and over again “you should have put a pad on when you went to bed dummy - you knew it was coming and expected it because you literally just checked for it 6hrs ago!!” It wasn’t like it came on a week early! So, in closing, it wasn’t the period that annoyed me. I was annoyed by the lack of foresight the character displayed and that set the tone for me by page 60 - ok rant over.