Scan barcode
A review by angelahayes
An English Rose: A Mother's Love, A Love Inspired by Allyson R. Abbott
4.0
4 Stars
An English Rose is a lovely short story by Allyson Abbott. It is a mature woman’s romance, the main character being 85-year-old Rosemary (Rose) who narrates the story. I felt this was a really sweet story, that felt more like women’s fiction than a typical romance novel.
I can’t say that I have ever read a book from an 85-year old’s perspective before and to be honest I was very sceptical about whether the author could make the synopsis of the story work, or if it would resonate with me on any level. But, I had read a few of Ms. Abbott’s books before and enjoyed her style and how different her books are from others in the same genre, so I took a chance and am pleased that I did.
Rose lost her husband a few years ago, having watched him decline from dementia before finally succumbing to a stroke. She was angry that he suffered a slow and cruel decline, and felt guilty because on some level she felt relieved that the ordeal was over, but more than anything, she felt lost. Her family had their own lives- Rose had grandchildren and a great-granddaughter now. But she still felt like there was nothing to really live for. She wouldn’t give up because that wasn’t her way, but she’d lost her joy for life. She felt useless, and even though she still lived on her own and took care of herself, she still felt like a bit of a burden on her family.
One day when she on her way to the market, she meets Bill, who has a natural charm and an easy-going nature- he was kind and approachable and was easy to talk to. The two hit it off and Bill’s happy disposition sparked something inside Rose. He made her want to try new things and made her laugh, which she hadn’t done for a long time. She gets a new lease on life and decides to embrace the future, even though she is only too aware of her age and mortality.
This book was quite a thought provoking read. There were some really funny conversations and banter that brought a smile to my face. There were touching and emotional moments that made me connect to Rose and the story.
I admired Rose and her ‘get on with it’ attitude. She’s old-old school, all about making do, saving pennies, waste-not want-not, thriftiness and needing to feel productive. A far cry from our modern, ‘throw-away’, fast food, instant gratification, consumer societies. She is sweet, loving and caring- but has a backbone of steel with a no-nonsense and ‘proper’ attitude. Rose reminded me of my Nan.
The story was a little slow to get going, a bit like Rose, but this didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
At the end of the book were some excerpts from several of Ms. Abbott’s other books, some of which I have read and other’s that are awaiting my attention. The excerpts give a great overview of Ms. Abbott’s work, a taste of what you can expect from her stories.
Another charming read from this talented author!
Thank you, Ms. Abbott!
An English Rose is a lovely short story by Allyson Abbott. It is a mature woman’s romance, the main character being 85-year-old Rosemary (Rose) who narrates the story. I felt this was a really sweet story, that felt more like women’s fiction than a typical romance novel.
I can’t say that I have ever read a book from an 85-year old’s perspective before and to be honest I was very sceptical about whether the author could make the synopsis of the story work, or if it would resonate with me on any level. But, I had read a few of Ms. Abbott’s books before and enjoyed her style and how different her books are from others in the same genre, so I took a chance and am pleased that I did.
Rose lost her husband a few years ago, having watched him decline from dementia before finally succumbing to a stroke. She was angry that he suffered a slow and cruel decline, and felt guilty because on some level she felt relieved that the ordeal was over, but more than anything, she felt lost. Her family had their own lives- Rose had grandchildren and a great-granddaughter now. But she still felt like there was nothing to really live for. She wouldn’t give up because that wasn’t her way, but she’d lost her joy for life. She felt useless, and even though she still lived on her own and took care of herself, she still felt like a bit of a burden on her family.
One day when she on her way to the market, she meets Bill, who has a natural charm and an easy-going nature- he was kind and approachable and was easy to talk to. The two hit it off and Bill’s happy disposition sparked something inside Rose. He made her want to try new things and made her laugh, which she hadn’t done for a long time. She gets a new lease on life and decides to embrace the future, even though she is only too aware of her age and mortality.
This book was quite a thought provoking read. There were some really funny conversations and banter that brought a smile to my face. There were touching and emotional moments that made me connect to Rose and the story.
I admired Rose and her ‘get on with it’ attitude. She’s old-old school, all about making do, saving pennies, waste-not want-not, thriftiness and needing to feel productive. A far cry from our modern, ‘throw-away’, fast food, instant gratification, consumer societies. She is sweet, loving and caring- but has a backbone of steel with a no-nonsense and ‘proper’ attitude. Rose reminded me of my Nan.
The story was a little slow to get going, a bit like Rose, but this didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.
At the end of the book were some excerpts from several of Ms. Abbott’s other books, some of which I have read and other’s that are awaiting my attention. The excerpts give a great overview of Ms. Abbott’s work, a taste of what you can expect from her stories.
Another charming read from this talented author!
Thank you, Ms. Abbott!