Member Reviews

This is a twisted disturbing story with lots of twists and turns.I recommend this book . Read it in one sitting

Was this review helpful?

A fantastic thriller. I loved that twist ending and the different changing points of view. Really great thriller looking forward to more from this author

Was this review helpful?

An unusual thriller/mystery. A case of Münchausen syndrome by proxy which goes undetected for almost 20 years. Patty is found out and eventually released from prison but how will her daughter Rose Gold react? Not how you would expect. A thriller come mystery with lots of twists and turns that deserves a 5 star rating.

Was this review helpful?

This is a really twisted story. I am still trying to think if I enjoyed it. Rose and Patty both have a lot of issues and the story that unravels is jaw dropping in places. This book will stay in my head for a while.


Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Was this review helpful?

What did I just read? I felt like I was watching a deadly game of chess between Lucifer and Beelzebub, or more correctly as the protagonists are women, Mazikeen and Lilith, as they move around the board trying to outsmart each other and achieve checkmate. This book isn’t just dark, it’s downright jet black!

This fast paced and beyond twisty psychological thriller features mother Patty Watts and her daughter Rose Gold Watts. Patty serves a five year jail sentence for the child abuse of Rose Gold in a case of what you assume is similar to Munchausen syndrome by proxy although this is never mentioned in the book. On her release from prison, Rose Gold collects Patty from prison, accompanied by her baby son Adam and what ensues is a deadly battle of manipulation and control to see who can outsmart the other. You have no idea who will win, who is in control at any given moment, who is innocent, who is guilty and which one is the victim. Before Patty goes to prison it appears that Rose Gold is the victim but during her mothers incarceration she learns to fend for herself and stand on her own two feet. . The story is told from each perspective with Rose telling her side from November 2012 to now. The storylines blend and flow effortlessly and the plotting is fast paced.

I like that Rose Gold doesn’t just develop a spine she becomes titanium as she tries to out manipulate the mistress of manipulation. They engage in a battle for survival and at times it felt like a deadly game of verbal tennis as the two lock horns. Frankly, they should both sprout horns, preferably in neon, as advance warning to any unfortunate soul who crosses their path. I’ll admit to finding some of their repartee and antics darkly funny, in the same way that you know you shouldn’t be laughing at Villanelle in Killing Eve. And those teeth! Oh boy, those teeth (Rose Gold’s teeth were badly damaged by vomiting during the abuse years) they became like weapons in themselves. Yuk, what an image.

Although I think this is a terrific read, there are some plot holes (some are a bit lunar crater size quite honestly) and without giving anything away, one of my reservations lies with exactly how Rose Gold managed to achieve what she did given the only finance coming in is from a job at Gadget World store. However, equally honestly, I find that I don’t really mind about this as it is such an amazing, twisty read.

Overall, this revengeful clash of manipulative titans is a fantastic read. It is beyond chilling at times, there are some seriously eye popping moments, some instances where one or the other is downright cruel and the end is positively jaw dropping. Mine hit the deck with a thud. None of the characters are remotely likeable, some of the plotting stretches credulity on occasion but that doesn’t matter as it is an unputdownable read. Highly recommended.

Massive thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph.

Was this review helpful?

Wow.

What an intense and deeply disturbing read that gives you an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Staring with a mothers release from prison after serving a 5 year sentence (is that seriously long enough for the offence she committed?!) for aggravated child abuse you know that this isn't going to be a rainbows and unicorns kind of novel. We then go backwards in time 5 years to meet the daughter and victim of this torrid stream of abuse and how she is surviving now free of her controlling and abusive mother. You begin feeling angry about the injustice she has severed and devastated for the childhood she has lost but as the book progresses you start to get niggling doubts about how sorry you should actually feel for her.

I loved this dark and twisted tale and found myself getting overly involved in the book, I was reminding myself that they had both suffered years of abuse so its no wonder that they were both bat shit crazy to then remember it was fictional!

This is without doubt going to be huge next year and I cant wait!

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin UK for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is an incredible book. It's smart, different and hooks you in from the very onset. It deals with two very damaged individuals involving a mother and daughter. I loved reading the two different view points and how the characters really show their colours as the story develops on. This is a completely fresh story and I was sucked in from the very start. Beautifully written with lots of dark undertones woven underneath it all. Brilliant.

Was this review helpful?

This is a story about revenge and retribution, one that is so dark and shockingly twisty it will make your head spin!

Rose Golds childhood was nothing but illness and hospitals, everyone believed Rose was a seriously poorly child. That is until Rose speaks up and tells the world what was really wrong with her.

Nothing!

Rose’s mother, Patty Watts is convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for child abuse in the form of Munchausen by Proxy for the poisoning her daughter Rose Gold for the majority of her life. And now those five years are up.

After a reconciliation between mother and daughter Rose decideds to let her mother move in and live with her and her own son once Patty is released from prison. But after years of torture by her own mother is Rose really able to forgive her mother? Can Patty be trusted around her grandson? Is Rose Gold as innocent as people think, does she have a hidden agenda?

Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling…And she’s waited such a long time for her mother to come home.

Flipping flawlessly between past and present and told between alternating POVs, Patty and her daughter this is a fast paced read with a unique plot that throws up as many questions as it does answers and has you questioning the reliability of both narrators.

This is one seriously complicated mother-daughter relationship, both of which are completely unlikeable at times, complex, twisted and deeply flawed characters that will have you shifting sympathy from one to the other as details are revealed.

The use of the flashbacks was effective because it unravelled another layer of the plot to an already emotional roller coaster of a read. Nothing is ever black and white and things may not always be what they seem.

This would make a great book for a book club as there are so many layers to this story it will certainly give you a lot to talk about.

Dark, disturbing, compelling and utterly brilliant.

The Recovery of Rose Gold will be published on 19 March 2020 but is available for pre-order now.

Trust me, this book is worth the wait!

Pre-order it now for Amazon UK or Waterstones

A big thank you to the author Stephanie Wrobel, publishers Penguin UK – Michael Joseph and NetGalley for my advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.

Was this review helpful?

A great read with an interesting narrative plot. A connectable set of protagonists which will engage all readers. A recommended read.

Was this review helpful?

The Recovery Of Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
Thanks @netgalley @stephaniewrobel @penguinukbooks for my ARC
Publication date 19th March 2020
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
OH MY GOODNESS this book was absolutley insane but I could not stop reading it. The story is told by two characters, mother and daughter over a five year time line. This book was very clever but also crazy and a little disturbing. I don't want to say anything else as I went into this book a little blind and I think this was the best way. It certainly guaranteed more shocks. Fantastic! xxxxx

Was this review helpful?

Wow this was an emotional roller coaster. I am sure this will be a best seller. The premise is so intriguing and wasn’t sure how I would feel in the same situation. Gripped from page 1

Was this review helpful?

A really warped and interesting thriller that keeps you guessing. Your mind flicks between what / who you think is right / wrong, the book is well paced and easy to devour in one sitting.

The twist at the end was very good (I did not see it coming) but I felt the author could have drawn it out further - only because I enjoyed it so much. Everything got wrapped up really quickly and I’d have loved to read more about Rose Gold’s twisted plot.

4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Stephanie Wrobel and Penguin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book took me a while to get into, and although I didn't dislike it, I didn't particularly enjoy it, either.
I couldn't decide who was telling the truth - the sick daughter, or her mother, accused of poisoning her.
The fact that Rose Gold allowed her mother to come and live with her, when she was released from prison, amazed me. But then the revenge started to become obvious. Two twisted individuals, playing cat and mouse with each other.
But I didn't see that ending coming.

Was this review helpful?

The Recovery of Rose Gold is a real twister. It's told from the points of view of mum Patty Watts who has gone to prison for maintaining for years that her daughter Rose Gold is severely ill. This story is a case of Munchausen syndrome but with a real difference.

When Patty is released from prison she is offered a home and rehabilitation by Rose Gold who has recently given birth to a son, Adam. While Rose Gold works at her dead-end job Patty looks after Adam.

Which narrator to believe? I disliked both characters but had to follow their journey. Unlike many other psychological thrillers The Recovery of Rose Gold has an excellent twist at the end that I defy readers to guess. A dark read but highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and PenguinUK/Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

Dark and oh so twisted! This is the story of a power game between mother and daughter - each messed up and evil in her own way. Chapters from each point of view alternate and I found myself immersed in each voice, not sure whose side was true. I really enjoyed this one and found it hard to put down.

Was this review helpful?

This story is seriously messed up! "The Recovery Of Rose Gold" is a dark, creepy, twisted tale which explores Munchausen's-by-Proxy, toxic relationships and the far-reaching effects of childhood abuse. I found it to be a quick, engaging read with a satisfactory conclusion.

Was this review helpful?

This book was recommended to me by a reader friend and I am so glad it was.

Rose Gold Watts believed she was sick for eighteen years.

She thought she needed the feeding tube, the surgeries, the wheelchair . . .

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a form of child abuse and the reason Patty Watts goes to jail for five years.

But now she is getting out and is still convinced that she did nothing wrong.

This is a well written, twisted and complex story told in dual narration. It will appeal to everyone who enjoys twisted, dark psychological thrillers and I would love to see it made into a film.

Was this review helpful?

This took me a while to get in to but when I did - well!!! What bitter and twisted people! Talk about revenge being sweet! Well planned and thought out!

Was this review helpful?

Oh my days!! I read this in one sitting as it was so gripping. I will not give any spoilers at all as this is up there in my top 10 for sure!!! Thank you so much netgalley. A definite must read!!

Was this review helpful?

The story begins when the five-year sentence for a crime has come to an end and Patty Watts is being released back into society to rebuild her life. Her victim had been her daughter Rose Gold, who for 18 years had suffered at the hands of her mother who had Munchausen by proxy syndrome.
Rose Gold had spent all her childhood and teenage years in and out of hospitals as her mother, a former nurse, convinced doctor after doctor of illnesses that her daughter didn't really have. Rose Gold had, a couple of years before, mended bridges between them and was now willing for her mum to move into the house she was buying. Rose Gold also had a baby boy herself now.
The story is told by both Patty and Rose Gold as it drops back to the past while moving forward into new territory too. What comes across straight away is the twisted mind of Patty who is like a cat ready to pounce on the mouse and put it back in its place again but in the meantime is content to toy with her. But Rose Gold isn't a child anymore.
The actual story of Rose Gold growing up is extremely similar to the real-life case of Dee Dee Blanchard and her daughter Gypsy Rose, which I watched as a series on NetFlix's true-life drama in 2018. The ending to that story is very different though.
The story really began to get under my skin, with many OMG moments that made me look at everything differently. The more I read the more I wanted to keep the book at arm's length but I couldn't put it down.
I really loved the character development of both mother and daughter in the book, in a twisted entertaining way, which grows darker on every page. I could feel myself pulling away from these characters, but I was mesmerised with them like a rabbit caught in headlights unable to see what was coming at me. Oh, boy was this just brilliant. What a trump card to play!!!! A cracking read.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Was this review helpful?