"The Rose Garden" is a captivating historical novel that delves into Victorian England’s contrasting worlds of opulence and hardship. Centered on 12-year-old Ottilie Finch and her family’s move to Hampstead amidst scandal, the narrative explores themes of secrecy and intrigue. Ottilie’s world, marred by her mother’s illness, intersects with that of Mabs, a local girl whose new role as a companion hides deeper troubles. The novel skillfully weaves together personal struggles and societal issues, creating a rich, immersive experience for fans of Dinah Jefferies and Rachel Hore. With its intricate plot and historical depth, it's a compelling read for lovers of period drama.

An excellent historical fiction. It was written so well and the characters were so interesting
A great book

Thank you for the free copy of this book. It isn’t my usual read but I’m so glad I tried something a bit different. I would recommend this to people - an easy read and really enjoyable!

This was my first time reading a book from the author but I am delighted to say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more books from the writer in the future!

Enjoyed this book and the lovely writing style. Great characters and setting too. Looking forward to reading more from the author.

This book was a little to light for me. Whilst I have read other of Tracey Rees books and enjoyed them, this one missed the mark.

I have read all of Tracy's books since her first book was on the Richard and Judy bookclub and loved them all this book doesn't disappoint.Loved the strong female characters and the era novel is set in.Hope to read many more books by this author in the coming years a lovely book during these covid times.

Olive, Mabs and Otty – seemingly with very little in common – all walk their own paths. Unique in the way they think, when they come together, they’re a force for change.

28 year old Olive lives in a large house with her parents and is a confirmed spinster. She has no need for a man in her life and is a progressive thinker (I loved her divination cards!). 18 year old Mabs is the breadwinner for her family and is open to opportunities for herself and her siblings. 12 year old Otty Finch is left on her own to explore Hamstead while her families focus is in other directions.

The dilemmas and issues the women face in The Rose Garden can easily be applied to contemporary life. Inequality, racism, obsessive behaviour and the class divide all have a part to play within the backdrop of Victorian England.

I loved the Gothic feel to this story. It’s more than the mad woman locked in the attic vibe. Darkness seeps into Mabs interactions with the Finches. She doesn’t give up easily though as she tries to piece together the truth.

I didn’t realise how much I was invested in what I hoped the outcome would be until quite a way through the book. It’s one of those reads that sneaks up on you emotionally. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

What a beautifully crafted novel set in 1895 when canals were the focus of moving different items to London. There are four central characters, first we meet Mabs who is trying to keep her family fed by dressing as a boy and unloading ice from the barges on the canal as her father in his grief at her mother's death,usually drinks his wages from his canal work. He is also known for his argumentative attitude to his fellow workers, which usually ends up in him losing his job. On the canals Mabs meets a friend in the form of Mark who rescues her when she is in an accident and protects her from the bullies. Then there is Olive Westfallen from a reasonably wealthy family living on the edge of the Heath who finds herself well-educated, but at 28 she is unmarried and decides that she wants to adopt. The next person is Ottilie Finch whose family have hastily left Durham and who, with her mother taking to her bed and her father in work, is at a looose end and seeks adventures as she explores the neighbourhood, She has siblings but they ignore her presence to involved in their lives and this leads to a few nasty moments as she explores. Finally, there is Abigail Finch, her bedridden mother,who seems to be suffering from some mental malady with excentric behaviour towards her husband. Mabs leaves the canal work as she is in fear of being discovered and applies to be a house maid at the Finches and then when these worlds collide the story gathers pace with all its secrets, inequalities and prejudices to make a novel you have to read to the final word! Thanks for the opportunity of enjoying this tale set in Victorian times.

I just loved ‘The Rose Garden’ by Tracy Rees. The characters start off isolated from each other and are gradually threaded together as their separate challenges and crises become interlinked. When I finished it, I wanted to start reading it all over again.
‘The Rose Garden’ is the story of Mabs, Ottie, Olive and Abigail. Four completely different women who live near Hampstead Heath as the 20th century approaches. It is a time of societal and family change when women are beginning to show strength in changing their lives but when traditional barriers erected by male society and assumptions still remain.
Mark is eighteen and works in the Regent’s Canal, moving huge lumps of ice from underground storage up to the fresh air. It is a dark, dangerous job. But Mark is really Mabs Daley, working to support her brothers and sisters and Pa, who hasn’t worked since being widowed. The family lives in one room, dirty and dishevelled, but with an underlying spirit that Mabs fears won’t last much longer. Things change when she hears of a job as a lady’s companion at a house on nearby Hampstead Heath. Mabs is full of hope and plans that at last she’ll be able to raise the fortunes of her family. But though her employer Mr Finch is sanguine about her lack of experience and unpolished manners, Mrs Finch locks Mabs out of the room.
When Olive Westallen, a single, educated, wealthy woman in her late twenties, decides to adopt a child from a nearby children’s home, even her liberal parents are concerned. She calls her new daughter Clover and for the first few weeks everything seems delightful until Clover’s behaviour inexplicably changes.
Twelve-year old Otty is bored. Stuck at home waiting to start her new school, her father is at work, her mother keeps to her room while her older brothers and sisters live their own lives. Recently moved to London from Durham, she has no friends so starts exploring the local area alone. In a spot of bother by the canal she’s rescued by Jim, a young ‘darkie’ who reveals himself to be Jill. As Jill explains the problems living as a black girl in the city, Otty struggles to understand the reasons for this inequality and prejudice.
To say how Mabs, Olive, Otty and Abigail become acquainted is to give away too much of the plot. Tracy Rees is wonderful at creating a small world with a world [as she did in the South Yorkshire mining villages in ‘The House at Silvermoor’] and populates them with struggling, flawed characters who you just want to succeed.
Ultimately a story of friendship, at the heart of ‘The Rose Garden’ are women who want more to life than marrying a man and becoming his property. They want the freedom to make their own life choices, to work, to marry, to be educated, to move around freely and unthreatened, to own what is rightfully theirs. Independently and together, they fight back against injustice, control, expectations and the law of the time.
Don’t miss it.
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Tracy Rees is one of my favorite authors of historical fiction, so I was unbelievably excited to be approved for this book. This story did not disappoint. I love how brilliantly and vividly Tracy describes the English Victorian atmosphere, with special and accurate details like the small town girl slang of Mab. I adored Olive’s sensibility and sophistication and the engrossing journeys of these brave, strong women. I’ll eagerly read everything Tracy will ever put out, she never disappoints. Thanks to Pan Macmillan for allowing me to read this advance copy of such a brilliant novel!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for approving me for an ARC of this book. Many years ago, before I started blogging, I read another of Tracy Rees’ books and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to this one. I buddy read this one with some of my book club friends and we absolutely loved it!

The story is told from the POV of four incredible young women; Olive, Mabs, Abigail and Otty. The youngest of the four is Otty. At twelve years old Otty is just starting to understand the world. She idolises her father and wants nothing more than to please him but she has a craving to learn and explore the world. Otty was absolutely adorable and whilst she was naïve to the way of the world I had a lot of admiration for her bravery and determination.

Abigail, also known as Mrs Finch, was a character you weren’t sure you could trust. Her treatment of Mabs at the start was appalling but I had a feeling very early on that something wasn’t right with her. As Abigail’s narration is introduced I could understand her resentment and her unnatural behaviours.

Olive was an old soul in a young body. I often had to correct myself as I kept visualising her a lot older than her actual age. Her relationship with Clover was beautiful and her general outlook on the world was very wise. What she did for Mabs was unbelievable and made me love her even more. She didn’t suffer fools easily and was not afraid to step out of the social norms. I also thought her parents were brilliant. Whilst they had their reservations at the start they still supported her and helped her to achieve her goals.

Of all the four women my favourite was Mabs. At such a young age she carried a lot on her shoulders. Her determination to provide for her brother’s and sister’s never waivered. She was selfless where her family were concerned and professional at all times. She didn’t want charity but was willing to accept the advice of Olive and Abigail.

Whilst all four women had their obstacles to overcome they each showed fierce determination and will to succeed. Together they were a force to be reckoned with! This was a beautifully written story of friendship, loyalty and not being afraid to follow your own path.

I loved the strong women in The Rose Garden. From the determined 12year old Otty to the fearless Mabs, to the courageous Abigail and the adventurous Olive - these women were fighting continuously for justice and fair rights in such a male dominated world. The bonds of friendship were just wonderful to read about and I loved the loyalty they showed one another.

The Rose Garden is set In 1985 Hampstead, Olive Westallen is a single woman, living with her wealthy parents. Decided to break the rules of convention of the era, she decides to adopt a child instead of waiting for the right man to come along and propose marriage to her.
The Finch family have recently moved to the area from Durham, and local girl Mabs is lucky to gain a position as Mrs Finch’s companion. The wage allows her to support her family who are currently living in abject poverty.
I am a huge fan of Tracy Rees, but found the slow pace of this book caused me a less enjoyable experience than usual.

I think this book has just taken the top spot for my favourite book of the year. I absolutely loved it!
My favourite type of books have always been Victorian mysteries so I had high hopes for this book but it completely exceeded them! I felt like I had been transported back in time to live with the three main characters.

The story is written from three different female viewpoints. Poor Mabs lives in complete depravity in central London, sleeping in a filthy room with her father and five siblings and having to dress as a boy to get labourer work on the canal. At the other end of society Olive lives in a grand Hampshire house full of maids and servants and anything money could buy. She is fighting the aristocratic society where she is expected to be a married and obedient wife. Somewhere in between is twelve year old Ottilie who is desperate to further her education and go to University in a world where too much learning for women is largely frowned upon.

All three characters were so well written and such strong characters with such contrasting circumstances but all facing such difficult challenges. I equally enjoyed reading about each of them and I loved how the three women's lives cleverly intertwined in the story and their friendship developed.

The main storyline is centered around Ottilie's household. The Finch's have suddenly moved from Durham and taken on a completely new set of servants. What caused this sudden move for the family? Why does Mrs Finch stay in her room all day? What causes her sudden outbursts? Why did Mr Finch choose Mabs (who is not even able to read or write) as a companion for his wife?

I literally couldn't put this book down by the second half. The tension in the Finch's house was unbearable! I was completely gripped by the story and desperate to know how it would all resolve. There were several pivotal moments and the writing was incredible.

I whole heartedly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction who also love a good mystery. You will not be disappointed! This is one of the best I have ever read. I'm off to Amazon now to add the rest of Tracy Rees books to my wishlist!

“I think different is…interesting.” The Rose Garden by Tracy Rees

3 stars. This was interesting. Historical fiction about 3 women (well, excluding Otty), each trapped in their own circumstance, whose lives get intertwined in a rather unexpected way.

Olive Westallen is different. Rich and single and firmly on the shelf in 1895 in London, Olive is modern in her thinking. And what she planned to do will rock society.

She meets Otty and Mabs and later on Otty’s mother, Abigail. Of the 4 people mentioned, Mabs is from the working class, who stumbled unexpected into working for Abigail’s family, as her companion.

Olive, with her intelligence, kindness and practical nature, is the central figure in this story. Even if it does dwell into the lives of everyone. And I think, she’s the inspiration for them to break free of the shackles of their lives.

It started slowly but caught me midway the book. And at the end, everyone is settled properly.

Thank you @panmacmillan and @netgalley for the arc of this book.

You know you’re reading great historical fiction when an author transports you so completely to a time and place that all your senses are alive to it. And that’s exactly what Tracy Rees has achieved with her vivid evocation of late-Victorian London in this, her latest novel.

The Rose Garden is the story of an unlikely alliance between three women: 28 year-old Olive Westallen, raised in the upper echelons of London society; 18 year-old Mabs from the slums of Saffron Hill; and 12 year-old Ottilie, newly arrived in Hampstead after her family’s ignominious retreat from Durham.

Told from these three contrasting perspectives, the story is compelling in its exposition of a patriarchal society, divided by class, wealth and gender. And in this, Rees’s research is both impeccable and illuminating.

Yet still, Olive, Mabs and Otillie come together, striking up a firm and affectionate friendship. A friendship of equals which transcends all differences and ultimately leads to them joining forces in a matter of life and death against a male threat.

I love that this book is not just an absorbing, often thrilling, story but also a social and political commentary; a feminist tract, if you will, but softened by its wholly engaging protagonists: three bold, ambitious, norm-busting women.

I warmed to all of them. To gracious, kind-hearted Olive, resigned to spinsterhood but with a burning desire to use her wealth and influence for the greater good. To spirited, determined Mabs, pulling herself up by her boot strings to secure a better life for her motherless siblings. And to knowledge-hungry Ottilie, whose youthful innocence bristles at the inequalities she sees around her.

I was swept into their world and loved every moment I spent with them. A hugely enjoyable, deliciously satisfying, joy of a book.

This is another tale of spellbinding historical fiction from the best-selling author of Amy Snow.
This book spans both the luxury and the poverty of Victorian England.
The book is based around three women from very different backgrounds and for me, this made the story so readable! The characterisation was spot on and the writer’s ability to make me feel at times like I was actually there with them too took the story to another level. The author wrote the characters as daring independent women in an age when this was frowned upon and I really sympathised with the women as they were punished for ‘being different’. Thank goodness they fought back!
I highly recommend this book to not only fans of historical fiction, but to anyone who enjoys reading about characters who refuse to be walked on, pushed under the carpet or have their independence forcibly taken away from them.
Many thanks to Netgalley and pan Macmillan for a gifted copy in return for an honest review.

Sadly this one just didn't hit the spot for me. It has glaring historical mistakes, in speech and actual history and the voices of the various female characters did not ring true. Use of a phrase such as 'the elephant in the room' is just wrong for the era, it didn't exist until 1935 or some say 1952, and then only in the US. Yes I'm pernickerty, but if I'm reading historical fiction I want it to be accurate. An editor should have picked up the mistakes. However if such things don't bother you and you enjoy reading about the injustices of Victorian life, particularly for women then this one might be for you.

I always look forward to Tracy Rees’s books and this one was another very good read.
The story takes place in the late 1890s in London and brings together the lives of three very different women. Mabs is poor and works as a labourer on the canal, dressed as a boy, to help her family survive. Olive is the daughter of an extremely wealthy couple. She is unmarried and unconventional. Abigail is a wealthy lady who married “below” her rank and suffers the consequences. These three women have in common that they want to lead better lives, which has a different meaning for each of them. The book depicts the life in London in those days, from the three perspectives, as well as around the topics of women rights and status, class differences, racism, psychological abuse, wealth and poverty and the tough condition of orphans.
In spite of all the difficulties and setbacks our characters experience, they have a deep bond of friendship between them. This creates a very warm sentiment throughout the book and recalls how friendship can transcend all social divides if only we let it do so.
I very much enjoyed the story and the writing. I cannot wait for the next Tracy Rees story.