My thanks to Tracy Rees, Pan Macmillan and Net Galley for the ARC of THE ROSE GARDEN.
This story really pulled me in. I adored Olive Westallen. Who wouldn't want her as a best friend? She has been born into incredible privilege, but is fully aware of it and wants to do some good in the world. She is determined to adopt a child from the local orphanage, and even though she knows it will be frowned upon in the society she keeps, goes ahead, thinking it is more important to give a child a good and loving home.

Ottilie Finch's family have moved from Durham to London after an apparent scandal that she is unaware of. The child of a desperately ambitious man and a women who seems to be constantly unwell and keeps to her rooms, she adores her father until she discovers the real man underneath when he swiftly not only sends her off to school, but swiftly changes it when he thinks their ideas too radical.

Mabs is eighteen and dresses as a boy so she can work hauling goods on the canal. Her friend, Lou informs her of a position working as a ladies maid/companion to a family who have recently moved to London.
Three women, three very different stories, but when their individual stories become entwined, it results in a novel I couldn't put down. Brilliant.

I know I’m in a good book by the amount of times I apologise to my partner for ignoring him! I read this book in bed, while cooking, eating breakfast, in front of the tv…! As the chapters flipped between narrators, I found myself thinking wanting to rush through the next one to get back to my current ‘favourite’; then of course the story moved on, as did my ‘favourite’. I was really rooting for each character to win their battle against the injustices of being a woman in that era. Great for the focus to be on interesting friendships rather than predictable romances.
Many thanks for this enjoyable ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Intricate,multi faceted book following the lives of a group of girls/women. A bit of mystery,lots of twists and some happy endings.

I so enjoyed this book, it hooked me in from the first page, and kept me in its grip till the last page. I haven’t read this author before, but she is a first class storyteller for sure.
The lives of Mabs, Otty, Olive, Abigail and the extended families of the Finches and the Daleys was fascinating. Such divergent families and characters, living in Victorian London, and all beautifully drawn. The descriptions of the different areas of London, from the affluent end of Hampstead Heath, to the slums of the canals and coal yards was so vivid, I could almost smell them!
The horrors of Mabs first work experience was vividly described. No wonder so many young lives were cut short in Victorian times.
I was so pleased that it was not the stereotypical historical romance, where the young ladies waft about looking pretty and the young men are either eager suitors or cads. This book is so different in this genre.
I loved the theme of the very strong women who were the central players, at a time when women had few rights, and were regarded more as possessions than people in their own right. The racism of the time was not unexpected, but an unpleasant reminder of current themes, and therefore relatable.
There were many happy coincidences which helped to move the story along, but it did not flag for a moment, and kept the reader fully engaged till the very last word. A delight to read.
Sheer escapism, beautifully written, I will look for more of this author’s work.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title. I highly recommend it.

With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion
Having read other books by this author I knew it would be a delightful tale which it was I throughly enjoyed the characters and the premise and can highly recommend.

From the first page of this book I was engrossed. Tracy Rees is able to describe a scene or character in enough words to make you feel that you are there, without being over the top. Her use of descriptive tools really brings the story to life in your imagination. Set in 1895, Rees really captivates the life of that time, the difference between classes and cultures as well as the individuals themselves. I could imagine every scene in my mind from the depths of despair in the slums to the beauty of the heath and the richness of the homes described. Every character has a purpose and I feel as if I know them, rooting for them at times, despairing and despising of one and tears of happiness by the end. I have felt as though I was in another world for the last 24 hours as I have been fascinated throughout.
I have been a great fan of Tracy Rees' work for some time especially as she is a local author. I cannot recommend this book any more highly. It is one of the best books I've read this year so far.

This was a very good read indeed. A historical tale where I was drawn into the complex lives of the characters. The main characters were three ladies from very different backgrounds and their stories were woven together in a very intricate way. Most enjoyable and once again, Tracy Rees keeps her reader very well entertained.

Another triumph for Tracy Rees.
The Rose Garden is a charming Victorian drama involving three strong women from different backgrounds who are connected by circumstance which leads to friendships, trust and accomplishment. I love Tracy Rees wonderful storytelling, the well drawn characters and the depiction of Victorian life in Hampstead, London....it all adds up to a delightful, easy read.
Big thanks to Tracy Rees, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

The three key female characters who narrate this story show us life in late Victorian London through three different lenses although their lives inevitably become linked. Mabs is the eldest of six children living in one room and working on the canals disguised as a boy to help support her family. Olive is a rich single unconventional woman with a strong philanthropic streak. Abigail is like a beautiful bird in a gilded cage, at the mercy of her controlling socially aspiring husband. Initially I found the changes of narrator distracting but as the story progressed I appreciated the depth and understanding they each brought to the narrative. This appears to be historically well researched and is an excellent way to show life for women at that time.

Tracy Rees really does write some good books and characers. The female characters are strong and ones you really care about. There’s three women from different sides of the tracks here. Olive lives the live of riley. She lives with her parents and at 28 is considered left on the shelf. She wants to adopt however but given the times, this is not the done thing for single women.

Then there’s Ottilie Finch whose family secrets are about to come out. She loves the city of London and the heath where she looks at the people walking around there, and looks into the houses of the rich and richer.

Next we have Mabs who is from the poor side of the tracks. She disguises herself as a boy to work and provide for her family despite her young age. She begins work in the Finch household so the worlds of these women is about to collide…

There’s lots to like here with the shadow of Hampstead in London in the background and the posh houses and the wonderful heath. There’s some people watching and a feeling of you never know what happens behind closed doors that is delicious to discover.

Can I just add that this novel would be a very good BBC drama!

Tracy always writes good stories and detailed historical mysteries and this was a strong read for me. Recommended!

Having been a fan of Tracy Rees for a long time, I sort of thought i knew what to expect in this one, This is kind of true. Historical setting which she writes so well, and three brilliant and yet very different female protagonists.
I like how she always raises gender equality to the forefront of her novels; a woman trapped in a controlling marriage, lower classes trapped as women and their class and an upper class women being judged for adopting a young girl when she is unmarried.
It also tackles racism and how ignorant society was at that time about race. I found this particularly poignant with the recent societal discussions and movements on this subject matter.
What I usually love about Tracy's written is her sense of location which can take on a character itself, I feel I missed that a bit in this one.
Overall a great Victorian read.