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The Midnight Rose
The Midnight Rose: A Novel | Lucinda Riley
From the #1 international bestselling author of The Orchid Housean epic saga of two remarkable women and two love stories spanning the years from 1920s India to modern-day England. Spanning four generations, The Midnight Rose sweeps from the glittering palaces of the great maharajas of India to the majestic stately homes of England, following the extraordinary life of a remarkable girl, Anahita Chaval, from 1911 to the present day . . . In the heyday of the British Raj, eleven-year-old Anahita, from a noble but impoverished family, forms a lifelong friendship with the headstrong Princess Indira, the privileged daughter of Indian royalty. As the princesss official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of WorldWar I. There, she meets young Donald Astburyreluctant heir to the magnificent, remote Astbury Estateand his scheming mother. Ninety years later, Rebecca Bradley, a young American film star, has the world at her feet. But when her turbulent relationship with her equally famous boyfriend takes an unexpected turn, shes relieved that her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, will take her away from the glare of publicity to a distant corner of the English countryside. Shortly after filming begins at the now-crumbling Astbury Hall, Ari Malik, Anahitas great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his familys past. What he and Rebecca discover begins to unravel the dark secrets that haunt the Astbury dynasty . . . A multilayered, heartbreaking tale filled with unforgettable characters caught in the sweep of history, The Midnight Rose is Lucinda Riley at her most captivating and unforgettable.
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TheAromaofBooks
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Pickpick

I had some mixed feelings about this one. With dual timelines, we are following the life story of a young Indian woman who was born in 1900. In 2011, an American actress is part of a movie set in Devonshire and is staying at the historic estate where they are filming. In 2001, a young Indian man is too busy with work to attend his great-grandmother's funeral. Ten years later, he is having a life crisis and finds himself caught up in reading the ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) life-story she has left him.

I was 100% engaged in this book for the first 2/3 or so. The pacing is excellent, and I loved all the characters in both timelines. Riley captures India well, and also does a wonderful job with the tumultuousness of the first half of the 20th century. Where things fell off for me a bit was the way she chose to end some of these storylines. I knew that it was going to be sad because of what we're told in the ⬇
3mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) beginning, but it felt like she just decided to unnecessarily double-down on a lot of it, and it went from being reasonably sad/bittersweet to downright tragic/multi-generational trauma. I also felt like the ending of the modern timeline (re: Anthony) was a weird direction to go - it felt unnecessary.

However, I'll also admit that “A Novel“ isn't usually my thing - I like my happy endings - so I can definitely see this book having an ⬇
3mo
TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) appeal for people who enjoy this type of book more than I do. I loved pretty much every character in this story and couldn't look away from the train wreck I saw coming.

#100YearsofBooks
#52BookClub - More than 40 Chapters
#BookSpinBingo
#ISpyBingo @Clwojick
#JoyousJanuary - 5/6 books @Andrew65
3mo
69 likes3 comments
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Emma_PK
Pickpick

Probably the most exotic settings yet of a Lucinda Riley book, juxtaposing an old English stately home used as a modern film set, against the history and culture of the Indian Royal elite through several generations, this book of Riley's had a gorgeous atmosphere and sense of parallel time lines that line up beautifully. Heart rending at times but really lovely

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tantri_06
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Pickpick

Three generations,
Three nations,
Five complicated love stories

With a castle and rose garden as a dramatic backdrop.

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HannahPolly
Mehso-so

Engaging and addictive, complete escapism but bordering sightly on a fan-fiction type style. Predictable but mindless and entertaining

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SilversReviews
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Pickpick

#ReadingResolutions
@Jess7

TODAY‘S PROMPT: SHAME

“How lucky could a girl get? Moving from a small village to a palace to be friends with a Princess. Was it lucky forever?

THE MIDNIGHT ROSE moves from present day back to a diary that Anahita kept of her life in India as well as her life in England.

You will feel badly for Anahita and feel her shame and pain.

https://silversolara.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-midnight-rose-by-lucinda-riley.htm...

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Cinfhen
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#Aprella I bought this book years ago, while I was on vacation from the hotel lobby gift shop...desperate times... my NOOK died( remember that device) Anyhow, according to GoodReads, I REALLY enjoyed this book. I don‘t remember much, but it was definitely set around an old crumbling #EnglishHouse and I remember multiple generations....

Mdargusch Desperation! That‘s how I ended up reading 6y
SilversReviews LOVED this book and all of her books. 6y
Cinfhen This worked as a vacation read @SilversReviews @Mdargusch but I‘m not sure I‘d be so quick to read more from her...I really liked it but it was a touch overly written (if that makes sense....) 6y
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Reviewsbylola Hahahaha I love the story behind it. 6y
emilyhaldi Well at least you remembered the gist of it! I suppose if it was truly awful you would have forgotten by now 😆 6y
SilversReviews @Cinfhen I would give her another try. Let us know if you do try another one. My favorite of hers is THE LAVENDER GARDEN. 6y
Cinfhen Thanks @SilversReviews I‘ll keep it in mind...if I come across the title I‘ll take it as a sign 😉🙌🏻❣️ 6y
114 likes1 stack add7 comments
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SilversReviews
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@AlwaysBeenALoverOfBooks
@Vkois88

TODAY'S PROMPT: LUCKY YOU

How lucky could a girl get? Moving from a small village to a palace to be friends with a Princess. Was it lucky forever?

I always enjoy Lucinda Riley's books. Have you read any of her books?

https://silversolara.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-midnight-rose-by-lucinda-riley.htm...

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Such a beautiful cover!!!! 6y
SilversReviews @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Check out the full book cover if you can. I couldn‘t get the entire cover to show on the post. 6y
See All 6 Comments
vkois88 Sign me up to do all that please!! 😉 it is such a beautiful cover 6y
79 likes6 comments
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BookishMe
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Which to pick?? #librarysg #librarybooks
@Andrew65 piqued my curiosity and I am fascinated with the varying settings of he books

Andrew65 They certainly have a great collection from her! Better than my library, I have to move between branches. They are also excellent as audiobooks, work very well in that format. ❤️ (edited) 6y
Andrew65 Or if you want a series 6y
BookishMe @Andrew65 this branch has more titles than the one nearest to me, with none ;o I will need to make time for the series and yes, I like the Irish setting in The Girl on the Cliff 6y
26 likes4 comments
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Andrew65
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Another great book from Lucinda Riley. #Flowers #HappinessIsResistance

rubyslippersreads I'm going to have to read some of this author's books. 😊 Where should I start? 6y
Andrew65 @rubyslippersreads It depends if you want to take on the Seven Sisters Series, which starts with 6y
Andrew65 @rubyslippersreads Alternatively if you want to start with a standalone I strongly recommend 6y
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Andrew65 @rubyslippersreads Although she has never let me down. 6y
rubyslippersreads Thanks! 😊 The tagged book looks intriguing too. Is it part of a series? 6y
Andrew65 @rubyslippersreads No this is a standalone and was another excellent read. I read it over Christmas. 6y
Andrew65 @rubyslippersreads Isn‘t that the truth! 6y
51 likes1 stack add8 comments
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Andrew65
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Pickpick

Another fantastic book by Lucinda Riley. Throughout I was strongly interested in the current timeline as well as the past timeline. Not always a positive and happy book, and some heartbreaking moments within the book, but overall it was a brilliant story. She does know how to write a great story - people to both love and hate in this book, as well as people to feel sorry for. Certainly an author I would r commend to others.

Reader24601 I like the title 6y
Andrew65 @Reader24601 A good title for a good book. 6y
42 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Andrew65
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Need to get to India in my World Challenge so just started to read The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley, which is a standalone. Lucinda Riley has never let me down and know I am in for a cracking read!

ephemeralwaltz Nice!👏👏 looking forward to your review! 6y
Andrew65 @ephemeralwaltz Read first couple of chapters and already very intrigued about what the events in the past were. She does a great job of hooking you into a book. 6y
45 likes2 comments
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smilingshelves
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Lucinda Riley is one of my favorite authors for transporting me to a different #time and #place. #30daysofreadathon

@DeweysReadathon

HeatherBlue Yes!! I love her so much! I can't wait for the next novel in her Seven Sisters series to come out! 7y
SilversReviews Oooo...love her books. 7y
16 likes2 comments