The third and final installment of "The Tea Rose" trilogy, "The Wild Rose," took us on a worldwide journey. You see new and old characters, learn a lot of historical events. And reading about the Spanish flu while living our pandemic (Covid-19).
'The Wild Rose' is the love-story of Willa and Seamus, but we also see Fiona & Jo, as well as India & Sid and their families.
Once again, Jennifer Donnelly intertwines the love-story with a lot of mystery, a WWI.
That means multiple story arcs are going on at the same time. You might not see how they are all related, but they come together cohesively at the end and make for a stunning book. Never once was I lost. I was gripped and eager to find out what happened next.
I knew the story would end happily -- or at least in a very satisfying way -- but that didn't keep me from worrying about the characters because Donnelly has that rare ability to plunge them into seemingly impossible situations, then finding the one way to get them out that her readers will believe.
If you like historical fiction, yes, pick up the books of this trilogy, but read them in order so you will understand and comprehend the whole story. ( )

Definitely a page turner, with lots of characters and families and action. Good pacing. My only problem with this author in general is that her characters tend to be rather like paper cutouts of characters, rather than real people. They're all good and nice and get what they deserve, except the baddie, who maybe isn't so bad. So while the action keeps things moving, I already knew before I got very far who would end up where with whom. ( )

London, 1914. World War I is looming... ( )

I didn't find this #3 book in the series quite as gripping as #2, The Winter Rose. And I've yet to read the #1 book in the series. I'm just a rebel about the order of things sometimes. On the up side, it's a lovely story with solid character stories and continuation of the plot from #2. Just as well-written and well done. ( )

Book 3 of the Trilogy. The Finnegan's story continues with Fiona and Joe back in London - Joe becoming an MP fighting on the rights of the poor; We get to know Fiona's little brother Shamus, all grown up and Willa Alden. The War with Germany breaks out. Espionage is within the circle of trusted friends and family. A lot goes on in this book to keep you guessing; but it comes down to being a love story, of course. I enjoyed it, getting to know all the family members and new cast of characters but what I really did not enjoy is the disregard for Jenny for a happy ending at the expense of innocents. Sorry to see the end but ready to move on to something else!. ( )