The Winter Rose

Written by Jennifer Donnelly

Narrated by Jill Tanner

It has been twelve years since a dark, murderous figure stalked the alleys and courts of Whitechapel. And yet, in the summer of 1900, East London is still poor, still brutal, still a shadow city to its western twin. Among the reformers is an idealistic young woman named India Selwyn-Jones, recently graduated from medical school. With the help of her influential fiance--Freddie Lytton, an up-and-coming Liberal MP--she works to shut down the area's opium dens that destroy both body and soul. Her selfless activities better her patients' lives and bring her immense gratification, but unfortunately, they also bring her into direct conflict with East London's ruling crime lord--Sid Malone. India is not good for business and at first, Malone wants her out. But against all odds, India and Sid fall in love. Different in nearly every way, they share one thing in common--they're both wounded souls. Their love is impossible and they know it, yet they cling to it desperately. Lytton, India's fiance, will stop at nothing to marry India and gain her family's fortune. Fractious criminal underlings and rivals conspire against Sid. When Sid is finally betrayed by one of his own, he must flee London to save his life. Mistakenly thinking him dead, India, pregnant and desperate, marries Freddie to provide a father for hers and Sid's child. India and Sid must each make a terrible sacrifice--a sacrifice that will change them both forever. One that will lead them to other lives, and other places...and perhaps--one distant, bittersweet day--back to each other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490625416

Jennifer Donnelly

Jennifer Donnelly writes books for children and adults, including the novel The Tea Rose. She lives in Brooklyn and upstate New York, with her husband and two greyhounds. She has a passion for tea and roses.

Reviews for The Winter Rose

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I did not read the first two books in this series and while each book can stand on its own one does feel a touch lost when characters show up from previous books. I just didn't feel as connected as I might have if I had started at the beginning. The ancillary characters and their actions weren't as meaningful. That being said I found that I did enjoy the tale of Willa and Seamus for all of its histrionics. It's a classic they love each other/they hate each other/they love each other again sweeping type of romance set against the backdrop of the South Pole and the Himalayas. With scenery like that and the addition of the onset of WWI drama is a big part of this tale.Willa and Seamus are soulmates and we all know that but it takes tragedy and time for them to figure it out for themselves. Fortunately there is enough meat in the telling that I was kept interested to the end. I now find myself wanting to pick up the first two books in the series so I can complete my rose garden.

[andiee_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was an amazing sequel to The Tea Rose! Beautifully written and captivating the entire way through, I could read the Winter Rose 100 times without ever tiring of it! The author does a fantastic job of incorporating the characters from her previous novel into this book, but adding many new faces and unexpected twists. This sensual novel is inspirational and certainly a page turner!

[nperrin_8 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Epic" is definitely the word to describe this novel--it would have been satisfying at half the length. By the end I felt it was somewhat poorly plotted--plodding here, exciting there, rushed somewhere else. The last 200 or so pages were full of tense moments and cliffhangers, which was very out of character for the rest of the book.Also, I had a hard time understanding the protagonist. India Selwyn Jones wanted so badly to be a doctor that she was cut off from her wealthy family and accepted a financially precarious existence outside her former social circle. You would expect her to be a strong female lead, but instead she was constantly buffeted by each and every male character, from her boss to her fiancé to her lover. She risked her job to distribute contraceptives to desperate women, but when a seriously telegraphed pregnancy finally hit her she literally destroyed her entire life for the benefit of her child. Incomprehensible! I also found the sex scenes too explicit and out of place, though they were relatively few and far between.On the other hand, the large cast of secondary characters was well drawn and very likable. They are what kept me turning 700+ pages. The sequel to The Tea Rose, this makes a fine standalone novel as well, though you may want to read more about Fiona when you're through--she seems much more interesting than India. Recommended if you're looking to be absorbed in a far-ranging story for the length of a hefty book.

[anshaw_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As many other reviewers have noted, The Winter Rose lacks character development (or, more precisely, character depth), and the plot does feel contrived. Indeed, I spent the first few hundred pages of the book distracted by these problems. That said, I couldn't put down the book. By last night I finished the last page of The Winter Rose and picked up The Tea Rose immediately. If you like historical fiction, especially with a liberal dash of romance, and are willing to engage in suspension of disbelief, then you'll probably enjoy this hefty tome.

[booklovers2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 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!.

[lettoreardente · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am a big fan of Jennifer Donnelly and have loved all of her other books but this one fell short for me. I wasn't as invested in Seamie's and Willa's story as I was with Fiona/Joe and India/Sid. The one thing that I did love though was the vivid imagery that Donnelly always uses in all of her books. Not saying i didn't like it, but, to me, it didn't live up to its predecessors.

[needmoreshelves · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can't remember the last time 700+ pages flew by this quickly...India Selwyn Jones is a recent graduate from medical school in London, young and eager to change the world. She has dreams of opening a free clinic for poor mothers and children in Whitechapel, not understanding the true horrors of poverty that accompany life in that neighborhood. One night she treats Sid Malone, the notorious but charming gangster, and her life changes forever. He shows her what life is really like in Whitechapel, encourages her in her quest to help the people that live there, and eventually becomes her love. Somewhat predictable confusion and mayhem ensue, as we certainly can't leave the couple happily ever after at page 400, and eventually everyone winds up in Africa to bring the relationships to resolution.I found this book to be a lot of fun - having previously read The Tea Rose, I enjoyed catching up on the lives of Joe, Fiona, and Seamie, and was pleasantly surprised by the resurrection of brother Charlie. Fiesty new characters (Ella, Willa, and Gemma), and delightfully evil villians (Freddie Lytton and Frankie Betts) are welcome additions to the cast. The main characters, India and Sid, are slightly predictably stock, but it doesn't seem to matter in this story which is just plain fun. I certainly hope Donnelly revisits this family again - I just have to know the story of Seamie and Willa! Historical fiction with a lot of romance and some exciting adventure thrown in - I'm certainly glad to have read this novel. Thanks Early Reviewers for a great opportunity!

[thetometraveller · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this author's first book, The Tea Rose, and was not sure if she would be able to write a sequel that was equal to the first. For this book she chose different, but related, characters. Readers that did not read the first book could read this one as a stand alone story. Readers who have read The Tea Rose are rewarded with an extention of the first story, told from a different viewpoint. Highly recommended!

[margaretdebuhr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was very sceptical after the first two chapters that I would enjoy this book. Alot of the English phrases and words seemed so mechanical. However after the next few chapters I was absorbed in the character line and couldn't put it down. It was a fun read.

[tcrutch_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was a little apprehensive about reading this daunting 700 page novel for two reasons. First, I hadn’t read the prequel, The Tea Rose. Secondly, this was the first historical romance novel that I have read. Despite these facts, I jumped into the book feet first, and when I did, I discovered that for the most part, it was worth spending weeks reading it. Some critics have called this book an early 20th century soap opera and I agree – I love soap operas, they help me escape from my reality. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and reading about adventures in England, Africa and America. In particular, I liked getting acquainted with the newly minted female physician, India Selwyn Jones and I enjoyed reading about her quest to find love. I look forward to reading Donnelly’s next novel, The Wild Rose –I just hope it is more concise.

[juliec0802 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have read all of the previous books in the Rose Trilogy and The Wild Rose is a pretty perfect end. Ms. Donnelly does a fantastic job of incorporating all of the characters from the previous 2 books into the final novel but doesn't let the current story suffer because of it.I will miss this series and will be re-reading it as soon as all my friends are done with my books.

[jjameli_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Winter Rose is the second book in the Tea Rose trilogy, and follows Charles Finnegan. Charles becomes Sid Malone, a notorious crime lord, he separates himself completely from his siblings, Fiona and Seamus. I enjoyed The Tea Rose a bit more, but still thought the Winter Rose was a good followup. Charlie aka Sid Malone is a really great character. He's flawed and real. He's definitely scarred by what happened to his family, which we learn about in book one. Sid is a crime lord but one that helps the poor people of Whitechapel, almost like Robin Hood. He's build walls around his heart to make it easier to be Sid Malone, and refuses to acknowledge Fiona. Fiona wants Charlie, and he left him a long time ago. Fiona and Joe, from the Tea Rose are also a big part of the Winter Rose, and even Seamus joins in the second half of The Winter Rose. One of the great things about The Tea Rose is the romance between Fiona and Joe, so naturally I was expecting to love the romance between Sid and India, but it actually didn't do it for me much. Sid was great, my problem lies with India. India is too damn perfect. I seriously can't stand characters that are goody two shoes, she's smart, brave, independent and loved by all. *roll eyes* Then all of a sudden she starts making stupid decisions in the second half of the book that annoy me. But I did enjoy her interactions with her friend Ella.First half of the book is good, then it starts going downhill a bit in the second half. Seamus comes into play basically to set up the third book that will be about him, and I found those parts boring, so I will not be reading the third book.

[chellerystick · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A guilty pleasure, but not that guilty.The voices of the characters are modern in tone, sometimes seeming a little flip, but consistent with progressive ideas and the trends in the medical profession. Based on the academic talks I have heard about 19th century medicine as a layperson, the techniques and theories that India uses are realistic; Donnelly's research really shines through in details such as the use of silver wire for sutures, an innovation which vastly improved the survival rate for gynecological fistula surgeries only a few decades before. The most difficult character to believe was that of Freddie, who was ruthless with his only redeeming virtues in the remote past; one might imagine that one who had experienced such a difficult childhood would be more confused, although this may be a variant of the more familiar retreat of those mistreated as children. The use of the Red Earl did become a little heavy-handed and grating; I felt that Freddie had lost all potential for sincerity long before the gag ran its course. It would've been a much more valuable focusing symbol if Freddie had been more ambiguous. Charlotte also seems a little more than plausibly precocious, which puts her in danger of becoming spooky if pushed much farther.This is not to say that Freddie and Charlotte turn the book into a horror novel; only that they are not quite as polished as the other characters. Although I had not read the previous novel, I quickly became attached to Fiona, Joe, Sid, and India and found them very sympathetic. This is the kind of fiction where everyone is connected in a "small world," in this case all connected to the impoverished East End of London. In addition, while Donnelly is not a master, she also works in pleasing literary surprises, such as the parallels between India's "first time" sexual experiences, which she does not try to write as "erotica" and does not allow to become too long and vapid. Although the book is called the "winter rose," Donnelly lets the symbol echo in various ways throughout the book instead of tying it only to a single instance or meaning.There were a few passages in which fast-cut montage rehashes were a bit of dry drudgery to get through, especially chapter 5. I suspect much of this could have been elided or incorporated throughout the novel with little loss. I otherwise felt myself propelled throughout the novel by the suspense of how the various conflicts would be resolved; this was well managed by the author. I enjoyed the novel as a pleasant diversion and only wish that it had been a little more trim--at a not insignificant 720 pages, I might be tempted to leave it behind and catch up on the Baroque Trilogy. I will be curious to see how Donnelly's talent develops after a few more novels.Recommended as light reading.

[parelle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A jolly good long time after I recieved this as my first LibraryThing Early Reviewer's book, I got around to reading it. Although I don't like reading series out of order, I found myself strangely drawn in here. And truthfully, I stayed up late to finish this book and enjoyed it rather much - I'll probably go back at read The Tea Rose (particularly as a tea drinker) when I've the chance.That said, I do have a few qualms. While I happen to like my historical fiction unadulterated, and there's only a handful of romance novel scenes here, but, eh, I could have done without them. However, I've a bit of concern about some of the historical vs. modern attitudes. Contraceptives dispensed from a state-funded clinic in 1900? To do the author much credit, however, this issue is very well integrated into the plotline of the novel and feels more like a natural part of it rather than a soapbox.

[maggie1944 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had to put this book down at about page 212. I am not saying it is a bad book, poorly written, or worthless. I think for the right readers it probably is very enjoyable. I am just not that reader. I am tired, I think, of historical fiction. One problem I have is with characters who have modern attitudes and aspirations in a time when they probably did not have those attitudes and aspirations. This book's protagonist is a woman doctor and she embarks on quite a few unusual experiences, yet is lin love (early on in the book) with a cad. How can she be so smart in some parts of her life, and not so, in other parts?Any way, my recommendation is to read the other reviews posted on LibraryThing.com and judge for yourself if you want to pick up this book.

[remonkey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm an admitted fiction junkie, but even I was surprised by how much The Winter Rose, by Jennifer Donnelly, sucked me in. From the beginning of the book, the reader is transported back to turn of the century London, to the parallel universes inhabited by society and political players, mobsters, and those just trying to make life a little better for residents of Whitechapel, one of London's poorest enclaves. The Winter Rose begins with multiple independent story lines. This is probably the only weakness of the book; the early pages force the reader to keep track of several sets of characters, relationships, and betrayals - almost more than can easily be remembered. However, the reader should not despair as the characters are quickly fleshed out as full personas. Very often, especially in books of this length and complexity, some characters are developed while others remain two-dimensional when they have great potential. Jennifer Donnelly avoids this trap with ease. Not only is each main character crafted, multidimensional, and fascinating, each time the reader thinks he's found all of the links between these characters, the next page brings more surprises. Closing out at 720 pages, and weighing close to 2.5 lbs, The Winter Rose is not for the faint-of-heart (or weak of muscle!). But I enjoyed every moment I spent with it. Now I am ready to go back and read her first book (The Tea Rose).

[stefaniegeeks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although this book is second in a family trilogy, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. Set in early 20th century England and spanning to colonial Africa, this historical romance is stronger than most. The historical detail and multifaceted secondary characters are reminiscent of Diana Gabaldon's beloved Outlander series.

[rawlski · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Winter Rose is the sequel to Jennifer Donnelly’s The Tea Rose. The Tea Rose has long been one of my favorite novels, so I have been awaiting the sequel for quite some time. It did not disappoint! The Winter Rose takes place approximately 2 years after The Tea Rose and features many of the same characters as the Tea Rose. It also introduces a new main character in India Selwyn Jones. India has just finished medical school and has begun to practice medicine in England’s east side, where the patients are poor and disease runs rampant. It is in the east side that she encounters and ultimately, falls in love with Sid Malone, the career criminal. Their story takes the reader across many years and through multiple countries. The characters in the novel are well written and believable, although, it may be a bit far fetched. It’s a book to lose yourself in. Don’t let the length deter you – this book thoroughly engrosses its reader!

[marisol_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this novel almost against my better judgment. I found the story predictable, the dialogue stilted and unnatural, and the narrative somewhat implausible. Nonetheless, I found myself glued to the book until I finished it. The world these characters inhabit is well-constructed and the characters themselves are believable; I found I cared about their fates and wanting to know what would happen to them - to confirm my guesses. Altogether an enjoyable read, suitable for passing the time, but nothing I'll hang onto or read more than once.

[itsmezoe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Simple. I loved this book. Could not put it down, resulting in wandering around bumping into objects and people alike, but I'm sure they'll forgive me, if they manage to get hold of a copy, as I recommend anyone does that wants a delightful, enthralling story of love, death and treachery from those that are closest to you.

[jax450 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"The Winter Rose", by Jennifer Donnelly, starts out promising. The scene of late 19th century London is set well with the book's heroine trying to make a difference as one of the first female Doctors in the City. Donnelly makes it easy to become interested in India Selwyn Jones' development as she learns how to treat her patients in the notoriously poor Whitechapel District. The conditions of the City, the struggles of those trying to scrape by with dignity...it's easy to become engaged and root for the clinic that is India's dream.And then the book leaves this story hanging with no resolution in sight.India meets Sid Malone, a London mobster, and things become complicated in more ways than one. While a love story doesn't hurt the appeal of the novel, this one brings with it so many additional characters and plotlines, it ends up relegating the interesting part of the novel to a small chapter in the last fourth of the book.At over 700 pages, "The Winter Rose" seemed to be a few different stories that Donnelly tried to bring together but she doesn't quite succeed. The stories end up competing with each other and none are flushed out satisfyingly. There are several good parts, but as a whole, "The Winter Rose" comes up slightly short.

[wosret · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received my advance reading copy last week and haven't put this book down since. It's engrossed me from the first page and kept me up far too late reading it in bed. Highly detailed, with vivid imagery and plenty of tea, I'd recommended it to anyone who is looking for a sweeping historical romance.I do wish it had been more obvious that this book, while not strictly a sequel, certainly has a predecessor. I prefer to read books in order, but was able to follow along quite easily without reading the first novel. My only other complaint is that the leading women in this book are too perfect and unusual; a female doctor and a female business owner in London in 1900 who are both beautiful and intelligent. Perfect heroines tend to break my suspension of disbelief.

[marianne_victoria_4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Winter Rose features strong female characters, in particular India who becomes a doctor, a suspenseful, intricate plot, and an interesting historical setting. The story is centered in London in the year 1900 and eventually moves to Africa and to Point Reyes, California. In short, this novel is hard to put down! I hadn't read the Tea Rose, which is the first in the triology, but it didn't seem to impact my understanding or appreciation of The Winter Rose. This novel reminds me of Marge Piercy's historical fiction novels, especially Sex Wars, perhaps because of the interesting female characters. Readers who enjoyed this novel might be interested in reading Sex Wars or City of Darkness, City of Light by Marge Piercy.

[tiffy83 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very good book and a nice sequel to the Tea Rose. This was well written with many of the characters entwined in different settings. It was a bit long and could've have been a bit shorter.

[fyrefly98 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Summary: Seamie Finnegan, famous polar explorer, lost the woman he loves in a mountaineering accident on Kilimanjaro. Willa Alden isn't dead, but when her leg had to be amputated, her spirit went with it, and, blaming Seamie, she fled to the far East. Seamie's never been able to move on, but when he meets a charming young teacher, he's willing to try. Jennie gets pregnant, and she and Seamie get married, but soon Seamie runs into Willa - home for her father's funereal - and it becomes clear that the passion between them never really died. But World War I is looming large on the horizon, and both Seamie and Willa want to do the right thing... but is the damage they've done - to others and to their own hearts - too much to repair?Review: I thoroughly enjoyed The Tea Rose, and absolutely loved The Winter Rose, so I was bummed out that I wound up not enjoying The Wild Rose as much as I expected to. I can't tell if it's a fault with the book, or a fault with my mood, or a combination of both, but for some reason, it just didn't work for me. The Roses books are in a lot of ways pretty formulaic, but I often don't mind predictable books, as long as they're engaging. In the case of The Wild Rose, though, either it was way more predictable than its predecessors, or else my tolerance for such things was lower than normal. Similarly, I don't remember the first two Roses books being models of subtle prose, but in this case, I kept noticing (and being annoyed by) Donnelly over-explaining her characters' thoughts and feelings that could easily have been left implicit. Not to mention the lengthy recaps of events from earlier books that plagued the first section of this one...Another part of the problem, certainly, is that I didn't connect with Seamie and Willa nearly as much as I did with India and Sid, or even Fiona and Joe. I've got limited patience with tortured long-suffering romances of the "I know I'm behaving badly and I want to do the right thing but I just can't stop" variety: Yes you can! Your behavior is entirely under your control! Seamie was personable enough, but not very sympathetic; Willa was just prickly and distant. Donnelly does do a wonderful job of bringing her time period and her settings to life. I've read comparably little World War I fiction, and this is the first I've read that looks at the course of the war in the Middle East (and stars Lawrence of Arabia!), so I appreciated how vividly Donnelly was able to depict that section of the book. And, really, there is something to be said for books that are comfortable and familiar in their pacing and plotting. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I just wanted something more out of this one, and sadly, it failed to recapture the magic of The Winter Rose for me. 3.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: It's a pretty easy read despite its length, so if you like WWI-era romances, dive right in. If you're looking for historical romance more generally, though, I think either of this book's predecessors were more compelling reads.

[cmillmbs · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a well written historical fiction. Jennifer Donnelly creates a world that is stimulating and characters that emotionally draw the reader into her world. The characters remind me of more adult versions of Tamora Pierce's characters in her Alanna series. The romance is a driving force in the novel as well. The combination of the emotional characters, the romantical elements, and the historically based sides create a story that wraps around the heart of the reader. I especially enjoyed the fact that there are so many points in the book where the reader feels like the story is coming to an end then everything falls apart and continues.

[yllom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was intimidated by the size of this book, and the fact that I had not read the previous book (The Tea Rose). However, once I started reading, I had a hard time putting the book down, and definitely want to read Donnelly's previous books. India Selwyn Jones is an interesting and sympathetic main character - one of England's first female doctors, she turns her back on her family fortune and has a dream of opening up a clinic for women and children in London's East End. We follow her as she falls in love with Sid Malone, the top gangster in Whitechapel. Just when everything looks like it will work out, it doesn't, a couple of times, but ends on a satisifying note.

[9cee9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of the Finnegan family begins in the slums of London and follows its strong characters who are involved in and escape (literally) the rampant crime and poverty. Three generations of this family fight for their lives and ultimately British civil rights throughout the early twentieth century, a turbulent time in history. Having read the previous books of the Rose Trilogy, the reader will find this finale flows evenly to a fitting ending of this family saga, but is not quite as good. Is it worth all the reading? I'd say only if you like a war romance that skims over brutality then cleans itself up and wraps itself in a somewhat happily-ever-after bow."The Wild Rose" focuses on the WWI timeframe. Several story lines compete in this novel; some interesting, some not. I was unable to really like most of the characters - especially the important ones. Many of the plots came across too contrived. The book was mostly predictable with a few quick twists that bolstered the overall tiresome aspects. I wanted to like this book because I really liked Donnelly's writing in her book "Revolution". It seems she did a lot of research to write these three novels and I don't question her historical facts. London came across real and strong, but other locations were weak and the sense of time and place are elusive.Unfortunately, I found The Wild Rose was not satisfying and not worth the time it takes to read ... for me anyway. I got tired of the same characters incredibly cheating death over and over. I found it somewhat annoying. It was like watching a tv series where you know the good guys are bound to win.... just not sure who the good guys really were in this one... or if they won?

[magnolia2_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sequel to the Tea Rose, the further adventures of Fiona and her siblings with a new cast of characters as well. This is a long book but an engrossing story.

[mylady_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Bit of a romp but enjoyable.