Thursday, July 24, 2014

The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley Review


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 princess’s official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of WorldWar I. There, she meets young Donald Astbury—reluctant heir to the magnifi­cent, remote Astbury Estate—and 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, she’s 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, Anahita’s great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his family’s 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.
My Review:
This book is 488 pages. I literally read it in one day. I could not stop. I loved this book. From the idea of forbidden love to family being there for their loved ones. Anahita was the favorite character that I have read in a long time. She was the "spine" of the story and everything in the book related to her. The man she loved did something that altered her life forever. There were so many times where I could not believe what I was reading and I was shocked that I did not see it coming. The matriarch of the Astbury line was a conniving, miserable, and all around bad person. She thought that she was keeping her family name graceful, however her actions could have dire consequences for future generations. I actually got goosebumps twice at the end of the book, and I am so mad that this book is over. I want to spend more time with Donald and the love of his life. The author wrote the book in a way that there were two stories going on at once, and she did it seamlessly and beautifully. The characters from the 2000's get to read about their ancestors via a journal, and a memoir of sorts. I relished in the fact that both generations were staying at the Astbury Estate. There is so much more that I would like to share, but do not want to spoil it. I recommend reading this book, and I hope that the ending gives you goosebumps and has you smiling like I was. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review from Night Owl Reviews, however all opinions are my own.

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