What Shall We Blog About Today?: Beck Valley Book Tour

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Beck Valley Book Tour - Scent of Roses by Charlene Rodden

K.E.Nowinsky Review of The Scent of Roses by Charlene Raddon

It has been a long time since I lost any amount of sleep, let alone not slept through the night due to a story I was wrapped up in. Surprisingly, I am o.k. with it too! While it took me awhile to get into the story and to get comfortable with how the book flowed, once I was hooked I was entwined and sent back in-time to a harder more difficult time. How quickly we forget of our luxuries we are fortunate to have in today's society. Unlike the character in this book, who had to deal with washing out cloth diapers, going to outhouses or having to use bed pans, and wearing constricting layers of clothing that could contribute to dizziness or even fainting.

Miner's 1800's

The Scent of Roses finds us in a western town named Whiskey Ridge, where a tragic event just took place. Many people here work hard for their means of life, this includes mining. Due to cost cuts, there has been a devastating mining accident that claimed the lives of three hard workers. This sends business partners and friends Whip and Jasiah into an altercation that will change their fates forever. The story reads as a murder mystery, a puzzle that you are constantly trying to put together, and asking yourself: who killed Jasiah Bullock?

Whiskey Ridge and it's inhabitants are dead-set to lynch Whip Kincade for Jasiah's murder. Especially since his wife Lucinda walked in and saw her husband, Jasiah, dead at his desk and there is Whip, standing over the body with a gun in his hands. But! That's not the only person that encounters Whip that night, apparently Jasiah had many secrets and she is one of them. Enter the main protagonist, Roselyn. Another mystery that seems to fit well with the puzzle that is Rose House, where Whip and Jasiah shared residency. More puzzle pieces are emerging and more motives for the death of Jasiah, the next question you ask yourself: who is the lawful wife of Josiah?

Water & Vinegar =
Roselyn & Lucinda

Finding his partners murderer becomes an insanely complicated matter, not only to clear his own name, but to discover who killed his business partner and friend. This becomes an interesting twist when Whip is hiding out in Rose House, trying to avoid the inevitable lynching. This way he can also keep an eye on his daughter Lenna, who forms a strong relationship with Roselyn. Adding to the warmth of the house comes Molly, a widowed woman and her newborn. While Roselyn and Molly become quick friends, this isn't as easy with the other occupant in the house, Lucinda. At first Lucinda is like oil and water to Roselyn and Molly; they just weren't mixing well.

Desert in bloom

Roselyn's extreme generosity and kindness shines through after the reading of Josiah's will. My mom always said, if you really want to get to someone, you kill them with kindness. This inevitably wears on Lucinda and her brother Tony, But luckily, Roselyn understand and has empathy for the siblings and helps Lucinda, eventually they can call each other friend. Lucinda's brother, not so much. After an incident with Tony and Roselyn that involved his inebriated state, after which he was asked to leave Rose House to never return again (and rightly so!)

Roselyn & KD's date

The mystery continues as Roselyn meets KD, a mystery man tat she connects with and starts to form a relationship with. Unbeknownst to her, it is one of the very men she fears, whom she presumes to be the murderer of her late husband. Will their relationship last the deceit? I can't say - I will say that it was really fun to read how their relationship developed and blooms. There were many relationships within the book that I enjoyed reading, the characters seemed like familiar people, endearing and personal.

Desert Sunset

Roselyn has secrets of her own too. She's running away from an abusive past that threatens the happiness of her future. What I liked about Roselyn's story was that while she was very much the damsel in distress, she still fought for herself. While she relished in the false sense of security of having a strong man by her side, it can't always save you. Sometimes you have to pull up your britches and handle matters yourself! I really loved Roselyn's stubborn and willing behavior to fight for the new life she built there in Whiskey Ridge. I guess it is also why it was so frustrating reading how she was determined to leave it all as well, letter her past dictate her future.

"If you need light just look up"
KD - The Scent of Roses

Once it all comes together, another secret is revealed about Rose House itself, which takes on an entity all its own. An intriguing old British butler that still resides within the house adds a quirky touch to help support the new relationships and pushes toward the buds to bloom fully. In the end we learn the butlers tale as well and it envelopes the charming story within The Scent of Roses. Which, Rose House itself is named because of the lovely roses that bloom in front of the house, along with the physical roses blooming, Roselyn too blooms within the house - Rose becomes her endearing term to the one she loves. Rose, it seems is the last piece of the proverbial puzzel that completes the story.

That being said, I know some readers might complain of some slight errors within the book. I know this really irritates some readers, but I didn't think it was distracting neither did it take away from the story. Overall I would suggest individuals that enjoy fictional, westerns, mystery, romance reads toward The Scent of Roses. It had the charm of an old Western, with modern twists along the way, putting more humanistic and relatable characteristics with what we know of the proprieties of the time.

Since I lost a nights sleep reading this book - I have to give it a 5 out of 5 stars - of course I might still be a little delirious but I did enjoy reading the book and that's what I love most about reading, getting lost in a story and loosing time of our realities. The Scent of Roses is well worth the investment, both time and monetarily. Thank you +Charlene Raddon for delivering such an endearing story and characters I definitely would love to continue to read about further.

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Beck Valley Books - Book Tour - Scent of Roses by Charlene Raddon

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A WOMAN’S SMILE

Rosalyn Delaney’s husband, Josiah, had vanished six years ago. Following a private detective’s lead, Rosalyn leaves Salt Lake City and boards a train heading to the mining town of Whiskey Ridge, Arizona. She arrives at Rose House, an old mansion reputed to be haunted, only to discover her missing husband has been killed, and his business partner, Whip Kincade, is wanted for his murder. Determined to uncover the secrets surrounding Josiah and his death, Rosalyn decides to stay-even when she begins to receive nightly visits from a charming

“ghost”…

A GHOST’S KISS

Escaping a troubled past, Whip Kincade had hoped he could make a fresh start by coming to Whiskey Ridge and opening a saloon with his friend, Josiah. Now as a murder suspect hiding in his own house, Whip’s future looks bleak indeed…unless he can find the real culprit. But the unexpected intrusion of Rosalyn ruins his plans of sneaking out at night to investigate. Scaring her away is the first step in clearing his name, but Rosalyn doesn’t rattle easily. And Whip isn’t sure he wants the lovely widow to walk out of his life—especially when she would take his heart with her…

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About the Author

Charlene began her writing life at an early age, often penning stories where she cast herself as the heroine. It was after college when she dug out her old college typewriter and started her first novel, which came from a spirited dream she'd had the pervious night.

While that book never sold, her second novel did. Tender Touch became a Golden Heart finalist and earned her an agent who signed the book, and two others, in a three book contract with Kensington Publishing. Kensington went onto publish five of Charlene's western historical romances: Taming Jenna (1994); Tender Touch (1994 Golden Heart Finalist); Forever Mine (1996 Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee and Affaire de Coeur Reader/Writer Poll finalist); To Have and To Hold (1997); and as Rachel Summers, The Scent of Roses (1999).

Charlene took a break from publishing, but not from writing. A Kiss and A Dare is Charlene's first paranormal romance.

Divine Gamble is Charlene's latest work and won first place in the western historical category of the 2010 Romance Through The Ages

contest.

When Charlene isn't writing, she loves to travel, do genealogy, digital scrapbooking and dyes eggs in the Ukrainian style. And she enjoys camping and fishing with her husband in the Utah wilderness.

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