Queen of the Roses: Julia Kelly

Queen of the RosesJulia Kelly 

In May 1960, Theresa Johnson writes obituaries for her local newspaper and receives an unexpected call about an error in a notice for Guy Whitley. Adele Pearce invites Theresa to her home, Rosewood, to discuss the mistake—which centers on the date of his wife’s death and the revelation that this Mrs. Whitley was only the second Mrs. Whitley.

Upon arriving at Adele’s estate, Theresa is greeted by Matt Saunders, who asks about her work at the paper and reminds her how much grieving families depend on her to get the details right. As Theresa wrestles with her own past—wondering why she still hears her mother’s voice in her head and why she turned down Eddie Foreman—she wonders how she could have made such an error before her shift even started.

Things quickly get interesting when Theresa meets Miss Pearce, who assures her that the mistake was something Theresa could not possibly have known. After asking a few personal questions, Miss Pearce suddenly asks if Theresa has ever had the ambition to write a book. Why? Because she wants Theresa to write the story of her life. Wait until you learn how much she offers to pay Theresa each day! How will Theresa balance this massive assignment around her newspaper shifts, and where should she even begin?

Born in California, Adele’s life took a dramatic new direction when she was twenty-two. Traveling back in time to October 1903, we meet a young Adele as she is recommended to serve as a traveling companion for Mrs. Gorman and her daughter, Cynthia. With no other choice, Adele takes on the role, navigating high society from London to Pasadena’s grand Hotel Green. Entering her fourth social season, Adele faces relentless pressure from her mother to meet eligible men and secure a wealthy husband. Along the way, she contends with the critical Mrs. Barnes, tense whist parties, and the rigid expectations of the Thanksgiving Ball.

When her family’s wealth diminishes, Adele makes a rash decision to help them. Soon, Guy Whitley wins her over, and they become engaged. Yet as Theresa learns back in 1960 from the original Mrs. Whitley herself, the marriage is far from romantic. Guy simply wants a beautiful woman at his side, and while their marriage agreement grants Adele a separate home for financial security, it leaves her emotionally isolated. Eventually, Rosewood and her beloved rose gardens become her entire world.

Moving seamlessly between the early 1900s and 1960, the story deepens through Adele’s letters to her confidante Margot, the grand opening of the Grand Hotel, and an emotional look at a man Adele truly cared for—one who was married to someone else and had a child. Meanwhile, in the present, sparks fly between Theresa and Matt as Theresa learns how painful memories have shaped his family’s history.

In the final chapters, astonishing revelations come to light about Theresa’s daughter, and a sudden fire threatens Rosewood. Will the house survive? The ending brings wonderful surprises and new hope for Theresa, possibly including a new newspaper to write for. A poignant obituary draws us even closer to these families as the author brings the story to a moving close—where the Queen of the Roses, Miss Pearce, has the final word.

Fran Lewis, reviewer just reviews word press