My Thoughts About, “Darling Rose Gold” by Stephanie Wrobel

As a preface, when writing about any books on my blog page, I want you as my reader to know that there will be no spoilers about the plot. Please know that the commentary is my own opinion. We all have our personal tastes in books just like we do with food!

When I venture into a new book, it is almost always based on a recommendation. “Darling Rose Gold” was introduced to me by my nieces, Stephanie and Sara. They both graduated from Miami (Ohio) University, and are sorority sisters with the author, Stephanie Wrobel. Having a personal connection with a published author is awesome in my book! (pun intended?) Based on their endorsement and because of their association with Wrobel, I had to pick this title up.

“Never judge a book by its cover” is a rule I rarely follow. To me, books are works of art, inside and out. The jacket design of “Darling Rose Gold” is certainly eye-catching with its crackly font, pink background color, muted rose etchings, and mysterious pictures of a butterfly and spoon, found on the back cover. Before reading, I like spending a few minutes perusing the cover to look for clues about the story. What do those symbols mean? 

This book is a physiological thriller based on the bizarre relationship between a daughter, Rose Gold, and her mom, Patty. Growing up, Rose always believed she had a serious illness which always strained their relationship and altered her childhood. Rose and Patty’s community members helped to support them emotionally and financially, but Rose’s sickness could never be diagnosed by doctors. As the book progresses, you begin to wonder if Rose really was afflicted by an illness, or if her mother brainwashed her into believing she was sick. After all, Patty spent five years in jail prior to the beginning of the story after being convicted by a jury for aggravated child abuse against Rose.

Each chapter is written in the first person, with Rose and Patty alternating narration between chapters. I’ve always enjoyed reading books written in this style because it keeps the story interesting by showing their separate perspectives.

This book was an enjoyable read. The characters are well developed and I like a book that makes you say, “hmmm” at the end of each chapter. It certainly kept my interest for 310 pages. If this is Wrobel’s debut novel, I’m certainly looking forward to her next release. I have my opinions of what the butterfly and spoon symbolize so after you read the book, please send me your comments so we can compare notes! You can find information about the author and “Darling Rose Gold” and her next novel by clicking the hyperlink in this sentence. Happy reading, my friends!