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The Sign of the Rose - Romantic Fiction by John Morey
'Love should never be this hard' - how the whole romantic saga began
Lizzie D wrote this review of Rose: The Missing Years...
" Having lived in Leicestershire for 15 years and knowing some of the villages mentioned in this book & the sequel "Finding Rose" I found this romantic fiction very readable & enjoyable. I visited a very old & refurbished Romany caravan in the County which added interest in Romany culture & traditions.
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From the oppression in Southern Ireland of the late 19th Century, Sean and Rosalee (the gypsy forebears of the later characters in the following two novels - Sean and Rose) go in search for their grandfather - their fathers' father - in Devon and Cornwall.
We witness how they escape persecution, fending for themselves and their faithful lurcher and collie cross by living off the land and the rivers Fergus and Shannon. From Kilrush they board a ship to Bristol, to begin their quest, but things start off badly.
Highwaymen and brigands still plagued the merchants, travelers and seamen of the time so their journey is not without incident. As they travel through North Devon on foot we are treated to the customs, traditions and way of life of the period, during which their relationship takes on the inevitable.
The Dartmoor town of Tavistock is where they initially settle, being joined by the warm-blood stallion whose paranormal powers are brought to bear in further escapades.
To reveal more would ruin the mystery, but this classic romance defines the thread and context of Rose: The Missing Years and its continuance in Finding Rose.
Enriched by the author as he introduces real locations and historical events - in particular those taking place in Blaby, Wigston and Countesthorpe - it has similarity in style to the later novels.
There are strong local references to area around the village of Blaby - Mill Lane and Crow Mills, Hospital Lane - as well as north of Leicester in Charnwood Forest, Bradgate and Swithland.
The author uses locations to illustrate the plight of rural communities as a reminder of how life used to be, but without slowing the pace as the story-line progresses.
Whilst the story begins in the late 19th century, the exact timing of historical events is sometimes changed to ensure the smooth flow of the plot.
The paperback is quality printed and formatted for an easy read.
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