The Writing Rose

Review
The opinion expressed in this review is my own fair and honest review and is in no way influenced by receiving a copy of the ebook as part of a request to review from the author.

The first few chapters started with great detail and are easy to read, but then the writing began to feel rushed, and while a great plot idea, I didn’t feel it was executed thoroughly enough for me. It’s more of a novella than a novel length and if I was paying for this book I wouldn’t been keen on the $3.74 price for such a short story.

I was seduced by the blurb and the cover and had high hopes for a great read. I understood that it would be fast paced as Shiekh Rashid only had 2 weeks to find his prospective wife and present her to his father the Sultan. However, what I read was quite a rushed writing style with underdeveloped characters. I really didn’t get some of the reasons for their motivation.

Rashid and Angelina meet at the palace on her first night in the country. She makes the perfect comments about money and marriage and Rashid decides she is the one he will marry. Seriously? I’m all for a love-at-first sight meeting and hopping into bed with the one you are attracted to after only just meeting, but I didn’t believe that these two had a “connection”, or love-at-first-sight kind of thing going on. Yes, there were a few words to describe it, but I wasn’t sold as the sentiment didn’t seem to come into the story again and it’s not sexy or love, it’s “an old friend”.

“I’m Angelina, Angelina Smith. Pleased to meet you, Rashid.” She held out her hand.
Rashid took it in both of his and held it tightly. Angelina felt a strange bond with him. It was
as if she were being reunited with an old friend rather than being introduced to a stranger.

The abundance of dialogue worked and if it had been fully fleshed out with the ambience surrounding the characters as well as more detail of their inner thoughts I think I would have really been enthralled by this story. As it was I really didn’t get that Angelina was in lust with Rashid and vice-versa. I also didn’t realise Rashid had a beard until it was mentioned three quarters through the book. I’d pictured him quite differently until then and then I struggled to align the two images as I kept reading.

Throughout the story there are moments of conflict with Chrystal that Angelina gets past pretty quick and her father also doesn’t appear too upset that the sheikh gave his daughter a mercedes and a bucket load of gold jewelry after a few dates. Most father’s would have gotten out the shot gun and forbade their daughter to accept the gifts, but Angelina’s father just goes with the flow.

I did really like the way Rashid’s mother discussed how relative money is with Angelina. That was well written and fit the story. I think the Sultana would be an interesting character to read more of.

Katheryn Lane does write with some detail that shows she must have lived in the middle east and I found those descriptions interesting and fit the plot. I would have like more description about the surroundings and the main characters inner struggles and feelings to really get me into this story.

If you are looking for a quick read to pass some time then this is the perfect story for you.