Book Review: Dearest Rose by Rowan Coleman

'You are a remarkable woman and you deserve all the happiness, contentment and love in the world. I, for one, know that I have never met anyone quite like you.'
When Rose Pritchard turns up on the doorstep of a Cumbrian B&B, it is her last resort. She and her seven-year-old daughter Maddie have come to the village of Millthwaitein search of the person who once offered Rose hope.
Almost immediately Rose wonders if she's made a terrible mistake- if she's chasing a dream- but she knows in her heart that she cannot go back. She's been given a second chance- at life, and love- but will she have the courage to take it?

Dearest Rose is an extremely emotional and interesting read. Rose Pritchard is running away from Richard, her abusive husband. She has taken Maddie, her seven-year-old away from everything she knows so Rose knows that she has to make the upheaval worth it.
Rose finds herself in the small village of Millthwaite in the Lake District. The only reason she has for coming here is an encounter with an art dealer who was looking for her father John, a famous artist. . Rose feels an instant connection to Frasier, the art dealer and she has carried the memory of him with her for years. Whilst she is looking for Frasier, Rose is shocked to discover that her father is living in the village. A father who abandoned Rose and her mother without a backward glance. What does she have to say to him and will he even acknowledge her as his daughter?
I was very impressed by just how much Rowan Coleman packs into this book. We have Rose's terrifying and damaged relationship with her husband; the strenuous relationship with her father and finally her interest in Frasier. It's so easy to become completely gripped by this book as the story lines weave in and out of each other and there is plenty to hold your interest throughout the book.
One of my favourite parts of the book was Maddie. She is a very complex child and highly entertaining. Maddie is the reason that Rose has run away and she is also the reason that she cannot go back to Richard. Maddie may also hold the key to Rose's relationship with her own father.
Rowan Coleman tackles the issue of domestic abuse head on. I felt like she really explored the whole situation. We discover Rose's early life and how she comes to be in such an awful marriage and why she stays for so long. Rose is determined to keep away from Richard and to keep Maddie safe but his presence is felt throughout the book and you gain a real insight into his controlling behaviour.
Dearest Rose is a really interesting book which I highly recommend. The story is absorbing and the characters believable. Rowan Coelman has a very inviting writing style and this had me starting a new chapter again and again in order to learn more of the story.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5