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Review: One Pink Rose by Julie GarwoodOne Pink Rose by Julie Garwood
Series: Clayborne Brides Book 1
on May 9, 2016
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THE CLAYBORNES ARE BACK! AND LOVE IS IN BLOOM! — First introduced in Julie Garwood's magnificent New York Times bestseller For the Roses, which inspired the Hallmark Hall of Fame television film Rose Hill, the Clayborne brothers of Blue Belle, Montana, have been embraced by millions worldwide. Now Julie Garwood spins the individual stories of these three spirited brothers -- once a mismatched gang of street urchins -- in a trio of special novels that begins with One Pink Rose.

Travis Clayborne may be the youngest of the Clayborne brothers, but he's most definitely his own man. Unless it means saying no to his beloved Mama Rose. And that's why Travis is escorting young Bostonian Emily Finnegan to Golden Crest, Montana -- where she'll discover what awaits her as a mail-order bride. Emily has made it perfectly clear that she's taken charge of her destiny and nothing is going to interfere. Falling in love with the perfect stranger isn't part of her plan, but the journey with Travis across this beautiful, rugged land opens her eyes... and her heart. Perhaps her destiny isn't exactly as she imagined.

Review

One Pink Rose by Julie Garwood is variously described as the second book in the Rose series and the first book of the Claybornes’ Brides. No matter what series you decide to ascribe to, it is a darn good read! I must admit that I had never heard of this author before selecting the book; it does seem quite incredible when I discovered that Garwood had been writing since the mid 1980’s and that this series first appeared in 1995.  In my defence, I was reading almost exclusively high fantasy books during both the 80’s and 90’s with the occasional historical or contemporary romance thrown in (think  Vincenzi, Gabaldon, and Donati).  I have not read the first book in the series, For the Roses but I don’t think that it is a draw back in not doing so. I didn’t feel at any time during One Pink Rose that there was anything that was missing.

The book is set in 1880, in the quaintly named Blue Belle, Montana. Travis Clayborne is tasked by his mother to escort Miss Emily Finnegan, of Boston,  a mail-order bride, to the home of her intended, Mr Clifford O’Toole.  Travis is a straight talking man and wastes no time telling Emily that she is fool-hardy to consider marrying a man she has never met!  Now Emily was recently abandoned at the alter by her groom who had the temerity to run off with her sister, leaving Emily humiliated, to say the least!  She has determined to take her life into her own hands and this agreement is the result.  Travis and Emily bicker and exchange banter the whole trip, but  seem to enjoy their exchanges mightily. Travis is puzzled why he is concerned for Emily and she is equally puzzled by her attraction to this handsome but difficult man. They finally arrive at the O’Toole property to discover that all is not how it seemed.  What transpires next?  Well you’ll have to read the book, but I can assure you that reading One Pink Rose will be no hardship. Rather it is an enjoyable light read, with much humour and descriptions of the country side at the time. Both the other books of this trilogy, One White Rose and One Red Rose follow Travis’s brothers and will be available in eBook format shortly.  If, like me, you aren’t familiar with Julie Garwood’s formidable back-list, then One Pink Rose is am ideal starting point. – Reviewed by Morilyn Carter