published 10/20/26
Julia Kelly jumped into my queue with this historical fiction/love letter about Pasadena and Altadena. It is a dual POV. The first POV follows an English family (the Pearces) and centers on their daughter, Adele Pearce. She is of marrying age and is called to California from England, so her family can marry her off and save them from certain financial ruin. Her luck hasn’t been great in London, and she’s been on the marriage mart for 2 years in a row. She learns her parents escaped to California (allegedly for health reasons) because they’re flat broke after disastrous financial investments. Second POV follows a young journalist in the 60’s who is hired to write a biography about Adele. Through both stories, we learn that Pasadena/Altadena have social scenes, money-hungry families, and the quest for the perfect house, life, and family. It’s about more than just a garden; it’s the mistakes we make over and over until we break the cycle and grow in better directions.
Thank you to Julia Kelly and Gallery Books for allowing me the opportunity to read this arc freely in exchange for an honest review.
#QueenofRoses #juliakelly #libraryninja📚
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