Sonoma Rose (Elm Creek Quilts Series #19)

I have read all of Jennifer Chiaverini and I totally loved the

I have read all of Jennifer Chiaverini and I totally loved the Elm Quilt series.Even the one that was almost a cookbook had a quilting story woven into the plot. I was very disappointed with this book. These novels are presented as quilting novels and, while this author has mentioned making quilts, no quilting actually takes place. With each novel Ms. Chiaverini moves farther away from the beloved quilters at Elm Creek. Unfortunately her characters become less "real" and the storylines get weaker. I have cotinued to buy and read these books in the hope that the endearing characters and meaningful plots will creep back into pages. After this huge disappointment I'm not sure if I'll buy another. She could at least a story killing ohff the Elm Creek bunch so we can stop wondering if they are coming back. If you are looking for a good quiltng novel, don't waste your money on this one. It is neither good nor a quilt novel.

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BEST OF THE BEST FROM CHIAVERINI

WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF MS. CHIAVERINI'S BEST IN HER ELM CREEK SERIES. I KNOW BECAUSE I HAVE READ THEM ALL.
I LITERALLY DID NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN UNTIL I HAD FINISHED READING IT - GRIPPING STORY WITH PIECES OF HISTORY THROUGHOUT - DEPRESSION/PROHIBITION AND MORE.
MS. CHIAVERINI'S CHARACTERS LITERALLY LEAP OFF THE PAGES AND SURROUND YOU WITH THE TALE - YOU ARE RIGHT THERE SEEING AND FEELING IT ALL UNFOLD.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. WOULD GIVE IT 10 STARS IF I COULD.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I have read all of the Elm Creek series books but was disappoint

I have read all of the Elm Creek series books but was disappointed in this latest novel. While I appreciated knowing a bit of Rose Barclay's life and the issue of domestic abuse, there was no real connectedness to the world of quilting! I certainly hope Ms. Chiaverini's next book focuses more on quilting...

I have read all of Ms. Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilt series novel

I have read all of Ms. Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilt series novels. I have enjoyed them all. I get involved with all the characters in the books and feel like I already know them myself. This particular novel deals with Rosa Diaz Barclay and Lars Jorgensen. Rosa has been married to John Barclay, who regularly abuses her. She has born 8 children, 4 of whom had succumbed to a mysterious illness. Rosa always is determined to find out what can be done to help the 2 children she has now that are afflicted in the same way. John forbids Rosa to leave the farm and find a doctor who can help.
This novel, as you will find out, has a lot of history attached to it as well: the depression, prohibition, life in wine country. Rosa has left John and taken her children with her with the help of Lars. They head to San Francisco and find a doctor for the children and he knows what will help them. They are put on a special diet and things seem to progress well for them.
Lars and Rosa go to work on a wine farm and are learning a new craft. But they also become involved in knowing about bootleggers, prohibition agents, and trying to stay one step ahead of John so they will not be found.
Not much is said in the book about quilting much, but Rosa does have 2 quilts her mother had made, and she does make quilts for her children. But, not much is said about what type of quilts and if she teaches her daughters the craft or others she befriends.
I truly enjoyed this novel as I did all the others. It is a worthwhile read. Enjoy!

Jennifer Chiaverini is known for her Elm Creek Quilt novels. Fo

Jennifer Chiaverini is known for her Elm Creek Quilt novels. For readers looking for that quilting connection, this entry may be a disappointment. A couple old family quilts are mentioned on early pages, but the connection between them and the story is never strong and soon disappears completely. Those reading this story as a stand alone novel may be more satisfied than dedicated Chiaverini followers. Rosa Diaz Barclay has born eight children, only to have four of them waste away and die of a mysterious illness. Each death has pushed her husband John and Rosa further and further apart. His frequent violence and his refusal to take Ana and Miguel to a doctor are more than Rosa can bear.

When a neighbor woman offers to help Rosa escape after one more beating, the young mother gathers her children and hides in a canyon.

Hours later, spring rains begin to flood the canyon. Lars Jorgenson arrives just before the river overflows and helps the battered group escape. Lars, who had been Rosa's first love, has been told by the neighbor of Rosa's plan and rushes to the rescue. Readers are quickly given the details of the young lovers' broken relationship, Rosa's need to marry John quickly, and the burden of two healthy children that speak loudly to John of his wife's betrayal. Meanwhile John is arrested and jailed for bootlegging activities. When the newspaper spreads speculation that Rosa and children perished in the canyon floods, she, Lars,and the children flee to the city and medical care. A doctor believes that maybe Ana and Miguel suffer from a newly named disease (celiac) and suggest the family try an experimental diet. Arrangements are made for the family to live and work on a Sonoma grape farm during the treatment

Rosa and Lars, having taken new names, find life in the former wine country a mixture of contradictions. Some families strictly adhere to the federal quota of wine for personal use, some make no wine and have begun selling their grapes as table grapes, while others sell wine illegally so they can hold onto the land they've owned for years. A story, such as this, must have at least one villian. Clearly John is Rosa's villian, but there are solid reasons for his bitterness and hatred. But after he's jailed, Rosa and the whole Sonoma community face a greater villian - the dishonest and threatening IRS agent assigned to their area.

Although I enjoyed this story, I was not as engrossed in the story as I have been Chiaverini's quilting stories. I was pleased for Rosa and Lars at the end, but did not embrace them as heros. They were definitely flawed people who created some of their own misery.

Wisconsin had its own gangster history during Prohibition The movie PUBLIC ENEMY was largely filmed in Wisconsin towns a few summers ago. I wonder if our Wisconsin look back at the Prohibition days had any effect on this Wisconsin author's decision to write her own Prohibition tale? I was given an e-galley of this title for review purposes. The opinions are my own.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

New topics for reflection

Once again, Ms. Chiaverini has come up with a compelling interesting story in an historical setting that was new to me. As usual, her characters have depth and consistency along with some intrigue. She also pushes her readers into new areas for reflection.

I continue to appreciate the author's skill in using the time factor for story-telling and other techniques so well. Each book has some new creativeness that keeps me interested and eager to read more.

She has tackled some sensitive topic (abuse, alcoholism, death) in an historical family setting. When I finish her books, I know I have learned something and come to a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Note that the word "quilt" is not in the title of this work, and indeed there is not much quilting included.... but still it is an outstanding piece of contemporary literature worth reading! Loved it!

I am eager to discuss this with others who have finished it.

Didn't quite connect

Rosa Barclay has faced heartache after heartache. She loses her childhood love because a family feud that she wants no part of and is forced into a loveless marriage. The marriage soon falls apart when her husband results to violence and later discovers her betrayal. Rosa is forced to flee the only home she knows to save herself and her four remaining children. Not only does she continue to look over her shoulder for the abusive husband who is sure to come after here, but she must hurry to find a cure for the disease that has taken the life of four of her children and left two children very ill. She eventually ends up in wine valley where winemakers are struggling to hold on to their livelihood and land during the Prohibition era. Here she hopes to make a home in peace.

I enjoyed reading about the prohibition era, a topic I've read little about. I had previously given little thought to the difficulties for wine makers during this period and it was quite interesting. Unfortunately, this book was just meh for me because I didn't connect with any of the characters especially Rosa. I felt she never took responsibility for her decisions and I felt I was reading about a character who rationalized her actions instead of taking control of her life. I felt it was silly for her to keep her love from her family for so long instead of making a decision and dealing with the consequences. I also thought it seemed imprudent to blame her teenage love, Lars, for end of their relationship. I found her actions contributed just as much as his. While she always stood up to him, she never found the gumption to stand up to her family or her husband. My heart went out to her because of the domestic violence that she had to endure, but it wasn't enough to garner enough empathy for me. I'm not quite sure where the Elm Creek Quilts part came in. This might be the background for another novel or something like that.

Overall, it wasn't for me, but I think many other readers had better experiences with this read. I'd recommend checking out a few other reviews.

I've read all the Elm Creek quilt novels, both the contemporary

I've read all the Elm Creek quilt novels, both the contemporary ones and the historic ones, and I found this one unreadable. It's highly unusual for me to drop a book without finishing, but after investing time to read through the first half, I decided that was enough. There's not a sympathetic character in the whole bunch, except the eldest daughter, who is hardly a primary actor in the drama. The story time-shifts awkwardly, so it's often confusing. I've really enjoyed all the previous books; this one doesn't live up to Ms. Chiaverini's usual standards. I'm quite disappointed.

A fascinating epic tale set during America's Prohibition

Sonoma Rose by Jennifer Chiaverini is fascinating novel set during Prohibition in the southern United States. I loved the retro cover. It reminded me of many classic novels that I enjoyed so many years ago, or finding an old dusty classic hidden at the back of a library's bookshelf. This novel weaves through time as it follows the trials Rosa and Lars face as they attempt to escape their past and avoid treachery in their new life. One immediately feels sympathy for poor Rose who is trapped in a loveless marriage with an embittered man who refuses to provide the necessary care for her ill children and regularly abuses her.

This is an epic story that weaves itself over several years and takes the reader into the heart of wine country during the era of Prohibition. The author gave us an in-depth look at the struggle of vineyard owners at a time when wine-making was severely and how they struggled to survive. Insight was also given as to how celiac disease was first diagnosed and treated.

The novel was easy to read. Its characters, both protagonist and antagonist, were well written and realistic. It is nice to learn about lesser known eras in unusual settings, and this novel certainly made that mark. Beautiful prose, rich descriptions, and an endearing story of courage and hope make this an awesome read.

A Master Storyteller

What a Beautiful Cover!

In previous editions we were reminded that some of Sylvia Berstrom’s relatives had migrated to California. Sonoma Rose starts with a little of that history, picking up where The Quilter’s Homecoming, that was published in 2007 left off.

We meet Elizabeth Bergstrom Nelson’s friend, Rosa Diaz as the country is coping with all the restrictions of Prohibition. Mother to eight children, Rosa mourns the loss of four who succumbed to the mysterious wasting disease currently afflicting young Ana and Miguel. Her abusive husband refuses to take them into the city so the children can see a doctor. His mind is clearly on other things, like his fancy car and keeping secrets about his business dealings from his wife. When an act of violence shatters Rosa’s resolve to maintain her increasingly dangerous existence, she flees with the children and her precious heirloom quilts to the mesa where she last saw her beloved mother alive.

Dollycas’s Thoughts
This is the Jennifer Chiaverini I love to read. I think she lost her way a little bit wrapping up the current characters in The Wedding Quilt.This story shines a brilliant light on her masterful storytelling talent.

This is Rosa’s story. She is yet another strong female heroine created by Chiaverini that has you engaged from the moment we step back into her life. You will feel a wide range of emotions during her story, anger, fear, hope and joy. The bonds of friendship are as strong as all the other books in this series. The power of love from a mother’s love for her children to the enduring love between a man and a woman are woven wondrously through these pages. This story was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t put it down.

Jennifer Chiaverini has created some very memorable fiction characters and has allowed us to go along with them on the journeys not only in current time but into the past and into the future. I am really wondering what is next in this series. I have loved all of these characters and will miss them if this is where the journey ends. I sincerely hope she has some more Elm Creek Quilts stories in that big sewing basket of hers.

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