NOVEL: Her Secret Rose. Gonne-Yeats Series Book 1.
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A brooding Irish poet. A beautiful English rebel.
A love affair that shaped history.
Willie Yeats is 23 years old in 1889, when dazzling Maud Gonne decides to recruit him in her newly adopted cause of Irish freedom–and “the troubling of his life” begins.
He spreads his dreams under her feet as they set about creating a new Ireland through poetry, politics and their shared interest in the occult. But this love affair is much more than poetic image would have you believe.
As its down-to-earth narrator Rosy Cross says: “When looked at from the woman’s side of the bedsheet, most tales take a turning, and this one more than most.” While Yeats forges a poetic career out of their relationship, Gonne, his apparently unattainable muse, has other goals. And a secret she fears to share, even with him.
Can their relationship survive the turmoil–or will intrigue tear them apart?
Packed with emotional twists and surprises, Her Secret Rose is the first book in a series that brings to life 1890s Dublin, London and Paris, while exposing untold truths about one of history’s most charismatic love affairs. If you're a fan of Poldark, then you’ll love this haunting and moving novel.
Kate Vane –
er Secret Rose is the first in a trilogy based on the lives of the poet WB Yeats and actor-turned-political campaigner Maud Gonne.
The story is narrated by Rosie Cross, a woman who reveals little of herself in this first volume, except to say that she was also involved in nationalist movement and was a servant at that time. This frame works well – Rosie is close enough to know their thoughts and feelings but also has a nice ironic distance. She is clearly not blind to the faults of her subjects.
The story is interwoven with extracts from original documents and Yeats’ poetry. It portrays two fascinating but not necessarily attractive characters, and gives an insight into an important period in Irish history.
See original review on Amazon.com
M Naidoo –
A book that should be read slowly and digested to enjoy the seamless and compelling narration that gently draws the reader into the world of Maude Gonne and WB. The lyricism of the craft added to the enjoyable intimacy of WB’s fictionalized biography. The reader leaves with the satisfaction of being immersed in the lives of two unforgettable, intriguing icons. I will certainly re-read this special tribute to WB—‘That it declare itself a book to be read, and placed upon one’s shelves, and read again.’
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Jen Ayling –
This book is the first part of a trilogy documenting the life of the poet Yeats and his unattainable muse Maud told in the voice of Rosie a domestic maid. Prior to reading this book I had a limited knowledge of Yeats and no knowledge of Maud and her part in the political struggle in Ireland. This is a beautifully written book interspersed with Yeats poems, which makes it an engaging and educational read. I really enjoyed it and looking forward to picking up the sequels.
See original review on Amazon.com
Lanoo_Harve –
I didn’t know much about WB Yeats, and I had never heard of Maud Gonne, so I started reading this book simply to fill in a gap in my knowledge. It got off to an entertaining start and I liked the format – a (presumably fictional) character speaking of them both, writing with a soft Irish accent as though she had known them intimately. As indeed the writer did, having had access to letters, notes and diaries they had written. The story was interspersed with some of Yeats’ poetry, which helped with my education.
Final conclusion: far too much detail for the casual reader. And this is but the first of a trilogy of books. I want to know what happened but I think I will be looking for facts on the internet rather than reading Ms Ross’s sequels.
See original review on Amazon.com
Elizabeth Perrat –
Before reading Her Secret Rose, all I knew of WB Yeats’ poetry was what I’d learned many years ago at school, and I found this fictionalised biography an excellent and entertaining way to learn more about the poet, both his work and as a person. I also knew next to nothing about Maud Gonne and was intrigued to learn how extraordinary she was, and about the hold she had over Yeats. Through letters, journals and family communication, the author has uncovered quite a different story from the one I learned in school and, after reading this illuminating and entertaining tale, I’m now looking forward to the next in this trilogy.
See original review on Amazon.com