Susanna Kearsley - The Rose Garden

"Whatever time we have," he said, "it will be time enough."
Eva Ward returns to the only place she truly belongs, the old house on the Cornish coast, seeking happiness in memories of childhood summers. There she finds mysterious voices and hidden pathways that sweep her not only into the past, but also into the arms of a man who is not of her time.
But Eva must confront her own ghosts, as well as those of long ago. As she begins to question her place in the present, she comes to realize that she too must decide where she really belongs.
From Susanna Kearsley, The Rose Garden is a haunting exploration of love, family, the true meaning of home, and the ties that bind us together.

Comment: This is another book by ms Kearsley I've read. This is one of her most recent ones and has a different twist, although it embraces the idea of time travel just like all the others that, somehow, have a connection to the concept of past meets present and vice versa.

This is the story of Eva Ward, she returns to Cornwall after her sister dies. She decides to spread her ashes in the place where they felt more at home while children. While there, Eva starts experiencing time travel, she goes back in time and meets the owner of the house where she's staying in the present and falls into the action taking place in the 18th century concerning two brothers and their smuggling. Things aren't as simple and as time oes by, Eva develops fellings for David, a man from the past, while her situation in the present also gets confusing. How will things end for Eva and those around her, in both times?

The night I've finished the book I stayed awake for a long time thinking about this because I couldn't sleep with thoughts about some scenes from the book still in my head. It was quite disturbing, not in a bad way, but it touched me in such a way, I can't help feeing overwhelmed by what it meant, what it could mean if it were possible....it was a bit hard to digest, especially for me, I hate goodbyes...

Well, the story is very rich in details, mostly because it follows two different action settings although they touch each other in a certain way, mostly because Eva researches the past after her travels there and she is curious to know more about what happens. One of the main ideas discussed here can be the fact not knowing is a blessing because fate will happen anyway and it's heartbreaking to know and not being able to avoid it, like Eva experiences herself.

The plot is easily followed. I think the author purposely meant for the reader to feel Eva's divided attention to what was happening and to her conflict feelings. Eva has everything here but it's in the past she finds what's missing in her life. However, if things remain as they are, her life will always be the same...or not? As the plot moves forward many things start to come together like pieces of a puzzle and we learn why determined actions and things are mentioned or happen. It's quite the clever writing tactic and I think myself a distracted reader because I only saw it when it was being explained. 
Towards the end we know more about the time travel experience. I confess some difficulty to bear in mind all those concepts but the main idea remains and after all said, done and explained, Eva has to make a choice, one readers likely know well before that moment, but that will still be quite the shock, because of several factors.

I've finished this disturbed because, like I said, I hate goodbyes and it's obvious, as the plot develops that a goodbye will happen eventually, although we never know for sure. To this day, I can still see the last scene and although this has an HEA, I thin it's disturbing enough to remain in one's mind.

I had the idea this book was more focused on the action, on the actual decision and conflict than any other by her. All the others are easy to accept and to read and put aside because the action never changed even if it was dual. I think this book can be seen as very romantic and timeless...but for me, it has that extra thing that now I can't seem to let go. Some books will do that to you.

I liked this one, it's very detailed, rich and emotional. Too emotional in the end I thought. But still amazing. Plus, the cover is so beautiful...I really have the opinion the best covers are with landscapes and something not almost naked people!
I have one left by her, I hope it's as fantastic as this one!
Grade: 8/10