Dreams can come true, but at what cost?

Synopsis

Fans of Kristy Cambron, Stephanie Dray, and Julia Quinn will adore this Victorian romance from historical fiction dynamo, Rachel Brimble.

Seamstress Rose Watson cannot believe her good fortune when she’s plucked from obscurity to work for Lady Christina, the Countess of Bath. Despite her parents’ distrust that the position will come with conditions, Rose accepts the unexpected offer. 

When she arrives at the royal residence of Henlow House, a strange sense of destiny whispers through her, and Rose cannot wait for this new adventure to begin. Although, she has Henry Ward to deal with, the handsome, risk-taking and—though she is loath to admit it—exciting royal saddler and horse trainer, who both fascinates and frustrates her in equal measure. 

They could not be more different…with the exception of their hunger for more.

But as they begin to trust one another, and their bond flourishes, Rose’s connection with Henry could cause her to lose her position at Henlow House, which would destroy her. Will she be forced to choose between love and ambition? Either choice will change her life irrevocably.

A captivating escape that will touch your heart and keep you turning pages with impatient hope for Rose… 

My review

Rose Watson is a seamstress working in her family’s store. But while she enjoys being a seamstress, she also feels limited as her parents won’t let her pursue her own dreams and expose her creations. That all changes when the Countess of Bath wants to sponsor her. Despite her parents’ reluctance, Rose accepts the kind offer, feeling as it’s finally her dream coming true.
Once arrived at Henlow House, Rose quickly learns that working for the Countess is hard work. And when she meets saddler Henry Ward, who also works for the Count and Countess, she has an immediate connection with him. Yet Henry has dreams of his own, and they don’t consist of staying in the country.
So when love and dreams clash, what will prevail? And is it right to give up on your dreams for love? Or to give up love for your dreams?

This story made me think about what should prevail in the end. Because we all have dreams we want to pursue and achieve. But what if something else, just as great comes on our path? What is the right choice to make in such cases?

Rose is the kind of person that dares to dream big. And I couldn’t blame her, with the talent she has. She has great ideas and is very innovative. So in that matter, it saddened me, even angered me a bit, that her own parents wouldn’t support her and even push her a little bit to go after her dreams.
When the opportunity arises, I was proud of Rose, as she finally has the chance to show her worth, but also it was great to see how persistent she is, that she wants to go to work for the Countess, even against her parents’ wishes.

What I also liked about Rose, was how down-to-earth she is during the whole story. I think many people would be boasting around, but not our Rose. She remains humble, listens to what is being said and learns a lot during her stay.

And I liked it to see how Rose is discovering the real world. She had a rather closed life until now, and now with her working for the upper-class, she sees also the uglier bits, as the Countess has to face a husband that takes some liberties…
But Rose also learns many new feelings, feelings she never had before, like love.

Love for Henry Ward, who for sure isn’t a knight in shining armour. I am not saying that he is a bad guy, on the contrary. But as he has his own dreams to chase, that makes him making some wrong decisions.
He has a deep respect for his Uncle and all the help his Uncle and Aunt have given him, but he also believes that all the help shouldn’t come at a cost, and that he should be able to follow his dreams.

It was sweet to see the relationship between Rose and Henry. Henry is for sure a flirt, winking at Rose, but he is also supporting her, wanting her to be successful and see her dreams come true.
And that feeling is absolutely likewise, as Rose sees Henry’s potential and wants him to achieve his dreams.

Initially I wasn’t very keen on Rose’s parents, but the further the story evolves, the more we see that there is a reason for their behaviour. A reason that makes sense, and made me even feel sorry for them.

While reading this book, I could understand the dilemma both characters were in. Because suddenly they have it all: they have found love and they are at the verge of realizing their dreams. But is it fair, to have to choose between it? Why isn’t it possible to have both love and see your dreams coming true?

I truly enjoyed reading this story, and I for sure could see the creations Rose made clearly in my head. But it was especially lovely to see how kindred spirits can find each other at the most unexpected places and moments. And we also see in a way the cruelty of life, as it brings us the best things at the same time, forcing us to make a heartbreaking choice. Yet we also see that sometimes, serendipity can give us the perfect answer.