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Rose - her story and perspective
About Rose, John and Sean - including the locations, context, background and history
FAQs - frequently asked questions about the relevance, veracity and authenticity of the 'Love should never be this hard' romance series
Rose misses John and takes her
frustration out in song - from a scene in Rose The Missing Years
Finding Rose versus The Missing Years
Q: If both books cover the same story, how do they differ?
A: Finding Rose tells of John's life from losing Rose to finding her again.
It traces his move from Leicestershire to Plymouth, with spells in Teignmouth, and a brief episode in St Ives, Cornwall.
The beginning chapters of each book follow the same story but, again, there is a different perspective in each and 'Missing Years' introduces Sean, detailing more about his relationship with Rose.
Q: Which book should I read first?
A: If I were to choose, I would say 'The Missing Years'. However, each covers the same romantic story, and can be enjoyed in its own right.
Finding Rose takes you deeper into the Rose-John relationship, with more of a final - but happy - ending.
Q: Does 'The Sign of the Rose' fit in with the other two novels?
A: It is the PREQUEL to 'Missing Years' and 'Finding Rose'.
As such, it prepares you for the later romantic stories by tracing the forebears of Rose and Sean - principally how their ancestors arrived from Ireland.
That said, 'The Sign' can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone historical romance, whilst including some of the mystical elements and sentiments found in the other books in the series.
Q: Are they books about paranormal activity?
A: No - not specifically.
'Missing Years' and 'Finding Rose', are works of romantic fiction with a thread of mysticism woven throughout, embedded in imagined Romani culture.
The important term here is 'imagined', as the author does not claim to have a full understanding of mysticism or associated sciences or belief systems.
Fictionalised mystical events are applied in a benign fashion to nurture the emotional ties between Rose and John.
Q: Do The Ford and Mill Lane in Blaby really exist?
A: Yes - since time immemorial.
They feature strongly in 'Finding Rose' and 'Missing Years', as well as creeping into 'The Sign of the Rose'.
Their significance is their connection between the communities of Blaby, Glen Parva, and South Wigston as a route to avoid main roads.
They are part of 'old Blaby' and, hopefully, will remain unspoilt.
For the latter reason, these books are important in recording and reserving the rich heritage of the village - a village where too much history has been wiped out by residential development.
This theme extends into 'The Sign of the Rose' - also on Amazon.
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