The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

This is the 2nd book in the series, the first is The Tea Rose. I admit that I didn't read The Tea Rose but that didn't seem to matter.

India graduates medical school. She comes from a wealthy family, although she hasn't spoken to them since she left to join medical school. She has done everything on her own and has dreams of opening a clinic in the worst part of London. She won't turn any women or child away, even if they can't afford to pay for the services.

She is engaged to Freddie. He comes from a wealthy family as well, or at least they used to be. Freddie is broke. He claims to love India but is only after her parent's money. He must somehow convince her to give up medicine, that's the term he agreed to in order to get her family's money. India doesn't know this.

India ends up saving the life of Sid Malone, a criminal but one who hasn't been caught doing anything yet and therefore hasn't been put in jail.

Soon..there is something between India and Sid. Freddie is determined to put Sid in jail.

Then we have more charactors...We have Joe and Fiona Bristow. Joe desides to run against Feddie for a seat in parlament. Fiona is Sid's sister - she wants to save him but Sid wants nothing to do with her.

Then back to India...she works for a horrible doctor but soon befriends the nurse working for him. Together they start putting together a plan to open the free clinic.

I know, my reviews never do the books justice. I just wanted to give you a small amount of what goes on in this book. Personally, I LOVED it. I couldn't put it down. I mean really, it's not often I read a book that is 707 pgs in a matter of 4 days! It's a great historical fiction book, one of the best I have read. Again, I won't promise that all the historical aspects of it are correct because I don't know my history enough to know. The story itself never slows. There is always something happening and I always wanted to know what would happen next. Freddie is such an evil charactor, oh how I hated him. India is wonderful - such a strong women and out to do good. I wanted her and Sid to be able to have a life together, but something or someone always seems to get in the way. I had thought I wouldn't read the first book because I already know what happens to the charactors, since I read out of order. But others have convinced me to read the first still. I'm told that the story is just as good and if I liked this one, I'm bound to like the first. So..I'll plan on reading it but probably not until later this year or next year.

fiction/new author/chunkster challenge/707 pgs