Wednesday, July 25, 2012

My novel, Orchids for Roses, had originally been published under the name Jacqueline Harrigan in 2003. Since the beginning of this year, I started using the pen name, Jacqueline Hopper. Confusing? I certainly hope not.

However, I found a review for Orchids for Roses on the Internet; a review done when the book was first published. It's cute that the Reviewer incorrectly uses orchards instead of orchids, but the review in itself is fantastic. Exactly what I needed to remind me why I do what I do.

Here's the review (remember, she incorrectly refers to the book as Orchards for Roses):

Orchards for Roses 
By Jacqueline Harrigan 

Reviewed by Anika Logan 

Orchards for Roses 
By Jacqueline Harrigan 
Paperback: Mountain View Publishing 
(Treble Heart Books) 
ISBN: 1-928602-93-2 

What a debut novel! Jacqueline Harrigan's tale of romantic suspense and drama has all the makings of a winner! Set in the maritime province of Nova Scotia, Canada, a location largely underrepresented in literature before, Ms Harrigan's story had me hooked from the very first scene, that of a small town high school graduation. Having been born and raised in Nova Scotia myself, it was wonderful to read a book set in a completely familiar location. 

To give a little background- Nova Scotia is the second smallest province in Canada and is in Eastern Canada. Many from the area refer to Nova Scotia as one of the “maritime” provinces. The capital city of Nova Scotia is Halifax. Halifax proper has a population of approximately 100,000 and is growing all the time. Halifax and outlying areas boosts a population of 400,000. Halifax is the largest city east of Montreal, Quebec. 

Orchards for Roses is an engrossing story of deep and enduring friendship that draws the reader in. It is a journey into maturity and the acknowledgment that adulthood carries with it very real responsibilities and sometimes, difficult choices that have to be made. Learning to trust, having faith in oneself, caring for others and doing the right thing. That is what this book is all about. Ms Harrigan makes the characters come alive on the page. Readers can relate to them and the situations they find themselves in. I loved that part. 

I couldn't put it down I confess. As Deborah and Victor's story unfolded I just had to find out what would happen next. The path of their friendship, Victor's struggle to keep Angel House, the home for boys, afloat, Deborah's flower business (orchards of course!) and her love for Victor leads to what at times seem insurmountable obstacles. The secondary characters in the book, such as Deborah's grandmother Lindsay and Kyle add flavor to an already enjoyable read. 

The author's knowledge of orchids as demonstrated by Deborah's thriving orchid business taught me a great deal about a subject I would never have learned about otherwise. Now I’m interested all right! 

Orchards for Roses is for anybody who needs a little nudge to be reminded of how amazing and giving the human spirit really can be. And how good ultimately wins out in the end. Not just a romance, Orchards for Roses is also Christian romance at its best. I’ve never read a Nova Scotia author do it better. 

This is a must read!

Source: http://www.shvoong.com/books/romance/426-orchards-roses/#ixzz21e7PagSC


To get a digital copy of Orchids for Roses, or even to get a look at the new book cover: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/133855

Goal for now: prepare for the day.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.