The Widow of Rose House

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller

It's 1875, and Mrs.Alva Webster has returned
to Hyde Park, New York, after fleeing her
scandalous, and somewhat mysterious past in
France.

Regal, and stunningly beautiful, Alva turns
heads wherever she goes, fully aware of the
gossip and whispers about the sordid life she
supposedly flaunted behind her now deceased
husband's back.

Alva sincerely hopes that by purchasing and
refurbishing a decrepit, old mansion, and writing
a book about her adventures, she can start over,
thereby banishing memories that are too painful
to share with anyone.

She doesn't anticipate a ghost inhabiting her eerie
dwelling, one who shuns the idea of being disturbed. Nor
does Alva expect to fall madly in love with a charming,
well-known scientist from a prominent family who
wants to free the ghost's mighty hold on her
new home. Something cruel and dangerous took
place behind these walls, deeds that those in the upper
echelon of society never wanted exposed. Alva is
about to go back in time to fully understand the depth
of her nagging uneasiness every time she steps behind
creaking, ominous, closed doors.

And Alva's dead husband's dastardly, evil spirit,
isn't quite ready to let her go, even from the beyond.

This Gothic, spooky, tale takes place during the "Gilded Age",
a period of time coined by Mark Twain after The Civil War,
when many inventions came to life, like the shimmering,
electric light bulb. But beneath the glitter and shine, corruption
lurked in America. The  lavish opulence of the rich was
on display, while the common man often suffered.

There's fervent passion and witty dialogue, in this historical
romance debut that's surprisingly addictive. Numerous references
to Ohio, so removed from the hustle and bustle of New York City,
are of added interest to all of us who call the Buckeye state home.

Once Removed

Once Removed by Colette Sartor

Everyone knows a woman in their lives they admire.
A mother, a wife, a daughter, a partner, that tenacious
person that holds them all together.

This fabulous collection of short stories celebrates the
perseverance of women, flawed as they may be, and
their innate ability to nurture and protect. In this engaging debut,
you'll find the same rich characters flowing from one story
to the next, aging and evolving over time.

In "Daredevil", Grace struggles to teach Sunday school
to a little girl riddled with birth defects, while her own
troubled son prefers no one knows she's his mother.
When the two children finally do acknowledge one another,
and he chooses to carry out his new-found friend's ultimate "dare",
the consequences are life-changing. Why couldn't Grace have
saved her own son from this fate?

In " Lamb", a gay couple reluctantly allows a grandmother to
meet her grandson, Luca, on Easter, the holiest day of the year.
But when the news of how they intend to raise Luca in the Jewish faith
is finally revealed, it forces a determined matriarch to take drastic
action to save a child's soul. Can forgiveness reunite a fractured
family that steadfastly holds on to the past?

In perhaps a favorite, "La Cuesta Encantada", Althea carries the
weight of watching her husband's mind slip in and out of the fog
of dementia. She decides to retreat and hide, rather than tell life-long
friends the truth, creating a meticulous facade. But with talk of
moving for retirement a constant topic of conversation, Althea
pushes her soulmates farther and farther away, fearing the change
will destroy what little she has left of her beloved mate. Memories
of their youth flood her mind, carefree days spent exploring, stolen
kisses, and the one haunting recollection that fills her heart with shame.
Was she responsible for robbing a good friend of happiness so many years ago?

These and seven other stories, from an author to watch, are a
delight to read, perhaps in one sitting as I did. Brimming with
emotion and humor (albeit on the dark side), it's ultimately
about women and their imperfections, sacrificing so much in the
never-ending search for peace, hoping to be victorious in the end.