Wine for Roses

Name: Wine for Roses
Rating: 3.4 (5 reviews)
ISBN: 9781970458039

By Emily O'Malley Liu

Publisher Description

They say the stolen rose blooms best.

When Ethan Keating Mendoza is hired as a gardener at an old Victorian residence in central Indiana, he has one clear mission: make the roses bloom. Ethan's life is roses--he's the son of a hedge witch and a partner in his father's rose growing business--but he has no magic himself.

The Kilbride estate is wild and overgrown. The roses have not bloomed in decades, and Ethan fears he may be in over his head. Worse still is Louis, the peculiar trustee of the property, who lives under a bloodthirsty curse that ties him to the garden. But Louis gives Ethan a chance, and Ethan is determined to do right by the suffering roses. As Ethan and Louis grow closer, Ethan becomes increasingly desperate to save the man he loves from the garden's curse.

But the garden isn't letting them go without a fight.

"A lushly written novella full of intriguing magic and love of all kinds." —E. H. Lupton, author of the Wisconsin Gothic series.

"A thoughtful, fantastic escape from the mundane." —Amanda Cherry, author of the Ruby Killingsworth series

"Tender and hopeful. A balm for my garden-loving heart!" —Meredith Rose, author of the Ladies of Baker Street and Alchemy Empire series

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Wine for Roses Reviews

3.0

WãVê

Created about 1 month ago

“The premise is right up my alley. A cursed rose garden, a quiet, lonely gardener, and a mysterious man tied to the estate. The book delivers such an amazing vibe. The atmosphere is easily the strongest part. It's very gothic, a little eerie, but also weirdly cozy at the same time. The constant rain, the isolated estate, the garden descriptions, it all feels immersive. I also really liked the symbolism around roses and thorns. There are some genuinely beautiful lines and ideas in here that stuck with me. That said, the romance didn't quite work for me. It felt underdeveloped and a bit rushed, the connection wasn't fully built. I kept waiting for that emotional depth or a moment where it really clicked, but it never fully got there for me. Because of that, the relationship didn't feel as convincing or impactful as I wanted it to be. I also felt like the story hinted at deeper layers, especially with the mystery and the themes, but didn't fully explore them. The ending, in particular, felt a bit too simple compared to the buildup. I was expecting something with more weight or complexity. Overall, this is a book I enjoyed for its mood and aesthetic more than its plot or romance. It has a lovely, dreamy quality and some strong imagery, but I wish it had gone deeper emotionally and followed through more on the ideas it introduced. *I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.”

Diverse representation Atmospheric Beautifully-written

fïfï

Created about 1 month ago

“grateful to NetGalley, the Author and Publisher for granting me this e-ARC! this was honestly an intriguing book but, unfortunately, it never went past that. it is drenched in gothic, fairytale atmosphere from the very first page. the writing is evocative and expressive, lingering on imagery in a way that feels intentional but for some reason, it doesn’t have a voice of its own and feels quite derivative. also, while the mood is strong, the story itself felt oddly paced and a little disjointed. i personally needed more explanations and much smoother transitions from scene to scene as events often seemed to blur together without enough grounding. the world-building also left me confused. it's set in a modern period, yet layered with fantastical, magical elements that aren't fully clarified, so the logic of the world never quite made sense to me. it probably could have been a bit longer too. in the end, it felt more atmospheric and listless than purposeful. i appreciated the craft and the aesthetic vision, but i finished it feeling slightly detached and unsure of what it was all building toward.”

Phiefer Ariel

Created about 2 months ago

“Arc Read Wine for Roses was a beautifully written novella. At first I thought this story was going to be a historical. It was not, but it did not take away the charm and magic. The way the garden and house are so detailed. It kind of does sounds like a period peice. But I suppose that was kind of the point of it all. As for a beauty and beast retailing. I don't think it needed to be. I can see hits of it. I feel it was whimsical enough and different enough it could have standid on it's own. It was clever and charming and just stunning from start to finish. The only thing I would have loved to see more of is more interactions between Louis and Ethan. I wanted more intense romance in the most poetic way possible. I wanted to feel their loneliness heal each other in a deeper more magical way. I do understand if it had been a longer story it would have come to that. Other wise it was, such a lovely read. I want to thank Netgalley and Emily for allowing me to read Wines and Roses..”

Bowie Reed

Created 2 months ago

“This book was an absolute delight to read. It's a beautiful and surprisingly educational escape! It reads like a modern fairy tale in all the best ways. I truly enjoyed it and will absolutely read it again. The complex relationships were built so quickly and so expertly that I found myself wanting to read more about the side characters as much as the main ones. I look forward to her future projects!”

Nia

Created 3 months ago

“✨ Whimsy, fast paced filled with mystery and a lot of roses!!✨ I really enjoyed this, it had a fairytale kinda vibes and I really liked the writing but I did wish that the relationship was much more fleshed out and the magic that undid the curse could've been explained more clearly! Despite it all, it was a pretty fun read! 💜 Totally recommend if you're in a whimsy gothicy mood. 💖 Thanks NetGalley for the ARC all opinions are my own!”