Book Blurb:
"Engaging and mysterious, The Emerald Necklace sheds light on that inevitable time when lovers, family, friends and circumstances change and force you to reinvent yourself whether you want to or not." –Rebecca Rosenberg, award-winning Champagne Widows series
Three months after her husband's death in 1969, Rosalee Linoff is determined to jump back into life.
For her, that means returning to her art. She desperately wants to be accepted as a talented sculptor, but that requires she dig up the courage to submit her work again - and be judged. Her paralyzing insecurity mounts when she meets her new neighbor, best-selling author Fran Barish.
Fran has the recognition Rosalee craves. But Rosalee's joy with her children, especially her granddaughter, Jill, eats at Fran, a constant reminder of her childlessness. A spiral of mutual envy ensues. It constantly bubbles below the surface of their friendship and is intensified by Fran's long held secret - and her inexplicable fascination with Jill's emerald necklace.
As Jill starts college, Rosalee worries about the choices her granddaughter might make. But Jill's passion for women's rights makes Grandma proud. Together with Rosalee's friends, they travel to New York City for the Women's Strike for Equality - which further escalates the tension between Rosalee and Fran.
When Jill's convictions are tested, Rosalee faces a dilemma. Does she dare trust Fran to help? Will their mutual jealousy make that impossible? Or will the story behind Jill's emerald bind them together?
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/LDsirPo
Author Bio:
Fitness Professional turned novelist, Linda Rosen’s books are set in the “not-too-distant past” and examine how women reinvent themselves despite obstacles thrown their way. A central theme is that blood is not all that makes a family– and they always feature a piece of jewelry! Her novels are published by Black Rose Writing. Linda was a contributor to Women in the Literary Landscape: A WNBA Centennial Publication for the Women's National Book Association and to the anthology, Launch Pad: The Countdown to Writing Your Book. She is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association and co-founder of the South Florida chapter of the Women’s National Book Association where she holds the position of VP of Programming. She is a founding member of The Author Talk Network and an administrator and editor of the Facebook Group, Bookish Road Trip. Linda lives with her husband in New Jersey, but when the leaves fall and she has to swap sandals for shoes and socks, they move to their home in Florida.
Editorial Review:
Recently widowed, Rosalee has found her spark for life and art diminished. As an artist, life often requires her to be the center of attention, and giving people the option to judge her has stopped her artistic endeavors in their tracks in the wake of her grief. She knows that she needs to get back to living to move past her grief and sets out to do just that. When Rosalee meets Fran, a successful author, she can’t help but feel jealous of Fran’s success with her own art as a writer. Fran experiences her own jealousy as she grapples with the fact that she never had children of her own especially as she watches Rosalee with her own children and the special relationship that Rosalee has with her granddaughter, Jill. Set in the late sixties and early seventies, these women must navigate their own relationships and the climate surrounding women’s rights in this era. It is a multi-generational novel with complex issues and relationships at the heart of it that is both moving and thought-provoking to read.
“To create a piece Arnold would have been proud of. No, she told herself, one she would be proud of. Proud enough to dig up the courage she desperately needed. The courage to put her work out in the world for others to see. To judge.“
The Emerald Necklace is an incredibly character-driven novel. The characters are well-developed and readers will easily find a character that appeals to them and that they can relate to. The novel is also focused on female characters making this a book that women will prefer. The characters are also quite complex and have both internal and external conflicts. Rosen does a fantastic job with character development throughout the whole novel and with multiple female characters.
“Fran looked up at his gray eyes with the soft crinkles making little quotation marks around them. She smiled at the man she loved. The man she could depend on and had for the past twenty-five years. Yes. I did the right thing. So what if Rosalee’s Arnold did it all? I get to have lunch with my man.”
The Emerald Necklace falls into several genres that many readers will enjoy. While it is definitely historical fiction, it is also a women’s fiction story that looks at the relationships women have as well as the fight for women’s rights during the late sixties and early seventies. The author does a great job portraying the historical events and atmosphere in an accurate way. She understands the time period she is writing about and the issues that women faced during that time. Through the eyes of different women and different generations, it provides thought-provoking material for the reader and essentially allows the reader to consider alternate viewpoints from their own. It is a book that will leave readers thinking for weeks after finishing this story.
“Turning right at the sidewalk, Fran sauntered to her own house down the block, weighing her decision about the march. Even if she does believe in marriage equality, as Jill claimed is another one of Betty Friedan’s points, why should she go? Abortion, and free ones no less, was still at the forefront of this protest, and she couldn’t help how she felt. After all these years, she continued to blame herself, no matter what her doctor had said.”
The writing in The Emerald Necklace is outstanding. Linda Rosen is a talented author who is able to convey emotions and depth in her writing easily. She also has a way with imagery that makes the novel one that the reader can easily imagine and relate to. The pacing is excellent and the story is incredibly easy to read and engage in.
“It was as if an electric charge ran through the crowd. With the camera at her eye, Jill furiously snapped shots of the women. Young and old, Black, Hispanic, white, in business suits or pushing baby carriages. They filled the street and spilled onto the sidewalk. In just three hours, when the clock struck eight, they would hook arms and take off with Jill and the rest of her row in the lead. She was like a thoroughbred at the Kentucky Derby, ready to shoot out of the gate.”
The intended audience for The Emerald Necklace is certainly women but those who enjoy historical fiction, women’s history, and dramatic character-driven stories will also enjoy this novel. The focus on women’s relationships will make this a more appealing novel for female readers than for male readers. This story does deal with some heavier issues such as women’s reproductive rights so it might not be suitable for younger readers and readers who are sensitive to these issues.
“Rosalee imitated Emily Beth’s business-like composure, though she wanted to kiss the southern gent who oozed money. She pictured him living in one of those mansions on the Battery, fine art framed on the walls – and one day her sculpture on a shelf or maybe on a stone pedestal in his marble foyer. Her first sale. She could barely contain herself as Emily led him to her office. Gertrude and Selma, watching the exchange just a few feet away, wiggled their eyebrows at Rosalee. Her friends were all there, even Sidney.”
Beautifully written characters and an endearing story that explores complicated topics create a book that readers won’t be able to put down. The Emerald Necklace easily earns a five out of five rating. With an accurate historical representation of the women’s rights movement of the sixties and seventies, The Emerald Necklace is thought-provoking and eerily relevant. Readers won’t be able to put this one down and will find themselves thinking about it for a long time to come.
*****
“The Emerald Necklace” by Linda Rosen receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” Award of Excellence from The Historical Fiction Company
Award:
To have your historical novel editorially reviewed and/or enter the HFC Book of the Year contest, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission
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