Mama Rose: A Story of Forbidden Love Against the Odds

This is one you shouldn't let get away. Ms. Coleman had done a spendid job in the telling of this unique love story. The author artfully crafts the perfect picture of devotion, admiration, and true love between Mr. Ford and Rose, in a way that holds a reader captive until the very end. If you long for a romantic, vivid read, I highly recommend this one, folks. You won't be disappointed.

Imagine being a young woman running scared and being alone, unfortunately this was a reality for young Rose. Rose is an orphan running away from an abusive family that had taken her in. So with fear in her heart, she went to the only place that she could, the woods. One day Rose decides to rest in a shed that is beside a shed, her intention is to get some rest and then be gone before the owners of the farm can discover her. Fortunately for her, she oversleeps and is discovered by the Turner family who will change her life forever. The Turner's took Rose in and raised her to be a fine, strong, and hard working woman, it is her work ethic that leads Rose to the love of her life. One day while returning from work in town, something terrible happens to Rose. Her rescuer comes in the form of Jesse Ford, a farmer and former soldier in the Union Army. Jesse tends to Rose until she is well enough to return to her family. After having spent a short length of time with Rose, Jesse discovers that he has fallen in love with her. There is only one problem Rose is black and Jesse is white. This novel is set during the Reconstruction Era and blacks and whites were supposed to be separate from each other. And marriage was completely out of the question because it was against the law for the two races to marry. So when Jesse and Rose marry they do so before God and their families but there was no legal documentation filed. Life for them is not easy and they often have to endure threats from angry whites in the area and visits from the law, who want to break up their home. They endure triumph and tragedy and have a large and happy family. Mama Rose by author Bernadene High Coleman is an enlightening and exciting story that kept me turning the pages of this book. I am not a fan of historical fiction, but this book may have changed that. I was further fascinated by the fact that this book is based on the lives and experiences of Ms. High Coleman's great grandparents. I look forward to reading more books by the . On the RAW scale Mama Rose is a 5.Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks

This work was a delight to read. It exemplifies the meaning of family. The writing flowed smoothly and held my attenton easily. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has a deep appreciation for family history.

I loved this book! It reminded me of the writings of J. California Cooper. It fills in a lot of the blank pages of how our ancestors survived after the Civil War. I was particularly impressed by the wisdom and intellect of the characters. I also enjoyed the development of each character. It gave insight into a way of life I knew nothing about. Mama Rose was truly an unsung heroine. Mr. Ford loved her in a manner which we should all have the experience of being loved. Mama Rose is a very inspirational and uplifting read. I shall recommend it to all my friends. I will re-read it myself!

This is an uncommon story of two very different people who triumphed in spite of intense odds. Mama Rose is heroine of gigantic proportions. Mr. Ford is a loving mate and father. They were ostracized by both the Negroes and whites in their area of the deep south. They survived arrests, storms, floods, crop failures, government deceit and the deaths of their two first borns. Along their uneven and suspensful paths, they became prosperous farmers and parents of nine successful children. Mama Rose is a resplendent and awe inspiring story, told in a unique voice by a new author. It is a story of human conditions written against the background of Reconstruction and Economic Depression following the Civil War. It exquisitely describes how love, endurance, strength, hard work and faith eventually triumphs!