The Silent Rose

Here is the story of Devon James, a successful writer with a relationship that is on the rocks. Deeply unsatisfied with her personal life, she develops writer's block. She has a deadline for her next book looming in the near future and a relationship that is suffocating her. To solve the two problems, she books a weekend at an old bed and breakfast on an island off the state of Connecticut. The trip there is gloomy with rain, an impatient fiancé, and what turns out to be an old Victorian house in the midst of renovation. Devon and her fiancé Michael try to make the best of it and they stay overnight in the house against their better judgment. That evening they make love and Devon can sense a spirit in the room with them actually participating in their lovemaking. (No, this isn't a graphic love scene.) Well after fiancé Michael falls asleep, Devon has a terrifying vision of another spirit in the room and is so terrified by it that she is unable to go to sleep for fear that she'll be injured by the malevolent ghost. Michael sleeps restlessly beside her while she is awake the entire night. When they wake up they resolve to leave as quickly as they can. They return to New York City and Michael wants everything to go back to normal, but they never do because Devon is so fascinated by the old house and the ghosts she encountered there that she begins to research what happened at the old house. Rather predictably, she breaks up with Michael, who, though not a bad guy, never took her writing seriously. He wants her to settle down and become the perfect corporate wife. She has known she doesn't love him and gives up trying to make things right with Mr. Wrong. During the course of the research on the old house, Devon meets the wealthy Jonathan Stafford, owner of the old house. He lives in New York running a huge conglomerate. His son is at a special hospital, crippled from the waist down. Jonathan is very protective of his son and as the owner of the old haunted house, he bristles at Devon's research. He's afraid that something in his family history will come out to embarrass him and more importantly, to embarrass or traumatize is crippled son. We don't find out why his son is wheelchair bound until the conclusion to the story so I won't say much more there. Jonathan will use any means possible to persuade Devon to drop her research of the old house and the history of his family on the island. Devon has a complete and justified mistrust of Jonathan's motives. In spite of that, a relationship develops between the two characters. Now that I've set the stage for the story I can tell no more as it would ruin the suspense. This was a very chilling ghost story mixed with a sizzling romance. The ghost story is so well done that it could have easily stood on its own without the romantic element. The romance is so well done that it'll send you looking for your husband or significant other. This was a very satisfying read.

I have read several of Kat Martin's books, so when I found this one naturally I decided I needed to try it. I was a little upset at first to find that it was a contemporary, since I am an AVID historical romance reader. But, needless to say I loved it. I think the chemistry between Devon and Jonathan was dynamic. The only thing I found a little lacking was the ending. I expected more out of the ghost characters at the end with everything that leaded up to it. I must say though that I am definitely looking forward to the next contemporary. =0)

Kat Martin, who is known for her wonderful historical romances, has a surprise in store for her readers with her latest release, "The Silent Rose." This novel is a deliciously thrilling paranormal suspense, and quite a departure from Martin's previous work. She explains in her introduction that it has been her dream to write about ordinary women who have had extraordinary experiences, and reveals that this story is based partly on actual events that happened to herself and her husband. But never fear, Martin hasn't left her romance roots behind, as the romance between Jonathan and Devon is as steamy and sensual as they come. "The Silent Rose" is the first in a series of contemporary romantic suspense novels that Martin has planned, and I for one will anxiously be awaiting the arrival of the next.

Never having read Kat Martin's work before (historical or contemporary), I didn't go into THE SILENT ROSE with any previous expectations. I was hesitant to read a novel dealing with parapsychology, but decided to give it a try. I'm very glad I did.What I most appreciated about this novel is the obviously tremendous amount of research Ms. Martin put into it. Many romances deal with parapsychology so lightly that it is easy to dismiss it as part of the fantasy of the novel. As Devon James researches paranormal phenomenon in order to write her planned book, Ms. Martin shows Devon running into the quacks as well as those whose claims to psychic ability cannot be dismissed as lightly.All of this made highly interesting reading. As a Catholic, I don't put much stock into paranormal phenomenon, but I'm willing to admit that there is much we cannot explain... much that will only be revealed in God's good time. I thank Ms. Martin for asking questions and for showing that there are no pat answers.As for the romance, I found it lovely. Devon and Jonathan had to keep rebuilding trust when first one, then the other of them betrayed it. I especially appreciated that there were still issues in the relationship to resolve even after love was declared. Too often, in most romances, that is the end of the story. "I love you. Oh, I love you, too. The End." But not here. Devon and Jonathan still had to struggle to make the relationship work. I was very impressed with this first novel by Kat Martin that I've read. I'll be keeping my eyes open in the future for more of her novels.

:) A fabulous work about a young female writer,Devon James, who is haunted by angry ghosts in an old hotel room in the small town of Stafford. She tries to discover what mysterious act had occured to deny these souls their peaceful sleep. But as she delves farther into the lives of these spirits, she meets the handsome hotel owner,Jonathan Stafford. Unfortunatly, as their passion grows he becomes more and more resolute in trying to prevent her goal of publishing what she discovered that night.