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    The Tea Rose
    The Tea Rose
    The Tea Rose
    Audiobook28 hours

    The Tea Rose

    Written by Jennifer Donnelly

    Narrated by Jill Tanner

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    East London, 1888 - a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores, and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night, where bright hopes meet the darkest truths. Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save, and sacrifice to achieve their dreams. But Fiona's life is shattered when the actions of a dark and brutal man take from her nearly everything - and everyone - she holds dear. Fearing her own death, she is forced to flee London for New York. There, her indomitable spirit propels her rise from a modest West Side shop-front to the top of Manhattan's tea trade. But Fiona's old ghosts do not rest quietly, and to silence them, she must venture back to the London of her childhood, where a deadly confrontation with her past becomes the key to her future.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMar 7, 2014
    ISBN9781490619798
    The Tea Rose
    Author

    Jennifer Donnelly

    Jennifer Donnelly is the author of eleven novels including the Waterfire Saga, The Tea Rose series, Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book, and A Northern Light.  She grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History. www.jenniferdonnelly.com Twitter: @JenWritesBooks

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    Reviews for The Tea Rose

    4/5

    608 ratings64 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This has to be my favorite book I have read and listen to it for the last few years, I tend to miss the characters and have to read to just rekindle with them. Fantastic author.
    • 5/5
      I couldn't put this book down! I loved Fiona: her proud chin, stubbornness, and her strength to pull through all of life's tragedies. At the base this novel is a love story between Fiona and her childhood friend Joe. However, so many things get in the way of their relationship; including Jack the Ripper. Donnelly really created a wonderful story by mixing in the dark with the light. Without the murders, threats, and plots of London's underground, this would just be like any other light love story. Five stars for the story, four stars for the writingAnd early twentieth-century New York was interesting....
    • 5/5
      Predictable, in good and bad situations, but with the amount of twist and turns made the 'perfect' circumstances entertaining. It was also immersed one into a world and business of tea.
    • 4/5
      I don't read books like this a lot, because I'm not really a fan of historical romance/thrillers. This one was a very fun read, perfect for a rainy day when you don't want to read anything too heavy or serious.
    • 5/5
      The dramatic story of Fiona Finnegan and her love Joe and the Tragedies that beset Fiona. Her life is filled with one tragedy after another, all inhibitting her from fullfilling her dreams. She gives up a lot, for the happiness of others. Be ready to be spellbound. I could not put this book down. This is Jennifer Donnelly's first novel; I will look forward to many more.
    • 5/5
      While this story reminded me of Barbara Taylor Bradford's "A Woman of Substance", "The Tea Rose" is a wonderful story for a new generation. Jennifer Donnelly is an excellent writer and really brings her characters to life. I will admit to tearing up a few times over the course of the novel but that is what made the book so wonderful - I felt for Fiona and Joe, I wanted them to suceed and I wanted to see them win. This story has a "happily ever after" but it wasn't an easy voyage and it made for a great summer read. I felt like I knew the Finnegans and everyone in Whitechappel - the fact that they livedin 1890's is just ancillary!As soon as I finished, I immediately got book 2 of the triology. I see another few days of doing nothing but reading a head of me. It took me 2 vacation days to read all 500+ pages of of "The Tea Rose" and I enjoyed every single minute of it!
    • 2/5
      Fiona Finnigan works in a tea warehouse on the shores of the Thames in 1880s London. Jack the Ripper is terrorizing Whitechapel, but Fiona and her family have troubles of their own. This started out strong but ended with a whimper. The book just didn't live up to the opening chapter. I felt the ending was really contrived.
    • 4/5
      The Tea Rose, Jennifer Donnelly. Her first novel, you would never know it the way she can write a scene. Certain paragraphs are so emotionally-charged, there'll be tears. Some lines are funny as hell, and they'll have the lady next to you on the train rolling her eyes at your insane giggling. Cockney dialect aplenty, reminding me of Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, but without all the fecks. This is a story, like many others of the historical fic genre, of love, loss, and finding love again in East London, circa 1888. But what I actually liked most about this book was the various platonic relationships that the protagonist Fiona has with family members and friends. For instance, she marries a gay man Nick, who happens to be my favorite character, and they have the most interesting relationship: at times, hilarious - he tends to call her "old shoe" in conversation as if it were her name, which makes me like him; at other times, he becomes Fiona's conscience, screaming exactly what she's afraid to tell herself. Considering Fiona's father doesn't figure into much of the book, he still becomes a real, sympathetic character as Fiona's flashbacks of her childhood torture her and at the same time drive her on into an uncertain future. All in all, the major heartbreak of the novel doesn't hold my interest as much as many other elements do - the book has some hilarious characters, a great story with plenty of twists, period detail of the slums of East London and Jack the Ripper.My mother-in-law read the front cover blurb from Frank McCourt and said "heartwarming novel of pain?!" Obviously she hasn't read much of the genre called "melodrama". And it's only recently that I realized I do in fact read plenty of melodrama. I semi-recently read the second installment of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series (must-read material for any fantasy/his-fic reader) Dragonfly in Amber - forget my description, just get 'em. I also devoured Paullina Simons' The Bronze Horseman earlier this year, a totally involving and exciting drama of the coming-of-age of Tatiana during the Siege of Leningrad. Her relationship with Alexander, a soldier in the Red Army, is naturally star-crossed and painful as any in the genre, and this one, perhaps unlike Fiona and Joe's, is worth the price of the book.emilysanecdots.blogspot.com
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in a trilogy which includes The Winter Rose and The Wild Rose.This hefty novel tells the beautiful story of Fiona Finnegan, and the struggles of her family in 19th Centry East London. There are so many tragic things that happen to Fiona in such a short time, that one would think she just couldn't endure any more, but she does. She is a fighter and is determined not to stay "in a woman's place' as she overcomes her impoverished life to become an owner of several successful tea shops. This book reminds me so much of the successful Emma Harte series written by Barbara Taylor Bradford, beginning with [A Woman of Substance], one of my favorite books ever. I thought that this book was a very well written piece of historical fiction and I am looking forward to reading the other two books in the series.
    • 4/5
      Jennifer Donnelly is an author that I've never read before. The book was well done and I especially liked the way the author could make you hear the characters accents by the way she structured her sentences, making it a fascinating historical saga. She also gave the reader characters that you could care about and create some attachment to. Joe and Fiona quickly become a part of the readers “family” and made you hope that things were going to turn out for these two in spite of the hardships their lives had become. Throwing Jack the Ripper into the mix was a bit of over indulgence and the story could have moved along without it. Overall a good read but 772 pages make the book overly long.
    • 4/5
      Fiona Finnegan is the eldest daughter of working class family in 1888 London. She works in the Burton Tea Factory filling tins with tea, dreaming of the day she and her boyfriend, Joe Bristow, can open their own shop. Her father becomes mixed up in unionizing Burton's and her mother accidentally runs into a notorious killer. This is just the first of many tragedies that will affect Fiona's life and future. She is forced to flee London, taking only her five year old brother Seamus. She decides to catch the first ship to America, where she will pursue her dreams, along with some revenge.

      This is a big, epic story that reminded me of a larger than life soap opera. There's tragedy, revenge, and romance. I think there are a lot of historical inaccuracies here, but it didn't spoil the fun I had reading it. I started to think it was more of a historical romance than a family saga at some point, and while Fiona is portrayed as a woman who is determined to make it on her own, it's really rich men who help her overcome every obstacle. Nevertheless, I'm giving it a much higher rating than the Man Booker nominee I'm just finishing. Why? Because when Tea Rose was done I said, “I've got to pick up the next book in the series” and when I finished Hot Milk I said “thank goodness that's over”. Sometimes the brain just wants candy, not kale.
    • 5/5
      First in The Tea Rose trilogy. It’s 1888 and 17-year-old Fiona Finnegan works in an East London tea factory. Times are tough, but there is a lot of love in her working-class Irish family, and with her best friend and beau Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. Fiona has a knack with tea and together they are saving their spare pennies to pursue their ambition to own their own shop. But when her family is struck by not one, but four tragedies in quick succession, Fiona is devastated. Joe, who should be comforting her, has got another girl pregnant and must marry her which further shatters Fiona’s dreams. While trying for compensation from his employer for her father’s workplace death, Fiona overhears a conversation she shouldn’t and has to flee for her life with little brother Seamus from a brutal and dangerous man who wants her dead. A sweeping family saga set in the times when serial killer Jack the Ripper is on his murderous rampage through the impoverished areas of Whitechapel, malnutrition and disease are so widespread that its inhabitants have about a 50/50 chance of living past the age of five years old, and climbing out of poverty is virtually impossible.
    • 5/5
      This book had it all: love, tragedy, murder, suspense, tea and triumph. It was a pure delight to read. I'm glad my Bestie got me this book for christmas. Can't wait to read the next book in the series! :)
    • 5/5
      I actually read the sequel to The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose, when it first came out, and fell in love with everything about it. And so I bought this book way back then, but planned to stick it on a shelf and try to forget about it until I'd forgotten what I'd learned about the characters in the sequel, and could read this one fresh. I'm glad I did, and yet, I'm also a little glad it wasn't my introduction to Donnelly's work...The truth is, the first part of this book is heartbreaking in that way where you're not even sure why you're reading after a certain point, or whether you want to keep going. I think I was about 120 pages in when I asked my husband to hand me the book as he passed by, and his response was: "This? The book that keeps making you cry? Nope." True, I'd been sobbing over it when he came home from work the night before. But, of course, I got up to retrieve the book myself.Of course, some books make you cry for no reason, and just keep doing so. This isn't one of those. I adored this book. The character, the heartbreak, the humor, the spirit... I don't read historical fiction that often, but I adored this. I can't wait to read its sequel again, with fresh eyes and having read this.If you read historical fiction, yes, read this. The beginning has sadness along with every other emotion, but the level of it doesn't continue.Absolutely, recommended.
    • 4/5
      Just started this series by Jennifer Donnelly - listening to it on audible audio - definitely an interesting read - late 1800's in England - Jack the Ripper, the consequences of dock workers starting a union, the hardworking Irish family life style, the tea business and the dreams of a young couple all come to life in this book. Definitely a character driven book that keeps you routing for them until the last page. Book 1 of a 3 Book series.
    • 4/5
      This book took me 120 pages to get into,almost gave up a few times.It was worth the effort.Historical fiction set in Jack the Ripper London,with the murders intertwining with our story.Fiona is one very strong,independent woman,a survivor.This story is love,mystery,suspense,it has it all well written.
      SPOILER-
      The love story of Joe and Fiona was lovely,BUT there were so many missed chances that it became a bit tiresome. By the time they got together,I was just glad it was over and done. BUT this was a worthwhile read.Enjoyable and a page turner at times.
    • 5/5
      I'm interested in many things, but I have a few obsessions, such as a well-written period novel, tea, and thrillers with 'Jack the Ripper' in them. I kind of feel like Sherlock Holmes reading such books. I haven't started yet in "The Tea Rose" but I have bought the whole trilogy for the love of tea and those gorgeous covers! Fingers-crossed.
    • 4/5
      A compelling story propelled me through all 544 pages but the writing was ordinary and prescriptive.
    • 4/5
      I did enjoy this book though a few things were more a 'fairy tale'. Fiona was just way too lucky in my opinion and the ending was almost like a Disney film. I love to read historical novels and this one really didn't disappoint. The Jack the Ripper plot was interesting enough though. To have the novel set in that timeframe and area was rather nice.
    • 5/5
      A well written book that follows a character through many trials and tribulations. The book is a page turner that keeps the reader engaged to the very end.
    • 4/5
      The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly is a good historical romance even though the plot is an all too familiar one. The young, exceedingly beautiful heroine faces many obstacles in life yet manages to spectacularly overcome them. This book is full of melodrama, love lost and found, murder and revenge, all told in a fun, exciting way. The author manages to fill the pages with authentic historical details along with plenty of action and her skill at doing all this gathers the reader into the story and keeps them glued to the pages.The Tea Rose has an enormous canvas, Donnelly’s story unfolds in the back alleys of London and the high society drawing rooms of New York. Although there are too many coincidences and eye-rolling moments for it to be a believable story, this is a book where the reader knows what to expect, a fun escapist read that pulls you out of everyday life and into a fantasy of fairy tale proportions.
    • 2/5
      After other reviews I thought I would love this, but I did not. It was lukewarm simply okay. The characters were stale, uncomplicated. A nice story, but not a great one. I am not a fan of sappy predictable stories, like Nicholas Sparks writes. If you like that kind of fluff, you'll love this.
    • 4/5
      The Tea Rose is a big fat soap opera of a book. It's historical fiction, but it's also a romance. It's 1889 and Fiona Finnegan and Joe Bristow are on the cusp of adulthood. Both in their late teens, they are from poor families in the East End of London, but they're both dreaming big. The pair are in love and can't wait to open their own grocery store and start the rest of their lives together.Of course things are never that simple. There's a rich man's wife, Millie, who has her eye on Joe. There's a push for Fiona's father's work to unionize and a dangerous group that opposes that change. On top of all of that Jack the Ripper is on the loose and everyone is running scared.It's a big novel that crosses from England to America and back again and over years of time. It's easy to sink into and it was just what I needed when I picked it up. Yes, there are absolutely too many coincidences and unbelievable elements, but that's half the fun with a book like this. You just embrace the melodrama and go with it. Fiona was a great character, strong and resilient, determined to succeed against all odds. She, along with her best friend Nick, really made the story for me. There's one moment in the story that didn't sit right with me. Fiona does a complete 180 and it doesn't make any sense in the context of her character, but the ship quickly righted itself and I forgave the hiccup.I love the historical elements woven into the story. It's incredibly readable but at the same time you are getting snapshots of real historical events, like the Jack the Ripper murders, immigration to New York City, and even a bit a glimpse of the painting scene in Paris in the late 1800s.BOTTOM LINE: A bit of a guilty pleasure book, very enjoyable. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series, The Winter Rose, but I'll save it for when I need to lose myself in a thick novel. 
    • 5/5
      It is 1889 in the poor East End of London, and readers are introduced to 17 year old Fiona Finnegan and Joe Bristow. In love since they were children, they are determined to get married and get rich. All their dreams come crashing down forever when Joe is forced to marry Molly, Fiona's rival. With Joe gone, her father murdered for wanting a union, her mother murdered by Jack the Ripper, her brother drowned, and her young sister dead, Fiona has no one left but her younger brother Seamus. She makes a new life for herself in New York, but never gives up her dream of becoming rich and avenging her father's death, yet she can never forget Joe, who can never forget her. After 10 long years, their paths cross but never meet until a murderer comes close to taking away both of their dreams forever. An excellent, breathtaking read. Readers will keep turning pages hungrily until reaching the satisfying conclusion.
    • 2/5
      Predictable and way, way too long.
    • 5/5
      This book had it all: love, tragedy, murder, suspense, tea and triumph. It was a pure delight to read. I'm glad my Bestie got me this book for christmas. Can't wait to read the next book in the series! :)
    • 4/5
      I've been craving a good historical for a bit, and this one definitely did it for me! There were some things that didn't seem quite historically accurate - and some unlikely events and coincidences - but if you want a damn good story, read this. I couldn't put it down!
    • 4/5
      4.5 rating. I love the Victorian Era and this book lived up to my expectations and more. A coming of age story where a young girl is forced to act beyond her age in order to survive. I truly loved this book, granted at points it moved slow and I felt some parts would be better left out, I really did love it.
    • 4/5
      Oh, the melodrama! It's soaptastic! I'm usually a much more cynical chica but I have to admit that I loved this story. I rooted for Fiona & was worried and sad when things went from awry to totally off the rails for her. I cheered when things turned around & held my breath for the next catastrophe. Joe garnered my annoyance early on but I never got to full on hating him & have to admit that when he was missing from the story for long stretches, I was wondering & concerned about him. His major crime was having been hapless, naive & easily manipulated. He paid in deep dividends so I couldn't wish more ill on him. All in all, I was pulling for a "Happily Ever After" & I'm not usually one who pines for those. This was the first I've read of Jennifer Donnelly but she was able to pull me in & play me from beginning to end.

      For the most part, the rest of the cast of characters were very well drawn. I especially adored Nicholas (his father was a particularly nasty piece of work), Seamie, the Munroes & Uncle Michael. I didn't feel much investment in Will. He just felt like a temporary character (along with his family) meant to propel the plot. Like Fiona, I was dialing it in & just passing the time while Will was around. Millie wasn't well fleshed out & I didn't like her but I kept wondering why she was the way she was. Still, when she was gone, I was glad. All the characters tied to Burton & the union were okay but if I'm honest, I wasn't really into them much. They provided a particular counterpoint in the story but that aside, I didn't find them especially compelling. I thought the Ripper angle would factor in more but I don't mind that it didn't.

      This was not my usual historical fiction read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was long, played some common tropes & strung out the starcrossed lovers theme to the point I thought it would break. And somehow, it all worked for me. I never stopped caring, kept turning the pages & hoping for the best. It's not deep or revelatory but it definitely engaged me. The setup for the next installment was handled deftly, so I'm looking forward to it & I enjoyed the preview of "The Winter Rose" in the paperback version I read. I recognized the mains quickly. I must say that I'm sorry it took me so long to read this one but I'm thrilled that I finally have.
    • 4/5
      This was a great book about a strong woman overcoming tough odds. I also LOVED the historical significance of a world I'm not that familiar with.