tiaschmidt 's review for:

The Poppy & the Rose by Ashlee Cowles
4.75
adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Loved this so much! A very unexpected five stars! There were some elements I wasn't the biggest fan of, but nothing worth docking it down a star. I am learning that I loveeeee historical fiction in which the main premise isn't a war of some sort and The Poopy & the Rose executes that perfectly. I also love that some of the characters aboard the Titanic in the story are based on real people that were there. Such a small detail that makes the story so much more meaningful and heartfelt. As with any dual perspective story, I didn't connect as much with one side- Taylor's. I was so invested in Ava's side of things in 1912 that Taylor's relationships, goals, and personality fell so flat in comparison. But that's really the only concern I had and once the stories inevitably connected in one way or another towards the end of the novel, I felt far more connected to Taylor. Overall, I really really love this story and cannot recommend it enough.