The writing was not bad, but the subject matter, munchausen syndrome by proxy, and the way all the characters acted towards each other kind of made my stomach turn - not my cup of tea.

I was quite concerned about whether or not I was going to like this book because - quite frankly - the theme is rather dark, but Stephanie Wrobel is such a masterful writer that once I started reading Darling Rose Gold, I couldn't stop! (I finished this book in under 24 hours).

Darling Rose Gold is a dark tale, but it's deliciously dark. This book is about a mother-daughter duo whose relationship is about as dysfunctional as it can get. The book chapters alternate between the first person perspectives of Patty, the mother (aka "Poisonous Patty", who has just finished serving a 5-year prison sentence for poisoning her daughter throughout her childhood and pretending she was sick - and her now young adult daughter, Rose Gold, who has neither forgotten nor forgiven what her mother has done to her.

Rose Gold is playing nice, sweet and innocent until she can exact her revenge - assuming that her mother (who has also not forgotten that it was her "Darling Rose Gold's" testimony that sealed her conviction) - does not punish her first.

What I enjoyed most about Darling Rose Gold was the impeccable characterization of the two main characters - the author really got into their heads - and the unexpected twists and turns throughout the plots, most of which I did not see coming.

If you are looking for a different type of suspense story - one that will keep you up at night until you drink in every last detail - then Darling Rose Gold is for you!

I generally don't really care for books where there are no likable characters. Darling Rose Gold is the exception. While the characters are generally despicable, and the two main characters particularly so, I very much enjoyed this book. The writing is such that the characters, awful behaviors and all, are very believable. Even though I found myself thinking both Rose and her mother were evil, and Rose's father just seemed to be a blithering dolt, I also found myself laughing at the characters' internal dialogue. That is no small writing feat and Ms. Wrobel is to be commended!

Darling Rose Gold is a disturbingly entertaining book , and I very much appreciate the publisher and NetGalley allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to more from Stephanie Wrobel.

Great plot twists and characterizations. Enjoyed very much! Very descriptive writing brought the characters to life.

Unique and suspenseful look at a victim of a abuse by her mother and how revenge was plotted and carried out. Loved it.

LOVED this. The two very different perspectives between mother and daughter, and how abuse changes a person. This is a really really good read.

This book was a really intense mystery story that had a lot of psychological twists and turns to the plot. Both characters are manipulative, vindictive, and a bit unlikable. I can't say that I liked either of the main characters. I did originally feel sorry for Rose Gold, but as the plot unfolded that pity started fading away. The author did a great job weaving the story together; the past timelines fit really well into the present timeline. The whole time, you were left wondering who exactly was telling the truth and whether Patty did do anything wrong; the end also leaves this a bit in the air. The writing was well executed. but readers should beware of the dark subject matter of the story. I didn't expect quite as much as was present in the story.

The first half of the piece got me thinking of the Blanchard case, but as the storyline progressed, it really took a hold of my attention. It wasn’t my favorite read by far, but it took a spin that I felt was well done. Unfortunately, it was a little slow and the ending was a bit predictable, but it was well-constructed. The author took great care in constructing her characters and you could see the progression of Rose Gold’s persona evolve over time.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! A more comprehensive review will be posted on social media closer to the date of publication.

I LOVED IT! Hands down! I couldn't decide who i hated more! The Mom or Daughter. This book leaves you thinking "WTF did I just read!" I loved it! You know how you "cheer" for the good guy in the book, this book doesn't even have defined good guys/bad guys!
So good! Highly recommend!

"You would never love your mother as much as she loved you"

As with all my ARC reviews, I will be starting by saying thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, by the time I finished this book I did not like it. I really enjoyed the first half. The suspense of whether or not Patty really poisoned Rose Gold and made her sick all those years. The mystery of Rose Gold’s life after her mother was sent to prison. But the more I got to know Rose Gold, the less I liked her. She was a liar, for no good reason. I understand she had a real shitty childhood, but after finding her dad, there was so much potential for good things in her life and she threw it all away. Instead of moving on, trying to make a better life for herself now that her mother was in jail, she plotted revenge.
As for Patty, I didn’t like her from the start. I have a one-year-old, and I understand the stress and worry about whether my child is healthy or not, but to purposefully make my child sick? I could never, even when she’s getting four molars at the same time and cries at me to hold her all day long.
I’m going to keep this short and to the point because I’d like to wipe this story from my memory as soon as possible. While the writing was really good, and the story was fast-paced and interesting, I hated both main characters so much that it ruined the story for me. There are likely lots of people out there that will enjoy this, but I’m not one of them.

Darling Rose Gold is intense, suspenseful, and has a captivating story-line. My review is brief as I do not want to give any spoilers. Rose Gold has been sick her entire life. Actually not much of a life. She is in and out of hospitals with countless tests and medical procedures. Her mother home schools her and she has very little contact with the outside world. Her entire life consists of home, hospitals and Doctors. Then she comes in contact with someone and her life changes.
Sorry I know this is vague, but make this book one of your top reading choices in 2020.

Thank you NetGalley!

This is an original, dark, disturbing novel. It’s gripping, but neither of the two main characters are likeable. Yes, you have empathy for them because of their terrible childhoods, but they make horrifying decisions that make your eyes goggle.

THE KEY POINTS OF THE STORY⇣


⬥DYSFUNCTIONAL MOTHER/DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP
⬥ACTUALLY WAY BEYOND DYSFUNCTIONAL
⬥SLOW-BURN PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER
⬥MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME BY PROXY

STATS⇣

BOOK COVER⇢ This cover is perfect for the story.
SETTING⇢ Deadwick, Illinois
SOURCE⇢ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
eBOOK LENGTH⇢ 320 Pages

MY THOUGHTS⇣

A part of me loved the way this played out and another part of me was exceptionally bored...at least until the last 20%. More of a slow-burn psychological thriller. My feelings ranged from sad to disturbed to anger to huh, no shit...I can't believe she did that.

This book feels both well written and well researched. The characters are fleshed out terrifically, the story feels horrifyingly real, even. Some writers engage a reader right from the beginning and others not so much. Maybe, though, this author will get there someday. I feel she has the potential to do so.


MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+

BREAKDOWN⇣
Plot⇢ 4/5
Characters⇢ 4.3/5
The Feels⇢ 3.7/5
Pacing⇢ 3.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.8/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 4/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 4.3/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 4/5
Originality⇢ 4.3/5
Ending⇢ 4/5

I was given a copy of Darling Rose Gold in return for an honest review. Grateful reader always here!

I‘m a huge true crime fan so this book appealed to me as I believe it to be loosely based on the Gypsy Rose Blanchard story.

It does change the story a bit and is super creepy. Who can be trusted ? Nobody here !

I enjoyed this one even though it wasn’t exactly new to me.

I give this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 stars -
There was just something I couldn’t get behind 💯 percent but overall it was an enjoyable recommended read!

We’ve all read the stories and watched the news of Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a young woman who was forced to pretend to be ill by her mother for over a decade. Darling Rose Gold is a novel that takes a spin on that tale and changes the fatal outcome into a fast paced, nail biter of a novel.

Rose Gold Watts grew up thinking she was a very sick child. Wheelchairs, hospitals and a stream of medical teams were her normal. But the truth came out and her mother was convicted of aggravated child abuse; Rose Gold taking the stand and putting her mother away for 5 years.

Darling Rose Gold begins at Patty’s, Rose Gold’s mother, release from prison, where she’s overjoyed to have reconciled with her daughter. Told from dual perspectives, Rose Gold’s version of events begins when her mother is already in jail and is told in a reverse timeline.

The authors spin and take on this story was fresh and intriguing; I couldn’t put this one down!

'I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.'

"They say a grudge is a heavy thing to carry."

Rose Gold was believed to be sick all her life, but it turns out she was being poisoned by her mother, Patty. Patty gets sent to prison for 5 years and when she gets out, things take a turn for the worse.

Literally everyone was stabbing everyone in the back. The mind games, revenge and manipulation in this were gruesome. I actually gasped out loud towards the end when I realized what was going on. My stomach was turning every page worrying about Rose Gold's baby (YOU'LL SEE).

I hated every single character in this book, which is good because I think that was the intent. The book is in two POV's: Patty and Rose Gold. They're both unlikeable, vengeful and full of hate (for valid and completely ridiculous reasons). I felt bad for Rose Gold for 2 seconds and then I was like NOPE.

Patty- manipulative bitch who put herself on a pedestal and believed nothing she ever did was wrong.
Rose Gold- manipulative and believed her actions were justified because of the people that wronged her.
Alex- maybe the worst "friend".
Phil- maybe the only character that was likeable, if not for the creepy part.
Billy- jerk father, who definitely could've tried harder (but still didn't deserve that).
Adam- poor, defenseless baby

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was full of suspense and made me uncomfortable like any good psychological thriller does. Everything was described and explained well to form the conclusion. Quick and entertaining read, however I did get a little bored in the middle, which is why it was a lower rating. I wish they would have stabbed each other in the back more literally.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book!

What a rollercoaster of a book. Justice is sweet, but revenge is sweeter. This seems to be the motto of this book. Rose Gold's childhood was spent in and out of hospitals. Why, you ask? Because of her mother. When Rose Gold finally testifies against her mother and sends her to jail, her new life begins, but it isn't what she thought it would be.

When Patty Watts gets out of prison, her daughter Rose Gold is there to take her in. However, it isn't the sweet reunion Patty was banking on. Instead, Rose Gold's attention and love are now focused on her baby son, Adam. Still, something isn't quite right with the arrangement...

By the end of this book, I wasn't quite sure what to think about either Rose Gold or Patty. Who could be trusted? Who was lying, What games were they playing? It was all very well built up to an ending that was both surprising and expected. I was hooked until the last page!

Well this was a strange one. Not one sympathetic character in sight. This book alternated between two different viewpoints allowing us to know both Rose Gold and her mother Patty. There were both psychotic. I didn't need Rose Gold to be a pathetic victim to make her sympathetic -- just less crazy. I think it makes sense given who her mother was, but it made it very hard to root for her. Her desperation to be loved and needed was very off putting. I actually found myself liking the mother more, but it was more by default.

I read some reviews were people were put off by the ending, but I didn't mind. I figure Rose Gold would be found out eventually. Her rotting teeth are such a prominent descriptor that I feel that she could never truly hide.

The story was interesting and fascinating. It was very well written, so that made it very difficult to put down.

Loved this one from start to finish. A total delight. Kept me guessing and there are some really great characters here. I was surprised by the ending and yet it makes total sense.

Patty and her daughter Rose Gold are all they’ve got. Rose Gold’s childhood was full of illness, vomiting until her teeth rot, head shaved to hide the clumps falling out, and sometimes confined to a wheelchair. When Rose Gold grew up, she realized her childhood was not normal and testified in court, sending her mom to prison. When Patty gets out, she finds her darling Rose Gold is a different person. There are so many twists and turns in this page-turner!