This book sold me when it said “Titanic” - as a little girl i was obsessed with the unsinkable ship that sunk and had to read every book about it whether it was non fiction or fictional.
This story felt very poetic and it does follow two timelines of Ava and Taylor. Split between modern time and of course the time when titanic was afloat. I would have preferred just Avas story and would have rated it higher but if we include Taylors story i have to knock it as I wasn’t much interested with Taylor. I might need to do a reread later and see how i feel about it.

Thank you Netgalley and Owl Hollow Press for the arc! This title was released October 6, 2020.

The synopsis says this would appeal to readers of Libba Bray. After reading the premise, it kind of reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. As a fan of both of these authors, I had to request this novel! I am so glad I did. This story really had my heart aching, as you can imagine. Half of it takes place on the Titanic! Those were my favorite parts, since I adore historical fiction. Ava’s sections read as a memoir, so I didn’t mind the first person. However, I might have enjoyed Taylor’s parts more if it was written in third person. Other than that, I was so engrossed in this story. There is murder, family secrets, and light romance. I devoured it quickly! A great read for a cozy evening indoors.

The premise of this book immediately drew me in, I love novels that take place in multiple time periods, and I was excited to read Ashlee Cowles' retelling of the story of the Titanic.

The cast of characters was incredibly strong, I found them all very compelling and were the highlight of the novel. In particular; Taylor's dad, Mae, Caleb, and Nathaniel all made for excellent supporting characters, I owuld love to read a follow-up novel all about Mae and her story.

It was an intriguing storyline, however, while it's something I do enjoy when done well, I found that the dual perspective took away from the story. Taylor's perspective distracted from Ava's story, as soon as I was getting into Ava's storyline it would switch to Taylor, the modern storyline was slow and I found myself wanted to just skip back to 1912.

The Poppy and the Rose had a really slow start for me. To be honest, I wasn’t that interested in Taylor’s story and I couldn’t figure out how the Titanic and 2010 England could possibly be related. I’m glad I pushed though. Ava’s story kept me on the edge of my seat, and groaning when it was a Taylor chapter. I could’ve done with more Ava and less Taylor, but all in all it was a captivating read.

It’s 2010 and Taylor is on her way to Oxford for a summer session in Journalism. It’s perfect timing, since her father has recently passed away, her mother has sold the house she grew up in and remarried, and Taylor is feeling quite lost. It’s 1912 and Ava has just boarded the Titanic with her father, and although she’s in the first class part of the ship, she’s feeling a little out of place, especially when she starts seeing her father around the ship with a woman who is not quite in their class. As the story moves back and forth, we learn how Taylor and Ava’s lives are intertwined, how maybe Taylor isn’t as alone as she originally thought, and perhaps there’s more to the story with her father than Ava originally sees. I didn’t realize this was a YA book when I started reading it, not that it really matters, The characters were strong and the plot moved along quite nicely. Very nice read and something different from my usual stuff.

NOTE: Special thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a Titanic-inspired story! It's all so tragic and you know if nothing else, it's going to leave you feeling some stuff. And this book was definitely no exception! I mostly enjoyed it, though a few things were iffy, so let's dive into a round of "yays" and "nays"!

The Yays:

►The settings/time periods. So not only was the "past" part of the story obviously set in 1912 (because it'd be really fishy if a Titanic story happened some other year, ha), but the contemporary portion was also set about a decade ago, and in England!

►Ava and her story were phenomenal! I absolutely felt connected to Ava, and her experiences were harrowing, no question. I loved how many real Titanic passengers made appearances, but I also really loved the fictional passengers in the story as well. Tying the whole thing into the precursor events of WWI was an awesome choice as well. Not only did it add a layer to the story, but I learned some new stuff!

►I absolutely did want to know how Taylor's dad tied into it all! While I wasn't as connected to Taylor as I'd have liked (see below) I was so curious about what her dad had to do with these random folks in Oxford! Likewise, the mystery surrounding Mae and Ava had me so invested, as I wanted to know more about them!

►Both women's stories were quite emotional. I definitely felt for both women. Ava of course because of not only the Titanic, but because she'd had some other catastrophes befall her, and Taylor because my heart broke for the untimely loss of her father.

The Nays:

►Taylor's risky behavior just made no sense to me. I mean, I know some people are impulsive! But I didn't get that vibe from Taylor when the story began. Like, at all. So for her to ditch her program at Oxford to go chasing down random old ladies (and someone who may want to harm old ladies) seemed to be a stretch. Even the biggest risk takers among us would probably give pause when alone in a foreign country, right? I get that she needed answers about her dad, but the potential reward didn't seem worth the risk. So, I had to suspend some serious disbelief.

►I think this ties in to the above point, but I had a tough time connecting with Taylor. Maybe if I knew more about her, it would have made more sense? But I felt like her story was quite secondary to Ava's, which made sense, but it also lead to me wishing I knew more about her.

Bottom Line: Overall a really fascinating and emotive look into the Titanic and its contemporary legacy, definitely worth the read!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Owl Hollow Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would rate this closer to a 3.5/5, but will round up to 4 in this case. The premise intrigued me from the very beginning, and I'll admit I'm biased as a lover of all things Titanic. I thoroughly enjoyed Ava's character, and the parallel account of her experiences on the Titanic. Modern-day Taylor, however, seemed lackluster in comparison. I don't know if that's a critique of her character portrayal or how her storyline was written...it feels more like the latter. While reading through the book, it felt like I was skimming through Taylor's chapters to get t0 Ava's. I wish Taylor had been more compelling.

Finally, I felt like the mystery surrounding these 2 characters and the secrets aboard the Titanic require a large suspension of disbelief. Something more realistic would have been better when combined with a real-life, historical event.

I was here for the Titanic and all my Titanic-needs were satisfied. A lot of that part of the POV seemed very based on the movie with little cameos from actual people who were on board, but it never felt cloying, and I really got the feel for the atmosphere and surroundings and grandiose living of the upper-class and the fright of the sinking and, just, the whole shebang. Quite enjoyed the plot surrounding that POV, too. That part was fun.

My low rating is mostly because for a dual POV-book, only one of them actually seemed to add to the plot, the other was just.. there. Sure there was an arc, but it just didn't seem.. relevant? The past POV, Ava on board the Titanic, carried the entire story, while Taylor, the present POV.. basically just read a book? There was some attempt at creating a murder mystery, but it never felt engaging and just.. meh. Sad face.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fun and quick read about a young woman trying to come to terms with her father's legacy. When Taylor Romano goes to study in England she encounters a strange woman that wants to gift her, her precious and never-read before memoir. What Taylor will discover are secrets that sank with Titanic and many that are still alive until now.

The Poppy and the Rose is an entertaining read, however, I did feel like the ending was rushed and I wished that the supporting characters had more depth to them.

The Poppy and the Rose has a really interesting premise that I like -- weaving the story of Ava, a passenger on the Titanic, and Taylor, who is in the present. I love the historical factors in the story. The book reads very fast and I really enjoyed the flashbacks. The dual POV worked really well for the story to push the story along with Ava's story being read in a book by Taylor. They are both unfolding a mystery around their respective fathers and family histories. Overall, I enjoyed the book but I would have liked more of Taylor's story.

I was so excited to read this when I heard it was a Titanic story. I was hooked from the beginning. This story had so many great things in it from a different perspective on the Titanic, espionage, crazy characters, a murder mystery, and a surprising twist at the end.
Taylor sets off to England to study abroad and visit the place where her father was seen in a mysterious photo. Immediately on her arrival, she is met by Nathaniel who invites her to tea with her benefactor Lady Mae Knight. Lady Knight leaves her a journal that draws Taylor into the life of Lady Ava and her father aboard the Titanic and the secret mission that has the potential to prevent World War I.

The twists in the story kept me engaged the entire time, just when I would think that I had it figured out something else would happen that would have me guessing all over again.
I'm usually not a fan of dual POV but the way that Ashlee Cowles writes the transitions made them seamless and easy to keep up with. I definitely recommend this to anyone that likes YA historical fiction.

This book was enjoyable, fast paced and a pleasure to read. The cover art is beautiful, and I loved the descriptive writing style the author has. Overall, I think this is a good read for any YA reader who enjoys good storytelling and a bit of mystery too.

It is 1912 and Ava Knight is journeying with her father onboard the majestic and unsinkable new ship, the Titanic, when a figure offers her the chance to fulfil her one greatest wish, in payment for her eyes...

It is 2010 and Taylor Romano has ventured from America to the UK plagued with questions about the myriad of mysteries that surround her father, and which he can't himself answer for after his untimely demise.

How are these two perspectives interlinked, when so many years and tragedies separate them? That was a question that puzzled me throughout and which Cowles only saw fit to answer during the last 10% of the book. Everything that came before was permeated with my heightened intrigue and my attempts to theorize how past and present were tied together altered on every other page.

My interest in the Titanic is what initially intrigued me about this book and I was pleased to find an almost equal attention paid to both perspectives, after the first quarter. I found the author did an applaudable job of recreating high society of this time, the grandeur of the new ship, and the tragedy during the time of its sinking.

Whilst I was less immediately interested in Taylor's perspective, her quest did eventually win my intrigue over. This was especially so when so many similarities between this modern-day individual and the deceased historical one became more and more apparent. Her story became my own, just as Ava's did and both perspectives continued on an unguessable trajectory until their twisted conclusions saw them aligned.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So can we take a moment to discuss how gorgeous the cover art is?! That is immediately what drew me into the book. I had to know what magical tale lay between these pages. I must say, the cover art isn’t the only thing impressive with this novel!

I did not expect to love this book the way I did, the only complaint I really have was it was too short. I wanted more. I loved how the author blended the past and present in such a beautiful way. It was remarkable how you needed both time frames to unravel the mystery.

I will warn you, don’t go into reading this and expect everything to be factual. While this is historical in nature, it is also fiction. You have to read the story for what it is. I do feel there could have been more loose ends tied up, but it was still good regardless.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

First off I think this may be one of my favorite covers ever! I'll probably buy a copy just to have the cover on my shelves. I was drawn into the story for it's connection to the Titanic because as any 90s baby will tell you, there's just some type of obsession burned in our childhood thanks to Leo DiCaprio. I loved that the main character Taylor was visiting Europe to study abroad but the whole family mystery felt a little forced. I loved Ava's perspective of her time on the Titanic and I was thoroughly interested in what was happening. I didn't love the 'mystic' part to the storyline. It didn't feel necessary and made it feel even less believable, Overall though I did enjoy it a bit.

3/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing this book for review for me. This in no way influences my thoughts or opinions


Well, this was unexpected.

This book does take a little bit to get into which kind of sucks because it is a shorter story. I love the blending of the past and the present as we unravel the mystery from both timelines.

Parts were to be expected and by that, I mean someone who isn't as inclined to correctly guess endings could probably pick up on some of the twists coming their way.

However, I could not fully account for how everything unfolded and it definitely drove the rating up for me and made the waiting game worth it.

I don't have any strong feelings for this book either way. It's a great story and I enjoyed myself. I will have to give a content warning for the Titanic sinking. The mass death really got to me and it is told from a survivor's point of view which makes it hard.

I will definitely keep an eye out for this author in the future.

Rating: 3 / 5

Much as I love historical fiction, there's something about taking it too far past the point of credibility that just gets at historians like myself who have a degree to back up whatever opinions we get "iffy" over. As soon as I read that this book starts off with a heroine who quotes Gothic novels--and fairly generic ones at that, though I'll grant that no one can doubt the excellence of "Jane Eyre"--I got the sense that there was something more romantic and less practical at hand here. Why the cover didn't give me this first hint I don't know, but perhaps I was too eager to partake in a read that has both a pretty cover AND a good story. It's so rare to find both nowadays, unfortunately.

My love of the cover is where most of my appreciation for the book comes from, I'm afraid, as there are simply too many moments that stuck out to me as being "not quite right" in this book, and so I won't go back to recount them. Suffice to say that putting together anything even remotely sensational from the early 1910s feels too much like the first season of Downton Abbey come to life in literature, from the sinking of the Titanic to the beginning of WWI. There's a lot of finesse, a lot of intrigue, and a lot of mystery that's meant to make us keen, but....

The. Ship. Is. Bloody. SINKING. That's plot enough without adding more to it. It's kind of like the superfluous-ness of Jack and Rose's romance in James Cameron's Titanic--it's nice as its own story, but it sucks that it has to happen at that place and at that time. So, all these intrigues and most of this plot could have taken place on dry land it what I'm saying, and the Titanic itself can be left to itself.

Turns out that, in the end, this wasn't as complimentary a combination as I was first hoping for.

What a lovely historical fiction novel! I am usually a bit wary about reading books regarding the Titanic because I know it will be a heart wrencher, but the synopsis was so intriguing! I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-perspective approach to the narrations; moreover, the two timelines weaved together quite nicely. Ava is a fantastic character! The intertwining of history, psychology, conspiracy...it was so well done!

There were some elements that seemed randomly placed. For example, Tay's roommate Dalia comes in at one point and just magically seemed to know certain things. In addition, the sinking of the Titanic seemed a bit rushed. Despite that, the scene that followed the devastation of the Titanic sinking seemed a bit comical after following a scene so traumatic.

Intrigued by the promise of historical fiction set aboard the Titanic, I was eager to pick this book up! Told by jumping between 2 narratives - Taylor in the present day and Ava in 1912 - it follows 2 women trying come to terms with the fact that their fathers aren't what they would have hoped.

The present day story dragged and I found it hard to push through them. However, it was almost worth it for Ava's chapters, which were fast paced and engaging, particularly when it came to the tragedy of the sinking ship. I would be inclined to cut Taylor out entirely - with just Ava this would have been a dramatic and gripping story!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was cover-love at first sight and the promise of a mystery and the Titanic drew me in and didn't let me go. I loved how the author sprinkled well-known historical figures on the pages to make the book, and history, come alive. I feel like Cowles totally captured the incredulity the passengers must have faced after the unsinkable ship struck the iceberg.. With the commentary on our faith in progress, the ties to present day--our disbelief faced with tragedy--are super strong.

I also really enjoyed the plot threads of Spiritualism and Psychology. The beginning of the century was absolutely fascinating in terms of science, technology, and the potential of beyond the realm.

The slow-burn romance was super sweet and the character arcs of Ava and Mae were well-done. I wasn't sure I liked Ava at first but the more I got to know her, and the more she got to know herself, I was hooked. Mae's identity was a fun surprise and along with Taylor, I couldn't figure out how her story meshed with the Knight family but it all made sense in the end.

Well-researched historical YA with a spooky English manor mystery.