Ashley Clark’s third installment in the Heirloom Secrets series, a dual-narrative historical novel, intertwines the lives of two women bonded by loss and a hidden language of flowers. The suspenseful story flips between post-Katrina New Orleans and Civil War-era Charleston, focusing on Alice, a florist who stumbles upon an embroidered mystery, and Clara, a Confederate general’s daughter, turned abolitionist spy. The women, separated by centuries, share a common determination and depth of spirit as they face challenges including slavery, societal prejudices, and personal demons.

The novel shines with its well-crafted female protagonists, both embodiments of resilience and faith. The historical fabric of the narrative, particularly Clara’s journey, is richly woven, though sometimes strays into territory that feels less authentic, with modern sensibilities occasionally seeping into a past setting. The contemporary storyline, while integral, leans towards the sentimental, veering into territory that might remind one of a formulaic TV movie.

Readers may find that knowledge of the previous books in the trilogy would enhance the experience. Despite a few stumbles, the book offers a heartfelt look at the enduring human spirit and the timeless nature of love and courage. 3 stars.

** Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this novel. The opinions are my own.

Yet again Clark gives us a story that we cannot tear away from. Where the Last Rose Blooms is a stunning novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the Heirloom Secrets series. I would like to read these three books a little closer together that I did so that I could see how all the characters intermingled throughout the books.
In this dual timeline story, Clara and Rise work as spies in the beginning of the Civil War in 1861 and Alice fights her own fears in the present day. Alice's mother has disappeared during Hurricane Katrina. Why? That is the answer the book seeks to answer. Is her mother still alive or isn't she?
"Blaming yourself will do no good. You can't look forward with your heard turned over your shoulder."
On shifting away from "rosy platitudes that are quite honestly easier to say than the alternative-the hard work of keeping our hearts open in the pain. Recognizing that God is with use, whether or not He calms the waves."
These were two quotes that caught my attention as I read the book and I think they are so true.
I really enjoyed this series and want to reread them all again.
I received this book from Bethany House via NetGalley and was not required to leave a positive review.

I have enjoyed this series and learning more about Charleston! This book was a satisfying conclusion, with being set in modern day and during the Civil War, bringing the series full circle.

A split-time fiction that brings history to life and gives the reader a tale they'll still think about days after they reach THE END. While this is the third book in this series, it can be read as a standalone, though the experience will be richer for having experienced all three. I loved Clara's story, and her determination. And I had a good laugh with Alice in her opening scenes. These two women understand heartache and will do whatever they can to help make the world a brighter place.
A heart-warming read.

Where The Last Rose Blooms
(Heirloom Secrets Book 3)
Ashley Clarke

Rating 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Review

Ashley Clarke was the first author who made me enjoy contemporary romance with a historical background, and she's continuously done so and this book was another amazing book from her!

We know that things and houses even gets blown away and disappear during hurricanes but Alice our MC loses her mother to the humongous hurricane Katrina. She owns a flower shop alongside her aunt and has a successful business, one fine V-day after a man who gets a bouquet the very last minute for his Valentine and ending up as a blind date to him their paths cross but that isn't the end they both have history to dig up and puzzle pieces to put together! Will they find it all?

In the historic setting of Charleston in the eighteen hundreds Clara the daughter of the man who's very much involved with the Confederacy she holds alliance with the abolitionists, while secretly passing the important tidbits through needlework they have to race against time to get the news and also not get caught in the process but things get intriguing when Clara falls in love but not with the man whom her father has made as her fiance!

This book was so gripping and intense, it had moments that I was literally holding my breath and places that took my breath away with the beautiful moments, the writing is flawless because it is Ashley Clarke and you can expect nothing less from her! The plot is built really well based on the historic town of Charleston which Ashley ADORES and the characters in her books are all somehow connected and have grown roots in Charleston which makes it all the more special, the cover is GORGEOUS and the title is very relevant to the book! Overall a book that I'd definitely re read!

this book is the 3rd (last) in the heirloom secret series.

the story goes back and forth from the modern time to time in history with 160 years spanning the lives of two women. having not read the first two in the series, i think i was missing some information of what had happened prior and had a harder time getting into the story.

i liked that mental illness awareness was a part of the story. i don't always see that in books i read and so important.

i ending seemed to just stop and leave a lot to the imagination of how things end. seems like there should be another book in the series, or different ending.

*i received this book for free from net galley in exchange for my review.

Beautifully written - the plot, the characters, the scenes. It’s a clean, historical fiction that I would recommend for anyone who enjoys that genre.

A wonderful story that has captured my attention from the beginning to end
This book will make you want to laugh and cry at the same time in many places but yet at the same time offer hope if that's possible among the many events that has happened in this book.
I enjoyed learning the many things that this book offered that school doesn't teach you like the flowers. The term floriography (flowers) is perfect example.
I really admired Clara for her decision making that couldn't have been easy.
The faith that was displayed in this story gets an automatic 5 star. Keeping the sure isn't easy but the reward is the greatest in the end for all of us.
This author has done her research well.
It was a very good story and one I couldn't put down until the end.
Well done! I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Great finale to the series! Favorite quote: “We don’t have to “fix” our circumstances or our feelings to rest in His faithfulness—and sometimes, admitting doubt and fear and struggle can be the loudest witness to His grace.” Amen!

This is a beautifully written book and final in the series. It can also be read as a stand alone if you’d like. Set in New Orleans and Charleston it deals with some hard topics but the author does a really good job handling them. The theme of Hope and faith can be seen within the pages. Definitely recommend the book and anything this author writes I will be reading! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.

This well written, dual timeline novel drew me into the turbulent Civil War era and modern day New Orleans. It examined the plight of slaves and those fighting for their freedom. It also examined mental illness and the ways it can disrupt families.

Reading about the life and experiences of a slave woman and what she had to endure at the hands and minds of slave owners was both sobering and troubling…as well it should be. I was greatly encouraged by the bravery of good folks who were willing to take risks and give up their own comfort, so that the enslaved could experience freedom.

I loved learning about Floriography, the language of flowers. Every flower was associated with its own unique meaning. Flowers and images of flowers had been used to convey secret messages to the recipient. During the abolitionist movement, being able to secretly communicate was necessary. I was so impressed with this clever tool of espionage!

It is quite impossible to change history, however your power lies in the ability and freedom to choose to do the next right thing. I loved Clara’s bravery as she was called upon to make many difficult choices.

I loved Alice’s faith journey. As she walked through brokenness, abandonment and pain, she walked toward understanding, new hope and healing.

Ultimately, this was a story of hope, a lovely story of hope.

I received complimentary copies of this book from Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Where the Last Rose Blooms
by Ashley Clark
Pub Date: February 1, 2022
Bethany House
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Our library readers enjoy Bethany House publishers, but this is a new author for me. I watched Ashley on a webinar by Bethany House/Libby and it was great to meet her. I will be searching for her books now.
Alice runs a New Orleans flower shop alongside her aunt, but thoughts of her mother, who went missing during Hurricane Katrina, are never far from her mind. After getting off on the wrong foot with a man who comes to the shop, Alice soon realizes their worlds overlap--and the answers they both seek can be found in the same place.

In 1861 Charleston, Clara is an abolitionist, unbeknownst to her father, who is heavily involved with the Confederacy. She attempts to assist an enslaved woman reunite with her daughter, and a dashing Union spy is just the person to help them. But things go very wrong when Clara agrees to aid the Northern cause by ferrying information about her father's associates--and her own fiancé.

Faced with the unknown, both women across the years will have to dig deep to let their courage bloom.
I enjoyed this book! 4 stars

Reaching the final pages in this book was very bittersweet. I loved the story, but was sad to come to the end of the series.
I love how the red cloche hat still makes an occasional appearance in this book.
But this story is about Alice and Sullivan. That is, the modern day portion of it.
In the past, we read about Clara, Rose, and Ashley. And finally get some answers.
You see, they all are tied together. The final bits and pieces of this puzzle are revealed slowly, one page at a time.
Alice is determined to solve the mystery from so long ago. She is a florist, and loves all things flowers, and is thrilled when she finds a code in some old needlepoint pieces.
Alice is also trying to solve the mystery of her mom's disappearance. She hadn't seen her since Hurricane Katrina. It was easier for her to finally, if only in her mind, consider it likely that her mom died during that terrible catastrophe. But, she does want closure, so she decides to seek for answers, no matter how painful.

This book is lovely. It is hard, and faces some difficult and painful things. But it all comes together at the end, becoming a beautiful masterpiece.
I highly recommend this book, as well as the two previous books in this series.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Where the Last Rose Blooms by Ashley Clark is a beautiful finale to an amazing series. This is a split-time book that is linked to the previous two stories in the Heirloom Secrets Series but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone.

Penned in gorgeous prose with an illuminating plot, Where the Last Rose Blooms enchants the reader with an authentic message of hope and faith. Both eras (civil war and contemporary) are wonderfully portrayed, giving a vivid picture of how love overcomes even the toughest odds. Highly Recommended.

I’m a huge fan of this author and can’t wait for her next book.

*I received a copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

"It was such a treat to revisit friends from the Heirloom Secrets series and meet new ones in Where the Last Rose Blooms! It's bittersweet the series has concluded, but so good to have a satisfying ending for Rose's story.

My favorite aspect of this book was the clever method Clara and Rose employed to spy and transmit their messages. And especially how that came into play at the end. Wow! Though there wasn't a big focus on the Civil War, I felt that I learned new things about that time in South Carolina and enjoyed the other historical aspects.

Alice and Sullivan were delightful, as well. Their initial meeting and the way the horrible first impression he made became a joke between them just made me smile. Over and over, Alice's grief from the loss of her mother when she was little had colored her life with sadness. Her search for resolution and closure was touching.

Alice's loss had caused her to question God's love for her. After all, if God answered other people's prayers and not hers, what further conclusion could she make? Her journey to understanding led her to new and essential truths about God's nature.

Readers who enjoy a mesh of historical and contemporary fiction, solemn and yet filled with hope and glimpses of light-heartedness will want to read this lovely series!


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own."

Where the Last Rose Blooms is the third and final installment in the Heirloom Secrets series. While I do think this could be enjoyed okay as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading the series in order.

I must admit that while I enjoy historical fiction, I find that personally stories set during the Civil War don't tend to be my favorite, and I often struggle to get into them. Likewise, I can be rather picky about dual timeline novels as well. Had I not fallen in love with the previous books in this series, I might have skipped over this one for those reasons alone... Still, I didn't expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did, but I found myself unable to put it down. Ashley Clark does such a wonderful job of weaving together past and present to create a heartwarming story that you cannot help but be drawn into. It offers just the right amount of mystery with bits of the story being revealed slowly throughout to keep me wanting more and more. History, faith, mystery and romance... this story truly does have it all.

If you enjoy historical fiction, this is absolutely one not to be missed.

** I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

This was a good, emotional story. I especially loved how the author so exquisitely wove in details from the previous two books. Those included the red cloche, butterfly buttons, a silver spoon, Eliza’s house and garden, and bits of embroidery.

The attention to detail was mostly great, though I did find out in the author’s note that dates had been “adjusted.” Why cannot authors adjust their own book timelines to fit that of historical timelines? This has always seemed so backwards to me that we adjust the truth to meet our fiction rather than adjusting our fiction to meet the truth of reality. This is a huge pet peeve for me.

I loved the blind date thing! I don’t often see this trope written well, but it was done practically perfectly here. In fact, I think this might be my favorite blind date story right now, despite the aforementioned historical accuracy thing.

I’m not sure why there was one rogue comment about a leading lady wanting to be rid of her corset. That trope is so tired and worn out by now. May I have something new and fresh next time please?

Overall, this series that conquers racism with love and compassion was fantastic and encouraging. It was tough to read about the racism at times, because I do not think in those terms, but I must say that the author wrote it very well and with such deep heart that these stories have resonated beautifully.

Content: tobacco mentioned, one profane word

This is a beautiful, moving conclusion to the Heirloom Secrets series! Ashley Clark has written another enchanting dual-timeline story, weaving threads from heroines in the 1860s and the present day into a work of literary art. Where the Last Rose Blooms completes the historical storyline that began at the beginning of the series, and brings our attention to Alice in the modern day. Readers will delight in the rich historical detail and the intricate way the characters and plots of all three books come together to create a beautiful story of heartbreak, hope, and courage. Exquisitely written, this novel will be enjoyed by fans of Southern fiction, historical fiction, and contemporary romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5🌟

This book right here is an example of how much historical fiction can be filled with brilliance!

"It's in the waters, in the wading, that healing comes."

Oh the heaviness, love, and faith I felt through the pages were so worth it, The writing style was so good the characters vividly pulled into the picture for me

It took me a solid of 70 pages to understand everything and get invested but when I was in, I couldn't stop, I love how faith played a real role in the book 🥺❤

I really can't get how to explain so many characters because there are many 😬

How Clara's story bought together centuries of families is beautiful, the heartbreakingly courageous things they had gone through, the love we put in little acts the brave things love makes us do, and Standing for the Right Thing when everything is failing/falling/too comfortable to move made me want to stand up more for truth and speak for who can't

How Rose and Ashley went through such pain, how Clara and Teddy fell in love, how she stood for truth, How Alice and Sullivan fell in love, how flowers were used during the war to code message beguiled me so much!!
The struggles each person went through with their faith and loving God and trusting Him are still relatable

Fairly though it took me a good chunk of the book and a fair amount of time to really understand what's going on and who's who and what are their relations 😂😂
I was Soo confused 😅

But it was worth the read, it was slow-paced and a bit dragging but also intriguing 😂lol I know that's just that way, I think this was one of the longest times I took to complete reading a book

Anyways!! I would recommend this book to all Christian fiction, Historical fiction, and split time Romance Readers 💗

Can't wait to hear more of your thoughts, let me know if any of you are picking it 😄
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"I've been survivin' so long, I'm not sure I would recognize fear if I felt it. Fear is a privilege for those with hope on the horizon." - Rose

"That rose, transplanted and broken, giving beauty to this ground. The dirt and the seed, the flood, and the flame, all writing a story of where we belong. Where roses grow, bur more than that. Where roses bloom and where life - full and glorious at is crescendo finds meaning over and over again."





* Thanks to the Author and Publishers for a free ARC