This is book which deals with the issue of Munchausen syndrome by proxy - but with a twist (or few)! The story is told from the two main characters, Rose Gold and her mother, Patty. For eighteen years Rose Gold was led to believe that she was ill, far too ill to ever experience and enjoy life in the way others of her age had. The story begins with her mother being released from prison, having served her time for what she had done to Rose Gold over the years. Rose Gold now has a child of her own and takes her mother in to live with them as she begins to try and build, what her mother believes, are bridges between them both. The story is told from the viewpoint of each of these characters, jumping from the 'Then' and 'now' to help us piece together events that have previously happened, leading up to her mother's arrest, and to the present day. However, things may not appear to be as they seem. We learn from the events how her mother's actions over the years have left Rose Gold scarred, emotionally and mentally in many ways, in particular with her desire to be part of a loving family unit. We feel a real empathy for Rose Gold for what she has been subjected to and how unnecessarily miserable her mother made her as she grew up. However, as the past story and current day events unfold we begin to realise that Rose Gold is not a force to be reckoned with. Although I found the book could have been slightly pacier at times, the twists and turns of the book kept me drawn in, wanting to know more and how this would end between Rose Gold and her mother. A plot with twists I never saw coming that will keep you wanting to read more and try and find out the real relationship between Rose Gold and her mother. I would most definitely recommend. My thanks go out to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this.

Wow what a story about 2 really messed up people. Very twisted, unusual and readable, I read it very quickly. Highly recommend.

This is a good one - twisty and dark and compelling. Rose Gold Watts has been sick all her life, cared for by her saintly mother Patty. Until it turns out that, actually, Patty had been poisoning her daughter all along, fooling her and her doctors into thinking she was seriously ill. There have been a few novels and TV programmes in recent years exploring this sort of Munchausen-by-proxy sort of situation, so I thought I know what to expect from this book - but it’s really different.

The book opens several years after the whole situation was exposed, with Patty coming to the end of her prison sentence and Rose Gold still trying to adjust to her new life. As the mother and daughter try to rebuild their relationship, the reader gradually realises that each of them has an ulterior motive.

The characters are delightfully complex and, as each is given the chance to narrate in the first person, the reader gets a great look inside their minds. It makes for a great exploration of the themes of forgiveness, anger, and what it means to be a victim.

This was another book which I read the first few chapters of one night, then never went back to it. I’m sure it will entertain lots of people, the storyline just didn’t keep me hooked.

This is a twisted disturbing story with lots of twists and turns.I recommend this book . Read it in one sitting

A fantastic thriller. I loved that twist ending and the different changing points of view. Really great thriller looking forward to more from this author

An unusual thriller/mystery. A case of Münchausen syndrome by proxy which goes undetected for almost 20 years. Patty is found out and eventually released from prison but how will her daughter Rose Gold react? Not how you would expect. A thriller come mystery with lots of twists and turns that deserves a 5 star rating.

This is a really twisted story. I am still trying to think if I enjoyed it. Rose and Patty both have a lot of issues and the story that unravels is jaw dropping in places. This book will stay in my head for a while.


Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

What did I just read? I felt like I was watching a deadly game of chess between Lucifer and Beelzebub, or more correctly as the protagonists are women, Mazikeen and Lilith, as they move around the board trying to outsmart each other and achieve checkmate. This book isn’t just dark, it’s downright jet black!

This fast paced and beyond twisty psychological thriller features mother Patty Watts and her daughter Rose Gold Watts. Patty serves a five year jail sentence for the child abuse of Rose Gold in a case of what you assume is similar to Munchausen syndrome by proxy although this is never mentioned in the book. On her release from prison, Rose Gold collects Patty from prison, accompanied by her baby son Adam and what ensues is a deadly battle of manipulation and control to see who can outsmart the other. You have no idea who will win, who is in control at any given moment, who is innocent, who is guilty and which one is the victim. Before Patty goes to prison it appears that Rose Gold is the victim but during her mothers incarceration she learns to fend for herself and stand on her own two feet. . The story is told from each perspective with Rose telling her side from November 2012 to now. The storylines blend and flow effortlessly and the plotting is fast paced.

I like that Rose Gold doesn’t just develop a spine she becomes titanium as she tries to out manipulate the mistress of manipulation. They engage in a battle for survival and at times it felt like a deadly game of verbal tennis as the two lock horns. Frankly, they should both sprout horns, preferably in neon, as advance warning to any unfortunate soul who crosses their path. I’ll admit to finding some of their repartee and antics darkly funny, in the same way that you know you shouldn’t be laughing at Villanelle in Killing Eve. And those teeth! Oh boy, those teeth (Rose Gold’s teeth were badly damaged by vomiting during the abuse years) they became like weapons in themselves. Yuk, what an image.

Although I think this is a terrific read, there are some plot holes (some are a bit lunar crater size quite honestly) and without giving anything away, one of my reservations lies with exactly how Rose Gold managed to achieve what she did given the only finance coming in is from a job at Gadget World store. However, equally honestly, I find that I don’t really mind about this as it is such an amazing, twisty read.

Overall, this revengeful clash of manipulative titans is a fantastic read. It is beyond chilling at times, there are some seriously eye popping moments, some instances where one or the other is downright cruel and the end is positively jaw dropping. Mine hit the deck with a thud. None of the characters are remotely likeable, some of the plotting stretches credulity on occasion but that doesn’t matter as it is an unputdownable read. Highly recommended.

Massive thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph.

Wow.

What an intense and deeply disturbing read that gives you an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Staring with a mothers release from prison after serving a 5 year sentence (is that seriously long enough for the offence she committed?!) for aggravated child abuse you know that this isn't going to be a rainbows and unicorns kind of novel. We then go backwards in time 5 years to meet the daughter and victim of this torrid stream of abuse and how she is surviving now free of her controlling and abusive mother. You begin feeling angry about the injustice she has severed and devastated for the childhood she has lost but as the book progresses you start to get niggling doubts about how sorry you should actually feel for her.

I loved this dark and twisted tale and found myself getting overly involved in the book, I was reminding myself that they had both suffered years of abuse so its no wonder that they were both bat shit crazy to then remember it was fictional!

This is without doubt going to be huge next year and I cant wait!

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin UK for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an incredible book. It's smart, different and hooks you in from the very onset. It deals with two very damaged individuals involving a mother and daughter. I loved reading the two different view points and how the characters really show their colours as the story develops on. This is a completely fresh story and I was sucked in from the very start. Beautifully written with lots of dark undertones woven underneath it all. Brilliant.

This is a story about revenge and retribution, one that is so dark and shockingly twisty it will make your head spin!

Rose Golds childhood was nothing but illness and hospitals, everyone believed Rose was a seriously poorly child. That is until Rose speaks up and tells the world what was really wrong with her.

Nothing!

Rose’s mother, Patty Watts is convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for child abuse in the form of Munchausen by Proxy for the poisoning her daughter Rose Gold for the majority of her life. And now those five years are up.

After a reconciliation between mother and daughter Rose decideds to let her mother move in and live with her and her own son once Patty is released from prison. But after years of torture by her own mother is Rose really able to forgive her mother? Can Patty be trusted around her grandson? Is Rose Gold as innocent as people think, does she have a hidden agenda?

Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling…And she’s waited such a long time for her mother to come home.

Flipping flawlessly between past and present and told between alternating POVs, Patty and her daughter this is a fast paced read with a unique plot that throws up as many questions as it does answers and has you questioning the reliability of both narrators.

This is one seriously complicated mother-daughter relationship, both of which are completely unlikeable at times, complex, twisted and deeply flawed characters that will have you shifting sympathy from one to the other as details are revealed.

The use of the flashbacks was effective because it unravelled another layer of the plot to an already emotional roller coaster of a read. Nothing is ever black and white and things may not always be what they seem.

This would make a great book for a book club as there are so many layers to this story it will certainly give you a lot to talk about.

Dark, disturbing, compelling and utterly brilliant.

The Recovery of Rose Gold will be published on 19 March 2020 but is available for pre-order now.

Trust me, this book is worth the wait!

Pre-order it now for Amazon UK or Waterstones

A big thank you to the author Stephanie Wrobel, publishers Penguin UK – Michael Joseph and NetGalley for my advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest and independent review.

A great read with an interesting narrative plot. A connectable set of protagonists which will engage all readers. A recommended read.

The Recovery Of Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
Thanks @netgalley @stephaniewrobel @penguinukbooks for my ARC
Publication date 19th March 2020
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OH MY GOODNESS this book was absolutley insane but I could not stop reading it. The story is told by two characters, mother and daughter over a five year time line. This book was very clever but also crazy and a little disturbing. I don't want to say anything else as I went into this book a little blind and I think this was the best way. It certainly guaranteed more shocks. Fantastic! xxxxx

Wow this was an emotional roller coaster. I am sure this will be a best seller. The premise is so intriguing and wasn’t sure how I would feel in the same situation. Gripped from page 1

A really warped and interesting thriller that keeps you guessing. Your mind flicks between what / who you think is right / wrong, the book is well paced and easy to devour in one sitting.

The twist at the end was very good (I did not see it coming) but I felt the author could have drawn it out further - only because I enjoyed it so much. Everything got wrapped up really quickly and I’d have loved to read more about Rose Gold’s twisted plot.

4 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, Stephanie Wrobel and Penguin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me a while to get into, and although I didn't dislike it, I didn't particularly enjoy it, either.
I couldn't decide who was telling the truth - the sick daughter, or her mother, accused of poisoning her.
The fact that Rose Gold allowed her mother to come and live with her, when she was released from prison, amazed me. But then the revenge started to become obvious. Two twisted individuals, playing cat and mouse with each other.
But I didn't see that ending coming.

The Recovery of Rose Gold is a real twister. It's told from the points of view of mum Patty Watts who has gone to prison for maintaining for years that her daughter Rose Gold is severely ill. This story is a case of Munchausen syndrome but with a real difference.

When Patty is released from prison she is offered a home and rehabilitation by Rose Gold who has recently given birth to a son, Adam. While Rose Gold works at her dead-end job Patty looks after Adam.

Which narrator to believe? I disliked both characters but had to follow their journey. Unlike many other psychological thrillers The Recovery of Rose Gold has an excellent twist at the end that I defy readers to guess. A dark read but highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and PenguinUK/Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Dark and oh so twisted! This is the story of a power game between mother and daughter - each messed up and evil in her own way. Chapters from each point of view alternate and I found myself immersed in each voice, not sure whose side was true. I really enjoyed this one and found it hard to put down.

This story is seriously messed up! "The Recovery Of Rose Gold" is a dark, creepy, twisted tale which explores Munchausen's-by-Proxy, toxic relationships and the far-reaching effects of childhood abuse. I found it to be a quick, engaging read with a satisfactory conclusion.