Falling Roses
By Rosemarie Piemonte
Author House
Romantic Thriller
June 2005
ISBN: 1-4208-3852-0
A drunk driver nearly claims the life of 14-year-old Gabrielle "Bobbie" Newtonendie. She awakens from a coma to find Johnny Ravolie, lead singer from her favorite band Ra'vole at her bedside. His girlfriend Bernadette rudely announces in the hallway that it was all part of a rigged publicity stunt to show Johnny's continued support for young burn victims in the hospital rather than his concern for Bobbie. Yet, Johnny isn't backing away and is determined to help her with or without Bernadette's approval.
Shortly after being discharged from the hospital Bobbie learns that she has been launched into celebrity status because of Johnny's interest in her. She also finds support in a new friend, Nina, a Goth-like girl her age who was also a patient at the hospital.
Through persuasion, Johnny convinces Bobbie's parents that he'll pay for her college education if they allow him to be her legal guardian when she moves with him to New York. They agree and soon Bobbie is thrust out of her innocent life and into a rock 'n roll existence complete with parties, learning the production and promotional end of the industry and finding friends who would put their lives on the line to protect her. Why? Because Bernadette isn’t really Johnny's girlfriend. She's a dangerous stalker bent on controlling every element of his life. Now that Johnny is falling hard for Bobbie, Bernadette has one thing in mind and it literally affects the lives of everyone who care for both Bobbie and Johnny.
FALLING ROSES is not a fantasy existence dreamed up by a young girl deeply in love. It’s a nightmare reality of what happens when a stalker becomes a parasite and has the means to achieve her goals. The storyline leads the reader on a roller coaster ride where every twist and turn in Johnny and Bobbie's life leads to danger. And one asks, will it ever end? Will they find peace?
Four and a half explosives out of five
©Denise Fleischer, gottawritenetwork.com
September 4, 2006
