The Wild Roses by D B Carter

 I was keen to participate on the blog tour for D B Carter's latest novel, The Wild Roses. You can read my review of his distinctive novel, The Cherries here.

 

Three friendships torn apart by one chance meeting.By autumn 1984 Sharon and Pip are in their final years of school and on the verge of adulthood. Best friends for as long as they can remember, the two young women befriend their badly bullied schoolmate, Gavin. Their futures are bright until a chance meeting leads to a path of corruption, anger and malicious betrayal. Sometimes, when we can’t rely on those we love, our only hope is in the kindness of strangers.All three teens are driven from their homes to follow very different paths. They face dark times of heartbreak and new temptations.But there may be ways out and better futures, if they are willing to take risks. What will they choose, and will they ever see each other again?The Wild Roses is a coming-of-age drama for all ages that speaks honestly of love, loss, jealousy, coercion and self-discovery.

My Thoughts

 This is a complicated book which takes a look at three different characters and sees how their lives pan out after chance events and poor choices take over. Set in the 1980's, you get a flavour of the era through the details of everyday life. There are also some serious issues woven throughout. Bullying amongst children and adults, sexual harassment, domestic violence, drugs, bereavement are all in the mix. 

    The three major characters are quite a contrast. Gavin turns out to have hidden depths. You know from the beginning that Sharon has an unsympathetic side, to put it mildly. Pip, on the other hand, seems to be her antithesis. You always root for her but all does not go smoothly and she meets some pretty nasty characters. Of course, luckily, she also meets some pretty nice ones. I would have liked her story with Theo to have been more fully described but that is a minor point. With a distinctive style and a densely packed narrative, this is an enjoyable read.

In short: Three characters- three destinies.

About the Author

D B Carter writes contemporary drama and romance novels, dealing with difficult subjects as well has happier themes. A son of two painters, he grew up surrounded by art and through that world, he met many interesting characters. Later, he ran his own successful company for over 20 years, before taking up his life-long desire to be a writer.

He lives with his wife of 30 years in rural Devon, England. A lifelong bibliophile, he loves reading classical literature, including Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Thomas Hardy and Anthony Trollope; a childhood of Saturday afternoon black-and-white movies added to his appreciation of sagas and drama.

His world view is, "If we look for the good, we will find it."

You can follow him here: Twitter   |  Facebook

Book link: Amazon UK 

Thanks to DB Carter, Mirador Publishing and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.  

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