Sonoma Rose

By: Jennifer Chiaverini

Narrated by: Christina Moore

Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Chiaverini’s delightful Elm Creek Quilts series features strong women who face life head-on and chronicle their triumphs and tragedies in elaborate quilts. Here, listeners meet Rosa Diaz Barclay, a woman fighting for her family’s survival in Prohibition-era Southern California.

©2012 Jennifer Chiaverini (P)2012 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

“Jennifer Chiaverini’s strength is not only writing strong female characters, but also placing them in interesting lives and times.” ( New York Review of Books)

Great Story

I inked the strength that Rosa ends up having and how smart she is to get rid of the unwanted men who continually show up in her life. Did they really know back then what the disease of being allergic to wheat gluten was? It seemed like a modern day illness dropped into this story.

One of the best Chiaverini Books

This was one my favorite of the many Jennifer Chiaverini stories. She brings the characters to life and makes me feel what they feel and wish for what they wish for. The narration by Christina Moore, as always, is perfect and really compliments the story. I love how the "quilt" theme is somehow always entwined in every one of her stories. I love listening to them as I am working in my sewing room and creating my own works of art!

Good story for time period

What did you love best about Sonoma Rose?

It opened up the time during prohibition for me. I never thought about how some those lives might be affected by government decisions into morality.

The total difference between this and the other quilters’ stories.

At first I disliked this book intensely; the violence and cruelty was totally off putting. But— I stuck with it, and it did turn around.
I just wish there had been more about Elizabeth and her husband.

Quilts and Wine Country!

If you could sum up Sonoma Rose in three words, what would they be?

Historical, Loving, Real

What other book might you compare Sonoma Rose to and why?

Mary Coin - Part of the two stories take place at the same time and even in similar areas of California. Both books deal with strong women who love their families and are not afraid to work hard.

Have you listened to any of Christina Moore’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to many of her performances and find her a good reader. She gives each character a voice that one can recognize throughout the story.

If you could take any character from Sonoma Rose out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Rosa/Rose for sure. Her life was hard and she paid dearly for early mistakes.

Any additional comments?

I don't know what "cuss words" other readers are talking about. I never heard one and I listened to the entire book!

Great story

Loved everything about this book. Different from other
Chiaverini quilt stories. Great characters and great narrator

fit in well with other Elm Creek novels

What did you love best about Sonoma Rose?

The pleasant pace and feel that is present in all Elm Creek novels.

What did you like best about this story?

The tie in with other Elm Creek characters.

Have you listened to any of Christina Moore’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't know.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not extreme, but it did both.

Sonoma Rose

Where does Sonoma Rose rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

I couldn't put this book down! This book was wonderful. It only took me 2 days to finish.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sonoma Rose?

The flood and the two kids that were sick.

Which scene was your favorite?

The kids getting better after they got away from her abusive husband.

Who was the most memorable character of Sonoma Rose and why?

Rose, Lars Jorgensen

the writing was very transporting

What did you love best about Sonoma Rose?

Being taken back in time to a point in our history that was hard to imagine

Any additional comments?

As with all the authors books she does an excellent job taking you places and telling a human tell that you can picture happen in real life.

Good look at the time/place

I found myself searching the internet when I finished reading this book -- I was that convinced that Rose/Rosa and Lars/Nils and John Barclay must be real people who lived through prohibition in California wine country.

Ms Chiaverini did a wonderful job of research for this fascinating story. I'll read this again...
And enjoy it again.