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)

What happened to the language?

What did you like best about Sonoma Rose? What did you like least?

I enjoyed listening to Sonoma Rose as I have all of the Elm Creek Quilter series. It has an interesting plot line and keeps you turning the pages. However Ms. Chiaverini has decided to add offensive language in the style of so many other books today. This saddens me because I have always enjoyed her books and felt safe reading them because I knew she wasn't going to throw offensive words in my face as I read. I would recommend her other books in the series but not this one because of the language and the immorality that was presented in a positive light.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed learning about the California wine industry, especially the care of the vineyards, and how proabition put these families livlihoods in jeopordy. She presented the moral tension between keeping this new law and feeding your family very well.

What does Christina Moore bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She is a good narrator and does voices wonderfully.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

I don't know. I wouldn't like the message it would send that immorality is justified by the circumstances.

Any additional comments?

I love the Elm Creek Quilter series and am hoping she will write a book telling us what happened to Elizabeth. Why did she stop writing to Sylvia?

Disappointed !!!! Cuss words are unnecessary !!!!!

It's one thing to here Cuss words in a public place or the work place.It's makes a differents in what buy and invite into your home.I've always enjoyed Jennifer's books!!! I always enjoyed the fact that I could share them with my daughters and granddaughters,but if
Jennifer's characters has to use foul words to express themselves I'll have to choose another
author!!!! I've loved her Quilt book series! Love Christina Moore! Good story! HATE foul language!!!!! Yes,disappointed that she had to go with the language!!

Not my favorite Elm Creeks Quilts novel

What did you like best about Sonoma Rose? What did you like least?

I enjoyed the history and the description of setting very much. I got tired of the character, Rosa; while she is protrayed as a strong female character, you never really see her get angry. She thinks fast and puts her children first but other than that, I see her as very passive and got tired of hearing her voice.

What about Christina Moore’s performance did you like?

Christina Moore does a good job with the characters, and showing their emotions the way she does helps the reader to actually feel the way they do.

Was Sonoma Rose worth the listening time?

I'm about half-way through and very bored with it. I haven't decided if I want to finish or not. I have always enjoyed Jennifer Chiaverini's novels so probably should see it through to the end.

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!

Another moronic, narcissistic lead character.....

.....with the added bonus of foul language and immoral relationships. I'm not enjoying the direction the quilt series has gone in. I feel as though the author has pulled a bait and switch with me. After slogging through the Hawaii quilt book, I figured it was a one-off and the books would return to their earlier charm and readability. Not so. Ms. Chiaverini is just another author reaching for the lowest common denominator = trashy novels. I'll not be reading anymore, and I'll return the books in the series that I've already purchased for a refund. Good riddance to rotten refuse.

Great story

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

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.

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.

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.

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.