Jamie has been spoken to by God. God has told him He will never forsake him. And when the time comes, the Lord gives Jamie strength to do right by Leana, even if he does not love her. But he is trying. He is trying more than ever – and it appears to everyone that he is succeeding, much to Rose’s dismay and heartbreak. Her sister stole what was rightfully hers – her husband! But just when things seem to be working out between Jamie and Leana – right when they fully become one and truly love each other the way they are supposed to – the unthinkable happens.They will never be the same again.____________________________________I’m having a hard time feeling motivated to write this review. It’s a hard book to review when you don’t know if you actually liked the book or not. :/ But I will do my best.I love Leana. From the second half of the first book, she was my favorite character. She had the love for God, the love for Jamie, and the heart to serve others. I was amazed by her character and I wanted to be like her. It was the same in this book. And Jamie…he’s a wonderful man. Put to the test, he will stand by righteousness. That’s what I love about him. But Rose… Ugh. Rose. I really really reallllly did not like Rose in this story. She was selfish, rude, did not hold her tongue, did stupid things throughout the story, and pretty much drove me up the wall. Jamie realizes that he doesn’t love her anymore, and sees this selfishness, but then that “unthinkable” thing happens and… Yah.So, I’m not going to say what happens right here. I’m going to write it below this review, so that whoever wishes to read it can, and those who don’t want to can skip it. What I will say is that I found it to be almost…perverse. It not only made me boil with anger, and made me sick to my stomach, but it was inhumane, and totally unbelievable. The characters believe that the elders in their church are good, Godly men, but the choice they make is anything but Godly.Another thing is this: if you’re going to re-write a Bible story, please please please do it right!!! I don’t mind if you make certain changes as necessary, but if you choose an era to re-write the story in, and the original story is not believable in that time period, then PLEASE don’t use it. It makes no sense at all and it puts the author in a weird situation because then he/she must change the course of the story too much.But there are really amazing things to this story as well. Leana’s character is one that I will always remember, even if I decide never to read these books again. (Once I get the third one in and read a bit more about it, I’ll make a decision on whether or not I like the series and would recommend it.) Leana showed the most incredible peace and kindness and love and all the other fruits of the spirit in an incredibly difficult time in her life (any mother and wife who loves her children and husband would be horrified by what happens in this story). It is a peace that can only come from God. By that, I was amazed. Another great thing about this story is the writing; Higgs knows how to work her words very well. She’s also an easy read. I am not the fastest reader alive, and I am a senior in highschool – and I still found time to read this book in two days plus finish all my school.So would I recommend? I haven’t decided yet. I guess that depends on the outcome of the third book…which I’m not even really excited about reading. I no longer care for the story, only to see what happens in the end. I guess I will just have to see if the story grabs me again. I’m disappointed… SPOILERS! Don’t read if you still want to read the book. However, if you are curious about what I disliked about the book so much, this will give you a good insight before you make the journey yourself…if you decide to do so…Jamie is shocked to hear that he is not actually married to Leana, but to Rose, due to a problem with the records. The Reverend comes to him, explains the dilemma and how everything got mixed up, and tells him there’s a way to fix it all. They must sit before the Session and each person must tell his/her side of the story. Rose says one thing that could possibly be against them; Jamie manages to cover it up well, but when Leana goes in, she believes that Rose has said more, and ends up telling them all about how she loved Jamie and thought maybe he loved her, and went and took Rose’s place in his bed after the marriage ceremony. The reason she does it? Because she wants to be blameless before the Lord. I agree 100% with that; in fact, I respected Leana’s character sososososoooo much more because of it. Her courage amazed me. But it’s what they do after that that makes me cringe. First, they say that Leana must relenquish her place as Mistress McKie, and give that to Rose. Then they take her son and give him to Rose. And then they make her sit in front of the whole church audience for three weeks in a row, with unbound hair and in a simple white dress, and confess her sins. And then they make Rose and Jamie get married not even a month later, if I remember correctly. It is heartless, unthinkable, and totally not Biblical. If a man and woman are married by practice, it doesn’t freaking matter what the record says – change the record! It’s not that important! So basically Jamie, who can do nothing to change this, must go from sleeping with one woman to another in three weeks. No mourning period. No time to wait for God to work on his heart. Nothing. (He ends up getting Rose pregnant, and trying to see the good in their forced marriage…I didn’t feel that he mourned Leana enough. Really, that is a major issue. It seemed out of character for Jamie, and yet, it was good of him to seek peace in the Lord even in trials. It just didn’t seem realistic at all – but the story isn’t really realistic in general…) This deeply bothered me and the only reason why I’m not against recommending this series completely is because the third book may have some sort of redemption… I sincerely hope it does.
Christian fiction? More like alternate Biblical history...Here's the thing. You do not take one of the greatest loves in the Bible (Jacob's love for Rachel) and fictionalize it into a great love story between Leah and Jacob.Biblical fact: Rachel was a shepherdess. This is even what she was doing when Jacob met her. The Bible does not paint her to be a lazy, self-centered, vengeful girl who cares for no one but herself.In this book, Rose (Rachel) is painted to make everyone hate her, but she is the only innocent one. Everyone tells her to lie about the deception of her wedding night when her husband was stolen from her. Jamie (Jacob) comes to love Leeana (Leah) and despise Rose even though the Bible dictates that Jacob never loved Leah and always loved Rachel.If this story wasn't based on truth and the Bible, these author liberties wouldn't bother me. She's made Rose (Rachel) evil, searching out witches and doing spells to win back Jaime's love.You know what the Bible says about Leah? It never mentions her working, but it does mention her weak eyes which sounds like she wasn't good to do much help with anything. But the Bible says that Rachel's profession was a shepherdess. Who exactly is this author basing her characters on? In this trilogy, Leana is the respected hard worker, the best at everything domestic, and the epitome of love while Rose is always trying to put off work so she can flirt with the boys or do something to make herself more beautiful. Honestly, the character dimensions are too flat. Leana is ugly yet loving and Rose is beautiful and selfish - it's way too cliched and unBiblical to boot.I hated the second wedding. It was completely unfair to Rose. Rose had nothing to do with Leana's deception, but Rose continued to pay for it over and over again.The ending did give me some piece of mind since Leana finally shows self-sacrificial love and leaves Rose and Jaime alone - too bad she couldn't do that once they became engaged. My heart finally softened for Leana.I can't understand all these women rooting for Rose's misery and Leana's victory of Jamie's heart. If their sister or best friend slept with their husband on their wedding night, I don't think they'd be rooting for her. If my sister slept with my husband and kept telling me that she loved me, I don't think she'd know what love meant. In this book, Leana's deception is what turns Rose into who she becomes. The funny thing is, Rose doesn't have to be deceptive to get her revenge; just honest.
What do You think about Fair Is The Rose (2004)?
A Christian Historical Romance. Keeps your interest in the 2 sisters and the man they both love. Below are quotes from the book and the summary from the books cover. Second in a Romantic Historical trilogy. This story is loosely based on the Biblical story of Jacob. Quotes from the book “When Leana looked at her, Rose turned away chastened. ‘Twas innocence she saw in her sister’s eyes. And guilt she felt in her own heart. Had her sister wronged her? Or had she wronged her sister? The question pierced her through like the sharpest of knives. Are you sorry, rose? In the privacy of her pew she bowed her head. “Aye,” rose whispered. “And nae,” for that was the truth as well. Forgive me.”Haste ye back to eighteenth-century Scotland, to a pastoral Lowland village where envy and heartache grow thick as the hedgerows. The McBride sisters – bonny, spirited Rose and quiet, gentle Leana – are caught in a desperate situation. Both women have given their hearts to the same handsome cousin, Jamie McKie of Glentrool. He cannot love them both. Or can he? No one is prepared for the shocking turn of events that will test the limits of love and sacrifice.
—Kathryn
The second book in a series by Liz Curtis Higgs. The story unfolds by books rather than chapters. Whence Came a Prince and Grace in Thine Eyes are number 3 & 4 and will complete the story. The characters are well developed and believable. Often I am confused as to whom my sympathies lie when it comes to the sisters, Leana and Rose. I will miss sleep to finish a portion. It is so intriguing. The book is well written and creative. It is not your typical romance. Leana has a quiet nature but at the insistence of her father is Rose's proxy bride on the night of her wedding steals the groom on the slipping into his bed, emotionally binding him to her when she has his baby. Rose the spirited teen, whose mother died in child birth, raised by her sister, deceived by her father and sister now wants Jamie to love her and give her children.
—Darla
"Fair is the Rose" is the second in a three-part series. It's the story of four cousins, two young brothers, and two sisters. Jamie's and Evan's story starts in "Thorn in my Heart" where they vie for control of their father's land. Leanna and Rose McBride yearn for their cousin Jamie's attention, and love triangles emerge in "Fair is the Rose". The series is based on the biblical story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah.This is the fourth book I've read by this author. I love her references to Scotland, the land, the culture,and the unique language. She includes language definitions in the back of the book, and a readers guide that is especially good for bookclubs.I can't wait to read Whence Came a Prince, the last of the series.
—Liz
