Book Review: The Rose Legacy by Kristen Heitzmann

"Carina stared, unbelieving. Unlike the illustrations in the travel guide, Crystal was a stubbled wound in the ripped and quarried mountainside. A scar, a disfigurement. She felt the injury as to herself. How could this be the place of her dreams? The diamond - it was flawed, crushed, fouled. She felt the greed ooze from the shafts and diggings, the infection that had taken hold and was boring into the mountain's heart.

She felt stripped, like the very slopes. This . . . ugliness . . . was not what had brought her a thousand miles from Sonoma, California. What was I thinking? This was not a place of dreams. It was a nightmare. And for the first time, she questioned her good sense." The Rose Legacy, pg 16.

The Rose Legacy is book one in the Diamond of the Rockies series.

Carina Maria DiGratia leaves her beautiful home in Sonoma, California for the promise of a new life in wonderful Crystal, Colorado. She has studied the travel guides, purchased a house and packed her few belongings to make the trip. She is ready to start a new life, but is not prepared for the hardships that she is about to face. A busted wheel on the narrow road leading up to Crystal causes Carina to lose most of her earthly possession. Things get worse when she finds the house that she paid for, has been taken over by some of the city's rough element. Carina finds herself caught between two men, opposing forces, who both want her help to ruin the other. Can she figure out who is telling her the truth before things get out of hand? Will her Flavio follow her over the mountain and reclaim her as his own? Why does a deserted mine keep drawing her up the mountain?

The Rose Legacy is a story of faith and forgiveness. Heitzmann's plot and characters drew me into the story. I couldn't put the book down. I look forward to reading the second book (Sweet Boundless) in the near future! I would definitely recommend this book.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of reviewing.)