Rescuing Rose
Isabel Wolff
Red Dress, Feb 2004, $13.95, 448 pp.
ISBN: 0373250487

As she closes in on forty, advice columnist Rose Costelloe felt lonely until she met Ed. They had an incredible two month courtship that led to marriage. Seven months later Rose is tossing expensive china and other things at Ed as he never could cope with her Agony Aunt career. Considering what Rose does for a vocation, her publicly embarrassing break up does not foster job security.

Adding to her woes is someone seems to be stalking Rose. That unknown person apparently has information that she does not know pertaining to her birth. She is a bit nervous that this individual refuses to come forward, but drops hints. With her finances also in the red, Rose heeds the advice of her friends to share costs with a roommate. Accountant and amateur astronomer aficionado Theo moves in, but soon Rose finds her dreaming of her nerdy mate who seems to desire her too. Will she heed her own advice and go for the heavens with Theo or will she consider once burned?

Though the stalking and the birth story seem unnecessary, fans will enjoy this British Agony Aunt romance. The story line is fun to follow from the moment Rose tosses Wedgewood just inches from Ed's head until the final letter that explains all. Rose is a delightful center of the plot as the audience obtains a deep look into her psyche cleverly through her column. Two parts amusement, two parts angst, but totally engaging, readers will remarkably regard RESCUING ROSE.

Harriet Klausner