Nora Roberts, Red Lily

Red Lily

Nora Roberts

Jove, Dec 2005, $7.99, 384 pp.

ISBN: 0515139408

Hayley Phillips had no place to go to safely raise her newborn Lily, so she came to Memphis' legendary Harper House hoping to obtain work from her distant relative forty-something Roz Harper at the attached In the Garden nursery (see BLUE DAHLIA). She has found much more as she becomes friends with her curmudgeon host, Stella and others who shower her and Lily with love. However over time, Hayley realizes she also loves Roz's son Harper, but fears revealing her deep feelings because she worries how Roz and their friends would react; not even love is worth the cost of that friendship. Besides she has doubts that the deep regard is truly hers as she thinks the Harper Bride has somehow entered her mind. Harper shares her feelings including not wanting to hurt their friendship that means so much to him.

Hayley believes the Harper Bride, a ghost singing lullabies in the mansion, has chosen her as the one to help the spirit leave this plane. Accompanied by Harper, Roz and her beloved Mitchell (see BLACK ROSE), and Stella and her cherished Logan they begin a quest to learn what happened in 1893 to keep this specter haunting the mansion.

RED LILY is a terrific ending to the delightful In the Garden trilogy. Haley fantasizes about Harper and dreams of things that happened to the Harper Bride not her. This makes her wonder if the Bride or she loves Harper. The ensemble cast returns from the previous novels, but remains consistent to their distinctive personalities. The mystery of the ghost and the potential romance make for a fine finale as the audience will wonder whether the Bride, Haley, or both loves Harper. Nora Roberts proves once again she is one of the best writers in the romance world.

Harriet Klausner