The Rose That Got Away

The Rose That Got Away. Christina C. Jones. 2020. 91 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.]

In a follow-up to Deuces Wild, Jones follows Tamra, a former Rose, and Wilder, a former Thorn, who cross paths and end up assuming that the other is out to kill them. Their meeting (and re-meeting) actually puts them on the same path to protect a woman and child who are about to become collateral damage in an upcoming election. But everything isn’t always as it seems, so the two — under the tutelage of Ace — put the skills they honed in The Garden to use in finding out the truth.

I enjoyed that this book novella isn’t focused on a romantic relationship. Don’t get me wrong — it’s there. But it is very much secondary to the central plot that brought Tamra and Wilder together. It was a pleasant surprise to see Ace return in a mentoring capacity. She’s often a voice of reason for both, professionally and personally. A secondary plot explores Tamra and Wilder as they come to terms with life after The Garden’s collapse. While Tamra’s opted for a mostly anonymous and mundane life, she also has to grapple with the reality that former Roses and Thorns have connected to make sense of their new-found freedom. Wilder has leaned into that community, at least in part to reconcile the harm he caused during his time as a Thorn.

Although a brief read, it packs a punch. There’s a ton of action — fights, poisoning, bombings … all of it. It comes together in a package that while suspenseful, isn’t heavy. I recommend The Rose That Got Away as a solid novella that gives you a bit of everything. I do, however, definitely think it’s necessary to read Deuces Wild in order to best understand the implications of what happens in this book.