Title: Death by Roses
Author: Vivian R. Probst
Publisher: SelectBooks Inc
ISBN: 978-1590792513
Pages: 320
Genre: Romance / Paranormal
Reviewer: Alyssa Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
It has been some time since I’ve read a book which immediately captured my attention from the first page, but that is exactly what happened when I began reading Death by Roses by author Vivian R. Probst. It is a story about love and loss, grief and coping, with wit and charm throughout, which is a surefire way to capture the audience’s attention and keep them there until the very end.
The story starts with a gesture of love from a man named Art McElroy Sr. Who for the first time in 30 years, decides to get his wife who is known for being headstrong and disapproving — a dozen yellow roses. His wife, Mae Rose, is found several hours later by her husband, lifeless on the toilet. This sudden loss affects her family greatly and there is a void felt not only amongst them, but in the farming community they are a part of. What they don’t know is Mae will attempt to meddle from beyond the grave in the afterlife and help fill the void they are all feeling from her absence.
Unfortunately, this meddling of Mae’s leads to her expulsion from heaven and her soul ends up in the body of Mary Lee Broadmoor, a writer who is known for creating and directing much-appreciated horror movies. Mary has stage 4 pancreatic cancer but refuses to succumb to her illness until she finally wins an Oscar. This is where Mae comes in. With Mae’s help in her host’s body’s, the two women work together and come up with a script idea that is completely new and different from Mary’s work: a love story. The twist? It’s based on Mae Rose’s life. And while this may indeed win Mary her elusive Oscar, it also angers and confuses Mae Rose’s family as they feel she is profiting off of their tragedy.
Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed this crazy cast of characters as this is clearly a character-driven story. It was funny and charming and made me feel as though I was well-acquainted with everyone I met along the way. I also appreciated how the author touched on grief and loss and how love is never truly gone just because a person passes onto the afterlife. It’s a well-told and great story that reminds you to appreciate the people in your life because you never know when their time will come. Overall, a beautiful sentiment and story by Vivian R. Probst. I would recommend Death By Roses for your next read — pick up your copy today!