"The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns"

my take: I'm always on the look-out for good reads for my friend Nancy who requires a plot without terrible conflict such as anything having to do with oppression, incest, murder, etc. This narrows the field quite a bit.

So I was happy to come across this ... I went on the title and the cover ... I know! I pick books by these flimsy criteria. And I was right! This is a story Nancy would enjoy ... and I will add it to her summer reading pile.

Okay, I wouldn't normally go for a cover like this ... I see on the internet that there's a different, bolder cover out now. It's a story of a teacher who breeds roses. It's an easy, enjoyable read and a window into the science of roses. It answers the questions: Can people change? and Do people change? quite nicely. I'll let you discover the thorns on your own.

my source: browsing at Bookworks while in Albuquerque last summer. GREAT INDY BOOKSTORE.

my verdict: good B-list read

                   (here's the other cover ... are you more likely to try it now?)