Rose in Bloom

Readers of Eight Cousins, rejoice — Rose Campbell is back in town! It's been two years since she left Boston for a trip abroad with Uncle Alex and her companion, Phebe. She's all grown up now, and the beautiful, warm-hearted young heiress is quite the matrimonial catch. Her family expects her to marry right away, but Rose has learned a great deal while she was away and wants to establish her independence before settling down.
The boys of the Campbell clan have grown up, too: Archie, the eldest; Charlie, the most talented and handsome of the lot; bookish Mac; Steve, the dandy; brothers Will and Geordie; and playful Jamie. Rose has a special relationship with each of them, but whether their rapport can blossom into true love remains to be seen. This sweetly nostalgic coming-of-age story by the author of Little Women offers a charming blend of romance, seriousness, and humor.

Best known as the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) grew up in a community of New England transcendentalists that included Thoreau and Emerson. Because her learned but impractical father was a poor provider, she supported her family by writing stories for magazines while she was still a teenager. Alcott worked in Washington, D.C. during the Civil War as a nurse, recording her experiences in Hospital Sketches, and her many novels are particularly noteworthy for their portraits of strong, self-reliant heroines.

1     Coming Home2     Old Friends with New Faces3     Miss Campbell4     Thorns Among the Roses5     Prince Charming6     Polishing Mac7     Phebe8     Breakers Ahead9     New Year's Calls10   The Sad and Sober Part11   Small Temptations12   At Kitty's Ball13   Both Sides14   Aunt Clara's Plan15   Alas for Charlie!16   Good Works17   Among the Haycocks18   Which Was It?19   Behind the Fountain20   What Mac Did21   How Phebe Earned Her Welcome22   Short and Sweet