Darling Rose Gold - Stephanie Wrobel

 

Book Blurb from Penguin Random House:

For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.

Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.

After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.

Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she’s forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score.

Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling…

And she’s waited such a long time for her mother to come home.

My Thoughts:

Patty was accused, tried and convicted of child abuse. Her daughter grew up becoming deathly ill at her mother's hand due to the mental illness Munchausen by proxy. The sickening torture inflicted by Patty  on Rose Gold often lead to doctors giving Rose medicine for diseases that were not real or diagnosable. Things continued until finally at 18 Rose Gold testified against her mother and detailed the abuse she suffered over the years. During the time Patty was in jail, Rose Gold met her dad and his family. This new family  began to question Rose Gold's behavior and eventually she was forced to leave. 

The story is inspired by the Gypsy Rose case. Because I do live in a bit of a bubble of my own making....I didn't know much of that case so I'm not sure where this book was similar and where there were differences. I did look up a bit of information about the case, but did not retain much of it due to the disturbing nature of the case.

I picked up the book admittedly because of the pretty cover. Guilty as charged...I often judge books by the covers and sometimes the covers are why I pick up the book. I admit it and I'm not ashamed of that. I picked the book up like most books, for FREE from the library. I don't often buy books but use the local library FREQUENTLY. I thank my lucky stars all the time to have such a privilege available to me.