review: the runaway wife by rowan coleman

After a particularly bad night, Rose flees her husband taking only their daughter and a small bundle. Although she can access the money she’s secreted away, Rose has no place to go. Years ago she’d met a man who was looking for the father who abandoned Rose when she was a child; that man inexplicably gave her hope for the future. In seeking him out, Rose and her daughter end up in a small town where they find an unexpected community—a community that includes Rose’s father.

The Runaway Wife (previously published as Dearest Rose) was an incredibly touching story with lively characters. Rose’s life has been a mess since her father left and she’s made plenty of mistakes on her own, but she’s determined to do better for her daughter. Even though Rose’s identity is far too much about who she is with men throughout much of the novel, she begins to find her true self which was refreshing. Rose’s daughter was particularly amazing; it was wonderful how Maddie (Rose’s daughter) brought out the best of John (Rose’s father) so they could become a family.
5/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Gallery Books.