Review: Rose in Three Quarter Time by Rachel McMillan

Rose in Three Quarter Time

by Rachel McMillan

About the Book

Some people marry for love; others marry for music…

Rose McNeil is rising the ranks at the Mozarteum in Salzburg as a violinist to watch. Her musical Nova Scotian heritage has loaned an unparalleled technique to her interpretation of some of the most beautiful compositions in the world. The opportunity of a first chair assignment to the Rainer Quartet under the baton of Oliver Thorne is a dream come true–until her visa expires and the threat of leaving Vienna looms. As much as she grieves the prospect of leaving Vienna and the quartet, it is Oliver–with his dry sense of humor and unexpected charm–she will miss most.

British ex-pat Oliver Thorne’s recent appointment as conductor to the Rainer Quartet makes him the youngest in the role during it prestigious history. But it wasn’t the path he wanted. A tragic accident years ago forbade him from ever playing his beloved cello again. Now he spends his life teaching and guest conducting for premiere orchestras at the Musikverein. When he first hears Rose McNeil play, all the dreams he left by the wayside are reborn with her unexpected talent. When Rose learns she may have to leave Vienna, Oliver has to come up with a solution. Losing his first violinist is unfortunate, losing her is unimaginable.

So he comes up with a crazy idea: A marriage on paper only. She’ll take his name and his citizenship. They’ll split rent money and coin toss to decide who takes the bed or the futon every night. They’ll keep their secret from the orchestra. She’ll play and he’ll conduct and, most importantly…she’ll stay.

Unbeknownst to each other, Rose is in love with Oliver and Oliver is in love with Rose. They might even find a happy ending, if only their pesky marriage doesn’t get in the way.

My thoughts

I’ll be honest; contemporary romance is not my favorite genre. I read it from time to time, mostly when I’m in a rut and need something light to read or if it has some element that really grabs my attention. In this case, that element was the book’s author. I love Rachel McMillan’s writing. Her fast pace and witty lines will keep you turning pages.

I like Rose and Oliver. At first, I wasn’t so sure about Oliver, but the more I read, the more I realized why he was so popular with other readers. He is sweet and thoughtful to Rose. Not many guys would think to do some of the things he did for Rose. While he may not have been my all-time favorite hero, I thought he was an all-around good character. Rose was fun. She’s a little quirky and whimsical and she gets very excited about things, mainly music. And I love her taste in socks. She’s someone that would be loads of fun to be friends with.

The other main character in this book is Vienna. And it does shine. You can clearly see McMillan’s love for this city in the pages of Rose in Three Quarter Time. Her descriptions of “gold and whipped cream” buildings and enjoying the delectable treats the city has to offer will definitely make readers want to travel to this European city of ladies and gentlemen and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate piled with loads of whipped cream…preferably with a sweet cat like Parcheesi at their side.

All in all, I thought Rose in Three Quarter Time was a nice read. Fans of contemporary romance who love music and marriage of convenience tales will enjoy this book.

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.