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Mary Patterson Thornburg has lived in California, Washington, Montana, Indiana, and again, finally, in Montana. She was educated at Holy Names College, Montana State University, and Ball State University, where she then taught for many years. Thornburg writes mostly in the genre that some people call “science fantasy,” within as wide a range as possible, but almost always with a bit (or a lot) of romance. She believes that genre fiction – written for the pleasure of all readers in our literate world – can be every bit as serious and as important as so-called “literary” fiction, and that its genres often and increasingly provide the best vehicles for exploring life in its readers’ times. Her literary heroes are Mary Shelley, who gave us all a metaphor for technology alienated from its creators; Ursula K. Le Guin and Octavia E. Butler, inventors of worlds that shine their powerful searchlights on this one; and Stephen King, who persists very pleasingly in being Stephen King.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Luke Blackmon's Rose: A Love Story is a work of fiction in the time travel and interracial romance subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience and was penned by author Mary Patterson Thornburg. In this charming and heartfelt tale of love across time, we find ourselves following the story of Rose and Luke. Widowed and conflicted, Rose doesn’t believe that love is for her until she meets the enigmatic and mysterious Luke, and sparks truly fly. But Luke has his own conflicts to deal with, not least the fact that he’s been ripped from his own time and now lives a meaningless existence. But perhaps these two lost souls can find meaning in one another…
Author Mary Patterson Thornburg offers a concise romantic drama that is perfectly paced for a quick read on holiday or a rainy afternoon. I loved the immediacy of the drama and how easily we are pulled into the plot. The relationships between the characters and the close, emotional portrayal of both Luke and Rose make the novel feel so realistic that even the time travel elements blend into the storyline with total credibility. I also found that the work took a unique viewpoint on interracial romance and portrayed Luke’s journey in a particularly focused, empathetic, and insightful manner, and I genuinely feel like I learned a lot about other people’s experiences in life as a result. Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend Luke Blackmon's Rose: A Love Story to fans of romantic dramas, speculative fiction, and cross-cultural tales filled to the brim with emotion.
