On medical leave from the British army, Nat recuperates in Partington Towers, a convalescent country home where he has nothing but time to sit and think about where his life is headed.  He finds pleasure and contentment exploring the beauty of the gardens found on the property.  The gardens are magical, and even more so when Nat meets and fall in love with Richie.  Nat is enamored with Richie from the start. When they're together, he can forget about the real world for a while.  Can what he’s found with Richie last outside of Partington Towers and the beauty of their gardens?

Roses in December is an interesting story that’s very well written.  Although I wasn’t totally captivated by this story, I did appreciate the complexities of it.  I liked Richie, but I wasn’t crazy about Nat. He came across as too self-centered.  Fiona Glass did a great job with the imagery and magical tone of the story, and she gave wonderful details in this multi-layered tale.  Aside from the woes of Nat’s life, which included his medical issues and his fear of being outed to the British army, there’s also a mystery surrounding Richie that’s linked to other prominent characters of the story, and the Victorian gardens play a role in solving it.  With all its complexities, Roses in December makes an intriguing read.