Rose Garden By Yushiexy 

Caleb is a cute, good looking 18 year old boy who thinks he is ugly because he was verbally, and physically bullied and abused by his family for his looks and thinks he is unworthy of love. he doesn’t show these feelings to others but struggles with them internally. he has 3 best friends 2 boys and 1 girl. he was complimented for his looks many times and by many people but he just never believes it. he was confessed to by guys and girls but he never accepted any of them. he has a younger brother who he adores. he wishes to be buried in a rose garden when he dies so that even if he didn’t have beauty while alive, he might have beauty in death. his personality is amazing and charismatic, but he wants someone to love him for his looks not his personality.

The author says,

Lessons I want to include in the book:

– Don’t compare yourself to others. The only person you should be better than is who you were yesterday.

– you are born original, do not die a copy.

– when others put you down, make the choice to lift someone else up.

– if you cannot be thankful for what you have, be thankful for what have escaped.

– stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your life.

 

Geoff Carter’s Review – The UK Talk Radio Breakfast Show Host

Geoff Carter’s Review – The UK Talk Radio Breakfast Show Host

Hi — Geoff Carter here from The UK Talk Radio Breakfast Show. Now, I don’t often get completely floored by a young adult novel, but Rose Garden genuinely stopped me in my tracks.

At first glance, you’ve got Caleb Wright — the kind of lad most blokes might envy. Star athlete, top of the social pile at Luxville High, and smooth as they come. But peel back the layers, and what you get is something altogether more powerful… and painfully real. Behind the charm is a young man quietly falling apart, battling years of abuse and inner turmoil, just trying to keep it together while the world sees only his surface.

Reading this, I was pulled into Caleb’s journey — his panic attacks, therapy sessions, late-night confessions — it’s all there, raw and honest. And when Ella comes into the picture, she sees him. Not the mask. Not the bravado. The real Caleb. And that changes everything.

What really struck me was how Rose Garden turns pain into something beautiful — the metaphor of a garden blooming from hardship is brilliantly done. It’s about resilience, hope, and that redemptive kind of love that makes you believe people can actually heal.

This isn’t just a YA book — it’s a deeply emotional, human story about the masks we wear and the strength it takes to let someone in. Caleb’s growth is handled with such care, making his vulnerability a source of strength rather than shame.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying too much, or pretending to be someone you’re not just to get through the day — this book will speak to you. It’s powerful. It’s compassionate. And it stays with you long after the last page.

Rose Garden — highly recommended from me, Geoff Carter. Give it a read, and prepare to feel something real.

Rose Garden Kindle Edition