A love triangle can make life very complicated. Mark never anticipates getting caught in such a net, so when he meets an old friend, Hans, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, while Mark is working on his own art, he is surprised by his instantaneous attraction to Hans' Japanese wife, Yukari. There is a connection between creative minds and these three people are definitely creative: Mark, in his spare time, is an artist and a pretty good one at that; Hans is a tenor and not too bad; and Yukari is a talented concert violinist with a prestigious orchestra. The reconnection with his old friend allows Mark to be near Yukari, who, surprisingly to Mark, shares the attraction. But Yukari remains faithful to her husband and Mark respects his friendship, so he just admires from a distance and paints or draws his passion.

Mark's been hurt before and he certainly doesn't want to be the cause of someone else's hurt. He's a divorcee, his previous wife leaving him for one of Mark's friends. So Mark clearly relates to the tricky issue of love triangles. And, when one link in the triangle breaks, it appears that the other links will break as well. The blue roses are significant. Hans and Mark make a big deal of planting the blue roses in the UN gardens to complement the UN colors. The roses bloom and become not only a bond, but a remembrance of a triangle of love and friendship.

Remembrance of Blue Roses by Yorker Keith is a good story. It does move slowly in the middle, but then it picks up again towards the end. The information provided about the United Nations is interesting, but a little overdone for a novel. However, overall, this is an interesting story about a love triangle and the blue roses that both awe and inspire as well as somehow keep the three people connected. A worthwhile read.

In an intricately written, well told short novel released by debut novelist Yorker Keith, Remembrance of Blue Roses is a story that will stay with readers long after they have read the last page. Follow the story of the complex relationship of Mark, Hans and Yukari, a group that has varying involvements from friendship, love, a love triangle, and even obsession. Inspired by the light blue of a dress that Yukari wears one day, Mark and Hans plant blue roses in her honor, and these serve as a reminder of their unique relationship. Many complications and relationships with others, including an ex-wife, ex-girlfriend, and an important friend enter in and out of the lives of the three, but the blue roses can always serve to remind them of what they shared.

I very much enjoyed Remembrance of Blue Roses. Author Yorker Keith has done a wonderful job in crafting a story line that will draw readers in from the very first page and will keep them reading until the very last page. His characters, especially the three that are the main focus of the story, are vividly drawn and seem to leap off the pages. Readers will have no problems in connecting with them, relating to them, and will continue to think of them long after the book is done. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. Any reader who enjoys a great work of fiction that's concisely drawn and tells a full story within a relatively short number of pages should absolutely read this book. I am pleased to recommend Remembrance of Blue Roses, and look forward to reading more from the very promising author, Yorker Keith, in the future.