Bed of Roses(Book Two in the Bride Quartet)
Published: 2009 (Roughcut Edition)
ISBN-13: 9780425230077
368 pages
First paragraph (Prologue): Romance, in Emmaline's opinion, made being a woman special. Romance made every woman beautiful, and every man a prince. A woman with romance in her life lived as grandly as a queen, because her heart is treasured.
Once again, meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac: Founders of Vows, one of Connecticut's well known wedding planning companies. The first book is about Mackensie "Mac" Elliot who is a photographer and her love interest, Carter Maguire Ph.D., an English professor. In Bed of Roses, we are taken into the world of Emmaline "Emma" Grant who is a florist and Jack Cooke, an architect and family friend for ages.
Emma is a firm believer in romance and her own love life is great. Although that's the case, she still has not found her Mr. Right. That's until she discovers that she does have feelings for Jack and it is mutual. They have their reservations because it is weird; Jack is Parker's brother's best friend for years and that makes him like a family member. This is actually a big deal because the girls have been best of friends for so long, and so are the men in their lives save for the English professor (Carter). Having said that, Carter is now also considered one of their buddies.
Emma and Jack have a few romantic episodes, and things are really heating up between them. The problem is Jack is a commitment phobic while Emma yearns for lifelong love. So will they be able to work out their differences, lust and romance into love?
This particular passage caught my attention when Jack is observing the love between Mac and Carter with whom she is deeply in love with.
While they discussed details, choices of materials, he wondered what it was like to feel the connection with and that certainty about another person.
No doubt their minds, he mused, that this was the one. The one to make home with, build a future with, maybe have kids with. Share a cat with.
How did they know? Or at least believe enough to risk it?
It was, for him, one of life's great mysteries.
It's wonderful to have such a connection and certainty about a person, and to risk falling in love with him or her. Jack also said something on page 333 that is so beautiful, tears welled up in my eyes. Love is so beautiful. This series will make you believe in the magic of marriage and love.
The characterization is good and I love the dialogues. If you want a good romantic story, this is a good place to start but be sure to do so with Vision in White first. Friendship and love are the themes of this series. I have enjoyed the second book more than the first; Jack and Emma really sizzles!
Note: Bed of Roses is a joint-reading with Julia. I love our joint-readings! Thank you, Julia, for getting this book for me as a Christmas present and it's funny how I got the same book for you as well. I am looking forward to the next instalment, Savor the Moment, scheduled to be released in April this year, and wants to continue reading the series with you.
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I agree, I like BED OF ROSES so much more better then VISION IN WHITE. The relationship between Jack and Emma sure does sizzle the pages! And what you said about Jack observing the loves between Mac and Carter, I love that scenes too. I love Nora stories because she write the relationship between friends, families and sibling so well. It why I come back to reading her books. Her dialogues, quotes and the first paragraph of the first chapters are always very interesting. You can get view or vistualize of the scenes as it written.
ReplyDeleteI have always love joint-reading with you Alice. And looking forward to reading 3rd book with you - YAY! :) Great review and quotes!
This sounds like a sweet read, I havent read Nora Roberts in a while. Great review!
ReplyDeletehttp://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
I've heard good things about Nora Roberts's romances. I read her as J. D. Robb and her In Death mystery series.
ReplyDeleteI've heard a lot about this series and it does sound really sweet. Maybe I'll have to read one for my Romance Challenge.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I just finished this book last week and LOVED it.
ReplyDeleteI know I had said this a number of times, but I'm going to say it again anyway: I need to catch up on reading this series soon!! :P
ReplyDeleteI look forward to our joint-reading sessions in the near future! (Hopefully Anne Stuart will has a new release out soon!!)
I can't believe I still haven't read a Nora Roberts book. I must rectify this sad fact soon!
ReplyDeleteHi Julia, it was fun reading the book with you. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Naida, I hope you will start reading her again.
Hi Beth, I've only read one book in her In Death series. I hope to be more involved in the series later.
Hi Dar, I sure hope you would. *wink*
Hi Renee, that's great! I'm so glad you loved the book!
Hi Melody, I hope you would too. It's quite good. I'm looking forward to reading Sookie Stachkhouse Book 2 with you as soon as I'm done with Book 1. :)
Hi Kathleen, oh yes, do rectify it. LOL!
The first paragraph is lovely! I'm glad you're enjoying this series so much. I tend to like Roberts' series books better than her standalones.
ReplyDeleteI found myself crying more in this one than I did in Vision in White. I can't wait to read the next installment!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jen. I share the same thoughts too. Her trilogies are great.
ReplyDeleteHi Jess, I hope you'll enjoy the next installment. :D