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tsukikomew 's review for:
Rose Harbor in Bloom
by Debbie Macomber
This review was posted at Tsuki’s Book Blog on August 31, 2013.
Last year I read the first book in the Rose Harbor series and also my first Debbie Macomber. I had always wanted to try the small-town author but I hadn't had a chance. I loved the first book in the series surrounding an inn. It allows the perfect combination of new stories with a stable environment.
This time, innkeeper Jo Marie is impatiently waiting for Mark (the handyman) to put in a rose garden and a gazebo before her open house. Naturally cantankerous Mark is dragging his feet. They fight and in the meantime two new sets of guests arrive at the inn. The first guest, Mary Smith, has been diagnosed with cancer and traveled to town to see the love of her life and to get closure. The second set of guests surround Annie and her grandparents. Annie's grandparents are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary and fighting left and right. In the meantime Annie is dealing with the boy next door all grown up. Of course during all of that, Jo Marie gets some upsetting news about her dead husband.
I love the continuity of the Inn and the relationship growing between Jo Marie and Mark. Mark is so deliciously adorable with his gruff demeanor and I just wanted Jo Marie to kiss him senseless. I loved each fight and each of the moments the 'future' couple had together. Also the dog in between them was perfect.
Annie and Oliver's story was typical and a bit unnecessary. While I understood Ms. Macomber's need to balance the story with two guest stories, I was bored with Annie and Ollie from page one. They were just uninteresting characters who had a rocky past and were going to end up together.
The story that interested me the most was Mary and George's story. They had this troubled past but they both had loved each other so much. Twenty years later hadn't dulled the love and it was obvious from their first phone call. I loved every minute I spent with them while they tried to reconcile the past and look towards the future. It was sad to see a woman so dragged down by her diagnosis. At the same time it was wonderful to see her so lifted when the love of her life was around.
The book also opened the grieving process for Jo Marie as she struggled to finally accept her husband was gone. It was heart-wrenching to see how distraught she was over the letter written by her husband in the event of his death. It was so sad to hear her hopes and dreams all while dealing with everyone telling her to let go.
I rarely relate fully to characters in books but Debbie Macomber always surprises me with people who seem real. I've lost people and I've seen what cancer does to people. To read the truthful details about the effects of cancer, the grief of losing someone, and the romance of falling in love makes the book that much more enjoyable. I loved every second in Rose Harbor and I immediately went looking for the release date of book three. Sadly, no word yet.
4 Stars
Published by Ballantine Books
August 13, 2013
336 Pages
Provided by--NetGalley
Last year I read the first book in the Rose Harbor series and also my first Debbie Macomber. I had always wanted to try the small-town author but I hadn't had a chance. I loved the first book in the series surrounding an inn. It allows the perfect combination of new stories with a stable environment.
This time, innkeeper Jo Marie is impatiently waiting for Mark (the handyman) to put in a rose garden and a gazebo before her open house. Naturally cantankerous Mark is dragging his feet. They fight and in the meantime two new sets of guests arrive at the inn. The first guest, Mary Smith, has been diagnosed with cancer and traveled to town to see the love of her life and to get closure. The second set of guests surround Annie and her grandparents. Annie's grandparents are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary and fighting left and right. In the meantime Annie is dealing with the boy next door all grown up. Of course during all of that, Jo Marie gets some upsetting news about her dead husband.
I love the continuity of the Inn and the relationship growing between Jo Marie and Mark. Mark is so deliciously adorable with his gruff demeanor and I just wanted Jo Marie to kiss him senseless. I loved each fight and each of the moments the 'future' couple had together. Also the dog in between them was perfect.
Annie and Oliver's story was typical and a bit unnecessary. While I understood Ms. Macomber's need to balance the story with two guest stories, I was bored with Annie and Ollie from page one. They were just uninteresting characters who had a rocky past and were going to end up together.
The story that interested me the most was Mary and George's story. They had this troubled past but they both had loved each other so much. Twenty years later hadn't dulled the love and it was obvious from their first phone call. I loved every minute I spent with them while they tried to reconcile the past and look towards the future. It was sad to see a woman so dragged down by her diagnosis. At the same time it was wonderful to see her so lifted when the love of her life was around.
The book also opened the grieving process for Jo Marie as she struggled to finally accept her husband was gone. It was heart-wrenching to see how distraught she was over the letter written by her husband in the event of his death. It was so sad to hear her hopes and dreams all while dealing with everyone telling her to let go.
I rarely relate fully to characters in books but Debbie Macomber always surprises me with people who seem real. I've lost people and I've seen what cancer does to people. To read the truthful details about the effects of cancer, the grief of losing someone, and the romance of falling in love makes the book that much more enjoyable. I loved every second in Rose Harbor and I immediately went looking for the release date of book three. Sadly, no word yet.
4 Stars
Published by Ballantine Books
August 13, 2013
336 Pages
Provided by--NetGalley