Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Rose Harbor in Bloom (Rose Harbor Series #2) by Debbie Macomber

Rose Harbor in Bloom (Rose Harbor Series #2) (B&N Exclusive Edition)

Synopsis form Barnes and Noble:
Hailed as "the reigning queen of women's fiction" (The Sacramento Bee), #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber is known for novels of love, friendship, and the promise of fresh starts. Now Macomber returns to the Rose Harbor Inn, where each guest finds a second chance and every room comes with an inspiring new view.

 Since moving to Cedar Cove, Jo Marie Rose has truly started to feel at home, and her neighbors have become her closest friends. Now it's springtime, and Jo Marie is eager to finish the most recent addition to her inn. In memory of her late husband, Paul, she has designed a beautiful rose garden for the property and enlisted handyman Mark Taylor to help realize it. She and Mark don't always see eye-to-eye—and at times he seems far removed—yet deep down, Jo Marie finds great comfort in his company. And while she still seeks a sense of closure, she welcomes her latest guests, who are on their own healing journeys.

Annie Newton arrives in town to orchestrate her grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary celebration. While Annie is excited for the festivities, she's struggling to move on from her broken engagement, and her grandparents themselves seem to be having trouble getting along. Worse, Annie is forced to see Oliver Sutton, with whom she grew up and who has always mercilessly teased her. But the best parties end with a surprise, and Annie is in for the biggest one of all.

High-powered businesswoman Mary Smith, another Rose Harbor Inn guest, has achieved incredible success in her field, yet serious illness has led her to face her sole, lingering regret. Almost nineteen years ago, she ended her relationship with her true love, George Hudson, and now she's returned to Cedar Cove to make amends.

Compassion and joy await Jo Marie, Annie, and Mary as they make peace with their pasts and look boldly toward their futures. Rose Harbor in Bloom is Debbie Macomber at her heartwarming best.

My thoughts:
I always enjoy Debbie Macomber's books and the Cedar Cove series was one that felt like going home to visit old friends, so I like that this series is in Cedar Cove and that some of my favorite characters pop in now and then just as they do at times in the Blossom Street series.  That being said, this book focuses on Jo Marie and her guests. 

I liked how the chapters alternated between Jo Marie, Annie and Mary but I wasn't as keep in the first person writing for Jo Marie.  It makes sense, as this is Jo Marie's book and she wouldn't be able to know exactly what was going on with  her guests, but if felt jarring when Macomber went into Jo Marie's chapters.  That is my only real complaint with the book and I can't recall if the first book was the same way, I read it so long ago.  I know that the short in between book was probably in her voice, but that didn't feel odd because it was all about her.

Jo Marie is getting ready for a full house as well as an open house.  During the open house she plans to have a rose garden ready, in memory of her husband, Paul, who was killed in a helicopter accident during active military duty.  She starts to get frustrated with her contractor and friend, Mark, as he is taking his time with the construction. 

Annie has thrown herself into plans for her grandparents fiftieth wedding party to distract herself from her own broken engagement, but when her grandparents arrive at Rose Harbor Inn they can't seem to stop fighting and they  have brought along their handsome neighbor that Annie feels has always teased and tormented her.  With repeated phone calls and texts from her ex and fighting guests of honor, Annie is sure the weekend is going to be a disaster.

Mary is back on the west coast for a couple of important reasons, even though her doctors advised her against making the trip in her condition. 

All three women have to face some truths about their own pasts and futures that at times are uncomfortable to even painful, but that need to be dealt with before they will be able to move forward with their lives.  It can be hard to admit to past mistakes or to let go of long held beliefs, but both women have to face some of thethings they thought were true about themselves and their lives to be able to be open to their futures. 

I love the idea of the Inn as a healing place.  It will be interesting to see who comes to stay in the next installment of the series.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780804176941
  • Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 8/13/2013
  • Series: Rose Harbor Series , #2

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