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Bed of Roses (Bride Quartet #2)

4.05 of 5 stars 4.05 · rating details · 24,665 ratings · 1,391 reviews

As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe “I do” moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman’s dream day come true. With perfect flowers, delicious desserts, and joyful moments captured on film, Nora Roberts’s Bride Quartet shares each...more

Trade Paperback, 335 pages

Published October 27th 2009 by Berkley Trade

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Apr 24, 2011 Dina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

4 1/2 stars

After finding Vision in White a good but slightly disappointing read, I "knew" - as far as anyone can know such thing - that I'd enjoy Bed of Roses better. Something to do with this 2nd book being better received by most readers and my having lower expectations, I guess. No matter why, I did find Bed of Roses highly entertaining.

Emma was the main reason this book worked for me, with her utterly romantic nature. She was also the reason this book lost 1/2 star in the end, when she attac...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Lora rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Nora Roberts

Shelves: jd-robb-nora-roberts

Ever felt left out? I felt that way when I tried reading Vision in White back in May of this year, and I felt that way again trying to read its successor, Bed of Roses. I attempted to read this about two months ago after having finished and disliked the first book in this series. Normally I would drop a series after disliking the first installment to the degree that I did with Vision in White, but since I own the first, second, and fourth installments in this series I thought I'd give it another...more

9 likes · like · see review

Jan 04, 2010 Mary (MrsBrownsFan) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2011 Mojca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, couch-potato-challenge, nora-roberts-jd-robb, own, part-of-a-series, series-bride-quartet, favorites, romantic-comedy-lol

As I said in my review for Vision in White, Nora Roberts never fails to entertain me. What, does she have a special gene or something? Is she a writing mutant? What’s with her novels that always deliver where I’m concerned?

Because with Bed of Roses she once again succeeded. This series is more than a contemporary romance, there’s a little of chick-lit in it as well, but especially it’s an ode to female friendship. One of those strong, resilient friendships that last a lifetime. Mac, Emma, Laurel...more As I said in my review for Vision in White, Nora Roberts never fails to entertain me. What, does she have a special gene or something? Is she a writing mutant? What’s with her novels that always deliver where I’m concerned?

Because with Bed of Roses she once again succeeded. This series is more than a contemporary romance, there’s a little of chick-lit in it as well, but especially it’s an ode to female friendship. One of those strong, resilient friendships that last a lifetime. Mac, Emma, Laurel and Parker are such friends and it’s always a pleasure and a hoot to read about them and their bond.

An added plus, we didn’t get to read only about female friendship, but male friendship as well, and discovered how different they are. As NR mentioned in one conversation between Jack and Emma, girls like to eat chocolate when upset, while men punch each other in the face. “It’s the nature of the beasts.” I loved the interaction between Del and Jack, and now that Carter’s firmly in the picture, I was glad to see him come out of his shell and open up a little more around these two (and the girls).

That said, this was also a romance. And what a romance. It’s always difficult to start considering one of your friends for a potential lover, and we all know the whys of that. Would you be able to get back to where you were if (when) the relationship implodes? How will others around you react, especially if you both come from a tight circle of close friends? Could it even work? Should you give it a try? Are you brave enough to give it a try and fight for what you want?
These are all questions rolling around Emma and Jack’s minds at the beginning of this book. Sure, once the passion is upon you, you throw caution to the wind, and hope you get lucky. And that’s what these two did. And it worked. Sort of. Despite Emma’s über-romantic nature (which started to grate after a while, I’ll admit) and Jack’s reservations (which were rather plausible and believable, making me root for him throughout the story).

(view spoiler)

Sexy, sweet, romantic, with a few LOL moments, a lot of female bonding, and some more insight into the wedding-planning business, this was yet another keeper in this four-book series.
I loved the few sneak peeks into the relationships of the next two books, but while I’m really looking forward to Laurel and Del’s story, it’s Mal and Parker’s book that’s keeping me on the edge of my seat. Really apropos to make it the last one.(less)

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Feb 28, 2010 Marisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Short Review: Bed of Roses, is the second book in Nora Roberts Bride Quartet series. However, those of you who have not read the first book, Vision in White, can read the second book with out missing a step. It’s a solid book with well developed characters and if you always buy every book that Nora Roberts writes I’m not writing this review for you. If however, you’re a romance reader, or just a reader looking for a book to read, perhaps this review is for you. I liked this book. Am I glad I rea...more Short Review: Bed of Roses, is the second book in Nora Roberts Bride Quartet series. However, those of you who have not read the first book, Vision in White, can read the second book with out missing a step. It’s a solid book with well developed characters and if you always buy every book that Nora Roberts writes I’m not writing this review for you. If however, you’re a romance reader, or just a reader looking for a book to read, perhaps this review is for you. I liked this book. Am I glad I read it? Yes. Would I re-read it? I don’t think so. And just so you know, re-reading a book is the ‘gold standard’ for every book I read. That’s just me – I’m passing the information on to you.

Long Review: Nora Roberts can write. That is so not in dispute. She has legions of fans for a good reason. Am I a fan? You betcha! Do I buy all of her books? Pretty much. Am I biased? Not so much. Unlike her alter ego, J.D. Robb who writes the In Death series, (this series is like crack cocaine, I can’t get enough and rush to buy every new book and have re-read every single one) the books she writes under Nora Roberts I always read on a case by case, or book by book basis. I know, strange huh? But let’s just say I’m more of a coca cola gal then a diet coke gal and leave it at that. So now you now where I’m coming from and you can read my review a bit more enlightened.

For me Nora Roberts’ books always, and I do mean always (no equivocation), have fully developed characters that you want to sit down and have dinner with. Even her paranormal trilogies have characters you want as your best friends. She is in a class many aspire to and few attain when it comes to fleshing out and developing characters and writing dialogue. Bed of Roses is no exception. This quartet of books features four different women, best friends, Parker, Laurel, Emma and Mac, who own and run a ‘premier wedding planning company’ called Vows. Each woman is responsible for a different aspect of the business. All four women are people you want to get to know. Ms. Roberts is at her best here in regards to the tenor, tone and timbre of these four women. You either want to be them, see a bit of yourself in them, or want to befriend them.

The same holds true for the men in this series. Not that you want to be them (unless of course you do, because I’m thinking most of my readers are women – but I could be wrong), but you certainly want to get to know them. As per usual, Ms. Roberts is amazing at writing her male characters. She gets it right every time. She’s one of the best and I love her books for that alone; her ability to write the ‘male voice’.

Bed of Roses focuses on Emma Grant, a talented florist who is responsible for that particular aspect of Vows. She loves her work and making some one’s dreams come true when it comes to their wedding and all the hoopla that surrounds it gives her joy. Emma is beautiful, smart, funny, and dates — a lot. Jack Cooke, an architect, has been friends with Emma and the woman of Vows for many years. So yes, this is a “friends to lovers” romance, certainly one of my favorite scenarios. Basically the book is about Emma and Jack and how they begin to see each other in a different light, act upon their feelings, and then deal with the consequences. Becoming lovers after being friends for a long time is not an easy feat; particularly when there are other friends involved. The particular dynamic that lovers have invariably changes the dynamic for the whole group, and of course if the couple breaks up there is the question of who gets custody of the friends.

In both Vision in White and Bed of Roses, Roberts takes great care to give us a glimpse into the wedding planning business as seen through the eyes of these four friends. The anecdotes and peripheral characters she introduces are fun. The way each woman deals with her aspect of the business is drawn in loving detail. The relationships between the women are crafted with exceptionally well written dialogue. And… however, the tension that I so long for is a bit lacking here. Bed of Roses is a sweet romance with strong characters and a simple plot. After all my whining about how much angst I’ve been reading in my books lately you think I’d be happy with a plot that runs true to course. A plot where there isn’t much angst but rather some normal and relatable internal struggles. Truth be told, I should be happy. I enjoyed reading this one and I’m going to read the next book in the series (I must find out what happens to Laurel). Perhaps that is the understated beauty of this series. It doesn’t hit you right between the eyes like a sledgehammer, but rather gently warms your heart.

So, if you like a ‘friends to lovers’ romance, with strong dialogue, fully developed and relatable characters and you like it simple and sweet, might I suggest Bed of Roses.(less)

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May 05, 2013 Melody rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: artistic-hero-or-heroine, contemporary-romance, drama-queen, eye-roll-inducing, friends-to-lovers, heroines-who-got-on-my-nerves, nora-roberts, reviewed-by-me, wtf-was-that, rage-inducing, splash-of-color-cover, miscommunication-fuckery, blah-meh-whatever

I would have given this a four star if it wasn't for the last 2 chapters of this book. But besides the crappy shit that happens near the end there were some other red flags that bugged me.

First I wasn't enthralled with this as I was with Mac's story. Everything about Mac and Carter came off natural and organic even with their ups and downs. Here everything seemed incredibly forced and overdone. It took me a good 100 pages to even get into the story. Jack and Emma share 2 sporadic kisses before...more

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Feb 10, 2010 Teryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nora-roberts, rating-pg-13, romance-contemporary, audio-books, read-in-2010

Ok, I would have given this a 4 because of the emotion I felt between Emma and Jack, BUT all the damn wedding and flower talk bumped it down for me. Way too much of that going on. Loved Jack and Emma though...great couple.

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Aug 22, 2011 Beth Dean rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, chicklit, funny

I mean, I'm all for romantics but Emma wasn't one! She just liked to dream about this perfect man but never actually give a guy time enough to try to be that man. Jack has the crappest day at work and then she just explodes in his face I just don't find that in any way adult behaviour. However his behaviour was also childish another reason as to why they were so suited maybe.

I however loved the hints in this book for the future, Delaney and Laurel and Parker and Malcolm maybe....we'll see if I'm...more

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Jun 13, 2011 D.G. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, contemporary-romance, reviewed

This book's rating went down to 2 stars in the last 50 pages because of the heroine’s childish behavior.

Here's a perfect example of what NOT to do if you want to have a lasting relationship with a man. No matter what Nora Roberts says, no man worth his salt would have a woman acting like this heroine and then believe it was his fault. He would instead thank his lucky stars he got rid of a maniac and move on.

The bigger issue with this book was that there was no conflict. For hundreds of pages ev...more This book's rating went down to 2 stars in the last 50 pages because of the heroine’s childish behavior.

Here's a perfect example of what NOT to do if you want to have a lasting relationship with a man. No matter what Nora Roberts says, no man worth his salt would have a woman acting like this heroine and then believe it was his fault. He would instead thank his lucky stars he got rid of a maniac and move on.

The bigger issue with this book was that there was no conflict. For hundreds of pages everybody is cruising along: perfect weddings, perfect friends, perfect dates, perfect family, perfect looks, perfect everything, so to create a conflict in the last part of the book, the author just had the heroine acting like an immature baby. But this happened so close to the end that the most expedient way to solve the issue was for the hero to take the blame for the heroine’s crazy expectations and have everybody agree that he was a moron, which was not the case.

So what was this horrible thing the hero did that sent the heroine into paroxysms of despair? (Brace yourself because you won’t believe it). He didn’t give her a key to his apartment and wasn’t nice to her after he had a bad day. (No, I’m not making it up.) And it wasn’t as if she asked him for the key and he denied her. He just never thought of giving her one and to her that meant he would never love her and be the man she needed.

I only have two words to tell this heroine: GROW UP.

You cannot expect a man who has issues with commitment to declare himself after 3 months. You cannot expect a man to read your mind and know what you want or need. You cannot assume that he doesn’t care for you because he doesn’t see certain gestures in the same light as you. If you really loved him, you would tell him what you need and then give him the chance to prove himself and not go wail because he’s human and needs his space!

After all this stupidity happening at the last minute, the ending was very rushed. It felt as if the hero was backed in a corner and gave in because he didn’t want to lose everybody’s friendship. This, as you can imagine, was the antithesis of romantic.

Angela Dawe, the narrator, did a very good job. All voices of the ladies were distinct but still pleasant. The male voices weren’t great but at least they weren’t annoying. When I’m ready to continue the series, I’ll definitely listen to the audiobooks.

Overall, I don’t think this book added much to the series so if you are really are interested what happen to the rest of the gals, feel free to skip this one.(less)

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Feb 09, 2011 Katie Fitzgerald rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: level-adult, series, published-2000s

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Nora Roberts is hands-down the most popular author among patrons at my library, so after morning after morning of making fun of her books while sending them off on inter-library loan I told my co-workers I was going to take one of her books home and try it. I figured the worst that would happen is that I'd have more fodder for our daily Nora-bashing. And though I was afraid to say it to them, I also wondered if maybe legions of Nora Roberts fans were onto something I was missing.

The first book...more Nora Roberts is hands-down the most popular author among patrons at my library, so after morning after morning of making fun of her books while sending them off on inter-library loan I told my co-workers I was going to take one of her books home and try it. I figured the worst that would happen is that I'd have more fodder for our daily Nora-bashing. And though I was afraid to say it to them, I also wondered if maybe legions of Nora Roberts fans were onto something I was missing.

The first book I read of hers was the first Bride Quartet book, Vision in White. I liked that one so much - Carter, in particular, was my kind of guy, even if Mac wasn't always my cup of tea - I started to read her JD Robb series. After falling in love with Roarke, and with Eve, and even a little bit with Mavis, I tried some of the re-releases of her old books, and though they felt somewhat dated, I found even those charming. So even before I read this book, I was slowly creeping toward becoming a full-fledged fan, to the point that I told me nay-saying co-workers I'd been wrong to make fun.

But this book, Bed of Roses, is the one I would call the turning point. This is the first Nora Roberts book that made me shed actual tears.

I think Emma is my favorite of the Vows women. I wouldn't say that I am much like her anymore - in fact, I'm still trying to decide which of the women I align myself with - but I think she represents a side of me, the side that worries a man will leave when he realizes that she wants the marriage/kids/picket fence scenario. And unlike other romance heroines I've encountered in my first forays into the genre, who are damaged in some way, or overly virginal to the point of seeming like children, or turned off to the idea of love, Emma is very much up for a romance. And the only thing "wrong" with her is that she wants so much, and doesn't know how to ask for it the right way. I felt like she was a real person, with real feelings, and I wanted so badly for her to have what she wanted. In the first book, it was Carter I cared about, because he was the nerdy one, but in this book, I was rooting for the heroine 100% of the time.

When she and Jack kissed for the first time, I was thrilled for her, and when things came crashing down as they do in Nora Roberts novels, I was so sad. And because I loved Emma so much, the happy ending felt better than it did in the first book.

Other strengths of this book lie in the supporting cast. Even when it's not their turn to fall in love, the women of Vows are such interesting people and such good friends, you wish you could have them plan your wedding, or at least hire you to arrange some flowers. And the guys - Del, Jack, Carter, Mal - I'd have crushes on all of them if they were real. So it's safe to say I'll be back for book 3, and of course, 4, and I'll be disappointed when the quartet comes to a close.(less)

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Sep 01, 2010 Ns rated it 3 of 5 stars

Classic love and formulaic romance is in the air, gardens and between friends in Bed of Roses, Nora Roberts's follow up novel to A Vision in White in the Bride Quartet series.

The notion of romance is sweeter than romance itself for Vows florist, Emmaline Grant. A notion that is too sweet, unblemished and on the far end of the reality spectrum. Of all the ladies of Vows, she places the most faith in finding the sort of romance that most people only dream about dreaming about. Substantiating her...more Classic love and formulaic romance is in the air, gardens and between friends in Bed of Roses, Nora Roberts's follow up novel to A Vision in White in the Bride Quartet series.

The notion of romance is sweeter than romance itself for Vows florist, Emmaline Grant. A notion that is too sweet, unblemished and on the far end of the reality spectrum. Of all the ladies of Vows, she places the most faith in finding the sort of romance that most people only dream about dreaming about. Substantiating her belief is her own parent's love story, both picture-perfect and lasting, coupled with her work in the wedding business where she engineers the perfect day for couples everyday.

Then there is Jack Cooke, the architect and such close friends of Emma and her friends, he is regarded as their brother. Though an attraction exist between Emma and Jack, as honorary brother, it is never acknowledged and acted on. That is until a series of events changes that. When run-ins lead to conversations, which turn into concrete plans, before they realize it, Emma and Jack are on the brink of a whirl-wind romance.

As the undercurrents of their as a friend with a potential for more love surface and their relationship begin to blossom, so do their characters. The formula for romance that has been tried, tested and stays true. Emma is the romance-struck girl meet Jack, the commitment-phobia, steer clear of romance type of man. As Emma and Jack discover new things about each other, they also find a middle ground in how they define, express, and solidify their relationship.

No love is truer than one that has been tested. The thorn in their relationship is communication. There are a lot of needs, wants, and idealizations projected by Emma onto Jack, who is both clueless and consciously wary stemming from experience with his parents' less than perfect marriage. Where Emma is clear on what she wants and very in the moment of showing on she feels, Jack is more cautious and reflective on these things.

Though formulaic, love and romance is still sweet and sweeter when it is shared with families and friends. Through it all they are there for Emma just like her work plays a dominant role in her life. Emma's work and life of florist is mentioned in abundance that can at times overwhelm and take away from the story.

*Spoilers*

Of course, no cliche would remain true without the perfect ending, the too-soon marriage proposal complete with a dance in the moonlight. It may be true that a woman can never get enough of romance but this story is cutting it close. Then again where love is concerned, we can forgive a lack of originality (perhaps, that is where all those flowers descriptions attempt to cover), and preditability and just savour in the feel good moment that is love.(less)

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Feb 03, 2012 Yessenia Chavez rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Me ha gustado, bastante hay que decirlo. Creo que estuvo mejor que el primero y espero que los dos que me quedan de la serie me gusten de la misma manera o más.
Jack me ha encantado y me sentí muy identificada con Emma, una romántica empedernida que soñaba con su cuento de hadas, lol.
Muy bonito el libro, otra vez, Nora Roberts no me ha decepcionado (:

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Jun 07, 2013 Obsidian Blue rated it 2 of 5 stars

Though I do love novels that follow the same characters over time I have to say that after finishing the Bride Quartet novels I was officially done with reading anymore trilogies by Nora Roberts. I do still read J.D. Robb but the trilogies and the stand alone novels have not been my cup of tea for a while now.

"Bed of Roses" is the second novel in the Bride Quartet series. I have to say that I think this novel is the one that turned so many readers off of the series. I did love Vision In White (B...more Though I do love novels that follow the same characters over time I have to say that after finishing the Bride Quartet novels I was officially done with reading anymore trilogies by Nora Roberts. I do still read J.D. Robb but the trilogies and the stand alone novels have not been my cup of tea for a while now.

"Bed of Roses" is the second novel in the Bride Quartet series. I have to say that I think this novel is the one that turned so many readers off of the series. I did love Vision In White (Bride Quartet, Book 1) and thought that Roberts rebounded nicely with Savor the Moment (Bride Quartet), but went out with a whimper in Happy Ever After (Bride Quartet, Book 4). Unlike with her Dream trilogy series, I had no interest in re-reading these novels to immerse myself with beloved characters.

This novel focuses on Emma, the florist for the wedding planning business that she and her three best friends' run together. We quickly find out that out of all of the women in the group, Emma is the hopeless romantic that secretly dreams of her perfect man coming along to sweep her off of her feet (or in her case dance in a garden during the moonlight) and marry her. Emma though has been fighting her attraction to the group's honorary brother Jack, apparently for years.

I have so many issues with this novel that I ended up dropping 3.5 stars from my review.

First, the character of Emma was not sympathetic to me at all. I didn't engage with her at all, and I found her whining and complaining and it was just surreal that a character who runs her own business could act this way. I felt as if she the romantic notions of a high school girl for the most part.

Second, Emma is told by everyone that Jack is probably not the best guy to get involved with if she truly wants to have a long term committed relationship that ends in marriage. However, she goes ahead and starts a relationship with him. And then proceeds to get angry at him for being exactly how everyone told her he was and that she knew how he was.

Third, the above is the entire plot of this novel. Emma getting Jack to commit. There is no big push/pull or obstacles to overcome. There is no antagonist unless you count Emma needing to get over herself. At least in "Vision in White" we had Mac and Carter working very hard to deal with some serious issues that she had with regards to being in a relationship and finding herself lovable. There was at least a antagonist in Mal's mother for the character to overcome.

Fourth, the constant acronyms to refer to the bride, mother of the bride, groom, etc. was just aggravating. There were so many times I had to go back and re-read sentences to make sure I understood who did what to whom it was annoying.

Fifth, it makes no sense for so many of the male characters to be around to "help" the women on their wedding planning days. All of them have full-time jobs. It is fine if the men are not there and the women handle things themselves.

I do want to say that Nora Roberts can write. She is able to set scenes perfectly and I do love to see the weddings in the novels since it is usually pretty funny when something happens they have to control.

I wish that I had liked this novel as much as I did the first and third. Would recommend to those who have read "Vision in White" and want to know what happened with all of the characters.(less)

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May 25, 2013 Marla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2013

I have read this book before but decided I would review it for goodreads anyway.

"Bed of Roses" is book two in Nora Roberts' Bride Quartet series. This series follows four women, Mac, Emma, Laurel, and Parker, as they navigate through their love lives and their wedding business Vows.

Book 2 is all about Emma, the florist leg of Vows. She is the romantic of the group. Above all she is looking for starlight and magic, and happily ever after.
Then there's Jack. The best friend of Parker's big brother,...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Linda Scherr rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: popular-fiction

This was actually lamer than the first if that’s possible… Emma, friend/bride number 2, is the wedding florist for Vows in business with best friends Parker, Laurel, and Mac (bride 1)… Emma is a romantic who has always dreamed of finding the love her parents share and of dancing in the moonlight in a garden with a man she loves… guess how it ends?? Jack is a close friend of Parker’s brother Del and has long been friends with all the girls. On Emma’s way home from a party her car breaks down and...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Darcy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audio-book, listened-to-at-work, romance

I thought that this book was so much better than the first. It showcased the friendship between the women better, how they were there for each other in the good times and the bad. As much as Parker sometimes annoys me with her cold exterior, I did love her at the end, loved how she grounded Emma and took care of her in all ways.

I found the romance between Jack and Emma sweet and annoying. Sweet, because when Jack didn't think they were really good together. Annoying because Jack certainly had is...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Leya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

In the second installment of Nora Roberts latest series, The Bride Quartet, we find the ladies of Vows very busy with a series of weddings, rehearsals, and anniversaries. They're also busy planning the first of their own weddings. Spring is in the air and although she's busy with work and an active dating life she wants to find her own Mr Right. And she's surprised when Mr Right just may be her long time friend Jack.

I'm not the biggest fan of friends to lovers theme, mainly it's because I know t...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Nathalie S rated it 2 of 5 stars

Several childhood friends found VOWS, one of Connecticut's "Premier Wedding Planning Companies". They are all in charge of one aspect of the company---marketing, flowers, photography and catering. One of the friends inherited her vast and beautiful country home which is the setting of the business and all four friends live somewhere on the premises. They even have their childhood housekeeper. Of course, romance adds the spice to the story by focusing on Emma (the flower girl--literally) and Jack...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Gabby rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dear Ms. Roberts,

Yes, It's me again: the cynic and sarcastic girl -woman- that said she wouldn't read your books... and this it's her 5th.

Where and how do I start from? Well, as this far, I'm pretty familiarized with your fairy tales and happy endings; with your girl-meets-boy-who-doesn't-want-to-commit-but-finally-he-does kind of novels, which, I must admit, I get it why they are so famous.

I liked the fact that you're a multi-cultural blend of characters (the irish girl, the mexican-american...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Stephanie Conard rated it 5 of 5 stars

this book was about a women who fanticized about romance all her life but never got it. until she found that her true love was right in front of her the whole time. the only problem was she wanted a life and a family but he couldnt handle it.

i gave this book 5 stars because it was everything i cud ask for in a book. the book was romantic and funny and heart breaking but it all comes together in the end to make a great story. she goes through a lot and it draws you in to the book.

"heres to the...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Brides Quartet Book 2

Emma Grant is in charge of florals for Vows, an upscale wedding and event planner. And as the four owners of Vows live at the Brown estate, Emma is also in charge of the grounds.

Roberts matches each of the owners of Vows with a 'true love'. I really enjoy the detail that Roberts covers in describing the Vows operations and the responsibilities of each of the four main characters: Mac photography, Emma florals and grounds, Laurel baking and food service, and Parker coordinat...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Jane rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this book after having read and enjoyed (to a certain extent) Vision in White, the first book in this series. In my review of that, I said that I had read the preview chapter of Bed of Roses, and found Emma a much easier character to like than Mac.

And this is true, up to a point. She's not cynical or stubborn like Mac, but Roberts goes almost too far in the other direction, making Emma a little too perfect. She's beautiful, nice, romantic, dreamy, amazing at her job, and, presumably, pret...more I read this book after having read and enjoyed (to a certain extent) Vision in White, the first book in this series. In my review of that, I said that I had read the preview chapter of Bed of Roses, and found Emma a much easier character to like than Mac.

And this is true, up to a point. She's not cynical or stubborn like Mac, but Roberts goes almost too far in the other direction, making Emma a little too perfect. She's beautiful, nice, romantic, dreamy, amazing at her job, and, presumably, pretty darn good in bed. It's no wonder Jack, a long-time family friend, has liked her for years. When they start seeing each other without any firm commitment, Emma realises that she is starting to fall for him. But Jack is a notorious commitment-phobe, so Emma decides to keep things light until he realises how much he loves her.

I have a number of issues with Bed of Roses. Firstly, that 'family' that I mentioned Jack being a long-time friend of? It's not really Emma's actual family, although Jack has known them a long time too. No, it's the Vows girls; Mac, Parker, Laurel and Emma herself, along with Parker's brother, Del. Del is Parker's brother, but has decided that, in fact, all the other girls are as good as sisters, to the point where he gets offended when he sees Jack kissing Emma, and punches him in the face. The reason for this is that Del apparently feels responsible for the girls, ever since his and Parker's parents died in a car crash. This just doesn't ring true for me. I can understand him feeling parental responsibilities for his actual sister on the loss of their parents when she was in college (sort of). But to punch his best friend in the face because he kissed another of the girls? Really? Especially when, if the predictable nature of these books is anything to go by, (view spoiler).

Another issue is how clichéd Jack's character is. He's scared of commitment because his parents are divorced. When explaining this to Emma, he acknowledges that he is a cliché, but this doesn't really make it any more acceptable on Roberts' behalf. Last time we had Mac who was scared to commit to Carter, this time it's Jack with the issues.

(view spoiler)

The conflict that any modern romantic novel needs was a bit weak too. (view spoiler)

None of this is to say that I didn't enjoy it. It was a perfectly pleasant read, and I'll be carrying on with the series to its conclusion. Despite what I said about Laurel earlier in the review, I am looking forward to Savor the Moment, because I think Laurel might be the most realistic, and therefore likable, of all four girls. (less)

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May 31, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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May 21, 2012 Shwetika rated it 3 of 5 stars

A 3 and a 1/2 star . Liked it but i guess there was a little too much of a romance in it At-least for me and lacked a solid background story-line that could make your brain cell work a little faster. What got me through this was the bond of girls and yes the Vows. The business and Parker's coordination skills . Every-time there's a event I thought there you go they won't be able to put it on but they did each and every time . They manage all crises and make the day special for their clients .And...more A 3 and a 1/2 star . Liked it but i guess there was a little too much of a romance in it At-least for me and lacked a solid background story-line that could make your brain cell work a little faster. What got me through this was the bond of girls and yes the Vows. The business and Parker's coordination skills . Every-time there's a event I thought there you go they won't be able to put it on but they did each and every time . They manage all crises and make the day special for their clients .And I guess it was the flowers that helped a lot I mean How can one not droll over those Awesome flowers ...

Anyways story for you guys ..

"The notion of romance is sweeter than romance itself for Vows florist, Emmaline Grant. A notion that is too sweet, unblemished and on the far end of the reality spectrum. Of all the ladies of Vows, she places the most faith in finding the sort of romance that most people only dream about dreaming about. Substantiating her belief is her own parent's love story, both picture-perfect and lasting, coupled with her work in the wedding business where she engineers the perfect day for couples everyday.

Then there is Jack Cooke, the architect and such close friends of Emma and her friends, he is regarded as their brother. Though an attraction exist between Emma and Jack, as honorary brother, it is never acknowledged and acted on. That is until a series of events changes that. When run-ins lead to conversations, which turn into concrete plans, before they realize it, Emma and Jack are on the brink of a whirl-wind romance.

As the undercurrents of their as a friend with a potential for more love surface and their relationship begin to blossom, so do their characters. The formula for romance that has been tried, tested and stays true. Emma is the romance-struck girl meet Jack, the commitment-phobia, steer clear of romance type of man. As Emma and Jack discover new things about each other, they also find a middle ground in how they define, express, and solidify their relationship.

No love is truer than one that has been tested. The thorn in their relationship is communication. There are a lot of needs, wants, and idealizations projected by Emma onto Jack, who is both clueless and consciously wary stemming from experience with his parents' less than perfect marriage. Where Emma is clear on what she wants and very in the moment of showing on she feels, Jack is more cautious and reflective on these things.

Though formulaic, love and romance is still sweet and sweeter when it is shared with families and friends. Through it all they are there for Emma just like her work plays a dominant role in her life. Emma's work and life of florist is mentioned in abundance that can at times overwhelm and take away from the story.

*Spoilers*

Of course, no cliche would remain true without the perfect ending, the too-soon marriage proposal complete with a dance in the moonlight. It may be true that a woman can never get enough of romance but this story is cutting it close. Then again where love is concerned, we can forgive a lack of originality (perhaps, that is where all those flowers descriptions attempt to cover), and preditability and just savour in the feel good moment that is love" borrowed from a friends review (less)

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Mar 17, 2012 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-owned, part-of-a-series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 09, 2012 Jane rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I have all four of this series on my Kobo from the library and I'm going to finish them but I'm feeling suffocated in fondant and flower petals.

There's zero suspense. Zero. I knew from book two who all four would end up with (over what, a period of a year?) To get the smexing in, they hook up pretty soon in the book, then of course there's a misunderstanding...I'm just about to start book three but I imagine it'll be the same.

This book. Oh boy. Lost all respect for Emma when she had a major melt...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Ary89 - Romance e non solo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eccoci qui di nuovo con un'altra emozionante storia della serie Bride Quartet, una serie scritta negli ultimi anni, una serie che emoziona e attira sempre di più l'interesse del lettore nelle avventure di 4 amiche: Mackensie, Emma, Laurel e Parker.

Queste 4 ragazze sono amiche fin da piccole e dal loro gioco preferito, il "matrimonio" è nato il loro lavoro... infatti insieme si occupano della società Promesse, una società che organizza matrimoni, dalla preparazione delle foto alla funzione vera e...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Shweta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

Second book in the Bride Quartet and I am already singing praises. I think this is one of Nora Roberts best series. Even though there are 2 more books in the series to be read , I can say that they will be equally good. I guess it's the wedding theme and the wonderful friendship of the protagonists that makes these books so awesome. It just feels so real. The conversations , situations and the whole treatment of the plot is really really good.

The first book Vision In White, was about Mac , who i...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Tanya rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I thought I would try a Nora Roberts book, again. I tried one several years ago, but didn't get too far because I got bored so fast. At the time I was suffering from Post Partum Depression and reading was hard anyway, so I thought I would give her a chance. After all I have a sister that loves her books, and other family that seem to enjoy her.

I finally deleted this novel from my Kindle and returned it to the library lending, after putting up with a barrage of "F" words, and taking the lord in n...more

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Oct 15, 2011 Gloria75 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Un'altra storia del quartetto delle spose. Quattro amiche che già da piccole hanno un debole per i matrimoni e "da grandi" riescono a trasformare la loro passione in un lavoro vero e molto remunerativo... utilizzano la villa ereditata da Parker e Del alla morte dei genitori sia per viverci che per il lavoro e si dividono gli spazi e i compiti (fotografia, fiori, cucina e organizzazione in generale) e insieme affrontano matrimoni, anniversari, madri impazzite e problemi di ogni genere, si sosteng...more

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About Nora Roberts

aka
J.D. Robb
Sarah Hardesty

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sopho...more aka
J.D. Robb
Sarah Hardesty

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sophomore year in high school, she transferred to a local public school, where she met Ronald Aufdem-Brinke, her future first husband.

In Augusy 17, 1968, as soon as she had graduated from High School, Eleanor married, against her parents' wishes. The marriage settled in Keedysville, Maryland. Her husband worked at his father's sheet-metal business before joining her parents in their lighting company. While, she worked briefly as a legal secretary. "I could type fast but couldn't spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever," she says now. After their sons, Dan and Jason, were born she stayed home. Calling this her "Earth Mother" years, she spent much of her time doing crafts, including ceramics and sewing her children's clothes. The marriage ended separating, and they obtained the divorce in January 1985.

In February 1979, a blizzard in forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate. During the now famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981 as Nora Roberts, a shortened form of her birth name Eleanor Marie Robertson, because she assumed that all authors had pen names.

Eleanor wrote under the pseudonym Jill March a story for a magazine titled "Melodies of Love".

Eleanor met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Her husband owns and operates a bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland called "Turn the Page Books". Since that time, they've expanded their home, traveled the world.

In 1992, she decided adopted other pseudonym so to publish a futuristic-suspense novels, she first decided to use the pseudonym D.J. MacGregor, but she discovered that this pseudonym was used by another author. In 1995, her first "In Death" serial novel was published under the pseudonym J.D. Robb, the initials "J.D." were taken from her sons, Jason and Dan, while "Robb" is a shortened form of Roberts.

Eleanor has also been known as Sara Hardesty, because when the "Born In" series was released in U.K. it carried that name instead of Nora Roberts. She has since changed publishers.

Eleanor has been plagiarized by another best-selling romance writer, Janet Dailey. The practice came to light after a reader read Nora Roberts' "Sweet Revenge" and Janet Dailey's "Notorious" back-to-back; she noticed several similarities and posted the comparable passages on the Internet. Calling the plagiarism "mind rape," Eleanor sued Janet Daily. In 1997, Janet, admitted to repeatedly plagiarizing from Nora Roberts' work, and that both "Aspen Gold" and "Notorious" lifted heavily from Nora Roberts's work. Both of those novels were pulled from print after Janet's admission. She acknowledged the plagiarism and blamed it on a psychological disorder. In a settlement, Janet paid Eleanor an undisclosed sum, which Eleanor donated to the Literacy Volunteers of America.

A founding member of the Romance Writers of America (R.W.A.), she was the first inductee in the organization's Hall of Fame. She also is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the (less)

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Quotes from Bed of Roses

“Broken hearts healed. Maybe the cracks were always there, like thin scars, but they healed. People lived and worked, laughed and ate, walked and talked with those cracks

For many, even the scars healed and they loved again.” — 195 people liked it

“ A woman with romance in her life lived as grandly as a queen, because her heart was treasured.” — 84 people liked it

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Bed of Roses (Bride Quartet #2)

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