Customer Reviews

Lying In Bed

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Marlowe Wyatt works in a New York boutique writing erotic love letters for people who can't manage the words themselves. Still grieving for a lover who was killed in an accident before she could explain dark secrets from her past, her life is empty and unhappy, and she doesn't want it any other way because those secrets are still, years later, just too painful. Then a man comes into the store and hires her to write five letters for someone--only he wants to be part of the process, not just a customer.

They begin to visit various places together to explore different sensory possibilities for these letters--for which she's going to earn two thousand dollars--but unexpected feelings for this man, Gideon Brown, begin to boil to the surface.

Cold words in a review can't begin to express the beautiful prose Rose uses all throughout this story, in every syllable, every nuance. Rose is a master at subtle prose anyhow, I've read all of her books and she always tells her stories with strength and brilliant, deft class. While this book doesn't have the swift complexity of her thrillers, it's impossible to put down once you start reading because of the way her soft words weave you into the fabric of her story.

This book outdoes any other erotica novel I've ever read. Rose puts to sleep once and for all the myth that in order to write erotica, you have to use every single physical movement and so-called erotic euphemism you can drag off of a long, long list of euphemisms. But it's not in the words, it's what the author does with the words she chooses. Read M.J. Rose's LYING IN BED and you'll see how it's done when it's done well. BA

Lying In Bed tells the story of Marlowe Wyatt, a woman who writes erotic letters and stories for others. She brings the depths of her secret desires and longings through her creative and sensual writing, though she is unaware of the fact that she does that. It is the enigmatic Gideon who points it out to her. When Gideon enters her life, Marlowe is forced to face her inner demons, including old issues regarding her stepbrother, her cynicism and her past relationships with men.

M.J. Rose has once again created a story that is both erotic and haunting. I have noticed that most, if not all, of her novels are based on women who repress themselves one way or another, with personal issues and angsts that run deep. The erotica here is subtle, not the in-your-face stuff you often find in romantic erotica these days. Though I like the aforementioned in-your-face stuff, I also love this kind of writing, for it reminds me of authors like Anais Nin and D.H. Lawrence. Spice is a great imprint, it seems, with great eye for erotic writing. I hope this Harlequin imprint will deliver a variety of romantic erotica -- from somewhat literary (like this one) to stories that are just sexy and fun. I also like to read contemporary romantica with no gimmicks (meaning not paranormal, suspense, whatever). Just a well-told story with equal amounts of eroticism and romance. All sorts are great for reading, depends on the mood I'm in. If you like beautiful prose and sensual reading, you will love Lying In Bed. I also recommend the other books by this author.

This is the first book I have read from this author, but the reviews for it were so good (the 1 star had not been posted yet) that I gave it a chance. I did not give it 1 star because the erotic stories the heroine writes were very well done. But outside of the fantasies, the relationship between the H/H was a downer. She is depressed about her past, and finds someone to bring her out of it, but he is taken. Fine, I could deal with that for part of the book, but not nearly the entire thing. I just felt sadder and sadder for her, that she was falling in love with this great guy who was asking her to help him get another girl. And I liked him less and less as it went along, because he knew she was falling for him yet kept stringing her along. Not romantic, at all. It's good as a sample of erotic writing, but lousy as a love story.

M.J. Rose has become one of my favorite authors . . . so whenever

I see that she has a new book out, I try to read it as quickly as

possible.

LYING IN BED, her latest, did not disappoint . . . it is billed as

an "erotic fiction novel," and though it is a different from her

earlier efforts (that fit more in the suspense category), I

still was drawn-in by the strong story line.

This one features a woman who ghostwrites erotic letters for

others . . . when a mysterious client enters her life, the letters

all of a sudden become real to her--especially after her first

lover reappears.

Though the book is seemingly directed more to women,

men will enjoy it too.

There were several passages that caught my attention; among

them:

* "It's not success that I'm talking about. It's interaction. When we

paint or sculpt or assemble a collage, we're using our senses and

our souls to make something out of thin air. We're saying something.

And the act of saying it, and the process we go through in presenting it,

doesn't teach us everything we need to know until we can discuss it and

argue about it and listen to other people talking about it."

* But a first kiss is none of those things. It is an invitation to a sensate

world that is yet unknown. It is dark in the light and light in the dark. It

is foreign in its tastes and smells. It may begin with your lips but it

moves along your body in a way that brings your blood to the surface. It

turns you inside out so that you become your feelings and your thoughts

retreat, bowing to the physicality of the kiss's moment. The rest of you

withdraws to allow the coming together of a mere two inches of flesh that

fly you to an unknown place--the way you can travel to a new city

or town and recognize that you are in its center without knowing the

particular buildings, foliage, storefronts.

* I knew better than to be fooled by a man's passion. Or my own. Lust

is so fickle, motivated by so many of the wrong impulses. Fooling us into

thinking it has some significance when it has none.

Marlowe Wyatt writes love letters and erotic short stories for her clients to gift their lovers. When she meets with a particular client, he launches her on her own erotic journey, uncovering the person Marlowe used to be until she was ultimately betrayed eight years ago. A betrayal she still hasn't got over. And she must confront the betrayer to secure her privacy.

Gideon's already in a relationship (or is he?), so his meetings with Marlowe don't feel healthy. And most of their time together is focused on her, so their pairing doesn't seem equal. And I thought artist types were usually poor, so I don't understand how Marlowe can afford to live in New York City, purchase all her expensive art supplies, and buy rather pricey-sounding food and drink. But that's just me nitpicking. Also, relationships between step-siblings still count as incest (though Marlowe protests that too much), so parts of this novel are rather awkward.

She may have since moved on to writing thrillers, but LYING IN BED is M. J. Rose writing what she does best: a psychological study. Marlowe's history is slowly unravelled, culminating in a smashing face-off with her past. Her character journey is by far the most fascinating part of the novel, and the attention to detail is deep. The author's early work (pre-REINCARNATIONIST) is her best, in my humble opinion, so do make an effort to hunt down this 2006 gem.

This novel is beautiful and subtle. The descriptive prose is absolutely fabulous. Is is more sensual than many erotic stories and has deeper character development. I will keep this book

Marlowe Wyatt feels she made the mistake of a lifetime when she failed to tell her beloved Joshua how much she loved him. When he died she was left with remorse and sorrow; she hopes he knows now though he would be disappointed in her as she has quit on life; unable to cope with relationships out of fear that people die. Instead she buries herself at work and with her art writing erotic letters that lovers would exchange to let their significant other know how much he or she cares; something she failed to do with Joshua.

New client Gideon awakens the woman inside of Marlowe that has lied dormant since Joshua died. However, she knows he is off limits as he has a girlfriend even as Gideon encourages her to get out to enjoy the world and to write special letters for him only. Inspiring her, she falls in love with Gideon, but knows nothing can come of it as he has someone else.

Marlowe is a fascinating protagonist as she struggles with grief for her Joshua and remorse for failing to tell him she loved him and a new wave of guilt for feeling again as she transitions from living dead to living. LYING IN BED is an erotic character study starring a wonderful lead character whose emotions will grip the audience from start to finish. M.J. Rose displays her depth of talent with this switch from suspense to erotica.

Harriet Klausner

I found the characters unengaging and the storyline boring. Don't waste your money on this book.