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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Marriage Bed: the Heart of this Romance, May 24, 2007
This review is from: The Marriage Bed (Harlequin Everlasting Love #7) (Mass Market Paperback)
The Marriage Bed, a tender romance, presents the reader with a portrait of married love that is both tender and troubled. The Vietnam War and past secrets shadow the marriage both in the past and the present. The romance has more depth, more breadth and more time to develop than a typical romance. The romance is tender but the times were tough and the characters are tender, vulnerable and tough as they face the challenges of the past and present. The innovative form of this romance might make it more of a reading challenge than a traditional romance but at the same time, both the newness and depth found in this romance of married love may make this particular romance a more rewarding reading experience for some romance readers.
Joelle Webber and Bobby DiFranco have been married for decades. When her childhood sweetheart arrives unexpectedly at the door, his request reveals a secret once buried and one that threatens Joelle's marriage. Flashbacks to earlier times tell the story of Joelle's marriage, both how they have built a marriage together and the experiences that threatened to pull them apart. The past history that unfolds alternates with the current unfolding crisis, thereby giving the reader a deeper understanding of the depth of their love and struggles. Joelle and Bobby fought to survive during the Vietnam war. They must fight now to preserve their marriage when a more personal threat arrives at their doorstep and their marriage faces destruction.
The Marriage Bed provides the reader with a view of modern history as it is lived through the characters. Readers will recognize all the cultural references are familiar such as Jim Morrison and The Doors, The Mod Squad, etc. Readers may appreciate this view of the 1960s, created without nostalgia or glamor, seen through an the intimate portrait of a couple struggling through the difficult choices then and the present.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
interesting family drama, May 9, 2007
This review is from: The Marriage Bed (Harlequin Everlasting Love #7) (Mass Market Paperback)
Thirty-seven years ago Drew Foster deserted pregnant Joelle Webber without a look back until now. Married for three decades to Helen, Drew has returned needing a humongous favor of Joelle. His son Adam is dying from leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. His proved not a good match leaving one person left, their daughter Claudia.
However, Joelle and her husband Bobby DiFranco never informed Claudia that he was not her natural father. Instead they hid that truth as Bobby raised her with love as if he sired her. Joelle has no choice but to inform her daughter that Drew is her biological father andpray Claudia understands they did what they did out of love for her, but Bobby fears losing his relationship with his daughter once she knows Drew is her biological father not him.
THE MARRIAGE BED is an interesting family drama starring a strong cast struggling with several issues besides the obvious as described above. Though readers will wonder why Bobby and Joelle, who were best friends back in their hometown of Holmdell even while she was seeing Drew in high school, never shared their feelings, fans will appreciate this solid character driven contemporary tale.
Harriet Klausner
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a love story with one "little" problem....., June 23, 2007
This review is from: The Marriage Bed (Harlequin Everlasting Love #7) (Mass Market Paperback)
THE MARRIAGE BED by Judith Arnold
June 23, 2007
Amazon rating 3.5/5
"Joelle and Bobby DiFranco are in their sixties, having been married for several decades. They have a daughter and two sons, who now have children of their own. One day Joelle receives a surprise visit from her high school boyfriend, Drew Foster. The last time she saw him she had barely graduated from high school and was pregnant. Drew didn't want anything to do with the baby and sent Joelle money to have an abortion. However, Joelle wanted the baby.
Now Drew is back in the picture. His only son is dying of cancer, and the only hope of saving Adam's life is to find a bone marrow donor. So far, no match has been found, but a sibling would be a possible donor. Drew tracked down Joelle and discovered she never did have the abortion. Now he's in town to contact Claudia, Joelle and Drew's daughter. Unfortunately, Claudia thinks her biological father is Bobby. Drew's appearance tears the family apart, and Joelle isn't sure her marriage can withstand the resulting turmoil." -- Complete review found at BookLoons - M. Lofton
The main theme alone was enough to keep me intrigued. As with all Love Everlasting novels, this one spanned decades, starting with Joelle and Bobby's beginnings, their difficult early years, and everything else that comes with a strained marriage. The story line was filled with a lot of tension and events that will keep the reader interested, but I didn't connect with the characters at all. The plot was good enough, however, to hold up the book, although in a good romance a reader should be able to feel some connection to the main characters. With that said, I still recommend THE MARRIAGE BED for its entertainment value. The reader shouldn't be disappointed.
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