Customer Reviews

A Rose by the Door

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Thank you, Deborah Bedford for writing a book that is wholesome and interesting. I am a stay at home mom, and even though I was interrupted regularly while reading this book, I was always eager to pick it up again and find out what was going to happen next. It kept my interest and was never hard to get back into once I had put it down. The story of the roses is fascinating. This is ultimately a book about a woman's faith in God and how her relationship with God was tested during a difficult time in her life. The book does a good job of tying everything together. I would highly recommend it!

Bea Bartling's faith has been sorely tested. Her son Nathan left under mysterious circumstances five years previously for reasons known only to Bea and she's not sharing. She has prayed fervently every day for his return. What she doesn't count on is his return in a casket.

After Nathan's death any joy left in Bea's life is gone. She is unable to even tend to her famous roses. Roses first brought to Nebraska by travelers over the Oregon Trail. They are so popular that the local museum even gives out pamphlets for self-guided tours.

When a young woman with four-year-old child arrive on her doorstep a few weeks after Nathan's death, Bea is in the throes of self-pity and doesn't want to acknowledge that the woman, Gemma is actually Nathan's widow. Even with the knowledge that Gemma and her daughter Paisley have no place to go, Bea doesn't offer them refuge. Instead, while visiting the local museum, they are locked in overnight and the woman who finds them has Gemma arrested on suspicion of burglary.

Gemma's arrest is a blessing in disguise as Jay Triplett, the friendly arresting officer, calls the local minister, George Sissel and he and his family take Gemma and Paisley in. Gemma eventually gets a job at a local restaurant and slowly Bea's defenses are taken down. Although she eventually invites them to stay in her home, she is never able to give herself fully to Gemma although young Paisley is a little bit better at endearing herself to Bea. When Bea finds Gemma has been in Nathan's room despite Bea asking her not to, accidentally breaking some treasured athletic trophies Nathan had won, her precarious trust of Gemma is broken and Gemma and Paisley return to the Sissel home.

As long-kept secrets are slowly revealed, Gemma puts the puzzle together but it takes a near tragedy for Bea to realize how much Gemma and Paisley really mean to her. Gemma even begins to heal herself with a special friendship and perhaps budding romance.

A ROSE BY THE DOOR is an endearing and heartwarming story that will appeal to readers of all ages. Little Paisley nearly steals the show with her innocence. Both Bea and Gemma are troubled women but through their common bond they eventually help each other heal.

I've long been a fan of Deborah Bedford's stories including the wonderful HARVEST DANCE and welcome her move to the inspirational romance subgenre. With well-drawn characters and a story that will keep readers turning pages, A ROSE BY THE DOOR is a clear winner.

Not quite eighteen, Nathan left home three weeks before he graduated from college. His mother Bea Bartling of Ash Hollow, Nebraska has constantly; prayed over the next five years that her son will return home so they can reconcile. Her dream ends when the police inform her that Nathan died in an automobile accident.

Bea becomes angry with God for betraying her trust in the All Mighty. She also does not know what to do when Nathan's widow Gemma accompanied by her granddaughter Paisley arrives broke and hungry. Bea reluctantly allows them to temporarily stay with her. As time passes, the three generations of females become close even though Bea still refuses to fully open up her heart to her guests. Unless Bea finds a way to tear down her walls, she will lose Gemma and Paisley too.

A ROSE BY THE DOOR is an uplifting inspirational story that shows those individuals with faith in their hearts can surmount any emotional mountain. The poignant story line moves the audience especially when the reader needs a lift. Deborah Bedford displays her talent with this sententious novel that never preaches but clearly inspires.

Harriet Klausner

What Mel Gibson's latest movie, Signs, tried to do but did not quite pull off. This book is thought-provoking and surprising, fast-paced, a fine read. It is one of the most realistic stories I've ever read to look at honest disappointment and honest faith. Is there really a God, or do you think everything around us is left to chance?

Bea Bartling has been praying for her son to come home and her prayers are not answered the way she thinks they should be. Instead, sometimes you find out that the one is charge of everything knows more about what we need then we do.

The characters are plausible and the dialogue is good. I will look for more books by this author.

This is a book about a woman who meets a stranger at her door, a young woman and her daughter, and these two people change her life. She begins to hope where before she had seen only the bad parts of life. The book starts out in a sad way. The first three chapters made me cry, and then I began to see all the good things the author was saying about God. This book has some really funny parts, too. The characters feel very real, like people I know in my own town. If you like to laugh and you like to cry, you will love this book!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It made me laugh and it made me cry. It made me think about myself in new ways. This writer has done some others that I like, but I think this is by far my favorite. It's set in a small town in Nebraska. It reminds me little bit of Billie Lett's Where The Heart Is. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this. It is a Christian book and it's the first one I've ever read. Now I can't wait until Bedford writes the next one.

Congratulations to romance-writer Bedford for penning a novel that reaches beyond genre fiction and touches the reader where it counts...in the gut. I read this book because my mother grows Harison's Yellow roses in Michigan and I was fascinated that this author wrote a book that centered on the subject. This is a story about a woman who has lost all hope, until a young woman and her daughter show up on her doorstep to change her life. I laughed, I thought of my brother who has lost his son, and I rooted for Bea Bartling all the way through. A highly recommended read.

My mother had been in the doldroms, or worse, for so long that she wasn't reading or doing crossword puzzles anymore. She is normally an avid reader. I bought this book because it was advertised in People magazine. I liked it so well, I bought another copy and gave it to her for Christmas. After reading this book, she is going to back to the library again. It's a great read and a beautiful story. Thank you to this author for sharing her very special talents with all of us. Yes, there is hope in the world even during difficult time and A Rose By The Door has a joyous way of pointing that out. Be prepared with a box of tissues because you WILL cry. But you'll be laughing almost the same time. This story is a slice of life at its best.

Both my mother and I would love to see another book with these same characters.

I absolutely loved this book. The story was so well written and interesting that I had to keep reading. It was a bargain book so I didn't expect much but I was pleasantly surprised.

A Rose by the Door by Deborah Bradford is a sweet piece of Christian fiction. I wasn't as moved by this book as I have been by Bedford's other works, specifically If I Had You. Bea Bartling tends her pioneer roses in Ash Hollow, Nebraska and looks into the face of everyone who comes to see them searching for the son who ran away. When tragedy strikes, and he is killed she turns her back on her faith. The secret that is the core of this story seems a bit overwraught. Because the rest of the story is pinned on it, once it is revealed, the rest of the book kind of falls apart. The characters never quite came to life for me, and the end ties up a bit too neatly. Honestly, a sequel to this book would probably be stronger than the original. I really do love Bradford and her other books, this is just a weak anomaly.