The Inn at Rose Harbor: A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Debbie Macomber (Author)

Book Description

Watch the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove on Hallmark Channel

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber comes a heartwarming new series based in the Pacific Northwest town of Cedar Cove, where a charming cast of characters finds love, forgiveness, and renewal behind the doors of the cozy Rose Harbor Inn.
 
Jo Marie Rose first arrives in Cedar Cove seeking a sense of peace and a fresh start. Coping with the death of her husband, she purchases a local bed-and-breakfast—the newly christened Rose Harbor Inn—ready to begin her life anew. Yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine.
 
Her first guest is Joshua Weaver, who has come home to care for his ailing stepfather. The two have never seen eye to eye, and Joshua has little hope that they can reconcile their differences. But a long-lost acquaintance from Joshua’s high school days proves to him that forgiveness is never out of reach and love can bloom even where it’s least expected.  
 
The other guest is Abby Kincaid, who has returned to Cedar Cove to attend her brother’s wedding. Back for the first time in twenty years, she almost wishes she hadn’t come, the picturesque town harboring painful memories from her past. And while Abby reconnects with family and old friends, she realizes she can only move on if she truly allows herself to let go.
 
A touching novel of life’s grand possibilities and the heart’s ability to heal, The Inn at Rose Harbor is a welcome introduction to an unforgettable set of friends.

BONUS: This edition includes a The Inn at Rose Harbor discussion guide and excerpts from Debbie Macomber’s Starting Now and Rose Harbor in Bloom.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Exclusive: Essay by Debbie Macomber

For anyone who's ever written or read a book series, no matter how deeply loved the setting, the town and the people, there's always one small complication.

Characters and character names.

By the end of three or four books, let alone thirteen or fourteen, there are a bazillion characters. You can't use the name Joe because he was the plumber in Book Three and if you introduce another Joe, the reader will assume he was the same plumber ten books back. And trust me, the reader will remember because Joe Someone out there in Reader Land had an Uncle Joe who was a plumber and they were so pleased to see a writer mention their Uncle Joe.

It's not only the readers who need a refresher course when it comes to remembering five thousand different characters. By book six, I needed a bible for my Cedar Cove series. It took up as much space on my hard drive as an entire manuscript.

For this reason, when I decided to create another series, I needed to devise a way of limiting the amount of characters. That's not as easy as it sounds. I briefly considered establishing a settlement on the moon, but that doesn't exactly live up to my branding statement: Wherever you are, Debbie Macomber takes you home.

Then I had the idea—brilliant, if I do say so myself—of using a bed and breakfast as the location for my new series. A lovely inn, a place of healing and of hope. But most importantly, the guests will come and—after telling their amazing stories—they will drift away, never to be forgotten but never to appear again. If Joe does come for a stay, I won't need to remember that he was a plumber ten books ago and what connections he has to the community. He's simply a guest. In an inn with lots of other guests who come and go. But as with any good inn, hopefully they'll feel right at home during their stay. And hopefully readers will too.

Review

“No one tugs at readers’ heartstrings quite as effectively as [Debbie] Macomber.”—Chicago Tribune
 
“Debbie Macomber is the reigning queen of women’s fiction.”—The Sacramento Bee
 
“Charming . . . warm and serene . . . a wonderful novel.”—Bookreporter
 
“An appealing milieu of townspeople and visitors.”—The Seattle Times
 
“[An] emotionally charged romance.”—Kirkus Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 1374 KB
• Print Length: 354 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (August 14, 2012)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006V3E272
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,702 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #66 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Family Saga
  • #90 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Family Saga

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

138 of 141 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great new series July 13, 2012

By Susan McIntyre VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I have been on a Debbie Macomber kick this summer, having had a major back surgery and thus plenty of downtime. My kindle is loaded up with Macomber stories I have read.

This new series seems a little different from the Cedar Cove Series. The previous series set in this location had a multitude of characters especially in the initial book. Most of the characters were introduced in the first book and subsequent books followed one of the characters or families.

The Inn at Rose Harbor has 3 main characters. The new owner of the Inn is Jo Marie, who is recently widowed and has come to cedar cove for a new start. Her first two guests each have their own issues and it seems to me that their stories are wrapped up by the end of the book.

The first two guests have come back to Cedar Cove reluctantly and each has their own reasons. Josh has come back to help out with his dying step father. He goes through a rehash of his horrible relationship with the older man. In the process he strikes up a friendship with his former next door neighbor

Abby Kincaid had come back for her brother's wedding but she too is battling issues from her past. She is afraid to face her former high school friends because she had been driving when her best friend was killed in a black ice accident.

The book alternates easily between the three characters. It is kind of fun to see Jo Marie interact briefly with some of the old Cedar Cove characters.

I enjoyed this book a lot and finished it much too quickly. I look forward to the next one. At the end of this book Jo Maria accepts reservations from two new characters who are arriving the same weekend obviously laying the groundwork for the next edition.

This is the first book Debbie has written since the tragic death of her son last August. I sense sadness in this book, as well as an appreciation for the complexities surrounding sudden death and the aftermath for families and friends. In fact, untimely death and grief play an important role for each main character.

There is also a certain amount of mysticism in the story as the characters communicate, each in their own way, with their deceased love ones. To me it shows the way that Debbie and her family as well as the characters are dealing with their grief.

86 of 92 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Slow to start, but I was totally engrossed at the end. July 7, 2012

By Cynthia E. Downes VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I've read just about every Debbie Macomber book publishes so I was glad to have the opportunity to review this new book, The Inn at Rose Harbor.

The story is about Jo Marie Rose, a widow, who has just arrived in Cedar Cover to run a bed and breakfast. Her first guests are Joshua Weaver and Abby Kincaid. Joshua has come to collect a few family mementos from his stepfather, a man who chased him out of his home when he was a senior in high school. Joshua is angry and bitter and wants nothing more than get his stuff and run.

Abby, who has not been home for 20 years, has returned for her brother's wedding. She is dealing with painful memories of a friend who was killed in an automobile accident in which Abby was the driver. She, too, only wants to do what she has to do and then get out of town. However, things don't always work out as planned and that's what this story is about.

At the beginning of the book, I almost gave up. The theme was depressing - all these people grieving over deaths of loved ones. The story starts slow and doesn't speed up for quite a while, which made it even harder. But I enjoy Debbie's writing, so I kept going and finally got interested in the characters about 1/2 way through the book. By the end of the book, I was hooked, so much so that I shed quite a few tears at the end of the book.

I'm glad I pushed myself to finish the book. It's not the most exciting story I ever read; however, the story was satisfying and I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series.

If you enjoy Debbie Macomber books, you'll want to read this one as well. Just be patient. I think you'll enjoy it if you give it a chance.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars a great start to another series by Macomber July 10, 2012

By ReneeSuz VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I was so excited to see a new series by Macomber; she is one of my favorite authors. This first book in her new series was a breath of fresh air during this hot humid summer.
The series is set in Cedar Cove but the characters are new. Jo Marie Rose has moved there upon the death of her husband after purchasing a Bed & Breakfast. Story lines were developed around two guests that checked into the B&B. They were heartwarming stories of families and relationships. I especially liked that the ending made it clear that this is a series and I can look forward to more books in the series.

More About the Author

With more than 100 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Debbie Macomber is one of today's most popular authors.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author is best known for her ability to create compelling characters and bring their stories to life in her books. Drawing on her own experiences and observations, Debbie writes heartwarming tales about small-town life, home and family and enduring friendships. Every book features the delightful sense of humor that readers around the world clamor for.

Debbie is a regular resident on numerous bestseller lists, including the New York Times (55 times and counting), USA TODAY (currently 63 times) and Publishers Weekly (23 times to date). She is the first-ever recipient of the "readers' choice" Quill Award for Romance Fiction, for 44 Cranberry Point, the fourth book in her highly popular Cedar Cove series. Debbie has also been honored with a RITA® Award, a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Career Achievement Award and is a multiple winner of both the Holt Medallion and the B. Dalton Award.

Her recent books include 92 Pacific Boulevard, 8 Sandpiper Way, 74 Seaside Avenue and Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook, as well as Twenty Wishes, A Cedar Cove Christmas, Summer on Blossom Street and The Perfect Christmas.

For more information on Debbie and her books, visit her Web site: www.DebbieMacomber.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#26 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#8 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#9 in Books > Romance

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#23 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#24 in Books > Literature & Fiction

#8 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#9 in Books > Romance

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#23 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#24 in Books > Literature & Fiction