Lying In Bed

by M.J. Rose

There was a time when Marlowe Wyatt had abandoned herself to the unrestrained pleasures of love; she'd been bold and unashamed, giving her heart and body to her lover without inhibition or hesitation. Until she was betrayed. It's ironic, then, that she now earns a living composing love letters for clients incapable of communicating desire — erotic fantasies she skillfully creates with her head, but never her heart...deliberately disconnected from her passionate core.

Her newest client is about to challenge all that. From the moment of their first encounter, Gideon Brown ignites in her an overpowering hunger like none she's ever known, and a vulnerability she thought she'd vanquished. As the powerful attraction that sizzles between them inspires Marlowe's best work, sensations and desires she'd long held in check sweep her toward the brink of surrender. Yet her own fear, plus thoughts of the woman for whom Gideon hired Marlowe to write the letters, holds her back. But for how long?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Erotica, Contemporary Romance, M F Romance

312 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

New York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.

Her most recent novel, The Last Tiara, will be published Feb 2, 2021

Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com

The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization's co-president..

Reviews

[Asounani · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.2 stars

Esto es difícil pero no se ni por donde comenzar...

Una historia terriblemente lenta, eso queda claro desde las primeras 4 pag, continuas leyendo simplemente por curiosidad o inercia en mi caso.


***SPOILER ALERT***

Marlowe es compleja y no en un buen sentido es un personaje de esos que detienen su vida por una mala experiencia, la cual he de decir me canso pasa todoooooooo el libro lloriqueando por lo que paso pero nunca lo dice no habla de ello no hace NADA!! solo "echarse a morir" y lógicamente revela la historia como si fuera un gran bum casi al final pero tú ya habías llegado a esa conclusión en la pág. 50, so en todo el libro pasa siendo una mártir, cansona que se esconde de todo.

Gideon no me creo gran impacto uno más si soy sincera.

Colé el hermanastro el cerdo y villano en la historia, tampoco tengo que decir de él ya que se sabe solo lo que ella dice que es un ególatra molesto arrogante y blabla pero realmente no sabes nada de él, reitero solo que es un cerdo ególatra...

La mamá vamos enserio señora no noto nada raro por favor es tu hija de 16 años tengo 30 años (al escribir este review) y les digo si mi mamá topa con una foto de mis senos los reconoce!!! es mi madre por los dioses uno no lo cree pero son súper detallistas y lo sabría es más con la foto de la invitación ya sabría que soy yo así que deja bastante que decir esta señora.

En general es un libro que tenia mucho potencial la historia no es mala pero tiene demasiadas largas hacen énfasis en hechos o escenas que fácilmente son olvidables y aquellas que realmente te emocionan o alimentan la historia pasan con una rapidez molesta, ejemplo que necesidad existía de saber sobre el ex que muere en Venecia si al final solo lo recuerdas cuando ella lo nombra y tampoco te crea mucha conexión, la señora dueña de la tienda que supuesta mente sabe leer a la gente y blabla no se entera de nada, el tal Jeff que tampoco aporta mucho.

Pasa lo mismo que en miles de libros es como si le metieran tijera al final de la historia por que se dieron cuenta que son demasiadas hojas, así que terminan cortando el final lo cual es absurdamente MOLESTO vamos e leído finales cortados y este esta en el top de lo peor, desde la parte de la galería todo comienza como en una bajada rápida de escenas flash, veamos entra en crisis en la galería al ver sus fotos (lo cual era predecible), rompe los cuadros y se corta pero es salvada por Gedeón, el cual no se sabe de donde salió, escena de confrontación con el hermanastro, la mama y Gideon la llevan al hospital, la mama la cuida, el se preocupa por ella, habla con la mamá, recibe mas mensajes en la contestadora (la cual oficialmente ODIO), escribe una carta FIN, ENSERIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! que %)&^*&%!!!!!!!!!!, no terminan nada en la historia no sabemos que pasa con la familia y el hermano que sale victorioso, sigue teniendo los negativos lo dejan salirse con la suya, la hermana de ella es un mito señoras y señores porque solo dicen que tiene hermana y que es fotógrafa pero nada más, Jeff y la dueña de la tienda que sucede con ellos que pasa luego de la expo como reaccionaron, ella sigue escribiendo esas historias?, queda con él?, sigue adelante con su vida? NADA NO SABRAS NADA es un libro que a mi parecer no tiene FINAL y lo deteste tengo un sin sabor de boca tan grande que me es más allá de molesto, ese momento mientras lees y dices ummm ya casi termina y no veo un cierre en la historia se quedo corto con este libro.

Ahora si porque 1.2 stars porque soy sincera y el libro tenia potencial, un pesimo desarrollo pero puedo ser bueno.

Reitero no intento ser grocera, o irrespetuosa es solo mi opinion personal.

[CraftyBirdies · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was very disappointing to me. The book is not much about a new relationship with a man she has a strong reaction to, but about her coming to terms with what happened to her when she was young. That is all well and good, but that is not what the book suggests it is about. Also, I wasn't really drawn into the character to care if she comes to terms. Anyone looking for steamy love scenes, or love scenes at all, will be sorely disappointed. There is precisely one love scene between the two main characters, and it's not that exciting or descriptive. The one part of the book that had hope was that the main character has such a strong reaction to a man...but this was disappointing because it was speculated upon and described, but I was never drawn in to feel it. This book left me very detached and wanting to avoid M.J. Rose in the future.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book I won and first time reading of this author. Marlowe was young and fell in love with her step brother who used her passion for his own gain. She was hurt by it and closed herself off to feelings. She is an artist who has not had the success as her mother, step father and step brother.
She works in a friend store that has ribbons, stationery papers, pens and so on. She writes erotic letters for other people that they give to their lover. Gideon walks in and wants letters written and wants to be involved with them, they go to different locations and she comes up with these erotic scene when she sees something and like goes into trance while giving him details of what she sees happening.
I love how deep they went into telling of the screens that could make you want to be there. Loved the ocean scene how it was described.

[Imjstgr8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I'm gonna say that I really liked this book. It was well writtien. Flowing with great words. The scenes literally popped off the page. It was sweet, romantic, and even slightly humerous. It had erotic moments and a nice reminder. My favorite line of the book was "There is no glory in honesty if it is destructive. And no shame in dishonesty if it's goal is to offer grace." Great and wonderful "prose". I loved it. BUT I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because I was disappointed that the book didn't really go with the synopsis NOR the title. It was more of a coming to self book with some eroticism thrown in. Like another reviewer I did not think that I would be able to finish it BUT I am glad that I made myself keep going because it was soooo worth it.

[JB · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a word, sensual. Evocative, thought provoking. Descriptive and sensate. Well written. I could drown in the words, drawn in by the descriptions and the story. If it is does not feel like not your desire before reading, it will be afterwards. Pure joy.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unique story line, vivid descriptions. The ending was very sudden.

[Clara Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the characters and the story, and the sensual scenes were awesome. Subtle but very sexy.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that MJ wrote this style of books and was happily pleased with this free version she sent me. Intriguing plot and looking forward to reading more from her. Wished it was longer!

[Sue Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently rereading it....absolutely brilliant! Highly recommended.

[Ninetailedkat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I took this book on vacation for long plane rides and was hoping for something seriously steamy/smutty/more graphic to pass the time away. Instead the majority of the scenes were what I would call very sensuous and creative for the idea/premise built around the main characters job in this story. So I liked it, but not enough to fully recommend it as a "good read" thus the 2 star rating.

....SPOILER coming....premise was different about a young woman who in essence is writing love letters for other people to give to their lovers the business modeled after Lady Chatterly's love letters. She has standard ones ready that you can just insert a few details or she will customize a unique experience for you for more money. Needless to say she has some angsty thing going with a step brother at the same time as a separate story arc and then a man walks in to have her write custom letters for him and so it begins. He wants her to make a series of letters involving each one of the 5 senses. This aspect of the book was very creative in coming up with fantasies about one lover writing about a particular sense as it applied to the lover he was thinking about. Its hard to explain but should you read it, this part was very well done. Eventually the two stories do collide but honestly I didn't really care about that part.

[Madri · Rating 2 out of 5]

True to her style the writing in Lying in Bed is sensual and evocative. But after reading M.J. Rose's Butterfield Institute series this book felt flat: It's purely erotic fiction without the balance and suspense of the mystery and the depth of the psychological component.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a reason M.J. Rose is one of my favorite authors - the story lines are fresh, original, and quite seductive. This book did not disappoint, and I loved the characters. Marlowe and Gideon are not only wonderfully created characters, but have names to match. Another job well done!

[Fuad Rahimov · Rating 1 out of 5]

Recommended by a friend, but turned out to be a complete disappointment.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Just, wow. A heavy read, but a fantastic one. A great story told extremely well. Not meaningless fluff or just a bunch of sex scenes, but a true love story.

[Cherie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read.

[Tez · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Rhonda Tolley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a free ebook of this title from the author for an honest review so here goes.... The descriptions of everything, from paper to ribbons to walking down the street, is beautiful. It makes you almost able to touch the object(s) of Marlowe's attention. Ephemera sounds like a place that I could stay in forever. Now, on to the bad. First of all, I'm not sure if it was the ebook format (I normally don't read on my Next book) but the typos are horrendous. On every page there was at least 2 and some of the sentences seemed to be missing words or have the words switched around. I understood the story line, but it just seemed that there was too much description for everything but the people. Gideon, Marlowe, and even Cole could have been expanded upon. To me, the flow of the story was also just wrong. I'm not sure what it was, but I just couldn't lose myself in the book like I can others. The descriptions were beautiful, but when you see the title you think there's more eroticism going on than there actually was. Yes, there's plenty of symbolism toward eroticism, but as for actually having any scenes, there was only one. Marlowe is way to unsure of herself and she's very melodramatic. Cole's your classic douche and Gideon is an enigma. There was just not enough description and backstory for Gideon.

[Cristina Contilli]

Ma gli uomini sexy si chiamano tutti Gideon?!

A parte il fatto che il protagonista si chiami Gideon proprio come quello dell'ultima trilogia erotica di Silvia Day mi ha fatto fare un piccolo sobbalzo sulla sedia, per il resto, è un romanzo carino e abbastanza sensuale con una protagonista che scrive lettere d'amore su richiesta perché immedesimarsi nelle storie e nei sentimenti altrui la fa sognare e le fa dimenticare che lei in amore ha invece subito delle grosse delusioni... purtroppo non mette in conto l'arrivo di un Gideon tra i suoi committenti e si sa che con un nome così tutto può accadere...

d'altra parte questo romanzo è del 2007 quindi si tratta sicuramente di una coincidenza, anche se non ho potuto fare a meno di notarla, visto che si tratta di due rosa erotici, anche se questo è meno hot rispetto a quello della Day...

[Sara Kuberski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of Rose's slower books. I usually cruise right through hers and this one took me awhile and didn't hold my attention very well. It also lacked the emotional element that her books normally have. I was a little disappointed overall, even though it's not a bad story. I just expected a little more from an author whose previous writings have all been spectacular.

[Elisa Vangelisti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rilettura. Questo romanzo è lento e tristissimo, e non ho bisogno di rileggerlo al momento. La sofferenza della protagonista è così ben raccontata da farmi stare male. Inoltre lo stile è così lento e decadente da rendermi inquieta.

[Heather G · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was sooo boring... I don't know why I wasted the time to finish reading it. Not recommended :(

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

So slow. It was a chore to read.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book, but the end dissapointed me.