While I reread this many times as a child, and loved it dearly, a recent reread left me a little cold. Rose's morals seem impossibly high to meet, and while the spirit behind them is still sweet, I now find her annoying and preachy. Only nostalgia stops me from changing my rating from five stars to three.
I'd only give the first books to a die hard Little Woman fan. ( )

http://unabridgedopinions.com/2009/03... ( )

The sequel to Eight Cousins finds Rose Campbell a grown woman of fortune. Will she find true love?

Does anyone else think that Louisa May Alcott seems to write the most sentimental love scenes ever written? That's one of the only things that I don't like about her books - otherwise, they're good stories.

Rose In Bloom, however, was disappointing. The idea of cousins marrying one another is .... strange! (To me, at least. ) I guess I was expecting a different ending for Charlie, and the last chapter made me roll my eyes and shake my head. The first book (Eight Couins) is much happier and less serious. ( )

A favorite of mine. Rose in Bloom examines society expectations and the "fate" of nineteenth century gentle women in both the upper and working class. The high moral expectations from both family and society, the prejudices, customs and the lack of opportunity for even educated women is evident on every page. Drawing from personal experience, Louisa creates a bittersweet picture of life in New England in the mid eighteen hundreds. ( )

Generally I am torn by sequels. I both love and hate them because they can often take a good story and mar it by having been written for the sole purpose of serving fans or publishers. This one, however, is as charming as its precursor, Eight Cousins. Rose is grown and is then thrown into the world of adulthood where love and drama takes over the fancies and imaginings of childhood. It is a thrilling (if sometimes heartbreaking) story and is a very good read. ( )

A slice of life from another era - yes. Hopelessly romantic and idealized - yes. Old fashioned and out of date - yes. I don't care. I love this book, and its prequel Eight Cousins. Rich beautiful Rose must decide how she will spend her life so that it means something. And she must also decide who she will spend it with. (Or rather, with whom she will spend it!)

Inscribed: "Mary Alice Burns" (my mother) ( )

I really loved this book. It was an excellent read. It should also serve as a lesson to teenaged girls that come from wealthier families. The most important things in life cannot be bought and paid for. I would reccomend this book to anyone. ( )

http://www.lonelymountain.net/books/f... ( )

Somehow I missed Eight Cousins when I received this as a Christmas gift one year. And I warn you--it's overly sentimental, filled with Pollyanna characters who moralize to an astonishing degree.
But I loved it as a child. And I continue to periodically re-read it to this day, and still love it. Definitely my favorite of Alcott's novels. Go figure. ( )

sequel to Eight Cousins ( )

The lesser-known sequel to Eight Cousins. It follows Rose as she grows up and deals with some interesting social issues of the day. The ending is perfect for hopeless romantics.