I am so happy to finally be reading this book. It's been out since November and every shift I worked it would taunt me. I held off buying it though because I thought it'd be pretty silly to buy the fourth book in a series when I didn't own any of the others. I vowed to be patient and wait for it from my lovely local library (hey, look at that unintentional alliteration!). Actually, my mom got it from the library and I borrowed it from her. This means that I have to have it done by the end of tomorrow so I can give it back to her and she can have the time to read it. An attainable goal I think, as I am currently on chapter eleven, page 162 of 355.
The only thing I knew about this series when it first came out was that the first book had an absolutely gorgeous cover. That and it was another book in a long line by Nora Roberts. I never had a huge problem with Roberts, as I knew my mom read them and I know she doesn't read mindless romance novels (and there are many of those!). Within the next year the next three books in the series were released, all with beautiful covers as well - though my favourite is still the first one!
When I moved back home for the summer my mom mentioned a series of books that she thought I would really like, but she couldn't remember what they were called or who wrote them. She hadn't mentioned them to me when she was reading them because I was in school and had less than no time to read for fun. We eventually figured out what they were and I read the first one I was totally hooked.
This series is about four women who are such good friends they may as well be sisters. My favourite part of the whole series? That they own a wedding planning company. Why was I particularly drawn to that aspect? A bit of background on me - I took an event management course last year and toyed with the idea of working for a wedding planner but I ended up taking the fundraising route instead, almost by accident. So, I'm not just one of your average females who are drawn to stories and movies about weddings, but I actually really enjoy the planning aspect of it and the work that goes into making a bride's day perfect.
Each book is focused on a different character, and each one of them is responsible for a different aspect of a wedding. Mac the photographer was first in Visions of White, Emma the florist came next in Bed of Roses, Savor the Moment focused on the baker and cake artiste Laurel, and finally Happy Ever After was about Parker who was the one who looked after all the other necessary details. Did you notice that the titles allude to the job of the character? Cute, isn't it?
As with most romance novels, at the end of each story the main character ends up with a wonderful guy - of course after some sort of issue. I know the formula for these kinds of books and movies, and I'm ok with that. I like seeing how the writer makes the journey to the official relationship or engagement different than all the other stories out there.
What makes these books a little different is that it's not just about the men or falling in love. These women have been friends since they were children and playing Wedding Day in their backyards. They love and respect each other and that comes through in the stories. It makes me think of the relationships with my own friends and how lucky I am to have some of them who know me so incredibly well.
Overall, I would definitely recommend these books. If you like romance - read them. If you like weddings - read them. If you like reading about female friendships - read them. They're sweet, and light, and perfect for a weekend read.
Now, enough writing about this book and more reading it! :)
