Wedding photographer Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera, but her focus is shattered moments before an important wedding rehearsal when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother…an encounter that has them both seeing stars.
A stable, safe English teacher, Carter Maguire is definitely not Mac’s type. But a casual fling might be just what she needs to take her mind off bridezillas. Of course, casual flings can turn into something more when you least expect it. And Mac will have to turn to her three best friends—and business partners—to see her way to her own happy ending.
Vision In White, by Nora Roberts
I don’t normally read contemporary romance. I can’t really say why, it’s just …not my thing? I’m not even sure why I ended up reading this the first time, but once I started the series I couldn’t stop and I think the first book is my favorite.
I think what makes this series work for me is the set-up: the story focuses on four childhood friends who go into business together running weddings. That is, each of them takes on their own area of expertise and they join together to provide full service weddings in a gorgeous old mansion. Mackensie, or Mac as she’s known, is the photographer of the group.
Somehow, despite having gone through my own wedding planning, I still don’t entirely hate the concept. I might even occasionally look at a wedding blog or two still. Something about the happily ever afters that gets me every time. So you can understand why this premise caught my eye, even before we add in the friendship between the women of Vows. (I’m a sucker for a good friendship.)
I definitely find Mac to be a character I can relate to. She’s occasionally impulsive, a bit of a night owl, and prefers to be behind the camera instead of in front of it. Life has left her with some pretty serious scars and she still has some growing up to do, particularly where it involves her relationship with her mother. (Not that I can blame her for this — there’s not much in the way of redeeming features where her mother is concerned!) Carter’s hurts are less severe but he’s not perfect. (Adorable? Yes. Perfect, no.)
The way their relationship grows is believable and I loved the glimpses we get into the trials and tribulations of running a wedding-related business, from family related drama to the simple realities of just how many pieces come together to pull off a wedding. It helps move the story along without feeling intrusive or unnatural, and it gives a lot of different perspectives on what weddings mean to people, even as it recaptures the moment for me. Your mileage might vary, of course, but that’s one of the things I love about this book.
I also love the friendship between the women at the heart of this book. They’re a family at heart and you can see that in their interactions with each other. It’s one of the things that drew me on to the next book, even though (again) this isn’t my normal sub-genre. It’s a cute, light read and hit enough of my favorite quirks to make it work for me, so if this sounds interesting to you, I recommend picking it up for a look. (Added bonus, aside from the first book the audiobooks are read by Angela Dawe and I’ve raved before about how much I love her.)