"Savor the Moment," Nora Roberts

Pros: You know it’s good when you tear up by page 6.
Cons: None—it’s exactly what I want from this sort of book
Rating: 5 out of 5

Review book courtesy of Penguin Group.

I have to admit, I didn’t expect to get so swept up in Nora Roberts’s “Bride Quartet” series when it started. I’ve never been one of those “perfect wedding” dreamers, so the topic didn’t hold much interest for me. However, Ms. Roberts has brought the wedding business and its attendant ups and downs alive so beautifully that I couldn’t help but get swept up in the moment.

Savor the Moment is book three of four. These are unabashed feel-good romances, concerning the romantic fates of the four business partners in a dream-wedding business called Vows.

Book one took on Mac, the fiery photographer, and her unexpected attraction to nerdy English teacher Carter. Book two explored the romancing of Emma, the company’s romantic florist. This time we follow Laurel, the baker who creates the wedding cakes that wow the company’s clients.

As before, Vows itself becomes almost an extra character in the book. We get to experience the satisfaction of jobs well done, and the wild ride of handling everything that can go wrong during a wedding, from the unfortunate to the hysterical. It’s been amazing to me that Roberts could draw me so deftly into a business that I have absolutely no interest in, and make me hang on every wacky event. I even love reading about how Laurel comes up with and chooses the perfect cake designs for her clients—and for her friends.

Laurel’s love is both more and less unexpected than those in the previous books. She’s been in love with Del, Parker’s older brother, since childhood, so there’s no suprise there. Unfortunately, he looks after her like a brother would, and she’s gotten a tad bitter watching him date other women—classier women, from much different backgrounds than hers. She’s absolutely certain there’s no possibility for things to heat up between them.

Until, that is, one anger-induced, mind-blowing kiss. Both Laurel and Del are forced to confront their own feelings, and to figure out each other’s. Unfortunately, they have a lifetime of history—very non-romantic history—to overcome before they can make their ultimate connection.

Obviously, there are no vast surprises here. We already know there’s going to be a happily ever after, and by now we know who will end up with whom. We even know that the obstacles to be overcome are almost all internal, and we have some idea of what those are. We aren’t reading these books for thrills and surprises—we’re reading them to experience the delight and romance of these four women falling in love while doing the work that they love best. It’s the ultimate feel-good wish-fulfillment fantasy, and Nora Roberts is a true pro at delivering on those.

Each of the couples in this series is very different. I’ve found each one believable, with quirky, enjoyable chemistry, but with this kind of variety, there’s a decent chance at least one couple won’t entirely appeal to any given reader. Even if that’s the case for you, however, the funny and delightful backdrop of Vows—along with a peek into the innards of each woman’s corner of the business—should give you something to look forward to in each book!