Reviewer: Rowena Happy Ever After (Bride Quartet, #4) by Nora Roberts
Series: Bride Quartet #4
Also in this series: Vision in White (Bride Quartet, #1), Savor the Moment (Bride Quartet, #3)
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: November 2nd 2010
Pages: 333
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Series Rating:
Dreams are realized in the eagerly-awaited fourth novel in Nora Roberts's Bride Quartet.
As the public face of Vows wedding planning company, Parker Brown has an uncanny knack for fulfilling every bride's vision. She just can't see where her own life is headed.
Mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work, and Parker is no exception. Both know that moving from minor flirtation to major hook-up is a serious step. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart...
This is where the party ends for the folks over at Vows. We’ve been through the ups and the downs with each of the four women in this quartet and the ride was great fun while it lasted. I’ve been very itchy about reading this book and when Holly finally sent that email out that she got this book for review, I was ready to duke it out with anyone who got in my way to this book (including Ames, =P).
We’ve seen Mac, Emma and Laurel all get their man and now it was Parker’s turn. The last man standing, the brain behind the whole operation and the glue that kept their tight knit group of friends together. It would have been so easy for Nora to write Parker as a total stiff but Parker didn’t come off that way at all to me. She’s from the Brown family and in their neck of the woods, that meant something but while Parker may have been very detail oriented and a total control freak, she wasn’t a beast.
This book played out exactly the way that I thought it would and while in some cases, that wouldn’t have worked for me but in this case, it totally did. I liked that it was predictable and that Mal was going to totally steamroll his way into Parker’s life whether she wanted him to or not and I enjoyed the ride.
I loved that these books were straight up contemporaries. I really enjoyed digging into a story about two characters that I have come to love as my own friends over the course of the series. Mal was a solid hero, one that I would totally bang again and again because he’s just hot stuff and I loved that he listens to The Killers. I have a very soft spot for Brandon Flowers. Ha!
Parker was Parker. Great at everything and did everything in 4 inch heels. She’s freaking Super Woman and I wanted to be her friend. I really liked the way we got to know both Parker and Mal. In Savor the Moment, I didn’t feel like Del got much page time and I would have liked to see more from him but in this book, Parker and Mal both got the kind of page time where I felt like I got to know the both of them equally and I really liked them both.
The thing about these books is they’re such fast reads. You read and read and read and then when the end comes, you’re surprised that you’re already there. It’s like being at a party that you don’t want to end and that’s how I felt with this one. I enjoyed this book and it’s probably my second favorite in the series, behind Jack and Emma’s book. Their book had it all for me and Jack still holds the trophy for my favorite hero in this entire series but Mal and Parker’s story was easy to fall into and when it all came to a close, I wasn’t ready to leave them behind so I’d say Roberts did a pretty decent job of writing this one.
Grade: 4.5 out of 5
The Bride Quartet
This book is available from Berkley Trade. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
You’re like my brain twin! 🙂
I loved this book as well. and I agree that Parker is the glue of the group and I adored her (I liked her since the prologue of Mac’s book, when she’s going around managing the wedding and telling Mac everything was going to be fine).
And yeah, I really like her.
Mal was cool too :).
*sigh*
You said it all!
Lovely review
I have all of the quartet books – haven’t read any of them yet. Although, I do think my historical kick may be winding down…
I bought this yesterday but wanted to finish Jennifer Ashley’s Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage first.
So far, Carter is my favourite of the heroes because he reminds me of a puppy in all the best ways!
I’m looking forward to starting this tonight though.
AnimeGirl,
Awww, what great company I’m in then! =) It would have been so easy for Parker to come off as stuffy but Nora did a great job making her real and likeable. Mal was fabulous as well! I loved him.
Dev,
You should read these, they’re a great way to spend a weekend. Love these characters!
Absolutely love Nora Roberts! She has always been a favorite of mine. And her Bride Quartet is great. I have read the others, but haven’t read this one yet. I am really looking forward to it, after having read your review!