Monday, May 10, 2010

Review: Savor the Moment (Bridal Quartet, Book 3) by Nora Roberts

Wedding baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working at Vows wedding planning company with her best friends Parker, Emma, and Mac. But she's too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that their clients seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker's older brother Delaney, on whom she's had a mega-crush since childhood.

But some infatuations last longer than others, and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her-or so she thinks. When Laurel's quicksilver moods get the better of her-leading to an angry, hot, all-together mind-blowing kiss with Del-she'll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever...
Third in the Bridal Quartet series, Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts is Laurel McBane and Delaney Brown's story. In telling their story, Roberts uses the friends-to-lovers and the secret crush tropes, two personal favorites.

I really like Laurel's personality in Savor the Moment. She's a bit of a baking diva with an attitude, has a sarcastic sense of humor, and is no pushover. Laurel runs the baking side of Vows and is a brilliantly creative and beautiful woman who has accomplished much throughout her life and keeps her feet firmly planted on the ground. However, these accomplishments don't preclude Laurel from suffering insecurities that become part of the conflict in this story.

Del on the other hand has no real insecurities. He took over as head of the family once his parents died and takes his responsibilities seriously, including Mrs. G. and the Quartet whom he considers part of his family -- Laurel included. It's a heavy weight he carries well. Del seems to have two sides: the responsible, protective, careful Del and the playful, sexy, loving and boyish Del. I liked them both.

In a moment of frustration, with a sizzling kiss, Laurel basically changed a lifetime friendship into something more. Del always took care and tried not to look at Laurel in any other way but as one of the girls, but after that kiss there's no going back for either one of them. Roberts weaves a sweet romance amidst the often amusing and carefully constructed chaotic world these close friends inhabit.

Del and Laurel's romance is a public one. Their friends and family all take part in their coming together and although there are no real secrets between these friends, in Savor the Moment the friends' actions do not take away from the romance. I think this has a lot to do with Laurel and Del's no nonsense personalities. Del and Laurel are mature in how they react to each other -- well... most of the time. There was that shoe incident...
You might think this is over, but you're wrong. I've taken your shoes hostage. Contact me within forty-eight hours, or the Pradas get it.
It might not be a big surprise then that unlike Bed of Roses and a bit more than Vision in White, Savor the Moment really worked for me. In my opinion this book has the best balance of the series so far and the friendship between Parker, Emma, Laurel and Mac was played up nicely, although I can't help but wish some of the page-time spent on Vows was saved for the romance. Savor the Moment was a bit heavy on baking details, and although not heavy on conflict it was a satisfying and sweet friends-to-lovers romance I enjoyed reading.

I'm really looking forward to Parker's story in Happy Ever After.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Bridal Quartet, Book 3
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Grade: B/B+

Visit Nora Roberts here

18 comments:

  1. I really liked this one, too. On the one hand the romance did seem to get the short end of the stick, but the rest of the book worked so well and the characters were so well done that I didn't mind. Parker's story should be very fun if that book is anything like the last 3 have been.

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  2. I really want to read this one, the synopsis makes it sound so good, but after reading your review, I definitely want to read it now! Thanks for the great review!!

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  3. Phyl for some reason the romance in this book worked better for me than in the other books, even though it's still short-changed. I think the "friends to lovers" was well done in this one & that made a difference for me. Vision in White is still the funniest book of the lot though, IMO. I'm also really looking forward to Parker's story.

    LoR, I hope you enjoy this series, it's a fun one.

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  4. I'm so glad it worked for you, because it definitively worked for me!! :D

    I love Laurel and Del and I wished we've seen a bit more of them :) Also, I'd have liked a bit more on Laurel's background. it was mentioned a few times, but never going in details about it. I think it played a big role in shaping her life and thus, would have liked to understand better.

    I was a bit concerned about the friends-to-lovers theme because we've just seen it in Bed of Roses, but it really works and it's different :D

    All I can say is that it was an enjoyable read :D In some way, even better than Vision in White, because there was less world building to do :P It just wasn't long enough imo...

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  5. Wonderful review, Hilcia! I'm now next on the holds list at the library... hopefully I'll get it soon! I'm actually now wondering if I should have just bought these books instead of borrowing them from the library. The first two were such a delight to read, and after reading your review, I'm equally sure I'm going to enjoy this one, too!!! I want it NOW! LOL!

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  6. p.s. I see in your sidebar that you're currently reading Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey!!! I hope you're liking it. I was uncertain about it when I started reading it, but it evolved into such a fascinating and moving story that it became a favorite read in 2009 for me. :)

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  7. I really enjoyed Laurel & Del's relationship. The two work better for me than Emma and Jack's relationship even though the same theme was brought back. Also, I really like the baking aspect. Lol. I really enjoy the research and background that NR sets up.

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  8. Lovely review Hils. I haven't read this series...actually, apart from the Chesapeake Bay saga I haven't read any of Nora Roberts books. Would this be a good series to start with?

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  9. Nath, I agree on Laurel's background, a few more details would have gone a long way. ViW was good & funnier, but you're right all that info (Vows) lowered the enjoyment for me. I think that in Savor, as in the other books, because there's so much going on, Vows, friendships, (baking/flowers/photography), the romance always seems short, or the book not long enough. :)

    Christine, I think you're really going to like this one. All that baking on top of the romance, lol! I hope you get it soon!

    RE: Santa Olivia, I'm past the first part of it and am definitely enjoying it. :)

    Tabitha -- I'm with you! The relationship here definitely worked better than Emma & Jack's. I think it's because Del & Laurel are really long-time friends and know each other, plus the friends-to-lovers was better executed. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

    Orannia, I would definitely recommend this series. When it comes to a comparison of NR books, that's a tough one. You read the Cheasapeake Bay saga which is one of her best ones, IMO. The Born trilogy is a favorite of mine and the Irish Trilogy (Tears of the Moon is a great book), is another.

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  10. Hey! Really enjoyed your review. I have to say that while I enjoyed the book, it didn't come away loving it. I think I'm starting a funk... I'm going back to re-reading as I'm not really enjoying much of my new books lately.

    There isn't anything wrong with the book itself, I think it's all my funky attitude. I was so annoyed about halfway through, at how freaking perfect these people are. They are all just so great at everything, it got to be a bit much. (Sorry, mini rant over :( )

    I am looking forward to Parker's book; not sure if it's to end the series or because I really like the hero. Hopefully this funky attitude will end :)

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  11. Hey, Mariana! I know all about those funks... it felt that way when I read Bed of Roses, lol!

    LOL on the perfection... they are perfectly perfect when it comes to their jobs, right? For us mere mortals that can get annoying. *g* I like that they're not so perfect in their personal lives, though.
    I also really like Parker's hero & she didn't get on my nerves in this story. :D

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  12. Sorry. *hangs head* How did I miss your great review?

    Well, you know how I feel about this one. :) Totally agree with you. The shoe kidnapping was so cute. A sweet, playful side of Del.

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  13. Although it was once again friends-to-lover theme, it was a different kind. In here, Laurel's been in love with Del forever... while in Bed of Roses, it's the sudden realization that the other is attractive, so it was different enough not to be redundant :D

    And this work better because the conflict wasn't as sudden or perhaps, it wasn't a conflict just to have a conflict.

    Also, you're right Hilcia as to why the romance seems short :(

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  14. Awww Leslie, no need for that. :D I loved your review! This was a good one. :)

    Nath, you're right on target about the conflict & the approach to the friends-to-lovers trope... two different ways to approach it. I liked the addition of the "secret crush" in this one.

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  15. I love this book too though I think the romance could have been done a little more longer. There were more baking than their other wedding activities. But since I am more of a Parker fan, all I keept thinking was her part and her soon to be hero.

    Hils, great review as always.

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  16. I'm glad you enjoyed this book, Natalie. You're a Parker fan? You must be dying for Happy Ever After... I like her hero, it's going to be an interesting book, I think.

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  17. H,
    It's an undescribable feeling I had been keeping inside since after reading Bed of Roses (I read it first before I read Vision in White) and since then I had been a Parker fan. I told myself that after reading the 4th book, I am going to start all over again. At that time there won't be anymore expectations and long wait for Parker's story. That would be the time in which I would truly enjoy every words and every details and everything about it. AMEN.

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  18. That's wonderful Natalie. Let's hope Parker's book is a great ending to this beautiful series. :)

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