The title of the last book in Nora Roberts’ Bride Quartet
series is completely apropos. It’s a
happily ever after for four best friends – Emma, Mac, Laurel and finally
Parker.
Parker has watched her three best friends and business partners, fall in love and find the happiness they’ve dreamed of since childhood. For Parker, it was enough to run her wedding planning business and watch from the side lines while her friends fulfilled their dreams. However, her world turns unexpectedly upside down when Malcolm Kavanaugh comes along, because the last thing she expected was to find her own happy ending.
For straight laced, organized Parker it turns out that a confident and captivating sexy biker is what makes her happy. Malcolm knows what he wants and he knows how to get it, he’s comfortable with who he is and how the world sees him, there simply is no pretense.
Happy Ever After is one of those wonderful ‘opposites-attracts-romances’, with enough male charisma to keep a smile on your face and make you melt. Seriously, I had that ‘stupid’ grin on my face the entire time I was reading. As with many of Ms. Roberts’ books, this one gives us characters that we learn to love and want to know more about. In this final book, we find out what’s happened with the three previous brides-to-be and how Parker finally falls in love. I must admit, I thought it would be a challenge to pair smart, sophisticated, buttoned up Parker with a biker/mechanic, but it works, it totally works. She’s Dior and he’s blue jeans. She has a blackberry surgically attached to her ear, and he’s wondering where the next bend on the open road is. Malcolm has a joie de vie, he’s relaxed and fun loving and brings Parker along for the ride. He loves and appreciates her for who she is, and she’s able to find the part of herself that opens up and finally let’s love in. In large part it’s due to the dialogue written for Malcolm. He’s believable to the point that you wish you were being courted by him. He oozes charm. Not an easy trait to pull off without somehow sounding like an over anxious sleazy car salesman. But Malcolm has a way about him; including his supreme ability to listen and understand a woman – and who doesn’t want that?!
All four books in the Bride Quartet are charming contemporaries about independent women who find the one person who can make them happy and appreciate them for the women they are. If you’re looking for a contemporary series that ‘shouts from the rooftops’ happily ever after – then this one if for you.
When it comes to a man’s charms, what do you think is the most admirable trait?
Maria Lokken is an avid romance reader and an award winning television producer.
