Vision in White [With Headphones] (Bride Quartet (Playaway)) [Preloaded Digital Audio Player]

Nora Roberts (Author), Emily Durante (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2009 | Series: Bride Quartet (Playaway) (Book 1)

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts cordially invites you to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac – the founders of Vows, one of Connecticut’s premier wedding planning companies. After years of throwing make-believe weddings in the backyard, flowers, photography, desserts, and details are what these women do best: a guaranteed perfect, beautiful day full of memories to last the rest of your life. With bridal magazine covers to her credit, Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera – ready to capture the happy moments she never experienced while growing up. Her father replaced his first family with a second, and now her mother, moving on to yet another man, begs Mac for attention and money. Mac’s foundation is jostled again moments before an important wedding planning meeting when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother…an encounter that has them both seeing stars. Carter Maguire is definitely not her type: he’s stable, and he’s safe. He’s even an English teacher at their high school alma mater. There’s something about him that makes Mac think a casual fling is just what she needs to take her mind off dealing with bride-zillas and screening her mother’s phone calls. But a casual fling can turn into something more when you least expect it. And with the help of her three best friends – and business partners – Mac must learn how to make her own happy memories…

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The frighteningly prolific Roberts (see also Black Hills, reviewed on page 42) kicks off a frothy series about four friends who form an all-inclusive wedding service called Vows. Mackensie Mac Elliot loves capturing happy and playful moments with her camera, but her own life is all about work—until she meets English teacher Carter Maguire. He's escorting his bride-to-be sister to a meeting with the Vows team and recognizes Mac as the girl he crushed out on in high school. Funny sparks fly: he's a geeky guy who quotes Shakespeare, she's a trendy workaholic who loves shoes. He's crazy about her, which makes him verbally clumsy and, to Mac, charming, though she's saddled with a needy mother, an absent father and difficulties with both that make falling in love complicated. Roberts pulls off a nice switch in making the woman afraid of saying I do, and her gentle humor and likable cast will immediately endear this series to readers. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Booklist

Two out of three isn’t bad, right? Mackensie “Mac” Elliot had the perfect job and the best friends in the world, Emma, Laurel, and Parker. Together, the four were Vows, Connecticut’s hottest wedding-planning company. So what if Mac hadn’t found her own Mr. Right yet. Then Mac literally bumps into shy, scholarly, yet surprisingly sexy Carter Maguire when he turns up for his sister’s wedding-planning meeting, and Mac quickly discovers exactly what is missing from her up-until-now satisfactory life. After blending paranormal and fantasy elements in her last four romance trilogies, consistently engaging Roberts returns to basics and her literary roots. The result is a thoroughly charming contemporary romance that neatly showcases this reigning romance author’s flair for sharp, clever writing and realistically complicated characters in a compelling celebration of the power of friendship and love. --John Charles --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Preloaded Digital Audio Player
• Publisher: Playaway (May 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1608475344
• ISBN-13: 978-1608475346
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (304 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,913,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Typical Nora, September 4, 2009

By 

N. Harvard - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vision In White (Bride Quartet) (Kindle Edition)

Childhood friends, Emma, Laurel, Parker, and Mackensie operate a wedding planner company named Vows. Each has their own specialty: one creates beautiful wedding cakes, one arranges floral arrangements, one handles the books, and one is a photographer. Together they are able to unite people on their most joyous occasions. The first character we learn about is Mackensie. Mackensie is a renowned photographer and her works have been featured in some of the top magazines. Despite being an integral part of the wedding business, Mackensie, doesn't pursue a husband and doesn't see herself ever getting married. This lack of interest might be due, in part, to her mother, Linda. Linda has had numerous marriages and uses her daughter as a shoulder when things go wrong. All that changes with a chance meeting with Carter. Carter is the brother of a soon to be bride. Nora Roberts is a master at developing characters and it should be no surprise that Vision in White, follows the same formula. Her ability to blend emotions with the background settings is another of her amazing talents. The wedding business, Vows, almost feels like an additional character and the struggles each of the friends endure make this a novel not to be missed. It is fun, engaging, and flows like a gentle river.....I would also highly recommend JoAnna Wylde's novel: Price of Freedom --Price of Freedom my fav so far.

42 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vision in White has a reminiscient feel in a good way., May 25, 2009

By 

Tina E. Arnold "Tina Arnold" (Johnson City, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vision in White (The Bride Quartet, Book 1) (Paperback)

Fans of Nora Roberts over time discovery certain formulas to the writing. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I mean we are all after a HEA or we would pick up another type of book. What I absolutely loved about this book is what one reviewer disliked. It takes us back to her earlier romance trilogies formula like the Dream Trilogy. Empowered, tight knit friends who support each other like family and who have drive and ambition in their careers and an immense sense of loyalty to one another. So what if there is the lawyer older brother that is most likely going to end up with one of his sisters friends in the end. And again so what if said sister pops Tums like another character out of the Dream Trilogy; that foreshadows she may not be as smooth and together as she appears. I was not sure if I could just enjoy a romantic novel anymore (without all of the complex eccentricities of the paranormal genre or the suspense and intrigue that so many romance novels have now--where the heroine is always in danger or a mystery to be solved). I literally found myself welling up with tears at some of the more poignant moments in this book. It touched me. It also left me very happy and dare I say hopeful. I am glad that Nora is revisiting this particular formula. I am surprised that the ratings are so all over the place. I am looking forward to books# 2, 3 and 4. This is a quartet after all not a trilogy. If you liked some of her earlier work, I think you will enjoy this as well.

51 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A vision that doesn't gel, May 25, 2009

By 

Deborah Verlen "Deborah" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Vision in White (The Bride Quartet, Book 1) (Paperback)

Like many long time Nora Roberts fans I really really wanted to love this book. Didn't happen.

The premise is an interesting one. Four friends live together in a large mansion that houses their business Vows which is a wedding planning company. Each friend serves a vital function in the company. In the first book Mackensie (Mac)the photographer is introduced. She falls for a nerdy professor who is the brother of one of the brides.

The book falls way short in almost all areas--romance, originality, plot and characters.

The characters were not that interesting nor was the plot. No tension, no reason to want to keep reading to see what was going to happen to Mac and Parker.

Lately it seems as though Ms. Roberts recycles her trilogy characters. There seems to be a strong one, artistic one, organized one, nerdy one etc. If you compare Vision in White to The Calhouns: Lilah and Professor Quartermain or the Three Sisters--Ripley and Mac or Black Rose--Rosalind and Mitch; these were books with a nerdy type male paired with a strong female (or a floaty one in Lilah's case). You cared about what happened to the couples because the plot was interesting, the characters were well fleshed out and there was a chemistry between them which satisfied the romantic component. In Vision in White, Mac and Parker never seem to gel so you don't really care if they fall in love.

I think Vision in White had great potential; unfortunately it fell short of the expectation of a good romantic read. I was also bothered by Ms. Roberts using some of her favorite phrases over and over. Love is like "A punch to the belly" (paraphrased) is one of her favorite ones. It might be time for her to reread her last 15 books or so and freshen up some of the language or phrases she uses over and over since many of her readers revisit her books over and over!

Inspite of this lukewarm review, I'm still looking forward to the other three books in the quartet. Basically I'm hoping Nora starts weaving some of her old magic with romance and character depth in the next three.