Book #19 - Vision in White by Nora Roberts

I know it's probably hard to believe, but this is the first Nora Roberts book I've ever read. I'm not sure what kept me from her in the past; maybe because my mom was always thumbing through one, and as a rebellious teen often does, I didn't want to read anything that was enjoyed by my mother. Good news - I've grown up, and as a bride-to-be, Vision in White was a great first Roberts' novel to experience.

This is the first book in her Bride Quartet (I'm not sure if you've picked up on it yet, but I like to read series). It follows four life-long friends who run a wedding business called Vows. Mackensie is the photographer, Emma is the florist, Laurel is the baker and Parker oversees everything else as the traditional wedding planner. They all live and work in the same sprawling Connecticut estate, and we not only learn a little bit about their business, but also about each woman.

Mac is the main character in this first novel. She hasn't yet found Mr. Right, until a man from her teenage years comes back into her life when his sister hires Vows to plan her wedding. Shy, yet surprisingly sexy, professor Carter Maguire is exactly what's missing from Mac's life. They beginning seeing each other, and like in any romance novel, there isn't a happy ending right away. But Mac and Carter's romance is chronicled in a way that showcases Roberts' sharp, clever writing and develops two very real characters that are easy to like and relate to.

Not only is the novel about finding the right guy in unexpected places, but it's also about friendship. It conveys how the four friends love and support each other through thick and thin, and how they manage to respect each other while running a very successful business.

Vision in White was the first romance novel I've ever read, and I'm anxious to read the books that follow in Roberts' Bride Quartet. It was like watching a cute romantic comedy - although at times it's highly predictable, when it's over, you're still really glad with the happily-ever-after.

Book #18 - Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad

As a child who's grown up as part of the MTV generation, it's only natural that I watched Laguna Beach and The Hills. I could relate to the characters' lives and dilemmas as high schoolers and young adults, with the biggest disconnect between us being their super-wealthy lifestyles in Orange County and my normal one in middle America. Nonetheless, I got hooked on following Lauren Conrad and her friends while I was in college and ever since, it's been a guilty pleasure of mine.

When I first heard that Conrad was penning a series of books, I thought "Wow. I guess anyone can get a book deal in Hollywood." But I should bite my tongue. Sweet Little Lies is Conrad's second novel about two friends who agree to star in a reality show that chronicles their lives in Los Angeles. Fiction, right? Although she's not breaking any new literary ground, and I'm still skeptical as to how much writing Conrad actually does, her novels are a quick, entertaining read that provides some perspective into her crazy life.

I don't feel bad for anyone on reality shows like The Hills - when you sign up to be on television, you know what you're getting yourself into. The same is true in this book. The main character, Jane, who is the star of "L.A. Candy" a.k.a the fictional Hills, sees her life unravel as her first scandal hits the tabloids. Her friendship with her lifelong best friend Scarlett, who's also on the show, deteriorates as she tries to look out for Jane and warn her that everyone isn't as nice as they seem. Ultimately Jane discovers who she can and can't trust, what she needs to do in order to survive in Hollywood, and prevails.


This was a great, mindless weekend read, that kept my attention as I raced through the pages. I liked following the lives of Jane and Scarlett in this book even more than following the lives of Lauren and her pals on TV.

Book #17 - The Big White Book of Weddings by David Tutera

I figured that my reading project should help along my wedding planning process. So, for one of my non-fiction reads, I thought it would be a good idea to delve into a wedding book to help my cause.

David Tutera is a wedding planner to the stars, and one of my bridesmaids keeps telling me how much she loves him on the WE network. At the beginning of The Big White Book of Weddings, he clearly states his mission to help any bride have a sophisticated and classy wedding of her dreams.

The book had some great ideas for the little things like favors, centerpieces, etc. and I was glad I read it to get those tips. But as a bride-to-be who is taking wedding planning at a snail's pace, the rest of Tutera's advice utterly freaked me out and made me feel like I'm doing a terribly inadequate job in prepping for the big day.

I think it will help to re-read this book closer to my actual wedding date, so I can double check that I have everything in order. But right now, it was a quick read for some ideas to file away for that perfect day that's yet to come.