Mackensie "Mac" finds and falls for the unexpected man of her dreams while trying to balance him, her work in the wedding planning business, and her dysfunctional relationship with her mother. Mac and her three best friends own the wedding planning business in Greenwich called Vows. Mac is the businesses photographer. The four have been best friends since childhood and have been playing Wedding Day for just as long. Now that they are older, they play it for real; using one of the fours' home/mansion as the location for the business. The outer lying buildings have been renovated to benefit both the business and the living arrangements for two of the girls.
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Starting the new year off, Mac and the girls have a busy year ahead of them, full of weddings, consultations, photo shoots, and any other situation that could arise. At the first consultation of the new year, Mac runs into and old friend from high school, Carter. He is subbing for his sister's groom-to-be and he and Mac hit things off, though slow going. That night Mac receives a call from her mother. Her mother bullies her into giving her there thousand dollars so she can go to a spa and rejuvenate herself after her latest boyfriend dumbed her. Mac caves and falls into a pity party that Carter, inadvertently, walks into. He somehow calms her down and the night ends with them sharing a spontaneous, passionate kiss and Carter fleeing the scene.
Through the awkward beginnings of a new relationship where Mac hasn't recently dated and Carter had his heart broken the year before, things blossom between the two. More fiascos from Mac's mother arise and leads to a fight between Mac and Carter. All the while she is taking the photos for weddings and consultations and baby showers. Carter remains level headed and repairs the rift between he and Mac. He continues to surprise her and she starts to fall without ever looking down. Until Carter's ex, that broke his heart, walks back in the picture. She tries to get Carter back by for no other reason than she doesn't want Mac to have him. Mac witnesses this attempt and falls for the ex's manipulations and falls apart.
Carter, however, knows better. He is in love with Mac and tells her so, not a moment after pushing the ex back out the door. Mac is hesitant to love him back and tries to find ways to push him away. On the other side of her life, with the help of her best friends, Mac stands up to her mother and refuses to give in to her demands and pleas. This strengthens her in a way that opens her to being worthy of not only love, but Carter's love. She finally reaches the point where she admits she loves him back and they take the next step of their relationship.
Best part of story, including ending:
This book (like the others in the series) gives a different perspective into love and relationships of all kinds, while not turning it into full mushy cliched writing.
Best scene in story:
I truly love the prologue scene where Mac describes the first time, as a child, she took a "wedding" photo of her friends and her true talent and love of photography took flight.
Opinion about the main character:
I like that Mac falls for her mother's ploys (at the beginning) and is very insecure with Carter. It makes her very personable and relatable to me.
