Contemporary Romance

PROMISES TO KEEP

Alicia Wiggins

Genesis Press

1-58571-073-3

April 2002

(3) Alicia Thomas

PLOT SYNOPSIS: 

To help her friend Audrey get over the sadness she was feeling after her mother's death, a co-worker introduces her to her brother Omar. The two click, but Omar's former girlfriend begins to cause trouble.

REVIEW: 

PROMISES TO KEEP, Alicia Wiggins' sophomore effort, begins well, immediately pulling the reader in as we learn of the death of Audrey Bryson’s mother.  The reader feels Audrey's pain and understand her loneliness. As she starts to go on with her life, I eagerly awaited her first encounter with Omar.

Audrey Bryson works as a sales executive for a business supply company, while Omar Mitchell owns a temporary staffing company. They meet through Omar’s sister, Leila.  Omar decides to enlist the help of Audrey with a new program he is starting. He fights himself to keep from getting personally involved.

PROMISES TO KEEP starts to go downhill after Omar walks out on Audrey, as passion is about to overtake them.  At this point, the pacing of the story begins to slow down too much and the reader is able to see what will happen way in advance. There is no longer any anticipation.  Romance fiction generally follows a prescribed formula but the key to the story's success must be the author's ability to make the reader enjoy the journey.  The inclusion of his ex-girlfriend, Yamina, should have added spice and adventure. Instead her appearances breaks the rhythm as if placed like commercials causing the reader to disengage from the story.  Along with this, there are are too many lulls.

The encounters that Audrey has with a client’s son appear to serve no purpose. It doesn’t affect her relationship with Omar. It doesn’t teach her something about herself that she didn’t already know. However, the interactions between Audrey and Jean are funny and honest.

This story shows flashes that it could have been so much more.  Unfortunately, it never managed to reach its potential.

alicia@romanceincolor.net (6th April 2002)