~ Review: The Promise ~

PLOT SYNOPSIS:  When photographer Gillian Dubois’s sister, an investigative journalist, dies in a suspicious accident, Gillian is suddenly guardian to her little niece and on a mission to find out if the expose her sister wrote on the oil industry led to her death.  She refuses to be distracted–even by oil industry executive Romare Ellington, who arouses desires she finds hard to ignore.

In the mid – late 1990s, Robin Hampton Allen wrote two excellent books for Genesis Press - HIDDEN MEMORIES, and BREEZE.  These were re-released by Ballentine’s ONE WORLD in 1997.  In the years that followed, Ms. Allen disappeared and like all the fans she’d acquired I wonder what had happened…To my surprise, when I saw the October Arabesque schedule earlier this year, I saw that she has switched to a new publisher….I waited for October with anticipation…

…and now on to the review…

…THE PROMISE, from Arabesque, is a story that has the hallmarks of Ms. Allen’s style: A strong confident, a sensitive hero, a delicious romance, and tense moments of intrigue. 

Gillian DuBois is a freelance photographer who leaves the security of her job to do freelance work.  She’s dissatisfied with her life.  She knows that she needs a change, but she’s unaware how much her life will change. When her sister, Nolah, dies in what appears to be an accident, she is devastated.  Finding herself the guardian of her seven-year old niece, Jordy, she is determined to do the best for the little girl.  She remembered the promise she’s made at to Nolah at Jordy’s birth. A promise she intends to keep.

Suspicious about her sister’s death, she decided to investigate and in the process meets, Romare Ellington.  She’s attracted to the handsome confident man.  Unfortunately, the exposé that Nolah had been working on, points a fingure at the company where Elliot is an executive, and it appears that Elliot is aware of what is going on.  What develops is a relationship that Gillain is unsure about as she feels that she cannot trust Elliot.

One of the best things about this book is the realistic and well-written love story.  Another is the skilled characterization.  Both Gillian and Romare are wonderful characters.  They’re not perfect, but they’re likable and real - vibrant with life and personality…

Ms. Allen’s secondary characters are just as memorable.  Gillian’s mother, Ruby, Jordy, and the “sick” villain…whose name I won’t give at this time….

Well, Ms. Allen returns to romance with a bang, and this I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more from this talented author.

Welcome back, Robin!

20th November 2002