Leslie Esdaile

Genesis Press

September 2002

1-58571-081-4

(4+) Leslie Cannon

PLOT SYNOPSIS: 

 In order to best convey my feelings about TOMORROW’S PROMISE by Leslie Esdaile, I would honestly have to submit a blank screen with my name signed at the bottom.  TOMORROW’S PROMISE is so profoundly written it literally left me speechless! 

I will admit I approached this particular novel with much skepticism.  Ms. Esdaile’s novel is the first in a series that centers on the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, that took place in the United States.  Though their stories are fictionalized, the series is based on actual African-American heroines whose service to their country has gone far above the call of duty. Despite the fact that part of the proceeds from this series will be donated to charity, I was still quite hesitant about the entire idea. I feared that the events would be trivialized when made a part of a romance story.

But if ever there was a person to kick off a series of this nature, Ms. Esdaile has proven to be that person. Readers will be pleased with the accuracy, realism and sensitivity with which she handles the subject matter.

TOMORROW’S PROMISE begins just 10 days before the September 11^th attacks. The novel’s heroine, Tina Johnston, travels to Shanghai, China to vacation and visit with her older brother, Wendell and his family. Tina’s trip to China is partially for rest and partially to celebrate her pending promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, Judge Advocate General’s Corp, US Army, a rank for which she will be the first active duty African American woman to obtain. 

It is in China that Tina is introduced to her brother’s longtime friend and recently retired Army Colonel, Mark Hicks.  Mark immediately notices that Tina is military personnel, but not before noticing that she is “a tall, athletic, gorgeous black Barbie doll…one complete with curves in all the right places…”  But make no mistake - the tall, fine, six-foot-six Mark is by no means a consolation prize.

It didn’t take long for both Mark and Tina to realize their meeting was far from being chance, but rather a well-orchestrated setup by Tina’s well-meaning brother and sister-in-law; a setup that they both soon don’t mind—at all.

The pacing for TOMORROW’S PROMISE is most appropriate.  Though the first part of the book seems to flow quite fast, it is realistic of the way Tina has been conditioned by the military, and allows readers to get inside Tina’s head and get a feel of how she’s used to doing things. Ms. Esdaile does, however, slow things down and allows readers ample time to get to know and develop an understanding of the tests and trials faced by the book’s hero and heroine.  So much so, readers will have no trouble dishing out sympathy and empathy to the characters.

One of the strengths of TOMORROW’S PROMISE is the realistic characters.  The dialogue, style of dress and habits will all make one visualize military personnel standing before them, before and even more so after the September attacks. I could easily feel Tina and Mark’s frustrations regarding the attacks. Their shared and individual frustrations were all clear and grasping tightly at my emotions, a fact that can be attributed to Ms. Esdaile’s power with words.

TOMORROW’S PROMISE is written in such a way that it doesn’t just say “hey read this,” but it also says, “see this, hear this and feel this.”  The novel is bound to evoke a range of emotions from readers, at times even taking readers from one end of the spectrum to the complete opposite end—all in one paragraph.

The novel’s scenery is well depicted. Ms. Esdaile paints China in such a vivacious manner, that I felt like I was standing on site at The Great Wall and dining on the fine cuisine of the various restaurants sitting right alongside Mark and Tina.  Her play on words can only be described as manipulative creativity at its finest.  In fact, TOMORROW’S PROMISE can probably best be described as “a novel that reads with the elegance of poetry.”

The secondary characters of TOMORROW’S PROMISE are absolute riots!  It is through them that Ms. Esdaile exhibits her knack for sprinkling just the right amount of humor throughout her novels.

To say I would highly recommend the reading of this novel should be quite apparent. Though I must say, this isn’t the kind of novel one merely reads, but the kind one savors and even passes along a copy to a friend.

In fact, this reviewer was truly saddened when I reached the last page.  The full depth of my sentiments can only be captured in my echoing the same Mandarin words expressed by one of the novel’s characters, “qing gei wo zuo tian.” (Please give me yesterday.)

leslie@romanceincolor.net (29th August 2002)