Blind Promises

by Katy Currie

SHE WAS THE LIGHT OF HIS WORLD

Dana Steele loved her work. Her career in nursing had brought her great joy, joy she tried to share with all her patients. Yet in all her years of caring for the sick, she'd never met a patient quite like Gannon van der Vere.

Gannon had been temporarily blinded, and despite hours of prayer, kindness and sheer persistence, Dana couldn't penetrate his wall of darkness. But in this case, Dana had made one mistake - she'd fallen in love with her patient. And now the only remedies were a gram of faith and an ounce of hope.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Love Inspired, Contemporary, Fiction, Christian Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Kate Currie is a pseudonym for author Susan Kyle.

Susan Kyle is a New York Times bestselling author of more than one hundred novels. Writing as author Diana Palmer, Kyle is renowned as one of North America's top ten romance writers. She was a newspaper reporter and columnist for sixteen years. When her novel Heather's Song was purchased by Silhouette Books in 1980, she retired her press badge and devoted herself to writing romance.

She graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia in 1995 at the age of forty-nine. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, with minors in anthropology and Spanish. Her hobbies include gardening, knitting, quilting, anthropology, astronomy, gaming and music.

She married her husband, James Kyle, five days after they met in 1972. The live in Habersham County, Georgia with a houseful of assorted animals. They have a son and two grandchildren

Reviews

[Vintage · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone is so saccharine and self-sacrificing I need a trip to the dentist.

Well, except for the evil OW that vamps/overdresses for the blind man.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and touching old-fashioned romance. Blind alpha hero and feisty heroine.

[Leona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever read anything by this author as Katy Currie. I'm not a huge fan of DP. Her heroes drive me batty. This one was swoon worthy.

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Приятна, сгряваща история за медицинска сестра и пациент, в духа на романтиката. Религиозността и сковаността на героинята ми дойде твърде много, но не е чак съвсем дразнещо, даже е мило на моменти, пък и си има истина в добротата. Клони леко към дълбоко омразния ми Christian fiction (не се усетих навреме), който ми е противен с лицемерието си, но сюжетът не прекрачва напълно границата на нормалността. Ах, тези американци с тяхната псевдорелигиозност! 😆 Не са само те де, южнокорейската романтика също е дълбоко лицемерна, а и китайците напоследък не могат да произведат нищо романтично, без да намесят 15 поколения роднини, родината, армията и партията-майка. В строго ислямските държави пък такива сюжети просто няма, да четат Корана! И все пак тоя Christian fiction страшно ми лази по нервите… Не е за нашите ширини, и туй то.

[Melanie♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diana Palmer writing as Katy Currie. Lovely old-fashioned romance with just enough angst.

[Mary Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dana Takes on a new job of being a personal nurse to one patient after a car accident that killed her mother and left her with scars. But Gannon had his own accident that left him blind and very angry at everything and everyone. He'd already run off four other nurses before Dana took the job so she had her job cut out for her.

Right off the bat, Gannon thinks Dana isn't going to last but she isn't taking his snark without giving a little back which peaks his interest. She ends up staying and he becomes more and more invested and interested in the banter between them because most people don't talk to him like she does. Gannon is actually a good guy but he's been hurt and doesn't trust her enough to let her in until he realizes that she's wormed her way into his heart. But by that time he's pushing her away because he doesn't want anyone around feeling sorry for him because he thinks no one could really love a blind guy.

But they are both in love with the other so they can't stay away for long. This is another one of those stories that if they had just talked, had some communication with each other the problems wouldn't have been as big as they made them out to be. But it was a good book.

Diana Palmer is the author I got to when I need a feel good read when I'm not in the mood for a paranormal romance. This is one of her older books but I realized I hadn't read this one so I got it and I'm glad I did.

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice oldie. Sorry I am not gonna review my last couple of reads, just not in the right headspace due to personal reasons.

[Sheila Melo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Romance

THE STORY: Dana Steele agrees to take the position as a private nurse after the death of her mother in an accident turns her world upside down. Her patient, Gannon van der Vere has run off four other nurses and is not dealing with his blindness well. Determined to make him deal with his condition, Dana refuses to be run off by Gannon's bad temper.

OPINION: This is a very sweet romance with some nice angst thrown in but no sex scenes. Gannon and Dana's relationship in the beginning has a little Beauty and the Beast feel to it as Gannon is determined to wallow in pity over his condition and as a result makes everyone else around him miserable. The story relies upon the normal Palmer premise of virginal heroine and experienced, rough and jerky guy. I liked the characters and the story and enjoyed it as a one time read but probably wouldn't return to it again.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book is definitely on the sweet side with strong morality and no sex scenes.

FINAL DECISION: This was a sweet story with a little more gravitas than the normal Diana Palmer series romance. I enjoyed it as a one time read.

CONNECTED BOOKS: This is a standalone book.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.

[Mtve41 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and comforting, just what you’d expect from DP. And no cops and cattle in this one, if someone should want a break from that.

Dana is a nurse and one tragic night looses her mother in an accident. She’s trying to live life and move on but with not much family remaining, it isn’t the easiest. She takes up a job as a private nurse to a man needing help from an accident.

This takes Dana to meet Gannon who’s been left blind with his accident. Gannon is wealthy and led a fast life previously playing extreme sports and attending parties with beautiful women.

Dana isn’t bullied away by Gannon who’s miserable being dependent on others. They start a sweet sparky relationship but feelings get involved, for Dana of course. Gannon is a little behind and eventually they have the ball rolling only for OW to comeback as well as a possibility of Gannon recovering and preferring his previous life of danger and partying.

Sweet book. The h and H were alright. Dana was rather plain and mild and rightly so as a nurse. Gannon was grumpy and possessive but you wouldn’t know his true feelings until he decided to show them. I wanted more from Gannon. Dana deserved more. A memorable one from DP.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the whole religion aspect in the novel, I was pretty delighted with reading this book. I did love the heroine, she was quirky and wonderful. She had amazing foresight was funny and down to earth. The hero was a bit of a grump but once the ending was near, we find out why completely and it made the story all the more enjoyable.

[Kace | The Booknerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good. I liked it. And as a nurse, I was kind of hoping to find someone like Gannon for myself. Lol. All in all, Blind Promises was a sweet and heartwarming romance with a little amount of angst that kept the book more interesting.

[Fouzia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 stars for :


That was the end ? where is the end ?

I wanted if the author continued with their marriage, n their lives after.
5 stars for the Language.."no comments"

[Aayesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.8 stars

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a Christian novel, I was very disappointed in the lack of Christianity. For a romance, it was ok.

[Margo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't like the scene where he "White Fanged" her by making out with the OW in front of her.

[StMargarets · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice Diana Palmer novel with a Christian focus.

Heroine is a nurse who is in the same car with her mother when she drunk drives to her death. Heroine feels guilty about letting her depressed, drunk mother drive. She is also angry at her father who had just divorced her mother and remarried.

She agrees to move to Savannah and nurse an electronic executive who was in a boating accident and is believed to be suffering from hysterical blindness. He's not - turns out he has a sliver of the dock lodged in his brain.

Hero is nasty/angry/cynical when he first meets heroine but he soon falls for her. The OW (who caused the boat accident) is hovering around waiting to see if the hero regains his sight. Hero proposes marriage to the heroine and all is well until hero has another check up.

Hero sends her away when his eyesight returns. Heroine's heart is breaking, but she is happy she got to learn about love. And the hero will be happy with OW.

Hero does not get with OW = he's pining for heroine, but he broke it off because he could go blind again. Heroine goes to him and they work it out talking about their future children.

This is a sweet story with no sexy times. The hero is a chain smoker with a stubbly face (no info about his chest hair, alas). Heroine smells like wild flowers and has the low self-esteem and moral righteousness of most DP heroines.

[Sandra Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked it well enough though Dana going from nun like to the passionate kissing didn't play that well for me. Liked her better after she loosened up but the super uptight holier than thou nun qualities at the beginning made me consider not finishing the book. Luckily it did get better. Although the whole thing with Dirk I didn't like much either, him hitting on her and such didn't play well either in my opinion it would have been better if he was only doing it to get his brother to stop ignoring what he had in her.

[Barbara Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender, loving and sweet story albeit a tempestuous one. Nurse Dana Steele and tech-baron of strong Dutch descent, Gannon van der Vere, struggle with her noble purpose and his self-pity brought on by recent traumas in their lives. Descriptions of landscapes, seascapes, and old Savannah thrilled my heart as I am a Southerner, too. The story presented hot and steamy kisses but not graphic sex. Great resolve for the plotlines with good family and faith- thinking and, for that, I truly am grateful! Enjoy!

[CANDEN333 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally written in 1984 as a Christian romance novel. Felt pretty G rated. A couple kisses. No “petting” (using the authors terms).
The story is good but the her is typical 1980’s annoyingly superior and the heroine goes from being a feisty but preachy nurse to a doormat fiancé.
I believe DP wrote another similar book about a blind man.

[K B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little stilted in the beginning.

I purchased a copy of Blind Promises by Diana Palmer and this review was given freely. The delivery is stilted at the beginning in this tragedy to love and reunion romance.

[Mona · Rating 1 out of 5]

Definitely dated with some of the wording, dialogue, and the characters view of the world. At best this was boring, the characters seemed hallow, and their relationship was not believable in the end. Just was a meh kind of book.

[JEAN SHAW · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not bad

but female a bit wishy washy and man not believable in this day and age.More interesting characters perhaps next time!

[Agnes Houessou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very loving, clean, wholesome and with some strong Christian values. One of the best love stories I've read recently. (I read the Diana Palmer version.)

[sheila steinzor · Rating 5 out of 5]

remarkable

The book really makes you think about how love and life is. It can come and it can go but you will never forget.

[Kristie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Interesting plot, but clean, which I prefer. The relationship and banter between Gannon and Dana seemed to mirror that of Rochester and Jane Eyre, even to the final scene. I liked it.

[Karen Geurts · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ok story with interesting characters and slow storyline.

[Diedre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very moving story about a nurse and a CEO who became blind and ruthless whom she tamed with her own sass and altruistic love. Teared up a number of times!

[Audrey O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant ❤️❤️

[Shadow Jubilee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 - 2.5 stars

This...was an unusual romance read for me. From the first pages, I had a feeling that this had been written some years back. This feeling continued throughout the book until I finally got home and managed to look up the publication year - 1984. Ah!

What struck me first was the somewhat old-fashioned nursing protocols: addressing a nurse as "Nurse", starched nurses's uniform and cap, "Doctor's orders"? And then there was 24-year-old Miss Dana Steele. On the one hand, I thought I ought to be able to relate to her. The arguments she made for her lack of experience or men in her life should have resonated with me, but I couldn't really identify with her very strongly. On the other hand, I admired her courage in standing up to Gannon Van der Vere's curmudgeonly self, and liked the spirit and liveliness she showed him. The relationship between Gannon and Dana kind of reminded me of Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, actually. If one likes contemporary romance novels about a young, inexperienced virgin and the older, world-weary man, one might like this one.

This being my first Diana Palmer book, I didn't know what to expect - and I was surprised by the occasional mentions of God in the book. I was relieved that it was limited to these occasional mentions, and that there wasn't moralizing or prayers as I have encountered in Christian romance. Those prayers tend to make me uncomfortable. The quiet belief in God by Dana and the people around her felt more natural.

What makes it hard for me to sort out my feelings about this book is that it wasn't what I was expecting. I didn't hate it, but it didn't really speak to me. It was a sweet romance, and there were a scene or two that brought tears to my eyes, but I wasn't really invested in it. Finally, this book felt really dated.

I may have to try it again.

[Barbara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good god, this book is bad. If it were a movie, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew would be all over it. Here is some sample dialogue from the female protagonist, Dana Steele, who has been nursing the recently blinded millionaire Gannon van der Vere, back to relative health: “Don’t you even know that I only go through the motions of living without you?” It reminded me of the “Hold me again, like you did at the lake on Naboo” scene in which everyone suddenly realized that George Lucas is incapable of writing decent dialogue.

And here’s another sample, again from Dana: “Because all I know of love I learned from you.” Please note, readers, that she says this after Gannon has insulted her, forced her to kiss him, fired her, and then told her to leave while he goes off for a weekend with his ex-fiancee. Why would any woman, especially one who is intelligent enough to complete a nursing degree, stand for this type of behavior and allow herself to be treated like dirt? In the beginning, they trade barbs but Dana’s feisty personality wilts once she admits she loves Gannon. True love makes one a better person, not a doormat.

The book is set in Georgia, but the descriptions are flat and boring; apparently, the author consulted an encyclopedia prior to writing and simply copied what she’d read there into her novel. This is not a first novel, so why does it read like one?

The book is ostensibly a Christian or inspirational romance, but this is a misleading description. The characters are boring and lack any spiritual dimension. God is only mentioned when Gannon takes his name in vain. If you are on a deserted island with nothing to do but read, and this book is available, then I would recommend burning it for warmth.