Promise, Texas

Heart of Texas #7

by Debbie Macomber

In the heart of Texas, people know what really matters — family, friends, community. And they know that love gives meaning to every day of their lives…

Some of the people in Promise are from old ranching families like the Westons and Pattersons — folks who arrived in the Hill Country more than a century ago. And then there are newcomers like Annie Applegate, who opens a bookstore in town. Some might say Annie does things backward. She marries a widowed veterinarian for the sake of his kids…and discovers that marriage can lead to love.

In Promise, everyone’s life is a story! The people here, like people everywhere, experience tragedies as well as triumphs, sorrow as well as joy. This town, like towns everywhere, has its share of secrets. But whether times are good or bad, you’re never alone in a place like Promise. And as Annie Applegate knows, that makes all the difference.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Western Romance, Contemporary, Ebooks

423 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Reviews

[Carla Barroso · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reminded me of tv series such as "Everwood" and "Men in Trees", as they revolve around the life of a small town, where some characters try to rebuilt their life and, of course, end up finding love.

It's not a great book, but it's a nice read, although there's a lot of characters and stories which, unfortunately, aren't very developed. Some characters might have their stories a bit more developed in previous books by this author, since I've learned on GoodReads that this book is the 7th volume of her Heart of Texas series. But is really by the little development of stories that this book looses points, since it isn't that easy to distinguish them at first and there's no chance to create much empathy toward the characters. When there's some of that empathy, the reader can't help but feeling a bit bored reading other stories and hoping that the one she's enjoying will be next. However, the several stories are interesting albeit predictable.

Even though it's part of a series, the stories and relationships are easy to follow, even if you mix up the characters at first, making of this book a nice choice for a lazy afternoon or to read at the end of a stressful day when you don't want to think that much.

[Brenda McDearmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, lovable Texas-style characters, perfect combination of mystery and (clean) romance!

Every book in Debbie Macomber’s Heart of Texas series has been a joy to read.

I’m a native Texan who enjoys fictional stories that take place in my home state. It’s especially fun to read novels by authors who don’t live here. I like to see how well they capture the Texas essence that we are all so proud of around these parts! Debbie Macomber has done a great job of that. From the vocabulary to the personalities of her characters, this series checks off all the boxes.

If you’re looking for a fun series to dive into this fall or winter, I recommend this one. Everything takes place in Promise, an imaginary small town in the Texas Hill Country.

Of course, I also recommend a visit to the real Texas Hill Country, but if you can’t do that, reading this series will at least provide you with some of the feels.

[Joann M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love these town people!

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I've read books by Debbie Macomber in the past and have never been disappointed. What kept this book from getting a 5 star (for me) is the number of characters I had to keep up with. It was hard to remember their story each time they made an appearance. That being said I liked the "community" and closeness of the town and how they all seem like one big family.

In the book there is marriage trouble, being single, dating, starting families, marriage of convenience, somewhat of a treasure hunt, barn dance, book stores and a western wear store, discussions with older and younger couples, an ghost town from the "old west". It's very entertaining and somewhat fast paced. I will definitely read more books by Debbie.

Rating: PG (some sexual description, physical violence)
Language: no use of deity, some profanity (nothing major)
Recommend: Yes

[Mareli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This last installment was a bit lame because the romance wasn't so strong. Both Annie and Travis seemed to search more for friendship than love and infact their marriage was a bit strange. I liked it anyway but mostly because of Promise people than the characters themselves.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and adored all the little subplots. It took me while to adjust to the writing style of changing character POVs but I loved the romance plot lines too much to mind. When I first started the book I assumed it was going to be all about “Annie applegate” and Lucas and was surprised to see that she was barely the main character however I still enjoyed this. I do not recommend to those looking for a slow burn but rather to those who want a sweet holiday read with lots of romance and the theme of American town love

[Carol Fellenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Promise, Texas, a move for Annie. She starts a book store and finds many new friends in town. Bitter End is the ghost town near by. Is the legend about it all true???

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a stand alone, but turned out be book 7 out of 7! Although the book can stand on its own, the characters were all returning from their respective stories, which would have delighted those who were up to date in the series. Still, Promise, Texas is the stuff Debbie Macomber is known for... You get immersed in the story, the setting transports you to the town and you fall in love with the characters.

Would love to back read the other books if I can find it though. Even with all happy endings confirmed in this.

[Rachelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

A peek into the good ol' days, where a woman's only purpose in life is to find a husband and men were the strong silent type, who had no tolerance for girly coffee like lattes. There were many eye-roll inducing moments, and a couple of snickers, not an author that I personally would pick up again, especially since it was seriously lacking in the aspect that I am mostly looking for in this type of book, some skirt-lifting, heavy-breathing romance.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the type of book I start reading and think to myself writing cannot be that hard. I want a light 'fluffy' read after a couple of dark thrillers and that is what this is. Very little characterisation, too many characters, too many back stories. It got better about half way through when things started to happen but the first half seemed to be mainly explaining who everyone was. Not an author I would revisit.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow beginning but once you get into it, there's no going back. You might as well live in Promise! You feel like you're a part of the people's lives there

[Jeannie Scheirman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually enjoy her books-light, enjoyable reading. This one fit the bill with several sub-plots, some more realistic than others, but overall a good read.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debbie Macombers books are a bit like giving yourself a hug. An easy comforting read that rattles along with a good storyline. Just what I needed at the moment.

[Evelyn Prodger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author and loved this story, great characters, lovely storytelling and lots of feel good factor.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never read a book from the romance genre before, but I was in the mood for something light and thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did.

This is an older title, from 1999, and the seventh in a series about these same characters. Macomber explains in an introductory note that she never intended to write a seventh in this series, but her fans demanded more, so Promise, Texas became her first paperback to get to the top 15 of the NYT bestseller list. Not bad!

There are so many characters in this novel that it has a list of who's who at the beginning, which I found very helpful. The story begins with the arrival in the small town of Promise of Annie Applegate, looking for a new life after a long recovery from a serious car accident and then, a difficult divorce. Her best friend, Dr. Jane Patterson, has encouraged this fresh start, where Annie will, to be sure, find love and a new career as a bookseller.

There are too many characters to discuss in this review, but suffice to say that the friendships, familial relationships, and budding romances are explored with just enough depth to make them believable, while Macomber briskly moves the plot lines along. One of the most dramatic among them involves Richard Weston, the younger brother of two other Promise residents, currently in prison and claiming through letters to his brother and sister that he is a changed man, longing for family connection. Is he, or is he up to his same devious tricks?

Reading this book reminded me of the Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith, an author I adore. Both series portray the old-fashioned, wholesome connections among friends, neighbors, and community members. We do grow to care about the characters, cheer when things go right for them and feel for them when they are hurting. While the characters are not deeply drawn, they are believable and authentic. They deal with real-life difficulties, such as how to take care of an aging loved one whose mental faculties are failing; how much forgiveness to offer a family member who has already caused great pain; and how to persevere in a romance that got off to a terribly awkward start.

I enjoyed this book as a quick, entertaining, and sometimes moving read.

[Steff S (The Bookish Owl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all I did feel misled by what appears to be the UK publishing title for this. "The Little Bookshop of Promises" implies to me a cosy story set in a small English village. However this was actually set in Texas.

The blurb also seemed to indicate this book was about a character named Annie Applegate. Now she did feature but considering she's the named character throughout the first half of the book she's actually featured least.

We have an awful lot of storylines going on at the same time in this book. You get to know people in bits and pieces but it's also hard to keep everyone straight. Also everyone seems to have dead relatives. There was a particular storyline that seemed to hinge on poor communication and attitudes of adult children which I thought was lazy writing, especially when it was mentioned earlier that on both sides said adult children were desperate for their parents to meet someone new.

It was cute overall, I just found it underwhelming and the ending also felt very abrupt I think.

[Maria Passia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Applegate comes to Promise to make a fresh start and opens a bookstore. She marries the local vet for his children's sake but together they discover that a marriage of convenience can lead to love and happiness. In Promise, Texas the sense of community is what really matters and friends and family come to the rescue, whether you want them to or not. That's what I really loved about this book, the feeling that no matter what happens, someone will always have your back and that there are still people who are honest, friendly and supportive. An emotional, heartwarming and romantic story that will make you feel more optimistic about the world!

[Dave P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

We sell a million of these “Cowboy Romance novels” at the Walgreen’s where I work and I finally pulled the trigger and bought one. I tried really hard to get into this book, and I like the whole idea of a “Promise, Texas universe” where each book is a different characters story, but I just couldn’t get into it. It just felt like the romance was forced and predictable. I do, however feel like I didn’t do this whole Promise, Texas thing right. It was like watching “Fast and the Furious 7” and having no idea what was going because I didn’t see the other 6 movies. Maybe I’ll do some more research and star from the beginning of the saga and have a different perspective

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Promise, Texas (Heart of Texas #7) was a great read by Debbie Macomber. Promise, Texas is a small community where people know what it’s like to depend on a friend. There are many different people who live in Promise. The Westons and 5e Patterson’s are old ranching families that have lived in Promise for centuries. Annie Applegate is new to Promise but is looking for more in life. I love that this book gave us a look into many different people’s lives. I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by Debbie Macomber.

[Judine Brey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It makes sense that this is part of a series; however, I could see this book expanded to a series by itself. I like the premise of this small town novel. the variety of romance stories was well thought-out and balanced each other well. I loved the growth of Annie's relationship with Lucas and his daughters. Nessa and Gordon's relationship was sweet, and Jeannie and Adam were fun to watch. I just felt like there was backstory to a lot of the characters that I wasn't aware of, and that made the book slightly unsatisfying.

[Shae Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debbie is an amazing story teller and can weave a tale with multiple characters and plots going on at the same time. She always wraps it up nicely at the end. I picked this one up and its in the middle of the series although she gives you enough background to read it as a stand alone. My drawbacks on this book vs others of hers that I have read and enjoyed is that this one is a bit more detailed and suggestive on some of the romantic parts and there is quite a bit more language. I prefer a book that I don't have to worry about those things and appreciate so many of her others for that reason.

[Luiza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rarely reach for romance novels, but I gave this one a try—and surprisingly, I liked the beginning. The setup was charming, the tone gentle and cozy. However, as with most romance books I’ve tried, the story started to lose its appeal after a few chapters. The plot felt repetitive, the characters didn’t seem to evolve, and much of the writing came off as filler rather than substance.

Apparently, this is book 7 in a series, but I don’t feel the need to read the rest. In the end, this just confirmed once more that romance as a genre isn’t for me.

[Jeannine Wickliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Applewood moves to Promise to get a new start on life. She ends up married to the local Vet to help with his daughters and what follows is fun. Then you have one of the founding families, the Pattersons facing a family crisis. Then Grady and Savanah hear from their brother Richard who is in prison. What is going on in Promise and part of it involves the ghost town of Bitters end. This is a fun book with some twists and turns. Typical great Debbie Macomber book

[Aimee M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good!! I thought that it was very sweet of Lucas when him and Annie got married, that he didn't care about Annie's scars from her car accident. All that mattered to him was her being a mother to his motherless girls and even though Lucas and Annie didn't know it at the time, they were both falling in love with each other.

[Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

A change of pace from my usual reading material. Was lightweight and somewhat entertaining, but a bit over the top and all the endings tied up nicely with bows. Old-fashioned women waiting on men to make the first steps, too much secret-keeping that ends in drama, very formulaic. Fine if you want something brainless, but I won't be coming back to one of these kind of books for a while.

[Amanda Hash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my least favorite of the series, but I was so excited to return to Promise that I would have read about grass growing. I couldn't really buy into the romance this time, but I appreciated being able to reconnect with other characters from the series and was still happy with how everything wrapped up.

[Lenore Kuipers-Cummins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debbie Macomber is a good author, however this book was the 7th book in a series (which I didn't know when I picked it up), so all of the characters had been introduced and knew each other. It's a small town that it takes place in, Promise, next to a ghost town. Several people are introduced to each other and form relationships. There are the old ranching families, and then the newcomers.

[Paul Berebitsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. And, yes, men can enjoy Debbie Macomber books. Found the brief description at the front of the book of the main characters very helpful. This was a good book for when you don't want to have to think very hard. Good character development, mostly realistic relationships, conflicts, dialogue and plot.

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! I have been a huge fan of the series, but I think I would not have appreciated this one so much if I hadn't read the rest of the series. The two romance story lines can stand on their own, but there are so many other well known characters woven throughout the story that I loved.

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read one of Debbie's books that I didn't like. I was a little worried that I would be able to remember who was who in this one because there are quite a few different characters. It turned out to be pretty easy. Promise, Texas seems like the perfect small town, where everyone cares about everyone else.