A Promise Kept: Later-in-Life, Second Chance, Closed Door Romance Novella

by Ruby Ashford

She can’t wait to leave. He did his best to hide. Will these two hearts remain tied to the past, or will they unravel its secrets and find lasting love?

Anna Fairbanks is desperate for a fresh start. After her husband’s death revealed a mountain of debt, Anna is left with no choice but to sell her beloved bookstore. But when she runs into her first love decades after her father destroyed him, the weight of her guilt threatens to swallow her.

James Bennett's secret is gnawing at his guts. So when he sees Anna thirty years after being run out of town, he’s caught between a desperate need to spill the truth—and to be sure she never learns it. But as his heart aches to pursue those old feelings, he fears the truth will make her hate him all over again.

For Anna, falling in love with James would be easy, but believing she deserves him—impossible.

James has never stopped loving her but he fears that in trying to protect her, it will destroy any chance they have for happiness.

A Promise Kept is the captivating introductory standalone novelette in the Willow Valley Women's Fiction Closed-Door Romance series.

If you like later-in-life romance, buried secrets, and tender second chances, then you’ll love Ruby Ashford’s engaging tale.

Buy A Promise Kept to rediscover love where you least expect it today!

58 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2025

Reviews

[Patricia Manchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart grew three sizes!

Seriously though, this was such a good story! The author knows how to make you need to get to every next page, she really keeps you guessing!! She just dropped another book so I'm going to dig right in as soon as I publish this review!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the Canadian small town of Ennington, this story got me hooked from the start. I chuckled and smiled all the way through this sweet romance. The main characters were believable and I rooted for both of them the entire time. Also, there are secrets that kept me turning the pages until the very end...

But wait, there's more! Don't skip over the bonus material—The Insider's Guide to Ennington—where you learn a lot of fun facts about this cozy town, its shops, and even its quirky residents. It was hilarious! Again, I laughed out loud the entire time.

I was thoroughly entertained and found my new favorite author. I highly recommend Ruby Ashford to other readers who enjoy clean & wholesome small-town romances.

[Hollie Petit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an uplifting story of innocence and reconciliation. I felt pulled into the story emotionally because it felt so real. There was chemistry and connection, so it was easy to get wrapped up into the characters of Anna and James.

I finished the book with a sense of hope--for Anna and James as well as for my own life. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Well worth a couple hours of your life on a lazy afternoon!