Promise Me

Sinful Manor #2

by Sara Cate

He let him get away once… Now he has seven days to get him back.

Fifteen years ago, Declan Barclay left for uni with plans of becoming an artist and escaping his family's heavy rule. What he didn't expect was to meet a soft and enigmatic actor in desperate need of guidance…and a friend. Declan quickly took Colin Shelby under his wing and the two were inseparable ever since.

That is until the night before graduation, when lines were crossed and everything changed. 

Now, after years apart, Colin is back in Declan's life, but he's not alone. He's made a promise to marry someone else, and Declan only has seven days to win back the love of his life. There's just one His family is counting on him to pull this wedding off at Barclay Manor.

With just one week until vows are exchanged, Declan must decide—stay silent and lose Colin for good, or risk everything and ask the one who got away to promise him forever.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Friends To Lovers, Second Chance, Second Chance Romance, Dark Romance, BDSM

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 10, 2026

About the author

Sara Cate is a USA Today best-selling author of steamy romance and sexy book boyfriends. Although she writes a wide range of tropes, Sara is best known for her age gap and taboo romances. One thing you can expect from her entire collection is heaps of steam and plenty of angst.

Living in Arizona with her husband and kids, Sara spends most of her time reading, writing, or baking.

Find out more at: www.saracatebooks.com

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t normally cry with love declarations, but holy shit. THIS BOOK.

THE PREMISE: dual timeline between two best friends falling for each other, and then meeting for the first time years after everything fell apart. Right in time for one of them to get married 🙃

TROPES & VIBES:
- MM second chance best friends to lovers romance
- I couldn’t put this down. It destroyed my sleep schedule
- Some dom/sub kinky stuff
- ‘I have a chest full of paintings, and they’re all of you’
- ‘We haven’t spoken in years, but you’re an actor and I’ve seen every movie you’ve ever been in’
- “Baby”
- Teaching him sexy stuff
- Healing journey
- It’s always only been you
- Set in England and Scotland

4.5⭐️ 4🌶️

Arc from author in exchange for an honest review 🥰

[Soft Nectarine ~]

taaaake me back to Scotland 🫡 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars! Promise Me is a friends to lovers, mm, grumpy x sunshine, second chance romance and book 2 in the Sinful Manor series by Sara Cate.

In this book we follow Declan and Colin and get dual timeline as we see their story of friendship to more in the past, and then catch up to present day between them! In present day, Declan is helping host a house party and Colin surprisingly shows up…with his fiancé. Then we cut back in time to 15 years in the past when they first met in college, became friends, and had a moment that changed everything!

I expected to be hit more emotionally with this one, especially it being a second chance which is one of my all-time favorite tropes. I wanted to be wrecked (and of course then pieced back together). But this one just didn’t fully go there emotionally for me like the first book in the series, Keep Me, did. It’s always tough to not compare books in a series but I just wanted those similar vibes of tension, feelings, the emotions, the mental health journey that I got in that book. This story moved kind of quickly which I think didn’t let those feelings build up for me. All in all, this one was solid enough, just won’t be a new favorite for me.

I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

CW: grief, parental death, mental health struggles, depression, anxiety, BDSM

[RedFireLady · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’m sorry it was only eight days a year to you. It was never just eight days to me. You were with me every bloody day.”

This is a well written love story that spans more than a decade, full of stolen moments, yearning and coming to terms with what you want and what you deserve

Colin is quiet and shy, and has been very sheltered by his mother. Declan is brash and charismatic and tends to be the life of the party. They meet when they are roommates at university and quickly become inseparable best friends during their 4 years there. Right before they graduate the lines between friendship and something more become blurred and then everything changes.

Before leaving university, they vow to spend time together every summer to maintain their friendship.Through the years they both come to treasure this time together until one day changes everything and they lose touch after having a falling out.

Now its years later and Colin's fiance has booked Declans family home to host their wedding. When they come crashing back into each others lives they are forced to face their past and the feelings they still have for the other. With just seven days until the wedding Declan must decide whether to let Colin go or fight for the only person he has ever loved.

The dual timeline really makes this story hit home. We get to experience their past so we can truly understand what it means when Colin shows back up in Declan's life engaged to another man. The yearning and heartbreak are strong, and I definitely found myself falling in love right along with them throughout the years.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in less than a day because it was more important to keep turning then page than to be a responsible adult. Definitely recommend this book if you love a good second chance love story with all the feels and the heartbreak of giving up on the only person you really ever wanted.

What's inside:
Second Chance
MM love story
Broody Scottsman
Grumpy x Sunshine
Best Friends to Lovers
Dual Timeline
Virgin MC
Spice

[Shannai · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐♾️

Omg, omg this was pure liquid gold, five big fat gold stars and hands down my new favourite read by Sara Cate! Like, I absolutely adored this; you cannot convince otherwise that there isn't parallels to Heated Rivalry in this.

I literally haven't been able to stop thinking about Colin and Declan, why were they SO FREAKING CUTE PLS!!! I was grinning with tears in my eyes at 1am, they actually had no business making me cry they way they did.

Listen, I can always count on a Sara Cate book to never disappoint, because the SPICE ALWAYS DELIVERS! I'm not even joking when I say this had me blushing and staring at the wall for a solid good ten mins! Like, are you kidding me, "the boat wasn't the only thing docked that week" will FOREVERRR live RENT FREE in my head!!

I just love me an angsty second chance and this didn't disappoint. The yearning and quiet devotion between these two men; it was beautiful, painfully raw and so unique to them and their journey. Sara done an incredible job showing Declan's depression because you wouldn't think so at first, but over the years, you could see how he really held himself back, having lost his parents at a young age and then Colin, after the breakdown of their friendship. Equally, too, Colin's journey and him coming out, dating; his incessant need to please those around him, even when it made him uncomfortable, God, my heart broke for him because Declan saw him for him and didn't want change or put him in a mould like others tried to.

The ending and epilogues were probably my favourite parts of Colin and Declan's story; I literally couldn't stop smiling, there were tears in my eyes because it was such a touching a beautiful end to their story. They deserve it and all the happiness in the world.

And to add, Anna, Blaire, please let it be that there is a romance developing between them, because I noted the way Blaire was around Anna! Omg, a sapphic romance between those two would be everythingg!!

This really was one of my favourite reads and couples of 2026!

Thank you to Sara Cate and her team for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review; I it's always a pleasure being on your content team, and cannot wait to create some Colin and Declan inspired content. I'd also like to thank Siena at Sourcebooks for the e-arc from NetGalley.

Tropes

Best friends to lovers
second chance
grumpy x sunshine
virgin MMC
dual timelines
Yearning 100x

[Berry's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read: yes netgalley
5⭐️ 4🌶️
Synopsis in one sentence: Years after a heartbreaking falling out, Declan Barclay has seven days to win back his first love, Colin Shelby, before Colin marries someone else at Declan’s own family estate in Scotland.

Fav character: Declan Barclay. I loved his "brash Scottish artist" energy. He’s charismatic and a bit of a mess, but his unwavering devotion to Colin is so beautiful to read.

Fav trope: Second Chance / Best Friends to Lovers. The dual timeline really makes you feel the weight of everything they lost.

Fav part: The ticking clock of the wedding creates such intense, suffocating tension. Every interaction feels high-stakes because you know the deadline is approaching.

Didn’t like: nothing Sara Cate can write any romance situation - I LOVE THEM

Recommend it: Yes. Especially if you love M/M romance with deep angst, a gorgeous Scottish setting, and that signature Sara Cate emotional gut punch AND OBSESSION.

Unique: The dual timeline structure. Going back and forth between their university days and the present really allowed for a slow-burn realization.

Cont. series?: Yes. It’s the second book in the Sinful Manor series (after Keep Me), and it makes me want to see which Barclay sibling or manor guest we get next.

Unforgettable: The yearning. Sara Cate is a master of ache. The way Declan looks at Colin after all those years is something I won't forget anytime soon. I loved them so much!!

Kindle unlimited: Yes.

[Jen Altman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full RTC. ✨

I’m running on little sleep because I HAD TO stay up and finish this book. Binging it in less than 12 hours because it physically pained me to put it down. Promise Me had me in a total chokehold. I laughed. I cried. By the end I was drained but so totally satiated. This is my most anticipated read for 2026, and I devoured it in less than a day. I don't know what that says about my self control, but I’m not sorry.

[Kyle Modschiedler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me on such a roller coaster! I’ll be honest in the first couple chapters I really just did not vibe with Declan. There was just something about his aura that told me I was probably going to DNF this and I am so glad I continued to read bc that very quickly changed. This story was so beautifully done! I’m not really a fan of flash back type situations but the way this book was done was absolutely incredible! I felt all the emotions throughout this book. The amount of times this book broke my heart and also healed it was such a ride. I can’t really properly articulate the things this book truly made me feel but I’m so glad I got the chance to feel them. This was my introduction to Sara Cates work and I’ll say I’m a fan and can’t wait to check out her other works!

[Sandra's Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Promise Me by Sara Crate was a great love story. In Scottish England with a dual point of view time line. Two MM best friends fall in love. Then when things fall apart they don't see each other for years, but when they do one of them is about to get married. Second chance, best friends to lovers," it's always been you" Beautifully written.
My opinion, thank you, Netgalley and sourcebooks casablanca for this ARC

[Cait Ireen | caitireenreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5⭐️
3/5🌶️

KINDLE VERSION
I had been so, so excited to get to this entry in the Sinful Manor series and WOWZERS it was worth the wait! I am obsessed with these men. Absolutely enamored. I loved how Sara presented their story: both in dual POV and dual timeline, with Colin’s POV being primarily in the past and Declan in present day. Colin is my baby. I’m obsessed with him and want to squeeze him super duper hard! This story was chock full of pining, yearnin’ and burnin’, and men learning how to be vulnerable and love. Dreamyyyy sighhhhhh… it was so stinking good. I felt so seen by Colin’s hang-ups in intimacy—his worries about ruining his friendship while pushing his self-interests on the back burner. I want to do a reread already, which is always a sign to me of an amazing read. I can’t wait to see where else this series goes!

What I Loved About This Story:
✨Long-time friends to lovers
✨Years and years of hidden pining
✨”It’s always been you…”
✨Madame Cate’s spice and k!nk perfection
✨Peeks at the other members of the Barclay family… and I know EXACTLY who’s next and I CANNOT. WAIT.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via the publisher, Sara Cate & Netgalley but my review is all my own.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
AUDIOBOOK VERSION
What an exciting treat to not only get to read a text version early, but to also get to experience the audiobook version early! I absolutely LOVED this audiobook. Will Watt was the perfect Colin, just as Shane East was the perfect Declan. Shane had quite the role, being the voice of multiple Scots, but his brogue was so growly and perfect for all of the characters. Will has the perfect intonation for our expressive Colin… I was absolutely locked in during the more dramatic scenes. All in all, this was perfectly acted and absolutely captured the essence of this story.

I received an Advanced Listener Copy of this book via the publisher, Sara Cate & Netgalley but my review is all my own.

[Amanda Hurst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me in all of my feelings, friends to lovers in the most heartbreaking and beautiful way! Colin and Declan are made for each other and nothing could keep them apart. Not a wedding, not long lost time or distance. The spice was just an added benefit to their love story unfolding before your eyes. "He's been slowly healing me this entire time" took my breath away and I'm ready for the next trip to Scotland! Thank you to Sara Cate and Netgalley for the chance to ARC for this book, I enjoyed every second of reading it. The glimpses into the future with the dual epilogues truly wrapped the entire story into a wonderful bow 🥹

[Rachii Reads ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara told this story SO perfectly. The dual timeline that showed the progression of their relationship over the years combined with the dual POV was literal perfection. The characters were phenomal. They were written to be so relatable and their struggles were so real and raw. This book brough the tension, the yearning, and the heat. Even with the sub/dom dynamics, she found a way to make it fresh and beautiful. Sara always knocks it out of the park, and this was no different!

Promise Me is a dual POV, MM romance that takes place primarily in Scotland at Barclay Manor. Declan, the younger brother of Killian from the first book in this series, is now in possession of the manor. His sister, Anna, is using the estate as a wedding venue - and Declan is quite sick of it. Wanting some peace and solitude, Declan and Anna make a deal - he coordinates their next wedding. If successful, Anna will find a new venue to host weddings and leave Declan in peace. The problem? They have no clue who the couple is due to their celebrity status. Until the couple arrives and it's none other than his best friend from university, Colin. Declan is forced to not only coordinate the wedding for his best friend, but is also forced to face their past and present feelings for one another.

Promise Me is the 2nd book in the Sinful Manner series, following after the first book entitled "Keep Me." This can be read as a standalone but may spoil events from the couple in the first book!

[Tiffany ✨️ Bergamot Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colin has loved Declan since their friendship first formed. After years of dancing around his attraction to him, something breaks and they find themselves entering a friendship that is more than just mutual benefits. As love grows, Colin finds himself wanting more than what Declan can offer, and Declan finds himself reminiscing about a past that he shouldn't have let go of. Current day Declan is suffering for his choices, until a wedding hosted at his estate brings him and Colin unexpectedly back together for one more time, unless he can hope for more.

*****

I absolutely adored this one! Having Colin's perspective set in the past, and Declan's in current day was such a clever artistic choice. The entire book you lived in both leads heads, in a time where you never truly knew the others weight they were carrying in that time, nor fully what their thoughts were. You felt you knew past-them or current-them, but not both of them in the same moment and I LOVED it. It had me staying up way to late just to get a flash back or forward to see how each of them reacted in their own time.

I also was obsessed with how the time periods apart were also void, this way we were just as in the dark about Declan did while him and Colin were young, and what Colin was up to while Declan was toiling away in his the cage of his heart. I was constantly ravenous for more, and hurting for the past and present versions of each of them. It was beautiful to see who they grew into apart, and how their story moved forwards together.

All in all, another incredible read from Sara Cate!

*****

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

“He’s been slowly healing me this entire time.”

Colin Shelby, the man that you are!! Ugh, he resonated so much with me as a people pleaser myself.

“But that’s what love is, Declan! It’s showing someone the worst parts of ourselves and trusting that they’ll love us anyway.”

Then don’t get me started on the amazing, iconic, messy Declan Barclay!!

Usually I’m not a fan of the history of friends to lovers trope, but I absolutely devoured every drop of this book. This was a complete masterpiece, even better than the first book!!

It was actually beautiful to see their friendship blossom into something more. And was then heartbreaking to see it all fall apart.

I enjoyed the back and forth of the past and present. I think it really tied together well.

The characters were flawed, and I was invested in seeing their growth. And don’t get me started on the hottest slow burn I’ve ever read with their gradual exploration of spice.

If you enjoy a spicy second chance romance between a Scottish artist living in a castle and a British Hollywood star, you’ll love this one!


Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Katie whatmrswifireads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending me a gifted review copy!

I LOVED Declan’s story just as much as Killian’s, if not more. Sara writes about men falling in love and learning how open up and be vulnerable after loss in the most beautiful way.
This was a HEA long in the making, and getting there was such a fantastic blend of fun, sexy, heartfelt, and heartbreaking moments. Told in dual POV/timeline with Colin mostly making up the past and Declan the present, their evolution from college roommates, to best friends, to lovers was the absolute most angsty, pining, tense romance I’ve read in quite a while and I loved every second of it. The devotion and yearning they both show is so raw and evident, even knowing this is a second chance I was in disbelief it could ever end the first time around because people who love each other this much can’t be torn apart, right?
Declan’s depression and trauma from losing his parents at a young age, and then losing Colin after the dissolution of their friendship due to him holding himself back and being scared to love freely was so well written and understandable. Colin’s struggle with his own parents resulting in extreme people pleasing tendencies was so heartbreaking, he just wanted to be loved and was willing to shape himself into any version that would get him that. It was so poetic that the true beginning of their relationship was them both letting go of those things holding them back, Declan realizing that he can’t allow himself to lose Colin again due to fear of loss, and Colin using the voice Declan instilled in him to be who he is and wants to be rather than who anyone else wants to be.
I adored the ending, I had such happy tears in my eyes seeing such a touching resolution for them, getting everything they missed out on for all the years and more.
I have loved every moment of this series so far and can’t wait to see where it goes from this point! Anxiously awaiting our return to Sinful Manor.

[Ally Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
When the one that got away shows up on your doorstep with their fiancé, what will it take to get him back?

I liked how the author split the narrative voice by writing the present storyline from Declan’s perspective, and all the flashbacks from Colin’s. Not knowing how Colin was feeling now, allowed for an element of surprise when/how he’d make a decision.

I did feel like Colin’s kinks were more mentioned than performed by Declan. The story had much more implied kinkiness than actual Dom/sub dynamic moments. I also felt that way about Declan’s depression and his aversion to relationships. He never really explained why he couldn’t be in one, and his parents had been an example of a loving relationship before they died, so it didn’t totally make sense.

I liked the two MMCs here much better than the couple in book one. They both had depth and big feelings to go along with their daddy issues. I’m looking forward to Anna and Blaire’s story up next.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

rating: 3.5⭐️ | spice: 4 🌶️

ugh this book made me ugly cry so many times. i just wanted them to be happy.

if you’re looking for an mm romance with angst and POWERFUL love confessions, i think this is the perfect book for you.

tropes:
- mm romance
- duo pov & timeline
- “and they were roommates”
- pain 🥹😩

[Karen Goodenough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Promise Me by Sara Cate was absolute perfection. The bond Colin & Declan had was felt throughout the book and their journey was captivating. I haven’t read alot of m/m books but this was beautifully written. Loved the back & forth timeline to really understand the bond these two shared.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

[Christina Resendiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Cate does it again!!! I’ve loved this author ever since I discovered Praise and fell in love with that whole series and her style of writing and storytelling. I literally feel like I’m there because she paints such a vivid picture. Anytime an author can get me to feel that raw emotion or tear up, let alone full on balling, 5 stars…permanently for me!!!

This story is the second in the new series Sinful Manor. Let me tell you, that manor has some magic in it for bringing people together and faking in love! It follows two friends over the span of many years from college to now and how they find themselves and come to terms along the way with what goes on. It pulled on my heart strings the whole damn time because I just wanted to yell at them and help them see things from each other’s perspectives. I love love and can’t help it! I wanted them to get together, for more than just once each summer, realize they were so much more than friends and that that was OKAY. I loved the honest reactions they had internally after certain events, (without giving it away) something along the lines of “what does this mean?”, “Do best friends do this?”, “Is this something friends do or feel for each other?”, “Why am I the way I am?”, “what is wrong with me?” and so much more. You can literally hear the battle going on inside their minds coming to terms with it and I felt for them soooo much. In the end, it happens how it had to, to bring them back together and that ending was perfection! I’m all about mending friendships and best friends to lovers to soul mates is something I can always get on board with. 🙌🏻

The emotional toll for me was pretty high up there through this story. When Declan opened up that chest I about damn near woke my husband up in the middle of the night to share the shock I was in. (Because I of course couldn’t put this book down to go to sleep at a reasonable hour LOL) I wanted to shout “I knew it!!!!” from the roof tops. Then his quote that got to me the most was, ”I’m sorry it was only eight days a year to you. It was never just eight days to me. You were with me every bloody day.” The realization that clicked right there 😭 Seriously though. I was just imagining poor Colin’s face at that discovery. All. The. Feels!!!

There’s one more sibling in this group and I really hope to see her story unfold next. I have so many questions!!!

I received this book as an ARC and am providing my wholly, 100% honest review. 10/10 recommend!

[Rachel Purgert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to start by saying that I couldn't believe how lucky I was to receive this ARC as part of Sara Cate's 12 days of Christmas promotion for Promise Me!

I loved everything about this book (except for a certain American actor). The dual POV was compelling to the characters' story and history. I especially appreciated that one character's POV was present day while the other's POV was in the past.

I loved this couple and I really felt for Declan and his mental health, especially trying to hide the depth of his struggles. I feel that Sara always does such a great job bringing her characters to life and making them feel real.

It was also exciting to see small glimpses into the other Barclay siblings and where the series may be heading in the future 😉

[Abby McK]

Coming 10th Feb 2026

When Sara says this might be her favourite love story she’s EVER written, you add it to the TBR immediately. MM, friends to lovers, back at Barclay Manor? YES PLEASE!

[Rach✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Read/Finished:
11.22.25

Overall Ratings:
5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
5/5 🌶️🔥🌶️🔥🌶️

IM STILL PROCESSING😭😭😭

EDIT (01.15.26):
I love Colin & Declan so much 💓💓💓 they have my heart!

[Alicia Ceasar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Promise Me by Sara Cate is the second book in the Sinful Manor series and it follows Declan, who is currently living in the manor and is tired of all the weddings invading his personal space. He makes a deal with his sister that if he can manage a successful wedding, they will stop using the manor as a venue. But of course, things can’t be too easy and one of the grooms for the wedding is Colin, Declan’s former best friend and maybe something more? Now Declan has to decide if he wants to help with the wedding or try to steal Colin back.

I enjoyed this one. It is a sort of second chance romance with best friends that fall for each other and have a falling out. There are flashbacks to the past that show Colin’s POV and the present day is told from Declan’s POV. I feel like you can really feel the tension between this in the flashbacks and you are rooting for them to get together but you know they aren’t together in the present day.

I did find the present day romance to feel a little rushed. I wish that the tension from the flashbacks continued into the present. A lot of the forced proximity moments in the present timeline felt a bit forced. But I did really enjoy the book overall. It is compulsively readable. The chapters are short and the main characters complement each other well.

I look forward to the next book in this series! I think the end of this one teased the next couple and I’m very intrigued.

[Amelia Blackmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Promise Me
Author: Sara Cate
Series: Sinful Manor #2

What to expect:
*Second chance MM romance
*Dom/Sub relationship
*”It’s always been you”

I absolutely love this book!! I have always enjoyed books from this author, but this couple in particular blew me away! Declan is an artist that has a chest full of drawings of Colin. Colin is an actor that has never forgotten his first love.

I enjoyed the dual timelines, seeing their relationship build with each other was incredibly moving. I also loved having an epilogue set in the future to show a true HEA!

*****Spoilers below*****
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Safety:
MMC1 is engaged for the majority of this book, there are no on page scenes between him and his fiancé in the story. There is one group sex scene, the main couple are together while others in the room are also playing. Neither of the main characters have sex with anyone else throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the opportunity to read and review this title!

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary, romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
POV’s: Colin (MMC1) & Declan (MMC2)

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not prepared for the amount of angst and emotions in this one, but I absolutely could not stop reading & listening. Declan & Colin are roommates in university, but truly become the best of friends....and they might have some undeniable chemistry as well. And when things start to shift right before graduation, everything about it seems so seamless and perfect. But when things fall apart and the next time they see each other is years later where Colin is getting married at the manor, it’s definitely a shock. The dual timeline in this was written so well and had me aching for more of their past and then those current moments to see how things would play out.

The audiobook is performed in duet by Will Watt, Shane East, and Kelli Tager - and I loved being able to listen and do an immersive read of this one!

What to expect:
-grumpy x sunshine
-second chance
-best friends to lovers
-virgin mc
-so much angst and yearning
-dual timeline

I would like to thank Sara Cate, Sourcebook Casablanca & Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read/listen and review this book.

[Kim that.bookish.mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little nervous going into this one because MM Romances are a hit or miss for me… I never know if I’m going to like it until I’m in it so I dove in with no life vest; I’m happy to say that I liked this one a lot!

Declan and Colin went through it to find their ways back to each other… it was a wild and emotional road!

My only hang up with the book and the reason i couldn’t give it 5 stars is because sometimes the narration was a bit confusing… we were switching between two different character POVs from two different time periods and sometimes it felt like the transitions were non existent so it got hard to follow and I found myself having to flip back to make sure I was following along.

Besides that little nugget of flaws I absolutely loved this book and these characters!
Also Blair! AMAZING wing woman!!! I loved her!!!

If you are looking for a beautifully written MM romance that is both emotional and hot, then look no further!
This one comes out on 2/10!!

[Kimberly Yeiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Promise Me by Sara Cate was an emotional, engaging read that fully pulled me in. I loved the dual timeline and dual POV; unfolding their past while living in their present added so much depth and made the emotional journey incredibly satisfying.

Watching the relationship take shape through both timelines allowed the characters to feel layered and real, and I really appreciated how the story trusted the reader to piece things together rather than spelling everything out. The way the past informed the present kept me invested from beginning to end.

My only small critique is that I would have liked a bit more detail around the wedding cancellation. I wanted more insight into Collins’s mindset in that moment to better understand his decision and emotional state. That said, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the story overall.

This is a great pick for readers who enjoy emotional romance, layered storytelling, and dual timelines that enhance the love story rather than distract from it.

[Catherine M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Promise Me was a poignant, emotional read that had me feeling all the feelings and I couldn’t put it down. With a dual timeline that crafts Declan and Colin’s story from the beginning, you get to experience these two in a deep and raw way that leaves you anywhere from speechless, ugly crying or even breathless.

With a deep connection to undeniable chemistry, these two captured my heart completely and couldn’t help but root for them. They felt like two pieces of a puzzle that belong together but can’t quite fit just right until you try one last time. I guess there’s just something special about Barclay Manor that brings people together.

What made Promise Me special to me is that you can feel how much love the author poured into every page of this story!

I absolutely 100/10 recommend!

I would like to thank Sara Cate, Sourcebook Casablanca for the opportunity to read and review Promise Me via NetGalley.

[My Reading Era · Rating 4 out of 5]

Declan and Colin meet at university and quickly become inseparable. Just before graduation, they cross a line that changes everything but eventually life intervenes, and years pass without them seeing each other. When Colin arrives at Declan’s family manor for his impending wedding, they’re forced back into each other’s orbit, stirring up unresolved feelings neither of them were prepared to face. But now they must decide how much they’re willing to risk for a second chance with each other.

I absolutely loved the narration. Will Watt, Shane East, and Kelli Tager perfectly capture the emotional dynamic between the characters, you’re able to feel the passion, tension, and longing in every interaction. This is such a sweet, heartfelt story, and I genuinely loved watching their journey unfold.

Thank you, Sara Cate, Source Books Casablanca and Sourcebooks Audio for the ALC/ARC.

[Julie Pesik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt journey of true love is what best describes this book. We go back in time through Declan’s and Colin’s time together. The last majority in Colin’s POV and the current in Declan’s. I wish we got to experience more of the current events surrounding the wedding and the happenings of what went on for Dec to win Colin back. It just seems like it all came to a head at the end soley because of the past and not because Dec proved his worth. Nonetheless, it was a very swoon-worthy tale of true love going making it through the bad circumstances.

-second chance
-friends to lovers to “strangers” to lovers
-very small amount of group play
-Dom/sub
-MM romance
-spicy scenes throughout entire book