Tomorrow's Promise

by Sandra Brown

SHE CHERISHED THE MEMORY OF LOVE BUT WAS CONSUMED BY A NEW PASSION TOO FIERCE TO IGNORE

The call came out of the blue: "Twenty-six men listed as MIA have been found."

The news is devastating to Keely Preston. Since the day her husband, Mark, was listed as missing in action, the memory of their love and marriage has been frozen in time.

Keely's torn between hope for Mark and despair for herself. Because now, after all the years of waiting, on a late-evening flight at 37,000 feet, Keely Preston has met another man.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Harlequin, Audiobook, Suspense

301 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.

In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Reviews

[peachygirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have liked this a whole lot better if the girl hadn't been such a crybaby. Everything about her was so damn melodramatic, you'd think she was still pining for her missing husband after 12 years. Which she certainly was not.
The Congressman was too good to be true. Although, his taste in women could have been better. Their insta love in the flight made no sense to me as did their clandestine dates.
Hard to see any hint of present day SBness in this one. She has come a long way!

[*TANYA* · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could not stand the protagonist in this book, she was too whiny. The rest of the book was great. I love all the 80's references. The clothes, hairstyles and the means of communication. Love it.

[Lynsey A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be a book with one of the sweetest, most wonderful heroes. I loved Dax! From the first he was interested and intrigued by Kelly. The agony he felt when he learned she was married was very heartfelt.

This is a complicated story in that it involves a "married" woman, but one whose husband has been MIA in Vietnam for over 12 years. For 12 years she hasn't known whether her husband is dead or alive and dedicates her time to ensuring that the government doesn't stop paying the wives and families of those soldiers MIA. She travels to Washington, D.C. to talk in front of the committee put together to determine if the payments will continue. It is while she is on the plane to Washington that she meets Dax. She knows that he is a Senator but has no idea that he is on the committee that will decide on whether the bill is passed.

Ninety percent of the story is how Dax and Keely deal with their growing love and attraction for each other. At times it is very sweet and has many "awww" moments and other times it is quite passionate. The climax comes after the lovers give in to their passion and Keely feels immense guilt over sleeping with Dax while she is still married.

Now, I am not a fan of adultery, and this isn't Sandra Brown's first book where this has happened, but we all knew that Keely's husband was actually dead so it didn't bother me. I just took from this book that Dax was a wonderful hero who was torn between his honor and his very passionate feelings for Keely.

The only problem I had with this book is Keely's reaction to Dax telling her he found out about her husband's death. It was the morning after their night together and she was feeling guilty. She accused him of leading the returned soldier in to saying the man who died in the jungle while with him was her husband. I know she felt guilty but not once in this story was Dax ever a liar or jerk. Not once. It bothered me that she could think so poorly of him.

However, it wasn't enough to take away my enjoyment in the book. Although, I can say this is my second time reading it. I just didn't recall much of it.

[Farhana JC · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot dragged on for too long and the male character was pretty 1 dimensional.

[Melanie♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
5 stars for the narrator and 4.5 stars for the story
Despite being dated (this was written in the early 80's) I really enjoyed this sweet love story. The narrator is one of my favorites and did an amazing job on the southern accents.

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keely Preston Williams travels to Washington DC to speak to a congressional hearing regarding the MIAs in Vietnam. For 12 years Keely hasn't known if she is a wife or widow when her husband disappeared in Vietnam. On the plane she meets Dax Devereaux from her home state of Louisiana. She was experiencing some discomfit from flying. (Panic attack). Dax is attracted but Keely pushes him away. Even after all these years she is determined to remain faithful.

It was a sweet story and I did like it. It did have me thinking about those who didn't make it home. Not just from Vietnam but from all wars. And how hard it is on the families who often never get closure.

[Bona Caballero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novelita genérica que en español se tituló Cuando llegue el mañana. Aunque es de 1983, la compré y leí en 1999, y la he releído en, al menos, dos ocasiones, en 2012 y en 2017. Es de las mejores de Sandra Brown de los ochenta. Te atrapa desde el principio. Dax Deveraux, congresista sureño de sonrisa irresistible, conocerá a Keely, portavoz de una asociación de familiares de MIA (“desaparecidos en combate”). Se sienten atraídos intensamente el uno por el otro, pero resisten heroicamente, de manera que mantiene fenomenal la tensión sexual no resuelta. Keely está casada, aunque su marido desapareció en la guerra y no sabe si está vivo o muerto. Para Dax, cualquier relación amorosa con Keely está prohibida porque destruiría su futuro político. Dax asume un papel muy difícil: enamorado apasionado que, al mismo tiempo, no puede faltar al respeto al marido ausente, combatiente por su país. La novela se centra en la relación amorosa, pero no puedes dejar de ver el trasfondo del problema humano de los desaparecidos, lo que hace que algunos momentos sean realmente conmovedores.
Reseña amplia, en mi blog.

[Colleen Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason this isn’t one star is because I realized early on that this is a re-release of a 1983 novel with a new cover. The story did not age well. Lots of “yick” factor after the #metoo movement, smoking in places where it’s no longer permitted, etc. The story revolves around a traffic reporter who is the wife of a missing Vietnam POW and a handsome congressman. Unlike most Sandra Brown books, there is no mystery, it’s pure romance. I picked it up on a clearance rack for less than three dollars but it honestly wasn’t worth even that. I’m sure my review may have been different in 1983 but in 2025 it should not have been rebranded and republished.

[Zuza · Rating 1 out of 5]

chodząca tragedia

[Ευαγγελία Πρατσόλη · Rating 5 out of 5]

Εξαιρετικό!!!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my first Sandra Brown's novels that I have ever read. And it was because of this book that she has now become one of my ALL-TIME favorite authors! This book was... WOW.

What drew me in, you might ask?
Well first of all, the cover of this edition is so beautiful. I know the golden rule is never to trust a book by its cover, but I'm so happy that I did in that case. Otherwise I never would've discovered how wonderfully talented Ms. Brown is in writing about love, tragedy and hope.

I was drawn in by the passion between the two lead characters: Keely and Dax. I adored the whole mystery behind the two characters, and why Keely refused to be involved with Dax. DESPITE, the heated feelings brewing between the two! (And may I say, the scenes building up to their epic 'love making scene' was WELL worth it.

Keely was hesitant to be involved with Dax because of her prodigal husband who was out fighting in the war. The story goes on to tell us that the troops who actually survived the war had already returned despite the fact that a large number were still missing. Keely became apart of a organization of family members still determined to find out what happened to their missing loved ones. Dax enters the story absolutely smitten by the mysterious Keely. He wants to get to know her better but is pretty much "cock-blocked" by the fact that she's married.

It's such great story! I HIGHLY recommend that anyone who loves a great romance novel reads it. And also check out Brown's other books as well!

[Carol Stanley-Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECEIVED BOOK FREE THROUGH GOODREADS FIRST READS.

Again, another great Sandra Brown read.

A heart tugging story of a woman not sure is she is a wife or a widow. A story of MIAs and those left behind in an emotional limbo. AND...a love that grows dispite the unknown.

Anyway, i really love Sandra Brown and i hope you read this story and also become a fan.

[Cynthia Edge · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have newly discovered Sandra Brown and was excited to read one of her earlier romance type books since I’ve loved the thrillers I’ve read so far. This was very disappointing. It may be because it feels so dated (I know this was originally from 1983ish?). It was just corny and t he dialogue was so unrealistic. I think I’ll be sticking to her later work.

[Lucia D'Amore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Best love store I’ve read in a while.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. Sappy; tedious over-romanticized sex scenes; blah, blah. Not my style of book, read it because I found it on my bookshelves, not sure why I have it. Giving it away ASAP.

[Natha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sempat pending menyelesaikan buku ini di bagian tengah, padahal semula aku suka dan melesat hingga ke pertengahan. Tidak ada yang salah dengan kisah dan plotnya, aku juga cukup suka dengan konflik yang berada dalam diri si heroine, hanya saja aku memang sempat kehilangan minat selama beberapa waktu. Too bad. Ketika aku akhirnya berhasil menyelesaikan buku ini, feeling-nya sudah hampir lenyap. >.<

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given the content of Tomorrow's Promise, this book is definitely dated. It's hard to ignore the time it was written since it deals with MIA soldiers from the Vietnam war. I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved Dax. He is such a sweet guy and any woman would be a fool not to fall in love with him. His attraction to Keely is instant and even though she fights it at first, it is instant for her as well. I felt badly for him as I wanted to see him with Keely.

That was about all I liked about the book. In the end, I had a few issues. Keely's husband has been missing in action for 12 years. She has no idea if he is alive or dead. She was married to him for 3 weeks before he went off to war and his helicopter went down over the jungle and his body was never found. She has stayed faithful to him for 12 years. While I'm not sure what I would do personally, all I could think in my head as I was listening to this was "It's been 12 years!! He's probably dead. Isn't it time to move on?" Keely's character annoyed me. She was such a martyr and so depressing. She says she feels guilty about having feelings for another man, but she keeps making out with the Dax. The back and forth of her feelings got tiring. Also, the whole idea of scandal was laughable. Just because you are fighting for the MIA families to not have their spouses declared dead, doesn't mean you can't move on with your life. I doubt the general public would hold that against you.

I think in the end, this one was just OK for me. There were other things that I didn't agree with in the book, but I don't want to turn this into a political rant. It's a pretty fast listen as I was able to finish it in a day at work. It's not her best, but see for yourself.

[Bronwyn Rykiert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read some good Sandra Brown novels but, for me, this was not one of them.

I did not like the main charcater Keely and her martyism. Keely's husband of a couple of months missing for 12 years and she put her life on hold in case he returns. When she evenutally meet someone she can't do anything and when she has a one night together she feels guilty about it? Come on! I found even the fact that Keely did not want to fly silly with her only reason being that husband was killed (though she was not sure) in a helicopter crash in Vientnam and then her having the conincidence of Keely being involved i a helicopterc crash which made her understand her husband's fate a bit more! Even her girlfriend Nicole, after fallng pregnant and her husband saying they had to get married before people talked? What time was this book written in, the 1960's maybe but I was under the impression it was later than than. I have found out it was first printed in 1983 I thought we were more modern in our thinking by then, but then America is a wee bit behind Australia I think?

I was glad when I finished this book.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a great love story from brown. one of her earlier books from 1983 and the plot is a woman waiting for confirmation if her husband is dead or alive from the vietnam war. it's been 13 years and she had only been married to mark for 2 weeks before he was shipped overseas. on her way to a conferece about this plight, she meets congrassman dax deraoux. a love story insues but she feels she must stay viligent to mark and the cause. will she findout marks fate when 26 soilders are eventually returned home?

[Joannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. It swept you and made u hold your breath when they found the 26 men..

[Jami Blossom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an older book of Sandra brown and it was romance not murder or mystery. It was a good romance thought, I read it in two days!

[Yolanda Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of her better books. It was ok. Didn't like Keely much.

[Janet Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Sandra Brown novel is pure fiction. The main characters are interesting, but the male lead is a bit shallow to my way of thinking. Keely Preston and Dax Devereaux meet during a storm overhead on a flight to Washington D.C.
She's a traffic reporter from Louisiana (one who goes up in a helicopter to work each day), so it's a surprise, at first, when she seems to be afraid of flying. She, as it turns out, challenges herself to get over a loss by flying each day.
Dax is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is on a committee that is soon to determine if MIA Vietnam War soldiers should be considered dead years after the fall of Saigon.
Keely is to speak before this committee because her husband is one of those lost in Vietnam...when, as a pilot, his chopper crashed. Keely considers herself still married even though she only had three weeks with him before he went overseas twelve years earlier. This is heart wrenching for the women who many people consider to be widows.
Keely, naturally, falls for Dax but cannot give up on the idea that Mark might still be alive.
Just as she takes the advice of others and decides to spend the weekend with Dax, news arrives: 26 MIAs have walked out of the jungle in Cambodia.
Heartbreak and devastation awaits some, while others are reunited with loved ones. Where does Keely stand?
Read this well written book and find out for yourself.

[Alexandra K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Reporterin Keely Preston Williams kämpft seit Jahren für eine Organisation, die aus einer Gruppe Frauen besteht, deren Ehemänner in Vietnam während des Kriegs verschollen sind. Sie möchten verhinderten, dass ihre Männer für tot erklärt werden und dann nicht mehr nach ihnen gesucht wird. Auch Keelys Mann Mark ist seit 12 Jahren verschollen, als sein Hubschrauber im Dschungel abstürzte. Sie ist seitdem überzeugt, dass er noch lebt.
Dann lernt Keely auf einem Flug nach Washington Dax Devereaux kennen. Faszinierend, attraktiv, Junggeselle, angehender Senator. Zum ersten Mal seit 12 Jahren interessiert sich Keely für einen anderen Mann. Doch Mark wird zurückkommen und sie will auf ihn warten. Dax lässt nicht locker und und Keely gerät in einen Strudel der Gefühle zwischen Leidenschaft, Sehnsucht, Liebe, Treue und Schuldgefühlen.
Dann kommt eine Gruppe vermisster Soldaten zurück. Keely wird von der Regierung benachrichtigt. Ist Mark dabei? Dax will ihr beistehen und macht doch scheinbar alles falsch. Ein Missverständnis lässt Keely sich von Dax abwenden.
Der Roman ist zwar schon über 20 Jahre alt, wirkt aber keinesfalls verstaubt. Vor dem Hintergrund des Vietnam-Traumas und der strengen Moralvorstellungen zu damaliger Zeit spielt sich eine Liebesgeschichte ab, die man von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite mit Spannung verfolgt

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tomorrow’s Promise is by Sandra Brown. This novel deals with MIA’s from Vietnam and the women who waited for them. It is interesting as we can get a glimpse into the ordeals they had to go through themselves.
Keely Williams is the wife of a helicopter pilot who went MIA on a mission twelve years ago. She had been waiting on him all this time. She along with a bevy of other wives of men who have gone MIA created a group to lobby the government to give them benefits to help them survive until their men came home. They truly believed there was a possibility that their husbands were still alive but unable to get home. Their last hope was in passing a proposal in Washington. Keely, as a hesitant spokesperson for the group, headed for Washington, D. C.
Keely wonders why she allowed herself to be talked into this. Not only did she not like speaking in public; but she hated to fly and had done so since he husband’s accident. Unfortunately, a storm cropped up while they were in the air. Luckily for her, another passenger saw her unease and sat with her until it passed. He was Congressman Dax Devereaux, who was a veteran and who was on the committee she was to speak before.

[Kathy Blanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keely Preston Williams was married to a MIA soldier for 12 years. Her husband Mark was last seen in a helicopter that was going down. It was assumed he may have died but they did not find his body, so he was considered missing. She refused to get a divorce or have him declared dead in hopes that he might be alive. She was the spokesperson for an organization called PROOF. They were trying to keep their husband's benefits alive since they relied on them. Keely was headed to Washington to testify at a committee hearing on making sure they benefits keep coming, since they do not have proof of death. She meets a member of the congressional committee on the flight to Washington, when they were experiencing turbulence. Dax Deveraux was the congressman from Louisiana. They were attracted to one another but they did not act on these feelings. Keely gets a call from one of the PROOF members that 16 men were found in Vietnam and were coming home, they had to go to Paris. Mark was not one of the soldiers coming home. One of the soldiers was very sick and in the hospital. He knew Mark and was on the helicopter when it crashed. He told Dax that Mark had died and ask him to give his wife a medal she had given him when they got married.

[Deborah Gebhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick romantic read.
Keely Preston Williams personal life has been in limbo for 12 years. Her husband, Mark, was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He was shot down and he is concerned MIA. Keely has become the face and voice of PROOF, an organization made of family members of the 2,600 MIA serviceman, whose intent is to make sure that the government does not forget or ignore or stop trying to find out the fate of the missing.
On her way to Washington, D.C. for a presentation to a committee of the House of Representatives, she meets the committee's newest member, Dax Devereaux. There is a mutual attraction, but in her mind she is still married. She sees more of Dax and the attraction increases, what will she do?
Meanwhile, 26 Americans walk out of the jungle in Cambodia. Is Mark among those men, or does one of them know what happened to him? Depending on these answers, what will happen between Keely and Dax?

[Kat Ryker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written when the Vietnam war and POW's were on our mind. It is a wonderfully emotional story about a woman whose husband, a helicopter pilot, is missing in action in Vietnam who meets up with a Congressman who is sitting on a Committee about to take away her (and lots of others) paychecks from the armed services. If you don't have a frame of reference for the Vietnam war and what POW wives went through, this book will not do a thing for you.

It is an older Brown, before she caught the wind and started writing blockbusters. It is still Sandra Brown under all the 1980's references, and it still has her touch with romance. If you remember Vietnam, or even if you don't, this book isn't a bad read 35 years down the road. It sort of surprised me, honestly, that it didn't complete reek of another century.

[BTi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so so good. The only problem was that it was short for my taste, I would've loved this much better if it had more 100 pages. I loved slow burn but this author really makes me believe in love at first sight or whatever it was. Even though I hate politician's in real life, I love political theme romance books wished they're more books like this.I loved loved chemistry between Dax and Kelly, it has good drama,tension, writing. I know many people won't understand Kelly and her pain but I did. I cried for Mark and his last painful moments, I know in reality also many soldiers died that way and really wished some countries will stop these war and killing other people and their own soldier also.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of Brown's love stories with problems, of course. Keely Williams is married to a MIA who was in the Vietnam war. She works with a group of other women whose husbands are also MIA to retain the help given them by the government even though their husbands have not been found dead or alive. In the process she meets a congressman that she is very attracted to. She and her husband where only married weeks before he left and she has always stayed faithful. The interesting thing in this story to me was the nature of the MIA problems for both the government and the families. I learned things I knew nothing about before and that is always a good thing.