Broken Promises

by Donna M. Zadunajsky

Two years after their marriage, Jim Culback wasn't the man Clare thought he was. How many more broken promises could she accept? After packing and moving everything they owned from Ohio to Naples, Florida, she actually thought their marriage would improve. But as time went by, she couldn't take the beatings, lies or cheating any longer. But could her husband be capable of homicide? Is Jim responsible for the murders of two women? A detective from Chicago is put on the case to help solve the murders and has an encounter with Clare. What develops between them? Can Clare trust another man? Or does Jim have other plans for Clare?

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

Donna M. Zadunajsky started out writing children’s books before she accomplished and published her first novel, Broken Promises, in June 2012. She since has written several more novels and her first novella, HELP ME! Book 1 in the series, which is about teen suicide and bullying.
HELP ME!, won Awards in:
The Great Northwest Book Festival-Winner
Global EBook Awards- Gold Medal Winner
The Great Southeast Book Festival-Winner
IPA Award- Winner in Grief Category
Reader Views Awards- In 3 different categories:
*Children-Teen 12-16 year olds
*Children-Young Adult 16-18 years old
*Best Teen/YA Book of the Year
eLit Awards- Silver Winner

Talk To Me, Book 2 was a Finalist in the Author U unpublished contest, 2016.
IPA Award- Winner in Death and Dying

The author is available for speaking on the matters of teen suicide, bullying and for author events.

Reviews

[Jola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com

It was a nice story telling us about a life with an alcoholic. Clare, the main character, was a very strong woman to be able to put up with a man such as Jim.
The mystery parts were very interesting and kept me guessing to the end. I guessed the who part right, I just didn't know why exactly :). The downside is that this part started rather late in the book, with first 200 pages being all about Clare and her indecisions about leaving her abusive husband.

It was enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery.

Thanks for Donna M. Zadunajsky for sending me the free copy of the book.

[Angela Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Suspense-Filled Emotional Journey, January 7, 2014
By Angela Ford "Author of Closure" (Canada)
This review is from: Broken Promises (Kindle Edition)

I loved Ms. Zadunajsky's 'Not Forgotten' in which she delivered an intense suspense I couldn't put down. Well, she's done it again with a suspense-filled emotional journey in 'Broken Promises'.

Broken Promises tells the story of an abused woman. The man she married is not the man she is going to leave. When it becomes enough and she decides to leave, she discovers a notebook about murders. She wonders if her husband is capable of this. Then the Detective assigned to the murders comes into the picture. Will Clare be able to trust again? This is a suspense that will keep you guessing and a surprise ending you could not predict.

This read captures the times and trials that many women have experienced and will relate to. Another 5 Star Ms. Zadunajsky!

[Daniel Farcaș · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I am to early in my marriage to have the "long time perspective" to judge Broken Promises.
Alcohol, regular beatings, lies, suicide threats and cheating (Jim) and then Clare keeps hoping she can change him because they have a daughter together.
She escape him and then finds this notebook...turns very scary in the end.
I think this is a great read for young girls and women.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Broken Promises is a look into what it is like living with an alcoholic. You want to believe that it's the last time he will drink, you want to believe it's the last time he will cheat on you. But when is it enough. While some think Clare is weak I found her to be pretty strong. How easy it would be to just lay there and cry. Instead she starts her own business cleaning houses and takes care of her daughter. There was some twists towards the end that I didn't see coming and I wish we could have had a little more into the story of Detective Blarks and Clare. It just seemed kind of thrown in there to me. I give it 4 stars because of the poor editing. There are parts in the book where you really have no idea who is talking and it gets confusing. I think the prologue and the epilogue was a nice touch. All in all a good read and one that I would recommend. I received this book from the author for an honest review.

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Claire and Jim Culback appear to be a typical young couple. They have one child, own a home and are head-over-heels in debt due to Jim’s drinking and extravagances. The solution for them is filing for bankruptcy, leaving Ohio and starting all over again in Florida. But Claire quickly learns that you can't always leave your problems behind and Jim's drinking, violence, suicide threats and infidelities quickly cause their marriage to disintegrate. Claire starts a new business, leaves Jim and relocates to a smaller condo. Life isn't great but it is going fairly well until Claire finds a notebook with ominous details about a murder. Is it possible that Jim is more violent that she could have ever imagined?

Broken Promises had all the makings for a great story, but it never came together in the end. Claire and Jim meet a neighbor and after one meeting they are now best friends. Jim, her husband, becomes jealous of the attention Claire receives from Jim, the neighbor. Jim, the husband, has several affairs and even comes home one morning to say he wants a divorce, but as soon as he finds out that Claire is looking for a divorce attorney he changes his mind and wants to stay together. Claire doesn't trust Jim, the neighbor, in one chapter and then is not only attracted to him but dating him in later chapters. Claire is devastated to leave her best friend, Angel, in Ohio but only has one phone call with her in the time she's in Florida. A woman she has only a passing acquaintance with from Ohio moves to Florida and is now her best friend.

For most of the story Claire vacillates between staying with and leaving her husband. She loves him but can't tolerate his drinking and violence and refuses to do anything to resolve the situation. Later she apparently dates a guy that becomes a stalker and she has no problem with getting a restraining order against him (something she never did against her husband no matter how violent he became against her). It's hard to believe that Claire and Jim are in their early thirties as they both seem more juvenile in their behavior and thinking. I didn't find the characters very believable or very well-developed. I also had difficulties believing some of the story lines presented, such as a police officer from Chicago Illinois is asked to review the cases in Naples, Florida. Not only does he review the case but he quickly takes over the investigation and it doesn't appear that anyone associated with the Naples police department has a problem with his behavior. Broken Promises isn't a "bad" read but just one that didn't work for me.

[Gayle Pace · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW:

I just finished one of the page turner's that I love to read. BROKEN PROMISES is a very enjoyable read. I didn't want to put the book down. The author writes of characters that are very true to life.

Clare, the main character is married to an alcoholic and abuser. They have one daughter and are financially strapped. They file for bankruptcy and decide to leave Ohio and go to Florida. Her husband has been in AA and rehab many times but her never fails to disappoint her. He can't stay sober for long. Claire discovers that you can't run away from your problems.. She has a lot to deal with, his drinking, infidelity,suicide attempts and his abuse. Claire finally leaves Jim and relocates after starting a business of her own. A real change of pace when two women are found murdered nearby and Claire finds a notebook with information about their murders. She wonders if Jim is more violent than she thought.. She loves her husband but can't keep tolerating the situation. The ending was quite a surprise and I never saw it coming. I believe the author was trying to convey a strong message about abuse. I applaud her for that. There is so much abuse these days. I would recommend this book to anyone. It's a slow paced read but very real life. Quote From Back Of Book: A SUSPENSE THAT WILL KEEP YOU GUESSING

I would give this book 4 STARS.

I was given a complimentary copy of BROKEN PROMISES from the author, Donna M. Zadunajsky for my review.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley to review.

This story of a young woman married to an abusive drunk was somewhat trite and cliched. I found the characters to be flat and the story to be choppy. There is a mystery in the novel, but it didn't really appear until almost halfway through. The author's political stand, which is quite understandable, was too often the topic of her writing to the detriment of the story. I applaud what she was trying to do, but I don't feel she wrote an engaging enough story line to make this more than a long essay on the evils of domestic abuse. I would not pick this book up again and would not recommend it to others.

[Ana rod franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had it all in just one book. Suspense, Murder, infidelity, intense emotions for me to read as a woman. Every thing in this book sounded so real. The characters were well put together and very real.Clare Culback was a strong main character that was going through a rough patch in her marriage with her husband Jim. Jim also a strong character,
Cheats,abuses Clare, lies and breaks promises to many times to count.
I strongly recommend this great book.
Thank you Donna M. Zadunajsky for this free book.

[Bethany McAdow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just won this book on the Goodreads giveaway. It came autographed, with a letter from the author and a bookmark. I am looking forward to getting started on this book. Thankful for winning this book.

I just finished reading the book. Quick read, Fairly well written. I am glad I got the opportunity to read this book and look forward to reading more from this author. The author has a way of keeping you thinking all the way through this book as to who the killer is. I honestly didn't see that one coming!

[Susan Grimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clare was a wife of an alcoholic and she kept thinking he would change. She made all the money and took care of him and her daughter. They moved often because he wouldn't keep a job! I read the book from NetGalley on my ipad in the car in a 4 hour drive. Very fast read!

[Stephanie Strausberger]

Loved this story right from page 1. A very fast read, suspenseful but emotional at the same time. Can't wait to read more of Donna's books!

[James Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the intention of this book was to describe the frustrations and emotional roller coaster ride of living with an alcoholic, then it was very effective. However, as a suspense/thriller/crime mystery book, it was at best mediocre. It is frustrating to a logical reader as to why Clare (the main character) didn’t divorce her alcoholic, cheating, lying and ineffectual husband Jim long ago. He clearly is a major a-hole! He is also perhaps the worst drinker of all time since he seems to consistently get drunk after a few beers. And why does he still have a driver’s license after six DUIs?

The book needed editing to eliminate some grammatical errors but especially to eliminate lot of extraneous discussion and situations that really had nothing to do with the plot which were merely filling pages. The book is extremely slow paced.

There were some twists at the end that I didn’t see coming but the reason for them happening was not fully developed. Clare’s relationship with Detective Blarks was also not fully developed.

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. All in all, it was an enjoyable but not a scintillating read.

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a review copy of this book and I was hooked from the first page.

The story is about a woman who is trapped in a traumatic marriage and her battle to survive and the conflicting emotions and thoughts that plague her everyday life. Jim is not a good husband, but is he even worse than that?

The cast of characters fits nicely into the plot and not all likeable or trustworthy. Part of me wanted to shake Clare and force her to fight, but at the same time, I could understand the emotional black spot that can cause denial and wishing for better.

The murders added intrigue and mystery to the story; though some of it wasn’t explained (I don’t give spoilers). The writing style was fast-paced with an easy flow.

Clare was a strong woman who didn’t realise it. She worked hard and was a great mother; however, co-dependency ruled her life.

Overall, this was a thought-provoking read with and ‘real life’ basis - very well done. We constantly read about such situations and wonder...

A recommended read.

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway book and was very impressed with the way it was packaged and sent, along with a very nice letter from the Author. Ms. Zadunajsky has much good information concerning life with an alcoholic. I felt that she could use some improvement in the deliverance of the story itself. I felt as if she were "all over the place" and I felt as if my mind "scattered" and had to put the book down for a time and come back to it. But, I loved the plot of the story and feel that in time, Ms. Zadunajsky will become an accomplished author.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the 2nd half of the book, thought the first half was a bit too much - I got the fact that living with an alcoholic husband is not easy and he was a jerk, that could been presented in a little more condensed story, that part just really dragged for me.

[Patti Zapf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story

5 stars for a story " spot on " about living with an alcoholic as well as a look at abuse. Great first novel for author in this genre

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly sensational look at a possible future.

[MoDonasChridhe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious mystery

I stayed up until the wee hours to finish this book!
Twists and turns galore. Women have limits, especially the good ones.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in less than a day. It flowed nicely and was easy to read. This was sort of like a whodunit. Just when you think you know who did it, you're wrong.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only 3 hours from Naples, Florida to Ohio? 😆😆

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love reading from this author! Again another suspenseful book that will keep you reading and wanting more!

[Shayla Drumm · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main character in this book, Clare, is in an abusive marriage with an alcoholic. She feels somewhat trapped as they have a child together and they are struggling financially. She gets her hopes up every time her husband tries to get sober, only to be disappointed. There is an element of suspense involved as two women were murdered nearby and her husband has knowlege of some details. Although the story line has potential, the book itself needs to be properly edited and proofed. There are many grammatical mistakes and the writing is disorganized. There are also some holes in the story and underdeveloped characters that left me with unanswered questions. As I was reading I felt like the author was telling the emotions, character traits, feelings, actions, etc. rather that showing them through dialog and actions. Overall, it was not an enjoyable book to read as I was so distracted by the quality of writing. I won this book as a giveaway on Goodreads.

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really, really tried to keep going with this book, but I couldn't. I finally had to give up when I was half-way thru it. I just found it to be so boring, and monotonous. Nothing changed from what I read. It was repetitive to the point of ridiculous. I understand and respect that the subject matter is a serious one, but because of the writing style - which I found trite and mundane - I felt no empathy for Clare. In fact, I just wanted to slap her upside the head (I see the irony). And Jim's parents, turning a blind eye to their son's problem is one thing, but to not care that if he lives or dies (the so-called suicide attempts; car accidents), made no sense to me. I know there's another story to be told, but in all honesty, from what I read I couldn't be bothered to read on. Suspense novel? Definitely NOT.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to read this book, I really did. However, 30% of the way through the book, I simply have to put the book down and call it a day.
The writing was a little too simplistic for me; the story was very slow in pace; the characters were not engaging.
I am so sorry to have to write this little snidbit of a review, I really am. Perhaps, if I can at a later date, I will pick the book back up and continue and hopefully finish the journey.
I wish Ms. Zadunajsky luck with her tale, I know how much heart, effort, and dedication it takes to complete a novel and I applaud her for all her work.

[Mary Shafer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Claire is married to an alcoholic, Jim. There is someone murdering the women that Jim is having his affairs. This person believes they are helping Claire in some way. This book is like two books put together to be one. The first part is about the life Claire lives with Jim and the choices that she makes. The second book is the murder/mystery part. I think that the book needs more polishing from an editor. I also believe that there needs to be more details, I kept wanting to 'see' what was happening and not just 'hearing' it. I wish there was more to the mystery part of the book. I also wanted to see how Claire's relationship with the detective developed.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story about an alcoholic, his wife, his daughter and the women he sleeps with, some of these women end up murdered. As alcoholics do, he breaks promises. There are any number of red herrings and possibilities. For some reason, the language seems very dry but that’s good, I guess since the alcoholic is also an abuser and the murders are pretty horrific. Really hard to connect with any of the characters. The prologue and epilogue are nice touches. Kinda on the fence with this one. Received free copy for review.

[Lou Wooten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ENJOYED THIS BOOK VERY MUCH