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A Promise to Cherish
As she starts over in a new city, Lee Walker falls head over heels for her new boss and must choose between protecting her bruised and battered heart or trusting it to a man whose quiet strength just might heal it. Reissue.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
105 people are currently reading
432 people want to read
About the author
LaVyrle Spencer
105 books1,593 followersLaVyrle Spencer is an American best-selling author of contemporary and historical romance novels. She has successfully published a number of books, with several of them made into movies. Twelve of her books have been New York Times bestsellers, and Spencer was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame in 1988.
Spencer is known for creating realistic characters and stories that focus on families rather than only the relationship between a man and woman. These "ordinary" men and women are warm and vulnerable and are always portrayed sympathetically.[1] Her heroines tend to be a mix of fire and warmth, strength, savvy and soft–heartedness who must overcome some sort of adversity, such as pregnancy, divorce, a lengthy separation, the loss of a loved one, and then undergo a catharsis. The stories center on themes of abiding love, family ties and strength in difficult times.
In the 1980s and 1990s Spencer wrote 12 New York Times Bestsellers. Her books have been sold to book clubs worldwide, and have been published around the world. Condensed versions of many of her novels have appeared in Reader's Digest and Good Housekeeping.
She retired from writing in 1997.
Spencer is known for creating realistic characters and stories that focus on families rather than only the relationship between a man and woman. These "ordinary" men and women are warm and vulnerable and are always portrayed sympathetically.[1] Her heroines tend to be a mix of fire and warmth, strength, savvy and soft–heartedness who must overcome some sort of adversity, such as pregnancy, divorce, a lengthy separation, the loss of a loved one, and then undergo a catharsis. The stories center on themes of abiding love, family ties and strength in difficult times.
In the 1980s and 1990s Spencer wrote 12 New York Times Bestsellers. Her books have been sold to book clubs worldwide, and have been published around the world. Condensed versions of many of her novels have appeared in Reader's Digest and Good Housekeeping.
She retired from writing in 1997.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
February 24, 2019
2.5.
Bit cheesy and dated but it did the job!
Bit cheesy and dated but it did the job!
June 12, 2019
2.5 Estrellas #RetoRita3 #RitaSpencer
No le puesto más nota, no por que sea un mal libro, si no por que me ha parecido una historia entretenida y bien escrita pero algo sosa, no sé pero a la vez que leía me faltaba algo. Y tampoco merecía más puntuación.
Los personajes no han estado nada mal, me gustaba ese tira y afloja que tenían los dos al principio y el como se conocen,pero luego me ha parecido que ha dado un bajón la historia,
Además creo que no visto tanta química como la que quería transmitir la autora o al menos eso pienso yo.
No ha sido una de mis mejores lecturas, pero bueno no ha estado mal.
No le puesto más nota, no por que sea un mal libro, si no por que me ha parecido una historia entretenida y bien escrita pero algo sosa, no sé pero a la vez que leía me faltaba algo. Y tampoco merecía más puntuación.
Los personajes no han estado nada mal, me gustaba ese tira y afloja que tenían los dos al principio y el como se conocen,pero luego me ha parecido que ha dado un bajón la historia,
Además creo que no visto tanta química como la que quería transmitir la autora o al menos eso pienso yo.
No ha sido una de mis mejores lecturas, pero bueno no ha estado mal.
June 14, 2014
A fine story until two major fights which brought it down to a 3 for me.
The fights were not fun to read about. This was the love of her life, but she was being stupid with stubbornness. Her actions annoyed me.
The main story was good. She is part American Indian working as a water/sewer construction job estimator. She works for an unethical slob. She meets Sam who owns a competing company.
It’s half the length of a regular novel.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 159 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Setting: around 1983 Kansas City, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado. Copyright: 1983. Genre: contemporary romance.
The fights were not fun to read about. This was the love of her life, but she was being stupid with stubbornness. Her actions annoyed me.
The main story was good. She is part American Indian working as a water/sewer construction job estimator. She works for an unethical slob. She meets Sam who owns a competing company.
It’s half the length of a regular novel.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 159 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Setting: around 1983 Kansas City, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado. Copyright: 1983. Genre: contemporary romance.
January 12, 2016
A Promise to Cherish by LaVyrle Spencer follows her usual wonderful way of developing an interesting female character and watching her fall in love with an intriguing man. In this story, her leading lady - Lee Walker - is a divorced mother of two who does not have custody of her children. Lee is also part native American and has moved to Kansas City to tackle a job that is traditionally reserved for men - an estimator in the construction industry. As the result of a mix-up at a bid letting in Denver, she meets Sam Brown, head of another construction firm in Kansas City. He's tall, dark and handsome, but also funny and irreverent, which Lee appreciates. However, Lee has not recovered from her divorce or the loss of her children and she needs to make a success of her job, so she avoids his entreaties. Soon, however, Lee is forced to quit because of her sexist, racist and worst of all dishonest boss. When Sam learns of her situation, he hires her and, of course, the proximity draws them closer together. Unfortunately, despite the various interesting aspects of Lee's character and situation in life, Spencer allows Lee to weaken towards the end of the story, when Sam bullies her with an ultimatum, which for me left the ending of the novel unsatisfying.
December 8, 2020
This book was written in the early 80's and was recently released in PB. As a child of the 80's, I loved all the nostalgia surrounding that time period; hair combs, CBs for communication, roller skates, and even a Ford Pinto. While others might find it somewhat dated/cheesy, I enjoyed reading one of the first books written by a beloved author. My only complaint was the abrupt ending left me wanting more.
October 9, 2011
En realidad 3,5. Un libo que para haber sido escrito por LaVyrle Spencer,siento que le faltó mucho más profundidad a la historia. No sé si será porque estoy acostumbrada a que sus historias me conmuevan. En mi humilde opinión no es uno de sus mejores libros.
September 20, 2019
Written in 1983, must have been one of LaVryle's first books.
For years, she was my favorite author. I didn't enjoy this book as much as others, but I think it was early in her career. I still saw glimpses of the greatness that came in her numerous other books.
For years, she was my favorite author. I didn't enjoy this book as much as others, but I think it was early in her career. I still saw glimpses of the greatness that came in her numerous other books.
June 8, 2017
2.5 story idea was good, and the descriptions as well, but
very dated, sexist and minimizing of Native peoples. IMO
very dated, sexist and minimizing of Native peoples. IMO
February 22, 2015
This is a typical love story with a lot of humor. The mistake with two identical suitcases was the start of a joyful affair between Lisa, aka Cherokee, and Sam, aka Honorable Brown.
The touch was that his mother was customer too. This fact was fundamental to their relationship because of the prejudices Lisa had suffered in the battle she lost for the custody of her two sons. Her pain and her insecurities about her motherhood broke my heart (actually I almost cry). So I like very much this happy ending :)
The touch was that his mother was customer too. This fact was fundamental to their relationship because of the prejudices Lisa had suffered in the battle she lost for the custody of her two sons. Her pain and her insecurities about her motherhood broke my heart (actually I almost cry). So I like very much this happy ending :)
April 29, 2016
Super gostoso de ler. A autora apresenta uma heroína que perdeu judicialmente a guarda dos seus dois filhos por suas poucas condições econômicas e porque não, pelo seu sangue meio índio (sabemos que essa hipocrisia existe). Ela tem que recomeçar num campo dominado pelos homens, o da construção civil, e encontra um príncipe. Sim, porque Sam é uma benção. Oh Deuses dos homens perfeitos, que toda mulher encontre um "Sam" em seus caminhos! rs Só achei que autora deixou um gostinho de quero mais...
June 11, 2013
Another good LaVyrle Spencer book. A young woman recently widowed embarks on returning to her hometown.. She purchases a bed and breakfast and over time meets and get reacquainted with many old friends. A must read.
October 19, 2012
A nice story, short compared to fans of LaVyrle's other works are used to. But nonetheless, this story still contains her quick wit and amazing ability to convey realistic, expressive emotions.
An enjoyable, sweet read for a rainy day!
An enjoyable, sweet read for a rainy day!
February 17, 2022
Es justamente lo que quería leer en vacaciones, una historia de amor cliché, simple, corta y rápida aunque al principio avanza lento pero una vez que llega al clímax no podes parar de leerlo. Recomiendo mucho para leer en la playa a la tardecita.
July 21, 2011
This was a simple, fast read - which is what I was looking for right now. The story is sweet - not one of my favorite LaVyrle Spencer books, but still a delight to read.
April 10, 2018
Dated ( 1983) and it showed.
September 19, 2023
Es una novela corta, así que todo se resuelve más o menos rápido.
Es un amor a primera vista o insta love más o menos previsible.
Ella tiene un pasado que hace que desconfíe y una situación actual que al menos fuera de eeuu suena muy extraña y es como la familia se desarma luego de los divorcios y se cortan relaciones padre, nadre/hijos.
El romance es lindo.
Es un amor a primera vista o insta love más o menos previsible.
Ella tiene un pasado que hace que desconfíe y una situación actual que al menos fuera de eeuu suena muy extraña y es como la familia se desarma luego de los divorcios y se cortan relaciones padre, nadre/hijos.
El romance es lindo.
October 11, 2024
It’s probably a 3.5. This is an older romance that probably doesn’t hold up as well as others. I enjoyed it for what it was but Spencer has better.
April 14, 2015
Lee Walker is in town to offer a bid on a water and sewage project. Sam Brown is in town for the same. When they get each others suitcase at the airport, they meet when the bidding is going on. Sam has turned her bid in and then he beats her bid by $4000.00. She thinks he cheated as her bid was in her suitcase. Back at the motel they finally exchange the luggage, and Sam asks her to dine with him for dinner. That's where finding out about each other and it may be the start of something more. A cute little romance story.
June 1, 2019
Lee Walker arrives in Denver to turn in a bid for her company and discovers that she has picked up someone else's suitcase. In hers was the bid she was to turn. She goes to the bid auction and is surprised to hear her bid offered and then listed as higher than another bid. And who has her suitcase? The person who won the bid. Now she must deal with this person, as well as deal with a secret from her past. Not all of the novel was realistic as the romance progressed, but it was okay.
August 8, 2021
I’d forgotten that Spencer had also written for series romances. This was a reprint of one of her Second Chance at Love series books (my Mom subscribed to many series - now I have several thousand of ‘em all sitting boxed up in attic and closets). You could tell this wasn’t one of Spencer’s ‘serious’ books most of which I adored. It felt shallow with all the emphasis on the romance and sex [gotta stick to the formula in these series]. It was just OK & I had to push myself to finish it.
September 22, 2021
The writing style is beautiful as with all of LaVyrle Spencer's books but I didn't care for this story/romance at all. I'm not sure if it's Spencer's contemporaries I don't like or her second chance stories but this and Forsaking All Others were not my favorites.
March 12, 2009
LaVyrle is one of my favorite authors. This book is a fast, easy read and a sweet little love story.
March 17, 2013
just okay
November 4, 2013
I love her sweet love stories so far she hasn't become totally repetitive in her story telling like other romance authors.
May 3, 2016
Oh my that's one hot book! Excellent story line but what I loved the most was the location!! I was born in KC, MO so everywhere they went I knew what it looked like because I've been there!
August 30, 2021
Me ha gustado, pero no tanto como otras de la autora.
August 26, 2025
Looking for a quick easy read, I reached for one of my "keeper" books from my growing up years. Keep in mind, some of these books have followed me from the 1970s, so yes dated but something about them struck me at the time so... they remained with me with through the years.
Hard to believe this is probably one of LaVyrle Spencer's earliest novels from the fledging Second Chance a Love line - "The heart doesn't count the years or the tears. And if romance is grand the first time, there is nothing more precious than your second chance at love". I just know Spencer's other novels (and I think The Hellion might have been originally a Harlequin Super Romance) never impressed me as much as this tiny one. From 1983, we have Native American divorcee Lee Walker's flight arriving for a huge work bid on a very important project and she discovers once in the hotel room that she picked up the wrong suitcase and her bid is missing! Instead, she finds men clothing and accessories, and a "gentleman's magazine" - Thrust. Her racist pig of a boss will be furious with her! After trying to find her luggage without success, she goes to the work bidding and to her surprise finds out her bid was submitted by Sam Brown, and opponent who ends up winning the bid and job by a slight underpricing. Sam seems charming and amazingly unphased by her fury and accusations, and meets her that night to exchange luggage. They have a heated exchange, but weirdly they are attracted to each other despite her ornery personality. I think I mentioned her nasty boss, FA Thorpe? Well when she returns from this trip he is horrible to her, then she overhears him talking about cheating on a bid and she quits. this leaves her in a mess because she has some heavy issues she is dealing with .... but guess who seeks her out and offers her an amazing job opportunity? Yup, Sam Brown.
SPOILERS and thoughts:
So these romances are so tiny and such a great training ground for new authors that there is little wonder so many current big names started out writing these books. Spencer has 180 pages to tell her story, make Sam charming, have the couple fall in love, and deal with roadblocks to their love. This being the 1980s and me now being older, wiser and a long time reader, I actually have problems with some of the storylines this reading. I mean, both her bosses could be sued for sexual discrimination, I was pissed with how Sam reacted towards her when she won't tell him her "heavy issues" from the divorce and pushes for too much (he ends up winning as she becomes mush and folds). I mean, they meet in maybe the end of June and she starts working for him in July and by August / Sept and he gets pissy and starts bully her because she won't marry him? Wow, dude, put on the breaks! Well, In the end she capitulates because of love. Sigh. Despite all these issues and my nagging thoughts that its too fast and wont last, and dang that future lawsuit on emplyee rights and sexual racial harassment, the author managed to once again get me charmed by Sam and be emotionally touched by her feelings of inadequacy and failures as a mom when her kids visit her for a rare visit. Do I still consider it a keeper? No. But it is an interesting re-read. I am not sure if Spencer reworked it when it was reprinted.
Hard to believe this is probably one of LaVyrle Spencer's earliest novels from the fledging Second Chance a Love line - "The heart doesn't count the years or the tears. And if romance is grand the first time, there is nothing more precious than your second chance at love". I just know Spencer's other novels (and I think The Hellion might have been originally a Harlequin Super Romance) never impressed me as much as this tiny one. From 1983, we have Native American divorcee Lee Walker's flight arriving for a huge work bid on a very important project and she discovers once in the hotel room that she picked up the wrong suitcase and her bid is missing! Instead, she finds men clothing and accessories, and a "gentleman's magazine" - Thrust. Her racist pig of a boss will be furious with her! After trying to find her luggage without success, she goes to the work bidding and to her surprise finds out her bid was submitted by Sam Brown, and opponent who ends up winning the bid and job by a slight underpricing. Sam seems charming and amazingly unphased by her fury and accusations, and meets her that night to exchange luggage. They have a heated exchange, but weirdly they are attracted to each other despite her ornery personality. I think I mentioned her nasty boss, FA Thorpe? Well when she returns from this trip he is horrible to her, then she overhears him talking about cheating on a bid and she quits. this leaves her in a mess because she has some heavy issues she is dealing with .... but guess who seeks her out and offers her an amazing job opportunity? Yup, Sam Brown.
SPOILERS and thoughts:
So these romances are so tiny and such a great training ground for new authors that there is little wonder so many current big names started out writing these books. Spencer has 180 pages to tell her story, make Sam charming, have the couple fall in love, and deal with roadblocks to their love. This being the 1980s and me now being older, wiser and a long time reader, I actually have problems with some of the storylines this reading. I mean, both her bosses could be sued for sexual discrimination, I was pissed with how Sam reacted towards her when she won't tell him her "heavy issues" from the divorce and pushes for too much (he ends up winning as she becomes mush and folds). I mean, they meet in maybe the end of June and she starts working for him in July and by August / Sept and he gets pissy and starts bully her because she won't marry him? Wow, dude, put on the breaks! Well, In the end she capitulates because of love. Sigh. Despite all these issues and my nagging thoughts that its too fast and wont last, and dang that future lawsuit on emplyee rights and sexual racial harassment, the author managed to once again get me charmed by Sam and be emotionally touched by her feelings of inadequacy and failures as a mom when her kids visit her for a rare visit. Do I still consider it a keeper? No. But it is an interesting re-read. I am not sure if Spencer reworked it when it was reprinted.
April 23, 2023
Not bad, quite cheesy!
I like the beginning with Sam seducing Lee. It was really hot and the tension was perfect.
After they got together, it was ok.
I hate the end with Lee being so insecure.
Even after it was revealed that she and Sam had ''that'' something in common, she was still insecure. He was right when he said she carried a big red chip on her shoulder, just let it go like Joel did -_-
There wasn't really angst or something keeping them apart, only Lee's hesitation.
Sam was a nice and wonderful man!!
I like the beginning with Sam seducing Lee. It was really hot and the tension was perfect.
After they got together, it was ok.
I hate the end with Lee being so insecure.
Even after it was revealed that she and Sam had ''that'' something in common, she was still insecure. He was right when he said she carried a big red chip on her shoulder, just let it go like Joel did -_-
There wasn't really angst or something keeping them apart, only Lee's hesitation.
Sam was a nice and wonderful man!!
April 14, 2019
My second book by LS, and I enjoyed this one a lot. 4.5 stars.
Only squabble is the scene where Sam and Lee fight in the car - the actions of Sam a possible accepted reaction when the time this book was written? Doesn't translate too well to modern 21st century.
I felt the book could have also gone more into the background of Sam, his mother and family, but otherwise, the rest was wonderful. A quick easy afternoon read.
Bought as a two-book bundle 'A Heart Speaks'.
Only squabble is the scene where Sam and Lee fight in the car - the actions of Sam a possible accepted reaction when the time this book was written? Doesn't translate too well to modern 21st century.
I felt the book could have also gone more into the background of Sam, his mother and family, but otherwise, the rest was wonderful. A quick easy afternoon read.
Bought as a two-book bundle 'A Heart Speaks'.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews