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Devoncroix Dynasty #2
The Promise
After recovering a strange diary and a wounded wolf from a plane wreck, Hannah Braselton North sifts through strange journal entries about a race of werewolves that controls human destiny while she nurses the animal back to health. Reprint.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
4 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Donna Boyd
10 books48 followersaka Donna Ball, Rebecca Flanders, Donna Carlisle
With Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol, Taylor Brady
Donna A. Ball born in 1951 in Georgia, USA. Her ancestors were one of the first pioneer families of North Georgia, and her family still lives on the land they purchased from the Cherokee in 1782.
Her first book was published in 1982 as Donna Ball, since them she has written over a dozen works of commercial fiction under her name and under diferent pseudonyms: Rebecca Flanders, Donna Carlisle and Donna Boyd. She also signed novels with Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol and Taylor Brady. And a novel with Linda Dano as Felicia Gallant. She is known for her work in women’s fiction and suspense, as well as supernatural fantasy and adventure. Her novels have been translated into well over a dozen languages and have been published in virtually every country in the world. She has appeared on Entertainment Tonight and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and has been featured in such publications as the Detroit Free Press, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, and even T.V. Guide. She is the holder of the Storytelling World award, 2001, the Georgia Author of the Year Award, 2000, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards for consecutive years 1991-1996, the Georgia Romance Writer’s Maggie Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times, among others.
Donna lives in a restored turn-of-the-century barn in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northeast Georgia with her dogs, they have won numerous awards for agility, obedience, and canine musical freestyle. Her hobbies include oil painting, hiking and dog obedience training.
With Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol, Taylor Brady
Donna A. Ball born in 1951 in Georgia, USA. Her ancestors were one of the first pioneer families of North Georgia, and her family still lives on the land they purchased from the Cherokee in 1782.
Her first book was published in 1982 as Donna Ball, since them she has written over a dozen works of commercial fiction under her name and under diferent pseudonyms: Rebecca Flanders, Donna Carlisle and Donna Boyd. She also signed novels with Shannon Harper as Leigh Bristol and Taylor Brady. And a novel with Linda Dano as Felicia Gallant. She is known for her work in women’s fiction and suspense, as well as supernatural fantasy and adventure. Her novels have been translated into well over a dozen languages and have been published in virtually every country in the world. She has appeared on Entertainment Tonight and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and has been featured in such publications as the Detroit Free Press, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, and even T.V. Guide. She is the holder of the Storytelling World award, 2001, the Georgia Author of the Year Award, 2000, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Awards for consecutive years 1991-1996, the Georgia Romance Writer’s Maggie Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times, among others.
Donna lives in a restored turn-of-the-century barn in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northeast Georgia with her dogs, they have won numerous awards for agility, obedience, and canine musical freestyle. Her hobbies include oil painting, hiking and dog obedience training.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 31, 2012
Ok, so after reading this one, I have six words for y'all:
Holy shit, this series is good.
If you like intricate world building, reinventing human history so that werewolves have been in our midst since the beginning, suspense, drama, angst, angst, angst and a doomed love story, look no further.
Boyd's style of telling this story is much the same as The Passion. For those who haven't seen my review of that book, it means that that I got drawn in immediately, then skimmed for a bit, then got a bit um, complacent, and then once again WHAM! the book began to fire on all eight cylinders and kept me captive right until the end.
Then, of course, because my kindle happened to be charged up, as soon as I finished the last page I looked up the third book on Amazon. Renegade, it's called, and to the detriment of my book budget I clicked "Buy" and paid almost $7 bucks for it.
Aaaannndd I also picked up the other two books that she's written, The Alchemist and The Awakening.
Excellent storytelling - even if you don't particularly like werewolves.
Holy shit, this series is good.
If you like intricate world building, reinventing human history so that werewolves have been in our midst since the beginning, suspense, drama, angst, angst, angst and a doomed love story, look no further.
Boyd's style of telling this story is much the same as The Passion. For those who haven't seen my review of that book, it means that that I got drawn in immediately, then skimmed for a bit, then got a bit um, complacent, and then once again WHAM! the book began to fire on all eight cylinders and kept me captive right until the end.
Then, of course, because my kindle happened to be charged up, as soon as I finished the last page I looked up the third book on Amazon. Renegade, it's called, and to the detriment of my book budget I clicked "Buy" and paid almost $7 bucks for it.
Aaaannndd I also picked up the other two books that she's written, The Alchemist and The Awakening.
Excellent storytelling - even if you don't particularly like werewolves.
November 12, 2024
wow. ich habe wirklich nichts erwartet als ich dieses buch für 3.50€ in einem antiquariat entdeckt habe. aber das war das beste werwolf buch was ich je gelesen habe. das world building, der werwolf lore einfach alles: es war so gut gemacht und ich habe so etwas ähnliches noch nie gelesen - nicht mal in fanfictions.
ich liebe es wenn werwölfe nicht als hirnlose tiere dargestellt werden, sondern mit einer ähnlichen "erotischen aura" versehen werden wie vampire und mehr sind als nur emotional gestörte pubertierende. so tired of reading that so probs an der stelle!
ich wusste außerdem nicht dass das buch teil 2 von einer triologie ist, hat sich als standalone aber auch sehr gut gelesen. nächste teile werden asap bestellt.
ich liebe es wenn werwölfe nicht als hirnlose tiere dargestellt werden, sondern mit einer ähnlichen "erotischen aura" versehen werden wie vampire und mehr sind als nur emotional gestörte pubertierende. so tired of reading that so probs an der stelle!
ich wusste außerdem nicht dass das buch teil 2 von einer triologie ist, hat sich als standalone aber auch sehr gut gelesen. nächste teile werden asap bestellt.
December 8, 2010
As Nicholas Devoncroix succeeds his father Alexander as pack leader, he faces a decision about the werewolves' "human policy" that could radically change the future of the pack. Interwoven with his story is the history of the older brother and adopted sister he never knew, Matise and Brianna Devoncroix, whose story is told through a volume of Matise's journals.
It's an interesting tale, but I never developed much affection for the primary characters. There's a haughty remoteness to Matise's narrative that makes him seem distant, and while I felt sympathetic for Brianna at times--her inability to call upon the Passion and change into werewolf form is emotionally traumatizing for her--I still didn't especially like her. Hannah could have been a strong character, but after a few pages devoted to her back story, she really functions more as a framing device than a character in her own right. Nicholas himself seems remarkably unwise for the leader of a species that touts its members as so intellectually and socially superior to humans (honestly, Nicholas, how hard is it to keep your promise to your father and read Matise's book before you go making major political and social decisions?)
I continue to wonder about some practical issues, too, like the fact that many werewolves are prominent members of human social and financial circles, followed by the press, tracked in the tabloids--and yet, the issue of the werewolves' longevity never seems to come up. If werewolves regularly live to the age of 150, humans would have started asking questions long ago. No matter what the werewolves think, we humans aren't that stupid or unobservant.
I understand there's a third book planned for the series called The Covenant, but it has been long delayed. If it does end up being finished, I'll be curious to see where things go from the end of The Promise, but I'll be crossing my fingers in the hopes that I'll find the kind of compelling character arcs that made The Passion such an emotionally affecting read--and which were absent here.
It's an interesting tale, but I never developed much affection for the primary characters. There's a haughty remoteness to Matise's narrative that makes him seem distant, and while I felt sympathetic for Brianna at times--her inability to call upon the Passion and change into werewolf form is emotionally traumatizing for her--I still didn't especially like her. Hannah could have been a strong character, but after a few pages devoted to her back story, she really functions more as a framing device than a character in her own right. Nicholas himself seems remarkably unwise for the leader of a species that touts its members as so intellectually and socially superior to humans (honestly, Nicholas, how hard is it to keep your promise to your father and read Matise's book before you go making major political and social decisions?)
I continue to wonder about some practical issues, too, like the fact that many werewolves are prominent members of human social and financial circles, followed by the press, tracked in the tabloids--and yet, the issue of the werewolves' longevity never seems to come up. If werewolves regularly live to the age of 150, humans would have started asking questions long ago. No matter what the werewolves think, we humans aren't that stupid or unobservant.
I understand there's a third book planned for the series called The Covenant, but it has been long delayed. If it does end up being finished, I'll be curious to see where things go from the end of The Promise, but I'll be crossing my fingers in the hopes that I'll find the kind of compelling character arcs that made The Passion such an emotionally affecting read--and which were absent here.
January 29, 2019
A wonderful follow up to the first book 'The Passion'.
This book 'The Promise' is about the next generation of the Devoncroix family those born at the beginging of the 20th Century and how they live and come to terms with the legacy they have inherited from the parents.
Donna Boyd again shows the dangers of her world when humans and werewolves mix too closely together but also how both are so appealing to one another. She also offers more of the werewolves own history and how they became masters of this world.
Alas at times I really wanted to be able to reach into this world and slap Matise and Brianna for their arrogance towards humans, this also caused me at times to not want to continue reading, but I did as the story was so appealingly exotic and intensely sensuous.
I just hope there will be more books in this series, cause altogether I want more!
This book 'The Promise' is about the next generation of the Devoncroix family those born at the beginging of the 20th Century and how they live and come to terms with the legacy they have inherited from the parents.
Donna Boyd again shows the dangers of her world when humans and werewolves mix too closely together but also how both are so appealing to one another. She also offers more of the werewolves own history and how they became masters of this world.
Alas at times I really wanted to be able to reach into this world and slap Matise and Brianna for their arrogance towards humans, this also caused me at times to not want to continue reading, but I did as the story was so appealingly exotic and intensely sensuous.
I just hope there will be more books in this series, cause altogether I want more!
July 17, 2019
3.5/5
Not as strong as the first one. Tired of the story-being-told approach. Full review to come
Full Review:
I really enjoyed Donna Boyd's The Passion. This and The Promise were some of an old thrift store haul that I was pleasantly surprised about.
Boyd is a wonderful writer -- one of those lyrical types that waxes poetical at every opportunity; that strongly writes in the voice of a biased, pretentious (and some what unreliable) narrator in both of these books that carry readers through the "Devoncroix Dynasty".
Where The Promise loses its strength, however, is in the fact that it is an almost identical iteration to the first in the series. Readers are allowed to pick up where they left off in The Passion, but not in the way one would hope. The Promise follows Nicholas Devoncroix's reaction to the tale he heard from his father in the first book. Some werewolves have been viciously murdered, a red book with a true tale about his brother Matise, one Brianna, and Freda Fasburg emerges.
Readers learn more about what the werewolf world is like (some mythology, the education system, rituals/celebrations, cultural preferences and habits, etc.) and about the gap in the timeline between the first story and the "present day" telling of 1998. By the end of the book, readers are all caught up and are left with this really interesting potential storyline that may or may not be carried out in the third installment.
Nicholas is a reactionary and shallow character (because he is not very fleshed out) and gets himself into trouble in this novel, helping push the story forward. Boyd then proceeds to do her favorite thing: tell the story of a story -- much like in the first novel. This time, readers are told the story that is within the little red book (from the first novel). It's melodramatic, some may say incestuous (trigger warning), and not as captivating as the first one. Around the same time as in the first novel (75%) you can tell that Boyd loses her passion for world building and dives right into the climax.
This was an enjoyable read. I have a sharp memory for everything I read in The Passion and that was nice to have carry over into reading this as I felt it lent some kind of omniscience to the reader's perspective.
Unfortunately, I do not think I will read the third book, as reviews imply that it is not as great, nor that it is a good addition to this trilogy.
Not as strong as the first one. Tired of the story-being-told approach. Full review to come
Full Review:
I really enjoyed Donna Boyd's The Passion. This and The Promise were some of an old thrift store haul that I was pleasantly surprised about.
Boyd is a wonderful writer -- one of those lyrical types that waxes poetical at every opportunity; that strongly writes in the voice of a biased, pretentious (and some what unreliable) narrator in both of these books that carry readers through the "Devoncroix Dynasty".
Where The Promise loses its strength, however, is in the fact that it is an almost identical iteration to the first in the series. Readers are allowed to pick up where they left off in The Passion, but not in the way one would hope. The Promise follows Nicholas Devoncroix's reaction to the tale he heard from his father in the first book. Some werewolves have been viciously murdered, a red book with a true tale about his brother Matise, one Brianna, and Freda Fasburg emerges.
Readers learn more about what the werewolf world is like (some mythology, the education system, rituals/celebrations, cultural preferences and habits, etc.) and about the gap in the timeline between the first story and the "present day" telling of 1998. By the end of the book, readers are all caught up and are left with this really interesting potential storyline that may or may not be carried out in the third installment.
Nicholas is a reactionary and shallow character (because he is not very fleshed out) and gets himself into trouble in this novel, helping push the story forward. Boyd then proceeds to do her favorite thing: tell the story of a story -- much like in the first novel. This time, readers are told the story that is within the little red book (from the first novel). It's melodramatic, some may say incestuous (trigger warning), and not as captivating as the first one. Around the same time as in the first novel (75%) you can tell that Boyd loses her passion for world building and dives right into the climax.
This was an enjoyable read. I have a sharp memory for everything I read in The Passion and that was nice to have carry over into reading this as I felt it lent some kind of omniscience to the reader's perspective.
Unfortunately, I do not think I will read the third book, as reviews imply that it is not as great, nor that it is a good addition to this trilogy.
January 11, 2021
Bravo. I’m so happy I stumbled across this series. It’s wonderful. I loved the way this one was written as a tale told through the journal of a werewolf. The imaginative world of the Devoncroix pack in human and in wolf forms is stunning and magical. The story of Brianna and Matise is both beautiful and heartbreaking. There is a third book in this series that I look forward to reading soon.
January 25, 2025
This series is one of my comfort reads. It's not my favorite book in the series simply because it's hard to top Alexander Devoncroix as a protagonist. But it's fascinating nonetheless. This entry follows Alexander's oldest children, his daughter Brianna and son Matise, who his heir Nicholas doesn't seem to know. Their story is bookended by what happens to Nicholas. In the first book, his father attempted to explain the existence of a rogue werewolf/human hybrid and begged him to read a certain diary before deciding what to do. But events transpire such that Alexander ends up ascending to control of the pack early and enacts the Edict of Separation. An assassination attempt leaves him stranded in the wilderness. Human veterinarian Hannah Braselton reads aloud from the diary, which belongs to Matise as she nurses Nicholas back to health (she thinks he's just a wild wolf).
Matise and Brianna were born just nine months apart, so they're inseparable and want to share everything, but there's one problem- Brianna can't Change, while her brother can. Since their wolf form is their most defining separation from humans, Brianna has an incredibly difficult time in werewolf society. Eventually, Brianna and Matise must decide if they will stay with the pack or abandon it.
Major spoilers under the tag, read at your own risk.
Matise and Brianna were born just nine months apart, so they're inseparable and want to share everything, but there's one problem- Brianna can't Change, while her brother can. Since their wolf form is their most defining separation from humans, Brianna has an incredibly difficult time in werewolf society. Eventually, Brianna and Matise must decide if they will stay with the pack or abandon it.
Major spoilers under the tag, read at your own risk.
March 31, 2021
Second time reading this book.
Definitely not as good as the first. The first was beautifully written and full of passion that I could feel. This one not at all, until the end.
A sad, sad, story of Brianna and Matise and the rest of the Devoncroix family. Why didn't they just tell the truth to Brianna? Or on the other hand, that might have destroyed her earlier on in her life.
I don't believe I'll read the third in the series right now.
Maybe another time.
.
Definitely not as good as the first. The first was beautifully written and full of passion that I could feel. This one not at all, until the end.
A sad, sad, story of Brianna and Matise and the rest of the Devoncroix family. Why didn't they just tell the truth to Brianna? Or on the other hand, that might have destroyed her earlier on in her life.
I don't believe I'll read the third in the series right now.
Maybe another time.
.
August 29, 2011
A solid continuation of The Passion & I really recommend to anyone who has a thing for werewolves, loves the saga of The Witching Hour or The Vampire Chronicles. The prose really has that vibe without becoming redundant, purple or overly indulgent.
I enjoyed both novels & felt they flowed really well from one to the other. I just refrain from giving this installment a full 5 stars for two main reasons; one I didn't find it as lushly written as the 1st novel. That book pretty much had me at "hello" so it took me a little longer to get as thoroughly involved, however once I did, I was transported & completely engrossed.
The 2nd reason is that the narrative switches on & off from the present to the past. It completely makes sense why that is, it's just that it was a bit jarring for me because as I mentioned, I would become completely wrapped up in the story, so when I was pulled out of it for a brief interruption, I wasn't as interested in the present scenario or as connected to the two central characters in it. I was much more enraptured in hearing the history of Matise & Brianna Devoncroix.
Whereas The Passion was essentially told as one long narrative which unfolded as proper storytelling & I felt it worked much better on the whole. Boyd broke out of it a bit here & I think it just slightly marred the wonderful spell she cast with The Passion.
That said, I found the two novels a perfect break from the status quo formula outline which most paranormal authors adhere to & really, once you read a few series you can often write where they're going yourself. This was just really well done & a shift in perspective, IMO.
I enjoyed both novels & felt they flowed really well from one to the other. I just refrain from giving this installment a full 5 stars for two main reasons; one I didn't find it as lushly written as the 1st novel. That book pretty much had me at "hello" so it took me a little longer to get as thoroughly involved, however once I did, I was transported & completely engrossed.
The 2nd reason is that the narrative switches on & off from the present to the past. It completely makes sense why that is, it's just that it was a bit jarring for me because as I mentioned, I would become completely wrapped up in the story, so when I was pulled out of it for a brief interruption, I wasn't as interested in the present scenario or as connected to the two central characters in it. I was much more enraptured in hearing the history of Matise & Brianna Devoncroix.
Whereas The Passion was essentially told as one long narrative which unfolded as proper storytelling & I felt it worked much better on the whole. Boyd broke out of it a bit here & I think it just slightly marred the wonderful spell she cast with The Passion.
That said, I found the two novels a perfect break from the status quo formula outline which most paranormal authors adhere to & really, once you read a few series you can often write where they're going yourself. This was just really well done & a shift in perspective, IMO.
January 9, 2011
I read this book when it first came out. I enjoyed this werewolf story since it was one of the first of its kind. The secret society of werewolves felt like a conspiracy theory. This story pulled me in as one of the earlier paranormal romances.
March 15, 2014
Sequal to The Passion. Goes deeply into the royal family of Devoncroix... Couldn't put it down.
September 27, 2022
This is actually book 2 in a series; I didn't know that when I read it, and to be honest, I don't think it took away from the story not know what happened in The Passion.
Definitely much deeper - more serious - than books I usually enjoy, but I did enjoy this one. I listened to the Book on CD and the reader was fantastic! His voice reminded me of James Earl Jones - very deep and foreboding.
Recommend to those who enjoy family sagas... well, werewolf families, that is.
Definitely much deeper - more serious - than books I usually enjoy, but I did enjoy this one. I listened to the Book on CD and the reader was fantastic! His voice reminded me of James Earl Jones - very deep and foreboding.
Recommend to those who enjoy family sagas... well, werewolf families, that is.
February 2, 2019
Well the last hundred or so pages are good. Took a very long time to really capture my interest enough to finally finish. It is a good story at the end I will give it that.
February 7, 2021
Could not get into it at all.
February 1, 2023
One of my first read in this genre, never could put it down and read so ma y times.
October 1, 2025
exceptional story very intense and much loved
June 7, 2009
I found this book a little more entertaining than the first book in the series. If you're thinking about reading this series, you may want to consider reading this one first. The main story seems to happen here while the first book is an off shoot.
I am a werewolf fan, so my opinion is definitely weighed in favor of this book. Where the first book is a love story between a human and a werewolf, this book is about the love child of that affair. The pain she goes through trying to find her place in the world as not human, not werewolf and the werewolf who loved her.
I am a werewolf fan, so my opinion is definitely weighed in favor of this book. Where the first book is a love story between a human and a werewolf, this book is about the love child of that affair. The pain she goes through trying to find her place in the world as not human, not werewolf and the werewolf who loved her.
July 31, 2011
I have to say I was really disappointed with this book. I'm always excited to start on a new book. There is always the rush and excitement you have right at the beginning and if it is really good you keep throughout reading the entire book. But I don't think you should read a book only to be overwhelmed with all of the sadness and death only to find there is only a couple of parts where the characters are actually happy in it. Then you don't even have a happy ending. Needless to say this book completely depressed me and I will not be reading it again.
July 27, 2007
This is actually book 2 in a series; I didn't know that when I read it, and to be honest, I don't think it took away from the story not know what happened in The Passion.
Definitely much deeper - more serious - than books I usually enjoy, but I did enjoy this one. I listened to the Book on CD and the reader was fantastic! His voice reminded me of James Earl Jones - very deep and foreboding.
Recommend to those who enjoy family sagas... well, werewolf families, that is.
Definitely much deeper - more serious - than books I usually enjoy, but I did enjoy this one. I listened to the Book on CD and the reader was fantastic! His voice reminded me of James Earl Jones - very deep and foreboding.
Recommend to those who enjoy family sagas... well, werewolf families, that is.
May 5, 2009
Reasonably interesting werewolf novel--in this, werewolves are the secret elites who are responsible for almost all civilization of humanity, the hidden overlords who direct the governments of the world. These werewolves are intelligent, proud (or arrogant), beautiful, bound by tradition, somewhat amoral. It's a well-told story, with sharply drawn characters, but it doesn't have the heart, or, so to speak, the Passion, of Boyd's previous book.
January 5, 2011
Fantastic sequel to The Passion, a story of the interactions of humans and werewolves. The Promise is the story of Brianna, the half human/half werewolf child of Tessa and Alexander's exiled brother (I forgot his name at the moment), and Matise, her adopted brother. Family lines get a little tricky, but I find that I cannot put these books down once I start. The complicated story told is always heartbreakingly beautiful. I think these are by far the best adult werewolf books I've read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2008
I liked the first book ( The Passion ) better... however this book does give good closure to the end of the The Passion...but...The Promise leaves it wide open for a third book. I hope she writes a third.
May 12, 2010
Part 2 of The passion
October 25, 2007
A sequel to Donna Boyd's novel about a family of werewolves, called The Passion. Pretty good, but not quite as entrancing as the first book.
November 14, 2007
read 03.17.07
May 2, 2008
The sequel to The Passion is wonderful continuation of the story Boyd began to tell in the first book.
December 5, 2008
PAGE TURNER. This is the sequel and it is AWESOME.
February 4, 2009
Loved this almost as much as The Passion.
March 18, 2009
I liked this one better than the first (The Passion). Boyd again woke the past in with the present to present the ramifications of everyone's actions.
Read
April 29, 2009starts out slow but picks up about chapter 6
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews