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The deWarenne Dynasty #11
The Promise
Pride…
After a record breaking sail from China, Alexi de Warenne’s moment of triumph quickly vanishes. At his welcoming party, his bewitching childhood friend Elysse O’Neill begins flirting with a shipmate, clearly punishing Alexi for his time at sea. But when Alexi finds Elysse desperately struggling in the man’s arms,, tragedy ensues. Within days, Alexi weds her to save her honor—and leaves her to forge a new life.
And Pretense
Elysse de Warenne rules the ton with her wit and grace, but the whispers of “abandoned bride” follow her ruthlessly. Elysse will never reveal the truth: that she hasn’t see her husband in six years—and they didn’t even consummate their marriage! When Alexi unexpectedly returns to England, Elysse will do whatever it takes to win his heart and claim her place at his side.
After a record breaking sail from China, Alexi de Warenne’s moment of triumph quickly vanishes. At his welcoming party, his bewitching childhood friend Elysse O’Neill begins flirting with a shipmate, clearly punishing Alexi for his time at sea. But when Alexi finds Elysse desperately struggling in the man’s arms,, tragedy ensues. Within days, Alexi weds her to save her honor—and leaves her to forge a new life.
And Pretense
Elysse de Warenne rules the ton with her wit and grace, but the whispers of “abandoned bride” follow her ruthlessly. Elysse will never reveal the truth: that she hasn’t see her husband in six years—and they didn’t even consummate their marriage! When Alexi unexpectedly returns to England, Elysse will do whatever it takes to win his heart and claim her place at his side.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2010
62 people are currently reading
845 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Joyce
106 books1,293 followersBrenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
February 4, 2021
I had read "A Lady at Last" about Cliff deWarenne as a hero and it was in there i got to know his ten-year old son,the mischievous and wild-hearted Alexi deWarenne and this book is about him as the hero with the passionate deWarenne blood,because when a deWarenne falls in love,he falls in love only once but forever...
***
“He is in love with you. I read the fucking letters. And you love him. Damn you! Damn you to hell, Elysse!” he roared, towering over the foot of the bed. “You are supposed to love me!”
-Alexi DeWarenne
***
Elysse O`Neil is a fascinating heroine.Her being so spoiled and selfish from the start to a graceful brave lady in the end,doing everything in her power to win the man she loves.Alexis and Elysse`s child-hood friendship was so adorable and beautiful that i easily melted.I love how the seven year old spoiled Elysse had snobbed off Alexis on first-sight and when the 12-year old Alexis had with eagerness tried to impress her by telling of his wild adventures on the sea with his father,and poor girl did she become fascinated with him and since then they had become inseparable friends.
Until one horrible accident,resulting in Alexis having to marry her to protect her honor.And for their friendship to be destroyed when he leaves her for six years,the outcome being a thundering war between them where they both deny their love for each other.I can understand why many hate this book,since Alexi stays unfathful during their separation but the fact was that Elysse would have taken lovers too if it hadn`t been for her being a virgin.She knew that the fact that Alexis never touched her would be out in the open once she took on a lover.But she did kiss them.
But i am glad that she had many pretend lovers resulting to Alexis thinking that she also remained unfaithful and for him getting so jealous and hating her all the more for it!
Their situation were so complicated,their relationship so destroyed that they with pride they denied their hearts.They wanted to hurt and humiliate each other so much.It was so toxic that i had no idea if they were to ever make it to the end.Their sexual chemistry is SO HELLUVA HOT!It was sizzling and intruging and i enjoyed all their steamy-scenes,their arguing,their conversations,their glances...their everything and most of all the hot sorching angst!!!Both HATED to LOVE each other.!
I should hate Alexis DeWarenne.But i had already fallen in love with his charm when he was a little boy in the former books.His sexy seduction as a grown man,his passionate nature,his described looks,his desire,his everlasting love and his SUCH INTENSE JEALOUSY just made my day!!!!!His heart is so savage-alike that i many times were afraid of him and so nervous for Elysse,and I AM ONLY JUST A READER!I truly love the ending to this book and were so happy for Elysse and Alexis..they finally deserved their happy ever efter!
***
“He is in love with you. I read the fucking letters. And you love him. Damn you! Damn you to hell, Elysse!” he roared, towering over the foot of the bed. “You are supposed to love me!”
-Alexi DeWarenne
***
Elysse O`Neil is a fascinating heroine.Her being so spoiled and selfish from the start to a graceful brave lady in the end,doing everything in her power to win the man she loves.Alexis and Elysse`s child-hood friendship was so adorable and beautiful that i easily melted.I love how the seven year old spoiled Elysse had snobbed off Alexis on first-sight and when the 12-year old Alexis had with eagerness tried to impress her by telling of his wild adventures on the sea with his father,and poor girl did she become fascinated with him and since then they had become inseparable friends.
Until one horrible accident,resulting in Alexis having to marry her to protect her honor.And for their friendship to be destroyed when he leaves her for six years,the outcome being a thundering war between them where they both deny their love for each other.I can understand why many hate this book,since Alexi stays unfathful during their separation but the fact was that Elysse would have taken lovers too if it hadn`t been for her being a virgin.She knew that the fact that Alexis never touched her would be out in the open once she took on a lover.But she did kiss them.
But i am glad that she had many pretend lovers resulting to Alexis thinking that she also remained unfaithful and for him getting so jealous and hating her all the more for it!
Their situation were so complicated,their relationship so destroyed that they with pride they denied their hearts.They wanted to hurt and humiliate each other so much.It was so toxic that i had no idea if they were to ever make it to the end.Their sexual chemistry is SO HELLUVA HOT!It was sizzling and intruging and i enjoyed all their steamy-scenes,their arguing,their conversations,their glances...their everything and most of all the hot sorching angst!!!Both HATED to LOVE each other.!
I should hate Alexis DeWarenne.But i had already fallen in love with his charm when he was a little boy in the former books.His sexy seduction as a grown man,his passionate nature,his described looks,his desire,his everlasting love and his SUCH INTENSE JEALOUSY just made my day!!!!!His heart is so savage-alike that i many times were afraid of him and so nervous for Elysse,and I AM ONLY JUST A READER!I truly love the ending to this book and were so happy for Elysse and Alexis..they finally deserved their happy ever efter!
September 3, 2010
My first thought when I finished ‘The Promise’ by Brenda Joyce was that they should have titled it ‘The Fear of Rejection’. Why? While the meaning behind the title ‘The Promise’ does resonate through the book, it is the couple’s utter fear of rejection that hits you over the head in nearly every scene.
The Promise tells the story of childhood friends, Alexi and Elysse, coming to realize that they mean much more to one another than just friends. The prologue begins with a great little scene with these two as young children playing around castle ruins, and it is here where Alexi promises to always protect Elysse. In the next few chapters of the book, Alexi, a strapping young captain with his own cargo ship, has just returned from a 2 ½-year journey. His childhood friend Elysse has grown into a stunningly beautiful young lady and a master manipulator of men, bending them to her ways with innuendos and flirtatious banter. Alexi, knowing how Elysse flirts and leads men on when she herself is not interested, refuses to be another one of her entertainments. However, Elysse is truly smitten and knows in her heart that Alexi is the man she will always love, but is upset that he only sees her as a family friend. To bring Alexi to heel, Elysse shamelessly flirts with one of his best friends. Then a tragic incident leaves Alexi and Elysse heavily at odds, married to each other, and thus living in a miserable sham of a marriage.
Where are they to go from here? Apparently, Alexi goes to China following the wedding, and stays gone for six years. With gossip hot on her heels about being abandoned by her famous husband, Elysse goes to London and builds a new life with the false pretense that she is a happy socialite wife who takes lovers. (If you are wondering if she does take lovers, the answer is clearly NO.) Then after six years, Alexi – who has turned into a drunk and randy ship captain and still very much in a rage over the incident that ended with him married – finally returns to London.
Up until this point, I thought this book was wonderful, and I was looking forward to seeing how these two evolved from the young, naïve and immature adults we met early in the book. I personally hoped that they would have gained some wisdom with age and life experiences, and therefore they would take a different approach in dealing with their relationship and situation. Instead, we find that these two did not learn a dang thing. Alexi and Elysse are still playing games with each other and refusing to speak the plain truth of their honest feelings. Double standards abound in the rest of this book, including Elysse’s belief that nothing is wrong about her cultivated pretense of having lovers as it is what many married couples do. However, she is enraged to learn about Alexi having mistresses – and continuing to have affairs after he returns to London. Both Alexi and Elysse will at times confide their true feeling to friends and family members, but not to each other, which was just frustrating. Their marriage turns into a ‘War of the Roses’ theatrical display, causing so much unnecessary hurt between these two all because they feared rejection.
I normally love a great friend-to-lovers romance, but this couple wasted an exorbitant amount of time (years!) all because they chose to ‘save face’ by not revealing too much to each other. Unfortunately, that meant soothing their pride and quelling the gossip was most important to these two thickheaded friends.
This book started out great, but ended with so much unnecessary hurt between the hero and heroine (and many others too!). By the time they resolve their issues, I was convinced that Elysse should just take up lovers for real, and Alexi would be better off leaving for China once again – never to return. I did not buy this love story, as I would never believe these two could turn 180 degrees and now be completely honest with each other. Oh well, it is fiction so of course they will live happily ever after. I wish I could give this one a better review as it started so good, but the non-stop fighting plus an outrageous wall-banger ending moved my overall rating way down.
Lastly, those looking for a steamy sensual historical will be dissapointed. The bedroom scenes are quick and over in a blink of an eye. The first encounter lasted through one page only.
(This was an ARC copy provided by Netgalley)
The Promise tells the story of childhood friends, Alexi and Elysse, coming to realize that they mean much more to one another than just friends. The prologue begins with a great little scene with these two as young children playing around castle ruins, and it is here where Alexi promises to always protect Elysse. In the next few chapters of the book, Alexi, a strapping young captain with his own cargo ship, has just returned from a 2 ½-year journey. His childhood friend Elysse has grown into a stunningly beautiful young lady and a master manipulator of men, bending them to her ways with innuendos and flirtatious banter. Alexi, knowing how Elysse flirts and leads men on when she herself is not interested, refuses to be another one of her entertainments. However, Elysse is truly smitten and knows in her heart that Alexi is the man she will always love, but is upset that he only sees her as a family friend. To bring Alexi to heel, Elysse shamelessly flirts with one of his best friends. Then a tragic incident leaves Alexi and Elysse heavily at odds, married to each other, and thus living in a miserable sham of a marriage.
Where are they to go from here? Apparently, Alexi goes to China following the wedding, and stays gone for six years. With gossip hot on her heels about being abandoned by her famous husband, Elysse goes to London and builds a new life with the false pretense that she is a happy socialite wife who takes lovers. (If you are wondering if she does take lovers, the answer is clearly NO.) Then after six years, Alexi – who has turned into a drunk and randy ship captain and still very much in a rage over the incident that ended with him married – finally returns to London.
Up until this point, I thought this book was wonderful, and I was looking forward to seeing how these two evolved from the young, naïve and immature adults we met early in the book. I personally hoped that they would have gained some wisdom with age and life experiences, and therefore they would take a different approach in dealing with their relationship and situation. Instead, we find that these two did not learn a dang thing. Alexi and Elysse are still playing games with each other and refusing to speak the plain truth of their honest feelings. Double standards abound in the rest of this book, including Elysse’s belief that nothing is wrong about her cultivated pretense of having lovers as it is what many married couples do. However, she is enraged to learn about Alexi having mistresses – and continuing to have affairs after he returns to London. Both Alexi and Elysse will at times confide their true feeling to friends and family members, but not to each other, which was just frustrating. Their marriage turns into a ‘War of the Roses’ theatrical display, causing so much unnecessary hurt between these two all because they feared rejection.
I normally love a great friend-to-lovers romance, but this couple wasted an exorbitant amount of time (years!) all because they chose to ‘save face’ by not revealing too much to each other. Unfortunately, that meant soothing their pride and quelling the gossip was most important to these two thickheaded friends.
This book started out great, but ended with so much unnecessary hurt between the hero and heroine (and many others too!). By the time they resolve their issues, I was convinced that Elysse should just take up lovers for real, and Alexi would be better off leaving for China once again – never to return. I did not buy this love story, as I would never believe these two could turn 180 degrees and now be completely honest with each other. Oh well, it is fiction so of course they will live happily ever after. I wish I could give this one a better review as it started so good, but the non-stop fighting plus an outrageous wall-banger ending moved my overall rating way down.
Lastly, those looking for a steamy sensual historical will be dissapointed. The bedroom scenes are quick and over in a blink of an eye. The first encounter lasted through one page only.
(This was an ARC copy provided by Netgalley)
October 13, 2010
I would give it a negative rating if it was possible. Seriously, don't bother wasting your time and hard earned money. I am hard-pressed to find something good to say about this book. I spent more time angry at the characters.
The hero spends more than 2.7/3 of the book sleeping with other woman and being really cruel to his virginal wife who he abandoned right after the wedding ceremony. The heroine was a spoiled brat who cared more of what others thought than her happiness and allowed her mind and heart to be emotionally and verbally misused and abused repeatedly for over 6 years.
There is nothing romantic about this story.
The hero spends more than 2.7/3 of the book sleeping with other woman and being really cruel to his virginal wife who he abandoned right after the wedding ceremony. The heroine was a spoiled brat who cared more of what others thought than her happiness and allowed her mind and heart to be emotionally and verbally misused and abused repeatedly for over 6 years.
There is nothing romantic about this story.
December 10, 2021
I did like the story, but Alexi got a bit annoying at times 3.5 stars
June 15, 2011
2.5 stars. I don't know what is was about this book, but it did absoulutely nothing for me! It had all the themes I love but still fell short of engrossing me in the story. I think it has alot to do with the way the author writes. Her style is too simple for my taste. It also annoyed me that the hero thought the heroine was cheating when she wasn't. And it was way annoying that she didn't say it was a lie. She just let him think that she had lovers while he treated her horribly and cheated on her. I'm sorry to say this story did not draw me in as I would have liked.
October 11, 2011
I regret spending so much time on this one. Where was the real romance? Alexi irratated me so much because he was so cruel throughout the book until the end. The scenes, especially the ones that were supposed to be sensual, just weren't. I was severely dissappointed.
July 4, 2011
will get right to it with my dislike for this book.
'The Promise' is an 80's romance novel throwback where the protagonists show each other contempt, anger and disrespect *and it would have been cleared up in an adult conversation*.
Now BJ creates stubborn male leads, but we tend to sympathize with their characters as we realize that even though they don't want to fall in love , get married etc , they love the heroine and show it by their actions. So for example in 'A Lady at Last' (one of my fave books) Devlin thinks he's too old for Amanda, she needs to grow up etc etc which is why he resists her. Amanda has no problem with that and sets out to seduce him and we get fireworks from the Old World to Ireland. Throughout that book though, we see where he genuinely cares for her.
In the 'Promise' however both leads -not just Alexi- are just stubborn for the sake of being stubborn and proud. Alexi starts off as being sweet yet strong, but by the middle of the book he is terrible. I am sorry folks, but under no circumstances to do I excuse a hero sleeping with and having mistresses during a marraige when he abandons his wife after marrying her.
With that said, the heroine wore me out emotionally with her silliness. I had no problem with her in the first part of the book- at the end of the day, I she was accurately portrayed as a spoiled miss. She was not spiteful or mean to others, she was merely hurt by Alexi and wanted to get back at him. I think that any female with no real independence or autonomy of her own, would resort to flirting to making someone else jealous.
I do have a problem with her in the latter parts of the novel where she embraces the persona of a loose wife. Now Alexi actually took women, which I can not forgive, but for her to want to create that appearance is ludicrous. Like make up your mind child! How can you claim to love Alexi but then want to run around town with men to create the appearance of having lovers? She did this with the excuse that she didnt want anyone to see how humiliated she was. I get that ...but couldnt she have thrown herself into doing charity rather than dinner parties?! Bear in mind that as a virgin she could have gotten an annulment, but didn't want to because of that being too humiliating. IMO she loved herself and her pride more than Alexi.
Now as the book moves on, Alexi is back in England 6 years later and hell bent on hating his wife, and buys a house to live apart from her. She decides to move in with him, her first move of having sense in the entire book. Then things get a bit strange- she wants him to appear to be the doting husband, yet doesnt want to give up the goodies in bed. That honestly always gets me in historical romances. I mean I could understand if she didn't want to for fear of a foreign disease but to not give it up based on principle is odd to me. I thought she loved him and wanted to reconcile? Wouldnt being in his bed be a start? . Now throughout alllll of this, Elysse is pretending a tendre for someone else. Then Alexi thinks she is in love with him then gets super mad. And then she is hurt that she is mad. Arrrrrrgggh!
So by the end- he is incensed because he thinks that she is in love with someone else and moves out the house. But the fact that she may love someone else doesnt sit well with Alexi the Adulterer. After all, its okay for him to soothe his loins overseas and throw his mistress name in his wife's face, but for said wife to find genuine affection is unthinkable.
He drinks heavily, grills the butler, searches through her things, overturns her desk, accosts her when she comes in, and after some tussling they make love. Now this is where the plot goes bizarre. I was at least expecting a good grovel when Alexi realizes his supposed harlot wife is a virgin. Nope. No such thing. He even seens the blood stains the next day and thinks its because he 'hurt' her in some way. He is apologetic, but because he thinks he forced himself on her.
So he does what any romance un-hero does- he leaves the heroine that he hurt and decides to sail to China. Elysse then does her 2nd and final act of having sense in the book and decides to go after him. We then have the requisite kidnapping scene (I am going to ignore the fact that this silly heroine decides to sail to China with just a freaking lady's maid.)
Another wierd this is her parents are nowhere to be found throughout this. Or his parents. These two kids are just lone ships in the ocean acting like angry hard headed idiots on a collision course.
We have the entire story wrapped up in the last 2 pages and there we go. The Promise. 80s romance redux.
'The Promise' is an 80's romance novel throwback where the protagonists show each other contempt, anger and disrespect *and it would have been cleared up in an adult conversation*.
Now BJ creates stubborn male leads, but we tend to sympathize with their characters as we realize that even though they don't want to fall in love , get married etc , they love the heroine and show it by their actions. So for example in 'A Lady at Last' (one of my fave books) Devlin thinks he's too old for Amanda, she needs to grow up etc etc which is why he resists her. Amanda has no problem with that and sets out to seduce him and we get fireworks from the Old World to Ireland. Throughout that book though, we see where he genuinely cares for her.
In the 'Promise' however both leads -not just Alexi- are just stubborn for the sake of being stubborn and proud. Alexi starts off as being sweet yet strong, but by the middle of the book he is terrible. I am sorry folks, but under no circumstances to do I excuse a hero sleeping with and having mistresses during a marraige when he abandons his wife after marrying her.
With that said, the heroine wore me out emotionally with her silliness. I had no problem with her in the first part of the book- at the end of the day, I she was accurately portrayed as a spoiled miss. She was not spiteful or mean to others, she was merely hurt by Alexi and wanted to get back at him. I think that any female with no real independence or autonomy of her own, would resort to flirting to making someone else jealous.
I do have a problem with her in the latter parts of the novel where she embraces the persona of a loose wife. Now Alexi actually took women, which I can not forgive, but for her to want to create that appearance is ludicrous. Like make up your mind child! How can you claim to love Alexi but then want to run around town with men to create the appearance of having lovers? She did this with the excuse that she didnt want anyone to see how humiliated she was. I get that ...but couldnt she have thrown herself into doing charity rather than dinner parties?! Bear in mind that as a virgin she could have gotten an annulment, but didn't want to because of that being too humiliating. IMO she loved herself and her pride more than Alexi.
Now as the book moves on, Alexi is back in England 6 years later and hell bent on hating his wife, and buys a house to live apart from her. She decides to move in with him, her first move of having sense in the entire book. Then things get a bit strange- she wants him to appear to be the doting husband, yet doesnt want to give up the goodies in bed. That honestly always gets me in historical romances. I mean I could understand if she didn't want to for fear of a foreign disease but to not give it up based on principle is odd to me. I thought she loved him and wanted to reconcile? Wouldnt being in his bed be a start? . Now throughout alllll of this, Elysse is pretending a tendre for someone else. Then Alexi thinks she is in love with him then gets super mad. And then she is hurt that she is mad. Arrrrrrgggh!
So by the end- he is incensed because he thinks that she is in love with someone else and moves out the house. But the fact that she may love someone else doesnt sit well with Alexi the Adulterer. After all, its okay for him to soothe his loins overseas and throw his mistress name in his wife's face, but for said wife to find genuine affection is unthinkable.
He drinks heavily, grills the butler, searches through her things, overturns her desk, accosts her when she comes in, and after some tussling they make love. Now this is where the plot goes bizarre. I was at least expecting a good grovel when Alexi realizes his supposed harlot wife is a virgin. Nope. No such thing. He even seens the blood stains the next day and thinks its because he 'hurt' her in some way. He is apologetic, but because he thinks he forced himself on her.
So he does what any romance un-hero does- he leaves the heroine that he hurt and decides to sail to China. Elysse then does her 2nd and final act of having sense in the book and decides to go after him. We then have the requisite kidnapping scene (I am going to ignore the fact that this silly heroine decides to sail to China with just a freaking lady's maid.)
Another wierd this is her parents are nowhere to be found throughout this. Or his parents. These two kids are just lone ships in the ocean acting like angry hard headed idiots on a collision course.
We have the entire story wrapped up in the last 2 pages and there we go. The Promise. 80s romance redux.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2020
“If you are lost, I will find you. If you are in danger, I will protect you."
I am such a sucker for Brenda Joyce's de Warenne Dynasty series. The Promise was a book I stayed up an hour or two past my bedtime to finish just one more chapter. I love when Joyce writes a story where the heroine is not a spineless doormat.
Part one shows exactly where Alexi and Elysse's relationship went wrong. Elysse was splendid as a coquette getting roaring drunk and I just loved that. They end up getting married to protect Elysse's reputation. Part two takes place six years after. Elysse and Alexi have been estranged for that long, but they find themselves both in London at the same time and Elysse, for her pride, decides she and Alexi need to put an appearance together in society so that they look like the loving and sophisticated couple she has pretended their marriage to be.
Elysse, by the way, has completely forgiven herself and all the major players for the incident that happened in part one, as a mature person does. Alexi, however, has not moved on. It also doesn't help that Alexi is a sexist and can't stand the rumours that Elysse has male friends even though he's got a mistress in every port.
You might think, wait where's the plot? And you might be right. The Promise coasts on a juicy love triangle and I am fine with that. Thomas Blair was the perfect foil to Alexi's boorish ways and it's a tough thing to feel for both the hero and the love interest, but I did! However, what made The Promise so enjoyable was that I felt for Alexi and Elysse at the end. Alexi the protector really worked on me and I was *feeling* it at the end. It really hit me in the heart when they got their HEA.
I am such a sucker for Brenda Joyce's de Warenne Dynasty series. The Promise was a book I stayed up an hour or two past my bedtime to finish just one more chapter. I love when Joyce writes a story where the heroine is not a spineless doormat.
Part one shows exactly where Alexi and Elysse's relationship went wrong. Elysse was splendid as a coquette getting roaring drunk and I just loved that. They end up getting married to protect Elysse's reputation. Part two takes place six years after. Elysse and Alexi have been estranged for that long, but they find themselves both in London at the same time and Elysse, for her pride, decides she and Alexi need to put an appearance together in society so that they look like the loving and sophisticated couple she has pretended their marriage to be.
Elysse, by the way, has completely forgiven herself and all the major players for the incident that happened in part one, as a mature person does. Alexi, however, has not moved on. It also doesn't help that Alexi is a sexist and can't stand the rumours that Elysse has male friends even though he's got a mistress in every port.
You might think, wait where's the plot? And you might be right. The Promise coasts on a juicy love triangle and I am fine with that. Thomas Blair was the perfect foil to Alexi's boorish ways and it's a tough thing to feel for both the hero and the love interest, but I did! However, what made The Promise so enjoyable was that I felt for Alexi and Elysse at the end. Alexi the protector really worked on me and I was *feeling* it at the end. It really hit me in the heart when they got their HEA.
January 27, 2018
Prometí hacer la reseña más tarde, y ya me he leido tres libros y he dejado atrás esta reseña sin hacer. Pero allá que voy.
ARGUMENTO:
En el prólogo de este libro le echamos un vistado a la infancia de Stephen, un niño normando. El padre de este se ha visto obligado a entregar a su hijo al rey, en lo que Stephen pensaba que era para convertirlo en soldado, pero en realidad es su prisionero. Desde que llega allí cree haber encontrado en el principe Rufus un amigo, pero pronto se da cuenta de que en realidad Rufus no es su amigo, solo es un asqueroso al que le gustan los niños, y no de una buena forma...
Pasando esto conocemos por fin a nuestra protagonista, Mary, hija de un rey escocés que está prometida a Doug y van a casarse en pocos días. Ella está emocionada porque sabe que casarse por amor es algo raro pero ella y Doug son amigos desde siempre y también se han enamorado. Mary y Doug quedan para encontrarse en el bosque una noche, unos días antes de la boda. Ella sabe que no pueden reconocerla así que se viste con ropas de la lechera y corre por el bosque para encontrarse con su amado. Pero lo que Mary encuentra es un campamento normando. Sabe que si la ven, la secuestrarán y después obligarán a su padre a ceder más tierras al, ahora rey Rufus, así que ella intenta escapar pero una ramita rota la delata. Es entonces cuando Stephen y Mary se encuentran cara a cara y las mentiras llenarán cada paso en el camino de la vida de estos dos.
Quisiera deciros que amé a un solo personaje, a uno, pero la verdad es que he amado y odiado a todos, pero sobre todo a Mary y Stephen. Ambos son insoportables y ambos son monísimos, sí, lo sé, suena de todo menos coherente. Vereis este libro está dividido en tres partes así que la historia se me ha hecho un pelín larga, demasiado extensa para mi gusto, creo que ha llegado a un punto que la autora quiso alargar tanto la historia que se le ha ido de las manos. Es por eso que en la primera parte odié a Mary, en la segunda parte odié a Stephen y en la tercera parte los odié a los dos. Es que la autora creo que quiso que no acabaramos de decantarnos por un bando, lo que está muy bien porque en esencia, eso es lo que Mary tuvo que aprender, que ni Escocia tenía toda la razón ni los ingleses la tenían tampoco. Pero aún a pesar de la lección que teníamos que aprender, me jodió mucho porque me destrozó un poco el libro.
Sufrí, de esto pasé mucho. Me hizo sufrir Mary, sobre todo al final porque me dio un poco de pena, sufrí por Stephen cuando ella no hacía más que despreciarlo cuando era tan adorable con ella, y sufrí por los dos porque estaba hasta el mismísimo y quería que se arreglasen de una puñetera vez.
Me ha encantado la historia, al margen de la extensión y los innumerables puntos de vista de personajes y giros dramáticos que le dio la autora pero, todavía tengo un "pero" más. Y es, EL FINAL.
Vamos a ver, estaban a matar Stephen y Mary. Ella acaba de volver de que la mandase a tomar por el puto culo, destrozada porque echa de menos a Stephen pero también dolida porque no la creyó. Hay un cúmulo de sentimientos contradictorios, de nuevo, se aman y odian y claro, verás yo, después de todo el ruido que montó Stephen y todo lo que dijo odiarla y lo que ella lloró porque no la creía esperaba, ESPERABA QUE LES COSTASE ARREGLARSE SABES? Lo normal. Pero no, joder, en esto que de repente no se miran ni a la cara y a la siguiente se meten juntos en la cama porque dice no poder mantenerse alejado ¿¡ah pero si pudiste mantenerte alejado meses!? Que justificación de mierda ha hecho la autora y que final más cutre después de la brasa que nos dió para que estos dos estuviesen juntos. Decepcionante. De lo más decepcionante.
Que sí, ha acabado bien, como yo quería pero aun así ha sido de lo más rápido de arreglar después de que tuvimos que esperar hasta las últimas 10 páginas para que estuviesen juntos y tranquilos...
Aún así recomiendo la historia porque ha estado bastante bien, solo que se necesitan nervios de acero para no chillar de impotencia.
ARGUMENTO:
En el prólogo de este libro le echamos un vistado a la infancia de Stephen, un niño normando. El padre de este se ha visto obligado a entregar a su hijo al rey, en lo que Stephen pensaba que era para convertirlo en soldado, pero en realidad es su prisionero. Desde que llega allí cree haber encontrado en el principe Rufus un amigo, pero pronto se da cuenta de que en realidad Rufus no es su amigo, solo es un asqueroso al que le gustan los niños, y no de una buena forma...
Pasando esto conocemos por fin a nuestra protagonista, Mary, hija de un rey escocés que está prometida a Doug y van a casarse en pocos días. Ella está emocionada porque sabe que casarse por amor es algo raro pero ella y Doug son amigos desde siempre y también se han enamorado. Mary y Doug quedan para encontrarse en el bosque una noche, unos días antes de la boda. Ella sabe que no pueden reconocerla así que se viste con ropas de la lechera y corre por el bosque para encontrarse con su amado. Pero lo que Mary encuentra es un campamento normando. Sabe que si la ven, la secuestrarán y después obligarán a su padre a ceder más tierras al, ahora rey Rufus, así que ella intenta escapar pero una ramita rota la delata. Es entonces cuando Stephen y Mary se encuentran cara a cara y las mentiras llenarán cada paso en el camino de la vida de estos dos.
Quisiera deciros que amé a un solo personaje, a uno, pero la verdad es que he amado y odiado a todos, pero sobre todo a Mary y Stephen. Ambos son insoportables y ambos son monísimos, sí, lo sé, suena de todo menos coherente. Vereis este libro está dividido en tres partes así que la historia se me ha hecho un pelín larga, demasiado extensa para mi gusto, creo que ha llegado a un punto que la autora quiso alargar tanto la historia que se le ha ido de las manos. Es por eso que en la primera parte odié a Mary, en la segunda parte odié a Stephen y en la tercera parte los odié a los dos. Es que la autora creo que quiso que no acabaramos de decantarnos por un bando, lo que está muy bien porque en esencia, eso es lo que Mary tuvo que aprender, que ni Escocia tenía toda la razón ni los ingleses la tenían tampoco. Pero aún a pesar de la lección que teníamos que aprender, me jodió mucho porque me destrozó un poco el libro.
Sufrí, de esto pasé mucho. Me hizo sufrir Mary, sobre todo al final porque me dio un poco de pena, sufrí por Stephen cuando ella no hacía más que despreciarlo cuando era tan adorable con ella, y sufrí por los dos porque estaba hasta el mismísimo y quería que se arreglasen de una puñetera vez.
Me ha encantado la historia, al margen de la extensión y los innumerables puntos de vista de personajes y giros dramáticos que le dio la autora pero, todavía tengo un "pero" más. Y es, EL FINAL.
Vamos a ver, estaban a matar Stephen y Mary. Ella acaba de volver de que la mandase a tomar por el puto culo, destrozada porque echa de menos a Stephen pero también dolida porque no la creyó. Hay un cúmulo de sentimientos contradictorios, de nuevo, se aman y odian y claro, verás yo, después de todo el ruido que montó Stephen y todo lo que dijo odiarla y lo que ella lloró porque no la creía esperaba, ESPERABA QUE LES COSTASE ARREGLARSE SABES? Lo normal. Pero no, joder, en esto que de repente no se miran ni a la cara y a la siguiente se meten juntos en la cama porque dice no poder mantenerse alejado ¿¡ah pero si pudiste mantenerte alejado meses!? Que justificación de mierda ha hecho la autora y que final más cutre después de la brasa que nos dió para que estos dos estuviesen juntos. Decepcionante. De lo más decepcionante.
Que sí, ha acabado bien, como yo quería pero aun así ha sido de lo más rápido de arreglar después de que tuvimos que esperar hasta las últimas 10 páginas para que estuviesen juntos y tranquilos...
Aún así recomiendo la historia porque ha estado bastante bien, solo que se necesitan nervios de acero para no chillar de impotencia.
February 23, 2013
This book was so infuriating to read.
The hero was an ass who thought so horribly of his wife. He put all the blame on her for him being trapped into marrying her. He has mistresses all over the damn place, literally, jamaica, singapore, london....no kidding he's a total ass.
The heroine has a reputation of being a seductress in London while her husband is away (she actually is still a virgin despite her husband avoiding her for 6 years), but she never corrects him or anyone else when they think she has lovers. If she doesn't want people to think that her and her husband are estranged, why let everyone think your having all these affairs? That doesn't make any kind of sense to me at all!! It was so freaking maddening to me how she thought if her husband knew the truth her pride would be crushed because he's mock her for her feelings for him....stupid.
The ending was upsetting. I wanted them to actually work shit out, make him freaking grovel a little, but nooooo....she just jumps into his arms after he rescues her and is totally cool with how he treated her.
This book was so damn upsetting I skipped a lot of their scenes with arguments before I was tempted to toss my NOOK!
The hero was an ass who thought so horribly of his wife. He put all the blame on her for him being trapped into marrying her. He has mistresses all over the damn place, literally, jamaica, singapore, london....no kidding he's a total ass.
The heroine has a reputation of being a seductress in London while her husband is away (she actually is still a virgin despite her husband avoiding her for 6 years), but she never corrects him or anyone else when they think she has lovers. If she doesn't want people to think that her and her husband are estranged, why let everyone think your having all these affairs? That doesn't make any kind of sense to me at all!! It was so freaking maddening to me how she thought if her husband knew the truth her pride would be crushed because he's mock her for her feelings for him....stupid.
The ending was upsetting. I wanted them to actually work shit out, make him freaking grovel a little, but nooooo....she just jumps into his arms after he rescues her and is totally cool with how he treated her.
This book was so damn upsetting I skipped a lot of their scenes with arguments before I was tempted to toss my NOOK!
May 2, 2019
No sé si estoy siendo exagerada, pero la mitad del libro es una relación tóxica, de maltrato psicológico, humillaciones, etc. Las últimas 100 páginas son lo mejor, ya que hay amor, aventura, barcos, todo lo que destaca esta saga de libros, pero el resto, me pareció desgastante. 3 estrellas sólo por las últimas 100 páginas. 😬🤔
September 30, 2011
Years ago in college, I read The Game by Brenda Joyce. It was a great way to escape having to write a huge paper. I always thought historical (I always called them hysterical) romances were not my thing, but The Game held my interest.
That said, when I stumbled across this story, The Promise, I had such fond memories of The Game I thought this book would be close to it.
I loved the dialogue...in the beginning. Then I got extremely irritated by how badly the hero, Alexi, treated the heroine, Elysse. Yet she still wanted him. He cheated on her multiple times, had mistresses in London while they were still married and living in the same town. He took pride in humiliating her. They never sat down and talked. While I understand Miss Joyce wanted this book to be a battle of wills, this quickly fell into a world of irritation for me. I read the first 40 pages and could see where this was going. I skipped to the middle (and was not wrong!) and was even more irritated. The ending was just stupid beyond belief and there was absolutely no credibility or redeeming moments. I just really find it very hard to believe.
This novel was such a sad mimicry of Miss Joyce's previous work that I read and really enjoyed, but it was fraught with bad execution.
This romance seemed a lot more plot driven, more than character - the plot was to have the H be a jerk to the h and then give us the obligatory HEA.
I have to say that the moment I realized the hero, Alexi cheated on the heroine, Elysse, it was all over. I dislike a hero that deliberately sets out to intentionally hurt the heroine to exact payment. I think that's what didn't sit well with me. Though I dislike cheating heroes, I can accept reading them when they are somewhat likeable - Alexi was not likeable in the slightest.
This is one of those books where I'd say, "Read the first 20 pages, read the last 20 pages and then come to goodreads to save yourself time for the sh*t that lies in between."
If this is supposed to be the final book in the de Warenne line, it's a really bad way to end the series. Hell, I think I'll take more badly written Dark books by Christine Feehan than read anything else by Brenda Joyce.
I've never been a fan of period romances and I think Miss Joyce just killed the entire genre for me with this book.
That said, when I stumbled across this story, The Promise, I had such fond memories of The Game I thought this book would be close to it.
I loved the dialogue...in the beginning. Then I got extremely irritated by how badly the hero, Alexi, treated the heroine, Elysse. Yet she still wanted him. He cheated on her multiple times, had mistresses in London while they were still married and living in the same town. He took pride in humiliating her. They never sat down and talked. While I understand Miss Joyce wanted this book to be a battle of wills, this quickly fell into a world of irritation for me. I read the first 40 pages and could see where this was going. I skipped to the middle (and was not wrong!) and was even more irritated. The ending was just stupid beyond belief and there was absolutely no credibility or redeeming moments. I just really find it very hard to believe.
This novel was such a sad mimicry of Miss Joyce's previous work that I read and really enjoyed, but it was fraught with bad execution.
This romance seemed a lot more plot driven, more than character - the plot was to have the H be a jerk to the h and then give us the obligatory HEA.
I have to say that the moment I realized the hero, Alexi cheated on the heroine, Elysse, it was all over. I dislike a hero that deliberately sets out to intentionally hurt the heroine to exact payment. I think that's what didn't sit well with me. Though I dislike cheating heroes, I can accept reading them when they are somewhat likeable - Alexi was not likeable in the slightest.
This is one of those books where I'd say, "Read the first 20 pages, read the last 20 pages and then come to goodreads to save yourself time for the sh*t that lies in between."
If this is supposed to be the final book in the de Warenne line, it's a really bad way to end the series. Hell, I think I'll take more badly written Dark books by Christine Feehan than read anything else by Brenda Joyce.
I've never been a fan of period romances and I think Miss Joyce just killed the entire genre for me with this book.
October 27, 2023
Alexi is a fucking asshole! There should have been WAY more groveling and WAY less girl chasing boy nonsense.
But I still kinda liked the book.... He's still an asshole though and Elysse needed a bigger brain and much bigger balls to gain any respect from me. I would have LOVED if she had slept around. Thomas was a gem. Alexi didn't deserve her.
But I still kinda liked the book.... He's still an asshole though and Elysse needed a bigger brain and much bigger balls to gain any respect from me. I would have LOVED if she had slept around. Thomas was a gem. Alexi didn't deserve her.
August 16, 2020
No puedo empezar la novela sin decir otra cosa que: vaya despropósito. Lo siento, pero en esta historia no he visto para nada dónde está el romance. Es verdad que no es la primera vez que leo una historia de esta época que cuente un argumento similar, pero aquí ya se han pasado. Cada cual es libre de disfrutar de las novelas que quiera y en el género romántico hay para todos, pero sinceramente, a mí este libro me ha parecido tan tóxico e infumable que no se lo puedo recomendar a nadie.
Está claro que la histora está ahí. Si se buscan algunos de los personajes históricos que aparecen, pues realmente encuentras una historia interesante detrás, real y similar a la que cuentan. Es cierto que la parte de documentación de la autora está bien hecha, y a lo largo del libro no he encontrado grandes errores históricos, ni de lenguaje, ropas... que eso dice mucho. Hasta aquí todo bien. Si a eso le unimos que es un libro que se lee bien, bien escrito y que tiene una narración intensa e interesante, bien planificada entre diálogos y descripciones, con capítulos estructurados. Pues tendríamos lo que son 2 puntos importantes. Eso no puedo negarlo y quiero resaltar que es algo importante: la narración, la documentación y la coherencia histórica.
Ahora, si nos centramos en la parte romántica, como novela del género que es: no es apta para todos. Hay muchos elementos negativos que a mí al final me han hecho enervar y no poder disfrutar para nada del libro. El error principal de la historia es que muestra un amor claramente tóxico, con una relación absurda, humillaciones, desconfianza, incoherencia entre ambos, desconocimiento del otro y además cambios bruscos de amor-odio que se suceden porque sí una y otra vez.
En cuanto a los errores clave, voy a ir enunciándolos y comentando un poco porque es que no se puede hacer una buena reseña de este libro, intentando comentar exactamente qué me ha fallado, para que entendáis a que me refiero exactamente.
CUIDADO, SPOILERS!
1. Instalove. Resulta que en el libro te plantean que ella lo odia desde el primer minuto, pero conforme avanzas al final se "sabe" que ella se enamoró de él una tarde que lo vio de lejos en Edinburgo. (Ya ni de cerca, con verlo de lejos ya se muere de amor)
2. Se conocen una tarde, supuestamente se odian, ella se pone altiva y no le contesta y él "como es una don nadie que parece una pueblerina" la secuestra y se la lleva a su casa. Y como ella se niega a decirle su nombre, pues le roba la virginidad. No es una violación porque ella que lo odia tanto y que está tan disconforme, decide no decirle su nombre y termina rogándole porque la penetre... pero vamos, un despropósito de argumento y de escena.
3. Cuando se entera de que es la princesa de Escocia, le pide matrimonio. De repente ella le parece la mujer de su vida y ella está encabronadísima. Y después de que él la "salve", resulta que ella está enamoradísima también. Lógica not found.
4. Una vez se casan él le pide "obediencia ciega" y que siempre le sea leal, aún sabiendo que son enemigos. Y su padre, le pide lo mismo y le pide que espíe. Guerra Normandos-Escocia. La gracia es que como una semana después de la boda van a la guerra, y se la lía parda por "espiarle" y por no serle leal. ¿Y eres tú leal yendo a matar a su gente? ¿Cómo te miras al espejo matando a los hermanos de tu mujer y luego la llamas desleal por intentar defender a su gente? Esto no tiene nombre.
5. Poco después ella intenta detener a su padre de ir contra Normandía, y como le pilla en medio de la contienda se queda en el bando de Escocia. Su querido marido, presupone que lo ha traicionado, que es una traidora, etc. y le niega la palabra y la lleva al exilio. Solo "yacerá con ella para engendrar un heredero" y nada más. Sin dejarle ni hablar la lleva allí y hasta luego. MARAVILLOSO.
6. Ella suplica al amigo de su marido que la lleve de vuelta a su casa -encima se arrastra, perfecto-. Y cuando llega allí está embarazada. Milagrosamente, él medio la perdona, después de que ella intente disculparse y explicar qué hacía en el bando contrario (os recuerdo: el enemigo son sus padres, hermanos y su país, eh, CUIDAO). Y él, benevolente y maravilloso, la perdona y ella está super agradecida. Se ponen a hablar del niño y todo feliz. Demencial.
Solo apto para gente que pueda disfrutar de un libro en que la mujer no tiene voz, ni voto, ni familia, ni cabeza.. que se enamora locamente y se pasa el libro arrastrándose y mendigando amor. Típica novela rosa a la antigua, rollo telenovela, muy dramática y enrevesada.
Si no disfrutas de culebrones, ni viejunismos, ni toxicidad y mujeres sin cabeza, por favor, ni te acerques a este libro, POR TU BIEN.
Está claro que la histora está ahí. Si se buscan algunos de los personajes históricos que aparecen, pues realmente encuentras una historia interesante detrás, real y similar a la que cuentan. Es cierto que la parte de documentación de la autora está bien hecha, y a lo largo del libro no he encontrado grandes errores históricos, ni de lenguaje, ropas... que eso dice mucho. Hasta aquí todo bien. Si a eso le unimos que es un libro que se lee bien, bien escrito y que tiene una narración intensa e interesante, bien planificada entre diálogos y descripciones, con capítulos estructurados. Pues tendríamos lo que son 2 puntos importantes. Eso no puedo negarlo y quiero resaltar que es algo importante: la narración, la documentación y la coherencia histórica.
Ahora, si nos centramos en la parte romántica, como novela del género que es: no es apta para todos. Hay muchos elementos negativos que a mí al final me han hecho enervar y no poder disfrutar para nada del libro. El error principal de la historia es que muestra un amor claramente tóxico, con una relación absurda, humillaciones, desconfianza, incoherencia entre ambos, desconocimiento del otro y además cambios bruscos de amor-odio que se suceden porque sí una y otra vez.
En cuanto a los errores clave, voy a ir enunciándolos y comentando un poco porque es que no se puede hacer una buena reseña de este libro, intentando comentar exactamente qué me ha fallado, para que entendáis a que me refiero exactamente.
CUIDADO, SPOILERS!
1. Instalove. Resulta que en el libro te plantean que ella lo odia desde el primer minuto, pero conforme avanzas al final se "sabe" que ella se enamoró de él una tarde que lo vio de lejos en Edinburgo. (Ya ni de cerca, con verlo de lejos ya se muere de amor)
2. Se conocen una tarde, supuestamente se odian, ella se pone altiva y no le contesta y él "como es una don nadie que parece una pueblerina" la secuestra y se la lleva a su casa. Y como ella se niega a decirle su nombre, pues le roba la virginidad. No es una violación porque ella que lo odia tanto y que está tan disconforme, decide no decirle su nombre y termina rogándole porque la penetre... pero vamos, un despropósito de argumento y de escena.
3. Cuando se entera de que es la princesa de Escocia, le pide matrimonio. De repente ella le parece la mujer de su vida y ella está encabronadísima. Y después de que él la "salve", resulta que ella está enamoradísima también. Lógica not found.
4. Una vez se casan él le pide "obediencia ciega" y que siempre le sea leal, aún sabiendo que son enemigos. Y su padre, le pide lo mismo y le pide que espíe. Guerra Normandos-Escocia. La gracia es que como una semana después de la boda van a la guerra, y se la lía parda por "espiarle" y por no serle leal. ¿Y eres tú leal yendo a matar a su gente? ¿Cómo te miras al espejo matando a los hermanos de tu mujer y luego la llamas desleal por intentar defender a su gente? Esto no tiene nombre.
5. Poco después ella intenta detener a su padre de ir contra Normandía, y como le pilla en medio de la contienda se queda en el bando de Escocia. Su querido marido, presupone que lo ha traicionado, que es una traidora, etc. y le niega la palabra y la lleva al exilio. Solo "yacerá con ella para engendrar un heredero" y nada más. Sin dejarle ni hablar la lleva allí y hasta luego. MARAVILLOSO.
6. Ella suplica al amigo de su marido que la lleve de vuelta a su casa -encima se arrastra, perfecto-. Y cuando llega allí está embarazada. Milagrosamente, él medio la perdona, después de que ella intente disculparse y explicar qué hacía en el bando contrario (os recuerdo: el enemigo son sus padres, hermanos y su país, eh, CUIDAO). Y él, benevolente y maravilloso, la perdona y ella está super agradecida. Se ponen a hablar del niño y todo feliz. Demencial.
Solo apto para gente que pueda disfrutar de un libro en que la mujer no tiene voz, ni voto, ni familia, ni cabeza.. que se enamora locamente y se pasa el libro arrastrándose y mendigando amor. Típica novela rosa a la antigua, rollo telenovela, muy dramática y enrevesada.
Si no disfrutas de culebrones, ni viejunismos, ni toxicidad y mujeres sin cabeza, por favor, ni te acerques a este libro, POR TU BIEN.
February 7, 2022
I don't know if I like the way this series ends... After following the de Warenne family for generations something is lacking...
Alexy is the most annoying man I ever read about is a book, because in the other books I've really enjoyed him, but in this one I've always wanted to slap him, really!!!! So infuriating... but how can we not love his character?! He as a lapse of being a awful person during 6 years!!
Elysse... well, Elysse is a spoiled brat who loves her cousin sibling since she's a child but of course for the good of the plot she doesn't show it to A., so he always doubts her. She changes since the terrible scene but origin the marriage between them, but in the end, for other reasons she does the same all over again, she doesn't care about the warnings about the man she asks for help and a bad thing happens, again!!! 🤔
The relation between the main couple is so toxic that ignites itself every time they are together. It's not the usual "love since childhood" trope but it's a loving one. The author doesn't explores very much this part of the story, they have one or two important scenes they remember from childhood and they keep to that only memories.
During all the book they annoyed each other, they are always arguing and they never tell the true to each other, this lead to an ever after of misinterpretations, discussions, half lies, etc, etc... It seems that after all, even after 6 years apart they don't grow up, they ate still the same kids playing with each other feelings.
Strange things I don't understand:
First of all, why is this book after the previous?! I doesn't make sense, the all book is chronologically before the previous one. I understand the writer wrote it previously but if the serie is a chronological one, why this order?!
During the book we see that the infidelity between the couple (or the perception of infidelity if we talk from Elysse's side) was a HUGE problem, but the first time they sleep together and she loses her virginity, proving that the infidelity was a misconception was just that... the issue it's put aside and never is mentioned again, not even when they make love again, scenes that we don't "see" and maybe they were important, no?!?!?
How does Elysse doesn't know the de Warenne more recent family?!?! The de Warenne and the O'Neil families are a closed family since the patriarch of the family married the mother of the O'Neil's... seriously?!?! Elysse is cousin of de Warenne's!!
So... Alexy goes to find Elysse alone?!?!? In the middle of Africa and he goes alone, he doesn't take a friend, a cousin, is best friend?!?!
Arriela "let's" Elysse go to China to look for Alexy alone?! It's not if shes is going around the corner....
Margory dissappear of the books despite in one of the books appearing as best friend of Arriela.
In the end of the book we understand that the new generation is going to be just like the previous ones and that is nice but even in the books from this generation I miss a lot of "what happened to...???" and it's sad 😔
Alexy is the most annoying man I ever read about is a book, because in the other books I've really enjoyed him, but in this one I've always wanted to slap him, really!!!! So infuriating... but how can we not love his character?! He as a lapse of being a awful person during 6 years!!
Elysse... well, Elysse is a spoiled brat who loves her cousin sibling since she's a child but of course for the good of the plot she doesn't show it to A., so he always doubts her. She changes since the terrible scene but origin the marriage between them, but in the end, for other reasons she does the same all over again, she doesn't care about the warnings about the man she asks for help and a bad thing happens, again!!! 🤔
The relation between the main couple is so toxic that ignites itself every time they are together. It's not the usual "love since childhood" trope but it's a loving one. The author doesn't explores very much this part of the story, they have one or two important scenes they remember from childhood and they keep to that only memories.
During all the book they annoyed each other, they are always arguing and they never tell the true to each other, this lead to an ever after of misinterpretations, discussions, half lies, etc, etc... It seems that after all, even after 6 years apart they don't grow up, they ate still the same kids playing with each other feelings.
Strange things I don't understand:
First of all, why is this book after the previous?! I doesn't make sense, the all book is chronologically before the previous one. I understand the writer wrote it previously but if the serie is a chronological one, why this order?!
During the book we see that the infidelity between the couple (or the perception of infidelity if we talk from Elysse's side) was a HUGE problem, but the first time they sleep together and she loses her virginity, proving that the infidelity was a misconception was just that... the issue it's put aside and never is mentioned again, not even when they make love again, scenes that we don't "see" and maybe they were important, no?!?!?
How does Elysse doesn't know the de Warenne more recent family?!?! The de Warenne and the O'Neil families are a closed family since the patriarch of the family married the mother of the O'Neil's... seriously?!?! Elysse is cousin of de Warenne's!!
So... Alexy goes to find Elysse alone?!?!? In the middle of Africa and he goes alone, he doesn't take a friend, a cousin, is best friend?!?!
Arriela "let's" Elysse go to China to look for Alexy alone?! It's not if shes is going around the corner....
Margory dissappear of the books despite in one of the books appearing as best friend of Arriela.
In the end of the book we understand that the new generation is going to be just like the previous ones and that is nice but even in the books from this generation I miss a lot of "what happened to...???" and it's sad 😔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2017
At no point in this book was there ever any LOVE or ROMANCE. The "hero" is a cheating, hypocritical asshole who emotionally abuses the heroine from the beginning by shaming her for behavior he is guilty of. He insults her clothes, her personality, her innocent flirtations, while he sleeps his way around the world. He is repulsive. They were never "friends", they were never kind to each other. They were stupid, arrogant, prideful, vain and cruel. The heroine is TSTL and allows the H to get away with ANYTHING. I hated this book and am irritated that I wasted any time on it at all. Do yourself a favor and PASS on this one.
November 24, 2024
Read April 14, 2018
Alexi is the root of all the problems they faced. This book will try your patience for sure.
Alexi is the root of all the problems they faced. This book will try your patience for sure.
September 27, 2010
I found the first two parts of Alexi and Elysse's story to be very fustrating with their stubborness and jealousy that kept them apart, it was the third part when Alexi finally admitted to his love for Elysse that made the story OK for me. Brenda Joyce has long been a favorite author of mine but I can say that The Promise wasn't all I was hoping for with Alexi and Elysse. I enjoyed "the promise" of those two from the other deWarenne Dynasty books, their chemistry was right but for the story to take the twists that it did for them to come to their final conclusion I don't know if it was worth it.
March 28, 2014
This book was OK, but it could have been so much better. I felt that 90% of this story was spent in anger misunderstandings and the last chapter or two finally hit on love. There was so much of hate you/want you/secretly love you/back to hate you. The guy in this story was so angry and mean, which made it hard for me to like him....but at the same time the lady was letting him believe that she was cheating on him, when she really wasn't. So that was all annoying. The ending felt rushed and happened so quickly: the realization that Alexi came to so suddenly, the whole voyage to China and Africa and back to England was so quickly told and unbelievable. Meh...
November 24, 2010
This was one of those stories where you hate the heroine and love the hero and then, love the heroine and hate the hero. I have to hand it to Mrs. Joyce for holding tension throughout the story. I was on pins and needles hoping that soon they would make up. Well......It came to late for me. I was passed the point of no return after he continued to treat her like crap to the last 20 pages. In two pages he decided he loved her and then he says the magic words (I love you) and SHE forgives him. Okay he did find her but that french guy saved her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2022
Eh.... I didn't like the h and H too much. All the h cared about was how people perceived her. So much pretense that ends up driving the H further away. Sometimes it's just tiring reading about the H having affairs with so many random women and mistresses that he cared for. And of course the h stays a virgin while he travels around the world sticking his penis in all these women. Usually it's doesn't bother me as much but this time, he claims he has always loved her since he was 8. If he never loved her and slept around that would be tolerable.
December 11, 2014
4 yildiz verecektim ama hizli biten sonu ve en nefret ettiğim şey olan kadin erkek eşitsizliği yüzünden 3 yildiz veriyorum.
January 17, 2015
Bir Avuç Aşk'tan sonra en beğendim kitap bu oldu.. Eee biri Cliff'in oğlu, öbürü Devlin'in kızı.. Devlin'in Devlin! *_**_*
April 21, 2015
3.5 stars
August 21, 2015
And I thought I had problems with pride and stubbornness...
November 16, 2016
Penultimo libro della serie e anche questo non delude le aspettative. Quattro stelline e mezzo per quest'altro piccolo capolavoro del genere.
July 12, 2019
3.5 stars ... part I and II were really good and the childhood friends to enemies to lovers trope was as serve but part III was terrible and the ending was rushed.
October 11, 2024
Right. So after a few days from reading it. Or leaving it at half. What I understood was that the heroine wanted the hero to serenade her. Woo her. He was a few years older only. He was 21 and wanted to go around travelling and womanising AND THEN come back and settle with the heroine WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO DO NONE OF THE THINGS HE WAS DOING. What a rotten young man.
Anyway. His ship pilot started getting fresh with the heroine. Hero accidentally killed that man.
THEN HE BLAMED THE GIRL. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. Take responsibility for what you created buster.
Anyway. Gist of the story is. The hero does not want to get married immediately.
But he’s forced to get married due to circumstances.
He behaves like a spoilt and thwarted little boy. Misbehaving with his wife. Abandoning her. Being nasty.
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
Where is the Rolf of the De Warrene dynasty who got his one true love married to save her from hanging??
This guy was so juvenile. He should have worn diapers.
I hated this book.
************
Did Not Finish. There is no story. Tried skimming. It’s impossible.
Both hero and heroine are very immature
There’s a lot of telling by author and no showing.
I almost feel like Brenda got possessed by someone else when she wrote this.
It’s so stilted and boring. Not her style at all.
Very boring. Skimming through it. Given up now.
I can get that hero’s guilt and anger is getting in the way of his feelings for heroine. I can get that his promise in childhood has made him marry her. I also get that he hates that she is sleeping around as he assumes she is. She isn’t.
It’s just that the writing is very sketchy.
I feel no sympathy for both characters. I want to catch hold of them and slap them. No no. I want to beat them both up. Idiots.
What is irritating me is heroine’s reluctance to sleep with her husband. She acts like he is demanding something outside his rights. She’s using his money to fund her lifestyle but refuses to sleep with him. She won’t let him annul the marriage. But she wants him to fake being devoted …. AND. She parades a string of beaus when she goes to parties.
No idea how she stayed a virgin for six years. Made no sense. Those men just did not mind escorting her around? Even the most metrosexual man might demand some gratification.
Was the author aware of what she was writing?? This made me angry reading it.
I disliked the heroine. Literally. Could not stand her.
I disliked both characters. They were both horrible.
There seemed to be no attraction between the main characters so love. Impossible.
This is not a love story.
It’s a fake story. Like Dangerous Liaisons that movie or something.
The reason the hero and heroine can’t be together seem flimsy. If they hate each other so much. Why are they together.
The heroine is such a horrible woman. Always leading men on. It was disgusting.
I have abandoned the book.
This book was incomprehensible. Insane. There was literally no meaning in anything that happened at all.
January 13, 2024
I remember the first time I stumbled across A Lady at Last in primary school and brought it to class, not even knowing I possessed a treasure (I finally didn’t read… it until I was 15). It would be some time before I discovered that it was a romance book so engrossing that I could read it all day. A Lady at Last was my first love novel and I so madly loved it that I promised myself I would buy the rest of the series someday. Today I read the last book of the series. I am filled with nostalgia and a bit of pain at the idea that this is the end.
A marvelous closing chapter. The story was skilfully written, and I loved the plot. The tension and the seduction at the beginning are great. I adore the first part of the novel. Alexi seems so protective and smitten with Elysse. The author managed to make us understand they already love each other even if they did not say it. The Masquerade begins with Tyrell and Lizzy’s childhood meeting and the premise of a love story. The Promise begins with Alexis’ promise to protect Elysse. It feels so nostalgic at the end of the novel. I had a glimpse in The Perfect Bride of Alexi and Elysse’s relationship and attraction in childhood. I loved the characters and found that Elysse behaved perfectly. I wasn’t angry with her nor did I want to shake her to make her come to her senses because her decisions and actions were perfectly right (I wouldn’t have done otherwise). Alexi is a proper match for Elysse, his reactions were what made the story interesting. Then Thomas Blair is an important character in the plot since he is handsome and a proper rival: the trigger to make Alexi react, or think about his true feelings toward Elysse. I felt sorry for him like I did for Saint Clair in The Stolen Bride or the Scottish noble who was Amanda’s suitor in A Lady at Last. The ending adds to my nostalgia since the whole de Warenne family has gathered to welcome the couple and there they are: Tyrell and Lizzy, Sean and Eleanor, Blanche and Rex, Devlin and Virginia, Cliff and Amanda, Ariella and Emilian, Clarewood who is yet to meet Alexandra, and Alexi and Elysse. Such a touching view as an ending is memorable. I think a love that begins in childhood is the most magical and touching thing in the world. I believe this kind of love in novels strengthens beautifully and grows with time to become finally overwhelming and admirable. A great novel, I was at diapason with the plume of the author and became completely absorbed in my reading for two days. It is a treasure of a book. I am glad I finished the series with Cliff’s son’s love story, he is truly a worthy heir. An heir of the de Warenne myth that each of us wants to share: that someday, somehow, an endless and true love will come to us and take our breaths away.
A marvelous closing chapter. The story was skilfully written, and I loved the plot. The tension and the seduction at the beginning are great. I adore the first part of the novel. Alexi seems so protective and smitten with Elysse. The author managed to make us understand they already love each other even if they did not say it. The Masquerade begins with Tyrell and Lizzy’s childhood meeting and the premise of a love story. The Promise begins with Alexis’ promise to protect Elysse. It feels so nostalgic at the end of the novel. I had a glimpse in The Perfect Bride of Alexi and Elysse’s relationship and attraction in childhood. I loved the characters and found that Elysse behaved perfectly. I wasn’t angry with her nor did I want to shake her to make her come to her senses because her decisions and actions were perfectly right (I wouldn’t have done otherwise). Alexi is a proper match for Elysse, his reactions were what made the story interesting. Then Thomas Blair is an important character in the plot since he is handsome and a proper rival: the trigger to make Alexi react, or think about his true feelings toward Elysse. I felt sorry for him like I did for Saint Clair in The Stolen Bride or the Scottish noble who was Amanda’s suitor in A Lady at Last. The ending adds to my nostalgia since the whole de Warenne family has gathered to welcome the couple and there they are: Tyrell and Lizzy, Sean and Eleanor, Blanche and Rex, Devlin and Virginia, Cliff and Amanda, Ariella and Emilian, Clarewood who is yet to meet Alexandra, and Alexi and Elysse. Such a touching view as an ending is memorable. I think a love that begins in childhood is the most magical and touching thing in the world. I believe this kind of love in novels strengthens beautifully and grows with time to become finally overwhelming and admirable. A great novel, I was at diapason with the plume of the author and became completely absorbed in my reading for two days. It is a treasure of a book. I am glad I finished the series with Cliff’s son’s love story, he is truly a worthy heir. An heir of the de Warenne myth that each of us wants to share: that someday, somehow, an endless and true love will come to us and take our breaths away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2023
Oh, where to start?
This was just bad all around! Semi-spoilers up ahead…
For most, there was no romance between them. He has more passion for sailing then with the heroine. Yes, what a waste of angst & romance. Everything leading up to the big incident was just awful. For one, the dialogues between MC carry on like this———
Hero: Don’t lead the man on…
Heroine: Why? Are you jealous?
Hero: No. But don’t lead the man on, ok?
Heroine: Why? Are you flirting with me?
Hero: No. But are you flirting with me?”
Heroine: No. Are you jealous?
Hero: No. Are you jealous?
(Dialogues repeats a couple more time…)
Finally, it led to the hero accidentally killing the man. Aka heroine’s almost rapist aka hero’s pilot buddy. Ok, so I get it, it was an accidental death. The fight went down in defense mode but I can’t believe hero & family did what they did to the rapist’s dead body. It was triggering. Gave extreme murder vibes. Next, I don’t understand why the hero suddenly decided to leave her after the marriage. At this point, we see that he was troubled by the whole incident but he also proved to be rather glad that he was able to save her virtue. So, then why did he suddenly turn his anger on her at the last minute? I mean, I would understand the plot more have the hero was originally furious at her because she didn’t heed his warnings, ultimately causing him to kill a potential good shipmate. Mind you, I say shipmate not man…dude is a rapist after all. At least in that sense, it would makes some sense to accept the hero with his decision to leave the marriage unconsummated. Obviously, she needed to grow up & he was very much in love with the sea. But the author didn’t really go there in that kind of sense. Honestly, this plot was just weak.
Another thing that did cross my mind while reading this particular historical, was why does it seem perfectly fine for the heroine to have suitors while her husband was away? I know it’s common for the time period but why should a decent wife even have suitors in the first place? Not suitors like a brother figure or chaperone but mostly like a lover. As we see from her POV, she knew people considered this certain suitor was her lover. Well, isn’t that considered scandalous? Cheating? And morally wrong? I know the guys keep mistresses, widows entertains freely, some married women aren’t faithful & discrete, but for the heroine here, why does it seem like she was unbothered by that kind of image?
This was just bad all around! Semi-spoilers up ahead…
For most, there was no romance between them. He has more passion for sailing then with the heroine. Yes, what a waste of angst & romance. Everything leading up to the big incident was just awful. For one, the dialogues between MC carry on like this———
Hero: Don’t lead the man on…
Heroine: Why? Are you jealous?
Hero: No. But don’t lead the man on, ok?
Heroine: Why? Are you flirting with me?
Hero: No. But are you flirting with me?”
Heroine: No. Are you jealous?
Hero: No. Are you jealous?
(Dialogues repeats a couple more time…)
Finally, it led to the hero accidentally killing the man. Aka heroine’s almost rapist aka hero’s pilot buddy. Ok, so I get it, it was an accidental death. The fight went down in defense mode but I can’t believe hero & family did what they did to the rapist’s dead body. It was triggering. Gave extreme murder vibes. Next, I don’t understand why the hero suddenly decided to leave her after the marriage. At this point, we see that he was troubled by the whole incident but he also proved to be rather glad that he was able to save her virtue. So, then why did he suddenly turn his anger on her at the last minute? I mean, I would understand the plot more have the hero was originally furious at her because she didn’t heed his warnings, ultimately causing him to kill a potential good shipmate. Mind you, I say shipmate not man…dude is a rapist after all. At least in that sense, it would makes some sense to accept the hero with his decision to leave the marriage unconsummated. Obviously, she needed to grow up & he was very much in love with the sea. But the author didn’t really go there in that kind of sense. Honestly, this plot was just weak.
Another thing that did cross my mind while reading this particular historical, was why does it seem perfectly fine for the heroine to have suitors while her husband was away? I know it’s common for the time period but why should a decent wife even have suitors in the first place? Not suitors like a brother figure or chaperone but mostly like a lover. As we see from her POV, she knew people considered this certain suitor was her lover. Well, isn’t that considered scandalous? Cheating? And morally wrong? I know the guys keep mistresses, widows entertains freely, some married women aren’t faithful & discrete, but for the heroine here, why does it seem like she was unbothered by that kind of image?
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