Customer Reviews

The Promise of Christmas (Harlequin Superromance No. 1309)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thought this was an excellent book, and I'm currently adding more titles by this author to my wishlist!

In Phoenix Investment Consultant Leslie Sanderson learns that her brother Cal recently died in a rock climbing accident, but to her shock he left behind two children that she never knew he sired having been away from home for a decade as she ran from a harrowing incident. Leslie travels to her hometown Columbus for the funeral. The will states that Cal's best friend Sporting International bigwig Kip Webster, the man Leslie unrequitedly loved as a teen, and she have custody of one child each; Kip will raise five years old Jonathan and Leslie two years old Kayla.

Both feel breaking up the siblings is not the right thing so they agree to temporary forge a family by sharing a house. As the two adults begin to fall in love with one another and their young suspicious charges, she holds back her darkest secret that keeps them from fully exploring their feelings. That is until the magic of Christmas when she tells her beloved what drove her away because she trusts in his offer of love.

Fans of modern day contemporary romances will appreciate this deep tale because the powerful cast with their individual woes makes for a fine Yuletide story. The incident that drove Leslie away is handled deftly as the audience learns the impact on her and her brother who raised her when their dad died. The mixed-racial children are precocious, but in a realistic manner as for instance Jonathan wonders if his darker skin keeps his late dad's relatives from him. A final twist involving Cal turns this into a warm tale of love.

Harriet Klausner

I really enjoyed this romance. The story moved quickly and got me interested in the characters lives right away. I loved the way the author unraveled the details of the story so gradually and really showed the way past events can affect the way adults deal with the present. For me this story was a quick read, and hard to put down. I love Christmas romance stories, and there was a fair amount of "Christmas" in the atmosphere of this story, as it takes place from right around Thanksgiving until Christmas, but the holiday was only really in the "background" and the plotline of the story was much more involved and serious. The only drawbacks to the story were some parts of it seemed a little far fetched, but overall, it was great, it will be remembered, and I will look for more by this author again.

I felt as if I were reading the Cliff's Notes version of the actual book. It felt so stripped down, or maybe rushed is the word I am looking for. I know these are supposed to be short novels, but a really good writer can make a short story seem long (in a good way). The sparse writing style reminded me of "The Carousel" by Richard Paul Evans, which I did not care for.

I did find this book to be a bit politically correct for my tastes (what with Kip saying how a lot of white people feel guilty for what their ancestors did--why would I feel guilty for something I had no part or say in?), and the whole scene with the white guy at the Christmas tree lot who made a comment about Jonathan being so much darker than Kip felt forced. I know there are still white separatists, but this isn't the 1970's either (though I think the story would have come across as more realistic if it had been set back then.)

A child cannot help where they came from, though I feel personally that bringing children of mixed race into the world isn't in any child's best interest (just take Jonathan's case, for example). I feel the same way about interfaith marriages.

I really don't think the interracial theme added anything to the story-- Cal's mistreatment of his sister was far more interesting.

I do think the word "crotch", whether it refers to the male or female area, while not quite raunchy, tarnishes the luster on the lovemaking, and that Ms. Quinn would do well not to use that particular terminology in her future novels.

I've been reading some of the Christmas romances, and "The Heart of Christmas" by this same author was better. It was written better and just felt more Christmasy, but still not near as Christmasy as I would like.

THE PROMISE OF CHRISTMAS by Tara Taylor Quinn
November 26, 2005

Amazon rating 4/5

"The story in The Promise of Christmas centers on Leslie Sanderson and a secret she's kept half her life. Her brother Cal has just died, and his best friend, Kip Webster, gives her the news.... Leslie's and Cal's father passed away when they were young, and Cal became head of the household. Leslie and her mother looked up to him because of what he did to keep the family together. He was always there for them despite being so young.

Leslie is now thirty years old, and had not seen Cal for many years... After the funeral, Leslie and Kip learn that Cal had two children, and was raising them with the help of their grandmother Ada... Cal's will asks that Leslie take in his daughter Kayla, and Kip his son Jonathan. But in a perfect world, the two children shouldn't be separated, and their mother was African American. Neither Leslie nor Kip have experience raising children, let alone children of mixed heritage. And Leslie still deals with the secret demons that she has carried since she was twelve years old. Neither feels like parent material, but do they have a choice?" -- Complete review at BookLoons - M Lofton.

The secret may be obvious to some readers, but it still came as a shock when I read the words. Interesting angle on the romance, with a non-traditional ending. Recommended.