Customer Reviews

Promise Me Heaven

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Connie Brockway's first novel, Promise Me Heaven, sizzles with sensuality and is drenched with intelligence, wit and wonderful characters.

Sassy and sensitive Catherine "Cat" Sinclair must marry a wealthy man to save her impoverished family, so she seeks out Thomas Montrose, a notorious rake, to instruct her in the art of seduction.

Once the toast of London, Thomas is now retired to a country estate, and Cat's arrogant assumption that he's over the hill angers him enough to take up the challenge. But as he teaches her everything he knows about the art of seduction, he becomes seduced by her dazzling wit, genuineness and warm heart--not to mention her breathtaking beauty.

Yet his secret past forces him to resist her even as she falls ever deeper in love with him. Through a myriad of plot turns that take the couple from Devon to London to Paris, and pit them against a dazzling array of lively secondary characters, Cat and Thomas develop a deep, complex and passionate relationship, full of witty repartee.

Synopsis: Lady Catherine (Cat) Sinclair's family needs money. Her mother has remarried and all but run off, leaving her to care for her siblings and a rundown estate. In desparation, she goes to seek out her step-uncle, Thomas. He was supposed to have been quite a rake in his time at court. Her plan is to have him teach her how to be a seductress so that she might land Giles Strand as a husband.

What follows is pure chemistry....

These characters drew me in and came alive like few have ever done before. I have enjoyed Connie Brockway's other books, but none like this one. It is well worth the read!

PS - the other favorite is Paradise by Judith McNaught.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. I love almost everything that Connie Brockway has written...except for Anything for Love, which wasn't all that great IMO. But Promise Me Heaven knocked my socks off. It was NOT your typical regency historical. The chemistry between Cat and Thomas positively sizzles. And as a wonderful surprise we get glimpses of Colonel Henry "Jack" Seward and Giles Strand, those wonderful guys from All Through the Night. It's hard to find, but it's a great read. Another note: Cat and Thomas turn out to be the great-grandparents of Avery Thorne, the hero of My Dearest Enemy. I just love connections!

So, go out and find this book. You won't regret it.

Connie Brockway's first novel, Promise Me Heaven, sizzles with sensuality and is drenched with intelligence, wit and wonderful characters.

Sassy and sensitive Catherine "Cat" Sinclair must marry a wealthy man to save her impoverished family, so she seeks out Thomas Montrose, a notorious rake, to instruct her in the art of seduction.

Once the toast of London, Thomas is now retired to a country estate, and Cat's arrogant assumption that he's over the hill angers him enough to take up the challenge. But as he teaches her everything he knows about the art of seduction, he becomes seduced by her dazzling wit, genuineness and warm heart--not to mention her breathtaking beauty.

Yet his secret past forces him to resist her even as she falls ever deeper in love with him. Through a myriad of plot turns that take the couple from Devon to London to Paris, and pit them against a dazzling array of lively secondary characters, Cat and Thomas develop a deep, complex and passionate relationship, full of witty repartee.

Well, with this time period we just know that a) the hero is probably a spy for England and b) Napoleon's return to power and the battle of Waterloo has to figure in somewhere. Yes, to both. Then, since the hero is a famous rake, he probably had to whore for England and is now suffering the pangs of conscience
and feels he's Not Worthy of the pure love of the heroine. Yes, to both. And with a name like Lady Cat, the heroine is probably a feisty little thing who will not hold the hero's terrible rakish past against him and who will agonize over his hurts and ultimately redeem him totally. Yes, again.

The plot is nothing new now though in all honesty in 1994 it probably was and I probably would have given this a higher grade had I read it then. As it is, it's a good example of its type and I give Brockway points for having a slightly different twist to the standard "English caught in Europe before the battle"
scenario (the hero and heroine must flee from Paris as Napoleon is first moving through France after his escape from Elba). So, I'll give it a B- because Brockway does tell a good tale but it's nothing that most people probably haven't read to death in the past decade. Oh, and the hero's proposal is funny. Since both are interested in land management, he thinks to persuade Cat to marry him by telling her that "Together we will
raise the most prime marino wool. What a nice flock of sheep we could have!"

I've read many romances, historicals being my first choice. This one, is the absolute best. I like nearly all of Ms. Brockway's novels, so when I found this one in auction I bid on it and won. It is enthalling! Perfect in everyway. This book is a regency Gone With The Wind. Epic and romantic. I loved both characters, their personalities, quirks and chemistry! Just perfect! A must read for anyone who loves a great romance! Track this book down and find it! Perfect story, perfect characters, and perfect ending. In my opinion, that is Ms. Brockway's specialty: perfect endings. I always reread them because of their perfection! Find this book and read it. It's a book you'll keep forever.

If you have not read this book, give it a try, it is the best of Connie's books as far as I am concerned. The second book, All Through The Night is great also. Read some of the reviews and you will get an overview of these stories. Delve into them yourself and you will not be disappointed. All Through The Night tells the story of the two associates of the hero in Promise Me Heaven. The book, My Dearest Enemy is not actually a third book, the property in contention in My Dearest Enemy and the Hero(a descendent of the H/H of Promise Me Heaven) tie in with PMH.

Promise me heaven is a great book. It has all the elements of a good story. You can feel the chemistry between Lady Cat and Thomas from the beginning.