Customer Reviews

A Promise to Remember

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Kathryn Cushman has done an incredible job. She somehow finds a way to tell both sides of this tragic story and make you both angry AND sympathetic to each mother. Choosing to show both Andie and Melanie as flawed human beings reacting to death in their own way, Cushman allows the reader to decide who is right and wrong here.

I was amazed at how detailed Cushman's story was. She introduced both mothers in the midst of the most horrible moment in their lives, and had each reacting in a logical way. The women never became stereotypical or cookie-cutter characters in any way. To be honest, I still don't know who I felt more sympathetic toward, and that's the sign of a powerful writer. Ultimately, she delivers a strong ending (it's hard to say "upbeat" when dealing with a story like this) that really ties everything up nicely.

Kathryn Cushman is a writer to watch. I'm usually pulled more toward the suspense/thriller genre, but I'm glad I took a chance on this talented writer and entered her literary world for a little while. Looking forward to the next one!

Haunting. That's what I call a book or movie that stays with me for days after I close the back cover or leave the theatre.

A Promise to Remember haunted me for days. Kathryn Cushman did a wonderful job making both grieving mothers real and sympathetic. When I was in Andie's scenes, I'd get angry at single mom Melanie and her twisted view of a "legacy." But when reading Melanie, I'd be angry at the wealthy Phelps' and the memorials they could buy for their son.

A Promise to Remember is a wonderful read.

If you like Karen Kingsbury, you will LOVE A Promise to Remember.

Kathryn Cushman's debut is wonderful, but it's not a light read. My heart ached for Melanie, who was compelled to visit the cemetery every day because she was afraid Jeff was lonely and because she'd made a promise never to abandon her children. I longed to comfort Andie, who was drowning in guilt that she wasn't a good enough wife and mother. The ending isn't "happy", though I was at peace with it. Still, I was left wondering how both families would move on after surviving such loss. I thought of friends who've lost children, and grieved anew for them.

This soul-stirring novel will stay with me for a long time.

I liked the story- told from the opposing perspectives that really makes you see how each person might feel they were completely in the right in their actions, which is why I gave it three stars. For people who are not interested in faith-themed books, this book was really heavy handed with the "message" and it was really, really burdensome. It seemed forced and took away from a story that was actually rather interesting in itself (rather Jodi Picoult-ish). I hated how trite the religious parts were, which simply jolts the reader out of the story because it just doesn't flow with the rest of the story. Instead of adding to the story, which it could have, it reduced it.

When I bought this, I didn't see anything on the page that indicated that it was a Christian-themed book. Now, I see this in the reviews, but not in the description. I'm not sure that I would have gotten it if I had known, because in my experience, Christian writing is like Christian music- the talent pool is smaller, so compared to the general population, those who succeed are often not of comparable quality to those who succeed in the general population. I say this as someone who used to search out Christian music and books and finally gave up due to this realization. I'm glad I got this free on my Kindle!

I downloaded this book as a free kindle book. I was unfamiliar with the author and I was unaware that it was a Christian book. What a wondeful surprise I experienced when I got into the book and realized that not only did I appreciate the author's talent but I found the book thought provoking and very good. This book is about grief, miscommunication, anger and remorse but it is also about healing, faith, forgiveness and love. It is a great book club read and I have recommened it to my Facebook friends becasue of the messages woven into the story line. I will remember this book and this author.

This was a riveting story about pain, loss, and forgiveness. It was very easy reading and the author had my attention from the very beginning. I could not put it down. While it certainly was a tearjerker - it was full of hope. I was really touched.

"A Promise to Remember", by Kathryn Cushman, is a story about how two very different families deal with grief. I chose this book to read because I recently installed the "Kindle for PC" software on my laptop computer. The publisher is offering this book as a FREE download for Kindle users.

Chad Phelps and Jeff Johnston are killed in a car wreck. The Phelps family is wealthy and live in an exclusive area of Santa Barbara, California. Melanie Johnston is a single mom and works in a grocery store to earn a living. Chad Phelps had been drinking the night he collided with Jeff Johnston.

This book provides a look at how the families go through denial, anger, depression and finally acceptance in dealing with the loss of their teenage sons.

This is a Christian fiction book but it is not preachy. Christian beliefs and values are used by both families to move forward and accept this tragedy. The theme of the story is forgiveness.

I could really relate to this book because I was in a head-on collision with a drunk driver in 1992. I went through many of the same feelings that were portrayed in this book. This is a very helpful book for anyone who has gone through a traumatic experience. It will help you get things in the proper perspective.

Two families grieving lost sons make diverse attempts to deal with their pain. Although the main protagonists are the boys' mothers, a husband, a sister and friends take different, sometimes extreme, measures to compensate for the emptiness in their lives. Cushman weaves a captivating story that makes it impossible to put this book down. Her unique gift for deep characterization puts the reader inside the heads and hearts of each member of the saga, even the slimy attorney who hopes for financial gain through one mother's sadness. This wonderful debut novel will keep readers watching for another chance to read more exciting, quality fiction from this author. This reviewer hopes she will follow some of the characters into her next book.

Half way through the book I seriously considered putting it down and reading no more. I kept on reading because I really try to finish every book I begin. Here is what I didn't like:

1. Simplistic and unrealistic plot and development of events. Elementary, amateurish writing style. (Felt I could have written it myself).
2. Poor characterization. Characters lack depth. It's hard to feel empathy towards Melanie, the main character.
3. Highly predictable.
4. As other reviewers have mentioned, the Christian/religious message is annoying. You feel like you're being preached by a book. If you are a Christian and do enjoy religious-themed books, I still consider there should be better options out there. I wouldn't recommend this one at all.
5. Overall, it lacks depth and substance in plot and character development.

The only thing I did like about the book was the forgiveness theme, the message of "hating someone does not hurt anyone other than yourself." It was a good concept; too bad it was so poorly developed. It felt like a "Lifetime" movie.

I stayed up till 3:00 AM reading this beautifully written, stunning novel of love and loss. Ms. Cushman conveyed every mother's deepest fear, the profound and devastating knowledge that one is unable to protect their children from all harm. The mothers live at different ends of the spectrum, and the only thing they have in common is the loss of a child. Rather than bringing them together, they are pulled apart by well-meaning friends and family, who are angry, and quick to place blame. Ms. Cushman digs beneath the layers of guilt and aloneness, unveiling faith and forgiveness like the petals of a rose, slowly opening both women's hearts to God. In the end, redemption, with consequences, resonates in an all-too-real life scenario that will touch the heart long after the last page is turned.