Tomorrow's Promise [Paperback]

Radclyffe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2003

Adrienne Pierce, buffeted by fate and abandoned by love, seeks refuge from her past as well as her uncertain future on Whitley Point, a secluded island off the coast of Maine. Tanner Whitley—young, wild, restless—and heir to a dynasty, desperately tries to escape both her destiny and the memories of a tragic loss with casual sex and wild nights, a dangerous course that may ultimately destroy her. One timeless summer, these two very different women discover the power of passion to heal--and the promise of hope that only love can bestow.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Radclyffe is the cyberpersona of an author/surgeon who lives and writes in the Northeastern United States. She admits to a life-long love affair with fictional romances of all persuasions, and, after discovering lesbian fiction at the age of twelve, she has collected it, written it, and finally, one career later, published it. The common theme throughout her traditional romances and action/mystery series is a celebration of the power of love between strong, valiant women.

In addition to writing, her passions include the martial arts (she holds a black belt in Ju Jitsu and a brown belt in Aikido) and everything about the life she shares with her partner, Lee.

She states:

"When I began writing love stories about women more than two decades ago, I did it for several reasons. First, because I loved the process of giving form to the characters who populated my imagination and watching the written word materialize on paper (or on screen, as it happens these days). Secondly, there weren't many romances involving two women available anywhere, and I longed to see our stories told. Today, we are fortunate to have many fine writers sharing these works on the web and elsewhere. I am very grateful to be a part of that experience.

My web-posting experience began when I discovered fan fiction. The writing was excellent, the discussions lively, and the camaraderie supportive. This website is the result of that first encounter with the world of internet fiction. Through the generosity of many people who have posted my work on their web sites as well as the tremendous support of readers on the Rad-discussion list, I have discovered the incredible satisfaction of sharing what I write with others via both the web and print.

Yet another chapter in my adventure with writing fiction unfolded when, in 1999, Safe Harbor was accepted for publication by RAP books. I was soon immersed in the challenge of creating a published novel. Since that time I have learned to appreciate this final step in the creative process, and I hope to continue that experience well into the future."

Product Details

• Paperback: 262 pages
• Publisher: BookEnds Press (July 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0974092215
• ISBN-13: 978-0974092218
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,363,754 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Radclyffe, a retired surgeon and full time author-publisher, has published over thirty-five novels as well as dozens of short stories, has edited numerous anthologies, and, writing as L. L. Raand, has authored a paranormal romance series, The Midnight Hunters. She is a eight time Lambda Literary Award finalist in romance, mystery and erotica--winning in both romance (Distant Shores, Silent Thunder) and erotica (Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments edited with Stacia Seaman and In Deep Waters 2: Cruising the Strip written with Karin Kallmaker). A member of the Saints and Sinners Literary Hall of Fame, she is also a 2010 RWA/FF&P Prism Award Winner for Secrets in the Stone, an Independent Publisher's award winner (IPPY), an Alice B. Readers' award Winner, and a finalist for the Benjamin Franklin award, the ForeWord Review Book of the Year award, and the 2010 Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice award. She is also the president of Bold Strokes Books, one of the world's largest independent LGBT publishing companies.

She states, "I began reading lesbian fiction at the age of twelve when I found a copy of Ann Bannon's Beebo Brinker. That book and others like it convinced me that I was not alone, that there were other women who felt like I did. Our literature provides support and validation and very often, a lifeline, for members of our community throughout the world. I am proud and honored to be able to publish the many fine authors at Bold Strokes Books and to contribute in some small way to the words that the celebrate LGBTQ experience."

You can visit Radclyffe at http://www.facebook.com/Radclyffe.BSB?ref=ts

Or buy her books direct from the publisher at www.boldstrokesbooks.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Today's Best Read, June 12, 2006

By 

P. Bigelow (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tomorrow's Promise (Paperback)

The plot of this book is as described elsewhere.

Whether you read Radclyffe's series books, like the Justice series or the Honor series or the Provincetown series, or you read one of her stand-alone romances, you can not go wrong.

I have been reading lesbian fiction for many years, and can honestly say that I have never come across a writer that has so affected me. Her characters are strong, intelligent, and romantic. Naysayers will say that Radclyffe's characters are too perfect almost never flawed - either in looks or character. That may be true, but aren't you tired of the genre's penchant for ordinary? Radclyffe's characters are always enchanting, intoxicating, enticing, and intense. The stories, particularly in the series books, are all first class. Most of her series books are page-turners. And in two of the books, I actually turned to the last page to make sure that the main characters survived - something I never do.

Radclyffe let us believe, at least for the duration of each of her books, that the grand passion, the true love, the happy-ever-after are all possible. She lets us believe that being a strong, intelligent woman does not mean that we will be alone and/or isolated.

The only caveat I have is to read the series books in order. And if you enjoy watching a writer grow, then read the non-series books in the order they were written and watch Radclyffe's talent grow before your very eyes.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome and heart wrenching, August 27, 2003

By 

K. Isserman "Kisserman" (Columbia, MD) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tomorrow's Promise (Paperback)

Once again Radclyffe has written a book where you can feel the emotions of the characters.
Adrienne has escaped her own tortured world, expecting to be left alone, but along comes Tanner...
Radclyffe's character development and love scenes are the best in lesbian fiction today. You become invested in the characters and want to know if there is a happy ending.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Up to Rad's Usual Standard..., August 24, 2006

By 

K. Johnson (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tomorrow's Promise (Paperback)

For only the second time, this reader is giving a 4-star rating to a Radclyffe book. In `Tomorrow's Promise,' Rad introduces Adrienne Pierce. Adrienne is a recent survivor of a breast cancer scare during which she had a single mastectomy. Her lover of several years became distant and her career was put on the back burner. Adrienne decides to spend the summer alone on Whitley Point, a secluded semi-private island off the coast of Maine. There, she meets the enigmatic Tanner Whitley - wild child and heir to the Whitley fortune.

Tanner is soon enamored by older Adrienne and the women find themselves falling into a tentative love relationship. Tanner is convinced Adrienne is there to stay and is devastated when Adrienne decides to return to her regularly-scheduled life.

The book seems to end abruptly without closure to many of the issues introduced by the author. There is not enough time allowed (i.e., only a page or two) for the characters to embrace their future. Neither the characters of Adrienne nor Tanner seem fully developed. Only Tanner's past seems to have any dimensionality. Adrienne's only includes her career in the military and her estranged former lover/wife.

As with any Radclyffe book, no collection of lesbian fiction is complete without including this one. However, it just doesn't seem to rise to her standard level of excellence.