REVIEW: A Promise Kept by Anissa Garcia

In A Promise Kept by Anissa Garcia, Grace Clark is a woman that closed her heart off to love years ago after a relationship she rather wishes didn’t happen ended up with her losing her brother. However, when Evan Matthews moves into town for a little while, it seems she’s going to have to do everything in her power to resist his charms, especially if she’s going to honor a promise she made.

”You’re a bit of a badass, Grace.”
“It’s a gift,” she joked, tugging the toolbox from the countertop, the weight pulling her shoulder down a notch.
“I like it.” His voice sounded raspy and gritty.

Grace is so not the kind of woman Evan Matthews normally goes for, but there’s something about her that intrigues him. However, she has reservations about getting involved with someone, which means Evan needs to find a way to break down those high walls of hers. Will he be able to convince Grace that a relationship between them is possible?

Ms. Garcia had me hooked from the very beginning with this incredible book, which was filled with an amazing array of characters, dialogue that kept me entertained from start to finish and a storyline that was fast-paced and took me on a roller coaster of emotions. The way this story began made me smile. Grace has every right to be annoyed from being taken away from an event that’s very important to her career for a supposed emergency.

The dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the heroine. She made a promise that she’s determined to keep, and yet, Evan makes her want to break it because he’s patient and willing to wait until she’s ready. I could understand why she was so hesitant to get involved with Evan because a relationship in the past lost her the most important people in her life. Yet, at the same time, she needed to let go of the past and realize that there are still plenty of good men out in the world; men like Evan.

”What are you doing here, Matthews?”
“Making sure you wouldn’t vomit in your sleep, Captain Kirk.”
“Shit.” She grimaced in humiliation. “God, it feels like Thor is hitting my head with his f****** hammer.”

Grace and Evan had me riveted to every word of this book, yet it wasn’t just them that made this story entertaining. Grace’s friends definitely want her to find a man that she can trust; one that won’t let her down like so many people have in the past. Grace is strong, brave, and extremely independent. She finds it very hard to trust after everything she’s gone through in her past, and I liked that Evan managed to break down those high walls she had up. He’s nothing if not determined to make her realize that she can be happy with a man. Talks of the memoir she’s writing and her nightmares definitely are moments that brought tears to my eyes. Her brother’s death affected her so much, and she needs to be able to finally let it all go.

While Evan, he’s confident and I liked how determined he was to win Grace over. His trickery had me smiling, yet there’s no doubt it was going to get him in trouble further along in the story. Can he convince Grace that the things he did were in her best interest? Will what he does finally help Grace heal from her past and make her realize that none of it was her fault? That her brother did what he did because he was defending her honor.

“Did we? We didn’t…”
“We’re still clothed, doll.”
Grace shut her eyes in relief. “Thank God!”
“Don’t sound too relieved.”
“Well, that’s the last thing I’d want to happen.”
“You do wonders for my ego, you know that?”

Hot and nicely-detailed sex scenes heat up this story, and definitely do justice to this couple’s intense chemistry, which is there from the moment they meet. Evan definitely knows how to make a woman feel comfortable in his presence and does everything in his power to win Grace over. Certainly, their playful banter generates a lot of sexual tension that left me wondering just when Grace would surrender to their attraction.

Overall, Ms. Garcia has penned an incredible novel about a heroine needing love in her life to help her heal from the hurts of the past, and a hero that will do anything to prove he’s the right man for her. The way this story ended was very tense with Evan betraying Grace’s trust and the hero’s accident. Yet, it all worked out in the end. Indeed, it ended up helping Grace for the better with getting reacquainted with those that love her and making her realize how much she loved Evan and how she wanted nothing more than to have him in her life. I would recommend A Promise Kept by Anissa Garcia, if you enjoy stories that illustrate how love can be the best medicine to heal the hurts of the couple’s pasts, most especially that of a heroine that has lost so much.

Book Info:

 June 6th, 2016 | AG Romance Reads LLC |

Closing her heart a long time ago, Grace Clark made a promise she’s vowed to keep. Having Hollywood heartthrob Evan Matthews move in next door with his alluring good looks, charisma, wit, and sexy smile is a temptation that runs the risk of compromising the importance of that promise.

Evan is drawn to his new neighbor. Grace is the exact opposite of the women he normally encounters. Enticing, down-to-earth, and confident, she captivates him. She has no problems facing off with Evan, and he soon realizes Grace is much more than just a challenge. He wants to prove himself to her.

Grace can see the man beyond the actor, and with more than just her pride at stake, she needs to hold tight to her promise before Evan breaks through all her walls, exposing her heart.