I can’t fathom how Sadie Kincaid can write as many books as she does, but I am eternally grateful for it. The Ruthless universe, from LA to Chicago and now to New York, has long been a favorite of mine, and I was so excited to dive into the next installment of the James brothers’ stories. Promise Me Forever is a contemporary workplace romance with just a touch of the mafia presence that Sadie Kincaid is known for. It is technically a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first book in the series, Broken, before diving into this one.
It’s hard to be an enthusiastic maid of honor when your own marriage has just collapsed, but Amelia is a good friend, and she was determined to put on a brave face at her best friend’s wedding. She was with her husband and high school sweetheart for fifteen years, until he started sleeping with his secretary. A difficult evening at the wedding starts to improve when she meets a handsome stranger.
They agree to one night together, a night that turns out to be mind-blowing for them both. In the morning, they go their separate ways, but when Amelia starts her new job the following Monday, she discovers that her new boss, Drake James, is none other than the sexy stranger. Amelia desperately needs this job and its benefits to care for her sick mother, so they have no choice but to push the fiery chemistry between them away and pretend like nothing happened, something that proves much easier said than done.
Drake is an angsty workaholic with deep-seated commitment issues. He’s also deliciously intense with a secret playful side. Amelia, on the other hand, is an absolute sweetheart. She spent her marriage making herself smaller to support her husband, but over the course of the book she’s learning to stand up and fight for herself.
Despite the fact that Amelia is in her early thirties, she’s only ever been with one man before Drake, which makes her relatively inexperienced, something that the very experienced Drake is more than happy to remedy.
I love these two. Their characters and story just make me so happy. Sadie Kincaid has an incredible talent for writing characters you can’t help but fall in love with. The strongest point of this book is these characters and how hard they fall for each other.
Another serious high point in Promise Me Forever is the spice. It is absolutely outstanding. Drake’s dirty talk is nothing short of perfection. There is lots of sexual tension — the delicious kind that accompanies forbidden romance.
The forbidden nature of their connection is what most of the plot is about, navigating a complicated romantic situation and all of the feelings that come with it. There are a couple classic romance misunderstandings, and a brutally timed third-act breakup followed by an incredible, touching ending.
Promise Me Forever is a quintessential contemporary romance. Its easy to read, told from the dual perspective of both characters, so readers can really feel like they know these characters. It’s emotional but fast paced, and at the end you’ll be wishing there was more of these two, which is the hallmark of any excellent book.
Writing: 5
Spice: 4
Kindle: $4.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited
Paperback: $17.99
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