Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the others
Review: I usually like anything that Stephanie Laurens writes, but for some reason I couldn't get into this book. The characters, especially the Duke, came off as one-dimensional and wooden. The writing seemed uninspired, and the text is full of run-on sentences. It is not a bad story, but knowing that Ms. Laurens is capable of much better, I cannot bring myself to give it a higher rating.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring
Review: I am an avid reader, and this is one of the worst books I have ever read! I can't actually believe that I wasted my time reading this. The end was laughable!
Rating:
Summary: Sebastian's adultrey in a later book ruined it for me...
Review: This book would have been romantic and spellbinding IF Ms. Laurens had not written Sebastian as an adulterer after marrying his beloved Helena in her later books. I just couldn't get pass this and it made this read all the more disappointing. There is absolutely NO WAY the Sebastian portrayed in this book would ever cheat on the love of his life. As the other reviewers stated, nothing was ever plausibly written as to why he did this and because of it, fathered a son by another woman. The Promise in a Kiss has alot going for it if you can get pass this flaw.
Rating: 
Summary: Laurens fulfils the promise to readers
Review: Lush and unabashedly romantic, Stephanie Laurens gives one of her most solid efforts in her hardcover debut, The Promise in a Kiss. Running on more credible plot premise and a more concise length, Laurens summons magic and warmth to this delightful Christmas Regency romance. Sebastian, duke of St.Ives seals a kiss with Helena the Comtesse d'Lisle at a French Convent seven years ago and reunites fatefully at a London ball. Her innocence and exquisite beauty crumbles Sebastian's affirmed bachelor status - and her rejections to his seductions makes him more determined to make his bride. What Sebastian doesn't know is Helena's reluctance to remain a puppet to powerful men as in her despotic uncle Fabien who uses her advantageously in profitable subterfuge. Their tenuous romance is threatened when Helena sees her sister Ariele at her uncle's clutches - and is ordered to recover a dagger that is under Sebastian's possession. Wonderfully sensual and passionate, Laurens fulfils the promise to readers in this Christmas novella - and deservingly places this gratifying offering as one of the best of Amazon.com 2001.
Rating: 
Summary: Decadent and provocative
Review: On a magical, moonlit night, Sebastian Cynster and Helena Rebecce de Stansion, Comtess d'Lisle, share a forbidden kiss in a convent courtyard. A light dusting of snow skitters on the wind and conforms Helena's shift and flimsy robe to her body; the cold is quickly forgotten, however, by the unexpected appearance of a "mad" Englishman in a carefully guarded French cloister. When an alarm is raised, Helena is quick to deny knowledge of any trespasser, but points weakly toward the convent gates. Helena's silence is a boon to Sebastian; as a token of his gratitude, he takes an unresisting Helena into his arms and tempts her with a kiss, the promise of which will haunt her for seven long years, until fate reunites them. But for what purpose?Firmly under the manipulative thumb of her guardian, Helena, a wealthy Comtess in her own right, has journeyed to England to find a husband -- with her guardian's encouragement, of course, but also with her own agenda. Helena needs to meet and wed a man of greater wealth, title and property than she; Fabien de Mordaunt, her guardian, has made that abundantly clear. The quality of said gentleman's character, however, is up for debate. Helena is determined to avoid being yet another pawn to be moved about at whim. Instead, she would like to pull the puppet strings herself. Hence, a husband of a malleable nature is a requirement; non! a necessity. Sebastian Cynster -- the mysterious stranger who kissed her so ardently those many years ago, and whose identity is only now revealed-- is far from an ideal candidate, therefore. His aversion to the wedded state is well-known, however. With naught but a simple glance, Helena is aware of the danger he represents, oui, but is confident she can avoid falling into his seductive traps. More than one intrigue is at play here, though. Freedom is all Helena desires; Sebastian's motivation is unclear. Whether she wills it or nay, her one chance at freedom might very well be this unnervingly powerful man. Stephanie Laurens has taken the romance genre by storm with her scintillating Cynster tales. For those in need of an introduction to this lusty and provocative family, however, The Promise in a Kiss would be the ideal place to start. Sebastian Cynster, Duke of St. Ives, is literally the patriarch of the Cynster clan as described by Ms. Laurens's previous novels. Sebastian is more patient, and yes, forbearing, than the Cynster generation to come, though. I was pleasantly surprised by said forbearance. (Never fear, that so-called "warrior" persona is still present; Sebastian has to battle his more primitive instincts while dealing with the strong-willed and eminently temperamental French beauty destined to become his wife). Those tempestuous love scenes -- a trademark of Ms. Laurens's Cynster novels -- also burn up the pages. As a reader who has read the entire Cynster "series," I found my curiosity and admiration for the Cynster clan reawakened by The Promise in a Kiss. I also had a problem, however, brought about by such familiarity. (For those who are new to the Cynster novels, I strongly recommend you skip to the next paragraph, as what I am about to discuss may sour your perception of this novel). It's no secret to those familiar with the "series" that Sebastian Cynster is eventually unfaithful to his wife, with said affair resulting in off-spring. I found myself haunted by the prospect of his eventual adultery. No explanation is given, indeed, no mention is made of Sebastian's future infidelity. I was hoping there would be some innocuous explanation. I eventually chose to concoct my own theory about Richard Cynster's birth. After all, the Sebastian Cynster in The Promise in a Kiss would never, ever be unfaithful to his beloved Helena. It was difficult to convince myself of such, however, as Ms. Laurens has done an incredible job of characterization in her previous novels. Nonetheless, it was a rare treat to read Sebastian and Helena's story, to be re-introduced to characters of a by-gone era. The Promise in a Kiss is the ideal stocking-stuffer for every romance reader, new and old to the Cynster "series." The decadent quality of Ms. Laurens's prose is a promise in and of itself.
Rating:
Summary: One rotten apple
Review: It's really too bad that Stephanie Laurens did not write this book first if she was going to have the hero be unfaithful to the heroine later in life. Knowing that he was unfaithful and had an illegitimate son was a piece of foreknowledge that made me constantly look for the flaw in him in this book and view his "love" with skepticism. And frankly, I don't really understand why Laurens felt the introduction of his infidelity and illegitimate son was necessary to the series. I am just not buying the excuse that he felt sorry for some woman and THEREFORE had sex with her. Whaaat? Excuse me? I feel sorry for a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I get horizontal with them. And did he have sex with all of the women in this book that the author states that he has helped over the years, including Lady Obaldstone? No, there is no evidence of that. So, with reluctance I had to give this book 3 stars instead of the 4 it deserved.
Rating:
Summary: Tainted Love
Review: The BIG problem with this book, for me, is the fact that I know that later on in Sebastian and Helene's marriage, he cheats on her. If you are a fan of the series, you know what I mean. I may be judging too harshly, but I couldn't get over the fact that in the book Sebastian is lauded as being so honest and trustworthy. It really doesn't make sense that he would not only cheat on her, but he would make another woman pregnant! I wonder if in one of the future books in the series Laurens satisfactorily explains this whole Richard "Scandal" Cynster business, because it's really irritating me. Irritating, because I couldn't really get into Sebastian and Helene's story knowing what's to come. If you can get over this little cheating matter, you'll love the book. Lots of angst, passion, good sex scenes, a hot-headed hero and heroine, blah, blah, blah...
Rating:
Summary: the anwers?
Review: Everything is all in all wonderful, but my question that has made me nervous about buying the book was the explanation I expected about Scandal. What was the Duke's excuse to his wife? How can an awesome love story be written when a few years down the road he cheats on her. Regardless of feeling sorry for Scandal's mother, he broke faith with his love. I was kinda hoping to find out how he justified his actions. Learn what he was thinking when he made his decision and how he felt about it later. Did he feel like he betrayed her? Did he want to confess? Was it no big deal? I wish Stephanie Laurens answered that. Of all her books on the Cynsters that was one thing that stuck in my mind. How could he? I thought he loved her! Well that is all I had to say.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating, Sensual, Wonderful
Review: I have read all of Stephanie Laurens books and this was yet another great one. I could not put it down. Sebastion and Helena were intense and sensual. I am not surprised that Ms. Laurens books are being put in hardback now. Her writing is certainly good enough to deserve it. She knows how to please readers, going just far enough with her characters but not too far. I hate characters that are drenched with misunderstanding and deep sorrowful events. This book had an exciting plot and suspense but was not overly depressing -- the Christmas background was perfect.
Rating:
Summary: Not quite as good as I was hoping...
Review: This story was not up to the level of Devil's Bride or even All About Love (the weakest of the series in my opinion.) Helena, the Dowerager Duchess of the Cynster family, is a young woman in this book, and meets the Duke of Ives in a typically romantic and adverturous way (i.e, outside of the accepted bounds of polite society at the time.) However, after that, the story loses steam. For all of the possible danger and suspense of the era (and we are talking about just a few years before the revolution in France, after all), the story is painfully lame and easily resolved. I would have thought a more plausible adverture could have been developed for this time period. As it is, this story could have been slotted into almost any time frame before women won their rights of property. Also, I would have liked to have seen much more depth and development of Helena. She is such a vivid presence in the Cynster Bar series. But here she seems far more typical of the standard plucky heroine from regency romances. Sorry, it's not a bad book, I just hoped for more.
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