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Summary: Return to Promise
Review: I've read the other Promise stories and, granted, this one isn't typical. But I found it very real. The difficulties in Cal and Jane's marriage are definitely believable; they stem from small frustrations and careless moments, as marital problems so often do in life, and are exacerbated by the death of Jane's father. Jane's grief, too, is very believable. And Nicole, the woman who tries to break up Cal's marriage, might be a bit cliched but let's face it--cliches have a grounding in truth. Overall I liked the story a lot and I found the emotions genuine. I thought the resolution worked because you can believe in these characters and in the love they have for each other, despite the fact that daily life has gotten in the way of their expressing that love. Macomber's fictional Texas town is less idealized in this story but in the end returning to Promise is a satisfying experience.
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Summary: A Heartwarming Story from the Quintessential Storyteller
Review: One of the first romances I ever read was a Debbie Macomber book so I credit her with my current love for the genre. With RETURN TO PROMISE I am reminded just why I enjoy her books so much. She's able to weave a story so seamlessly and make it so heartwarming.Jane, a physician, and Cal, a rancher, have been married several years and have two young children when Jane's father breaks his hip and Jane returns to her California hometown for a few weeks, children in tow. When she is in California, she realizes it is no longer her home and yearns for her new hometown of Promise, Texas. Meanwhile, Cal is lost without Jane. Although he was a bachelor for many years, he has come to rely on Jane so much and finds himself feeling lonely. When complications require Jane remain in California, he finds himself a bit resentful. Nicole Nelson has just returned to Promise with one thing on her mind - to seduce Cal. She doesn't care that he's married - it just makes the game more challenging. When she hears Jane is out of town, she figures she has more of a chance to succeed in her malicious endeavor. Nicole's actions seem rather innocent at first - but it soon becomes evident that she has an ulterior motive in mind. Will Cal and Jane's marriage survive this invasion? We also meet many of the people of Promise, but readers who haven't read the other Promise books won't feel left out. What a skill it is to write a sequel like this and make it stand alone! RETURN TO PROMISE reminds me of Jan Karon's "Mitford" series - a heartwarming story, set in a small town, with many endearing secondary characters. After reading RETURN TO PROMISE, readers will be anxious to read the stories featuring the other residents -- Lonesome Cowboy, Texas Two-Step, Caroline's Child, Dr. Texas, Nell's Cowboy, and Lone Star Baby. There is rarely a better reading experience than a Debbie Macomber book!
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Summary: Debbie Macomber did it again!
Review: She has done it again! Written a powerful little book that starts out ordinary enough but by the end I am extremely touched and am left with a warm happy feeling! This author always does that! I have not yet read the other Heart Of Texas books but this latest one does stand very well on it's own. I never once felt lost.
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Summary: A good but not great read
Review: The schism in their marriage started when Cal Peterson hid from his wife Jane that he signed up to participate in the Promise, Texas Labor Day Rodeo bull-riding event. The next incident begins when Jane's mother calls to inform them that her father is ill. Jane, accompanied by her three-year-old son and eighteen-month-old daughter, travels to her California home while Cal stays behind. Meanwhile, Nicole Nelson, best friend to the woman who jilted Cal years ago, has returned to town. Nicole makes a bold bid to catch Cal's interests, having romanticized her image of him over the years. However, her machinations lead to a separation between Cal and Jane as each misinterprets the situation to fit their thoughts. Jane thinks Cal is having an affair while Cal believes his constant running into Nicole is a coincidence. With Jane in California and Cal in Texas, it seems that this relationship is over unless the duo comes to their senses. The RETURN TO PROMISE will satisfy die-hard fans of the warm uplifting series and newcomers who will gain a taste of that mighty Macomber magic. Cal and Jane have appeared as secondary charcaters in previous books, so that their starring role feels like coming home. However, the plot is occasionally detoured by flashbacks that Ms. Macomber told in previous novels. Still, the latest book in the Promise series works because of the lead couple, who substantiates that men and women occupy different galaxies. Harriet Klausner
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Summary: Glad they returned!
Review: This book is a great beach book and hard to put down. Although
you know from the beginning who where what why when. Glad I read it and look forward to reading the first one!
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good.
Review: This was an enjoyable book, but I can't give it 5 stars because the whole book was all about 2 Dr Jane and her Husband. But, worth reading.
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Summary: Good update of Cal and Jane
Review: While this is suppossed to be an update of the people of Promise, I really only felt updated on Cal and Jane's life. All the other characters were barely mentioned in forms of, "That must be Nell's pie...or Savannah brought me lunch...or Grady and his kids...I would have LOVED to have more info about what was going on in the other people's lives as well. I really thought that Cal was being a jerk and never really owned up to that fact. Go Jane!!She was great...
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