365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #199

A Promise Kept - Annabel Murray
Mills & Boon Romance
Mills & Boon, 1987
ISBN: 9780263757378





My rating



From the back cover:

"Pippa really didn't want to visit Portugal to see her mother, even when requested to do so by the austerely disapproving Carlos de Alvarez. Abandoned precipitately by Inez thirteen years ago, Pippa felt under no obligation to comply!
So it was doubly unfortunate that Carlos was the only person besides her father who knew about Pippa's past. As Carlos had only half the facts, Pippa was sure she could hold her own against him, but the way he chose to use his knowledge was definitely a surprise..."


This is an oldie that I bought from a second hand book stall a while ago. Apologies for the cover image, I couldn't find a good image online so I had to photograph my copy. This cover makes me laugh - the house in the background is completely out of perspective and, as my husband pointed out, it looks like the man is eating the woman's hand! But I digress...

The hero Carlos is on his way to visit the heroine Pippa with a message from her mother. Pippa is not pleased to see Carlos, as she has never forgotten the hurt she felt when her mother walked out on her and her father back to her influential, and traditional, Portugese family, of which Carlos is the head of and very distantly related to her mother's side. She is also shocked to realise that Carlos is the man she met six years ago during a traumatic time in her life. When Pippa finds herself tricked into going to Portugal with her employer and has to face both Carlos and her mother she feels very confused. She is further hurt by her mothers callous attitude and by learning that her mother is trying to marry her off to Carlos, something she refuses. But she can't deny the attraction that is always between her and Carlos as they begin to get to know one another.

I enjoyed this book, it is certainly original and entertaining, if a tad far fetched at times! The writing flows wonderfully and is very descriptive, the interaction between the hero and heroine is well done, and there is plenty of sizzle, even for an older book. And, it was great that the hero's POV was included. My main issues with this book are that at times I found it a little confusing to follow and there are far too many secondary characters. Also, the events of the closing chapters take place over a period of nearly two years (the majority of the book took place over five weeks) and I feel it would have been better if those events began a lot earlier on in the book, as they are the most enjoyable.

Overall though, this is a very enjoyable book.

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