Instead of soaking up the SoCal sunshine while house sitting for my aunt, I’m dealing with a Pomeranian who thinks she’s a pit bull, two half sisters who would happily prune me off the family tree, and him. Vaughn Shaughnessy. Hot model about to go nuclear, dangerously sexy flirt whose perceptive green eyes promise he’s more than just a pretty face. He’s the kind of walking, talking temptation I … I should avoid, but that’s impossible because he also happens to be my extremely lickable–I mean likeable–neighbor.
He’s turning me into a hot mess.
Thing is, I can’t handle more messes in my life. I’m still trying to come to terms with the monumental ones in my past, and getting involved with Vaughn–even for temporary summer fun–is guaranteed to get messy. I don’t dare risk it, but I’m not sure I can resist…
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Fair warning: I am still riding the epic, giddy, flaily high this book gave me. There may be gushing. Lots of it. But whoamygoshyouguys – this book was so good!
While Robin Bielman has been charming her way onto my favorites list for a while now, this was my first book by Samanthe Beck and there is some magic in this author duo, I swear it. This is the sort of unicorn story where everything balanced perfectly. I laughed out loud, my belly filled with those coveted butterflies, and my heart ached for Vaughn and Kendall – and all those feelings (and more, GAH – so many feels!) flowed so seamlessly, I felt like I was part of the story. I was so invested. So completely held in thrall. And I am so hopelessly smitten, I can’t even…
Vaughn and Kendall are…everything. I mean this is a story about a rising star/male model who falls in love with the mysterious girl-nobody who is house-sitting for his neighbor – and there is literally nothing I should be able to relate to about that, and yet I 100% felt like these were my people. I mean, I freaking adored them. They’re funny and kind and…complicated. They’re playful and sexy and absolutely adorable. My heart hopped on board from the original and unexpected meet-cute, and it never waivered – not once – while these two sorted themselves out throughout the story. I feel like these authors got everything right in Promise Me, and well, I warned you there’d be gushing. I’m so in love!
On top of this basically perfect love story, there lies a secondary story of the relationship between Kendall and her sisters. Actually there are a few different family dynamics explored here and the layers they add took this book to an emotional level I really wasn’t expecting. Overall – I felt like this book was so much more than I had bargained for – in all the very best ways. The secondary characters are compelling in their own rights, and I felt like there was set-up here for follow-up books. Trust me when I tell you that all my crossables are crossed that there will be more where this came from.
The writing was smart and engaging, the story was compelling and interesting, and I can’t even tell you all the ways this book touched my heart. I can’t shake this giant smile. I’m still over the moon with all the ways this story made me happy. There are some emotional punches for sure, and some more serious storylines threaded through all this happiness – but in the end it is a feel good story and – as if there were any question – I cannot recommend it highly enough!
This was a wonderful book by two great authors. I was drawn into this story right away and couldn’t put it down. Vaughn and Kendall both had troubled pasts and uncertain futures. Vaughn was lucky to have been saved by Kendall because she became more than a friend to him. She became someone he could talk to and be himself with. He didn’t have that outside of his two friends who were also his roommates. Kendall didn’t care who or what Vaughn was, she liked him in spite of his fame. Kendall was lucky to have Vaughn because he saw more in her than just a pretty face. He was able to get her to open up and be herself after a tragic accident in her teens.
I really enjoyed Kendall’s relationship with her two estranged half sisters. All three sisters showed up to house sit their aunt’s house for the summer and they all had great reasons to need to be there. I like how even though they are estranged they also start to rely on each other.
This was a great story and I would recommend it to others.
This book! Gah! It had all the feels and then some, leaving me with a whole host of emotions and a major “le sigh” sort of general reaction by the end. I adored Kendall as a female main character. Here was a young woman who was saddled by guilt due to missteps made in the past and believing that part of her atonement was to play safe, which in turn meant not following her heart, or at least that was how I saw it. The summer she was at her aunt and uncle’s home became a turning point, and while gorgeous and generous Vaughn was her biggest inspiration to move forward, there was also her sisters, Dixie and Amber–who I’m REALLY hoping will get their own stories told alongside Vaughn’s best friends slash roommates, Matt and Dylan. More importantly, however, the choice to let go of things holding her back was one she made on her own because it was something she needed and wanted to do.
I’m not sure who did what with this novel, but Robin Bielman and Samanthe Beck did what I believe is a seamless job combining writing efforts here. I couldn’t tell if one author did Kendall’s point-of-view and if the other did Vaughn’s or how the writing duties were split up, and that’s a good thing because I like not being able to tell! I love it when I get all the goodness that I expect from a romance novel and then get bonuses along with it. There was the sweet with the steamy and the lighthearted with the heartrending in this truly wonderfully penned story that had two main characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with and a cast of supporting characters that have more than piqued my curiosity (please, please, PLEASE tell me there are more books from Bielman and Beck!!!). I got lost in this novel, and for the nearly three hours I spent reading it, I did not want to be found at all. I promise you that Promise Me is a book that every romance readers needs in their life. This 2019 favorite gets five-plus stars.
I’ve read a few books by Robin Bielman, and loved each one. Samanthe Beck is new to me, but that will be changing soon. These two write so seamlessly you would never guess it was a duo’s collaboration.
The book has a few laugh out loud moments, mixed in with the blazing chemistry that we are given an insight before we even see Vaughn Shaughnessy and Kendall Hewitt together for the first time. Vaughn’s slightly hungover recollections of their first meeting(not shown in the story, but visualized in his head next morning, was the precursor to their attraction.
I smiled, laughed… and golly-gosh, did I swoon for this man. He is romance incorporated without even trying.
Vaughn is a model and aspiring reality show host. He’s gorgeous and sweet and kind. He falls for Kendall from the second he sees her. It was just… gah!!! So good.
They are the perfect match for each other, on paper at least, but real life has some hidden truths that will put some bumps in the road. How will they deal with this?
Kendall isn’t looking for love or a relationship when she meets Vaughn, she’s only meant to be house-sitting for her aunt for the summer. But, fate works in mysterious ways. Not only does she meet Vaughn, but her aunt asked her two half-sisters to house-sit as well. Not much wrong with that you might think, but these three girls are all but estranged. Now they have the summer to make a proper sisterly connection.
I loved all these different objectives and the feeling of family was strong, despite their initial hesistance.
But it’s Vaughn and Kendall’s relationship that steals the show, as it should. It smolders with pent-up feelings and attraction. They’re fun and sexy, but serious too when the need calls for it. And there is just a little bit of angstiness at the end. But, it was resolved in a cute way that felt right.
Can’t ask for more than that.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone thinking of buying it. Do so, and do it today!!
Kendall & Vaughn are hot together. Vaughn encourages Kendall to reach for the stars & her dreams. She wants to follow her father & live up to his expectations but can’t see working in a law office long term. She wants to be an actress. Vaughn is on the cusp of his big break & doesn’t want anything to derail it, including the spoiled model hanging around.
Kendall & Vaughn both have to recover & move on from past hurts & decisions. These hurts have the power to keep them down but only if they let them. Neither is used to a relationship with someone encouraging them to grab it all & realize they are worthy. I enjoy reading stories by Robin Bielman but now I’ve added a new author in Samanthe Beck. This collaboration was seamless & felt like one author.
Promise me is an incredible story about forgiveness, sex, love and romantic gestures. The backstory to Promise Me is sad and heartbreaking but is beautifully written. With a strong but sensitive male character that can recognize his feelings, Vaughn is the perfect dream guy. This story has some humor that will make you laugh and some very swoon worthy scenes. Promise Me by Robin Bielman and Samanthe Beck is a great 5-star read.
Kendall Hewitt is spending the summer house sitting for her aunt in L.A. Little does Kendall know that her two half-sisters are also spending the summer there and Kendall would just as soon run into a burning building then spend time with the girls that have always hated her. Kendall saves the beautiful male model next door from being run over and the chemistry is overwhelming. Vaughn Shaughnessy is enamored with the blonde haired, blue eyes girl that saved his life. She is everything that is not normal for L.A.; smart, caring, kind and compassionate. As Vaughn and Kendall get closer, the truth of her devastating past comes to light, and all Vaughn’s agents and PR people see is trouble. Vaughn is ready to throw away a big chance at his career if only he can get Kendall to see that his promises are real.
What a great story! Promise Me was a story about love, family, forgiveness, trust, and so much more that I was not expecting. I loved it!!
Trust in a world where people use you for your name, your face, who you know is hard to come by. Trust if fragile. Trust is sacred. Trust is everything.
The same can be said for someone living out the spotlight living with their own secrets. Trust by nature is hard to give, especially the older we get.
Those four little words; can I trust you? hold so much weight. They are the foundation for every relationship we build starting in childhood. Can I trust you with my secrets? Can I trust you with my friendship? Can I trust you with my heart?
Vaughn and Kendall come from two different worlds, but at their core they are very similar people. It is that similarity that continues to pull them back together. Vaughn’s face/mostly naked body is plastered all over the world. He’s a model whose career if just getting started and he has a huge career opportunity on the line, if he doesn’t screw it up. Kendall is a small town girl spending the summer in L.A. She’s figuring out her next move before she begins law school in the fall a decision that will decide her entire future.
He’s a man who lives in the spotlight, she’s a girl who prefers the shadows. They only have the summer to figure out if they can meet in the middle. Is this just a fling or could what they feel for each other last beyond the summer?
The story of Vaughn and Kendall is a slow burn. A chance meeting, or was it fate? Kendall and Vaughn both on different life trajectories suddenly find themselves in each other’s orbit.
Kendall, learning to live with her past and hoping for forge a better future finds Vaughn the bad boy who can break down her walls and defenses. Can Vaughn earn her trust?
Vaughn, on the rise to be a Hollywood star is looking for some control of his life, including who he wants to spend his time with. After being “saved” Kendall finds herself in Vaughn’s spotlight. Can Kendall accept being in the public eye?
There re so many “moments” and feels in this book and you can’t help but root for their HEA. Vaughn is a swoon-worthy book boyfriend and Kendall comes across as being sweet and genuine. This was a really good read.
“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever touched.” ~ Vaughn
I did enjoy the book however I didn’t agree with the majority of people or the amount of stars it got, just saying. So we meet Kendall who is at her aunt’s house to house sit while her aunt was on vacation and to have a place to think about her future and what she wants to do with it. She was tricked by her aunt along with her half sisters in thinking they were the only one who was going to house sit, but her aunt had tricked them so that they could spend some quality time and to have a relationship since they never got along. While their she meets and is instantly attracted to her neighbor Vaughn a gorgeous underwear model and this is the part that bugged me, I get that she had gone thru a tragedy and it was difficult to carry on but the back and forth drove me crazy, I want you but I can’t, I love you but I can’t, kiss me but dont, come on! So I had some trouble liking her for a little bit I tried to remind myself that she was young and she had guilt but still, and I found it a little slow at times, anyhoo all that being said I am nosy and want to know what happens with her sisters and his roomates..
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.
There are at least three underlying drama type themes running through this storyline, folks. The first obvious one is the dysfunctional relationship Kendall, the heroine, has with her two half sister siblings, all who wind up living under the same roof over the summer. I think it is safe to say this was added for those who enjoy a sisterhood mending/bonding type scenario. Also, I’m pretty sure you’ll see these ladies paired off with other sub-characters in future books.
The second is Kendall’s own personal turmoil of a past, horrific teenage mistake that wrecked the life of someone she loved and hers all at the same time. It’s made her an emotional, hand wringing damsel in distress, emotional mess.
Thirdly is “too gorgeous for his own good” Vaughn, the hero, who upon meeting Kendall seems to switch from a partier, playboy bunny model, wanna be reality TV host, to wanting to know and be only with her. His baggage is juggling his career with an over controlling daddy manager. Both of whom also are grieving the loss of someone they loved.
I feel a tad bit guilty to admit it all became rather exhausting. I promise you I tried really hard to fall in love with this book. The sweet book cover definitely lured me in. Maybe it was simply just too much personal drama resulting in too many over analyzed feelings floating around overshadowed some of my enjoyment. Kendall’s closure session was quite the tearjerker though, which made me feel even guiltier for my mixed lukewarm feelings for this book.
More than likely it was the slow pace of the book and the mechanic at times writing. At halfway through, this main couple still really wasn’t in a relationship yet. When several lusty, smexy scenes set in, I found myself skimming over them waiting for the inevitable wrap up.
Here’s to hoping others really enjoy this book. Despite it’s pulling at the heart strings theme, I just came off as a stereotypical rather predictable read for me.
Title: Promise Me, Author: Samanthe Beck/Robin Bielman, Pages: 278, stand-alone, VERY graphic smexy scenes starting a little past mid-way, gorgeous top model hero, hand wringing emotional mess heroine,
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)
This was okay for me. I had a hard time getting into the story. The writing flowed okay, but it just didn’t grab my attention like I would have liked. Vaughn was a good guy, and Kendall was okay. Kendall’s sisters are introduced in this story, and I didn’t like them at first. I’m not sure why they disliked Kendall so much. I was happy to see they improve their relationship as the story goes on. While Vaughn and Kendall were okay together, it wasn’t a love story that will stick with me. The was a first for me from these authors, but I would be willing to read them again.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
I’m not a huge fan of YA romance, but I’ve enjoyed several of Robin Bielman’s books, so I figured I’d give “Promise Me” a shot. The book starts off interestingly enough, with a unique meet between the two main characters, Kendall and Vaughn. Kendall, on a summer break before starting law school in the fall, is staying at her aunt’s place in California. Vaughn, a hot up-and-coming model, lives next door with his two roommates.
Kendall and Vaughn flirt with their attraction to one another, but both have lots of other things taking up time and space in their lives. Vaughn is jetting from place to place for modeling jobs, and is in the running to be host of an “American Idol” type show. Kendall, meanwhile, is trying to talk herself into a career as a lawyer that her father wants far more than she does. She also is a dealing with the consequences of a horrible mistake she made as a teen that has impacted many lives. In addition, her two half-sisters show up, invited by their aunt to try and reunite the siblings who have never been close.
The authors also introduce Kendall’s two sisters and Vaughn’s two roommates, who seem to be couples in the making themselves. It makes for a lot of exposition, maybe a little too much. Also, a problem I tend to have with a lot of YA books is trying to imagine people as young as the characters being as mature and sure of themselves as the characters in this book seem to be. I certainly don’t remember being half as confident of myself and my decisions as they are. And I had a problem with the way the characters spoke at times. I just couldn’t “hear” someone talking like that, and it drew me out of the story. There was angst, and drama and romance, but nothing that really grabbed me and made me want to keep reading. It was all just a little too pat for me, I suppose.
All in all, it wasn’t a bad book. But it also isn’t one I’ll read again, nor will I seek out what are sure to be the next in the series featuring the other two sisters.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.
I received an ARC in return for an honest review. I thought it was a good story. It didn’t suck me in like some stories do but it was still a cute read. Only thing I didn’t get was Kendall’s vow for celibacy. I get the guilt she felt because of the accident but I mean that doesn’t mean you can never have sex!
What I liked:
The writing style
Most of the characters
Dual POVs
Standalone
HEA
What I didn’t like:
Kendall
I had a hard time staying interested in this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from NetGalley.