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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Kendall is still reeling from what has happened to her and needs a break so she agrees to housesit for her aunt over the summer. The last thing she expected to do was fall in love with megastar model and next door neighbor Vaughn. Shy, introverted Kendall doesn’t know what he sees in her but maybe a casual fling is exactly what she needs. Her two half-sisters seem to think so but the more she’s around Vaughn, the harder she’s falling for him. Can she be the girlfriend of a celebrity and still be herself? All she asks him is to. . . Promise Me.
Wow, just wow! I’ve never read anything by Samanthe Beck (yet) and I’ve only read one book by Robin Bielman but these two women know how to write romance. The characters leap off the page, complete with their own demons, insecurities and hopes for love. The sister dynamic between the three half-sisters added just the right amount of angst while not detracting from the romance. The romance is a swoonfest and the way Vaughn intuitively knows what to say and do to show his feelings to Kendall sealed the deal for me. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop!
It’s the must-have book everyone needs to read this summer!
Disclaimer: I received a copy from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.
My Rating: 5+ stars
4 Stars
What a great read! Promise Me was a heartfelt, emotional journey. The authors of Beilman and Beck were a dynamic duo!
Vaughn was a hero full of heart and loyalty and Kendall was a beautifully complex heroine; together they were fantastic! I also really enjoyed the growth we saw in the relationships between the sisters! Love isn’t always about romance! Great read!
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Two of my favorites! These ladies always provide stories that make me want to forget my day job, my chores, everything, until I am sighing at the happily ever after. Promise Me is a page-turner you’ll be happy to lose sleep over 🙂
PROMISE ME is a contemporary, romance stand-alone co-authored by Robin Bielman and Samanthe Beck. This is twenty-four year old, model Vaughn Shaughnessy, and twenty-two year old, grad student Kendall Hewitt’s story line.
Told from dual first person points of view (Vaughn and Kendall) PROMISE ME follows the building relationship between twenty-four year old, model Vaughn Shaughnessy, and twenty-two year old, grad student Kendall Hewitt. Kendall, along with her two step-sisters are spending the summer in Hollywood, California house sitting for their Aunt Sally. When a near accident finds Kendall rescuing an intoxicated Vaughn, our heroine discovers that life as she knows it is about to change when Vaughn Shaughnessy pursues his ‘guardian angel’. What ensues is the building relationship and love between Vaughn and Kendall, and the potential fall-out as Kendall is unable to let go of the past, and Vaughn’s career hopes spiral out of control.
Kendall Hewitt has been estranged from her older step-siblings, step-siblings who grew up without their dad. When Aunt Sally secretly requested each sister look after her house and babysit the dog, Kendall had no idea how close the sisters were about to become but sins of the past continue to haunt our story line heroine, sins for which she is unable to forgive or let go. Vaughn Shaughnessy’s star is on the rise but not everything goes according to plans when a video goes viral destroying his chances at something new.
The relationship between Vaughn and Kendall is one of immediate attraction but Kendall struggles with sins of the past, and Vaughn battles demons of his own. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are introduced to Kendall’s half-sisters: Dixie and Amber, as well as Kendall’s parents, her best friend Brit; Vaughn’s friends and room mates Dylan and Matt, model Rebecca Bismark, as well as Vaughn’s father and manager , and producer Nigel Cowie. Here’s hoping the authors are developing future story lines for Kendall’s sisters, and Vaughn’s room mates.
PROMISE ME is a story of family, friendship, betrayal and love. The premise is engaging, energetic and emotional; the characters are colorful, dynamic and flirty; the romance is spirited and moving. PROMISE ME is a story about secrets and forgiveness in a world that covets gossip and lies.
Once I got into this book, I really started to enjoy it. I had a hard time with the beginning but I’m glad I stuck with it because it really picked up.
I have to say I liked the progression of the sisters. You felt that even though they still hurt that there was a bond forming.
I also really liked Vaughn. Even though he was this huge star, at heart is was a good man. He had great friends, took his job seriously and loved his family. He did have a strained relationship with his father being he was his manager.
The part of the book that I had a hard time with was in the beginning when you met the sisters. Maybe its because I haven’t ever experiences this but I was so frustrated at the anger these sisters had towards each other. Maybe it’s the rose color glasses thing for me but each of these three sisters are innocent. The person they should be mad at is their father. He was the one who abandoned them for another family. How was that Kendal’s fault?
PROMISE ME by Samanthe Beck & Robin Bielman is the story of Kendall Hewitt and Vaughn Shaughnessy.
Kendall is having a rough time with somethings that have happen to her and chooses to help her Aunt by house sitting for her instead of going home. What she finds is that her half sisters are there too. Then there is the hot neighbor Vaughn that is causing her mind to wonder to him. Vaughn is a fun easy going more open person than Kendall but they slowly started to burn up my pages. Enjoyed this sweet romance that did touch on some harsh incidents. I hope these authors choose to write more together in the future.
A great read from two of my all-time favorite authors!
When I saw that Robin Bielman and Samanthe Beck, two of my favorite authors, had teamed up to co write a sexy new romance I wanted to do backflips. Since I’m sure I can’t pull that off any longer I just gave a loud “Oh heck yeah!!” Trust me when I say they did not disappoint! This story has all the fun and flirty parts that I expect from Ms Bielman and well as all the heat I know Ms Beck will always deliver. Their combo made for one fantastic story that will be a favorite beach read this year. Kendall and Vaughn’s story will have you laughing out loud as Kendall tries to deal with a crazy dog, her equally crazy stepsisters, and worst of all her drop dead gorgeous neighbor. House sitting for her aunt was suppose to be relaxing…..yeah right!
Don’t miss this one. I highly recommend it.
This amazing story grabs your attention from start to finish. Vaughn and Kendall have commanding presence in this story. Kendall is trying to pull her life back together and goes to her aunt to house sit. Vaughn is the next door neighbor who has Kendall rethinking about past mistakes and whether he is a risk worth taking. I voluntarily agreed to receive an ARC of this book for an honest review.
Kendall Hewitt has arrived in SoCal to take care of her Aunt’s Pomeranian and it does not take long before she meets her neighbor and model Vaughn Shaughnessy. Vaughn knows his initial introduction to Kendall did not go over well and plans to make it up to the beauty next door. He wants to get to know her but every chance he gets Kendall is putting up walls, can he break down the walls Kendall has erected around herself?
This was fantastic, the half sisters are an interesting aspect to the story that really adds a lot of humor to the story. I can’t wait for their stories hopefully. Vaughn was out of his element with Kendall, I really enjoyed seeing how this story unfolded. I was intrigued by Kendall’s back story and seeing how it would unfold. Entertaining read.
4.5 Breathtaking Stars!
I loved Vaughn and Kendall in this opposites attract romance. Vaughn is a model, rising Hollywood star, and Kendall is laying low trying to decide where her life is going. She has a heartbreaking past that she is trying to overcome. She is attracted to her sexy neighbor but doesn’t want the attention his famous status would attract. But Vaughn likes that she doesn’t want him for his fame or money and he can’t stop thinking of the sexy neighbor who keeps his secrets. Vaughn is taking control of his career and life and he will do whatever it takes to have Kendall with him. This fun, steamy and heartfelt story grabbed me right from the start and wouldn’t let go. Vaughn and Kendall’s story had several twists and turns that had me laughing one minute, then was heartbreaking and taking my breath away the next. I also loved Vaughn’s roommates along with Kendall’s sisters who made this story even more fun and intriguing. I would definitely love to read more about all of them! These authors are new to me and I really loved this world that they created and all the emotions they made me feel. I can’t wait to read more from them.
Samanthe Beck and Robin Bielman introduce us to two people who under normal everyday situations, would never meet let alone interact with each other. Along come these two talented authors who force them into close contact and show us that they belong together. Their next accomplishment, through their storytelling skill, is making Kendall and Vaughn realize that also. And they definitely do that! I do.n’t know where the authors’ wonderful imagination comes from in creating all the wonderful situations they put the two characters into, but they certainly delivered a very enjoyable story and managed to bring Kendall and Vaughn through some horrific times to a well-deserved happily-ever-after.
There’s so much to love about this wonderfully written romance. The beautiful relationships and characters are fabulous. The sisters and their complex, convoluted relationship was emotional, funny and almost overshadowed the romance. I loved them all and can’t wait for Dixie and Amber’s stories. Likewise, the guys are all fantastic and so individual and sexy in their own way. Kendall is special and I knew her story was going to be tragic and emotional as it slowly unfolded but Vaughn stole the story for me. The sexy, dirty talking, beautiful AF hunk is everything you could want in a hero as he falls for Kendall and is there for her at her most vulnerable. I loved the story as Kendall and Vaughn built their relationship, Kendall discovered her true calling and Vaughn fought to move his career forward. When the story ramped up into the emotional, angsty, heartbreaking portion with Kendall’s devastating past coming front and center it moved fast and wasn’t my favorite part of the story. Really angsty stories aren’t my thing but this did bring a few tears to my eyes. The maneuvering at the end was a little far fetched but gave us a good ending to this sizzling romance with a couple that’s TDF. The storyline was a little on the nose with the current cultural elements and even the names. I had to chuckle and shake my head a couple of times. I did like the cautionary tale portion of the story in regards to social media. Great writing duo and terrific first story in a new series. Bring on the wild child and the cop! I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
4.5 Stars for Promise Me
I’m relatively new to both these authors so I when I found out they were teaming up I was excited to get my hands on Promise Me and let me tell you they did not disappoint, this book has it all !!!!!
Vaughan and Kendall are perfect, they are kind, funny and just a little bit complicated and everything about this adorable couple with have you falling in love with them and their story.
This beautifully written love story will leave you with all the feels you expect in a great read, it’s witty, it’s emotional, it’s has plenty of witty banter and did I mention it has a hero who is oh so swoon worthy. But this book is not just about Vaughan and Kendall ‘s romance it also covers Kendall’s relationship and love of her sister’s which adds to the depth of this story. Characters I fell in love with, a story I believed in all made this the book I didn’t want to end. Well done to this duo.
When Kendall prevents Vaughn, her aunt’s next door neighbor, from getting behind the wheel of his vehicle while he’s more than a little intoxicated, it sparks something between the two that neither ever saw coming. She tries to keep it casual, as she’s only bunking at her aunt’s for the summer, AND she has walls around her heart thanks a past she doesn’t want exposed, but Vaughn soon wants more. More of everything with the woman who so fascinates and attracts him with her loving heart.
I cannot wax poetic hard enough about Promise Me to do it justice. It’s just such a beautiful story and Kendall and Vaughn are so much more than I expected. To be honest, I expected something sweet and fluffy; what I got may be sweet but it’s definitely not fluffy. It’s heartbreaking in parts, especially when Kendall’s past comes to light, but the way it plays out got me right in the heart. It’s been a few days since I finished reading but I still remember this story with my heart in my eyes, not to mention more than a few tears, and I still love Vaughn and Kendall, especially Kendall. I love how much she developed over the course of the story, from her past til the present, and I love, love, love how much Vaughn feels for her, sees her beautiful soul. Speaking of Vaughn…that man is swoony af! Can I have my own Vaughn?!? I will reiterate once more just how much I love Promise Me and how you really, really need to get your own copy today!
4.5-Stars
This fantastic story features Vaughn and Kendall. This sexy, emotional read is full of past mistakes, friendship, love, forgiveness and growth. It’s about realizing what’s REALLY important in life and learning how to deal with it. Vaughn and Kendall are amazing characters, as are his friends and her sisters. The spice factor is off-the-charts and it’s not all about the sex but the sometimes implied intimacy. I totally understand her reasons for not wanting her life put out there for public consumption. What she went through, everything and everyone surrounding the incident was life altering for a lot of people. This included a 17 year old girl who had to learn to live with herself and what she’d done. Her visit home was heartbreaking and I went through a few tissues during that time. Tragic!
This story had great flow and the characters all had terrific personalities. Do I sense a series here? I sure hope so! I would love to find out what happens to Amber, Dixie, Matt and Dylan. I can’t wait to read more by this magnificent writing duo.
I was excited to read Promise Me by Robin Bielman and Samanthe Beck, as Robin is a favorite of mine and Samanthe is new to me! I really enjoyed Promise Me as the story flowed seamlessly between to the two authors and I was filled with emotion throughout the book! Vaughn and Kendall’s story was unique and refreshing. They were funny, cute and the push and pull between the two of them had me totally invested in their story! I also liked that there was more to the story…family dynamics that came into play that took the story to an entirely different level, which I was not expecting, but I loved!! All in all, this was a truly enjoyable book and I look forward to more from both authors!
I was so excited when I found out two of my favorite authors joined forces to write a book together. Robin is known for her fun flirty romance. Samanthe is known for hot sexy romances. This book has it all, fun, flirty and hot romance between neighbors, Kendall and Vaughn. This romance is only going to be a summer fling while Kendall house sits her aunt’s house with her two half sisters and Snowball, the crazy Pomeranian. They both have pasts that still haunt them, can they move forward?
The chemistry between Kendall and Vaughn is steamy hot off the pages. So much emotions through out the book, I laughed, cried and ended up smiling. So much more than a romance, it deals with family and friends too.
This is a must read and I’m hoping there will be more!!
Such a wonderfully sweet romance, hits all the feels!
Kendall is at a crossroads – not sure whether she wants to pursue the career her parents want for her, but not ready to step out of their protective guidance either. Spending the summer housesitting for her aunt, she meets next-door-neighbor Vaughn, who proves to be the perfect balm for her guilt-ridden soul.
Vaughn is so, so patient and compassionate with her, while still being completely lickable and undeniably attracted to her. His life is almost as complicated, he’s seen his share of tragedy too, making him the perfect boyfriend to help her find her way through all her decisions.
The story is just fabulous, every bit brilliantly moves the romance along with multi-layered characters who reach all the emotional highs and lows. I loved the secondary characters, too, and the way the main characters’ growth extended beyond themselves to include their relationships with their extended family and friends.
This is everything I could ever hope for in a YA romance. I highly recommend it and couldn’t have loved it more. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
The temporary neighbor relationship between Vaughn and Kendall starts out almost…accidentally, and slowly develops over the summer. Kendall is only supposed to be house sitting for the summer while her aunt and uncle are away, but unfortunately her aunt had something up her sleeve as Kendall’s two half-sisters have also been sent to house sit for the summer.
This is my first read from Author Robin Bielman, but not for Samanthe Beck. I really enjoyed this collaboration by these two authors! They have created such a wonderful, quick, enjoyable, fun read! The characters were great! I loved the half-sisters (Amber and Dixie…and don’t call her Dix!!! LOL) and Vaughn’s housemates (Dylan and Matt), and Snowflake and the parents!!! Such great characters throughout this whole book! (Disclosure…I want to punch Becca in the face!).
Promise me you’ll always remember:
You’re braver than you believe,
And stronger than you seem,
And smarter than you think.
This is a story of hope, of past mistakes, and trying to overcome them. It’s about opening your heart when you think it isn’t possible again. I loved this and would definitely recommend it! I also REALLY hope they follow up with Amber, Dixie, Dylan and Matt’s stories!!!