She was beautifully broken. I was her balm.
They say unrequited love hurts the most.Well it sucks to be me then.My heart has belonged to my best friend for longer than I care to remember.At least until her.The sweetest girl with a haunted past.And darkness which seeps out of her pores, surrounding her with a haze of desolation.It started with a need to unburden ourselves.Now I can’t think of … surrounding her with a haze of desolation.
It started with a need to unburden ourselves.
Now I can’t think of anything else.
Her touch. Her smile. Her blue eyes.
It feels like the past is repeating itself.
With a girl I can never have.
Ellie Kirkwood extracted a promise from me.
And now I want all of her in return.
You’ve met his older brother, now you’ll get to know the youngest Benson sibling, James. His story isn’t one you’ll be expecting.
Author note: This is not as dark in content as Provoked. James’ story is full of unrequited love, heartbreak and a lot of angst. I highly recommend you read both the Corrupt Empire series and Provoked before starting this book because James features quite heavily in Avery and Aiden’s trilogy, but Promises can also be read as a standalone.
If you like dark romance that’s a little different with a heavy serving of angst, then dive into Promises, the second book in the Benson Siblings series and see what Ellie and James have in store for you.
Corrupt Empire Series
Betrayal #1
Sacrifice #2
Revenge #3
Benson Siblings Series
Provoked #1
Promises #2
more
This was such an emotional and wonderful story. I loved James and Ellie and my heart went out to them at the trauma they both went through. The dynamic between these characters was incredible. It’s a fantastic story and one everyone should read.
Listen up, slow burn romance lovers–this one’s for you. Oh, the slow build was just amazing in this book. Those are my favorite types of relationships to read about. I love starting a book with two troubled souls and seeing them slowly shed their reservations and fall in love. James is in love with someone else at the beginning of this book, and Ellie is a bit broken and doesn’t even understand what true emotion is. Watching them fall in love was so beautiful. I couldn’t put it down! Happy reading!
Fantastic and emotional
I loved this book!!! The story of James and Ellie that is told in Promises by Sarah Bailey is so filled with emotional depth and is such a pleasure to have read. This is the second book in the Benson Siblings series and this time it is James turn. He remains in love with his best friend even though that is unrequited and has been dating one of his employees, not a complicated situation there at all!!! Ellie has had more than a hard life so far for her fairly short number of years. He drug addict father sold her at fourteen she was beaten, abused and raped until she was rescued from sex slavery at the age of twenty. Lets just say that she is scarred both emotionally and externally and does not trust. I will admit that I used more than a few kleenex’s while reading this story so make sure you have some by your side because you are going to need them.
James and Ellie’s relationship has a lot of dimension and depth to it as it grows and changes along the way. Sarah Bailey has taken a really tough and dark subject matter and written it with care and a delicate hand so as not to drag the reader into a bottomless pit of sorrow. Instead she shows through the characters that you can change your life and rise above you past, even finding and accepting the love everyone deserves.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Loved the book it was great, the story was well written and the characters were interesting. James finally finishes the relationship with Avery, now he is having a hard time getting over her. James went to his brothers wedding, Ellie worked behind the bar serving drinks, James and Ellie start talking now they meet up learning to trust each other, after thegg both had horrible pasts.
Thank you for you allowing me to review your book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is such an emotional story .James and Ellie had been damaged in the past, physically and emotionally hurt by their parents. Ellie was sold by her father and ultimately was mentally, physically, and sexually abused for years.
James and his siblings were systematically abused by their vile father who is in jail for the murder of their mother. You will want to hug ,care and root for them.
Excellent read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book in the Benson Siblings series, and the story of James, and Ellie. James has been harboring feeling for his best friend for years, unable to get over her, he’s had several unfulfilling relations ships. But when he meet Ellie he feel a connection, Ellie is damaged from many years of abuse, and James is broken from many years of unrequited love. Can James, and Ellie help each other heal? This was a great read, the characters well written, and the book was emotional, intense, dramatic, twisted, and steamy. I highly recommend this book, and series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I totally enjoyed everything about this book starting with how well the characters are engaging and developed. The storyline has a smooth flow from start to finish.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second Benson Siblings book and this is James and Ellie’s story. Can this book be read as a standalone, yes but I would highly recommend reading the series Corrupt Empire, even though this is Aiden and Avery’s story, James being Avery’s best friend, this is where we meet him and begin to know his layers. Actually both James and Ellie come with a variety of layers to their characters and it makes for an amazing story as we are a part of them shedding some, strengthening some and growing new ones in this book. The journey that these two characters embark is not an easy one but is love worth it if it comes easy? Can these two characters not only find their HEA but begin to heal each other and leave their tragic pasts in the past? This is an emotional roller coaster of a read but worth each and every one. Enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second installment in Sarah Bailey’s the Benson’s Siblings series. This book is about James, youngest of the Bensons, and Ellie, who experienced years of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse. These characters have experienced much trauma in their lives and are drawn to each other. This book is well written, highly emotional, dramatic, and full of twists and turns. The Promise novel should be read after completing the Corrupt Empire series and the first book of this series, Provoked, as they give the reader insight into James’ history. Sarah Bailey has written another outstanding book and series. I highly recommend this book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Unrequited love as James was still in love with his bestie Avery. It didn’t really matter that Avery was happily married to the man of her dreams with a beautiful baby daughter. They were still best friends and shared practically everything together, which I thought was terribly unfair for James.
By the time Ellie entered the scene, James was trying to figure out how to breakup with one of his employees he started dating to dull the ache he had over Avery’s pregnancy.
His life was truly a dismal mess as he pined relentlessly for Avery.
All of this paled in comparison to Ellie’s awful past. Sold by her drug addicted abusive father at fourteen, beaten and abused and raped at fifteen and forced into sexual slavery until she was rescued at age twenty. Her inner and outer scars were numerous, horrifying, and heartbreaking.
Their tentative promise to meet each other monthly to share their dark and twisty past was the start of their relational growth that was filled mutual understanding of horrifying abuse.
Spoilers ahead: I rejoiced when Ellie interpreted Avery and James’s dysfunctional relationship immediately. I cheered when James finally found the courage to tell Avery how much of his life was compromised because of her selfish behavior when they were teens. I know that Avery had gone through a lot too, but I did not like her and how she took James and his love for granted.
Kudos to this author who developed Ellie and James’s relationship to be the priority for each other. James was a fitting hero to Ellie and true to his word, he always made Ellie his number one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is such a sad story about adults who had been damaged physically and emotionally by their parents. “Provoked” which is also a great read, started the story, but there is enough background information that this one can be read as a stand-alone. Ellie was sold by her father and ultimately was mentally, physically, and sexually abused for six years. James and his siblings were systematically belittled and abused by their vile father who is in jail for the murder of their mother. This author makes you want to hug and care for these characters. The world building is extraordinary. Excellent read!
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
INTOXICATING!
An intoxicating read that is so easy to get wrapped up in as you feel the struggles and turmoil seep into your heart and mind with a thirst to get to the end making it impossible to put down. Hot passionate chemistry, emotionally gripping and impacting twists. An amazing read that I absolutely enjoyed and highly suggest as a must read.
I really loved reading James and Ellie story. This story was really amazing and heartbreaking.
Promises is the second book in the Besond siblings series. I can act as a standalone but I would recommended reading book 1 in this serie and reading The corrupt empire serie. Really cant wait to read the next book in this serie.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved this book! James and Ellie’s story is extremely emotional but such a great read.
Promises is the second installment in the Benson Siblings saga and is centered around James and Ellie. Though it is not required, this book can stand alone, I still recommend reading the series in order starting with Provoked (Dante and Liora’s story) and actually going back to the Corrupt Empire series and reading it first. The CE series centers on Avery (James’s best friend) and Aiden but James has a strong presence in their story and it ties into Promises (his book).
I do not know how Baily does it but she draws out the emotions of her characters in such a way that you feel as if you are sharing their experiences with them. The scenes and emotions are poignant, the writing engaging, the storyline engrossing and the characters amazing. There is plenty of angst, twists and turns, and steamy romance to enjoy, as well as secrets shared, strong bonds developed, family, friendship, and love.
Promises is not as dark as Provoked but still deals with some of the same heavy issues – the repercussions of mental, physical, and verbal abuse and human trafficking, as well as the aftermath of trying to find yourself, rebuild your life, and learn that you matter and deserve to be loved – all of which these two characters struggle with throughout this story. They have a long, heartbreaking journey as they work through their tragic pasts and fight for love and to have the future they deserve.
I was actually a bit surprised by James’s character. I had envisioned him a certain way from the CE series, but after reading Promises and really getting to know his character, that totally changed for me. He was sincere and had a huge heart despite his upbringing. He was loyal and loved deeply and you could count on him when it mattered. He had a huge emotional battle to overcome in this story and I was really shocked at learning more about his background and relationship with Avery. It was saddening to see what she actually put him through and watching him deal with his unrequited love while wanting to be everything for Ellie at the same time.
Ellie’s story was just as tragic, if not actually more so. Yet for her to turn out to be the strong, beautiful woman she did was nothing short of amazing after what she endured. She was determined to make her life better. She still lived in the shadows, due to her past, but was working hard to overcome her fears and believe she was worthy and deserving of a new life and love. She was an amazing character. She and James had some serious roadblocks to overcome in their journey to a happy ending.
This was a deeply emotional story with a great ending. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
*I received an ARC of this book from the author and I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
#whyisjamessoperfect
James Benson is my newest book boyfriend! He’s witty and sexy AF. More than that, despite the abuse and heartbreak he’s had in his life, he loves deeply. He’s trustworthy and loyal, and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Ellie. Swoon.
We first met James in the Corrupt Empire series. If you haven’t read it, get on with it! You’ll be happy you did. Anyway, James is Avery’s best friend, and boy do they have some history together. I won’t post any spoilers, but I’ll say this, James has some issues to deal with before he can fully love Ellie.
Ellie is a strong, intelligent, and broken. But she’s also a fighter, and she is fighting for normal. She only wants to forget the pain of her past and live a normal life, sans men. That is until she meets James. What starts with one promise, leads to many more and this couple finds a real and passionate love that will make you swoon.
I absolutely LOVED this book. Ms. Bailey outdid herself, and I can’t wait to read Fi and Jen’s stories!
Beautifully written romance. This story involves difficult but real topics. I like the way the author approaches and incorporates these in her story. This story is deep, touching and at times emotional. Their relationship is beautiful and strong and very hot too. Will definitely continue to read this series.