This week, we look at the second book in a new series from a well known author. This week, we’re looking at The Promise of Us by Jamie Beck.
This book is a romance book written by a current Director-At-Large of the Romance Writers Association. So you automatically know it will be well-written, and the total production top-knotch. And it is.
But what really struck me about this particular book is that in telling a story that on the surface is simply a strong, character driven, realistic romance… Beck also manages to speak to much more national issues of the struggle between safety and security vs freedom. Claire McKenna was injured in a mass shooting at a mall over a decade ago – and ever since, her life has been limited to her small hometown where she knows everyone and everything. This is completely of her own choosing – she feels safer that way. Logan Prescott has always rebelled at expectations, choosing to live his life his way. He travels the world as a photographer, and rarely sees the same scene – environment or person – twice. Well, these two are the couple of this romance novel, so you know things are about to get interesting.
Absolutely give Beck credit though – while she ultimately stays strictly within the rules of “romance novels” as dictated by the RWA, she does at least make things as realistic as possible within them. This ultimately produces some of her strongest work to date, and this reader in particular is very much looking forward to book 3 of this series. Very highly recommended.
Bet you don’t know what is coming next! If you guessed “Tha Goodreads/ Amazon review”, you’re right! 😀
The Promise of Greatness. In this second Sanctuary Sound book, Beck continues her theme of intriguing character studies while telling solid romance stories. Here, we get a version of the same safety/ security vs freedom issues that plague our political debate, but inside the context of two people struggling to find themselves and overcome their own personal obstacles. I’ve read a couple of Beck’s other series, and I can genuinely say that in my experience with her, this latest series is some of her finest work to date. Very much looking forward to Peyton’s story.