Title: Empty Promises (Promises Series Book #3)
Novella (can be read as a stand-alone)
Author: Elle Brooks
Genre: NA | YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 27th 2015
Rating: 5 Stars
Told from the main character's point of view.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from Perusing
Princesses and the author. I was not
compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my
own. I am posting this in accordance
with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements
and Testimonials in Advertising".
Buy Link:
Amazon US/Amazon UK
Synopsis:
Emily ~
What would you do if you knew when you were going to die?
Would you will death to come and claim you quickly?
Or would you pray for more time?
It wasn’t until I knew that I was about to die, that I decided to really live.
And it wasn’t until I gave up on love, that I finally found it.
Just not in any of the places that I’d been searching.
Sometimes you don’t get the fairytale happily ever after,
but if you’re lucky,
you get so much more.
You get a perfect beginning that you can keep hold of until the end.
Excerpt…
“Where’s Dad?” I ask as I watch Mom pull a packet of coffee from the back of the cupboard.
“He’s gone for a run, sweetie,” she says matter-of- factly before throwing me a smile. Mom’s got a great game face. If I’d not overheard her conversation, I’d have no clue she was just upset.
“Okay, I have an idea, and I want you to just trust me, so grab your things and come with me. We’re going out.”
Mom looks a little bewildered by my cryptic request before she shrugs and grins. “Fine, lead the way, Emily.”
We climb into her car and I scroll through my phone until I find the address of the nearest bridal store. I locate one three miles away and begin inputting it into the GPS. Mom looks at the address, and I can see the gears in her head turning as she tries to work out the address and wonders what would have me dragging her out the house for. She’s a good sport and doesn’t seem too put out that I’m refusing to tell her what it is we’re doing as we make the short journey.
A few minutes roll by before we pull up outside Dana’s Bridal Boutique, and the GPS signals that we’ve reached our destination on the left. Mom looks at me questioningly and I give her a rueful smile. There’s only a bakery, coffee shop and the bridal store on this small stretch of road.
“I overheard you and Dad talking this morning.” She still looks confused so I point to the Bridal Boutique. She covers her mouth with her hand as she leans back into her seat, her eyes crinkling as realization dawns. “You were talking about the fact that you should go first, and that you’ll never see me in my wedding dress, or be there with me at the delivery of your first grandchild. Well, there’s little I can do about an immaculate conception,” I shrug, “but this,” I point to the store again. “This I can do.”
I watch as a million different emotions wage war behind her sapphire eyes before she admits defeat, closes them tightly and slumps forward resting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. I watch quietly as she holds a finger up to me, signaling she needs a minute. When she finally opens them again, they’re glassy but she seems to have recovered her composure enough to step outside the car. I don’t know what to make of the situation, and honestly, I’m regretting my decision as I climb out and round the car. Maybe this was a stupid idea and is too much for her. Hell, maybe it’s too much for me. I’m about to apologize and tell her so when she finally speaks.
“You really are something kind of wonderful, Emily,” she says before ambushing me in a fiercely tight hug. I sigh and feel a little of the tension drain from my shoulders, like someone’s just turned on an invisible faucet to ease some of the pressure.
“I’m sorry you heard that conversation. I was just having a weak moment. We don’t have to do this,” she whispers into my hair and squeezes before pushing me back to see my face.
“I’m glad I did hear, and I want to do this. Is that weird?” I answer, and it’s the truth. I am glad I overheard their conversation. I hate that she feels like she needs to be strong one hundred percent of the time for me. It’s not healthy.
“It’s not weird at all, Emily.”
“Good. Okay, enough of this.” I square my shoulders. “Let's get in there and go play dress up.”
My Thoughts:
Emily is a young woman who has a lot to deal with. This is a bittersweet story that will tug at your heartstrings. It needs to come with a tissue warning. You just won’t be able to stop yourself from getting tears in your eyes. This is one thing that makes a great author – they create stories that you can’t help but feel empathy for the character.
Emily has decided that she’s going to live for the moment but someone makes her stop and take a second look. Lucas is a young man that has something in common with her and also wants to live for the moment. It’s a story that reminds us that our lives are finite and not everyone lives a long life. The hardest part for me was reading the section where Lucas has taken over talking in the first person – you’ll need extra tissue here.
This is a story where you have no choice but to let your emotions get involved. It’s a story that anyone from a teenager on up will enjoy reading. To me it’s a story about love but not necessarily between two people but just a love of life and how that life touches other people. And it’s a great incentive to make a donation, no matter how large or small, to a children’s charity. It’s a must read and if you haven’t read the first two books, you may want to go back and get those read as well.
My Thoughts:
Emily is a young woman who has a lot to deal with. This is a bittersweet story that will tug at your heartstrings. It needs to come with a tissue warning. You just won’t be able to stop yourself from getting tears in your eyes. This is one thing that makes a great author – they create stories that you can’t help but feel empathy for the character.
Emily has decided that she’s going to live for the moment but someone makes her stop and take a second look. Lucas is a young man that has something in common with her and also wants to live for the moment. It’s a story that reminds us that our lives are finite and not everyone lives a long life. The hardest part for me was reading the section where Lucas has taken over talking in the first person – you’ll need extra tissue here.
This is a story where you have no choice but to let your emotions get involved. It’s a story that anyone from a teenager on up will enjoy reading. To me it’s a story about love but not necessarily between two people but just a love of life and how that life touches other people. And it’s a great incentive to make a donation, no matter how large or small, to a children’s charity. It’s a must read and if you haven’t read the first two books, you may want to go back and get those read as well.
Hello...
I'm a little neurotic; I function on a tiny amount of sleep and a huge amount of caffeine. I love green skittles and have an irrational fear of stormy weather. When I’m not writing about super hot college guys, you can generally find me googling them...All in the name of research of course. I can be persuaded to do just about anything with the promise of a good book or a bottle of bubbles. Oh, and I also love to write.
Elle is the author of the Promises Series including:
Book #1 is "Promises Hurt" released in August 2014.
