SUMMER OF PROMISE by AMANDA CABOT

Title: Summer of Promise
Author: Amanda Cabot
Publisher: Revell (January 1, 2012)
Pages: 416

A love of historical romances originally drew me to SUMMER OF PROMISE by AMANDA CABOT. Discovering it took place in Wyoming was the sealed the deal. As I began to read and realized it was set at Fort Laramie, I quickly flipped back to the front cover. Sure enough the building was the exact one I had taken pictures of on a trip to Fort Laramie, Wyoming a few years back.

In reading the authors notes, she too visited Fort Laramie and was quickly inspired to write a story. Having been there I couldn’t agree more. While I was there I recorded information for a book that I was writing based out of Hartville, Wyoming, not far from there. I hope to visit Fort Laramie one day with my family, and I’m sure when I do, SUMMER OF PROMISE will once again come alive.

When Abigail Harding set out to confirm her suspicions about her sister, she never imagined what God had planned for her. An attempted stagecoach robbery. A man who killed for a living. And...

Ethan Bowles has lived a life protecting his heart, so love was not in the picture. That is until he meets the beautiful and impulsive Abigail Harding. Only problem is, she’s promised to a man back home in Vermont. Even if that were not the case, she’d made it perfectly clear that Wyoming was boring and not for her.

AMANDA CABOT writes a wonderful historical romance with an equal portion of suspense, intrigue, and romance. The majority of books I read are Christian fiction, but I don’t welcome being preached too. I believe that stories need to be realistic, and sin, trials and tribulations are a part of life. SUMMOR OF PROMISE met my desire on both accounts.

The faith aspect was mildly woven in with just the right amount. I liked that the secondary characters in the story were allowed to drink and visit “Peg’s”. There are some faith based publishers that doesn’t allow such things, even though it’s the “bad guys” that do so or a character that goes through a faith growth. I loved the ending as well. Readers will be kept guessing, and are in for a not so common ending.

Though there are several characters, each were unique and well thought-out. I really loved the idea of touching on one of the secondary characters throughout the book, to later discover her story will be continued in the next book.

MS CABOT has done an amazing job of creating intrigue and anticipation for her next book in this WESTWARD WINDS series.