Member Reviews
Sullivan's Promise is a great fit for readers who enjoy stories about second chances at love, particularly following a one-night stand, and the emotional journey of two people coming together for the sake of their child.
This was a new to me author! I enjoyed her book. I hope to read more of her books in the future. I would give it 4 stars
I really did enjoy this book. I've been following this series for years. They just keep getting better and better.
Great characters that can be read as a stand alone and learn about a promise that ties them together.
A good book full of great characters and romances. In fact, there are multiple romances in this book—enough to keep you busy for quite some time. Between second chances, parents with do-overs, and everyone trying to make things right, there’s a romance for everyone (literally). There’s also cowboys and grizzly bears, and lots of other storylines to make a very engaging tale. The characters are well -developed, with issues and complexities, but allowed to grow during the story, making the reader want to cheer for each success. It’s a really good book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my freely given, honest review.
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review your titles. I have chosen to DNF this title...actually, I did a while ago but wanted to wait (although I didn't intend to wait this long) to post this so it didn't impact review decision for other reviewers.
I look forward to the next title from your authors/company.
Thanks,
Laura
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review.
Victoria Grayhawk comes back into Ryan's (Rye) life after giving their child to him for him to raise alone. Vick realizes she made a mistake and wants back in her son's life and Rye isn't having it. I loved these two and their story, with a backdrop of Grizzly's (I hope Mike has his own story) this was a good book.
Sullivan's Promise is the last book in part of a series. Fast pace writing and reading. I thought the book was ok. I think Ryan was a jerk and it took me away from the story. This book also wrapped up the story line from other books in the series which was slightly jarring and kind of unnatural for not reading the other books. I am giving this book 3 stars because it is what you expect from the title and description. I really give it 2.5 because it was an ok book with ok characters. Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for a free copy this is an honest review.
Fair warning: Joan Johnston books come with twenty years worth of family dynasties and side romances and torrid affairs that break up couples from prior series.
THAT BEING SAID, this was a fun second chance romance even if I wanted to hit Rye over the head for 60% of the book. I desperately also want Mike’s book now?
The conclusion of the King’s Brats series. Vick gave up her rights to her son without telling anyone in her family. She has only been able to see him one weekend a month for five years. When a family emergency happens she gets a fresh start. ARC.
Excellent, highly recommend it!
Sullivan’s Promise by Joan Johnston was an excellent story. It was a western romance full of forgiveness and love. The story and characters were well developed. The pace was perfect, and it held my attention to the end. I enjoyed this entire series and look forward to more from this talented author.
Joan Johnston tempts us with the inflexible cowboy in SULLIVAN'S PROMISE, a contemporary story about a cowboy who raises the child from a one-night-stand by himself. Victoria Grayhawk is in Jackson Hole for her work on protecting endangered species when she meets Montana rancher Ryan Sullivan. They have a hot night together, followed by a not-so-hot discovery that she’s pregnant. When she suggests the baby be adopted, Ryan decides to keep and raise the child, Cody, by himself. Vick comes around and realizes she’s made a mistake, and fortunately the judge who worked with them had the forethought to write in visitation rights. When Ryan’s brother is mauled by a grizzly bear, he needs Vick to step in and help with Cody while he works the ranch. I wouldn’t really call this a second-chance love story because how much love can you expect from a one-night stand, but it is a good tale of redemption and second chances in life.
*Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/mamas-dont-let-your-babies-grow-up-to-be-cowboys/
This was a great story of how a wild night can change your life forever. Rye and Victoria must come together for the sake of their son and while doing that end a long family feud. The story moved face and had some very touching moments. This is the first book I have read in this series but I didn't feel lost. I look forward to reading the books I missed in this series and I recommend this book
SAtonement, Forgiveness, and Moving On
This is a very well thought out novel with complex fully-developed characters and I highly recommend it. What struck me as different about this novel is that it starts with the main conflict right away so you know what these two complex people need to work through, versus your typical fluffy romance. Vick is committed to protecting grizzlies. After a night with rancher Ryan, a stranger to her, which results in a son, she feels it would be best to allow adoption to a loving home, but Ryan takes their son to raise himself. Once she realizes her mistake, she tries to work her way back into her son’s life, but Ryan believes right and wrong is in black and white with no gray in between. Will he ever be able to forgive her for giving up her son? Or is there more he feels he can’t forgive or hasn’t learned to heal past despite his attraction to Vick? Vick comes with her own baggage that prevents her from fully committing. Luckily, you get inside the heads of both the H and h so that you get both sides of their story. Also, without giving anything away, there’s one scene that was so riveting it gave me chill bumps!
There are also two other stories interwoven into this book that tie up the King’s Brats series, but you don’t have to read the previous books in order to catch up.
My copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Book Corner…6/6/19 Joan Johnston’s Sullivan’s Promise
Loleta Abi
Sullivan’s Promise: A Bitter Creek novel by Joan Johnston. Apr. 30, 2019. Random House.
Amazon’s blurb: Two unforgiving lovers reunite for the sake of their child in this fiery contemporary romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Surrender.
Facing the unexpected consequences of a life-altering night of passion with a cowboy she met in a Jackson Hole bar, and with her life committed to protecting endangered species, Victoria Grayhawk does what she believes is the right thing. She hunts down the cowboy, seeking his agreement that their baby should be adopted by a loving family.
Montana rancher Ryan Sullivan has no intention of giving away his own flesh and blood, and takes their son to raise himself. When Vick realizes what a horrible mistake she’s made, and wants back into their child’s life, Rye remains inflexible—because once trust is lost there are no second chances—until an attack by one of the grizzlies Vick has spent her life protecting changes everything and Rye learns that sometimes love can heal all wounds.
“A riveting story of love, passion, and forgiveness.”—Fresh Fiction
The passionate Westerns in Joan Johnston’s Bitter Creek series can be enjoyed together or separately, in any order:
TEXAS BRIDE • WYOMING BRIDE • MONTANA BRIDE • SINFUL • SHAMELESS • BLACKTHORNE’S BRIDE • SULLIVAN’S PROMISE
My Review: I’ve read one previous book in this series. Although you don’t need to read the others to follow this one, I found the various romances in the book and switching of povs hard to stay interested in. I also thought things could be cleared up in Sullivan’s and Vick/Lexie’s case by communication. I didn’t hate the book, just wished it’d focused more on the two of them instead of four or five different romances at the same time.
ARC for honest review with no compensation 4.5 stars, received from NetGalley
Sullivans Promise is booked 12 in the Bitter Creek series by Joan Johnson.
A one night stand results in a pregnancy for Ryan Sullivan and Victoria Grayhawk so she hunts Ryan down to get him to sign adoption papers and he replies absolutely not, he takes the child to raise. Some months later she realizes this was a mistake to give up her child but Ryan wants no part of her and is inflexible... there are no second chances when trust is lost. When Ryan’s brother is attacked by a grizzly and he needs help on the ranch he turns to Victoria for that help.
Can these two find a way to coexist and maybe find that opening your heart to second chances is what life and love are all about...
Love the Flynns and Grayhawks. Vicki and Ryan have history Years ago she made a decision that she later regrets but Ryan is slow to forgive. A family situation brings them closer. As they spend time together old feelings resurfaces. There a are secrets that once revealed will change lives. Characters from previous books resurface in this book. Engaging read from beginning to end. Love this series. Recommended
Sullivan's Promise by Joan Johnston is a second chance romance about an environmentalist and a rancher. They spent one night together and it resulted in a son. Sullivan has full custody and has been raising him by himself when the boy's mother shows up and wants to be in his life.
Not only do they struggle with custody and visitation that left both wounded, but they also sit on opposite sides with their jobs. She protects bears and they kill his calves and worse...
I went into this story on Sullivan's side because he was a great father and she had abandoned her baby. I shouldn't have, but I did. It was difficult for me to forgive her. Of course it wouldn't have been that easy of I hadn't been so drawn into the story. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more.
Victoria Grayhawk did what she believed was the right thing in approaching Ryan Sullivan about giving their baby up for adoption. Ryan has no intentions of giving away his own flesh and blood and takes their son to raise himself and when Vick realizes her mistake, he remains inflexible. When tragedy strikes and Ryan’s brother is hospitalized, Vick steps in to help and Ryan learns that sometimes love can heal all wounds.
‘Sullivan’s Promise is an emotionally gripping read that explores life realities and gives Ryan and Vick a second chance to get things right. The characters are strong, captivating and lots of sizzling chemistry that makes their life difficult during while they are trying to navigate their life choices. Their romance is quite emotional and the story actually has multiple couples’ stories happening that really shows all of life’s ups and downs and has readers experiencing a whole range of emotions right along with the characters.
The plot is steady to fast paced and keeps the suspense of this happily ever building throughout the story which a kind of complex tangle of family, friends and enemies. The connections between all these people and what their HEA’s depend on really engages readers as they want to get to know all of the characters and the whole dynamic of these interconnected families with some unexpected twists happening along the way.
This is book 12 in the Bittercreek series and book 4 focusing on Kings beats and those awful Flynn boys.
This is the story of Vick(Victoria) and Ryan. It's a second chance romance.
Ryan and Vick have a one night stand, in which Vick becomes pregnant. She wants to give the baby up for adoption but Ryan won't agree. He takes sole custody of the baby boy. It takes 6 months but Vick realizes she made a mistake and comes back to see her son.
Ryan wants nothing to do with her but in the custody agreement she did have put in legal visitation rights and he can't fight that.
It takes 5 years before Ryan even begins to thaw out about his feelings for Vick. Then things start to heat up.
I really enjoyed this book. But I had also read the previous 3 related to this in the series. It kind of sums up the series, bringing to conclusion the stories of 2 other members of the family, Leah and Matt. So even though it can be read as a stand alone, I strongly recommend you read the 3 previous books.