Kendall & Vaughn are hot together. Vaughn encourages Kendall to reach for the stars & her dreams. She wants to follow her father & live up to his expectations but can’t see working in a law office long term. She wants to be an actress. Vaughn is on the cusp of his big break & doesn’t want anything to derail it, including the spoiled model hanging around.

Kendall & Vaughn both have to recover & move on from past hurts & decisions. These hurts have the power to keep them down but only if they let them. Neither is used to a relationship with someone encouraging them to grab it all & realize they are worthy. I enjoy reading stories by Robin Bielman but now I’ve added a new author in Samanthe Beck. This collaboration was seamless & felt like one author.

The temporary neighbor relationship between Vaughn and Kendall starts out almost…accidentally, and slowly develops over the summer. Kendall is only supposed to be house sitting for the summer while her aunt and uncle are away, but unfortunately her aunt had something up her sleeve as Kendall’s two half-sisters have also been sent to house sit for the summer.

This is my first read from Author Robin Bielman, but not for Samanthe Beck. I really enjoyed this collaboration by these two authors! They have created such a wonderful, quick, enjoyable, fun read! The characters were great! I loved the half-sisters (Amber and Dixie…and don’t call her Dix!!! LOL) and Vaughn’s housemates (Dylan and Matt), and Snowflake and the parents!!! Such great characters throughout this whole book! (Disclosure…I want to punch Becca in the face!).

Promise me you’ll always remember:
You’re braver than you believe,
And stronger than you seem,
And smarter than you think.

This is a story of hope, of past mistakes, and trying to overcome them. It’s about opening your heart when you think it isn’t possible again. I loved this and would definitely recommend it!

I thought Promise Me was a wonderful read. I enjoyed reading about Kendall and Vaughn. I thought they had great chemistry. It was a page turner. It was well written and a great storyline.
I received an Advanced Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have read quite a few Robin Bielman books, and nothing by Samanthe Beck, until now. I am pretty used to Robin Bielman’s humorous books and this wasn’t like that at all. It was more serious than anything I’ve read from her before. Since I haven’t read any Samanthe Beck books, I couldn’t tell you if this is par for the course with her books.
Unfortunately, I found this book lacking something. I thought the characters were both kind, thoughtful, and just really nice people. But, I almost felt bored because they were so nice. They had like no flaws at all, and really there was very little angst. I thought the writing was descriptive and detailed, but I found the pacing a problem throughout. While I really struggled to push into the book, when the characters do get together, I felt like it was way too quick at the same time. There was also a whole lot of issues going on. Both characters came with a lot of baggage- mostly familial, and of course, Vaughn’s celebrity issues. I would say I found the most interest in the familial issues, and was especially intrigued by Kendall’s half sisters. I really wish I could have liked this one more, but there was just something missing for me.

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Kendall is supposed to be House and dog sitting for her Aunt for the summer. What she wasn’t expecting was her two half sisters to show up also. Apparently her Aunt made the same deal with them in an attempt to get the three sisters together. She also wasn’t expecting her Aunts neighbor to be sexy model, Vaughn Shaughnessy.

Vaughn feels a connection with Kendall as soon as he meets her and he knows he needs to get to know her. Kendall knows that she needs to avoid Vaughn and figure out her future. I love the characters and the storyline! I hope that we get books about each of the sisters!! Fun book!!

Having previously read books by both Samanthe Beck and Robin Bielman, I knew I’d be getting a great, fun read. But I didn’t realize just how emotional and special this one would be. While the subject matter from Kendall’s past was heavy, the story between both Kendall and Vaughn, as well as between Kendall and her sisters, was more lighthearted.
I loved that Vaughn was almost immediately all in with Kendall, while she was, naturally, more hesitant. A strong male lead who isn’t afraid of committing to a relationship is super hot and not always the norm in romance. Maybe that didn’t make him alpha enough for some, but I appreciated that part of him.
Kendall was a little more of a challenge for me, but I liked her overall. Her slow bonding with her sisters was realistic and interesting, especially with the very snarky Dixie.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who appreciates great writing and character development, with lots of humor and heart! I hope these two author pair up again and often.

What a great story! Promise Me was a story about love, family, forgiveness, trust, and so much more that I was not expecting. I loved it!!

Trust in a world where people use you for your name, your face, who you know is hard to come by. Trust if fragile. Trust is sacred. Trust is everything.

The same can be said for someone living out the spotlight living with their own secrets. Trust by nature is hard to give, especially the older we get.

Those four little words; can I trust you? hold so much weight. They are the foundation for every relationship we build starting in childhood. Can I trust you with my secrets? Can I trust you with my friendship? Can I trust you with my heart?

Vaughn and Kendall come from two different worlds, but at their core they are very similar people. It is that similarity that continues to pull them back together. Vaughn's face/mostly naked body is plastered all over the world. He's a model whose career if just getting started and he has a huge career opportunity on the line, if he doesn't screw it up. Kendall is a small town girl spending the summer in L.A. She's figuring out her next move before she begins law school in the fall a decision that will decide her entire future.

He's a man who lives in the spotlight, she's a girl who prefers the shadows. They only have the summer to figure out if they can meet in the middle. Is this just a fling or could what they feel for each other last beyond the summer?

Kendall just graduated from college. Instead of going back to her hometown, she's spending the summer house and dog sitting for her aunt and uncle and trying to figure out if she really wants to go to law school. On her first night, she meets her next door neighbor Vaughn, who happens to be a model/actor. Then the next day her two half sisters show up, each also thinking they were supposed to be house sitting thanks to a setup from their aunt. I enjoyed watching Kendall navigate interactions with the sisters, and I loved seeing her relationship with Vaughn develop. The book was sweet, and the characters were likeable.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book! Full humor, quirkiness and passion- this book definitely gave me a roller coaster of emotions! Loved it.

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

I finally finished this book!!! If I have to describe 'Promise Me' with one word it would be EASY . It's a quick and easy read. The plot was predictable. The romance between Kendall and Vaughn easy. The writing flows quite nicely and most of the characters are likable to an extent, but the story didn't give me much. That's why I can't rate this book more than three stars.

"Why is it so much easier to let harmful opinions bother us, rather than allow good ones to lift us up?"

**Spoilers alert**
Let's start with the heroine and hero of the story. Kendall and Vaughn.
Kendall has such a big heart and is the person who takes care of everyone. She is the woman she is now because something tragic happened in the past where she lost the person she loved most. That event changed who she is forever. Kendall tries to move on with her life, but it's really hard for her because she still harbors so much guilt. To avoid her home town, she decides to spend the summer at her aunt's house to do some house-sitting. To her surprise, she's not the only one house-sitting, her two half-sisters are there as well to escape their own life. In the beginning, I didn't really like her sisters, cause they don't get along and were quite mean to Kendall, but throughout the book, their relationships improved a lot. So Kendall tries to move on from her past and figure out what she wants to do with her life if she doesn't go to law school.

"One painful event explains why such an intrinsically outgoing person hesitates to get too close, why such a smart beautiful girl would hole up in her aunt and uncle's house all summer if left to her own devices."

And there is Vaughn. Her handsome neighbor who she has to help cause he is so drunk that he almost gets run over. They have a connection from the moment they meet (even though he is drunk as hell) and so their romance slowly begins. Now, who is Vaughn? Vaughn is a model in Hollywood going on to 'host-one-of-the-most-popular-reality-show' who is just too nice for this world. Yes, I really said too nice. I like my characters flawed, at least a little bit and that's where the problem was. I couldn't find one in Vaughn. He was too patient, too understanding, too perfect, too selfless. Too much of everything good, that it was just too much for me. The only flaw I could see was his name. Vaughn Shaughnessy. You read it correctly. His name is really Shaughnessy. When I read it for the first time I thought 'WHAT THE HELL? WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT?'. I'm sorry it's such a superficial thing, but I can't understand how you can name your character SHAUGHNESSY. From all the names in the whole wide world, it has to be this one? His name kept on coming up in almost every chapter when all I wanted was to forget it. Do I sound like a drama queen? Maybe because I'm one :D

Whatever Vaughn was so nice that I found his character pretty boring. He was always saying and doing the right thing and it was so annoying! I could have moved past that if his character had more depth. With Kendall, we got a fracture of her past but Vaughn didn't give much away, except that his sister died years ago. I needed more than that.

Another aspect that didn't sit well with me was the easy romance between Kendall & Vaughn. In the beginning, they had some minor problems with Kendall refusing to start something with Vaughn cause she's only there for the summer, but after they accepted that it's going to be a summer fling, things got too easy for me. Their relationship was far from smooth. Kendall broke up with Vaughn because she didn't want to jeopardize Vaughn career with her past and because she was not ready for the public to dig into her personal life. It just the way the problem was resolved, was just too easy and predictable. I wanted more angst!

"Thanks for being patient with me."
"Always."
"Thanks for being mine."
"Easiest thing I've ever done. And"-he kisses me-"something I will never take for granted."

I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Kendall and Vaughan figuring out their relationship!

Kendall is house sitting in the Hollywood Hills for her aunt and uncle while figuring out if she wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer like dad. Kendall’s half-sisters show up unexpectedly because her aunt invited them also to stay for the summer to get to know each other as adults. During a late night dog walk Kendall meets the next door neighbor, model Vaughn Shaughnessy. Vaughan’s career is taking off, getting his name out there as a possible replacement host for a television show but Kendall is a much more private person wanting to help others. Kendall and Vaughan are both dealing with the loss of people important to them with the death of Vaughan’s sister and Kendall having a driving while intoxicated after prom and her boyfriend seriously hurt.

Promise Me shows Kendall and Vaughan’s relationship began as friends but Kendall decided to end anything between them because her history was causing problems for Vaughan but he felt love was more important. I’m really hoping Samanthe Beck & Robin Bielman write about Kendall’s sisters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

it pains me to say this but i really struggled through this one. i've read and absolutely loved two samanthe beck books so maybe it was the robin bielman i didn't click with? or maybe samanthe beck's style has changed since she published the books i read (2013 + 2014)? or maybe it was the plot and the characters. honestly, i don't know. i didn't like either main character. i didn't like vaughn from the get go because, sorry, it's hard to take someone seriously in a book when they get trashed. i didn't love kendall because i felt like she was so wishy washy. because i didn't like them alone, i didn't like them together. felt no connection, the sex scenes were just words on the page without caring about the characters, which is a bummer because i want to feel that connection, the falling in love. but i just didn't care about either of them. maybe it was the age of the characters, or the industry vaughn was trying to break into? not my favourite setting in a romance but i've read several and enjoyed them so it wasn't enough to not request it. all of that on top of the just not loving the writing or plot, i seriously considered DNFing. but i kept hoping it would get better, because when i say i LOVED the samanthe beck books i've read, i really really loved them. so, whatever the reason, this one just did not work for me. i liked the sisters and am curious about their stories but not sure i'm curious enough to continue the series.

What I liked:
The writing style
Most of the characters
Dual POVs
Standalone
HEA

What I didn't like:
Kendall

I had a hard time staying interested in this book.

5 Flaming Stars!

There was just something truly magical about this book and these characters. Beautifully written and crafted, the story sucks you in right from the first when Kendall saves Vaughn from getting mowed down by his own car. Vaughn is a little jaded after being surrounded by superficial sycophants who want to climb the social ladder and is refreshed by Kendall's complete brush off.

Kendall is house sitting for her aunt all summer while she figures out how to tell her dad that she doesn't want to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer. What should be a relaxing summer gets turned on its head with the arrival of Kendall's two half-sisters who have never been close with each other. They are both jealous of Kendall's relationship with their father and the fact that Kendall grew up with both of her parents.

Their aunt is determined that the girls can find common ground if they get to know each other.

While the love story between Kendall and Vaughn is top notch, I feel like the evolution of the half-sisters' relationship is just as important and intertwined with the story. Bielman and Beck create such enigmatic characters that are full of depth. One of the best books I've read this year.

Amber and Dixie's fate are left up in the air, so I hope that we get each of their stories!

I’ve lost count of the number of books I’ve read from both Robin and Samanthe, so when I found out they were teaming up, I was on Promise Me faster than a rat up a drainpipe.

“I already got my wish tonight.”

Some people meet in life just when the time is right and there’s no doubt that fate is playing its hand in bringing Vaughn Shaughnessy and Kendall Hewitt into one another’s lives. And it quickly becomes evident that together, these authors have created an uplifting, heartfelt, sexy story that is impossible to put down.

“This is my summer of self-discovery, and Vaughn is an important and unexpected part of it. Being with him released me from the burden on my heart.”

Told in the dual perspective, I was totally smitten by Vaughn from his gentle tender nature, wit and delicious way with words. But, for me, this book is Kendall’s story and my heart hurt for her, for what she’s experienced and how she blossoms as their story unfolds.

“You’re so close to perfect it hurts just to look at you sometimes, but I’ve got imperfections—big ones—and they’re mine to keep.

No fan of Samanthe Beck or Robin Bielman will be left disappointed, their writing was knitted together beautifully and I couldn’t tell where one started and the other ended. I can’t wait to see what they bring us next—Kendall’s sisters and Vaughn’s housemates won me over with their humour and personalities and I’m hopeful they have stories to tell—but in the meantime, Promise Me is worthy of a place on any contemporary romance-lover’s shelf.

A big fat YES to this book, it was just simply delicious! The kind of story you just sink right into and want to be part of. Incredible characters, steady plot, the best cast of characters I've read in a while and two of my favorite authors co-conspiring!! Absolutely yes! I'm in!
When Kendall has the chance to stay at her Aunt's house alone for the summer, while thinking about whether or not she really wants to start law school and avoiding going home and the memories that are there, she hops right on that plane. There she meets Vaughn, the next door neighbor her first night there while out walking the dog. This little snowball is a character in her own right. Back to Vaughn, who I will say makes my book boyfriend list right out the the gate. I loved him. There's a party at his house, he's outside in the driveway and pretty wasted when his car starts up and into reverse and Kendall shoves him out of the way, saving him from getting run over. Kendall knows what drunks do behind the wheel of a car. Taking his keys, while the party rages on she takes him home and he crashes on the couch downstairs. Kendall is the girl who wears Winnie the Pooh pj's and doesn't realize how she effects those around her. The next morning Vaughn is gone, but in his place she sees her half sister Dixie, all smart mouth, tats and barely there clothes drinking her breakfast. Dixie has a barbed wit and doesn't spare Kendall a break. When Kendall challenges Dixie, Dixie calls their Aunt Sally to confirm that yes, she is supposed to be there housesitting. When half sister number 3 Amber shows up, looking unhappy these sisters know they've been played by their Aunt but to what end. Dixie does meet Vaughn that morning and Dixie knows who he is, he's plastered on billboards and magazines across the globe, male model and holy hotness. He lives next door to Aunt Sally with his two roommates and best friends, Dylan who just opened a hot new club in LA and Matt who is training to be a police officer. These guys couldn't be more different, as are the three sisters.
Halfway through the book I wanted the next book pronto. This story unfolds in an incredible way and I loved Vaughn who was loyal and steadfast. That it so refreshing to meet a younger male MC who didn't waffle like a fool during a story. 10 points for that alone. The whole flow of the plot, Kendall's backstory along with Vaughn's, everything about this book was right and nothing was wrong. It flowed. Sure there are moments where you're holding your breath wondering what's going to happen, there's plenty of that. Plenty of laughs, the dialogue courtesy of Dylan and Dixie, the unknowns, all of it. The book checks every single box and more. It's a guaranteed you're going to love it read. I love both these authors and the two writing together is genius! I can't wait for the next book! Absolutely recommend.

arc from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review!

A big fat YES to this book, it was just simply delicious! The kind of story you just sink right into and want to be part of. Incredible characters, steady plot, the best cast of characters I've read in a while and two of my favorite authors co-conspiring!! Absolutely yes! I'm in!
When Kendall has the chance to stay at her Aunt's house alone for the summer, while thinking about whether or not she really wants to start law school and avoiding going home and the memories that are there, she hops right on that plane. There she meets Vaughn, the next door neighbor her first night there while out walking the dog. This little snowball is a character in her own right. Back to Vaughn, who I will say makes my book boyfriend list right out the the gate. I loved him. There's a party at his house, he's outside in the driveway and pretty wasted when his car starts up and into reverse and Kendall shoves him out of the way, saving him from getting run over. Kendall knows what drunks do behind the wheel of a car. Taking his keys, while the party rages on she takes him home and he crashes on the couch downstairs. Kendall is the girl who wears Winnie the Pooh pj's and doesn't realize how she effects those around her. The next morning Vaughn is gone, but in his place she sees her half sister Dixie, all smart mouth, tats and barely there clothes drinking her breakfast. Dixie has a barbed wit and doesn't spare Kendall a break. When Kendall challenges Dixie, Dixie calls their Aunt Sally to confirm that yes, she is supposed to be there housesitting. When half sister number 3 Amber shows up, looking unhappy these sisters know they've been played by their Aunt but to what end. Dixie does meet Vaughn that morning and Dixie knows who he is, he's plastered on billboards and magazines across the globe, male model and holy hotness. He lives next door to Aunt Sally with his two roommates and best friends, Dylan who just opened a hot new club in LA and Matt who is training to be a police officer. These guys couldn't be more different, as are the three sisters.
Halfway through the book I wanted the next book pronto. This story unfolds in an incredible way and I loved Vaughn who was loyal and steadfast. That it so refreshing to meet a younger male MC who didn't waffle like a fool during a story. 10 points for that alone. The whole flow of the plot, Kendall's backstory along with Vaughn's, everything about this book was right and nothing was wrong. It flowed. Sure there are moments where you're holding your breath wondering what's going to happen, there's plenty of that. Plenty of laughs, the dialogue courtesy of Dylan and Dixie, the unknowns, all of it. The book checks every single box and more. It's a guaranteed you're going to love it read. I love both these authors and the two writing together is genius! I can't wait for the next book! Absolutely recommend.

arc from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2763620010

I requested this book because I loved the other Robin Bielman book I have read. Let me tell you, this one did not disappoint! I absolutely loved Kendall and Vaughn and I loved that the story was told from both of their points of view. This was not the lighthearted book I was expecting; this book tackled real, heavy issues and it did it very well. The secondary characters, especially Kendall's sisters Amber and Dixie, were fantastic. I would love to read books about the two of them!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of contemporary romances. This was different than a lot of books in this genre and it was very well written. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this free ARC!

I recieved a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't enjoy this one at all... Every hing about it was so typical, the good girl and bad ass guy - only he's not a bad boy he's simply just himself - Kendall was a pity fest and all I heard whenever she talked was self loathing.

I have zero problem with people developing but why must all female leads in romance hate something about themselves that much! Yes we all dislike things about ourselves but there are things we like about ourselves...

Also why must all the females leads be immediately wanting sex... Because that always has to happen. What happened to I like you, I'd like to date you... No let's immediately almost have sex then date?What happened to realism where she would actually be far more closed off than she's portrayed. And maybe want to keep her virginity intact for someone special not just the first person who sparks any kind of feeling?

I enjoyed seeing the sisters grow closer but thats about the only good thing for me.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book that I’ve read by Robin Bielman, and I see many more on the horizon! I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the very beginning to the very end. It had a great message for its readers about overcoming your past and making your own decisions about your future.

Vaughn was an awesome character that didn’t seem to let his stardom go to his head. Kendall was a very lucky girl who deserves the love and respect that Vaughn has to give to her. I love how Vaughn stood up to his dad when it came to matters of the heart!

PS - Becca was trash and needs to be exposed for the drugged up skank that she truly is!

Fair warning: I am still riding the epic, giddy, flaily high this book gave me. There may be gushing. Lots of it. But whoamygoshyouguys - this book was so good!

While Robin Bielman has been charming her way onto my favorites list for a while now, this was my first book by Samanthe Beck and there is some magic in this author duo, I swear it. This is the sort of unicorn story where everything balanced perfectly. I laughed out loud, my belly filled with those coveted butterflies, and my heart ached for Vaughn and Kendall - and all those feelings (and more, GAH - so many feels!) flowed so seamlessly, I felt like I was part of the story. I was so invested. So completely held in thrall. And I am so hopelessly smitten, I can't even...

Vaughn and Kendall are...everything. I mean this is a story about a rising star/male model who falls in love with the mysterious girl-nobody who is house-sitting for his neighbor - and there is literally nothing I should be able to relate to about that, and yet I 100% felt like these were my people. I mean, I freaking adored them. They're funny and kind and...complicated. They're playful and sexy and absolutely adorable. My heart hopped on board from the original and unexpected meet-cute, and it never waivered - not once - while these two sorted themselves out throughout the story. I feel like these authors got everything right in Promise Me, and well, I warned you there'd be gushing. I'm so in love!

On top of this basically perfect love story, there lies a secondary story of the relationship between Kendall and her sisters. Actually there are a few different family dynamics explored here and the layers they add took this book to an emotional level I really wasn't expecting. Overall - I felt like this book was so much more than I had bargained for - in all the very best ways. The secondary characters are compelling in their own rights, and I felt like there was set-up here for follow-up books. Trust me when I tell you that all my crossables are crossed that there will be more where this came from.

The writing was smart and engaging, the story was compelling and interesting, and I can't even tell you all the ways this book touched my heart. I can't shake this giant smile. I'm still over the moon with all the ways this story made me happy. There are some emotional punches for sure, and some more serious storylines threaded through all this happiness - but in the end it is a feel good story and - as if there were any question - I cannot recommend it highly enough!