A pleasant read with a sweet romance. I love stories set in the era of the Gilded age!

I would say it was a bit of a slow burn of a romance and not really a love triangle as some might have guessed based on the blurb. I liked the writing, but sometimes I wanted to shake the characters for behaving in certain ways. Sometimes I felt some of the details were repetitive and made the pacing that much more slower where it felt like the story was actually dragging at times. It had a sweat ending though that tied up the stories quite nicely.

ARC provided by Covenant Communications via NetGalley, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.

A nice read....but not one I'd read again. The premise is that the lead female character, Isabella DeVries, has had 4 seasons without finding a match. In a fit of anxiousness, she turns to her dear friend Preston, asking him to help her find a suitable husband. Preston does one better and offers to marry her himself = but only on a platonic level. Meanwhile, there is Preston's ne'er-do-well half-brother Prince (the name just doesn't work for me). He just wants to live a lavish lifestyle on Preston's dime while courting one Miss Darlington. But big brother says unless Prince shapes up, he's not getting an inheritance. Oh, and he plans to leave a substantial amount to Isabella upon his death ( which is imminent). Somewhere along the way, an attachment forms between Prince and Isabella, and following Preston's death, they wind up together living happily ever after.

It seems romantic and tragic and touching all at the same time, but it just didn't resonate with me. All three characters were overly concerned about what others would say for most of the book. Miss Darlington intentionally hides the fact that she has a brain she wants to use. And some of the household staff have the temerity to be snippy over a misunderstanding. I know, for the time period, appearance was everything...that reputation was everything....but the way it's handled in this book leaves the reader irritated rather than empathetic. And there really isn't a romance between Prince and Isabella...a few moments of commiseration and a bunch of flowers, and boom, they're a couple. It just didn't work for me. It could have been so much more, but it wasn't.

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for this ARC, which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

This is the first book by this author I have read. The premise is interesting, a wealthy older brother, a younger brother who makes bad choices with time and finances, and a long time neighborhood girl.

The characters are good, they seem believable and I can see the family dynamics as being real. As the older brother finds he is dying, he tries to help both the younger brother and this neighborhood girl whoever father has done so much him. But sometimes innate prejudices got in the way of what is right.

This book felt a little slow for me, it took me a long time to want to stay in it, but the ending was worth the effort.

Thank you for the ARC.

How do I began... its giving gilded age (the best era).

At first glance of the description I feared we were under the curse of the love triangle trope (spoiler alert we are not). These characters feel sooo real. Their past dictates some of how they act and their choices.

the romance in this is sweet, and had me smiling into my kindle due to the softness of it.

You will adore this book I swear it.

I enjoyed this book by Ranee S Clark. I’m usually a Regency era reader, but I enjoyed stepping into America for this Gilded age story.

The heroine of the story Isabella is engaged to one of her oldest friends Preston. But Preston is dying and only wished to marry Isabella to make sure she is taken care of after her death. Isabella readily takes on the role of comforter and caregiver to Preston as his illness progresses, but along the way she loses her heart to Preston’s younger, frivolous brother Prince.

This book delves into some pretty serious and emotional topics such as death and grief. It is filled with some heartache and for me some frustration at the characters behaviors. But overall it is a great read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communication for a ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love reading historical fiction and the Gilded Age but this book was not for me. I could not connect to any of the characters and I kept getting the brothers confused since their names were so close...Preston and Prince. It felt repetitive so I skimmed a lot. While this book is not my favorite I would still like to read another book from this author. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy clean romances and this one was cute. Thank you to the author for the review copy, all reviews are my own.

I really enjoyed this Gilded Age story about two brothers, Preston and Prince, and sweet Isabella. The background of all of these characters and how they connect was very interesting. They each have some sorrows from their past that in a sense dictates their actions and choices. I loved watching how their choices led them along and especially how it brought Prince and Isabella into each others' paths.

I'm not a big fan of love triangles and know many other readers aren't either and if you've read the synopsis you might think that this has a love triangle. Don't worry, it doesn't. ;-) I loved how it all played out. I loved the goodness of the characters, even the secondary characters. There were several characters that surprised me, in a good way. It was just a great read all around. There were a few moments that brought out some emotions where I felt for these characters and some of the struggles that they were facing, but again, I loved how they handled the situations and kept moving forward.

The sweet romance will have you smiling and you'll be pleasantly surprised by it all.

Content: Clean. Sweet romance with only kisses. No language.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

#ALadysPromise #Netgalley
Two brothers who have lost their way... One a man of fortune, the other barely making ends meet. One holds a grudge, the other is determined to outsmart his older brother in any way that he can. When the older brother Preston, is willing to give all that he has,to his childhood friend Isabella, even asking for her hand in marriage so that she can inherit his fortune. Making sure that his younger brother Prince is left with very little.
A book that shows how greed can ruin relationships and opening hearts can mend it.

** spoiler alert **
Let me preface this review by saying that I typically like to read sweet little low-angst romances that tie up neatly for the happily ever after. I can't decide how to rate this book because it didn't have the neat little bow that I wanted. And it made me cry. But I think other people will love that it wasn't all perfect. It is a unique set up to have the engagement between friends and one is dying. I don't see that a lot in the books I read. But I found myself uncomfortable through most of the book with the whole idea of Isabella being engaged to one brother and falling in love with the other even though they know that Preston is dying and only marrying her as friends. It wouldn't have bothered me if it happen after his death though. And I thought it was weird for the time period that the age difference was an issue for Isabella.

So what was it I wanted in this book? I wanted to see Preston come to terms with Prince. I wanted something like a secret clause in the will that showed if he continued carrying on with the philanthropic endeavors after Preston's death that there actually was a provision for him showing that Preston believed in him. Or I wanted Preston to be planning on Prince marrying Isabella all along thus negating my discomfort with the triangle. Or something along these lines to show that Preston was a good guy. Instead his life ends on a very negative note and he is wrong about multiple things. Although I see why the author wrote it as is.

What did I like? I liked how the author showed us Miss Darlington's true character through the subtle changes in Price's perception of her. Once he has begun to change from the shallow man he was, he is able to see others more clearly. I liked that even if Preston wasn't himself before he died, we did end up seeing that he had believed in Prince, at least a little, prior to that. And most importantly, Prince sees it in writing. I liked the subplot about social activism and wanting to help people where they can. I liked the friendship between Preston and Arabella and his desire to see to her care after his death. I liked the Arabella as an inventor element.

So despite this being not exactly the type of fluff romance I enjoy reading there was still much to like about it and I think many people will like it all the more for it not having that perfect, tied up in a bow ending.

No sex, language or violence
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

This was actually a cute read. I was a little nervous for this book after reading the description but I was able to enjoy it. A Lady’s Promise is the first book that I have read by Ranee S Clark and it was a sweet historical romance.
Isabella and Prince were such fascinating characters. They viewed the world and those around them in such different lenses but they were also connected by the hurts of life, the deaths of loved ones. Oh my goodness, I felt so bad for both Prince and Isabella. They were just trying their best as they tried to figure out life. There were times when Prince frustrated me because of his immaturity but it was cool to read about him growing. Isabella was such a kind character but she had to learn to let go of her fears of gossip and enjoy life.
It was interesting to read about Prince and Isabella interacting becuase they were connected through his sick brother. However, I like how Clark wrote their relationship and how it did not feel weird since Isabella was engaged to Prince’s brother, Preston. The relationships in this book really drew me in and I liked how Isabella tried to connect Preston and Prince.
This was a good book. I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical romances that show character growth and reconciliation. A Lady’s Promise is a clean historical romance.


I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Isabella De Vries needs to find a husband. As an orphaned New York socialite and four unsuccessful seasons, she calls on her friend, Preston to help her. His solution is for them to marry in name only, as he is dying, and this would make her the sole beneficiary of his will. Yet, Preston’s younger brother, Prince is determined that he will win over Isabella as a means to retaining his inheritance money. Yet when they meet, their connection is genuine, and he finds himself falling in love with her.
I enjoyed the character of Preston who bears the weight of his responsibility and also his impending death. His intentions to Isabella are noble and I could see the connection between the couple. I did find the character of Prince, difficult to like as from the very first chapter his immaturity is overwhelming, and I found Isabella’s attraction to him at odds with this. Overall, I enjoyed reading of the dynamics between the three and enjoyed Isabella’s attempts to bring the brothers back together.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this heartbreakingly beautiful story of hope, love, and redemption. Isabella agrees to a very unconventional marriage of convenience knowing her fiancé, her best friend, will die from cancer. Preston wants to make sure that she is taken care of when he is gone and doesn’t want his millions to go to his lazy brother, Prince, who he is sure will waste it all. When Prince finds out Isabella is set to get what he considers his inheritance, he sets out to charm her and gets to work on a project, all to impress his brother into getting some inheritance. Little does he realize he will soon fall in love with Isabella. I can’t explain more without spoiling the ending, but it left me feeling warm and fuzzy right down to my toes. To me, it’s a sign of a truly good book when it brings out my emotions, and I found myself smiling, crying, and my heart swelling as I read this! Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communication I received a free ARC copy. These thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Covenant Communications Publishing. I'm leaving a review of my own volition, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Historical Romance, Sweet Romance, Proper Romance
Spice Level: A kiss, a look, a sigh
Themes: Family, Trust, Betrayal, Forgiveness
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Forbidden Love

A LADY'S PROMISE has a unique premise with a marriage of convenience with a twist. But I really don't want to spoil things to tell you too much.

The characters are interesting!

- Isabella, an orphan and socialite with a scientific mind, leaning toward inventions.

- Preston, the older brother, who gained his fortune through Isabella's father. He's also worried over his younger brother's spendthrift ways and bound to put a stop to it.

- Prince, the younger brother, who's a bit scheemie, and a reprobate. He wants his share of the fortune to make up for the hurt he endured from Preston.

There are more characters, who are also fleshed out enough to make them intriguing, especially another socialite, Miss Darlington.

The brothers' relationship was one of my favorite because it's fraught with trouble and feels like a blow-out from a real family. I also liked to see how each of the brothers shifted in their opinions. Very intriguing!

I know this is silly, but I'm going to tell you anyhow—the name Prince bugged me every time I read it. My understanding is that it is a name that was legitimately used in the early 1900s. I still didn't like it. Probably because he acted like a little prince at times—spoiled and put out if things didn't go his way.

Here's the tea.
I read this in one day!
So even though the name was a hangup for me, I thoroughly enjoyed it to see how everything would work out.

It's also got some social conscious/activism in it. Which I thought was appropriate for the time period and timely for today. I would say that's a subplot to the romance.

I was on the fence of how many starts I'd give this one. It's not a love triangle (unless you count the fortune), so that's a plus. Are the characters awkward at times? Oh, yeah! So that can be another feather in the author's hat. Based on the speed of my reading it, I'm not docking it for the name I hated. (Especially since that's personal preference.) I think you'll love it if you've read other books produced by Covenant Communications.

I recommend this book!

Happy reading! (and possibly swooning)

Confession: While in the past historical fiction is one that I would have considered a favorite genre, I must admit that in recent months, I've really struggled to find historical reads that I absolutely love. I'm definitely a mood reader, so I attribute a lot of it to that fact... but still, it's almost made me hesitant to pick up historical reads at the moment because I worry that I won't be able to enjoy them as I have in the past. But I absolutely adore Ranee S. Clark's books, so I wanted to give this one a chance... and oh my goodness, I am so glad that I did! Because this one? I adored.

Right from the beginning, I was drawn into these characters lives. Isabella was such a kind and thoughtful character with a mind for engineering and inventions-- particular those that can help others. Her friendship with Preston felt very genuine, and I really enjoyed the way the two looked out for and truly loved each other, if only in a very brotherly way. Prince on the other hand... well, at his first introduction, I must admit I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about him! That made it all the more enjoyable to watch his growth as the story went on. And I definitely really enjoyed his flirty ways with Isabella too... even if she WAS engaged to his brother. Like many, I am NOT a fan of a true love triangle... and while on the surface this might sound a little love triangle-like, I assure you it really does not come across that way at all in the story... it is made very clear that there is no romance at all between Preston and Isabella. So, while a complicated situation for sure... no love triangle here!

As a key point in this story is that Preston is dying from cancer, it most definitely had it's difficult, emotional moments. Still, I felt like it was really well balanced with humor and the romance to keep it from feeling like too depressing a story.

A Lady's Promise is a closed-door romance with nothing beyond kisses and no language.


**I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.

What a delightful read! This was my first book from Ranee S. Clark. It certainly will not be my last. The brother dynamic was rich and well played out. Isabella, Preston, and Prince are wondrous characters to follow. It is worth noting for those interested that while there are 3 main characters, this is not a love triangle. (Yay!)

I loved it. Two thumbs up!

A delightful historical romance that will grip you from the beginning.
This book was full of things I love:
Historical Romance
Dual POV
Sweet, Slow-Burn Romance
Opposites Attract
An Intriguing Plot
Beautiful Setting

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I really wish it was longer, so the characters and backstory could have been fleshed out more.
Hopefully, we will get more books set in this world.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy.

A Ladies Promise by Renee S Clark is a clean historical romance set in the Gilded age in New York City. I liked the premise of the story and the writing style was very good. I just had a hard time getting into the story. The first half is really slow without a lot going on. It does pick up in the second half of the book and I enjoyed the ending. I also didn’t really care for the main characters in this book I had a hard time becoming invested in their lives.
Overall it was a good read with a unique story line.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but it took a while for me to get into it. For me, it felt slow in the beginning, which sometimes can turn me off, but I geld on hoping for a great end and this did not disappoint. I enjoy sweet love stories and this one just did not have much "love story" in it, at least not to what I am used to. However, the writing was excellent, the characters well developed, and the story line interesting. I throughly enjoyed the ending! Raneè S. Clark is a great story teller and I cannot wait for more!

A Lady's Promise by Raneé S. Clark

Isabella De Vries is ready for marriage and asks a good family friend, Mr. Preston Baxter, to help her in her quest to find the right husband. When Preston suggests she marries him as he is dying of stomach cancer, she decides to go along with his plan. His brother Prince is a complication in more ways than one and when she starts having feelings for Prince the more complicated it gets.

This story was very emotional and the way it all wrapped up surprised me in a good way. This story is set in New York City in the 1890s and was a very enjoyable read.
#ALadysPromise #NetGalley