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Book Review of Promised by Leah Garriott

Can you believe it’s already February? What? Where did January go? Believe me, I’m NOT complaining—January seems to never end, so it’s a pleasant surprise. Since it’s the month of love, love is in the air, and Cupid is out full-force this month, I thought reviewing a proper romance would be a great way to start the month. Let’s get the love party started! Promised by Leah Garriott is a fun, new proper romance. Leah Garriott is a new author, and I have to say, I’m impressed! I’m excited to add her to the growing list of proper romance authors. Find out more in my book review of Promised by Leah Garriott.

Blurb:

“Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart.

Warwickshire, England, 1812

Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.

There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams.

Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.”

My Book Review:

One of the reasons I enjoy reading proper romances is that I don’t need to worry about the content. It’s clean. One of the consequences of this is that the writing can sometimes be a bit too cheesy. Now, I like a good bit of cheese with my romance, but there have been a few times in which it has been too much. Promised does not have this problem. Yes, it definitely has enough cheese to make it a romance, but not enough to overdo it.

Leah Garriott’s writing style sucks you right into 1812. I pictured myself with Margaret at the ball, at home walking around her beloved lake, and I felt her emotions as she did. Garriott’s writing has wit and humor along with the somberness needed at times. The characters come to life on the page; their development allows for them to be realistic and relatable. Although Margaret drove me crazy at times, I still felt as though she were a dear friend.

Lord Williams and Mr. Northam each showed their true colors and were well written. Margaret’s brother Daniel, and her parents, were also realistic and well developed. I loved the emotions I felt from the characters. Margaret, especially, exudes emotion. She’s quite the spit-fire! I love how she takes life by the horns; even when she thinks there is no hope, she still tries with all her might to change unchangeable outcomes. Margaret also has some messed-up views of marriage and love. Thankfully, those get worked out along the way!

This book is easy to read, it flows well, and it’s such a fun story. Oh, don’t worry, it’s not all butterflies and roses, but it’s such a sweet love story. I truly enjoyed this book. It’s a fun, entertaining, and perfect addition to the proper romance collection. If you have enjoyed previous proper romances, you’ll love Promised by Leah Garriott!