I liked the book but not so sure I liked Logan. While he helped Claire get over some of fears I also felt he wanted to change her to fit his lifestyle not taking into account she likes where she lives & is content with where she is. He didn’t see how he was going to hurt by taking off & leaving her behind.
Also I wish the author had dealt more with Claire telling Peyton & Logan why what happened with Todd hurt so much. Not just because it was one friend poaching another friends boyfriend but it was also about her insecurities. Claire because of her physical injuries probably felt insecure when it came to dating & when Todd goes for Peyton who is described to be beautiful & secure in her looks that’s a blow to Claire’s feeling of insecurity. That shouldn’t be brushed aside.

3/5 stars

This book was a nice and sweet slow burn. I liked Logan, I adored Claire but I REALLY liked them when they were together. Something about one being so extroverted and the other being introverted made for some great conversations, revelations and super sweet chemistry. Logan made Claire take risks she hadn't been willing to do after her tragedy. She helped Logan see the world from her perspective and safety net. They both brought so much personality and compassion to the table, it was easy to fall in love with them and root for a relationship between the two.

I enjoyed all of the side characters for the most part. The battle between Claire and Peyton became a little juvenile after a while but they seemed to come to an understanding by the end of the book.

I find Jamie Beck's writing style to be extremely detailed and descriptive. It's done very well but may not be for everyone. At times it slowed the book down and took away from the momentum of the story.

This was a safe read. It had funny moments, heartwarming moments, tragic/traumatic moments and many more emotions all packed into one novel. I enjoyed the story line and the personal growth of Claire in particular. I can't wait to dive into Peyton's book!

3.5 stars. This book was decent. It had great potential and the first half of the book was pretty amazing. In my opinion though I feel like it got less and less good the further you get into it. I started nitpicking and disliking more and more. Overall it was a good book, but not something I would go out of my way to re read or even recommend.

I have found another author to add to my list of must read writers: Jamie Beck. The Promise of Us tells the story of Claire, who, as a teenager, was shot in a mall shooting. Not only was Claire’s life irrevocably changed but so were the lives of her parents and friends. The girl who was once known for living the life to its fullest is now a woman who takes very few risks.

When Logan Prescott, the brother of Claire’s former best friend, returns home with his ailing sister, Claire realizes that the crush she’s always had on him still exists. Logan, always a playboy, finds himself attracted to Claire and wants to help her really live her life again.

read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2019/04/18/earc-review-of-the-promise-of-us/

The Promise of Greatness. In this second Sanctuary Sound book, Beck continues her theme of intriguing character studies while telling solid romance stories. Here, we get a version of the same safety/ security vs freedom issues that plague our political debate, but inside the context of two people struggling to find themselves and overcome their own personal obstacles. I've read a couple of Beck's other series, and I can genuinely say that in my experience with her, this latest series is some of her finest work to date. Very much looking forward to Peyton's story.

Claire works in her small coastal Connecticut town as a designer. She's content to stay there, the result of fear brought about by a shooting she was involved in during her teen years. She feels protected in Sanctuary Sound. When Logan, her teenage crush, comes back to town, she's surprised by his attention. He's a globe-trotting photographer, the complete opposite of Claire.
Much like the first book in the series, there's a lot of angst. Claire is stubborn and Logan can be manipulative, but somehow you still like them because the author is skilled in explaining why. Claire has been arrested in her development in some ways, never having dealt with the mental trauma of the shooting. Logan is stuck in a battle with his father who is practical and doesn't appreciate Logan's artistic side. It's a good story of how Claire and Logan build a relationship.
It'll be interesting to read the next book. We've seen a lot of Peyton (who I think will be the heroine), but Ben (my supposed hero) has been a quiet minor character in the first two books.

I have come to the conclusion that I just don't like Jamie Beck's style of writing and characters and I should just do us both a favour and stop requesting ARCs.

Claire McKenna had a promising future as a tennis player until a random shooting left her with a pronounced limp. She and her family have retreated inwards, afraid to leave their home town of Sanctuary Sound. Claire has her book club and her family and her struggling renovating/decorating business with her best friend Steffi.

Then Claire's childhood crush Logan Prescott returns to town with his sister Peyton in tow. Peyton ran off with Claire's boyfriend/fiance but he dumped her when she got cancer. Now the two of them are back in town demanding that Claire forgives and forgets. Logan tries to manipulate Claire into speaking to Peyton by playing on her childhood crush (which he knew all about) and bribing her to decorate his New York apartment. Logan is everything Claire is not, he's a free agent who travels the world taking award winning photographs of tragedy and injustice. Unlike Claire, although his family is the wealthiest in Sanctuary Sound they are not close and he has been estranged from his father for many years.

I reread some of my reviews of Jamie Beck's other books to understand what I did (or didn't like) about them and unfortunately the same complaints arise in this book. There's just so much angst: shootings; cancer; family divisions; fear of travelling; old rivalries. As a reader I was just drowning in angst. Also, in most of my review I found the 'hero' to be completely unlikable and I felt the same way with Logan. He bullied and manipulated Claire into everything, he shamelessly leveraged her childhood crush and forced her to do things she was not comfortable with. I honestly wonder if a psychologist read this book what their views would be of the impact of his behaviour on Claire's mental health.

Through Logan's brute force interventions (accompanied by Claire's crying and panic attacks no less) Claire starts to break down some of the barriers which she and her parents have imposed on her life, to make small changes. Heck she even agrees to speak civilly to Peyton and makes other concessions. But listen to what Steffi says about him:

Just promise me you aren’t expecting Logan to make the kinds of personal changes for you that you’ve attempted for him this past month. As much as he must like you, he’s a charming wanderer who likes his life as it is.

Yes, that's right, Logan isn't willing to make a single change to his behaviour, his attitude or his outlook on life.

Logan is just a spoilt, petulant manchild

“he destroyed her self-esteem, and now, because I won’t make false promises, she’s got her guard up.” He was pouting. Pouting never looked good on anyone, but he couldn’t help it. Disappointment had him in a tight grip. “I get that she got hurt, but people date and break up all the time. Ryan and Steffi are the exception, not the rule. Just because a relationship doesn’t lead to a diamond ring doesn’t make it a mistake. But even if she were willing to roll the dice, my loyalty to you is also a problem. Apparently, she can do the forgive part, but not the forget.”

Claire foresees that Logan's loyalty to his sister could be a stumbling block to their fledgling relationship when she still feels incredibly betrayed that one of her best friends would steal her boyfriend? How unreasonable!

But don't let me vent all my ire on Logan. Claire is a thirty-something year old woman who allows her parents to call her EVERY day and curb her freedom by urging her not to travel, even to the neighbouring town, not to drive at night, not to go into unusual neighbourhoods, not to go on a yacht cruise on the river. She has all this pent up resentment and anger at Peyton but she lets it slide because she has a crush on Logan. She talks a big talk but when it actually comes down to it Claire falls for Logan's pretty cheesy lines and just does whatever he tells her to.

Finally, 320 pages and really nothing happened, just endless talking and friends interfering and telling everyone else what to do (or not to do). It always amazes me that all these characters have so much insight into everyone else's lives but absolutely none into their own.

So there you have it, yet another gibbering rant, if you loved Jamie Beck's other books then I am sure you will enjoy this latest novel. Unfortunately I don't appear to have learned that her style fo writing isn't for me.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I received a physical copy for an honest review]

“The truth is that we can’t control much of anything, Mom,” Claire said. “Only the choices we make.”

The Promise of Us by Jamie Beck is a wonderful story about overcoming your fears, moving past trauma, and learning to forgive. The series follows three childhood friends who each find their happy, but each can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I have personally read in the series and I'm looking forward to reading the prior book and the next book to come.

"If only pretty words could erase pain and betrayal. If they could undue damage and turn back time to the way things used to be"

Claire has known Logan since she was a child. She, her friend Steffi, and his sister Peyton were the best of friends. That is until after a bullet made her lose the life she knew and Peyton stole her boyfriend. Now Peyton is back in their small town looking for forgiveness, and she is not the same girl Claire remembers. Logan is also back and it seems Claire's childhood crush on him never went away. When she finds herself working for him and suddenly the focus of his attention she finds it hard to trust his intentions and let go of her insecurities. Even though they live opposite lives, one rooted in adventure and one rooted in familiarity, the time they spend to together changes both of them in ways they hadn't expected.

"Her weakness for him - an unsettling, reckless attraction- handed him the power to crush her heart to bits at the same time it made her soar. "

A book is nothing without its characters and The Promise of Us had some fantastic ones. Claire is amazingly strong in so many ways. Even when her fears limit her she fights against them in the end. She may be a bit head strong, but she is kind and caring to those she cares for. Logan was a layered character who I slowly fell more in love with as the story progressed. He started out as a play boy but Claire manages to bring out all his best qualities. He is fierce loyalty and support of his sister in her time of need was admirable. The connection between them was real and their story believable. Their love story is one to root for from beginning to end.

The Promise of Us is a love story that's so much more than just finding the person who makes you complete but also about finding yourself. A lovely contemporary romance and a book that I will be passing on to my friends and family for them to also enjoy.

This was a really cute continuation of a series with a really solid hook! Three childhood besties struggle to reconnect with each other after life deals them a series of setbacks. Claire, who not only survived a mass shooting incident that left her with a permanent limp but also a severe betrayal from her fiance and best friend, has insulated herself in the small town of Sanctuary Sound. When Peyton, the friend who betrayed her, comes home to recover from her chemo, she brings her brother Logan. Claire's life long crush on Logan gives him an advantage on helping to repair the relationship between his sister and her former bestie. I think the really fun part of this book was the sense of familiarity the writer imparts. You really believe that these people have known each other their whole lives, and even when they fight this feels like a campaign not a first engagement. Can't wait for book 3!