Forever Promised

Promises, Book 4

By: Amy Lane

Narrated by: Paul Morey

Crick has been home from Iraq for five years, Jeff and Collin are finally married, and Shane and Mikhail are quietly making lives better for the dispossessed teenagers who come their way. Everything is right in Deacon's world, but nothing ever stays the same.

When Deacon's best friends, Jon and Amy, answer the call of an opportunity in Washington, DC, Deacon figures that's life. You love people, and they leave you, and you survive. Even Benny, Crick's little sister, is close to grown and ready to start her own future. But Benny loves Deacon, and she owes him - she may move beyond The Pulpit and Levee Oaks one day, but not without leaving something of herself behind. And so she offers Deacon and Crick an amazing gift... and a terrifying decision.

Benny's offer forces Deacon and Crick to dredge up every past mistake and offer of redemption. And not just the two of them - everybody is forced to examine the chances they've been given and the promises they've made. In a real family, a child is a promise, and to the men and women of Promise Rock, keeping that promise will change their lives forever.

©2014 Amy Lane (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

Worth the Wait!

It took FOREVER for this to come out as an Audiobook! Thank you, thank you, thank you Paul Morey for doing this and to Dreamspinner for finally producing it!

This book nicely joins all three of the previous books for a last(?) look at their lives as couples.

Without giving away too much – Benny wants to give Deacon and Crick a baby to help complete their family. She knows how important children are to Deacon and she knows that with her DNA and Deacon’s she can do the next-best-thing to having Crick and Deacon actually make a baby together. Of course this is FULL of drama and hand-wringing and of course, tears – Amy always makes me cry!

Mickey and Shane are dealing with their own house full of crises. Kimmy and her fertility problems. Two of the girls in Promise house are not getting along – one is Crick’s sister and the other is a sweet girl Martin has eyes for.

Jeffy and Collin are adjusting to married life and making their own decisions about family.

Jon and Amy have their own bomb-shell to drop and it, too, shakes up the Promise-universe.

**
What I loved about this book was that it didn’t feel like an afterthought. These stories felt like they NEEDED to be told and it was the perfect way to give some of these guys closure.

Now I would absolutely ADORE another book, but barring that kind of miracle, this is a nice way to cap off the drama and leave everyone – more or less – in a really happy place.

As for the narration. Well, you know I just love Paul Morey and his Mickey just makes me so happy! There is a particular moment, when Mickey has gotten some devastating news (it’s and Amy book – of course there’s devastating news!) – and Paul’s voice is so full of emotion and it just feels so damn REAL!

I can’t say enough that the listening to these books makes the amazing stories even that much more amazing and like “being there”.

Though I read them again and again, I also listen to this series again and again because the narration is so strong.

I can’t recommend them enough! 6 of 5 stars

A Phenomenal Series End...

When I first seen the release of this book, I was a bit confused because I just assumed that the cast of characters that Amy Lane conjured had reached an amenable conclusion. So with that, I reluctantly began reading/listening to this story and the first character was about Bennie, which further confused me. I almost stopped listening because I did not want the images in my head and the conclusion to this wonderful journey that I had concocted to be tarnished...but I continued. Never to disappoint, Amy finished this series with laughter, heartache, tears, and joy and I cannot recommend this book more! An excellent story to imagine and Paul Morey did a fantastic job with the cast of characters. These characters: Deacon, Crick, John, Amy, Parrish, Bennie, Perrie Angel, Drew, Jeff, Colin, Shane, Mickey, Kimmy, Lucas, Patrick, Martin...all have touched my soul and spirit and I will carry them and the hope, dreams, and love that they exemplify with me always and FOREVER...

Exactly the ending it needed

I am very happy Amy ended the series the way she did. I'm definitely a fan.

A satisfying ending to a superb series.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely! The story was well crafted and the narration was very good, oh and Amy Lane...need I say more?

Who was your favorite character and why?

At this point in the series, I loved them all but the short list is Crick, Mikhail, Shane, Benny, and, well that will have to do.

Have you listened to any of Paul Morey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This performance was very good, I did have issues with his narration in one of the other books in the series but this one was well done.

Who was the most memorable character of Forever Promised and why?

See above.

Any additional comments?

Get the whole series, you won't regret it!

Another Paul Morey winner

Would you consider the audio edition of Forever Promised to be better than the print version?

I did like the audio better than the written. For some reason, the book seemed really long!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Forever Promised?

The death of Sweety

What does Paul Morey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His voices are great!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no, it was a long audio as well, a lot of loose ends to tie up

Love the whole series

Heartwarming with great depth of character development, and emotionally satisfying plot arcs. The only thing I would change is for Crick to change his name to Winters too!!!! Love, Love, Love!

Family and Home

This was a wonderful ending to a BEAUTIFUL series. Paul Morey's narration made me want to purchase the whole series in audio books! Well done

loved it. narration excellent great story.

fitting ending to a great story and family. would love to have more!!!!! awesome writing.

I loved Paul Morey's narration.

Any additional comments?

This is the final installment of the Promises series and once again it's narrated by Paul Morey. I loved Paul Morey's narration. It's what kept me going for this one.

Forever Promised is narrated by a lot of the characters: Benny, Deacon, Mikhail, Collin, Crick, Jeff, Shane, and Jon. Seriously, it was too much for me. It was way too many POVs and it lost a little shine because of it. You know what? That's not true. I would have been fine with it if it weren't for Benny. I mainly didn't particularly care for Benny's POV. I could have happily had her continue to be the strong thread interwoven in the group, being a sort of mother/sister to them all, but happily never residing in her mind. I just wanted more of my boys.

In the end though, it *is* about the boys. That's who I've come to love, and that's who I got to spend time with. Seeing them come through all their trials and tribulations to be triumphant on the other side. This story reads like a love letter to the fans who love these characters, I dare say almost as much as Amy Lane does.

Fans of the series will be prepared for all the angst and twists, because we expect them at this point. If you don't - you haven't been paying close enough attention.

I love them all and wish them all well. When I find myself in the future missing Deacon, Crick, Shane, Mikhail, Jeff and Collin, I will listen or read these books again to visit with them.

“It's why they all gathered here, weddings, funerals, the introduction of their son - it was the promise and the heartbreak of the place Deacon's family called home. It was the legacy of a community, a simple swimming hole, a place made sacred by love. Promise Rock."

Recommended.

Broken Promises

The author is one of the best in the business -– check
Known, loved characters –– check
Known backstories –– check

With all those checks how could it fail? It's the pits. Confusion. Weak stories, Feels like the great Amy Lane just stuck together pieces of stories to make sure the series was all tied up in bows so she could call it finished. Too bad instead of bows it's all tied up in knots.