The Short of It:

We all need good stories right now and Promises to Keep will touch your heart and leave you smiling.

The Rest of It:

I am no stranger to Rossiter’s work. I think I have read, reviewed and enjoyed everything she’s written. Her new book, Promises to Keep, which comes out 04/27/2021, is actually a follow-up to Promises of the Heart. Although it’s a follow-up, I think each book can be read on its own but why not begin with Promises of the Heart? You’ll enjoy the characters enough to want to spend as much time with them as possible.

In this story, Maeve Lindstrom is working at Willow Pond Senior Care. A senior home, but not the type you and I think of when we think of assisted living. These folks are independent and feisty and keep Maeve on her toes! Maeve has a soft spot in her heart for her senior friends and can’t help thinking of them even when not at work. She also has a sweet spot for her niece, Harper and is lucky to be living so close to her sister Macey and her husband Ben. Family is the most important thing to her.

Gage Tennyson comes from a large family of boys. His work with Maeve’s brother-in-law Ben, is what brought Gage and Maeve together but as Maeve and Gage begin to think about a future together, they both realize that things from their past may affect where their relationship is headed. As much as Maeve wants to be a part of Gage’s life, she must come clean about something from her past and one day she can no longer ignore what needs to be said.

There are a few things you can count on when picking up a book by Nan Rossiter. There is always a dog or two, especially rambunctious Labradors. Dog lovers everywhere will find themselves completely taken by these lovable pups and yes, sometimes there’s even a cat or chickens! The other thing you can count on is the importance of family. As wonderful as these characters are, they struggle and often have to work through difficulty as the family comes together to help them through. Did I mention food? Nearly all of Rossiter’s books include food or drink in some way. There is comfort to be found in a home cooked meal and all the mentions of pies, cookies and platters of food bringing people together will give you a warm feeling. I love when an author finds a way to wrap you in comfort and who doesn’t need comfort right now?

Promises to Keep is comfort reading for sure but it’s a story with an important message too. This particular story deals with regret, missed opportunities, forgiveness, acceptance and inclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait for her next book.

Promises to Keep comes out 4/27 so pre-order now or…

Nan Rossiter has offered a copy for me to giveaway! If you’d like a chance to win a copy, visit my blog, link below.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter. ( )

Maeve is Macey's sister from book 1 and this is her story. She works at a senior care center and loves her job and the elderly people that she deals with daily. She's in love with Gage who works for her brother-in-law's business. They are extremely happy together but they are both hiding secrets from each other. Just when Maeve is ready to tell Gage about her past, an unexpected visitor shows up and everyone finds out the truth she's been hiding from Gage and from her entire family. Will Gage accept her secret or will it end their relationship?

There is one other main character - Mason is graduating from high school while his mom is dying of cancer. He's decided not to go to college so that he can stay home to take care of her. He was an fantastic character and the graduation speech that he gave brought me to tears.

Book one in this series was Macey's story and book 2 is her sister Maeve's story. All of the characters of the first book also appear in this book. You really need to read both books in order to get the maximum enjoyment. I really enjoyed spending time with these characters and getting to know them. This was definitely a well written and emotional series and I need to check out some of Nan Rossiter's earlier books. I sure would like to see another book in this series -- either about Mason or Harper as they grown up.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. ( )