After years of dating losers, cheats and one guy who did something unrepeatable to her kettle, Ruby has all but given up on romance. But then a stranger sits next to her on a train to London and explains his plan to propose to the woman of his dreams. Maybe true love does exist after all?
When the man accidentally leaves the engagement ring behind, Ruby is determined to save the day. But she hasn't counted on fellow passenger Curtis stepping in and insisting he should be the one to track the stranger down.
As summer closes in, the unlikely pair make a promise to reunite the ring with its owner. But can they find their own happy ever after along the way? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)
I’m all for unique scenarios that bring unlikely characters together. The Promise of Summer delivered on that premise, and more!
It’s not every day that you run into someone on a train who leaves behind an engagement ring, but that’s exactly the type of situation Ruby finds herself in. Driven by the need to see someone find their own happily-ever-after, she and her newfound acquaintance, Curtis, go on a mad hunt to try to find the owner of the ring. The way the story progresses and the means in which both Ruby and Curtis learn more about one another was cleverly written and felt magical, yet held a ton of realism within the magic. Ruby is so driven to help the stranger find happiness because she doesn’t have that in her own life, where romance is concerned. And, Curtis is incredibly standoffish and admits to not really knowing what love is about, coming off as closed off from the rest of the world.
In some respects, Curtis’s personality reminded me of my teenage son. While my son can be affectionate and loving, he’s never been the type to be overly affectionate and prefers to show his affection in other ways. I think largely due to that, Curtis was one of my favorite characters. I could see the gradual shifts when he chooses to open up more to Ruby, someone he sees as just a friend, and she claims to feel the same way about him. She has to work for and earn his trust; he won't give it easily. The undercurrents between them made me wish that there would be more going on whenever they were highlighted within the book.
Honorable mention goes to Ruby’s best friend, Kim. Both women work together as florists and while they often lean on each other, there are a few secrets they’ve managed to keep from one another’s reach. It was interesting to see how they’d handle that--whether it would strengthen the friendship, or cause more distance. While Ruby is looking for the stranger in an effort to return the engagement ring, Kim is dealing with her own intriguing scenarios, starting with a man from her past, and a man who could potentially be her future. Or, are they the same person? All of that unfolded gently and freely, making it, and the rest of The Promise of Summer, a pleasurable, five-star experience.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
Bella's stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She lives in The Midlands, UK with her husband, daughter and a cat who thinks she’s a dog. When not writing Bella is usually eating custard creams and planning holidays.
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