Sandra Brown - Tomorrow's Promise

Publisher(s): Mira Books 1993, 2000, 2008; Harlequin 1983

ISBN of current print edition: 978-0778327202

My rating: 2/5


It happened the way attraction happens best: suddenly, passionately, uncontrollably and unforgettably.Thousands of feet above the ground on a crowded flight to Washington, D.C., radio personality Keely Williams felt the irresistible pull of handsome congressman Dax Devereaux. They were speaking at the same congressional hearing about Vietnam soldiers listed as MIA. Tragically, Keely’s husband was among the missing soldiers. He had been her childhood sweetheart, her future, her love—:and then the unanswered question Keely dedicated her life to solving.Until there was Dax. And the possibility of a new future. But could Keely allow herself to love again, and still honor the man of her past?   (www.amazon.com)


My thoughts

This story, if I may call it that, was just going on and on and on ... without anything really happening. And then something came up that made me check the blurb on the back cover and found out the book is almost thirty years old!

I've got to admit I didn't like the story. I think even placed into the "now" time, it'd be boring and at places close to unbelievable with so many coincidences.

Keely's soldier-husband has been missing in action for twelve years. She doesn't know whether he's dead or alive. On her way to Washington she meets Dex and falls in love with him, but her conscious doesn't allow for her to "live" her feelings - and he's such a wonderful hero! And she isn't. I just couldn't warm up to Keely, to the point when Dex and Nicole (her best friend) in a moment of rage told her what they thought of her, I went like "yeah!".

Glad I finally finished it, it was a real struggle!

Sandra Brown - Chill Factor

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

ISBN:  978 - 1416593522

My rating: 2/5


In Chill Factor, Lilly Martin is stranded in her mountain cabin with Ben Tierney, a man suspected of being. . .you guessed it.
They're marooned during the worst blizzard of record (here's where the weather became a significant factor), without hope of a timely rescue, totally dependent on each other for their survival.
Tierney is a threat to Lilly on several levels. (I'll let you think about that for a while.) Even if she withstands the storm, even if she escapes Tierney, she may not survive her so-called rescuers. Among them are a tough FBI agent, the high school football coach whose personal life wouldn't hold up under close scrutiny, and Lilly's short-tempered ex-husband who is the local chief of police. All are desperate to reach her and Tierney. But not everyone is desperate to rescue them. (www.sandrabrown.net)


My thoughts

Okay – so I can’t say it was a complete waste of time, but in all fairness and honesty – boy, did that story drag along. The plot is actually quite interesting. Two strangers (well sort of) are stuck in a mountain cabin during a snow blizzard – that’s Lilly Martin and a very sexy Ben Tierney. Would be nice, wouldn’t it, however, Lilly becomes more and more worried, though not a hundred percent convinced that Ben is a killer.

The other characters are Lilly’s ex-husband, Dutch the police officer in town, Dutch’s friend, Wes, and his family, and two FBI agents amongst a few others.

So, yes, not even half way through the book I figured out who’s sleeping with who, as well as who the killer is. AND it wasn’t that I finished and thought “I had a feeling it was ....” nope I honestly knew. So the story dragged on even more to the point that I put the book down more often than actually picking it up to read again.

And there were a few issues I couldn’t understand and that frustrated me. Though more or less reasonably well explained at the end, I would’ve liked a bit of a hint earlier.

All in all .... not really my cup of tea.