{Review} of The Promise by Kristen Ashley

The Promise by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Romance
THEME: Suspense, Mystery, Mature
RECEIVED: Bought

BLURB:

Since his brother’s death, Benny Bianchi has been nursing his grudge against the woman he thinks led to his brother’s downfall. He does this to bury the feelings he has for Francesca Concetti, his brother’s girl. But when Frankie takes a bullet while on the run with Benny’s cousin’s woman, Benny has to face those feelings.

The problem is Frankie has decided she’s paid her penance. Penance she didn’t deserve to pay. She’s done with Benny and the Bianchi family. She’s starting a new life away from Chicago and her heartbreaking history.

Benny has decided differently.

But Frankie has more demons she’s battling. Demons Benny wants to help her face. But life has landed so many hard knocks on Frankie she’s terrified of believing in the promise of Benny Bianchi and the good life he’s offering.

Frankie’s new life leads her to The ‘Burg, where Benny has ties, and she finds she not only hasn’t succeeded in getting away, she’s doesn’t want to.

REVIEW:

With the final Burg novel coming out soon, I wanted to get back into one of my favorite Kristen Ashley series, one that always has a mystery in the mix. I was exited to get to know more about the Bianchi family and Benny who is cousin to Cal from a previous book. I love how Ashley always ties her series together by showing her readers how past characters are doing and also having them befriend the latest female lead.

The Promise follows Frankie Concetti who is recovering from being shot by a a crazy man who was trying to hurt a family friend. She is now a hero but also she has put the spotlight on her from the family who abandoned her. Frankie dated and fell for Vinnie Bianchi, but when his life spiraled into the mob and he was killed, the one family she adored, became strained. Now that she saved a member of their family, they are determined to make amends, especially her dead boyfriends brother Benny. But nothing is easy with their family and when Frankie’s curiosity in a strange death at work puts her in danger, Benny is determined to keep her save and with him.

Frankie is a tough cookie, she has survived a pretty traumatic event and is determined to move forward on her own. But the Bianchi family is determined to take care of her, Benny Bianchi comes back in her life and isnt going anywhere. I love how this family wants to fix the relationship with Frankie, whom they thought of as a daughter. Benny is someone who Frankie was close to and actually fit more with than his brother Vinne, but Frankie never went there. Years have gone by since Vinne’s death and Frankie is nervous and unsure why Benny wants to take care of her so much. The chemistry between these two is smoking hot and hilarious, they have so much banter and hot moments is adds to their long friendship they already had to a hot romantic one. Frankie has a lot of stubborn moments but in the end she knows this family cares for her deeply, and with her extremely damaged family always disrupting her life, she yearns for some happiness with them and Benny.

Benny is a man who knows what he wants, Frankie is a women that has always has had a special place in his heart. He’s done waiting for her to come around and now that she needs the help, he’s made himself the only caretaker she’s going to get. Benny reminded me a lot of his cousin Cal, he is all alpha and pushy but also extremely loving, even when hes not trying to be. His love for his family will make anyone melt and his protectiveness of Frankie shows how much he has always cared about her. I love how he always had her back against her insane family and how he accepted the mob side of her extended family to a point that made her happy.

Overall this was a bit of a shift from the prior books as the mystery wasn’t a huge focus, but the relationship is so strong and loving that it didn’t bother me. The mystery has to deal with Frankies work, she is a workaholic and enjoys what she does, but she also is known for putting her nose where is doesn’t belong. I did like the mystery but I wished it was more intense like the others have been. In the end I loved seeing the other Burg couples and seeing how their life’s have moved forward. I cant wait to read the final in the series next and I know Ashley will always give me a great HEA.

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