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The Promise

By: Ki Brightly, Meg Bawden
Narrated by: Kaeomakana Tiwanak
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Summary

Widowed Before Forty

Lawyer Caleb “West” Weston loses the man he loves, Carter, to cancer. When Carter dies, not only is West left hurting, but Carter’s younger brother, 18-year-old Shane, plummets deeply into grief. Both men bury themselves in their pain and forget to support one another. West feels hollow, and Shane’s life goes off the rails.

The Lost Boy

Shane’s parents reacted badly when he told them he was gay, but he had Carter and West to run to when things got tough. They gladly took him in. After Carter dies, Shane feels like he has no one to love him, until one tearful moment between Shane and West turns into something passionate. Afterward, consumed by guilt, both men become more isolated than before.

Second Chance at Love, First Chance to Be Himself

West has never fully embraced the darkest parts of his sexuality, but he knows one thing for certain - he wants Shane as his. Even if being with his dead lover’s younger brother is wrong, fighting his attraction to Shane is hurting them both. He decides to step up and become the daddy he has always wanted to be, one who helps guide his boy back into the land of the living. One large problem remains, during the months Shane was left to his own devices, he made a wreck of his life. West and Shane both need a lot of love to heal. Can they learn to live a new life together, free of shame and guilt?

©2020 Ki Brightly (P)2020 Ki Brightly
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Sweetness and healing

Sad, yet open, this story tugged on my heart strings with the death of a brother and lover. the story follows Carter's grieving partner and younger brother. they are both drowning in their own way and finally find soloce in each other. what starts as a hot and steamy distraction quickly grows to more. both characters face their own guilt, healing and growth as they navigate their new normal. I was interested in the hints of King's motorcycle club throughout the story, so now I need to explore those stories too. Narration was admittedly unique and took a little to get past and into the story, but once I was in it was enjoyable. A good sad and healing story, with very steamy daddy kink! Enjoyable 😉🔥🏳️‍🌈

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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so good

i enjoyed this a lot.. it was fun and interesting.. fast paced and sexy.. the narrator did a good job.. it made me happy to listen to their lives come to life.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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West and Shane

Shane is kicked out of home and his brother and boyfriend take him in. 2 years later his brother has died of cancer and West has promised to look after Shane. Shanes grief gets him trouble and West comes to the rescue. He becomes the Daddy to lure Shane back to the world of the living. Beautifully written though I only likes the narration, his female voices were poor and I just found it too hard to listen to for a long time.

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Love after loss

Can there be such a thing as too much sex in a book? I was surprised to find that for me the answer was "yes" in this one. It's a story about moving on after losing a loved one, in this case a partner and a brother, and finding love again. It was a good story and Shane and West were suited for each other and I was happy for them. The too much sex-thing is my personal taste and it might suit someone else very well.

The narration was flat and monotone and I would have liked more difference between the voices. However, it was very easy for me, as a non-native English speaker, to underlstand what the narrator was saying, and that is a plus.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Just didn't feel it

This is a difficult review for me to write. I adore the Daddy/Boy dynamic. In fact, Daddy kink is my favorite trope, but I honestly just didn't feel it with this book.

The premise of the book is endearing. West and Carter are in a relationship. Carter's brother, Shane, moves in with them when his parents kick him out because he is gay. Life is wonderful, until Carter succumbs to cancer. Both West and Shane are emotionally devastated and, in their grief, they turn to each other for comfort, and a Daddy/Boy relationship ensues. This is where the book lost me. West's and Shane's relationship felt forced, and I didn't feel a natural progression into the lifestyle, especially considering it was all new to Shane. Add in an unethical professional counselor and a set of hateful parents, and I really didn't enjoy this book.

This is a story of profound grief and loneliness. It is an incredibly emotional story - two lost men overcoming their grief and finding solace in each other. If angst is your thing, then you may enjoy this book.

Narrator Kaeomakana Tiwanak did a good job, but there was no real distinction between the voices of the characters, and I often found myself getting lost and having to backtrack.

I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for my voluntary honest review.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Listener received this title free

A Stunning Romance!

Ki Brightly and Meg Bawden craft an incredibly poignant and moving love story, and The Promise is the most satisfying BDSM romance novel I’ve read in ages.

Starting off with an incredibly sad and tragic situation, the characters in The Promise are floundering. Unsure how to proceed in their lives, and completely engulfed in their grief, it feels so right when they reach out to each other. West and Shane face a host of issues, and the authors work through them all at a steady pace.

What evolves is a truly stunning love story of two men who desperately need each other, and end up fitting perfectly together. Told from alternating points of view, I was particularly moved by Shane’s reaction to the different aspects of submission, denial, and punishments as he experiences everything for the first time. Their D/s relationship forms naturally, and allows both characters to explore their needs.

Brightly and Bawden write beautifully erotic love scenes. In addition to the eroticism of daddy kink, the authors make the most of the taboo aspect of the coupling between thirty-six year old West and his dead lover’s eighteen year-old brother. Intimate with a generous amount of kink, it’s a nice balance with the angst and the drama.

While Kaeomakana Tiwanak delivers the emotional expression I enjoy in his performances, I didn’t feel that he was the right fit for these characters. Tiwanak does a nice job using specific voices for both main characters, as well as for the narrator, as they alternate throughout the story and he turns in a very professional performance.

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