-
Promises of Forever
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Life can change on a dime.
Childhood tragedy left Koa Burgard with many scars. Reclusive and still healing, he is sent to summer camp, where the other kids tease and bully. All except the outgoing, popular boy from his cabin. A boy who dreams about being a hockey star. A tentative friendship forms. Every summer, they reconnect for adventure. Every winter, they write letters back and forth.
Promises are made, and promises are shattered.
Thirty years later, the sudden death of his parents brings Jersey Reid home. Rotten things keep happening. His life has been full of torment and pain, and he can’t remember a time when he was happy.
Will it ever stop?
Cleaning out his deceased parents’ house, he uncovers his and Koa’s pen pal letters. Can Jersey recapture the happiness and innocence of youth by reconnecting with the strange, quirky boy he befriended at camp so long ago? Or will the mistakes he made before be a barrier?
Although Koa is now a respectable English teacher at an elite boarding school, Jersey quickly learns that the boy with dark secrets from camp is more troubled than ever.
Koa has given up on happiness. His views on life are bleak and disturbing, and he’s learned it’s better to be alone in an unforgiving world.
Jersey’s return offsets Koa’s balance and brings the past back into focus. A past he’s spent a lifetime trying to forget.
But Jersey was his savior once. He was kind when no one else was. Jersey made him feel safe in an unsafe world.
Until he broke a promise.
And promises are supposed to be for forever.
** Promises of Forever is an angsty MM romance with the following themes. Second chance love, hurt / comfort, jock and nerd dynamic, opposites attract, mental health. **
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Skeletons in the Closet
- Shadowy Solutions, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unlikely pair Tallus Domingo and Diem Krause find themselves together on a case, uncovering secrets they never expected. But doesn't everyone have skeletons in their closet?
-
-
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5🎧
- By whatcha.listening.to on 06-04-24
By: Nicky James
-
On the Mountain
- By: Riley Hart
- Narrated by: Zane Daniels
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I was intrigued by Crow at first glance. Who wouldn't be? He's a mountain of a man, who was raised in a cult, and now lives secluded in the wilderness. But the draw I feel to him goes beyond mild interest. When his intense gaze falls my way it feels like he can see into my soul, to my deepest yearnings and desires. I took a bold chance venturing to his mountain uninvited. But I can't help myself. Despite Crow’s dangerous facade, I feel at home when I’m near him. I've never felt wanted or needed… until the mountain man took me in his arms.
-
-
Masterpiece of Heart and Healing
- By VA on 03-14-24
By: Riley Hart
-
Whiskey Nights and Neon Dreams
- By: Ashley James
- Narrated by: Aaron Shedlock, Teddy Hamilton
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The memory of Josiah DeMille has haunted me for close to a decade. The way he looked. The way he smelled. The way his lips felt pressed against mine, even when they shouldn't have been. The one person I've never been able to get over. The one singular part of my past I've never been able to move on from. In every lyric sung into the microphone, in every chord strummed on the guitar, in the bottom of every single whiskey bottle, he's there. His memory has me in a chokehold. His absence a gaping hole in my chest. I gave up years ago, wondering if I'd ever stop thinking about him.
-
-
A forbidden romance that delivers
- By Amy Storment on 03-05-24
By: Ashley James
-
The Gentleman
- By: Dianna Roman
- Narrated by: Joshua Macrae
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before he shares it with the world, he's determined to build the confidence he wants to live life as a gay man and the experience hell need to snag Mr. Right. For that, he requires a mentor--someone experienced. Someone with manners. Someone discreet enough to be able to mix business with pleasure under the watchful eye of his fathers empire--a gentleman. Pete Carver is without a doubt that man.
-
-
Perfection!
- By AG on 08-11-24
By: Dianna Roman
-
The Player
- By: Felice Stevens
- Narrated by: Blake Lockheart
- Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
High school librarian Niall Harper has always done the right thing. Except be true to himself. Divorced and raising his teenaged son, Niall is dismayed to discover the new football coach is none other than his long-ago Friday night fantasy and nemesis. Not that it matters—Keller doesn’t remember him. It’s nothing new; Niall has always been easy to forget. Now Keller wants to be friends. And more. Niall can’t deny the annoying man makes him laugh and feel things he’d only dreamed possible. But would a player like Keller be satisfied with a regular guy like him?
-
-
Amazing love story
- By darthgreg on 07-20-24
By: Felice Stevens
-
To Catch a Firefly
- By: Emmy Sanders
- Narrated by: Blake Lockheart, Liam DiCosimo
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a lot I’ve never told my best friend. The fact that I love him. That I miss him every day he’s gone. That, sometimes, I ache for him with a ferocity that leaves me breathless. Lucky Buchanan tore into my life as a boy, wild and daring, my opposite in every way. He drew me in, stole my heart without trying. He hears me, even though I rarely speak a word. But I always knew this place wouldn’t be enough for my free-spirited friend. I knew he wasn’t mine to keep.
-
-
Book Hangover Ahead! Sooooo good!! <3
- By Indiana Book Lover on 06-29-24
By: Emmy Sanders
-
Skeletons in the Closet
- Shadowy Solutions, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unlikely pair Tallus Domingo and Diem Krause find themselves together on a case, uncovering secrets they never expected. But doesn't everyone have skeletons in their closet?
-
-
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5🎧
- By whatcha.listening.to on 06-04-24
By: Nicky James
-
On the Mountain
- By: Riley Hart
- Narrated by: Zane Daniels
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I was intrigued by Crow at first glance. Who wouldn't be? He's a mountain of a man, who was raised in a cult, and now lives secluded in the wilderness. But the draw I feel to him goes beyond mild interest. When his intense gaze falls my way it feels like he can see into my soul, to my deepest yearnings and desires. I took a bold chance venturing to his mountain uninvited. But I can't help myself. Despite Crow’s dangerous facade, I feel at home when I’m near him. I've never felt wanted or needed… until the mountain man took me in his arms.
-
-
Masterpiece of Heart and Healing
- By VA on 03-14-24
By: Riley Hart
-
Whiskey Nights and Neon Dreams
- By: Ashley James
- Narrated by: Aaron Shedlock, Teddy Hamilton
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The memory of Josiah DeMille has haunted me for close to a decade. The way he looked. The way he smelled. The way his lips felt pressed against mine, even when they shouldn't have been. The one person I've never been able to get over. The one singular part of my past I've never been able to move on from. In every lyric sung into the microphone, in every chord strummed on the guitar, in the bottom of every single whiskey bottle, he's there. His memory has me in a chokehold. His absence a gaping hole in my chest. I gave up years ago, wondering if I'd ever stop thinking about him.
-
-
A forbidden romance that delivers
- By Amy Storment on 03-05-24
By: Ashley James
-
The Gentleman
- By: Dianna Roman
- Narrated by: Joshua Macrae
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before he shares it with the world, he's determined to build the confidence he wants to live life as a gay man and the experience hell need to snag Mr. Right. For that, he requires a mentor--someone experienced. Someone with manners. Someone discreet enough to be able to mix business with pleasure under the watchful eye of his fathers empire--a gentleman. Pete Carver is without a doubt that man.
-
-
Perfection!
- By AG on 08-11-24
By: Dianna Roman
-
The Player
- By: Felice Stevens
- Narrated by: Blake Lockheart
- Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
High school librarian Niall Harper has always done the right thing. Except be true to himself. Divorced and raising his teenaged son, Niall is dismayed to discover the new football coach is none other than his long-ago Friday night fantasy and nemesis. Not that it matters—Keller doesn’t remember him. It’s nothing new; Niall has always been easy to forget. Now Keller wants to be friends. And more. Niall can’t deny the annoying man makes him laugh and feel things he’d only dreamed possible. But would a player like Keller be satisfied with a regular guy like him?
-
-
Amazing love story
- By darthgreg on 07-20-24
By: Felice Stevens
-
To Catch a Firefly
- By: Emmy Sanders
- Narrated by: Blake Lockheart, Liam DiCosimo
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a lot I’ve never told my best friend. The fact that I love him. That I miss him every day he’s gone. That, sometimes, I ache for him with a ferocity that leaves me breathless. Lucky Buchanan tore into my life as a boy, wild and daring, my opposite in every way. He drew me in, stole my heart without trying. He hears me, even though I rarely speak a word. But I always knew this place wouldn’t be enough for my free-spirited friend. I knew he wasn’t mine to keep.
-
-
Book Hangover Ahead! Sooooo good!! <3
- By Indiana Book Lover on 06-29-24
By: Emmy Sanders
-
Want You Still
- By: CE Ricci, Marley Valentine
- Narrated by: Jacob Morgan, Zachary Johnson
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Duty, honor, and sacrifice. Dedicating my life to these elements, for family and country, leaves little for myself in return. It's why I indulge in a no-strings hookup with a handsome stranger mere days before heading half-a-world away. Except one night turns into a week-long fling, creating a connection at the most inopportune time. And neither of us want it to end. Staying in touch is easy at first, but dwindles to radio silence and distant memories as time passes.
-
-
Went in blind and so should you.
- By DeWitt on 05-24-24
By: CE Ricci, and others
-
You're My Home
- By: Katie Moore
- Narrated by: Adam Gold
- Length: 17 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brady is my overprotective best friend, and I love him like this. He's so much bigger than me and makes me feel safe. We are opposites in so many ways, but when I'm cuddled up against him and he reads to me, all those differences fade away. Brady promises to be friends forever, but what will he say when he finds out my secret? Will I lose my best friend and the boy I love more than life itself?
-
-
Creepy, get therapy
- By Jackson on 08-29-24
By: Katie Moore
-
Morgan
- The Swift Brothers, Book 1
- By: Riley Hart
- Narrated by: Gregory Salinas
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When I left Birchbark angry and heartbroken, I vowed never to return. Fate had other plans. The father I hate had a stroke, so now I'm back in the Upper Peninsula to take care of him. The locals treat Dad like royalty, while Dad vacillates between open anger and flat-out ignoring me. Throw in my messy relationship with my brothers, and being in Birchbark becomes unbearable.
-
-
new favorite narrator, another heart wrenchingly good story from Riley Hart
- By Kitt on 06-10-24
By: Riley Hart
-
Firecracker (Honeybridge)
- By: Lucy Lennox, May Archer
- Narrated by: Michael Dean
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There wasn’t a time when I didn't know Flynn “Firecracker” Honeycutt. He’s been my childhood friend. My high school rival. The guy I couldn’t stop dreaming about, long after I thought I’d left him and Honeybridge in my rear-view mirror.
-
-
Spectacular start to a new series
- By CMinor12899 on 12-04-22
By: Lucy Lennox, and others
-
The Bastard and the Heir
- By: Eden Finley, Saxon James
- Narrated by: Liam DiCosimo, James Joseph
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moms are good at one thing: the guilt trip. It’s the only reason I’m at the funeral of a man I’ve never had anything to do with. I’ll show up, make her happy, and get out. At least that’s what I think until I learn daddy dearest has left me a crap load of money and the obligation to learn about the family business. All from his eldest son who looks nothing like the rest of us.
-
-
Little different twist on familiar plot
- By John Edward on 04-24-24
By: Eden Finley, and others
-
Wild at Heart
- By: Christina Lee, Riley Hart
- Narrated by: Kale Williams
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After everything I’ve lost in my life, it’s important that I keep myself tightly guarded. Especially around Bishop Sullivan. Dad would be rolling in his grave if he found out I was shacking up with a Sullivan, given the bad blood between our families. But eleven years after leaving, I’m back in Laurel Springs with something to prove: I don’t need the Sullivans, nor their land.
-
-
Practically perfect in every way!
- By SB84 on 07-10-24
By: Christina Lee, and others
-
Unhinged
- Necessary Evils
- By: Onley James
- Narrated by: Liam DiCosimo
- Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Adam Mulvaney lives a double life. By day, he’s the spoiled youngest son of an eccentric billionaire. By night, he’s an unrepentant killer, one of seven psychopaths raised to right the wrongs of a justice system that keeps failing. Noah Holt has spent years dreaming of vengeance for the death of his father, but when faced with his killer, he learns a daunting truth he can’t escape. His father was a monster.
-
-
I maybe love this book
- By Amber on 10-29-21
By: Onley James
-
Eight Seconds to Ride
- Copper Lake, Book 1
- By: Ashley James
- Narrated by: Alex Kydd, Aaron Shedlock
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The weight of the legacy I carry is a constant tug in my mind, with the ghosts of the generations before me always whispering for me to push harder, train longer, be better. In the eight seconds I have to ride, everything else falls away, and my sole focus is on doing what I do best. I am Shooter Graham, consecutive three-time world champion bronc rider. No one has ever come close to taking the title since I've had it… until him. Sterling Addams. The new cowboy in town with dark hair, eyes like honey, and a taste for me he likes to pretend he doesn't have.
-
-
Cowboys!!!!
- By Yj on 03-26-24
By: Ashley James
-
Prince of Lies
- By: Lucy Lennox
- Narrated by: Michael Dean
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rowe Prince is many things. But when it turns out Rowe’s lies conceal a secret that threatens the company I’ve spent years building, I have to choose: say goodbye to the sweet pretender I’m falling for, or risk everything for a man who just might be… the prince of lies.
-
-
The blurb is misleading--in a good way!
- By heinouslizard on 03-04-23
By: Lucy Lennox
-
Until You
- By: Briar Prescott
- Narrated by: Devon Ryder
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I’m the first one to tell you I have issues. Trust issues. Family issues. Probably a few others I haven’t discovered yet. Which is why I prefer to keep my life as simple and uncomplicated as possible. Until him. Blake McAdams barrels into my life and refuses to leave. He’s relentlessly optimistic, sexy as hell, annoyingly persistent, and…wants to be friends? Because…he thinks I’m interesting? Yeah, I’ll pass. Thanks. Only, somehow, we end up doing just that.
-
-
The book was stunning. The audiobook was perfect.
- By I.W. on 09-29-23
By: Briar Prescott
-
Only for the Weekend
- By: Riley Hart
- Narrated by: John Solo
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nothing in my life is really mine. I take care of my mama, work three jobs, I’m there when anyone needs me. Something about the beautiful, lonely man on my mail route interests me. He’s different in my world, where everything’s the same. I think he hates me, but that doesn’t stop me from hand-delivering every package and trying to find ways to make him smile. Then Emerson makes me an offer: He’ll pay me to spend the weekends with him, losing ourselves in each other’s bodies, no feelings or pasts involved.
-
-
Hmmmmmm
- By Lady Di on 08-25-22
By: Riley Hart
-
Everything I Didn't Know
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six months after he arrived, Bowie learned the hard truth about Oasis. There are rules, and they are made to be followed. The consequence of disobedience is deadly. Once you’re in Oasis, you’re never getting out. And its cultish founder has eyes everywhere. One year into his survival, with a plan to escape slowly simmering to life, Bowie is faced with a problem. New members have joined the community, among them a man who catches Bowie’s eye. Foster is attractive, older, and as far as Bowie is concerned, completely unavailable.
-
-
compelling standalone romantic suspense
- By AL♡ on 08-22-23
By: Nicky James
Related to this topic
-
Verity
- By: Colleen Hoover
- Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Amy Landon
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.
-
-
intriguing but skip if triggered by child abuse
- By Amazon Customer on 05-16-19
By: Colleen Hoover
-
The Glitch
- By: Leeanne Slade
- Narrated by: Sam Claflin, Daisy Edgar Jones
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five Years Earlier: Henry Dunne knows three things: that agreeing to host this raucous house party was a terrible idea, that he absolutely cannot show up to his nursing shift tomorrow with a hangover, and that the beautiful redhead in the corner will be sleeping in his bed tonight.
-
-
A Love Story. A Predictable One.
- By AS on 09-13-24
By: Leeanne Slade
-
Den of Vipers
- By: K.A. Knight
- Narrated by: Cornell Collins, Hollie Jackson
- Length: 19 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel - The Vipers. Their deals are as sordid as their business, and their reputation is enough to bring a grown man to his knees, forcing him to beg for mercy. They are not people you mess with, yet my dad did. The old man ran up a debt with them and then sold me to cover his losses. Yes, sold me. They own me now. I’m theirs in every sense of the word. But I’ve never been meek and compliant.
-
-
Shrek
- By Shemika Holmes on 02-25-21
By: K.A. Knight
-
Drop Dead
- By: Lily Chu
- Narrated by: Phillipa Soo, John Cho
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Obituary writer Nadine Barbault doesn’t mind being called “Lady Death”. It suits the ice queen persona she’s cultivated to survive the fast-paced Toronto Herald. So when Nadine learns that famous (and reclusive) author Dot Voline has died, she doesn’t hesitate to run the obituary…only to discover that Dot is very much alive. Nadine’s screw-up has brought Wesley Chen of the rival Spear no end of joy—she’s been a thorn in his extremely ambitious side for years. But the renewed interest in Dot also surfaced chatter about a mysterious past scandal.
-
-
Clean and sweet
- By Momma Nae on 08-02-24
By: Lily Chu
-
As Luck Would Have It
- By: Sonya Lalli
- Narrated by: Amrit Kaur
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hockey coach Ashley Jaswal doesn't take nonsense from anyone … except her overbearing and superstitious family. They believe she's a good luck charm for her brother Jas, the newest Vancouver Canucks draft pick, forcing Ash to attend all his games as he rises up the NHL ranks, sacrificing her personal life (not that she has one—who decided hockey season needed to be 10 months long anyway?). Ash also clashes with Jas’s teammate, Canucks captain Devin Snyder.
-
-
Felt more like a young adult book
- By Taa Palmer on 10-22-24
By: Sonya Lalli
-
The Striker
- By: Ana Huang
- Narrated by: Shane East, Stella Hunter
- Length: 15 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Asher Donovan is a living legend—the darling of the Premier League, the (arguably) greatest footballer in the world. But his reckless antics and recent team transfer have caused much controversy, and when his feud with his rival-turned-teammate costs them a championship, they’re forced to “bond” during off-season cross-training. Surviving the summer shouldn’t be hard…until Asher meets their new trainer. She’s beautiful, talented, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t take his mind off her.
-
-
Everything✨
- By Anonymous User on 10-30-24
By: Ana Huang
-
Verity
- By: Colleen Hoover
- Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Amy Landon
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.
-
-
intriguing but skip if triggered by child abuse
- By Amazon Customer on 05-16-19
By: Colleen Hoover
-
The Glitch
- By: Leeanne Slade
- Narrated by: Sam Claflin, Daisy Edgar Jones
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five Years Earlier: Henry Dunne knows three things: that agreeing to host this raucous house party was a terrible idea, that he absolutely cannot show up to his nursing shift tomorrow with a hangover, and that the beautiful redhead in the corner will be sleeping in his bed tonight.
-
-
A Love Story. A Predictable One.
- By AS on 09-13-24
By: Leeanne Slade
-
Den of Vipers
- By: K.A. Knight
- Narrated by: Cornell Collins, Hollie Jackson
- Length: 19 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel - The Vipers. Their deals are as sordid as their business, and their reputation is enough to bring a grown man to his knees, forcing him to beg for mercy. They are not people you mess with, yet my dad did. The old man ran up a debt with them and then sold me to cover his losses. Yes, sold me. They own me now. I’m theirs in every sense of the word. But I’ve never been meek and compliant.
-
-
Shrek
- By Shemika Holmes on 02-25-21
By: K.A. Knight
-
Drop Dead
- By: Lily Chu
- Narrated by: Phillipa Soo, John Cho
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Obituary writer Nadine Barbault doesn’t mind being called “Lady Death”. It suits the ice queen persona she’s cultivated to survive the fast-paced Toronto Herald. So when Nadine learns that famous (and reclusive) author Dot Voline has died, she doesn’t hesitate to run the obituary…only to discover that Dot is very much alive. Nadine’s screw-up has brought Wesley Chen of the rival Spear no end of joy—she’s been a thorn in his extremely ambitious side for years. But the renewed interest in Dot also surfaced chatter about a mysterious past scandal.
-
-
Clean and sweet
- By Momma Nae on 08-02-24
By: Lily Chu
-
As Luck Would Have It
- By: Sonya Lalli
- Narrated by: Amrit Kaur
- Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hockey coach Ashley Jaswal doesn't take nonsense from anyone … except her overbearing and superstitious family. They believe she's a good luck charm for her brother Jas, the newest Vancouver Canucks draft pick, forcing Ash to attend all his games as he rises up the NHL ranks, sacrificing her personal life (not that she has one—who decided hockey season needed to be 10 months long anyway?). Ash also clashes with Jas’s teammate, Canucks captain Devin Snyder.
-
-
Felt more like a young adult book
- By Taa Palmer on 10-22-24
By: Sonya Lalli
-
The Striker
- By: Ana Huang
- Narrated by: Shane East, Stella Hunter
- Length: 15 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Asher Donovan is a living legend—the darling of the Premier League, the (arguably) greatest footballer in the world. But his reckless antics and recent team transfer have caused much controversy, and when his feud with his rival-turned-teammate costs them a championship, they’re forced to “bond” during off-season cross-training. Surviving the summer shouldn’t be hard…until Asher meets their new trainer. She’s beautiful, talented, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t take his mind off her.
-
-
Everything✨
- By Anonymous User on 10-30-24
By: Ana Huang
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Skeletons in the Closet
- Shadowy Solutions, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unlikely pair Tallus Domingo and Diem Krause find themselves together on a case, uncovering secrets they never expected. But doesn't everyone have skeletons in their closet?
-
-
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5🎧
- By whatcha.listening.to on 06-04-24
By: Nicky James
-
Not What It Seems
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Renowned psychiatrist Dr. Cyrus Irvine takes his job and his life very seriously. He is well-respected in his field and has worked hard to get where he is. But he’s lonely. When called in to evaluate a murder suspect, the last person he expects to find is the man he slept with a few months ago. The man who ghosted him and wounded his fragile heart. Ethically, he should turn around and walk away, but he doesn’t. For as much as Cyrus understands the human brain, he can’t understand the pull he feels toward the patient.
-
-
Amazing Thriller!!
- By RACHEL REED on 03-06-22
By: Nicky James
-
End of the Line
- Rail Riders, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leopold Van Eschen is in big trouble. All the money in the world won’t save him from what he’s done. On the run, desperate to get away, Leo finds himself seeking help from a bunch of vagabonds he meets in a railyard. Leo has no idea his whole world is about to change. Killian has been homeless and living on the fly for nine years. The closest thing he has to family is a group of fellow freight-hoppers.
-
-
What an amazing ride
- By Maude Allen on 12-17-23
By: Nicky James
-
Everything I Didn't Know
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six months after he arrived, Bowie learned the hard truth about Oasis. There are rules, and they are made to be followed. The consequence of disobedience is deadly. Once you’re in Oasis, you’re never getting out. And its cultish founder has eyes everywhere. One year into his survival, with a plan to escape slowly simmering to life, Bowie is faced with a problem. New members have joined the community, among them a man who catches Bowie’s eye. Foster is attractive, older, and as far as Bowie is concerned, completely unavailable.
-
-
compelling standalone romantic suspense
- By AL♡ on 08-22-23
By: Nicky James
-
Long Way Home
- A Second Chance Gay Romance
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gavin Buchanan is thrown into a life he didn’t want, molded to do a job he always feared. How long until life in the Marine Corps turns this gentle, tenderhearted man into someone no one recognizes? Owen Wallace is adrift and going through the motions. Every time he tries to stand tall and put the past behind him, life kicks him down. There is only so much a person can take before they turn bitter and jaded. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Their souls are bound to each other. Nothing will keep them apart. It will take time, but they just need to find their way home.
-
-
Excellent story, superb performance
- By Kymora78 on 03-02-24
By: Nicky James
-
Love Me Whole
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Adam Gold
- Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twenty-eight-year-old Oryn Patterson isn't like other people. Being an extremely shy social introvert is only part of the problem. Oryn has dissociative identity disorder. He may look like a normal man on the outside, but spend five minutes with him, and his daily struggles begin to show.
-
-
Pieces of a whole
- By Erryn Barratt on 02-26-19
By: Nicky James
-
Skeletons in the Closet
- Shadowy Solutions, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unlikely pair Tallus Domingo and Diem Krause find themselves together on a case, uncovering secrets they never expected. But doesn't everyone have skeletons in their closet?
-
-
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5🎧
- By whatcha.listening.to on 06-04-24
By: Nicky James
-
Not What It Seems
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Renowned psychiatrist Dr. Cyrus Irvine takes his job and his life very seriously. He is well-respected in his field and has worked hard to get where he is. But he’s lonely. When called in to evaluate a murder suspect, the last person he expects to find is the man he slept with a few months ago. The man who ghosted him and wounded his fragile heart. Ethically, he should turn around and walk away, but he doesn’t. For as much as Cyrus understands the human brain, he can’t understand the pull he feels toward the patient.
-
-
Amazing Thriller!!
- By RACHEL REED on 03-06-22
By: Nicky James
-
End of the Line
- Rail Riders, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leopold Van Eschen is in big trouble. All the money in the world won’t save him from what he’s done. On the run, desperate to get away, Leo finds himself seeking help from a bunch of vagabonds he meets in a railyard. Leo has no idea his whole world is about to change. Killian has been homeless and living on the fly for nine years. The closest thing he has to family is a group of fellow freight-hoppers.
-
-
What an amazing ride
- By Maude Allen on 12-17-23
By: Nicky James
-
Everything I Didn't Know
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six months after he arrived, Bowie learned the hard truth about Oasis. There are rules, and they are made to be followed. The consequence of disobedience is deadly. Once you’re in Oasis, you’re never getting out. And its cultish founder has eyes everywhere. One year into his survival, with a plan to escape slowly simmering to life, Bowie is faced with a problem. New members have joined the community, among them a man who catches Bowie’s eye. Foster is attractive, older, and as far as Bowie is concerned, completely unavailable.
-
-
compelling standalone romantic suspense
- By AL♡ on 08-22-23
By: Nicky James
-
Long Way Home
- A Second Chance Gay Romance
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gavin Buchanan is thrown into a life he didn’t want, molded to do a job he always feared. How long until life in the Marine Corps turns this gentle, tenderhearted man into someone no one recognizes? Owen Wallace is adrift and going through the motions. Every time he tries to stand tall and put the past behind him, life kicks him down. There is only so much a person can take before they turn bitter and jaded. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Their souls are bound to each other. Nothing will keep them apart. It will take time, but they just need to find their way home.
-
-
Excellent story, superb performance
- By Kymora78 on 03-02-24
By: Nicky James
-
Love Me Whole
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Adam Gold
- Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twenty-eight-year-old Oryn Patterson isn't like other people. Being an extremely shy social introvert is only part of the problem. Oryn has dissociative identity disorder. He may look like a normal man on the outside, but spend five minutes with him, and his daily struggles begin to show.
-
-
Pieces of a whole
- By Erryn Barratt on 02-26-19
By: Nicky James
-
The One That Got Away
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Charlie Falkingham is convinced someone is stalking him. There are signs. But no one believes him. After living through a childhood horror, Charlie suffers from a severe paranoia disorder, among many things, and the Hamilton Police Department has labeled him the boy who cries wolf. Arrogant and young, Officer Takoda Dyani has a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. He’s rude and brash and doesn’t play well with others. He has more enemies than friends. When his senior officer assigns him to be Charlie’s consultant, Takoda knows it will end badly.
-
-
This book has problems
- By Erin McClanahan on 05-10-22
By: Nicky James
-
The Endless Road to Sunshine
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
My world shattered on a cold April morning when they took my husband away in cuffs. The life I knew, the man I loved, and the world I believed in was nothing but a lie. He stole my trust, my happiness, and my faith in humanity, and I’m not sure how to move on. With my mental health hanging by a thread and a media circus following me everywhere I go, escape seems like the only answer.
-
-
Epic Narration!!!
- By AL♡ on 08-22-21
By: Nicky James
-
Owl's Slumber
- Trials of Fear, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Adam Gold
- Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Imagine what life would be like if panic ruled your world at the mere thought of going to bed at night. For as long as he can remember, Finnley Hollins has been crippled by his extreme phobia of sleep. Every night is a battle, and every morning isn’t without consequences. The root cause is something he’s ashamed to admit to anyone. It’s his war, and he will fight it alone. When an unexpected turn of events lands the stunningly gorgeous Aven Woods at Finnley’s place of business, his life gets turned upside down.
-
-
The narrator is really a GOLD!!!
- By loveQhuay on 09-05-19
By: Nicky James
-
Until You
- By: Briar Prescott
- Narrated by: Devon Ryder
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I’m the first one to tell you I have issues. Trust issues. Family issues. Probably a few others I haven’t discovered yet. Which is why I prefer to keep my life as simple and uncomplicated as possible. Until him. Blake McAdams barrels into my life and refuses to leave. He’s relentlessly optimistic, sexy as hell, annoyingly persistent, and…wants to be friends? Because…he thinks I’m interesting? Yeah, I’ll pass. Thanks. Only, somehow, we end up doing just that.
-
-
The book was stunning. The audiobook was perfect.
- By I.W. on 09-29-23
By: Briar Prescott
-
Hot Streak
- By: Beth Bolden
- Narrated by: Darcy Stark
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Young phenom pitcher Connor Clark doesn't want or need anyone's help making it to the majors. He's got a hot arm and an even hotter temper. When his minor league team brings in seasoned catcher Jackson Evans to "handle" him, the two clash instantly. But as the two battle for power, anger gives way to lust, and an awakening Connor didn't see coming.
-
-
Minor league, major romance
- By Kitt on 10-27-24
By: Beth Bolden
-
Wild at Heart
- By: Christina Lee, Riley Hart
- Narrated by: Kale Williams
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After everything I’ve lost in my life, it’s important that I keep myself tightly guarded. Especially around Bishop Sullivan. Dad would be rolling in his grave if he found out I was shacking up with a Sullivan, given the bad blood between our families. But eleven years after leaving, I’m back in Laurel Springs with something to prove: I don’t need the Sullivans, nor their land.
-
-
Practically perfect in every way!
- By SB84 on 07-10-24
By: Christina Lee, and others
-
Home for a Cowboy
- Windsor, Wyoming, Book 1
- By: Amy Aislin
- Narrated by: Aaron Hokanson
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lassiter Windsor-March has been planning for his future for as long as he can remember and he knows exactly where that future lies: at his family’s ranch in Wyoming. What doesn’t lie in his future is a summer fling with one of the seasonal workers—they never stick around. Even if one of those workers is the college crush he’s invited to work a summer job at the ranch.
-
-
Sweet romance, ok audio book
- By BaileyMom on 09-05-24
By: Amy Aislin
-
The Devil Inside
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Nick J. Russo
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Their love was innocent and pure…until they were forced to believe differently. Until they were brutally schooled on the “right” way to love.
-
-
Another moving Nicky James book
- By Erryn Barratt on 06-11-22
By: Nicky James
-
Mr. Big Shot
- Suits & Sevens, Book 1
- By: Isla Olsen
- Narrated by: Nick J Russo
- Length: 4 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Will: Turning up on the first day of a job you desperately need to discover you’ve already slept with your billionaire boss? Yeah, that’s a bit of a conundrum. Learning he’s a closeted bisexual currently embroiled in a - by all accounts bogus - sexual harassment scandal? That’s more of a fiasco. But having to sit outside the office of one of the sexiest men alive, day in, day out, knowing there’s no chance of a repeat? That’s what I’d call a disaster.
-
-
Loved it!
- By JW on 01-18-24
By: Isla Olsen
-
Stupid Dirty
- Possum Hollow, Book 1
- By: Erin Russell
- Narrated by: Alexander Cendese, Max Meyers
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I always thought of Silas Rush as my biggest rival on the track and a stuck-up loner off of it. He and his fancy pro career left our crappy hometown in the dust before high school even finished, and then I didn't think of him much at all. I was too busy trying to keep my little sisters from turning into addicts like our mom, and myself from turning into a rage-junkie like our dad. All while keeping food on the table. Now he's back, reminding me of all the things I don't have, just like he always did.
-
-
So sweet
- By Daniela Rivero on 08-28-24
By: Erin Russell
-
The Art of Husbandry
- A Mackenzie Country Story
- By: Jay Hogan
- Narrated by: Gary Furlong
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When life drowns you in lemons, to hell with making lemonade. I wanted to burn the whole world. But eighteen months from the day my life was torn apart, I’m tired of the anger. Tired of the nightmares. Tired of putting one foot in front of the other just trying to survive. Three months on a high country sheep station in the middle of nowhere is precisely the reboot I need. A chance to break free. To breathe again. To find a way forward.
-
-
Wonderful story and I LEARNED things!
- By ReneBT on 01-23-24
By: Jay Hogan
-
No Regrets
- Healing Hearts, Book 1
- By: Nicky James
- Narrated by: Adam Gold
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Life makes no promises, and sometimes, you draw the short straw. Landon Johnston's life came to a grinding halt seven months ago when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. With the encouragement of his grandmother, Landon worked his way out of his slump and tried to live life while he still could. Deciding he didn't want to drag anyone else down his morbid path, Landon gave up all friendships and denied himself love.
-
-
May have SPOILERS
- By whatcha.listening.to on 04-11-19
By: Nicky James
What listeners say about Promises of Forever
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- MissyReads
- 03-23-24
Second Chance Love
In Promises, we get to see past Koa and Jersey as their friendship begin through flashbacks and this gave more depth to the story and relationship reforming. The angst is ultimately resolved, although it hurts the heart along the way. But that makes the HEA all the sweeter. This book deals with some serious topics and Jersey's and Koa's struggles were deftly handled. Jersey's patience and Koa's hidden fears and vulnerabilities created characters that will stay with me. Nick Russo brings this excellent story to life and as always, he provides a fantastic performance. An great story elevated by wonderful narration, this is another winning Nick and Nicky collaboration.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- kp
- 03-01-24
Loved it!
Nick J. Russo does an amazing job of bringing Promises of Forever to life.
Promises of Forever is a powerfully emotional slow-burn second-chance romance. I was drawn into this story from the first page and didn't stop reading until I reached the last page.
The story is dual POV with flashbacks to the MCs' childhood at the camp where they met and became friends. I really loved getting to see both sides of this story.
In Promises of Forever, the past and present are interwoven so we get the history of Koa and Jersey's beginning and how they are reunited in the present.
These wounded men slowly begin to rebuild the bonds they shared in the past. Each has much to overcome and deal with. I loved seeing them be so supportive of each other.
Be prepared for plenty of angst and plenty of feels. This is a story that will stay with me long after reading the final page
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Myriam Z
- 03-29-24
💕 Beautiful & emotional 5 star second chance ⭐️
Promises of Forever exemplifies Nicky James’ true mastery at tackling mental health issues in her characters. Her ability to tell a beautiful story of friendship, acceptance, patience and love is also shown in this wonderful book.
This is the story of Koa, an unusual, very troubled loner that most people don’t understand, and Jersey, the one man determined to try… again. Through flashbacks we learn how, as kids, their near secret friendship began but fell apart. Three decades later Jersey returns, with troubles of his own, hoping to reconnect with the friend he lost.
Koa’s story both touched and intrigued me. Trying to unravel the mystery behind his unusual personality added an extra layer of interest to this moving second chance, hurt / comfort story. My heart ached for the pain both he and Jersey endured, individually and within their relationship. But as this is a Nicky James book, I was confident that all the angst and pain would be lovingly resolved and healed. I was not disappointed when I reached the well deserved, beautiful HEA.
Listening to this dual POV performance had me fully immersed in Koa’s world and Jersey’s desire to help him. Nick J Russo’s narration gave clear distinctions between characters, with convincing emotions, occasional touches of humor, and passionate steam. I never fail to be impressed by his ability to enact a story without ever seeming as if he’s reading.
It was a joy to listen to Russo narrate, and a joy to experience the depth and wonder of this treasure by James. I eagerly await the next book that brings both together again!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Manduh
- 03-25-24
Promises are for forever
4.5 stars for Nick Russo's narrating. He does a solid job distinguishing the voices of the main MCs not just as adults but through their younger years too. His best piece of narrating comes in chapter 29 during Koa's tangent about life, death, things ending, etc. The anger and passion in it really shines through.
4.25 stars for the story:
Koa and Jersey first met when they were 10 at a summer camp. Jersey is drawn to Koa, although he seems odd. For 4 years the two of them connected during summer and when not at camp wrote to one another as pen pals. However, the last summer and a first kiss set them off course.
Jersey's life has been a mess ever since an injury took him out of the game of hockey. His injury led him to become addicted to pills. He lost his career, his wife, his son, and his parents in a short time. For 15 years, he stayed away from his family. However, when an incident brings him home he finds himself reminiscing about his past. When he comes across a box of old letters he wrote to and olf camp friend, Koa, his urge to reconnect is strong. However, not everyone from the past is always ready with open arms.
Koa has had a hard life. When he was 8 years old a tragic incident left him forever changed. He was sent to live with his grandfather. His grandfather who believed in corporal punishment and who was completely not equipped to take care of a child like Koa. Summer camp was his only escape from his grandfather's house. However, his odd behavior did not attract many friends but he managed to become friends with Jersey. Jersey was the one person he had any sort of feeling of safety with until Jersey left him. Now as an adult, he has a life he worked hard to carve out. A life that suits him and what he believes he needs.
Koa is a teacher at a high school for gifted students, he has a lovely home and a pet cat who keeps him company. His life is where he wants it and he is managing it well. That is until his past wants to come knocking on his door. A past he fears will open old wombs and throw him off balance.
How to describe this book...tragic but lovely. Koa has a past that would haunt anyone. He believes happiness doesn't exist and he is unable to show emotion. His last relationship ended because he wasn't able to give himself over. So when Jersey comes back into his life he doesn't accept him with open arms, in fact, he tries to push him away. If his friend didn't intercede, Jersey would have never stood a chance. Jersey may have opened wounds for Koa but in my opinion, those wounds needed to be. Jersey's patience and the love he had for Koa were what was needed for him to be able to finally break through Koa's walls. In the end, I am happy they got what I feel is an HFN. The epilogue left much to be desired. I definitely recommend giving this one a go but read any TWs and go in with caution.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- whatcha.listening.to
- 03-04-24
5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🎧
First, let me start with the narrator. I have been listening to Nick J. Russo for a minute. His voice gets better and better with each book. I love how he gives the characters their own unique voice without being too over the top. It really adds to the story and to the characters.
I love second chances; I like it when we get past and present. Now, usually, I don't like the jump from past to present often because it can take me out of the story. But this one was done well, and I had no trouble. I know I said I don't like past/presents I am a catch 22 I know this!!
Koa and Jersey
As boys, they sought each other out even through the tough times. Koa is a complex character to like in his later years, or he was for me. I felt for the boy. I wanted to know his story, but not all at the same time because I knew it would not be a good one.
The way Jersey inherently knows not to push even in the past and present just made me like him more.
I hated that Koa struggled for so much of his life. But I am also so thankful when Jersey comes back into his life. He just loved Koa for all the good and all the complex parts. That made me love his character all the more. We get a little bit of Jersey's past, too, and I would have liked a little detail, but I think the last hour or so of this book brought me full circle in the end.
All of the emotion, all of the love. How we got Koa's past was perfect. I had tears, as one does with a heartbreaking story like that.
I highly recommend this book. It was angsty and emotional but with some truly unforgettable characters.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Abrianna
- 04-02-24
Love this story!
This book is amazing! It's emotional and features mental health in only the way Nicky James can do! These two characters tear at your heartstrings and you just have to clutch your tissues as you watch them reconnect and find their place for one another between everything they've been dealing with. Truly heartwrenching and emotional, this book is also beautifully written in a way only Nicky James can do. Not only that, but the narration was perfect and hit the emotional arcs just right that really immersed you into the story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- HCox09
- 03-24-24
loved it!
I really loved this as an audiobook. Nick does such a great job bringing the emotion and struggle in it to life. I Highly recommend it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 05-12-24
The surprise ending of his trama
The patience of jersey and the blossoming love. ❤️❤️ the constant friendship past and present and how emotions can change your life
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- AL♡
- 03-02-24
beautiful second chance story
The story:
This story takes place 30 years after 10-year-old Koa and Jersey first met at summer camp.
Koa was the odd kid, who played with his imaginary friend. He was the kid that got teased because of his strange behaviour. Jersey was the popular kid. A jock in the making.
Somehow, they became friends, exchanging hand-written letters when not at camp.
Until they weren't.
30 years later, Jersey finds a box of treasures his mom stored away. A box full of memories. A box full of regrets. He decides to reconnect with his long-lost friend, Koa, hoping to right wrongs.
This is the beginning of a heartfelt, heartbreaking, second chance romance.
This book is a perfect example of what Nicky James does best. She promised us "old-school Nicky, back to higher angst and touching on some heavier mental health topics", and she delivered. As expected, this book, along with her other mental health books are so very well written and with the utmost respect.
Koa has my heart. For most of the book, we don't know the "what" in Koa's past that shaped his life, but all his hurt is on full display. He needs all the love, and Jersey is just the man for the job. Jersey is the man to help keep the demons at bay.
Promises of Forever isn't an easy read, it will pull at your heartstrings and break your heart. The journey to their HEA is hard-fought. If you're a sucker like me for a great story with characters of substance, then I would definitely suggest this book.
The narration:
Perfection! As always, Nick J Russo did an amazing job voicing these characters. If I thought reading this book was emotional, listening to the narration bought out more feelings in me and reminded me why Nicky James is a master of her craft.
Another great collaboration between these two artists.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Carolyn Gwaltney
- 03-16-24
New Non Romantic Suspense from Nicky James!
Nicky James takes a break from romantic suspense to write a complex and emotional contemporary romance. Promises of Forever is a character driven story about two men who formed an unusual friendship in their youth and are now meeting again thirty years later.
Koa Burgard is a traumatized ten-year-old attending camp for the first time when he meets Jersey Reid. Jersey is reluctantly drawn to the odd boy, and while Jersey is afraid the other campers will harass him for spending time with the “weirdo,” he finds he wants to anyway. So he befriends Koa when others aren’t around, like sneaking out at night to look for “pirate treasure” on the camp’s grounds. The two become penpals during the rest of the year, which serves as a kind of lineline for Koa, who is isolated and controlled by his domineering grandfather, with whom he lives. During their last day together at camp a disastrous decision leads to a complete estrangement between the boys who, when the book opens, haven’t been in touch for three decades.
Jersey returns to his childhood home twenty years after becoming estranged from his parents. He grew up to be the professional hockey player he’d dreamed about and worked for his whole life. He married and had a son and everything was looking good until a freak on-ice accident cut his career short. When Jersey became addicted to painkillers it cost him his career, marriage and eventually his parents as well after he refused to get help. Now a drunk driver has taken away his chance make amends with his parents, and Jersey is back to clear out their home and take care of their estate. While looking through the attic he finds a box full of the letters he’d received from Koa over those four winters many years ago and rereading them sparks a desire to find and reconnect with Koa and to apologize to him for simply disappearing from his life.
Koa grew up and went to college to become a teacher. Now he teaches philosophy and literature at an elite private school not too far from Jersey’s parents’ home. Koa’s childhood trauma, which the listener knows little about, and harsh upbringing by his grandfather have left him with a nihilistic life-view: there is no god and life is meaningless. He deals with his past by locking down all emotions and emotional attachments. He doesn’t trust anyone and won’t let anyone into his life in more than a superficial way. Niles, a former lover who gave up on the romantic relationship but remained a friend, is there when Koa receives the letter from Jersey and notices Koa’s genuine emotional response to the letter. This unusual reaction prompts Niles to insist Koa accept the invitation and he even offers to go with him as support.
Nicky James does an excellent job with the dual timeline, interspersing scenes from the four summers at camp with Jersey's attempts to reconnect with Koa in the present day. These flashbacks chronicle the development of their unusual but strong bond. In the present day Jersey realizes he still cares for Koa and sets about trying to love the walled-off man, and while it’s obvious Koa still has an emotional attachment to Jersey, it’s just as obvious he’s fighting it.
I knew from the start the narration was in good hands with Nick J. Russo, who is a favorite of mine. But even so, I was especially impressed with how well he does the voices of the main characters as children. They sound convincing and age appropriate, and I never once felt like I was listening to an adult imitating a child. Mr. Russo also beautifully conveys the deep emotional content of the story. My only quibble is that there are a few mispronounced words that temporarily took me out of the story that should have been caught in post production.
Promises of Forever hit a sweet spot for me by being deeply moving and emotional without being overly angsty. The emotional punches are real and at times raw, but serve to illuminate the characters and their growth and feel appropriate for the story. Nick J. Russo’s excellent narration adds depth to the story making this an audiobook I can highly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!