Synithia Williams is one of my favorite authors! This is an incredible, soapy drama full of forbidden love and complex family relationships. One of my most anticipated books of 20201

This is a cute premise and very much soap opera feeling that front note talks about being an inspiration of sorts, but this is honestly a little boring? I don’t know if I’m just not a fan of straight romances or if it just feels really drawn out, but I started skimming about halfway through. I also really am not a fan of the many machinations India’s dad has in play, especially given how he keeps controlling his children’s love lives while not respecting India’s discomfort that he’s planning to marry the woman he slept with while his wife was dying of cancer. It definitely reads like watching The Bold and The Beautiful with the interpersonal relationships and the different ways connections played out. I think this definitely has potential and I loved the premise of a kind of second chance romance between former in-laws, but the execution felt drawn out in a bad-frustrating way and rather than being a fun, sweet romance I spent most of this bored and waiting for something, anything to happen.

This book is so DRAMATIC. And I love a good dramatic romance but this really took the cake.

India Robideux, fancy international and successful violinist, is part of a tobacco dynasty in NC. She comes home to see family and falls into madness: her sister is a mess, her dad is shacking up with the housekeeper, her brother is running for Senate and her long lost love (and brothers best friend) is also her sisters ex-husband. Soapy drama ensues and family fights happen continuously until the super dramatic ending. This book is bananas. I unfortunately think I would’ve liked it more if the writing was better - sometimes it was hard to tell who was speaking in dialogue, the conversations were over the top, and the family was honestly horrible. Grant (India’s Dad) is horrible. He manipulates everything for the “sake of the family” but it’s all underhanded machinations that don’t make him likeable at all. Elaina is a MESS and it was hard to read her issues and troubles without any resolution. She felt a little one dimensional but I hope she has a book in the future. Overall, this book was ok. I don’t know if I will continue reading the series but I was happy to read a romance with black characters written by an author of color.

3.5 Stars / 2 Steam Fans

If you are looking for a story with black main characters, then this is the story for you! India is the baby of the family. She is also an accomplished violinist that comes back to town for a visit. Upon India's return, she has to deal with family secrets, forbidden secret love, and deciding if she is willing to blow up her family for the things she wants. Travis is divorced from India's sister and has been a family friend for years; however, there are also some secrets that he has been hiding from those that he calls friends. There is so much drama from the very start of this story that it became a little overwhelming. I did like the connection between India and Travis, but there were so many times I wanted to throw my Kindle and reach into the story to shake some sense into all of the characters. I am also looking forward to reading future books about some of the secondary characters that we met.

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In the Author Note to start this book, Synthia Williams discusses her love of soap operas and that is absolutely reflected (in the best way) in this book. Essentially the plot of this is that India comes home to discover that her brother is running for national political office and her plan to jet off to LA promptly is unacceptable because she's needed for his image. But this interferes with her attempts to avoid her sister's ex-husband, Travis, who she's pretty much been in love with for years. And then she's paired with Travis for publicity or something.

So, here's the thing, I loved this so much. I think I'm going with a 4.5 because the only things I didn't love were that Travis' job as a defense attorney made no sense because his murder trial lasted like a week and he had a ton of free time to pursue India and that Byron's political plan makes no sense because he just hosted campaign events in his hometown when he's running for an office that requires the whole state to vote for him. Oh, and there are too many comments about like, earning food. Which is just not something I'm here for in 2019.

But let's talk about what I did love because I can assure you there was a lot. This book is paced SO well. I was ABSORBED and really didn't want to put the book down. I really loved the complex family relationships as well. Also, Synthia Williams dropped in sequel bait like a pro in this one. I'm especially excited for India's sister's book, but Byron's is next and I'm really looking forward to that. Also, I adored this part:

<i>"I want to make love to you. But not like this. I want to be one hundred percent sober when I finally get you in my bed."

"Why is that?"

"Because, India Robidoux, you are worth savoring and I plan to enjoy every inch of your body."</i>

In Forbidden Promises, India and Travis have a sizzling attraction that they try to deny because of Travis' previous relationship. However, they are also friends and compatible in other ways so their love came naturally. Family bond and forgiveness play a central role in this book. It is the first in a series and the author also established a lot of the other characters in this read. I look forward to reading more of the Robidoux clan. Thank you, #Netgalley

This book was not for me. I thought the protagonists had decent chemistry, but the family drama and some immature side characters had me rolling my eyes way more than swooning.

Absolutely soapy and over the top second chance, brother's best friend romance that wasn't my to my personal reading taste, but was absolutely a fantastic story from the author who has penned many category romance titles for Kimani Romance (RIP).

A young India spent a wild night under the stars kissing her brother's best friend and her sister's on again, off again hookup, a birthday to remember, but is devastated when he announces his engagement to her sister just two weeks later.

India leaves her home, her family, and strikes off on her own path against her imperious father's wishes. Cut to ten years later and India is now a successful concert violinist, but is being called home to help her brother's election team. A team that also includes Travis.

Travis has been divorced from India's sister for two years but still seems off limits. Her sister is family, no matter what India's heart wants. But Travis is out to get India for himself, consequences be damned.

There is SO MUCH going on in this story. It was hard to recap in a short blurb. I personally wanted way more of India and Travis on the page together, but the story often veered into many different paths and is clearly setting up a series for many of the other characters. I also am, in 2019, having a difficult time reading about rich people in politics, as I find it hard to believe billionaires are not Republicans.. So, for a story that is involving politics so heavily it felt weird to not have any party names mentioned or political affiliation. One is left to guess.

CW for miscarriage (off page), cheating (not between the main couple), India's family is wealthy because of their large Tobacco business, gun violence, a shooting, alcohol use.