Gabriel's Promise by Sylvain Reynard is book four in her Gabriel's Inferno series. Babriel's Promise can be read as a stand alone. For best reading experience I recommend to read the books in order. The previous books are Gabriel's Inferno; Gabriel's Rapture and Gabriel's Redemption.

This book is a fast paced romance with thriller elements that left me breathless. It's a nailbiting read with just the right amount of everything that kept me intrigued. I liked the storyline, the characters and the writing, 4,5 beautiful stars.

Seven years after penning book 3 in the Gabriel's Inferno series, Sylvain Reynard returns to the series with Gabriel's Promise. Fans of the love story between Gabriel and Julianne will love this new installment that marks a new chapter in the couple's life - parenthood.

I was somewhat shocked, and a lot pleased, to see Reynard return to the series that made him an international best selling author. With the release of Gabriel's Redemption in 2013, fans believed that was all for this beloved couple as their courtship had reached its culmination in the couple marrying and Reynard moved on to a new series. To get the chance to reconnect with this couple will be a delight for any fan of the series. But with a number of loose ends left at the end of Gabriel's Promise, fans can expect to see more of Gabriel and Julianne.

Though it has been some time since I read the original trilogy, I didn't feel lost. Backstory information was sprinkled throughout to connect peripheral characters from the previous books. So even if you haven't read the first three books, you will still enjoy this book.

I don't really care for romance novels, but this is one of the few series I make an exception for as the characters are really great, the plot interesting, and the writing well done. It isn't a "bodice ripper" type novel. Though intimate scenes do occur regularly. Almost too regularly. It felt like they were evenly spaced throughout the story and felt too planned. Also, they often felt separate from the story - like they were written and inserted after the plot was completed. Perhaps in some ways, this was intentional - to mimic the less spontaneous nature of parenthood.

Fans of the series will remember that the narrator is found of the parenthetical statement. I had forgotten this until about halfway through when they started to show up with some regularity. And then it became obvious that they were missing from the first part of the story. As I read an ARC, perhaps this is addressed in the final proof of the novel.

Unlike the earlier books, it is not individuals who are obstacles to Gabriel and Julianne's happily ever after. Instead, it is a very real issue for couples where both are pursuing careers. It isn't helped by the fact that they are at two different points in their careers. And while the main focus of this book is how to overcome the obstacle of pursuing their careers and maintaining their family life, there is another plot that will likely be played out over the course of the next book (and more?). And then it may be individual(s) who are threatening their happiness.

Whenever an author returns to a series that had felt complete, there is always a bit of trepidation as to whether it will be as good (or as good as you remember) as the original storyline. I can assure you, fans will be delighted. And if you are new to the series, you will be pleased to be able to just jump in (though at some point you will probably want to see how it all began).

You may also be interested in these posts:
Cocktails with Gabriel's Inferno - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2012/06/cocktails-with-gabriels-inferno.html
Italy with Gabriel's Rapture - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2012/07/italy-with-gabriels-rapture.html
Redemption by guest Sylvain Reynard - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2012/10/sylvain-reynard-redemption-guest-post.html
Who is Sylvain Reynard - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2013/12/who-is-sylvain-reynard.html
Review: Gabriel's Redemption - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2013/12/review-gabriels-redemption.html

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on January 2 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/01/gabriels-promise-by-sylvain-reynard.html

Gabriel & Julia's new story felt like coming home. Elizabeth @ Carolina Chic's Read

I have await and long thought of our wonderful couple. Beatrice has always say at the forefront of my mind due to this series. I loved revisiting our characters again and seeing this couple add another to their family. I certainly need more of their story and everlasting love!

5 Promising Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

There's nothing more exciting to be brought back into the world of Dante and Beatrice - also known as Professor Emerson and his Julia. Now, they have a beautiful baby girl, Clare. And there is nothing that Gabriel will do to protect his family.

Gabriel has a career opportunity of a lifetime that comes calling, shortly after Clare is born. But with Julia putting her career on hold for motherhood, Gabriel isn't sure he wants to rock the boat in their family moving them to Scotland. Plus, there are also mysterious threats towards the Emerson family.

It's always great to get more of this couple, but the extra drama probably wasn't necessary for this fourth book. But, I loved getting a glimpse of Gabriel as a doting father (we already know he's the perfect fictional husband!). The ending felt unfinished, unresolved with the mystery surrounding them. But overall, if are a fan of the Professor, then this read is not to be missed!

I was so excited when I heard we were going to be catching up with Gabriel and Julianne and this story did not disappoint, it was everything I expected and so much more.
Gabriel and Julianne are now proud parents and in this book we see a different side to the couple I love, you would think marriage and new baby will be all about happiness but as always with this author this couple have a few hurdles to cross, their relationship will be tested as they try and work out how to move forward possibly on different sides of the world.......
I’m not going to write a review full of spoilers you need to read this book first hand you need to have no preconceived ideas about how Gabriel and Julianna have matured and moved to the next stage of their beautiful love story. This is an emotional read with all the feels, it’s romantic, it’s steamy and it has the perfect mix of passion, suspense and mystery. Gabriel’s Promise ticked all my boxes and I’m sure if you are a lover of this very talented author it will tick all yours as well so all that’s left for me to say is start 2020 with a great read, you need to one click this must read.

This tale, fourth in a series of beautiful and inspiring romance, is suffused with life wisdom and tenderness.

Always in paralellism with Dante's life story and his poetic love for Beatrice, it builds on the events of the trilogy to continue this couple’s plight and happiness with marriage, parenthood, academic challenges and health threats. It is pure emotion, pure romance, and pure humanity.

In the lines of family warmth and loss, there are plenty of meaningful conversations and scenes that proove the power of bonds between people. It's like a tapestry of all the needs and feelings we are made of.

Despite the dangers and obstacles that plague Gabriel and Julianne in this vulnerable time of their lives, the atmosphere is so comforting and full of love because they stay together, love each other fiercely, support and get support from their friends and family.

The relationship between them is so true and tender, and I sighed constantly with Gabriel's take to fatherhood and laughed with his imperial sense of humour.

The world of academia, with its labyrinthine psychology, and some pressing dangers lurking in the shadows enhance the domestic bliss side of the story with a dark suspense touch. In addition, everything related to Dante and his infernal travels is remarkably enriching and appealing to me.

This author has a smooth, natural writing style that makes the ordinary feel like a solace.

I loved the artful combination of mysteries, academic pressure, blissful lovemaking, family relations and the always engaging world of Dante with his many secrets in the Divine Comedy.

This book pays homage to Gabriel and Julianne and their devoted fans, linking perfectly with all the previous works.

As a continuation to the main trilogy, it's a beautiful rendition of domestic bliss as the couple has finally earned it, and the struggles and enigmas they now face seem to open up a new path for future books.
Definitely worth reading and savouring.

It has been quite awhile since I read Gabriel's story, so I was excited to hear that he was getting another book. I couldn't wait to see what he and Julianne had been up to. Unfortunately, it had been too long because I felt a bit lost. I couldn't remember a lot of the previous storyline, so I was not able to reconnect with them as I had hoped. Despite my lack of memory, I should have reread beforehand, I did enjoy Gabriel's Promise. I think fan's of Gabriel's will love him as a husband and father. Especially when it comes to keeping what's his safe. He wasn't as intense, married life has definitely tamed him, but he was just as swoonalicious. I definitely recommend to fans of this series. For those who have not met Gabriel, you must start at the beginning. He is worth it!

♥ Review by Lys

I still feel that books one and two are the best in this series. I may not have loved the plot of ”GABRIEL’S PROMISE”, but I still have so much love for Professor Emerson. He was the first professor that captured my heart and in this latest installment, Gabriel is still madly in love with Julia and completely devoted to his little family. His interactions with Clare are heartwarming. It just felt like the author threw way too many impossible challenges at Gabriel and Julia almost at the same time, and then he may have realized this and tried to resolve some of them without giving a real explanation. I think the health issues and huge career opportunities were enough to carry the story to the end. All the mystery and intrigue involving past enemies and possibly new ones was a bunch of unnecessary drama. Overall the writing as always was stellar, and I even found some of the Dante and Beatrice references interesting.



I’m hoping that the author will let Gabriel and Julia ride into the sunset to live happily ever after and end the series on a high note.


Here are my overall ratings:

Hero: 5
Heroine: 3
Plot: 4
Angst: 4
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4

This book was a continuation of the first three Gabriel's series. I don't know that it was necessarily needed but a lot of people wanted it. I think for what it was it was okay. It doesn't have the same flow as the first three books and can be a little jumpy at times (going from one day, week, month to the next). What I did appreciate is that the style of writing that Sylvain Reynard brings to the table has not changed. I also felt that the drama that was created in the book was a bit much. I do realize that you need some kind of excitement, however, I think for who they were it was a bit of a stretch to me. All in all, this is definitely a good book, and it will give people what they have been asking for in terms of wanting to know what happened after the third book. I don't think the readers will be too disappointed with how the book turned out, it's fairly good aside from those small hiccups mentioned above.

This is probably my favorite out of this series, you can see how much Gabriel and Julieanne have grown.

This series is pretty religious heavy and Dante’s Inferno heavy as well but its not like bam in your face,but please go do yourself and me a favor and go read this series it's about forbidden love second chance love.

3.5 stars

This story is a reunion of sorts with one of the most beloved couples in the romance world, as they tackle and withstand new challenges/threats.

Christina and Ana
Gideon and Eva
Gabriel and Julia
If you were a reader of romance back in 2011, you didn't need to hear the book titles to know who these characters were. Readers adored their love stories, as I did, so this was fun to be immersed in their world at catch up with the changes in Gabriel and Julia's lives.

The biggest change since we last heard from the couple is the birth of their daughter, Clare Grace Hope Emerson. This book spends a significant amount of time as the married couple adapted to parenting and the joys each day brings. It was sweet how clueless Gabriel was at times, but how he adapted and relished every moment. His love for his daughter shines bright.
In addition, he's love for his wife, who made the nearly impossible dream, a reality, has brought them even closer together.

Aside from the love story, there are a number of obstacles the two face in this book regarding their careers, as well as some more risky threats. I personally thought maybe too much was thrown in here. You have:
Gabriel's new job opportunity, away from home
The status of Julia's education and next steps
A stalker, possibly
And Julia's health

As time began to wind down, I actually thought the author would leave us with a cliffhanger. There were just too many unresolved issues, and with the ending, I'm still not clear all the open story lines came to a conclusion. But the message of the story was clear, Gabriel will always put his family first and do anything and everything to protect them and make them happy. And that is why his character remains so popular years later. While this story may not pack the punch as some of the previous installments, I think fans of this couple will still enjoy the reunion, as I did.

I loved this original series which I thought was a trilogy, but now it turns out to be evolving into more. This time around we start with continuation of Julia and Gabriel and the addition of baby Clare. I was looking forward to seeing more Gabriel and Julia but in the end I was wanting more.

Gabriel and Julia have got themselves in the middle of their normal assumptions and miscommunications as well as a mystery. I was shocked the same formula of keeping secrets and assumptions carried through. Why don't they learn from their mistakes. The saving grace here was at least when their secrets came out they both too immediate accountability and it didn't get dragged on.

Katherine continues to be one of my favorite characters. And others notice as well.

"Are you nuts? Katherine is like Wonder Woman in an age-appropriate pantsuit. She can fix anything."

Now with they mystery, I was left hanging. I'm not sure if it went unanswered or low intensity to draw out for more books with in this series or it was completely lack luster. Either way it like a bit issue then fizzled out which left me a bit disappointed.

It's always nice to see Gabriel and Julia again as well as the other great characters. In this book we also get to see the evolution of all the characters. If the series continues I will continue with it as I've invested enough time with this series but I hope it doesn't get dragged out for the sake of a longer series.

I have many mix feelings about this book there were some good parts but I also was left wanting more. However, there are die hard Gabriel and Julia fans so they will be excited to see more from this couple.

This review was/is a hard one for me.
Anyone that knows me-- knows how much I love SR. I loved this series so much!
I was highly anticipating this next installment. However, for me- Gabriel's Promise fell flat. (I hate writing that)

That being said- I loved seeing Gabriel and Julianne again!
I loved watching Gabriel as a father. Swoon. I will forever love this man. He's still so in love and swoons over his wife. Makes me smile and my heart happy watching him and his love for his wife/child/family.
And then there was Julianne's transformation of finding herself and speaking her mind. Loved watching her grow from each book to who she is now. I admire her so much!

If you've loved the other books in this series you will enjoy it! You'll find all our favorites here, helping, being their loving/caring selves- all their amazing qualities that you've loved in past books!
And a few other things going on that I will not spoil. I want you to learn/read for yourselves.

I thought there were some more unanswered questions and am wondering if we will be getting more of them? Will there be book 5?


3.75 stars from me!
Recv'd an ARC in exchange for an honest review

4.5-Stars ~ Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse & Rachel at KindleFriendsForever

Reynard offers his readers the fourth book in the highly popular Gabriel’s Inferno series, coming to our screens very soon. If you haven’t read the previous books, we recommend that you do as Gabriel’s Promise isn’t a standalone, but a heartwarming compliment to the Emerson family. We love the author’s prose and in this instalment, his male protagonist’s elegance, chivalrousness and impatient ways haven’t changed in the least. Still protective of his loved ones, still gorgeous.

“And you’re gorgeous.”
“You are infuriatingly charming.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The storyline per se is an interesting one in the respect that the Emerson’s have a new addition to the family. Reynard dedicated a good part of the book to their new role, executing it exactly how we would have expected from him. Our beloved Gabriel is still the dedicated husband, and observing how he is with his daughter made us go weak at the knees. Julianne good-naturedly teasing her husband lightened up the mood, her sense of ridiculousness got us chuckling to ourselves. You’ll see what we mean when you come across the garden ornament scenes.

“Let’s talk about the abomination that’s now standing in our front garden.”
“I have no idea what you mean.”

The difference here is both husband and wife have to make difficult decisions regarding the course of their professional careers. At times it seemed Gabriel wasn’t going to be able to keep his promise because to do otherwise would spell failure. Danger lurking in the background doesn’t help matters and discovering why they’re being targeted not only triggers off a feeling of unrest, but is also a major concern. Alas, Reynard’s wish was to keep us in the dark, so we hope a follow-up will be in the offering. Also, seeing as Julianne’s talent has caught the attention of academics in the field she’s studying, it would be a crying shame if the likes of a certain person makes it difficult for her to finish what she’d started. Solutions exist; however, we’re still not sure if there will be interference from them in the future.

“I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me. Never again.”
Gabriel clenched his jaw. “We make sacrifices for each other. That’s the point.”

It felt like going home, meeting up with other characters we’d learnt to cherish. Katherine is still her old self, always reliable and witty, and seeing the whole family together was a joy to be remembered. Reynard hasn’t left out the steaminess, the Emerson’s passion as strong as ever. But what we liked most was witnessing Gabriel and Julianne in married life. They have a deep-level admiration for each other which is conveyed throughout the story. Trait trivialities are of no importance, their love has no bounds.

“You’re my muse. You help me see things I can’t see. And you propel me to be a better man as well as a better scholar.”

We did find some of the banter a tad staid and felt the speech could have been a little less formal. And although the author has taught us a lot about Dante, Beatrice and The Devine Comedy, some of the technicalities and Gabriel’s interpretation of said work wasn’t easy to interpret. Saying that, we thoroughly enjoyed reading Reynard’s new story and for fans of this series, it’s a must-read.

“...Look at you— a beautiful, fierce goddess of love, who never takes except she gives tenfold more. Let me be your servant in love and desire.”

Disclaimer: I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fourth book in the series and falls into some of the pitfalls of a book meant to length a trilogy but the writing is so great that it sucks you back into Gabriel and Julia's world.

I truly enjoyed this addition to a series that I do not tire of reading. While I did not feel the angst as much as previous stories in this series, I did find the writing just as beautiful and I loved seeing the progression and changes in these characters. I have loved this series so much and I am so excited to see more added. I can't wait for more from Sylvain.

I went into reading this with an open mind because I remember Gabriel being such a intense character and thinking Julia was too meek and no back bone but wow this book proved me wrong.

I loved seeing a softer side of Gabriel as a husband and a father to Clare. He is gentle and soft and yet protective and fiercely loves his girls. I liked seeing Julia grow into a confident woman that is also a loving mother and wife and how Gabriel supports her academic dream and does not try to stop her. They balance each other and are each other's rock. I loved this book, It felt like the perfect ending for their story.

Did I love this book? Yes! I loved it. I loved it because it is the continuation Gabriel and Juliannes story.
The beautiful love that is compared to Dante and Beatrice.
At the end of the last book, Julianne is pregnant. Gabriels Promise picks up at Julianne having her baby . The story is mainly about how Julianne and Gabriel will continue their careers and keep their little family together. There is a little light moments, some dark, some learning, and also some mystery.
Since this is about their lives after having a baby, its not the same romantic feel as the other 3 but I still enjoyed it just because , well its Gabriel & Julianne! And it did have some learning moments about Dante and the swoony Italian poetry ( i think its Italian ha!)
If you have read the other 3 , you have to read this one . I'm wondering if there will be another? Since it seems like there are some unanswered questions.....

Sylvain Reynard captured my attention back in 2012 when I didn't even own a Kindle.  I had borrowed my sister's Nook for a week while on vacation.  I was intrigued by the first few chapters.  The alpha male that I have measured up all other to over the years has been Gabriel.

Having the opportunity to read an ARC (a paper ARC) is beyond special to me. This will forever be a coveted ARC of mine.

Gabriel's Promise is exactly that.  Everything he's ever promised to Julia is coming true.  Their happily ever after.  This book is their journey into parenthood and it's the swooniest and sweetest you will ever see Professor Emerson and it's absolute perfection.

There are definitely some bumps and twists and persons who don't want to allow Gabriel and Julia have that HEA...but as we know,  Gabriel will not allow anyone to stand in his way of making Julia's life all he wants it to be.

Once again Sylvain Reynard has taken romance to the next level. Beautiful writing, written words that bring you into the story and another unique and thrilling story from Sylvain Reynard.

I'll admit, I was really worried about reading this one. I haven't read the first three books in a few years so I wasn't sure if I would remember all the little details that made me fall in love with it in the first place. Thankfully, I didn't really need to remember ANYTHING as those books are clearly embedded in my heart and mind! This book picks up after the third one ended. While I think the series would have been fine without a 4th book I did like seeing Gabriel and Julia again- along with their little bundle of joy! This one also has a little bit of drama (I didn't personally care for it) and some unanswered questions so I assume there will be another book.

In any event, fans of the series are going to love this new one and I look forward to seeing where the author takes us next!