"Promise Broken" by K'wan is a gritty and compelling. Promise Mohammed, navigates the challenges of loss, abandonment, and a yearning for love in a tumultuous coming-of-age journey. K'wan skillfully depicts the gritty streets and complex relationships, portraying Promise's descent into a life of crime and drug affiliation. The novel's strength lies in its raw portrayal of urban life, with well-crafted characters and a narrative that keeps you hooked until the last page. As K’wan always does, this was a little different but I really enjoyed it.

i am very confused. this was okay. i need to think about it more or not think about it ever again idk

— thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Promise has experienced a traumatic loss, and sent to live with her aunt Dell, who treats her like a wicked stepchild. She finds solace in her friends Mouse and Keys, who are dealing with issues of their own. In the midst of chaos, Promise finds teenage love, which brings more than a little drama.

Poverty has forced Mouse to turn to the streets for survival, and depending on those who may not have her best interest at heart. Unfortunately, her sidekick gets caught up, as well.

Set in the streets of Newark, NJ; this book was totally relatable, as the author paid attention to details. The street names, the movie theater, Society Hill and even the Robert Treat hotel is a great tribute to the city. The residents would be so proud.

I highly recommend this 💎💎💎💎💎 book by @kwan_iamlegend. Be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster.

The plot was too slow for me. DNF. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Urban romance has a common theme of being exciting, thrilling, and a little dangerous. This was definitely on display with Promise broken. As soon as I started this novel I was drawn in to this story of redemption and then perseverance and I absolutely love the sexy romantic elements!

I chose this book initially because it’s set in my local area. I wanted to read something that connected with the local community, and May mention places that I know. I find that this always adds a unique personal connection to the story, and I was happy to find it the case here. Knowing the places and the energy of the area aided in my enjoyment. Being able to picture the way folks gather and interact in our communities of this area really brought the story to life for me! Fully glad to support local stories.

This is a very different read from my normal genre fare, but I really enjoyed it! It’s a wonderful blend of “slice of life” vibes of living in these urban areas, with a taste of crime fiction mixed with YA drama. I think the characters are all pretty compelling, and I was wrapped up in their heart breaking emotional turmoil. The writing did have some stilted cadence every now and again, but the overall voice fit the narrative, demographic, and characters.

I’m interested enough to read more of this series, and I look forward also to seeing how the writing style develops along with the characters and their stories! I’ll definitely keep reading more as I found it compelling to watch these characters grow and heal.

A word of caution for those who may have some personal trauma, this book does contain drug use, gun and gang violence, child abuse and domestic abuse, and a rape/assault of one of its teenage characters. There are also some pretty Frank descriptions of sexual behavior which doesn’t remotely bother me, but may be a bit much for some younger audiences. Due to this heavy subject matter, I’d recommend this for much older teens and adults.

Promise Mohammed was left to figure out Life on her own after her mother dies in a car accident. Fighting to be treated equal in the house of her evil aunt she connects with a group of people that will ultimately change her life forever. Promise soon finds out that, Promises are made to be broken in the face of WAR. The wrong attention and the company you keep can have you living a life that wasn't made for you. One would say that Promise choose the streets, but what I think it balled down to is the streets choose her.

The Legend himself, Author K'wan penned a creative story about real life happening with the cards we are dealt. There were too many characters, which over shadowed Promise who was suppose to be the main character. After reading I noticed that this was going to be a series so I'm sure readers will get more in the books to come. The ending did seem a little rushed but overall another gem added to Author K'wan award winning catalog.

this was a really good read, I enjoyed the way the author writes and was able to tell this story. The characters felt like real people and I enjoyed reading this.

Thank you so much Blackstone Pub, NG and Author for this extraordinary eARC!

Promise Broken by K'wan follows a 17 year old girl named Promise!
Set in the brutal streets of Newark, NJ.
This girl has had a tough life.
Her mother died in a horrible car crash and she has no idea who her father is.
She has no friends or family and her life starts spinning out of control. Which ultimately leads to a life filled with crime and drug related people!
Promise ultimately has two goals in life..... to graduate high school and to be loved!
Can Promise make her goals happen living the way she is?
Read to find out......

This is a wonderful fiction coming-of-age novel, that I very much enjoyed!
The dialogue felt so real and I loved the vivid descriptions.
The characters were so easy to connect to!
This is a well rounded read.
It grabbed my attention from first chapter and I didn't stop!
Writing is phenomenal..... Just an amazing read!

Thank you Blackstone Pub for the opportunity to read this eARC!
I'll post to my platforms closer to pub date!