A story of people who were at the Alamo and before that, blends with a present-day couple, tied together through a piece of jewelry. Very interesting. Brings to life what it might have been like back then, some of the difficulties they had to live through. Santa Anna had invited people to come to Texas, then Mexico, for free land. Later he turned on them and became a dictator and people rebelled. Immigration back then and present day are touched upon, the humanity of it. Excellent read.
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#APromiseEngraved #NetGalley #BooksYouFeelGoodAbout

The newest release in the Doors to the Past series by Liz Tolsma is another wonderful split time novel. The historical timeline is set in the 1830's when Mexico and Texas were battling for the territory that would eventually be part of Texas. The contemporary timeline is set in San Antonio. The two periods are connected by a uniquely engraved cat's eye ring.

Josie Wilkins has feelings for Protestant pastor John Gilbert, and both of them are caught up in the politics and battle for Texas to gain the territory that Mexico is claiming. Will they both survive and will they find their way to each other? Kayleigh Hernandez spots a cat's eye ring that catches her interest in a San Antonio Riverwalk store. But the owner/appraiser, Brandon Shuman, isn't sure he wants to let it go as he suspects it is connected to his family. Will Kayleigh and Brandon be able to work together to find the history of the ring as well as discover the meaning of the engraving on it?

Both of the time periods were well written and extremely interesting. As a Texan and having visited the Alamo, the historical period was fascinating as I learned more of the story of the Mexican-American War. As an avid genealogist, the contemporary period as they researched the family history and tried to determine what the engraving signified was intriguing.

Well written and well researched, Tolsma once again pens a novel that captivates from start to finish.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

A Promise Engraved is one of the books in the Doors to the Past series from Barbour Books and each one is unique and well researched. Ms. Tolma did a remarkable job in telling two stories that revolved around a uniquely beautiful cat’s eye ring with mysterious engravings on the inside of the band. Reading the stories of both Josie Wilkins and Kayleigh Hernandez and the difficulties they had to overcome in their lives was interesting.

“Remember the Alamo” was something that I heard about in history class, and reading about the events of the battle through Josie’s experiences made it come alive. I liked the element of mystery and suspense of the story that is set in the present in Kayleigh’s life. It kept me wondering how the past and the present were connected. I’d recommend this book if you like Christian historical fiction with strong female characters.

A favorite quote that showed the wonderful attitude Josie had about her circumstances and the type of woman she was is evident when she says, “ … we have no guarantees in this life and that we must entrust the ones we have into the Lord’s hands. That is why I want to be able to live whatever days God has ordained for me to the fullest.”

I received an e-book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The dual timeline of 1855 and present time was laid out well and I feel enhanced the story. It was an easy transition between the two. The story set around the battle at the Alamo was well-researched and the embellished fictional aspects were well done. The character of Josephine is amazing- a strong woman, wild at heart and courageous, who risked her life to do her part in the battle as a spy.

The Christian overtones are well introduced into the story and the romance was sweet.
This story will fill you with inspiration, compassion, and renewed faith. The time period of 1855 was depicted well and the description of the town and battle is well-written.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and willingly choose to review it. All opinions are my own.

A Promise Engraved provides an interesting look into the Texas Revolution, a point in history I know little about. I can tell Tolsma did a lot of research to bring the story to life. This is one of many reasons the historical storyline was my favorite. I also enjoyed the suspense and the sweet romance that slowly builds.

The contemporary one was interesting, and Kayleigh’s backstory is compelling, but I didn’t connect as well with the romance. What I did connect with was her drive to help children who find themselves alone in a new place.

I loved the concept of the ring, though. While I was a bit confused about the history of the ring, even after the big reveal, I still liked that it was a ring that connected the two storylines.

As for the faith element, there is a lot of discussion about faith. I think readers will find this timeless topic just as relevant today as it was in Josie’s time.

Overall, A Promise Engraved is a sweet dual timeline story that contemporary and historical fans will enjoy.

What a great read! It's a well written dual timeline story that will keep you reading late into the night. It's full of history and has drama, suspense, mystery and romance. It has everything that makes a book an awesome read. This book is a wonderful addition to the Doors to the Past series and is a page-tuner.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

2.75 stars. I honestly had a hard time with this book. I really wanted to love it. I just didn't. The premise of the story had a lot of potential; the finished product was just a little disappointing. The quality just wasn't there for me. I feel like I might have enjoyed the book more if it were entirely set in the past, devoting its entire attention to fleshing out the historical narrative, though it is interesting to essentially get an epilogue from the modern setting, so maybe it's just one of those books that wasn't ever going to be a 5 star for me.

I enjoyed my introduction to Josie. She had quite an interesting cast of characters around her; I wasn't entirely sure what to make of some of them. I appreciated Josie's skills and rooted for her to succeed the whole way through. Watching her hold her own was a lot of fun.

The dual timelines did eventually mesh, but I found the back and forth a little jarring. I preferred the historical account to the modern day one, but didn't feel that either lived up to their full potential, but maybe that was just because I was pulled out of the narrative so many times. There were times information was conveyed a little too pointedly and it didn't feel natural. There were other things that seemed inconsistent or far-fetched that took me out of the novel and just kept rubbing me the wrong way. It did pique my interest in Alamo-era Texas, so I might see what else I can find from this time period at some point.

I received an electronic ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Very enjoyable time hop story. The history parts were well written and accurate. The mystery was good.

Being a life-long Texan and growing up with the story of the Alamo - I had my doubts that anything new could be added - but I was wrong!

First book that I have read by Liz Tolsma. I definitely enjoyed it. Loved the dual time element. The past was more interesting than the present but I did enjoy both stories and how they were connected. The past takes place when the battle of the alamo happened. I liked this part because I have been to The Alamo twice so I knew what the places being referenced looked like. This could be a difficult read for some with there being a lot of intense and tragic moments. It was hard to read sometimes but was so well written I pressed on wanting to see what happened next. Overall a great story. Very clean. There are some references to rape but not really much said in detail. This is not a light-hearted read so please know that in advance but it is a very good story.

This is a dual timeline story!

I love the way Brandon and John protected the people that were around them.

Kayleigh and Josie were such strong women even though life had thrown so much at them. Their determination and grit despite their circumstances was amazing.

It was also fascinating to learn more about the Alamo. I also enjoyed the mystery behind the cat's eye ring.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

When God is involved, chance happenings aren’t as far out as one might imagine.

The author has taken us from 1835 before Texas was a state, during the time of the Alamo, to the present day when a very old ring is discovered at a flea market. Since it resembles one that Kayleigh’s birth mom had, she buys it and begins to try to discover the history behind the ring. What follows will keep you guessing, particularly what is engraved inside the band.

The murder of her mother and young sister, as well as her kidnapping, leaves Josie with ongoing nightmares. It is 1835, and the Mexican troops are circling the small town of Gonzales where she lives. Terror reigns, particularly as she wonders if her kidnapper will return. Not only did he kill her mother, he also stole the ring her mother was wearing. Will she learn to give everything over to God, forgive the past and look to the future?

This ARC was received through Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. These thoughts and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

A Promise Engraved

Being an Alamo history nerd, I was ecstatic to start reading A Promise Engraved. This story is not only set in 1836 where the author goes into depth on many common dilemmas (that were likely to occur) during that setting, but the novel shares a dual timeline with the present day.

Overall, I really liked the idea behind A Promise Engraved. I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded and connected the two protagonists, Josie and Kayleigh together. The forbidden love concept was fun, everything was well-researched, and clean. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dual timelines.

My only critique (which is a personal preference) is that the beginning of the story read a little quickly/ choppy. A lot of information was delivered at once, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but as I said, not my cup of tea.


*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book. All opinions stated are my own.*

I was soooo excited about this book, for a lot of reasons--its San Antonio setting, being part of a series I've loved (_Doors to the Past_) so far, and being written by Liz Tolsma. I've read several of her books, including those she's already written for _Doors to the Past_--so my hopes were high.

Unfortunately, this didn't read nearly as well as others within the series--whether hers or otherwise. The writing style felt entirely different, and involved much more telling than showing (which I'll admit is a pet peeve of mine).

I visited San Antonio (including the Alamo) in 2019, and I did enjoy how Tolsma brought it to life here. It's too bad the other components were, for me at least, lackluster.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Promise Engraved historically based on Texas' fight for independence from Mexico is an intriguing novel with much rich history among the fictional romance of the characters as well as the secrets of the mysterious ring. Tolsma ties the past and the present together nicely with revelations at the end. Being a Texan all my life and knowing Texas history, I found this book satisfied my reading appetite.

Set at the Alamo, this dual timeline book features Josie, John, Kayleigh, and Brandon. Josie and John live during the 1800's and the time of the battle of the Alamo, while Kayleigh and Brandon live in the present age. I'll be the first to admit, I get confused when reading a book or watching a tv show/movie that switches back and forth, but this one did not confuse me! It was clearly defined in terms of which time frame was being discussed so I was able to keep up fairly easily.

This book was so hard to put down the couple of times I needed to!! It seems like each transition from Josie and John's story to Kayleigh and Brandon's left a bit of a cliffhanger that made you want to keep reading!

I was very intrigued by the information that I learned about the battle of the Alamo that I wasn't aware of (or didn't remember from history class) as well as the cat eye ring that is a focal point of this story. I love how the author intertwined the stories and revealed the connection in the end. A few times this book had me on the edge of my seat and it was as if I couldn't read it fast enough!

A very enjoyable read by a new-to-me author! I'm looking forward to reading more of her titles!

This is a dual time book where Josie’s story takes place in 1835, while Kayleigh’s story is present day. They are both have ties to a cat’s eye ring and the mystery surrounding it.

There was a lot of good historical information to be found in this story. It was the description of this book that originally interested me, and I really wanted to enjoy it, but sadly I struggled getting through. There were several things that I had a hard time with.

Warning: This review has spoilers.

First, Josie constantly complains about men not thinking she could take care of herself. In the 1800’s the men did find it their responsibility to take care of the women. Also, she had been abducted by Mexicans for 18 months, of course the men would show concern. However, multiple times in the book Josie rides off by herself and her father is fine with it even after she has been abducted. Its absurd. What father has his daughter taken away, never questions if she was hurt or physically assaulted and then lets her ride out alone again knowing the Mexican army is near?

She was constantly praised as the best spy and the men were taking her advise on military strategy and where they should make camp (by Jim Bowie) even though twice she was caught alone by the Mexican who had abducted her. It seemed ridiculous and far-fetched. It is more likely that the men (including her father and the preacher) would have wanted her to remain safe at home and they wouldn’t have been seeking her advice. Where did she gain her experience and expertise in military strategy? While she was a prisoner of the Mexicans? Or was it from her Indian friends?

A few other things that maybe weren’t as big, but I did find annoying were that she described a horse drinking as lapping the water. That is not how horses drink. To someone who doesn’t know this I’m sure its not a big deal, but when you know its incorrect to phrase it that way, it stands out. The other thing is using the word anarchy as synonymous with chaos. Anarchy is the lack of government, there can be organized anarchy (without chaos).

While the overall concept of the book is good, Josie’s character made it a difficult read for me.

A Promise Engraved
by Liz Tolsma
Pub Date: May 1, 2022
Barbour
#8 Door to the Past Series (multi-author)
* Romance * Historical Fiction
Enriched in history, A Promise Engraved follows the stories of two women in different periods of history. The first timeline transports us back to the 1830s when Josie Wilkins experienced setbacks, heartbreak, and breakthrough in San Antonio and the Battle of the Alamo. The second timeline takes readers to the present day, where Kayleigh Hewland, a refugee coordinator, stumbles upon an engraved ring that may unlock the secrets to her past that she’s desperately wanted for years.
I really enjoyed this book and I am recommending it for readers who like history, clean storylines, and touching themes of forgiveness and redemption.
4 stars

A Promise Engraved is the eighth installment in the multi author Doors to the Past series, and is a dual timeline story that highlights Liz Tolsma's wonderful gift of storytelling.

Set in Texas, this particular title focuses around the events of the Alamo in 1836, and a ring in the present day that seems to have connections to this horrific period in history. As our two female protagonists in the past and the present suffer horrendous circumstances, a mystery grows that pulls many players into a centuries rich bit of history.

I have to admit that going into this one, my knowledge of the events at the Alamo were minimal at most. I especially enjoyed how rich in history this particular title was, and I definitely came away feeling like I'd gained new knowledge about many details unknown to me before. One of my favorite type of mystery stories is ones that connect between the past and the present, and I thought this was handled beautifully throughout. I'd never have known without reading the end acknowledgments that this was the author's first foray into the dual timeline genre.

A story rich in both history and mystery, A Promise Engraved is another wonderful addition to the Doors to the Past series.

I only ended up having a couple of minor complaints.

First, I felt some of the questions raised weren't answered in a way I found totally satisfying. It might not bother every reader, but it left me feeling like I'd missed something in the ending.

Secondly, this one did take me quite awhile to get into, but once I got to the halfway point I was definitely finding myself glued to the pages.

Lastly, because of the part of history it's based upon, this book is definitely heavier and darker, and was one that I couldn't read too much of in one sitting. However, I much appreciated that the darkness was balanced with the light of Jesus, and I thought that part was handled beautifully.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one, and I look forward to reading more from this series and from this author in the future.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Barbour for allowing me to advance read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Barbour) in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A time split read, stretching from the 1830's to present time! Centered around a cat's eye ring, with a mysterious engraving.

We soon learn how this ring brings this read together, and we are there for the journey. The ring belong to two strong Christian women, Josie and Kayleigh, women who treasure this ring, but loose a lot in the process.

This story is set in Texas and we are with the brave souls who fought for independence, "Remember The Alamo", along with a young woman with a stalker, and the ring.

The author gives us some sweet romance along with a deep mystery that kept me page turning!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

A Promise Engraved is a great story about Texas gaining their independence from Mexico. There are many historical facts and real life characters interspersed with fictional ones. Josie was kidnapped by a Mexican named Manuel after he killed her mother and sister and stole her mother’s ring. She has been rescued with the help of local Indians who she befriended as a child. Will she ever see the ring again? When the battle for Texas ensues her family and loved ones are in the thick of it. Will any of them survive?
When Kayleigh, in the present day, is drawn to an antique ring at the market and purchases it the action begins for her. Someone is stalking her; perhaps her ex boyfriend who just got out of jail. She befriends Brandon, a jeweler, to help her learn more about the ring and how it got to be where she found it for sale.
I found this book particularly interesting as I have visited the Alamo. The descriptions of it brought memories to life again for me. Beyond that there is plenty of action and intrigue to keep the reader immersed in the story line. The Story goes back and forth between 1836 and the present without feeling choppy or disjointed; very well done. I enjoyed this book very much andcwill be buying it as a gift.
A solid 5 of 5 stars. I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.