Past Promises ~ Jamesville ~ N.J. Walters

Title: Past Promises

Series: Jamesville #7

Author: N.J. Walters

Available: April 14, 2009

Read an excerpt here.

Available at MBAM!

NJ's website

Sometimes the only way to leave the past behind is to ignore the voice of reason—and leap.

Jamesville, Book 7

For Linda Fletcher, the sign in front of her new business says it all.

Past Promises Antiques is her declaration of independence from her powerful and manipulative family—and a vow to herself that her future will be different.

She never considered herself the no-strings-affair type, but the chemistry between her and her newly hired handyman is too intense to ignore. Moving to Jamesville was a bold step, so what’s the harm in taking one more—into his arms?

Levi Mann’s shadowed past keeps his bags packed light and his feet on
the move. But one look at Linda, and he finds himself willing to hang around—just long enough to figure out what it is that triggers their
explosive passion.

Warning, this title contains very explicit language, a dysfunctional family, a very large inheritance and lots of wild, hot sex.

What can I say I'm an NJ fangirl, I bought PAST PROMISES as soon as I could this morning. It didn't matter that I was at work when it came out, I had to go and buy it. I snuck some at work during lunch, then as soon as I got home I threw together dinner (Spaghetti and sauce from a jar) and sat down to read the rest of this installment of Jamesville.

It was admittedly bittersweet since I know that for now the Jamesville series is complete, here's hoping NJ goes back there, I knew that when I finished PAST PROMISES I'd be leaving this little town and it's wonderful people.

So the question is Did Levi and Linda live up to the hype in my mind?

The answer is simply yes, I cried, I laughed, I saw old friends (SHAMUS O'ROURKE he's still my favorite man of Jamesville), and I realized that NJ put as much into Linda and Levi's story as she did in Dani and Burke's.

N.J. just gets it, she knows how to create heroines who are strong on their own and even stronger with a man who loves them by their side. Linda could have easily given up on her dreams long before she came to Jamesville. She could have let her family force her hand, but she didn't, instead she risked everything for her new life. She doesn't need Levi to save her and protect her, but she is willing to let him. Like with everything Linda does she does it all the way and when she begins to fall for Levi, she embraces it and prepares her heart just in case he doesn't feel the same. She's everything a good heroine should be, she smart, brave and beautiful both inside and out. I like her, could easily be her friend and was glad she found Levi and Jamesville.

Levi Mann, his name says it all, he's all "MAN!" He is quiet, watchful, and that mysterious kind of sexy that makes me want him for myself. But then N.J. never short changes the reader when it comes to her heros. I'm not sure if it's the characters or N.J.'s voice that has readers loving the men she creates, but whatever it is she manges to do it everytime.

Since reading BY THE BOOK I have wanted to know about Levi, what makes him the way he is, and what he'd be like when he met the woman he could love. His past defines him, has made him who he is and one thing that stikes me about him comes across loud and clear during a passage where he analizes a difficult decision he had to make.

"He’d been in situations that no person should ever have to endure. He’d killed. He’d learned to shut down his emotions to survive, but that had lasted only so many years before the cracks began to show. That’s why he’d retired. He wasn’t certain of himself and his reactions anymore. That made him dangerous in combat situations and he wouldn’t risk the safety of his fellow soldiers. So he’d opted out and come here to figure out his life. All he’d wanted was peace and quiet, but he’d found so much more."

That pretty much sums up Levi, he puts others first, he's careful and ultimately knows who he is and what he wants. He is a man of action, not one to sit idly by. He is the first to run to aid Linda, he stands beside her and supports her with no expectations and when he loves he does so with all he has.


PAST PROMISES is a fitting conclusion to a series that has explored it all from healing the body and the mind like Patrick and Shannon, to learning how to forgive and trust; like Dani and Burke or Cyndi and Shamus, to Linda and Levi who in learn that moving beyond their pasts will bring them the promise of future full of love and happily ever after.


BRAVO N.J. BRAVO, you made me cry, you made me cheer and you made me love Levi and Linda as much as you clearly love them.


10 out of 10