Empty Promises (Promises, #3)
by Elle Brooks
Title: Empty Promises (Promises Series Book #3)
Author: Elle Brooks
Genre: NA | YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 27th 2015
Buy Link:
Emily ~
What would you do if you knew when you were going to die?
Would you will death to come and claim you quickly?
Or would you pray for more time?
It wasn’t until I knew that I was about to die, that I decided to really live.
And it wasn’t until I gave up on love, that I finally found it.
Just not in any of the places that I’d been searching.
Sometimes you don’t get the fairytale happily ever after,
but if you’re lucky,
you get so much more.
You get a perfect beginning that you can keep hold of until the end.
RATING: 4.5 STARS
This story was heartbreakingly beautiful in so many ways. Empty Promises is a novella and book #3 in the Promises series. It certainly did not feel like a novella at all. Empty Promises can be read as a standalone, but if you read Promises Hurt, you get to know Emily through her best friend Blaire. I already felt a connection with Emily from the first book, so being able to hear this story in her voice was such an added bonus and truly blew me away.
"Dear Diary, I just want to give up. I'm not going to, but I want to. This shit's too hard." ~Emily
Elle Brooks has such a great ability to write about heartbreaking topics but with an added touch of humor, wit and respect. Emily has a terminal illness and yes I did feel sad and heartbroken, but never did I feel that the story was depressing. Instead it was funny and inspiring. It's the kind of story where you want to ugly cry and laugh out loud at the same time.
"We do not remember days. We remember moments."
This story really shows how Emily's terminal illness affects her parents, family and friends. Also the strangers that Emily has to come in contact with on a daily basis. Emily's determination to complete her bucket list even though time is against her and literally running out was amazing. I absolutely adored the love interest in Lucas. This was such a sweet and heart squeezing part of the story. It made me tear up and swoon. And yes I felt the butterflies in my stomach.
I can't recommend this beautiful story enough. It' such a gem that shouldn't be missed.
EMPTY Promises Elle Brooks
Excerpt…
“Where’s Dad?” I ask as I watch Mom pull a packet of coffee from the back of the cupboard.
“He’s gone for a run, sweetie,” she says matter-of- factly before throwing me a smile. Mom’s got a great game face. If I’d not overheard her conversation, I’d have no clue she was just upset.
“Okay, I have an idea, and I want you to just trust me, so grab your things and come with me. We’re going out.”
Mom looks a little bewildered by my cryptic request before she shrugs and grins. “Fine, lead the way, Emily.”
We climb into her car and I scroll through my phone until I find the address of the nearest bridal store. I locate one three miles away and begin inputting it into the GPS. Mom looks at the address, and I can see the gears in her head turning as she tries to work out the address and wonders what would have me dragging her out the house for. She’s a good sport and doesn’t seem too put out that I’m refusing to tell her what it is we’re doing as we make the short journey.
A few minutes roll by before we pull up outside Dana’s Bridal Boutique, and the GPS signals that we’ve reached our destination on the left. Mom looks at me questioningly and I give her a rueful smile. There’s only a bakery, coffee shop and the bridal store on this small stretch of road.
“I overheard you and Dad talking this morning.” She still looks confused so I point to the Bridal Boutique. She covers her mouth with her hand as she leans back into her seat, her eyes crinkling as realization dawns. “You were talking about the fact that you should go first, and that you’ll never see me in my wedding dress, or be there with me at the delivery of your first grandchild. Well, there’s little I can do about an immaculate conception,” I shrug, “but this,” I point to the store again. “This I can do.”
I watch as a million different emotions wage war behind her sapphire eyes before she admits defeat, closes them tightly and slumps forward resting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. I watch quietly as she holds a finger up to me, signaling she needs a minute. When she finally opens them again, they’re glassy but she seems to have recovered her composure enough to step outside the car. I don’t know what to make of the situation, and honestly, I’m regretting my decision as I climb out and round the car. Maybe this was a stupid idea and is too much for her. Hell, maybe it’s too much for me. I’m about to apologize and tell her so when she finally speaks.
“You really are something kind of wonderful, Emily,” she says before ambushing me in a fiercely tight hug. I sigh and feel a little of the tension drain from my shoulders, like someone’s just turned on an invisible faucet to ease some of the pressure.
“I’m sorry you heard that conversation. I was just having a weak moment. We don’t have to do this,” she whispers into my hair and squeezes before pushing me back to see my face.
“I’m glad I did hear, and I want to do this. Is that weird?” I answer, and it’s the truth. I am glad I overheard their conversation. I hate that she feels like she needs to be strong one hundred percent of the time for me. It’s not healthy.
“It’s not weird at all, Emily.”
“Good. Okay, enough of this.” I square my shoulders. “Let's get in there and go play dress up.”
Elle is the author of the Promises Series including:
Book #1 is "Promises Hurt" released in August 2014.
Hello...
I'm a little neurotic; I function on a tiny amount of sleep and a huge amount of caffeine. I love green skittles and have an irrational fear of stormy weather. When I’m not writing about super hot college guys, you can generally find me googling them...All in the name of research of course. I can be persuaded to do just about anything with the promise of a good book or a bottle of bubbles. Oh, and I also love to write.
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