Forbidden Promises (Jackson Falls, 1) Mass Market Paperback – February 25, 2020

*****Spoilers*****I wasn't sure about this book given the synopsis. A sister in love with her sister's ex-husband checked so many ick boxes for me but I decided to give it a chance and see how the author worked around that issue. I can say that the writing focused on Travis and India and their feelings for one another and didn't really touch much on the past. The past was there but it was just vague enough to stay there and overall I was glad I read it. Elaina's attitude and their father Grant's manipulations helped some too, along with the fact that Travis didn't love the sister Elaina but had gotten her pregnant when they were young.In contrast, Travis is all in with India by his own choice and his feelings about her are serious. Almost as soon as they made the decision to rekindle what they started years ago, Travis was pushing for marriage and to expose their relationship to India's family. The no games, no-nonsense attitude and desire not to waste more time away from India solidified Travis in my book. He was all in and wasn't holding back his feelings for India and what he wanted for their future together.I will say that I was a disappointed in India not having the courage to fight for Travis. She wouldn't have stayed without her sister's approval which I felt was a cop out. I can understand familial bonds, but the choice to sleep with Travis shattered all of that because that's the point at which India "betrayed" Elaina. Taking her future with Travis instead if cowering after her family found out was what I wanted India to do. Instead, she went to her sister, head bowed and contrite, ready to give Travis up if Elaina had a problem with it. The time for approval was before, not after in my opinion and the damage was done so I felt like India gave up too easily and didn't do enough to fight for Travis. Especially since Travis had just had a death scare a little beforehand and add to it that India and Elaina weren't really that close.I liked that India was a musician and that she and Travis had an interest in the arts. That angle was a little different, her being a talented violinist having played in a philharmonic orchestra and him being an amateur painter. I also liked that Travis had broken away from India's father's influence, had his own law firm, and had built his reputation as a defense attorney. I felt bad for his family shunning him and though his mom tries at the end once he was shot and could have been killed, it was so little when he'd been trying so long to fit in and nurture his family bonds but didn't have their support. Even so, I'm glad he finally got his mom to come around because it was a little sad to read Travis's feelings about his estranged family even before the trial that let his cousins murderer go free. Justifiable homicide but costly for Travis's dealings with his family.Elaina was a tough nut to crack but the writing gives the sense that she's one piece of straw away from breaking. That may be good for her in a future book but it doesn't happen in this one. Though the book revolves around Byron's campaign for Congress, that part didn't really ring true. Running for a Senate seat, I would think Byron would have done more traveling but then what do I know? The one thing about this book that I will say I'd not gotten over by the time it ended was Grant and Patricia. From India's perspective, I don't like it but I'm sure he has a back story too.

I read this entire series sometime back and just now writing a review 😄. This book had me torn because I could never get with my sister’s ex. The perfect family, Not; but who are? India’s father I did not like and felt he was the cause of their issues. The way their father treated them as children even in their adult life and kept his mistress in their face…India should never talk to that trick that’s how that should be handled. Travis family was just horrible! If you want to read about family drama and crazy love this is the series.

Y’all, this book is the dramatic soap opera in book form that you didn’t know you needed. The Robidoux’s are an extremely well-off family (tobacco farming or making? Both? Idk, details) in Jackson Falls and now Byron Robidoux is running for national office and his best friend is his sister’s ex-husband, Travis, who is also the man his other sister, India, has pretty much loved since she was a girl. And now, India is back in town and being asked to help with the campaign, which sees her partnered up with Travis.This book is paced SO well. I was ABSORBED and really didn’t want to put the book down. I really loved the complex family relationships as well. Also, Synthia Williams dropped in sequel bait like a pro in this one. I’m especially excited for India’s sister’s book, but Byron’s is next and I’m really looking forward to that. Also, I adored this part:“I want to make love to you. But not like this. I want to be one hundred percent sober when I finally get you in my bed.”“Why is that?”“Because, India Robidoux, you are worth savoring and I plan to enjoy every inch of your body.”I do have a few things that really bothered me, mainly the fact that Travis had an abundance of time it seemed like while gearing up for a murder trial (but I talked to one of my co-workers and she says that in some places murder trials are actually quick. Out here they last like a month, minimum.) and the fact that there were too many comments about like earning food. I’m just not really here for that in 2020.

This was the first book I've read in a while, if not ever, where I really didn't like ANY of the characters. lol I don't think of this as a bad thing, though; the author created flawed, layered characters that you either like or you don't. It just so happened that I didn't, in this instance.Regardless of that, though (or maybe because of it) I was so invested in the story that I wanted to keep reading to see what happened. And it was both conclusive yet still left me hanging enough that I'm curious about the next book in the series. So I call that a thumbs up.