Book Release Day Spotlight: Three Broken Promises (Drew & Fable #3) by Monica Murphy

Three Broken Promises

Drew & Fable Series

By  

Monica Murphy

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Release Date:  Dec. 31, 2013

Publisher:  Random House

Source:  Publisher

Mature Content:  18 & Up

GR's Summary:

Breakout New Adult sensation Monica Murphy returns with a hot new contemporary romance—a heartfelt story of second chances, forgiveness, and redemption.

Commitment. That’s what I really want from Colin. Ever since my brother, Danny, died in Iraq, Colin’s done so much to help me, including giving me a job at his popular restaurant so I can leave my crappy waitressing job at the strip joint. But lying in bed with him every night to comfort him from his horrible nightmares isn’t enough anymore. I know he feels guilty about Danny’s death, about not going to Iraq, but I can’t keep living this double life. 

I love him desperately, but he’s got so many demons, and if he can’t open up to me now, then he’ll never be the real partner I need him to be. I gave him a month, and now I’m out of here. If he truly loves me like he says, he knows where to find me.

Drew & Fable Series:

My Review on One Week Girlfriend Here

My Review on Second Chance Boyfriend Here

My Thoughts:

The Drew and Fable Series has been spectacular, and I have enjoyed every book along the way.  Lately, I've been in a bit of a reading slump, and I knew that I needed am amazing story to pull me out of this slump.  So right away, I though of Monica Murphy.  She is one of my go to authors, when I need a book!  Well, Broken Promises (Drew & Fable #3) by Monica Murphy was just the medicine that I needed, and it cured me of my slump!

Colin and Jen's story was a very emotional one for me.  Colin has been in a deep depression and filled with guilt ever since his best friend, Danny (Jen's Brother) died in Afghanistan.  He has been riddled with guilt, and plagued by constant nightmares every night.  Colin and Danny had an agreement that they were going to join the military together, but at the last moment, Danny joined alone when Colin got offered to run his very own restaurant.  

Jen was devastated by her brother's death.  The two of them had been extremely close, and Danny was the only one that really understood Jen.  After his death, not only did she have to deal with his loss, but she also had to deal with the emotional loss of her parents.  Jen's mother started drinking excessively, and her father threw himself in to his work.  So Jen left home, but had trouble supporting herself financially, and became a stripper.  Colin found Jen, moved her in to his home, and gave her a job in his restaurant.  She found a real friend in Fable (who worked in the restaurant as well,) and the two became extremely close.  Jen fell madly in love with Colin, and he had deep feelings for her, but both were too stubborn to admit it.  

Then, Jen decides that she is tired of being a burden to Colin, needs to move out, and take care of herself.  It's difficult for her to be around the man she loves when he doesn't return her feelings.  She couldn't be more wrong, because Colin loves her too, but is scared he'll mess up there friendship, and can't picture having a solid relationship after being raised in a dysfunctional family his whole life.

I really could feel the constant angst and turmoil that Jen and Colin were through throughout the story.  Colin had to deal with his fears and insecurities.  His character came across as very authentic, and genuine.  I felt for his situation, and understood why he was reluctant to enter a series relationship, but I desperately wanted him to take a chance.  It was obvious that Jen was perfect for him, and they complimented each others wants and needs.  Jen had her own personal demons, and a very dark secret.  I was anxiously awaiting to see how that whole scenario played out.  Together, Colin and Jen were passionate, romantic, caring, compassionate, sensitive, and tender with one another.  I loved the soul connection between these two, as well as the intense physical chemistry.  Broken Promises was an excellent addition to the Drew and Fable Series!

My Rating:

Broken Promises was such a good story!  I devoured Jen and Colin's story, and read it in one sitting.  Both of the main characters were three-dimensional, multilayered characters.  I give Broken Promises 3.5 Angsty, Sexy, and Emotional Stars!  If you are a fan or Monica Murphy's Drew and Fable Series, you will enjoy this addition to the series.  If you haven't read any of her books, get started!  You will love the Drew and Fable Series!  Ms. Murphy has a real talent for making her characters jump right off of the page.  This series will make you cry, swoon, jump for joy, and before you know it Ms. Murphy will be on your author auto-buy list, like she's on mine.  Ms. Murphy brings  her readers unique, and beautiful stories, that touch your heart, and are sure to grace your favorite's book shelf!    

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Guest Post

When Lindy sent me the topic, “What were your goals in creating the Drew + Fable series,” for this blog post, I had to think about that for a minute or ten. You see, I had no real goals when I initially wrote ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND. I just…wanted to write a new adult romance about two crazy kids and I was inspired by a story I saw on my local news about a teenage boy who’d been seduced by his female teacher and she was arrested.

This sort of thing happens to teenage girls and the public is horrified. It happens to a teenage boy and it’s not as big of a deal. This idea got me thinking…what if there was a boy who was a victim? A really messed up one who couldn’t face his past? Who’d turned himself into a robot, not feeling, not really living, just barely existing?

That’s how I came up with Drew Callahan. Fable Maguire had been in my head for years (I wrote a few chapters of a YA featuring Fable back in 2009 that is a huge piece of crap no one shall ever see) and I toughened her up, gave her a few issues (rotten mom, teenage brother to take care of) and bam. The stage was set.

I knew going in I was going to end it in a cliffhanger. I figured if no one responded to it and the book was an utter failure, I wouldn’t even have to write the conclusion. I’m so thankful the book didn’t fail. And it quickly turned into this big thing—it became an actual series with a variety of characters and readers who didn't want to let go of Drew + Fable.

Confession: I didn’t want to let go of Drew + Fable either. That’s why I wrote the novella DREW + FABLE FOREVER. It’s my love letter to the readers, so to speak. A glimpse into Drew + Fable’s future that I thoroughly enjoyed writing and I hope everyone thoroughly enjoys reading.

But let’s get back to my goals for the series. When I wrote OWG, I didn’t intentionally flip their roles in the story. I didn’t necessarily even realize I did so until reviews came in saying how much they loved how strong Fable was and how she saved Drew, not the other way around. After so many reviews saying it was like a fairytale and Fable was the white knight, I ran with that theme in SECOND CHANCE BOYFRIEND. There are fairytale references (and with a name like Fable, I had to do it you know?) and rescue themes. How two people can be broken on their own and become whole when they’re together. That was my goal for SCB.

Before I published OWG, I was afraid Drew would come off like a wimp (my critique partner reassured me that wasn’t the case, thank goodness). Later on, while writing THREE BROKEN PROMISES, I was afraid Jen would come off like a total slut (and if you haven’t read it yet, I’ll just leave it at that). And then when it comes to Owen in FOUR YEARS LATER, I’m scared you’ll all think he’s a giant screw up (but a lovable one, I promise).

Looking back at the series now that they’re all written and edited and being read or are ready to be read by the masses, I realize that what I was ultimately going for was real characters. Characters with flaws who aren’t perfect, who make dumb mistakes, who have horrible things happen to them but can somehow, among the chaos and the mess, still find love. I think that’s my goal in my writing overall, and with this series.

Life isn’t perfect. It’s messy and sometimes awful and challenging and wonderful and exhausting, all at once. We read to escape so I can’t give the reader bad news and despair all the time. I want to offer a glimmer of hope, a spark of attraction, friendship and laughter and sex and love in my books. 

That is my ultimate goal. Even when the world is throwing endless gobs of sand into your face and you don’t think you can take it anymore, along comes someone who lights up your life. Who will give you purpose and make you realize that you’re worth it to that someone. And that someone is worth it to you, too.

Don’t we all want to find love among the chaos? Find that anchor who will soothe our soul and fill us with hope? I think of Drew early on in OWG and how he doesn’t want to feel. How in the early chapters of TBP, Colin is in full on denial that Jen wants to be with him. And in FYL, Owen is so sure he doesn’t want a girlfriend because he’s bad at relationships.

I went and showed all of my characters they were wrong, didn’t I? And that’s been the most fun of all…

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend.

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