liz_mackie 's review for:

Savage Promises by Deborah Garland

4.0

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The second book in Quinlan Empire series and it’s a tale of unrequited love on both sides, think an Irish Romeo and Juliet but without the deaths for Shane Quinlan and Lennox Donnelly who due to their families being enemies could never be together or so Shane thought when he walked away from Lennox. He might’ve regretted his decision over the years as he watched Lennox make a success of her life but then again I don’t remember Romeo proposing to Juliet’s sister but that was the situation Shane now found himself in, about to marry her teenage sister, Neve to keep his Irish bloodlines pure and because his family needed information her family had. They hadn’t reckoned on Neve having her own plans but fixer Shane somehow managed to manipulate the situation so that Lennox ended up taking her sister’s place and finally giving him the bride he’s always wanted but thought he’d never have. 

I wanted to lock Shane and Lennox in a room together until they learned to communicate effectively. As it was, they both felt the other prioritised their loyalty to their respective families, which created an opportunity for Lennox' family to drive a wedge between them. Despite their strong feelings for each other, they struggled to see it, especially Lennox even though the notorious mobster went to great lengths to accommodate her cat, even taking antihistamines to alleviate his allergies. The cat, who seemed to think it was Houdini reincarnated, kept escaping, and Shane would rescue it, sneezing all the way. Trust me, as a sufferer, nothing says I love you more than enduring the pain of allergies. Although Savage Promises was relatively low-key in terms of drama and suspense, focusing more on the development of their relationship and Lennox' family issues, the epilogue makes me think that Connor's book will make up for the lack of action in this one. 

I loved the book, but with duet narration, Sean Masters and Avery Caris, brought the characters of Lennox and Shane to life. Sean Masters' distinct Irish brogue was impressive, while Avery Caris perfectly captured Lennox's transformation from a teenager with a crush to a mature businesswoman hiding the depth of her heartache from the man she’d always loved. Together, they delivered a flawless production that reinforced why I'm always confident in having an amazing listening experience whenever I see their names attached to an audiobook.