A Man’s Promise

Jackson’s rambling second Grangers contemporary (after A Brother’s Honor) fails to deliver. Caden Granger and Shiloh Timmons planned to elope to escape her controlling father, Samuel, but then Samuel sent Caden photos of Shiloh cavorting with another man. Hurt and angry, Caden avoids Shiloh for years, finally telling her off in no uncertain terms. When Caden learns that the photos were doctored, he tries to regain Shiloh’s love and trust. Shiloh disregards Caden’s apology, but she can no longer deny that she still loves him. The Granger brothers also have to contend with an employee’s suicide, their mother’s affairs, and hit-and-runs that may not be accidents. Lurking in the background are their imprisoned father, who’s trying to protect his sons, and the people who set him up and want to keep the truth from being revealed. The main romance conflict resolves too quickly, with secondary romances and endless subplots stealing the spotlight, but fans will stay the course. (June)