The Vow

Okay. I just breezed through this book because I couldn’t out it down. This whole series is just like one huge book. I’d stoped reading Women’s Fiction a while back because I prefer romance but this series is just so good! I totally wasn’t expecting a third woman to be added to the mix and so many things happen in this book and I’m just hanging on for the ride! I love the life and parenting tips I get from Baker’s writing. I laughed and I gasped. I cannot wait to start the next book. Like, liter

I absolutely loved the first book in this series The Bequest, so I was really looking forward to reading this one. This starts off not too long after the first book ended, with the summer over and the kids starting school. Both moms are still dealing with the challenges of their jobs and living on the ranch. I really liked the growth of Amanda in this book, and how she learned to be herself and work off her own strengths, rather than try to be like Abigail. Abigail has lots of great qualities, but there are also things that she needs to learn as well, and I don't think she is as put together as she appears to be. I really connected with Amanda in this book and could see similarities in our personalities. That made me enjoy her character the most this time around. As for Abigail, she seems so put together on the outside, but is falling apart on the inside. I thought she finally started loosening up and letting go a bit in this book, which was great, but at times I wanted to hit her over the head when it came to her relationship with Steve. The promise Abigail made to her husband before he died, was one that I thought he never had the right to ask her to make, and while I could understand why he felt the way he did about it, that didn't make it ok. Through much of the book, Abigail worried about whether she was making the right decisions because of her children, and I get that, but there is a line there. No parent should have to sacrifice their true happiness for their children's happiness and well-being. Children benefit from having parents who are in happy, healthy relationships. I think they know when we aren't happy, and it affects them. I think Abigail may be coming to see that, and I like that growth for her character. It just took a frustratingly long while to get there. The addition of Donna's character was a surprise, but I liked it. I enjoyed reading her journey of growth and learning to stand up for herself. It will be interesting to see if her character continues to have a point of view in the series, and if she will also find love. While reading these books, I thought a lot about the kids and their behaviors. I may be reading too much into it, but I like the way the book shows the differences in the kids and how they are dealing with things. Amanda's kids have been a bit unruly, especially her oldest daughter. She really cares deep down but seems to put on this front of not caring for her mother. It's her way of acting out because of all they've been through. Her younger daughter chooses to disappear and not be heard. A lot of it is aided by Amanda's personality type and parenting style. On the flip-side Abigail's kids seem way too well behaved. It's mentioned they have a fear of disappointing their mother. I also think they want to make things easier on their mom because of what they've all been through. This is also aided by their mother's personality type and parenting style. On the surface this seems good but isn't exactly healthy either. I just like the way the book seems to be showing the different ways not only the grown-ups, but also the kids, can end up acting when they go through something tragic. Story-wise, I like the self-reflection and feelings these books pull out of me. I can see things that I have in common with both Abigail and Amanda from time to time, although as I said, this time it was mostly Amanda. Plot-wise, I thought this book tied some things up nicely, but also left some threads waiting to be resolved, which is a good way to end a book in the middle of a series. I did think the thing that happens at the end with a certain person driving up and making a big reveal was a little bit too coincidental, but that's a small gripe that I can overlook. I'm looking forward to continuing on when the next book is released.

After the first book in this series, I was really invested in the characters. This next installment showed both of the main women living life as more than just widows with children playing ranchers for a short time. Now they really ARE ranchers and are moving on in terms of figuring out what they want in this next phase of their lives. No longer just reacting to circumstances and trying to stay afloat, but really thinking about the future beyond the next day. Now does this happen easily or quickly? Absolutely not. A few knocks upside the head would have moved things along a bit quicker, but the story was not boring. Some new characters were introduced (both two and four legged!) and some pretty harrowing events occurred. Abby is still a bit too good, but she’s hanging on by a thread. Amanda is trying to spread her wings but is forced to hold back while she figures out finances for herself and her girls. The kids are all over the place. The other Amanda gets more page time and it was bittersweet to hear more of her tale. The new and old men are fleshed out a bit more but the women still are the main focus. Donna is an interesting new addition and I alternately loathed her and felt sorry for her. Being a parent is not for the faint of heart. It takes a good while to find out where the title of this book comes from and it’s not what I would have guessed. The end was one of those awful cliffhangers where you feel so much is left unfinished. Thank goodness there will be more to come to tie up loose ends! It’s another slowly building clean romance that’s okay to play out loud when the kids are around.