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A Promise Of Safekeeping (2012)

by Lisa Dale(Favorite Author)

3.64 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1101553952 (ISBN13: 9781101553954)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Berkley Books

review 1: A Promise of Safekeeping by Lisa Dale is everything I want in book. It is by far the closest thing to my "perfect" novel I have ever experienced. Discovering that such a book exists elates me, as I set the bar very high in all aspects of my life. A Promise of Safekeeping is a splendid book because of the sociological and psychological aspects; the complex and sophisticated, yet realistic, storytelling; and the underlying social justice implications.As a sociology minor, I adore books that allow me to learn about a place, a culture, a career, a lifestyle. I love how Dale delves into life in Richmond, the protagonist's lawyer/consultant profession, collecting antiques ("picking"), and the effects of incarceration. However, A Promise of Safekeeping does even more. The beginni... moreng of each chapter is preluded by a first-person narrator, which differs from the rest of the story (third-person omniscient narration, for those of you curious). These four or so introductory paragraphs explain the art of reading body language, with a focus on different aspects, perhaps lying, love, eye contact, and so on. These then were a precursor to the further exploration of the theme: life does not always go with what we have planned. No doubt Dale's intimacy with her characters through psychological analysis and understanding aids her storytelling because while the characters are very different from each other and complex individuals, their actions, dialogue, and innermost thoughts teem with verisimilitude.As a voracious reader, I have read my fair share of good and bad books. As such, I tend to judge books very harshly: either their plots and characters are successful in suspending my disbelief (a la Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, etc.), they are very realistic, or they are just ridiculous. A Promise of Safekeeping is very believable. In fact, its verisimilitude had me wishing I could go out picking with Will, join Masie and Lauren and friends for margaritas, and organize Will's cluttered house (yes, I love to organize things; yes, I know I'm weird). Additionally, Dale's diction and syntax perfectly blend together to assist the complex plots. Dale's diction was appropriately advanced, but did not have me reaching for a dictionary on every other page. Lastly, the romance scenes are tastefully done. I know in the whole scheme of things, this does not matter, but I often wish reviewers would comment on how racy the love-making scenes are. There is a reason I bought A Promise of Safekeeping and not Fifty Shades of Grey at Barnes and Nobles: I want more plot than sex, and more than anything, I want to see character development. A Promise of Safekeeping is plot-centered and character driven for sure. The few scenes' explicitness is similar to Glee's "The First Time" episode where Blaine and Kurt and Rachel and Finn first have sex. Overall, while I do enjoy watching -errr... reading- about romance, I don't want it to be the focus, and Dale does a good job with that balance. Dale also juggles the heavy subject of wrongful convictions in A Promise of Safekeeping.I picked up A Promise of Safekeeping about a month ago, but had to finish other books before I could start it, so I had barely creased open the spine when I grabbed it as I headed out the door yesterday morning for my first-ever experience with jury duty. What irony as the main conflict of it focuses on a supporting character's wrongful incarceration! While I did have to sit through juror selection this morning, I was not chosen, which was probably just as well considering the heavy text-to-self connections I would have made if I had had to pin on one of those juror name badges as I rapidly neared the final pages today. However, the combination of gentleness yet insistence that Dales prods the sleeping giant that is the imperfect justice system with is core-altering. Dale has crafted the perfect novel, something that I thought I could only dream about since I could never pinpoint what the ingredients for such a book would look like. Apparently, for me, it is sociologically detailed -perhaps with psychological undertones as well-; has a realistic, sophisticated, and complex plot; and hints at a social injustice that we, as society, need to be more aware of so that we can improve it. I will most definitely be recommending this book to friends and family who want a lighthearted, yet meaningful, read.
review 2: Emotional and intense. A story that looks at serious themes of wrongful incarceration, but without being unbearably dark. Fun insight into reading body language because the main character is a jury consultant. The hero is an antiques dealer/picker, which results in a lot of fun historical information. There’s a love story in the middle that is more than just a superficial subplot, and it all leads to a fast-paced ending. A recommended read. less

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