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Promises to Keep
Eleven-year-old Roz (Rosalind) Anthony and her family have just moved to Mills River, Illinois, to escape an abusive situation. Only days after settling into their new home, they are surprised to find the previous owner, Tillie Monroe, on their front porch reading the newspaper. Though her sons have sold the house and sent her to a facility for the aged, she is determined to die in the place she lived her life, and somehow manages to find her way "home" day after day. Feeling sympathy for the elderly woman, Roz's mother allows Tillie to move back in.
Mara Nightingale becomes Roz's first friend in Mills River. In spite of their many differences, the girls discover they have something in common that binds them together--both are hiding secrets. So they make a promise--"cross my heart and hope to die"--never to tell anyone else.
When danger stalks the Anthonys, Tillie exhibits unimaginable courage and selfless love in her determination to protect the family she has adopted as her own.
Mara Nightingale becomes Roz's first friend in Mills River. In spite of their many differences, the girls discover they have something in common that binds them together--both are hiding secrets. So they make a promise--"cross my heart and hope to die"--never to tell anyone else.
When danger stalks the Anthonys, Tillie exhibits unimaginable courage and selfless love in her determination to protect the family she has adopted as her own.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
152 people are currently reading
1,793 people want to read
About the author
Ann Tatlock
42books293followersAnn Tatlock is a novelist and children’s book author. Her books have received numerous awards, including the Christy Award, the Midwest Book Award and the Silver Angel Award for Excellence in Media. She also serves as managing editor of Heritage Beacon, the historical fiction imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She lives with her family in Western North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
October 13, 2014
"Promises to keep." It was so very good. Touched on allowing our feelings to overcome our judgement. I had just told someone I tend not to like stories done in the first person. Written from just one person's point of view, BUT I think that is what made this book amazing. Seeing the world as a 11 year old from a broken home saw it, as she wished it to be. It both made be laugh and cry. Well done. This is maybe 3rd I've read by Ann Tatlock and she does such a good job presenting a child's perspective of life.
November 4, 2015
Promises to Keep is told from the viewpoint of a young girl, who along with her Mother and two siblings move to another state to escape an abusive father.
Settling in a new town and buying a home, they soon find the previous owner escapes daily from the nursing home adamant to die at home, and soon becomes part of their lives.
This novel takes you on an emotional ride that includes the struggles of making friends with someone outside your race, growing up, growing old, starting over, and refusing to let go, throw in the Vietnam war and some twists that you may or may not see coming, plan to sit for a while when you pick this one up, because you will have a hard time putting it down
Ann Tatlock has done a fantastic job with this novel, I would recommend Promises to Keep for everyone to enjoy.
Settling in a new town and buying a home, they soon find the previous owner escapes daily from the nursing home adamant to die at home, and soon becomes part of their lives.
This novel takes you on an emotional ride that includes the struggles of making friends with someone outside your race, growing up, growing old, starting over, and refusing to let go, throw in the Vietnam war and some twists that you may or may not see coming, plan to sit for a while when you pick this one up, because you will have a hard time putting it down
Ann Tatlock has done a fantastic job with this novel, I would recommend Promises to Keep for everyone to enjoy.
April 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this book!! It's told from the perspective of Roz, an 11 year old girl living in a small town with her older brother, her much younger sister, and her mom. They moved to the small town to escape from her father who is an abusive drunk. The grandpa lives in this town, so they bought a house and moved. One day, an old lady is sitting on their porch. She says its her house and that her and her husband built it and she's going to die there. She's very friendly, not threatening or anything, and she quickly captures the reader and the family's hearts. She moves in with them, partially because she keeps running away from the old folks home and showing up and partially because the mom desperately needs help with the kids. Tillie Monroe is her name and she's quite the character. She has 3 sons and her husband has recently passed. She spent her life in the home so she finds it only fitting that she ends her days there as well.
This book is very character driven, which is why I loved it. I loved Tillie and Roz as individual characters and their bond is also incredibly sweet. Early in the book, Roz thinks she sees her dad in the town. As the story goes on, he starts leaving her notes and things in her desk at school and then they start meeting up. He swears her to secrecy and tells her that he is back and he's changing and then "the day" will happen when he asks for her mom back and they'll be a family again. Like any 11 year old would, she really wants her parents to be back together and have a clean and nice daddy. She tells him everything he asks and keeps his presence completely secret until "the day" comes. He comes into their house (of which he had asked the layout, etc.) and she thinks he's coming to woo the mom back, but then she gets scared when she can tell by his footsteps that he's drunk. He was actually coming in with a gun to kill the mom (or maybe the whole family). Tillie steps in and saves the day and hits him over the head with a bat and knocks him out, but not before he shoots her. The scene was very thrilling and intense, albeit one I saw coming for the whole story. Both the dad and Tillie live. He's locked up and Tillie goes on to live a couple more years.
Throughout the story, Tillie talks about how her time to die is near even though she's only 70. This seems to be foreshadowing the encounter, even though she lives through it. She says she's going to wait until everyone is taken care of and she does exactly that. One of her sons had been overseas teaching in a 3rd world country, but finally God calls him back to the states and he comes home! He and the mom fall in love and get together in the end :)
Also in the story is a friendship between Roz and one of her classmates. This story takes place in the 60's and the friend is part black. However, Roz doesn't seem to notice and definitely does not care about the social stigma this places on her and their relationship. I LOVE the way the author captured the innocence and purity of young friendship. The girls were so sweet to each other and it was very endearing.
Her friend is being raised by her grandparents because she is a product of a young affair involving her black mom and a prominent white man. He is a professor and author and has a radio show in which he signs off every night saying he loves "Beatrice", the legal name of the little girl. One day they meet and he is not all she dreamed he would be. He cares about her and loves her, but has his own wife and family who know nothing about her and he wants to leave it that way. It's so sad, but the little girl's resiliency throughout is admirable.
Overall I really loved this story and what it did with relationships between different ages, colors, and social standings. It seemed to show that love can transcend all. The reason I only gave it 4 stars is because it is rather predictable, but not in a way that is too off putting. Highly recommend!
This book is very character driven, which is why I loved it. I loved Tillie and Roz as individual characters and their bond is also incredibly sweet. Early in the book, Roz thinks she sees her dad in the town. As the story goes on, he starts leaving her notes and things in her desk at school and then they start meeting up. He swears her to secrecy and tells her that he is back and he's changing and then "the day" will happen when he asks for her mom back and they'll be a family again. Like any 11 year old would, she really wants her parents to be back together and have a clean and nice daddy. She tells him everything he asks and keeps his presence completely secret until "the day" comes. He comes into their house (of which he had asked the layout, etc.) and she thinks he's coming to woo the mom back, but then she gets scared when she can tell by his footsteps that he's drunk. He was actually coming in with a gun to kill the mom (or maybe the whole family). Tillie steps in and saves the day and hits him over the head with a bat and knocks him out, but not before he shoots her. The scene was very thrilling and intense, albeit one I saw coming for the whole story. Both the dad and Tillie live. He's locked up and Tillie goes on to live a couple more years.
Throughout the story, Tillie talks about how her time to die is near even though she's only 70. This seems to be foreshadowing the encounter, even though she lives through it. She says she's going to wait until everyone is taken care of and she does exactly that. One of her sons had been overseas teaching in a 3rd world country, but finally God calls him back to the states and he comes home! He and the mom fall in love and get together in the end :)
Also in the story is a friendship between Roz and one of her classmates. This story takes place in the 60's and the friend is part black. However, Roz doesn't seem to notice and definitely does not care about the social stigma this places on her and their relationship. I LOVE the way the author captured the innocence and purity of young friendship. The girls were so sweet to each other and it was very endearing.
Her friend is being raised by her grandparents because she is a product of a young affair involving her black mom and a prominent white man. He is a professor and author and has a radio show in which he signs off every night saying he loves "Beatrice", the legal name of the little girl. One day they meet and he is not all she dreamed he would be. He cares about her and loves her, but has his own wife and family who know nothing about her and he wants to leave it that way. It's so sad, but the little girl's resiliency throughout is admirable.
Overall I really loved this story and what it did with relationships between different ages, colors, and social standings. It seemed to show that love can transcend all. The reason I only gave it 4 stars is because it is rather predictable, but not in a way that is too off putting. Highly recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2011
In Promises to Keep the reader is swept away and into the mind of an eleven year old girl who is struggling to cope with her parent’s separation. While Roz knew that her mother had a good reason to leave him, her longings for her daddy and dreams of grow up in the midst of a family are hard for her to deal with. Looking at the world through her eyes, I was wrapped up in her uncertainty and her desperate desire that her father would keep his word. The author did a wonderful job of vividly telling Roz’s.
The voice Ann Tatlock gives Roz was very personal and sometimes a bit humorous. Books are usually written through the adults eyes, so I enjoyed this different vantage point in Promises to Keep, as the writing style was as if you were in Roz’s head. All the characters were well developed and fleshed out. I sympathized with her mother and all the hardships she’d faced. Wally was a very complex character and even at the end, I didn’t really get close to him � but then, neither did Roz. Tillie was my favorite character. What a hoot! Stubborn and persistent, the way she wiggled herself into Roz’s life was very entertaining. I can’t help but wonder what I would do if one day I found an elderly lady sitting on my porch proclaiming that the house was hers. Her attitude toward it all added a lot of humor into this book.
This is the first book I have read by Ann Tatlock, and I am sure I will be picking up more of her work in the future. She has a way of grabbing the reader’s attention through her writing voice and teaching them a lesson though the story. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the ending wrapped up the book well. Roz’s mixed up thoughts and feelings were finally fleshed out, she was no longer confused. Her dreams of being in a loving family with a daddy who was always kind to her were realized. What a wonderful dream to come true. It only makes me wish every little girl’s wish for a mommy and daddy who loved each other would come true � that every broken family in America would be whole again.
The voice Ann Tatlock gives Roz was very personal and sometimes a bit humorous. Books are usually written through the adults eyes, so I enjoyed this different vantage point in Promises to Keep, as the writing style was as if you were in Roz’s head. All the characters were well developed and fleshed out. I sympathized with her mother and all the hardships she’d faced. Wally was a very complex character and even at the end, I didn’t really get close to him � but then, neither did Roz. Tillie was my favorite character. What a hoot! Stubborn and persistent, the way she wiggled herself into Roz’s life was very entertaining. I can’t help but wonder what I would do if one day I found an elderly lady sitting on my porch proclaiming that the house was hers. Her attitude toward it all added a lot of humor into this book.
This is the first book I have read by Ann Tatlock, and I am sure I will be picking up more of her work in the future. She has a way of grabbing the reader’s attention through her writing voice and teaching them a lesson though the story. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but the ending wrapped up the book well. Roz’s mixed up thoughts and feelings were finally fleshed out, she was no longer confused. Her dreams of being in a loving family with a daddy who was always kind to her were realized. What a wonderful dream to come true. It only makes me wish every little girl’s wish for a mommy and daddy who loved each other would come true � that every broken family in America would be whole again.
February 7, 2011
Wow! This was an excellent book! I didn’t really know what to expect because the back cover does not give much detail about the story, which I actually like. I prefer not knowing a lot about a story before reading. I prefer instead to simply let the story unfold without any expectations. That is exactly what Promises to Keep did. I generally don’t like to give a lot of details about a story in my reviews because I prefer to let the books speak for themselves and just share my feelings about the book. There were a few things about Promises to Keep that really stood out to me and made this an exceptional book.
First of all, I always like a book that is told in the first person. I especially liked the eleven-year-old girl’s perspective. I instantly liked Roz and her simple way of viewing the world around her as she deals with some big changes in her young life. The rest of the characters as well were fantastic, especially Tillie. Tillie was a delightful surprise and I savored every moment that had her in it.
I also liked the time period this book takes place in. This story takes place in 1967 and 1968, a time period in our country full of turmoil and changes, very much like life for Roz. I think Ann Tatlock did an excellent job weaving historical and cultural events in to the story.
I think what I liked best about this book was the feeling of home. The house on McDowell Street was such a warm and welcoming place so full of happy memories. The theme of finding home and finding our Father is something that will speak volumes to reader. It sure did with me. By the time I got to the end of this book, I was in tears. Happy tears. I must admit that I was kind of dreading the end of this book because I was afraid of how it would end. But, it was perfect. I loved the way this book ended. Enough said about that. You’ll just have to see for yourself. Promises to Keep is a book to savor and fall in love with. I sure did love it. I think if I had time I would just start reading it over again.
First of all, I always like a book that is told in the first person. I especially liked the eleven-year-old girl’s perspective. I instantly liked Roz and her simple way of viewing the world around her as she deals with some big changes in her young life. The rest of the characters as well were fantastic, especially Tillie. Tillie was a delightful surprise and I savored every moment that had her in it.
I also liked the time period this book takes place in. This story takes place in 1967 and 1968, a time period in our country full of turmoil and changes, very much like life for Roz. I think Ann Tatlock did an excellent job weaving historical and cultural events in to the story.
I think what I liked best about this book was the feeling of home. The house on McDowell Street was such a warm and welcoming place so full of happy memories. The theme of finding home and finding our Father is something that will speak volumes to reader. It sure did with me. By the time I got to the end of this book, I was in tears. Happy tears. I must admit that I was kind of dreading the end of this book because I was afraid of how it would end. But, it was perfect. I loved the way this book ended. Enough said about that. You’ll just have to see for yourself. Promises to Keep is a book to savor and fall in love with. I sure did love it. I think if I had time I would just start reading it over again.
June 29, 2011
This is the first book I’ve read written by Ann Tatlock and Promises to Keep is an amazing book. I was quite captivated from the first page until the end. For me reading a book in two days means it’s a fantastic read.
One reason I was amazed was because Promises to Keep is told by an eleven-year-old girl named Roz. If someone would have told me that it was told from this young girl’s perspective I wouldn’t have thought I would have liked it, but I love it and mean to keep this one on my bookshelf to reread. It also goes into my favorites of the year.
This story is about a family leaving the husband, because he was abusive among other things. In their new home an older lady shows up on their porch and acts like this is her home and it was until she broke her hip and her sons sold the house. So she wants her house back, but is willing to live with the new family. She is a great help to the family with taking care of the children as the mom goes off to work and does cooking and everything she did before, but for the family.
Roz {eleven-year-old daughter} makes a new friend and they both make a promise about their daddy’s and they both mean to keep it, but is this a wise move? Are promises and secrets trouble or something to keep no matter what.
This book has such a warm, homey feeling in it even though it talks about family problems, separation, divorce etc� It shows a family really trying to keep it all together and loving each other.
Ann gently puts God in the picture and eventually the family knows they can’t do anything without God.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is an excellent read and will make you happy you read it.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
One reason I was amazed was because Promises to Keep is told by an eleven-year-old girl named Roz. If someone would have told me that it was told from this young girl’s perspective I wouldn’t have thought I would have liked it, but I love it and mean to keep this one on my bookshelf to reread. It also goes into my favorites of the year.
This story is about a family leaving the husband, because he was abusive among other things. In their new home an older lady shows up on their porch and acts like this is her home and it was until she broke her hip and her sons sold the house. So she wants her house back, but is willing to live with the new family. She is a great help to the family with taking care of the children as the mom goes off to work and does cooking and everything she did before, but for the family.
Roz {eleven-year-old daughter} makes a new friend and they both make a promise about their daddy’s and they both mean to keep it, but is this a wise move? Are promises and secrets trouble or something to keep no matter what.
This book has such a warm, homey feeling in it even though it talks about family problems, separation, divorce etc� It shows a family really trying to keep it all together and loving each other.
Ann gently puts God in the picture and eventually the family knows they can’t do anything without God.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. It is an excellent read and will make you happy you read it.
Thank you to Bethany House for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
November 14, 2023
Sometimes Christian books are redundant. This book did not feel like that. While it ended in a classic Christian fiction way, I did enjoy the plot of the book. I also enjoyed the development of the characters
January 14, 2019
A real life and wonderful Christen novel. Tillie was my favorite character as she brought the whole story together.
May 4, 2019
It took me a while to get into this story. I enjoyed the audio, but kept waiting for the story to pick up. It finally did towards the end, but I don’t think the father’s character was developed well enough to merit why he did what he did. 3.5 stars ���️⭐️⭐️
August 12, 2023
A story told through a young girl. I was pulled into the book early on. I really enjoyed the feisty older Tilie who shows up in the life of the family that recently purchased her home and how her presence changed their lives. A climatic ending that kept me riveted. An epilogue that made me smile.
June 7, 2015
Roz Anthony and her mother and siblings have just moved to Mills River, IL from Minnesota to escape her abusive, alcoholic father. Their Grandfather had bought them a house and the traumatized little family has just settled into when a stranger appears on their porch, reading the newspaper and sitting on the porch swing as if she belonged there. The stranger turns out to be Tillie Monroe, former owner of the home. She has escaped from the old folks home and returned to her house. Her son shows up, reminds her the home has been sold and takes her back to where she belongs.
A week later Tillie is back, insisting that she and her husband built that house and she has as much right to the place as the family that bought it. Eventually, a truce is called and Tillie moves in as live in help to the young family so the mom can go to work.
The year is 1968 and the author does a fabulous job of capturing that time period. We see racism as Roz befriends a young African American girl, drugs, the feelings around the Vietnam war, the literature of the period - pretty much everything the time period is known for is there. The topic of divorce, still relatively rare is discussed as Roz's family faces life without a dad. We see Roz and her young friend Mara deal with dreams, daddy issues and faith.
Everything is captured beautifully and woven together seamlessly. I've read some reviews that list the book as boring but I thought the opposite - I had a feeling we were moving toward a climatic ending and the buildup to that was for me just perfect.
My quibbles with the novel lay with two points. The first was that Tillie's attitude toward the house drove me as crazy as it did Wally. I didn't like the stance toward the nursing home and I didn't like the sort of laissez faire everyone seemed to have towards property rights. And honestly I didn't like the mother and her romance. Her last venture into that had led to her self being beaten and her eldest child almost being killed. It wouldn't have hurt her to go six months without a man and secure the decent life she was hoping for for her children.
Other than that, great book and a lovely read.
A week later Tillie is back, insisting that she and her husband built that house and she has as much right to the place as the family that bought it. Eventually, a truce is called and Tillie moves in as live in help to the young family so the mom can go to work.
The year is 1968 and the author does a fabulous job of capturing that time period. We see racism as Roz befriends a young African American girl, drugs, the feelings around the Vietnam war, the literature of the period - pretty much everything the time period is known for is there. The topic of divorce, still relatively rare is discussed as Roz's family faces life without a dad. We see Roz and her young friend Mara deal with dreams, daddy issues and faith.
Everything is captured beautifully and woven together seamlessly. I've read some reviews that list the book as boring but I thought the opposite - I had a feeling we were moving toward a climatic ending and the buildup to that was for me just perfect.
My quibbles with the novel lay with two points. The first was that Tillie's attitude toward the house drove me as crazy as it did Wally. I didn't like the stance toward the nursing home and I didn't like the sort of laissez faire everyone seemed to have towards property rights. And honestly I didn't like the mother and her romance. Her last venture into that had led to her self being beaten and her eldest child almost being killed. It wouldn't have hurt her to go six months without a man and secure the decent life she was hoping for for her children.
Other than that, great book and a lovely read.
January 10, 2014
So, I'm just going to come out and say it: I found Promises to Keep sort of...blah. It wasn't a remarkable book, but it wasn't a horrible book either. And so I'm left trying to review a book I didn't like, but didn't passionately hate either...I'm worried my review will be blah due to this but anyway here goes nothing.
Promises to Keep starts off incredibly slow. In fact, I put it down like 3 times before I decided to stick with it once and for all. In fact, the only reason I kept reading this book was because of the character of Mara. Her backstory was incredibly intriguing and I found myself wanting to know everything about her situation and her family, while with Roz, although I was sympathetic, it just seemed like the same old plot that's in every southern historical fiction novel. In fact, I actually kept thinking that Promises to Keep seemed familiar. It has shades of books such as The Help and Saving Cee-Cee Honeycutt only since I didn't find this book half as good as those books, it just seems sort of "been there, done that."
However, my main issue with Promises to Keep is the way it was marketed. Here's the thing: Absolutely nowhere in any description of Promises to Keep is there any mention of this book being Christian Fiction. That bugs me. Call me close-minded or whatever, but I don't actively seek out Christian books. I don't want to be preached on. And while I'm sure that there are tons of good Christian books out there, I have no desire to read them. So, I felt slightly manipulated when Promises to Keep started to veer that way through the second half of the book. Mainly because the description and the first half of the book don't give you any inclination that it's actually going to go that way.
So overall, I found Promises to Keep to be kind of a dud. I didn't find it all that interesting and major eye-rolling occurred at the circumstances within the book. I say skip it.
Promises to Keep starts off incredibly slow. In fact, I put it down like 3 times before I decided to stick with it once and for all. In fact, the only reason I kept reading this book was because of the character of Mara. Her backstory was incredibly intriguing and I found myself wanting to know everything about her situation and her family, while with Roz, although I was sympathetic, it just seemed like the same old plot that's in every southern historical fiction novel. In fact, I actually kept thinking that Promises to Keep seemed familiar. It has shades of books such as The Help and Saving Cee-Cee Honeycutt only since I didn't find this book half as good as those books, it just seems sort of "been there, done that."
However, my main issue with Promises to Keep is the way it was marketed. Here's the thing: Absolutely nowhere in any description of Promises to Keep is there any mention of this book being Christian Fiction. That bugs me. Call me close-minded or whatever, but I don't actively seek out Christian books. I don't want to be preached on. And while I'm sure that there are tons of good Christian books out there, I have no desire to read them. So, I felt slightly manipulated when Promises to Keep started to veer that way through the second half of the book. Mainly because the description and the first half of the book don't give you any inclination that it's actually going to go that way.
So overall, I found Promises to Keep to be kind of a dud. I didn't find it all that interesting and major eye-rolling occurred at the circumstances within the book. I say skip it.
June 2, 2011
Ann Tatlock is one of my favorite authors because her characters are genuine, her settings are realistic in the historical details they portray, and she is very talented in her use of language and plot development. This story is set in the 1960's and it had it's sweet parts, but many sections were very tense. The topic of domestic abuse is a difficult one to deal with, and she does it very convincingly; she seems to be able to portray the state of mind not only of the perpetrator of the abuse, the feelings of the adult victim, but also the mindset of children of various ages as tough decisions are made. The storyline also deals with trust, betrayal, genuine tenderness, and learning that love often must put the needs of others above what you might want yourself.
March 8, 2011
This was an enjoyable, relaxing book that I read in a weekend. I've read many books by Ann Tatlock and she doesn't disappoint. This book is about a family that has to flee from a violent, alcoholic father and start a new life. Told through the eyes of 11-year-old Roz, we see a girl who still yearns for her father and has a selective memory. The mother has to return to the workforce and the oldest son enlists in the Army on the day he turns 18 with hopes of going to Vietnam. I especially enjoyed the friendship between Roz and Mara, a biracial child. Set in 1967 outside Chicago, I would like to see these characters one year later when so much explodes, both in civil rights and in the war.
April 27, 2011
Promises to Keep is written in the first person from the perspective of Rosalind Anthony, remembering the events of her first months in Mills River when she was eleven years old. The first character we are introduced to on page one is Tillie Monroe, a powerhouse of a woman who decides to move back into her house after a stint in the nursing home so that she can die there––despite the fact that the house has been sold to Roz’s mother. Tillie is my favorite character and the moral anchor of the story. She’s the one with the faith, wisdom, and fearlessness which bolsters Roz’s broken family and ultimately impacts their future.
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June 22, 2016
Sadly this was a total miss for me. It was an INSPY winner and so I had high hopes for it. I kept reading it thinking it must have a doozer of an ending, it was soooooo looooonnng. I kept waiting for the reason it was a winner. What I did like, thought it was cool that it took place in the 60's, I had never read a book from the 1960's, so that was fun being born in the 60's. If you like drama, then you might like this book, there are some chuckles and there are some suspenseful parts, but just not my type of book.
February 16, 2014
Told from eleven-year-old Roz's perspective, the complexity of emotion is deep as she struggles to understand family dynamics. Tillie is a story unto herself. To say she's a character is an understatement. She's a hoot, adds some gentle humor to the saga, and is the kind of character all writers love to discover. Ann Tatlock is a master storyteller, one of the best, and in Promises to Keep, she outdid even herself. Novel Journey and I give it our highest recommendation. A must read.
April 5, 2015
Great book! I enjoyed this more that I thought I would. I have not read anything by this author before so it's safe to say I will be purchasing more of her work in the future.
I love that the POV is from eleven year old Roz. The author does a fantastic job of keeping the way of thinking as an eleven year old would. There were times where I mentally told myself, 'Oh an eleven year old would totally think/say that.'
Great story.
I love that the POV is from eleven year old Roz. The author does a fantastic job of keeping the way of thinking as an eleven year old would. There were times where I mentally told myself, 'Oh an eleven year old would totally think/say that.'
Great story.
October 28, 2016
This was my first book by this author and I did like the writing, but it dragged a little for me. I loved Tillie and how she viewed life. I wanted to be pulled more into the story and couldn't quite get close to the characters. It all felt a little rushed. But having said all that, I'm already planning on reading another one by her and look forward to it.
December 6, 2011
A sweet story told in first person by an 11 year old who desperately wants to believe her alcoholic, abusive father will change and be welcomed home by her mother and they can be a family once again. The characters are very engaging and I thought Tilly was a hoot.
January 22, 2015
A wonderful story about the friendship of two prepubescent girls longing for a relationship with their fathers. One girl black one white, bond in their love and support of each others' yearning for their fathers. Definitely a good read.
July 14, 2012
Oh I loved this story. Though I actually wish it was more about tillie! A family escaping abuse and finding friendship and love instead. A fast read read and well worth recommending!!!
September 13, 2013
Very engaging and great read! I highly recommend!
June 8, 2019
In Ann Tatlock’s novel, Promises to Keep, eleven-year-old Roz Anthony has just moved with her mother, older half-brother, and younger sister to a small town in Illinois in the 1960s. Roz’s mother, Janis, was compelled to leave her abusive husband, and her father helped set her family up in a new home.
After just a few days, though, they found a stranger sitting on their porch, reading their newspaper. She was a rather large older woman named Tillie Monroe, and she said this was her house. She had helped build it with her own two hands along with her husband, and no matter what the paperwork said, it was her house. All she wanted was to die in her home, but she had fallen and broken her hip, and her kids whisked her away to a nursing home. But now she’s better, and she wants to live in her own home
About that time, Tillie’s son drives up, apologizes profusely, and takes his mother back to the nursing home.
But a few days later, Tillie is back on her . . . er, their porch. Janis invites her in for coffee. Another time Janis comes home to find Tillie cooking dinner for them.
This happens so often that Janis is relatively sure that Tillie is safe and invites her to stay. The relationship is mutually beneficial as Tillie watches the children and helps out around the house while Janis works.
While Roz adjusts well to all the changes and even provides a humorous narration, she misses her father. She tries to focus on the good memories, but the bad ones creep in. She feels if her father could just stay the good dad and leave off the Dr. Jekyll bad side, they could all be together again.
Meanwhile, Roz faces a new school with trepidation. But she finds a friend in a black girl named Mara. She soon learns that Mara has her own daddy issues, secrets, and dreams. They girls decide together to pray for their secret dreams.
Though the family was healing and readjusting after all they had been through, the first part of the book seemed lighthearted and fun as the family interacted with Tillie and as Roz observed and processed her world. One sub-plot line could have worked out for good or bad, and Ann reeled out the tension and information skillfully. The dramatic climax was a surprise to me � I was expecting something, but not what happened.
I’ve enjoyed all of Ann’s books that I’ve read so far, but this will be a favorite. Roz and Tillie are a couple of my favorite characters.
After just a few days, though, they found a stranger sitting on their porch, reading their newspaper. She was a rather large older woman named Tillie Monroe, and she said this was her house. She had helped build it with her own two hands along with her husband, and no matter what the paperwork said, it was her house. All she wanted was to die in her home, but she had fallen and broken her hip, and her kids whisked her away to a nursing home. But now she’s better, and she wants to live in her own home
About that time, Tillie’s son drives up, apologizes profusely, and takes his mother back to the nursing home.
But a few days later, Tillie is back on her . . . er, their porch. Janis invites her in for coffee. Another time Janis comes home to find Tillie cooking dinner for them.
This happens so often that Janis is relatively sure that Tillie is safe and invites her to stay. The relationship is mutually beneficial as Tillie watches the children and helps out around the house while Janis works.
While Roz adjusts well to all the changes and even provides a humorous narration, she misses her father. She tries to focus on the good memories, but the bad ones creep in. She feels if her father could just stay the good dad and leave off the Dr. Jekyll bad side, they could all be together again.
Meanwhile, Roz faces a new school with trepidation. But she finds a friend in a black girl named Mara. She soon learns that Mara has her own daddy issues, secrets, and dreams. They girls decide together to pray for their secret dreams.
Though the family was healing and readjusting after all they had been through, the first part of the book seemed lighthearted and fun as the family interacted with Tillie and as Roz observed and processed her world. One sub-plot line could have worked out for good or bad, and Ann reeled out the tension and information skillfully. The dramatic climax was a surprise to me � I was expecting something, but not what happened.
I’ve enjoyed all of Ann’s books that I’ve read so far, but this will be a favorite. Roz and Tillie are a couple of my favorite characters.
June 4, 2017
Rosalind wants what most of us seem to take for granted: a normal, happy home life. But with an alcoholic, abusive father, her mother has a painful choice before her. She ultimately makes the difficult decision to escape her marriage and protect herself and her children.
“I wanted to hear visions of happy Christmas mornings and birthday parties and family vacations. I wanted to hear Daddy tell me that we’d all sit down together to eat supper at night, with him and Wally both there with us, and we’d all get along and talk and laugh, and afterward Mom would wash the dishes while Daddy helped me with homework and Valerie played with a puppy that Daddy had brought home for us...�
Rosalind’s dream seems impossible; but when her father shows up in the same town where they now live, confessing how much he misses the family and making promises of reform, her dream suddenly seems to be taking on reality. Or is it?
A difficult topic to write about, Ann Tatlock brings the era of the sixties to life in this coming-of-age novel. The Vietnam War, drugs, racial tension and air-raid drills are all part of Rosalind’s world and she needs a friend. Mara, her bi-racial school chum, seems to be older than her years as she cautions Ros to ‘be careful� of her daddy’s promises. And to make life even more complicated, the previous owner of their new home, Tillie, shows up more than once on the front porch, escaping her assisted living facility and demanding to be allowed to ‘die in her own home�.
There are solutions though, and the author brings home to the reader that life is a series of choice, cause and effect, change, and adjustments. Tillie is able to contribute to the family and take care of Ros and her little sister Valerie while their mother goes to work. And Tillie makes other contributions as well; contributions that Ros will never forget:
�... that was the thing about Tillie; that was the legacy she left me. Without her, I might never have known what I know now: that heaven is indeed merciful, and all the hours and days and dreams we deem as lost are simply waiting for us in a place we’ll someday recognize as home.�
Although it could be said that the ending ties up all too neatly, I was pulling for Ros all the way. The author has never disappointed me! I have enjoyed each one of her books and plan to read them all.
“I wanted to hear visions of happy Christmas mornings and birthday parties and family vacations. I wanted to hear Daddy tell me that we’d all sit down together to eat supper at night, with him and Wally both there with us, and we’d all get along and talk and laugh, and afterward Mom would wash the dishes while Daddy helped me with homework and Valerie played with a puppy that Daddy had brought home for us...�
Rosalind’s dream seems impossible; but when her father shows up in the same town where they now live, confessing how much he misses the family and making promises of reform, her dream suddenly seems to be taking on reality. Or is it?
A difficult topic to write about, Ann Tatlock brings the era of the sixties to life in this coming-of-age novel. The Vietnam War, drugs, racial tension and air-raid drills are all part of Rosalind’s world and she needs a friend. Mara, her bi-racial school chum, seems to be older than her years as she cautions Ros to ‘be careful� of her daddy’s promises. And to make life even more complicated, the previous owner of their new home, Tillie, shows up more than once on the front porch, escaping her assisted living facility and demanding to be allowed to ‘die in her own home�.
There are solutions though, and the author brings home to the reader that life is a series of choice, cause and effect, change, and adjustments. Tillie is able to contribute to the family and take care of Ros and her little sister Valerie while their mother goes to work. And Tillie makes other contributions as well; contributions that Ros will never forget:
�... that was the thing about Tillie; that was the legacy she left me. Without her, I might never have known what I know now: that heaven is indeed merciful, and all the hours and days and dreams we deem as lost are simply waiting for us in a place we’ll someday recognize as home.�
Although it could be said that the ending ties up all too neatly, I was pulling for Ros all the way. The author has never disappointed me! I have enjoyed each one of her books and plan to read them all.
August 1, 2018
I'm not sure this is considered young adult, but there is nothing offensive in it, so it would be okay. The main character is a young girl in sixth grade whose mother leaves her abusive husband (there are references to mom having bruises and black eyes, but it's mild) and moves closer to family. Her daughter longs to reunite her family and wants her dad back in her life. Sadly, the mom never really has a conversation with her daughter about the reasons and reality, leaving the young girl to fantasize about her life with her father. There are enough clues that the reader knows the dad is no good, but the mom seems to do nothing to help her daughter understand the difficult choices that she made. There were so many times when I just was so frustrated with the characters since a little communication on the part of the mom or on the part of the daughter would have cleared up a lot of problems! I know the dramatic irony builds suspense, but sometimes it's just frustrating!
There are some fun characters, like Tillie who used to own the house and comes there daily until she moves in and helps the family. Sometimes it stretched credibility with some situations, like Tillie's sons being able to sell the house without any permission from Tillie. The setting is in the 1960s, so maybe laws were different then.
Roz, the girl, conceals the fact that her dad has arrived in their town. He goes by a different name. He keeps contacting her and she believes all he tells her and hides the truth from her mom. Again, conversations needed to happen.
Roz's brother has an interesting story--he smokes marijuana and drinks with no consequences, like addiction or jail time.
This story reminded me of "I'll Watch the Moon," only Promises to Keep wasn't as good. There are some nice characters and a good ending, but I felt it was a little lacking on realistic situations. It was sweet, but a little frustrating in parts.
There are some fun characters, like Tillie who used to own the house and comes there daily until she moves in and helps the family. Sometimes it stretched credibility with some situations, like Tillie's sons being able to sell the house without any permission from Tillie. The setting is in the 1960s, so maybe laws were different then.
Roz, the girl, conceals the fact that her dad has arrived in their town. He goes by a different name. He keeps contacting her and she believes all he tells her and hides the truth from her mom. Again, conversations needed to happen.
Roz's brother has an interesting story--he smokes marijuana and drinks with no consequences, like addiction or jail time.
This story reminded me of "I'll Watch the Moon," only Promises to Keep wasn't as good. There are some nice characters and a good ending, but I felt it was a little lacking on realistic situations. It was sweet, but a little frustrating in parts.
August 5, 2022
Eleven year old Roz (Rosalind) Anthony recently moved into the house on McDowell Street with her mother, older brother and younger sister to escape an abusive situation in a different town. A strange woman shows up on their front porch claiming the house belongs to her. It did, until her son sold it and moved her into an old folks' home. Roz's family actually needs Tillie's help so their mother can head off to work every day to support them. Roz makes one friend when the school year begins. Mara Nightingale has a similar problem to Roz, it has to do with their fathers. They make a pact to pray to be reunited with their dads. Roz's father shows up in their new town. She is happy to see him, but confused by the secrets he asks her to keep. Even Mara senses there is something wrong and tries to warn Roz repeatedly that she should tell her mother what is going on.
Ann Tatlock is my new favorite author. This is the second of her books that I've read. Both stories were the kind that kept me wondering what would happen next, and they were unique. When you read as much as I do, sometimes it seems like the same tales get told over again only with different characters.
Ann Tatlock is my new favorite author. This is the second of her books that I've read. Both stories were the kind that kept me wondering what would happen next, and they were unique. When you read as much as I do, sometimes it seems like the same tales get told over again only with different characters.
January 12, 2021
Promises to Keep is the second faith based book I've read in a row. Is this a new genre for me? It's one with a good storyline, just a little different than the usual. When eleven year old Roz moves with her mother, baby sister and older brother to a small town in Illinois, they never expected to find woman perched on their porch insisting that the house they bought was hers and she planned to die here. Tillie turns out to be a blessing and fortunately Roz's mom, Janis realizes this and takes advantage of Tillie's help. That's not what the story is about however.
The family moved for a reason. When Roz makes a best friend, the two girls make a pact about their daddies. What little girl wouldn't want her family to be complete with a mother and a dad? Interesting chain of events unfold in the lives of all.
The family moved for a reason. When Roz makes a best friend, the two girls make a pact about their daddies. What little girl wouldn't want her family to be complete with a mother and a dad? Interesting chain of events unfold in the lives of all.
October 3, 2018
I'll admit that I didn't read the synopsis before buying this book. I purchased it solely because I like this author's writing style. I was quite pleased with my choice.
This is a story with some very difficult subject matter, namely spousal abuse. So often authors shy away from such topics so I was glad to see that Ann Tatlock was willing to take on the challenge of writing such a book. The characters were very well developed and things moved along smoothly. Well, as smoothly as they can considering the circumstances, that is. I found the unique twist of adding Tillie to the mix a breath of fresh air. I loved Tillie right from the start.
Though there are some heartbreaking moments, I felt the whole story was very well done.
This is a story with some very difficult subject matter, namely spousal abuse. So often authors shy away from such topics so I was glad to see that Ann Tatlock was willing to take on the challenge of writing such a book. The characters were very well developed and things moved along smoothly. Well, as smoothly as they can considering the circumstances, that is. I found the unique twist of adding Tillie to the mix a breath of fresh air. I loved Tillie right from the start.
Though there are some heartbreaking moments, I felt the whole story was very well done.
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