What do you think?
Rate this book
Promises to Keep #1
Sentence of Marriage
In nineteenth century New Zealand, there are few choices for a farm girl like Amy. Her life seems mapped out for her by the time she is twelve. Amy dreams of an exciting life in the world beyond her narrow boundaries. But it is the two people who come to the farm from outside the valley who change her life forever, and Amy learns the high cost of making the wrong choice.
415 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2009
4469 people are currently reading
6281 people want to read
About the author
Shayne Parkinson
10 books360 followersI write historical novels set in New Zealand, starting in the 1880s and continuing through to the 1920s. I'm fascinated by social history, particularly that of my own country. I was born in New Zealand, and apart from two years in England have lived here all my life. I'm married to my childhood sweetheart, who grew up in the farming valley that's the inspiration for my imaginary one.
We have a few acres in the countryside, where we have an orchard and a large vegetable garden, and a small flock of sheep to keep the grass down. We make our own wine, cider, jams, jellies and sauces.
We have a few acres in the countryside, where we have an orchard and a large vegetable garden, and a small flock of sheep to keep the grass down. We make our own wine, cider, jams, jellies and sauces.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 852 reviews
June 15, 2015
I HATED this book. I will never read this book again as long as I live. I am sorry that I found it and read it.
Why will I never read this book again? Why did I hate it and give it four stars? Two very good questions.
I gave this book four stars because the author created characters and wrote a powerfully emotional tale that impacted me so much that it pissed me off. A book that evokes so many emotions deserves four stars, or more.
If you are looking for a book that is light and fluffy or a cute coming of age story then you have the wrong freakin book.
I found that I vehemently hated four characters in this book. I wanted to severely beat them. Never once have I ever read a book where I hated so many characters. It's hard to choose exactly which one I hated more but I will start with Susannah.
Susannah is the step mother. She comes from a well to do family, is from the big city and is 25 (old maid age) when she marries Jack, the father. Jack left to go to the big city, leaving his kids behind to care for the farm and just shows back up in town and says, "Hi, kids. Here's your new mom."
Jack's on my list, we have some issues. More on him later. Ever since Susannah comes into the family she bitches about anything and everything. She hates Amy, the daughter, and treats her like crap. Susannah is a manipulative bitch that I just wanted to punch.
Because Susannah is extremely unhappy with her life and her choices, she takes it out on everyone. So she gets this idea that she wants her brother to come out and stay with her. She thinks it will help her feel better.
Jimmy, is the second person of interest. Coming from the same upbringing and family as Susannah, you can only surmise that he is just as manipulative and conniving as Susannah. Well, you would be correct. Poor Amy, who is naive to the evils of the world, who is too trusting and who has a lack of parental supervision and education, believes everything Jimmy tells her and ends up taking the fall. Bastard.
Amy's best friend is also her cousin. Elizabeth, lives in a near by farm and her father is Jack's brother. Sorry for the lineage but I just wanted to explain how this guy fits into the picture. Elizabeth's father is a jerk. He jumps to conclusions and instead of supporting his family and becoming a better man and patriarch to his family, he just turns into this sexist pig who just shuns his own family and threatens Elizabeth to never see Amy again. Good call, Bozo.
Ahh Jack, I've saved you for last. I guess I can't truly say I hate him but he truly made me mad. So Jack leaves his family and comes back with a horrid wife who completely tears apart his family. If he hadn't been thinking with his penis, then all this unhappiness could have been avoided. I think Jack truly believed that Susannah would be a healthy, helpful addition to his family. Why? becomes a mystery as it wasn't explained but really and honestly it was his penis. There were times in the book where I felt for him but really, he wasn't the brightest star in the sky but he tried. Jack does care for his children and he does come to realize that he made a mistake but he believes in his vows to a fault. I disliked Jack because he needed to just stand up and put his big boy pants on and deal with the ugliness that Susannah and her bastard brother caused. He needed to sit down and have a family (minus Susannah) counsel and discuss with everyone their options and resolve the problem. Instead, he resolves to ignore it and let Susannah step in and solve the problem.
This book was a tough read. Parkinson did an excellent job in character development. I found that although I hated the characters for what they did and how they treated each other, it made sense. This book is very real. It is very up in your face.
The reason I won't ever read this book again, is because life is hard enough. We all try our best and do what we think is right for us. We council with others and make the best decision we can with what we have. This book was exactly that. Choices were limited for this family but they did the best they could, even though I would have made different decision and acted upon things very differently, mostly with a violent outcome, I prefer fluffy, uplifting novels that aren't like real life that aren't a reminder of how life can be so cruel. However, after saying all that, I have to again acknowledge Parkinson and tell you that she did a wonderful job in creating real life historical drama. She also wrote some excellent passages of the landscape of New Zealand. She created great, albeit horrible, characters.
I got this book free on Amazon and had no idea what I was getting myself into. This book is suggestive but not graphic. There are some swear words.
Why will I never read this book again? Why did I hate it and give it four stars? Two very good questions.
I gave this book four stars because the author created characters and wrote a powerfully emotional tale that impacted me so much that it pissed me off. A book that evokes so many emotions deserves four stars, or more.
If you are looking for a book that is light and fluffy or a cute coming of age story then you have the wrong freakin book.
I found that I vehemently hated four characters in this book. I wanted to severely beat them. Never once have I ever read a book where I hated so many characters. It's hard to choose exactly which one I hated more but I will start with Susannah.
Susannah is the step mother. She comes from a well to do family, is from the big city and is 25 (old maid age) when she marries Jack, the father. Jack left to go to the big city, leaving his kids behind to care for the farm and just shows back up in town and says, "Hi, kids. Here's your new mom."
Jack's on my list, we have some issues. More on him later. Ever since Susannah comes into the family she bitches about anything and everything. She hates Amy, the daughter, and treats her like crap. Susannah is a manipulative bitch that I just wanted to punch.
Because Susannah is extremely unhappy with her life and her choices, she takes it out on everyone. So she gets this idea that she wants her brother to come out and stay with her. She thinks it will help her feel better.
Jimmy, is the second person of interest. Coming from the same upbringing and family as Susannah, you can only surmise that he is just as manipulative and conniving as Susannah. Well, you would be correct. Poor Amy, who is naive to the evils of the world, who is too trusting and who has a lack of parental supervision and education, believes everything Jimmy tells her and ends up taking the fall. Bastard.
Amy's best friend is also her cousin. Elizabeth, lives in a near by farm and her father is Jack's brother. Sorry for the lineage but I just wanted to explain how this guy fits into the picture. Elizabeth's father is a jerk. He jumps to conclusions and instead of supporting his family and becoming a better man and patriarch to his family, he just turns into this sexist pig who just shuns his own family and threatens Elizabeth to never see Amy again. Good call, Bozo.
Ahh Jack, I've saved you for last. I guess I can't truly say I hate him but he truly made me mad. So Jack leaves his family and comes back with a horrid wife who completely tears apart his family. If he hadn't been thinking with his penis, then all this unhappiness could have been avoided. I think Jack truly believed that Susannah would be a healthy, helpful addition to his family. Why? becomes a mystery as it wasn't explained but really and honestly it was his penis. There were times in the book where I felt for him but really, he wasn't the brightest star in the sky but he tried. Jack does care for his children and he does come to realize that he made a mistake but he believes in his vows to a fault. I disliked Jack because he needed to just stand up and put his big boy pants on and deal with the ugliness that Susannah and her bastard brother caused. He needed to sit down and have a family (minus Susannah) counsel and discuss with everyone their options and resolve the problem. Instead, he resolves to ignore it and let Susannah step in and solve the problem.
This book was a tough read. Parkinson did an excellent job in character development. I found that although I hated the characters for what they did and how they treated each other, it made sense. This book is very real. It is very up in your face.
The reason I won't ever read this book again, is because life is hard enough. We all try our best and do what we think is right for us. We council with others and make the best decision we can with what we have. This book was exactly that. Choices were limited for this family but they did the best they could, even though I would have made different decision and acted upon things very differently, mostly with a violent outcome, I prefer fluffy, uplifting novels that aren't like real life that aren't a reminder of how life can be so cruel. However, after saying all that, I have to again acknowledge Parkinson and tell you that she did a wonderful job in creating real life historical drama. She also wrote some excellent passages of the landscape of New Zealand. She created great, albeit horrible, characters.
I got this book free on Amazon and had no idea what I was getting myself into. This book is suggestive but not graphic. There are some swear words.
December 1, 2020
3.5 ⭐️s rounded up.
March 10, 2012
I LOVED this book! Shayne Parkinson has done a fantastic job of painting a picture of the life of a 19th century New Zealand farm girl. I found myself absolutely enchanted with the comings and goings of Amy's family within minutes of starting to read this book.
It's effectively a historical family saga, so there are highs, lows, surprises, romances, betrayals and more. Added to all of this, there are interesting insights into farm life at that time, something that I knew little about. The character of Amy is very easy to engage with. She seems perfect at first, but is ultimately as flawed as any teenage girl trying to figure out how to bridge the gap between girl and woman. All the characters are very clearly portrayed, even the very minor ones. So much so, that I can picture them all in my mind and towards the end, I started to feel that I actually knew and understood them.
I sympathised with Amy, laughed at Lizzie her cousin, loved to hate Susannah her step-mother, felt exasperated with Jack her father and found myself whizzing through what is quite a long book, at an amazing rate because I was so engrossed in the plot.
I can't recommend this highly enough. There are very few stories of this type around and even fewer that are so well-written. I'm so glad to see that there are 3 more books in the series for me to read. I'm looking forward to all of them!
It's effectively a historical family saga, so there are highs, lows, surprises, romances, betrayals and more. Added to all of this, there are interesting insights into farm life at that time, something that I knew little about. The character of Amy is very easy to engage with. She seems perfect at first, but is ultimately as flawed as any teenage girl trying to figure out how to bridge the gap between girl and woman. All the characters are very clearly portrayed, even the very minor ones. So much so, that I can picture them all in my mind and towards the end, I started to feel that I actually knew and understood them.
I sympathised with Amy, laughed at Lizzie her cousin, loved to hate Susannah her step-mother, felt exasperated with Jack her father and found myself whizzing through what is quite a long book, at an amazing rate because I was so engrossed in the plot.
I can't recommend this highly enough. There are very few stories of this type around and even fewer that are so well-written. I'm so glad to see that there are 3 more books in the series for me to read. I'm looking forward to all of them!
February 22, 2015
To be honest I don't really understand why this book has so many good reviews. On the one hand, it is extremely well written, very easy to read and Shayne Parkinson paints an engaging (and historically accurate) portrait of colonial New Zealand. The characters are for the most part complex and interesting. BUT it is possibly one of the most predictable books I have ever read. I mean really. It's a testament to Shayne Parkinsons writing that such a long book remained engaging considering that those two points were really the entire plot. Sure Susannah provided another antagnoist, but considering the fullness of the other characters she is surprisingly flat,
The book was free and I don't regret reading it, but I won't be rushing off to buy the next in the series
The book was free and I don't regret reading it, but I won't be rushing off to buy the next in the series
December 24, 2012
Sentence of Marriage is one of those books that is full of *real* life. If you're looking for a happy historical romance that brushes over the realities of life in the eighteenth century, this book is not for you. Yes, it's a sad book and the end is a bit of a depressing cliff-hangar. I have not read the four books that follow this one yet, however I want to! Despite the fact that this book is full of unhappy events, the author writes VERY well. The multitude of details she wrote into Amy, her father, and step-mother alone were amazing! Very detailed, very complicated and yes, very sad. However, it's what life was like - very different than present day for sure! I found myself completely drawn into the book, my emotions rode the roller-coaster with Amy and her family and I did not want to put this book down. I will definitely be purchasing the remaining books in this series (even if they are "even more depressing" as many reviewers have complained) because it's GOOD and REAL and fantastically written and, even if it ends badly for Amy, I'd like to reach the end.
March 4, 2011
I read this in one day and am now going back to buy the other two books in the series. It is any real reminder of the way of life in a remote rural area and the attitutes held then. The reader is so drawn in to the little family and especially to Amy, that bright little star with so much potential. It really hurts when she is so badly treated physically, mentally and emotionally. And all the time she is so concerned about the rest of her family and her baby daughter, rather than railing about her own fate and the loss of her own dreams.
Read
September 25, 2019.
(This was a very difficult review to write)
The author created a compelling drama, making it difficult to lay the book down for any great length of time. It was written so well, that I felt so many awful emotions exploding inside myself. You get to know the characters intimately. So i had to rate those aspects, even though the despicable parts haunt my thoughts.
This was a gut wrenching tale of manipulation and abuse, that concluded without any chance of a happy future. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, just a continual, horrific endurance of cruelty and abuse. This type of content is not what I desire,when going on a reading adventure. NOT FOR THE LIGHT-HEARTED.
I was greatly dissappointed that this book can't be read as a 'Stand Alone' in the series. I have no plans to read the remaining books.
If you prefer happy-ever-after conclusions, this is not the book for you!
YOU WILL NEVER BEABLE TO FORGET THE DETAILS OF THE HORROR THIS WOMAN ENDURED!
.
(This was a very difficult review to write)
The author created a compelling drama, making it difficult to lay the book down for any great length of time. It was written so well, that I felt so many awful emotions exploding inside myself. You get to know the characters intimately. So i had to rate those aspects, even though the despicable parts haunt my thoughts.
This was a gut wrenching tale of manipulation and abuse, that concluded without any chance of a happy future. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, just a continual, horrific endurance of cruelty and abuse. This type of content is not what I desire,when going on a reading adventure. NOT FOR THE LIGHT-HEARTED.
I was greatly dissappointed that this book can't be read as a 'Stand Alone' in the series. I have no plans to read the remaining books.
If you prefer happy-ever-after conclusions, this is not the book for you!
YOU WILL NEVER BEABLE TO FORGET THE DETAILS OF THE HORROR THIS WOMAN ENDURED!
.
August 16, 2011
This book really got me hooked, I love those "coming of age" books, and this one got my attention especially because it's set in New Zealand during the Victorian period, and I'm a sucker for books set in this period of time and to top it off its a family saga, so once I started reading I just couldn't put it down.
One of the most enjoyable things about reading this book was not knowing what was going to happen next although some things are quite predictable, basically it's the story of Amy a farmer's daughter who wants to be more than just that, she wants to be a teacher but when she falls in love and gets into "trouble" she's impelled to enter into a loveless marriage. I put this rather simplistic and the story indeed has a slow pace but there's so much more to it than just that, it's not a sappy silly fluffy little novel, you will forget all about after you're done with it. That being said I must add that Amy's character is a very endearing one, the secondary characters and their stories are also very interesting to read about, the author did a good job of writing Amy's step-mother, which I thought was a somewhat annoying pitiful character yet she’s grown on me although I can't pinpoint the whys and wherefores.
In short everything about the book is truly captivating, enjoyable and highly recommendable, but I'll warn you, you should never read this the day before an exam or if you have too much going on, because once you pick this up You won't want to put it down, and the characters they're so life-like , I got myself thinking about them while doing the dishes, on the bus, seriously I have to give it Five stars, because I couldn't find a flaw.
One of the most enjoyable things about reading this book was not knowing what was going to happen next although some things are quite predictable, basically it's the story of Amy a farmer's daughter who wants to be more than just that, she wants to be a teacher but when she falls in love and gets into "trouble" she's impelled to enter into a loveless marriage. I put this rather simplistic and the story indeed has a slow pace but there's so much more to it than just that, it's not a sappy silly fluffy little novel, you will forget all about after you're done with it. That being said I must add that Amy's character is a very endearing one, the secondary characters and their stories are also very interesting to read about, the author did a good job of writing Amy's step-mother, which I thought was a somewhat annoying pitiful character yet she’s grown on me although I can't pinpoint the whys and wherefores.
In short everything about the book is truly captivating, enjoyable and highly recommendable, but I'll warn you, you should never read this the day before an exam or if you have too much going on, because once you pick this up You won't want to put it down, and the characters they're so life-like , I got myself thinking about them while doing the dishes, on the bus, seriously I have to give it Five stars, because I couldn't find a flaw.
October 9, 2011
I didn't like the book. It was well written, but not the kind of book I like to read. It's the first in a series of 3 or 4 books. It reminds me of a Danielle Steele novel where horrible things keep happening to the main character until finally at the end of her life, the main character finds some happiness. Well, happiness doesn't come at the end of book 1. I read the reviews of book 2 and 3 and it seems like maybe things work out for the main character by the end. Who knows? I don't want to invest any more time in such a depressing storyline.
March 31, 2015
Never again
Never before have I read a book that for the entire book brought you up to the final wonderful ending you were awaiting and then just quit left you hanging and told yo u to buy book two!!! As long as I live I will never buy or read another of Shayne Parkinson's books!!!, I
set,up late to read the FINISH to this one to be left hanging just so she could be assured of selling her next book. How can I RATE A BOOK THAT WAS NEVER FINISHED. I have to give it an X as I would any unfinished piece of work
Never before have I read a book that for the entire book brought you up to the final wonderful ending you were awaiting and then just quit left you hanging and told yo u to buy book two!!! As long as I live I will never buy or read another of Shayne Parkinson's books!!!, I
set,up late to read the FINISH to this one to be left hanging just so she could be assured of selling her next book. How can I RATE A BOOK THAT WAS NEVER FINISHED. I have to give it an X as I would any unfinished piece of work
May 7, 2014
This review is not just for Sentence of Marriage, which is the first book in Promises to Keep. I just finished the 3rd book, the ending of a long story started in Sentence of Marriage. Shayne Parkinson's decision to publish one long novel in three parts has angered some reviewers, who feel cheated when the first two books end on nail-biting cliff hangers and they feel compelled to buy another book to find out what happens next.
Compelled to buy another book. That alone tells you a great deal about the series and about Shayne Parkinson's writing. How many truly compelling books do we find in a year? Not many.
Promises to Keep is compelling because it is so well written. The story is not unusual: a sweet hard working country girl falls in love with a smooth talking city man who deserts her when she becomes pregnant. To save her family from shame, she's forced to give away her baby, and to marry an older man she doesn't love.
How old is that plot? They say there are no new stories, but this surely must be one of the oldest stories ever told. But, let me tell you, it has never been told better than Shayne Parkinson tells it.
The story is set in New Zealand, beginning in 1881 and spanning about 25 years. Every scene is rich with historical detail and an unerring sense of place and time. There are dozens of characters, but I never got them mixed up because each person was so perfectly described and set apart with a distinct personality and story of their own.
Bottom line, Shayne Parkinson is now on my short list of favorite writers. She knows how to tell a good story.
Compelled to buy another book. That alone tells you a great deal about the series and about Shayne Parkinson's writing. How many truly compelling books do we find in a year? Not many.
Promises to Keep is compelling because it is so well written. The story is not unusual: a sweet hard working country girl falls in love with a smooth talking city man who deserts her when she becomes pregnant. To save her family from shame, she's forced to give away her baby, and to marry an older man she doesn't love.
How old is that plot? They say there are no new stories, but this surely must be one of the oldest stories ever told. But, let me tell you, it has never been told better than Shayne Parkinson tells it.
The story is set in New Zealand, beginning in 1881 and spanning about 25 years. Every scene is rich with historical detail and an unerring sense of place and time. There are dozens of characters, but I never got them mixed up because each person was so perfectly described and set apart with a distinct personality and story of their own.
Bottom line, Shayne Parkinson is now on my short list of favorite writers. She knows how to tell a good story.
August 19, 2016
SPOILER ALERT!!
Sentence of Marriage was a very engaging read. The setting is a family farm in late 19th century New Zealand. The story begins with the family of a father, two older sons, and a daughter aged 12. Her mother had died when Amy, the main character and daughter, was only three. Amy has taken on most of the duties of the woman of the house at the time. She wanted to be a teacher, but because of circumstances she was not allowed to pursue that dream. Her father and brothers depended on her to cook, clean, do the wash, and perform most other of the household duties. At that time, that included making butter and bread each day. Since it was a farm, the boys and the father were hungry, and needed large meals, so that consumed much of Amy's time.
Jack, the father, left for Auckland for two weeks for business, and doesn't end up returning until five weeks later. He brings with him his new young wife, Susannah, who becomes that "wicked stepmother." She is a mean-hearted and very selfish person. I found myself wanting her to get what she deserved, but she never does.
Much happens to Amy by the time she turns 16 years old. At the end of this book, which is Book 1 in the series, she is married to a much older man who has been a neighbor. Amy has never cared for this man. In fact, she has been afraid of him her whole life.
I think the author is a masterful writer. I found myself not wanting to put the e-book down. The characterization is wonderful. I feel like I know each family member, as well as Amy's best friend, Lizzy. I've already purchased the second book in the series, Mud and Gold. Loved the book!
Sentence of Marriage was a very engaging read. The setting is a family farm in late 19th century New Zealand. The story begins with the family of a father, two older sons, and a daughter aged 12. Her mother had died when Amy, the main character and daughter, was only three. Amy has taken on most of the duties of the woman of the house at the time. She wanted to be a teacher, but because of circumstances she was not allowed to pursue that dream. Her father and brothers depended on her to cook, clean, do the wash, and perform most other of the household duties. At that time, that included making butter and bread each day. Since it was a farm, the boys and the father were hungry, and needed large meals, so that consumed much of Amy's time.
Jack, the father, left for Auckland for two weeks for business, and doesn't end up returning until five weeks later. He brings with him his new young wife, Susannah, who becomes that "wicked stepmother." She is a mean-hearted and very selfish person. I found myself wanting her to get what she deserved, but she never does.
Much happens to Amy by the time she turns 16 years old. At the end of this book, which is Book 1 in the series, she is married to a much older man who has been a neighbor. Amy has never cared for this man. In fact, she has been afraid of him her whole life.
I think the author is a masterful writer. I found myself not wanting to put the e-book down. The characterization is wonderful. I feel like I know each family member, as well as Amy's best friend, Lizzy. I've already purchased the second book in the series, Mud and Gold. Loved the book!
September 5, 2011
This book was no fairytale ending. I laughed and cried. I think this book was one of the most depressing books I read in a long time. I couldn't even talk about the book to my husband without crying. I felt so sorry for Amy and all the struggles she endured. She is a much stronger person than I am. I don't want to give away to much of the book, so I wont go into detail. But I can't stand how naive Amy's father is and common sense seems to be out the window with that man. The frustrating part is Jack loves Amy so much and would do ANYTHING for Amy. He is so simple, he believes anything Susanna says and what he believes Amy SAYS she wants. This book frustrated me in so many ways and I felt so helpless in the fact that I couldn't "help" Amy. The author definitely made me sympathetic to the characters in the book because I wanted to hurt people all through the book. I loved the parts of Frank and Lizzie because those were the only breaks of humor in the whole book. I WILL read the next book in the series for hope for a better future for Amy!
May 17, 2011
I got this free from Amazon, and it was not the light historical romance I was expecting. In fact, it was not at all the kind of book I would have read if I had known more about it. I like my comfort reading with a tidy happily-ever-after for all involved, which did not happen here.
That being said, this was an extremely compelling book. It was well-written, hard to put down or stop thinking about, and very easy to get lost in. I loved the descriptions of late 19th, early 20th century farm life, the Kiwi slang, and the portrayals of a wide variety of marriages and families. The main character, Amy, was too much the martyr to be relatable for me, but many of the others were extremely real, three-dimensional characters.
I liked the book well enough to buy the other three books in the series (with eyes wide open as to the lack of universal happily-ever-afters). For the record, the books are really more parts of one story, Amy's life, than they are individual stories capable of standing on their own.
That being said, this was an extremely compelling book. It was well-written, hard to put down or stop thinking about, and very easy to get lost in. I loved the descriptions of late 19th, early 20th century farm life, the Kiwi slang, and the portrayals of a wide variety of marriages and families. The main character, Amy, was too much the martyr to be relatable for me, but many of the others were extremely real, three-dimensional characters.
I liked the book well enough to buy the other three books in the series (with eyes wide open as to the lack of universal happily-ever-afters). For the record, the books are really more parts of one story, Amy's life, than they are individual stories capable of standing on their own.
August 18, 2012
There really isn't too many shelves for me to tag this book in. This isn't really a romance at all,at least not this first book. I guess it's more of a family saga.
Amy is 13 when the story starts. She lives on a farm with her father and two brothers in New Zeland and in the 1800's there really isn't much for a girl to do other than help take care of her family until she gets married. When her father returns from a trip to Auckland he brings home a new wife.......a nasty piece of work that goes out of her way to make life hard on Amy. However when her stepmother's brother comes to spend he summer things start to look up for Amy.
I really thought that the author did a great job of painting the picture of what the time and area looked like and though we follow Amy through the mundane daily like of a farm girl it never got boring to read.
Amy is 13 when the story starts. She lives on a farm with her father and two brothers in New Zeland and in the 1800's there really isn't much for a girl to do other than help take care of her family until she gets married. When her father returns from a trip to Auckland he brings home a new wife.......a nasty piece of work that goes out of her way to make life hard on Amy. However when her stepmother's brother comes to spend he summer things start to look up for Amy.
I really thought that the author did a great job of painting the picture of what the time and area looked like and though we follow Amy through the mundane daily like of a farm girl it never got boring to read.
July 24, 2014
I have to admit that I was a little hesitant to read this book, but I LOVED it! I downloaded it FREE at Barnes and Noble for my Nook. It is a wonderful story that focuses on the life of a young girl named Amy growing up in the late 1800's. We see glimpses of farm life back then and how families lived, plus we get the pleasure of interacting with Amy and her family, including a new stepmother (who is quite the character you love to hate) and her first love.
I had no idea it was a trilogy but I immediately downloaded the other two books in the series. I love to read authors from different countries and Shayne Parkinson does not disappoint!
I had no idea it was a trilogy but I immediately downloaded the other two books in the series. I love to read authors from different countries and Shayne Parkinson does not disappoint!
July 30, 2010
Shayne Parkinson's writing draws you into a world you wish you were a part of. Sentence of Marriage is just the most beautifully written journey into nineteenth century New Zealand history. Amy led me into a tapestry of situations, exhibiting her dilemmas in life and in love. Evocative and compelling, I was truly struck by the fullness of the descriptions and the strength of Amy's voice. This is a wonderful series of books, and I put Shayne Parkinson side by side with L M Montgomery.
September 12, 2014
It took me a while to get into Sentence of Marriage, but I'm so glad I kept going, until I just had to find out what happened to the main character, Amy.
At the start of this family saga, Amy's father surprises her and her two brothers by returning home from a trip to Auckland with a new wife. Her step-mother Susannah, who is from a pampered background, has great difficulty adapting to her new role as a farmer’s wife in the remote countryside. This leaves the teenaged Amy still having to do most of the work about the house under the thumb of her insensitive step-mother.
Amy finds some respite in the company of her cousin Lizzie, who has a wise determined head on her. Lizzie thinks she's really grown up as she forcefully pursues a marriage with slow thinking but reliable young farmer Frank. Their sweet and humorous courtship is one of the highlights of the novel.
But it is the younger Amy who first tastes a real secret romance with Jimmy, the brother of her step-mother, who visits for several months. This forces Amy to grow up rather too quickly and spins her life around 180 degrees.
The sensual scenes are written with a lightness of touch and honesty that will make even the most sensitive of readers appreciate them.
I'm not sure that the author can devised something suitably wicked to happen to Amy's step-mother Susannah to satisfy my lust for her to get her comeuppance, but I'll have to read the sequel to find out.
At the start of this family saga, Amy's father surprises her and her two brothers by returning home from a trip to Auckland with a new wife. Her step-mother Susannah, who is from a pampered background, has great difficulty adapting to her new role as a farmer’s wife in the remote countryside. This leaves the teenaged Amy still having to do most of the work about the house under the thumb of her insensitive step-mother.
Amy finds some respite in the company of her cousin Lizzie, who has a wise determined head on her. Lizzie thinks she's really grown up as she forcefully pursues a marriage with slow thinking but reliable young farmer Frank. Their sweet and humorous courtship is one of the highlights of the novel.
But it is the younger Amy who first tastes a real secret romance with Jimmy, the brother of her step-mother, who visits for several months. This forces Amy to grow up rather too quickly and spins her life around 180 degrees.
The sensual scenes are written with a lightness of touch and honesty that will make even the most sensitive of readers appreciate them.
I'm not sure that the author can devised something suitably wicked to happen to Amy's step-mother Susannah to satisfy my lust for her to get her comeuppance, but I'll have to read the sequel to find out.
September 30, 2011
I love this sort of book. Grim, gritty books where nothing happens but everything happens. When I tried to explain this sort of book to the child, he said "well, what's the plot?" and I said "well, there really *is* no plot, it's just life!" and that's what it is. Historical life in New Zealand in the early 1800s. So, figure you're going to be reading about farming, about washing clothes in a tub (and hauling water from the creek to do so), about birthing at home and losing babies (and blood) when you do so.
So, assuming you've gotten that far and know you like this sort of book, I have to Shayne Parkinson does a great job. The writing is simple and flows and it matches the story content. I'd like to call the writing style sort of *sparse* but that sounds like a negative and I don't mean it that way. it's not flowery, but neither is the content. It's just good clean writing that conveys the barebones lifestyle of this time and place with a barebones-ish style of writing. Maybe that IS a negative for some people, but for me it is right up my alley.
(Bear in mind, I was imprinted by reading The Little House On The Prairie series at a young and impressionable age and have loved books of that genre, of the adult variety, ever since.)
So, assuming you've gotten that far and know you like this sort of book, I have to Shayne Parkinson does a great job. The writing is simple and flows and it matches the story content. I'd like to call the writing style sort of *sparse* but that sounds like a negative and I don't mean it that way. it's not flowery, but neither is the content. It's just good clean writing that conveys the barebones lifestyle of this time and place with a barebones-ish style of writing. Maybe that IS a negative for some people, but for me it is right up my alley.
(Bear in mind, I was imprinted by reading The Little House On The Prairie series at a young and impressionable age and have loved books of that genre, of the adult variety, ever since.)
July 29, 2015
I received the first book in the Promises to Keep series as a free book for my Amazon Kindle. I will admit that I had a very difficult time reading this book. Many times, the subject matter was so horrific and abusive(IMO) that I had to put the book down, walk away and come back to it later when I could get my emotions back under control.
This book is not for the faint of heart. While it is definitely a work of fiction, it deals with many of the real life struggles that women had to deal with and some still do all over the world with regards to their own independence and place within culture and society. I cried a lot reading this book. How could life be any more cruel to someone so innocent and naive.
When I finished the last book in the series I felt somewhat vindicated but it took reading the entire series to get there. Yes, this first book is sad and it seems that nothing but bad happens to her. But as in real life sometimes things just take time.
Again, it was a struggle to get through it but (to me) it was worth it by the end of the series.
This book is not for the faint of heart. While it is definitely a work of fiction, it deals with many of the real life struggles that women had to deal with and some still do all over the world with regards to their own independence and place within culture and society. I cried a lot reading this book. How could life be any more cruel to someone so innocent and naive.
When I finished the last book in the series I felt somewhat vindicated but it took reading the entire series to get there. Yes, this first book is sad and it seems that nothing but bad happens to her. But as in real life sometimes things just take time.
Again, it was a struggle to get through it but (to me) it was worth it by the end of the series.
February 27, 2019
I marked this as did-not-finish because I skimmed a lot towards the end. I'm not sure how I ended up with this book, it's sad and ugly and really depressing - not my kind of story at all. I think I'd been told there were lots of historical details about New Zealand, but honestly I didn't care. This is a terrible story about a woman who makes terrible choices and then has to live with them, with no bright spots at all. The fact that the story doesn't really stand alone just makes it worse.
My nominee for Most Depressing Book Ever. Right up there with Lord of the Flies, which I refused to finish in High School because I could see where that story was going... Life is hard, sometimes awful and frequently difficult. I don't want a book to rub my nose in that fact and make me feel worse about living, I want a book to make me feel better. Or at least keep me happily entertained for a few hours. So I don't understand books like this, that have no goodness or kindness or happiness anywhere. Just unrelenting nasty. Ah well, not my cup of tea.
My nominee for Most Depressing Book Ever. Right up there with Lord of the Flies, which I refused to finish in High School because I could see where that story was going... Life is hard, sometimes awful and frequently difficult. I don't want a book to rub my nose in that fact and make me feel worse about living, I want a book to make me feel better. Or at least keep me happily entertained for a few hours. So I don't understand books like this, that have no goodness or kindness or happiness anywhere. Just unrelenting nasty. Ah well, not my cup of tea.
April 8, 2017
I like history, especially social history. Its my favourite genre. To begin with I wondered whether a story of rural life in New Zealand in the 1880s was going to keep me interested for a series of books, but the description of the bush, the creek, the birds and the characters soon got me hooked. I have now read the whole series and the sequel and enjoyed everyone one of them. The more I read, the more I wanted to know about the central characters and what would happen to them. Skilfully interwoven at the appropriate times came the facts about NZ history that I already know. It's how the facts impact upon the characters that makes the book a winner. Its not all beer and skittles. There are harsh times, there are brutal moments but there are also endearing moments, and heartwarming moments. It was a tough life for women and this is mostly about the women.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys history, family stories and the New Zealand rural scene.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys history, family stories and the New Zealand rural scene.
May 24, 2011
This is the first free Kindle book (out of dozens) to which I have purchased the sequels. I couldn’t stop reading them. The Promises to Keep series is extremely well-written. The historical content is well-researched, the characters are very well-developed and even though the books are long and detailed, I found every detail interesting.
The main downside, as others have mentioned, is that there is no happy ending. The first three books in this series run together. They each end at a natural stopping point, but there is no real closure until the end of the third book. When I read the description of Sentence of Marriage, I thought it was about a 12 year old girl who was married off to an old man. By the time Amy marries, she is 16 and the book is 99% over.
Sentence of Marriage contains mild sexual content and verbal abuse.
The main downside, as others have mentioned, is that there is no happy ending. The first three books in this series run together. They each end at a natural stopping point, but there is no real closure until the end of the third book. When I read the description of Sentence of Marriage, I thought it was about a 12 year old girl who was married off to an old man. By the time Amy marries, she is 16 and the book is 99% over.
Sentence of Marriage contains mild sexual content and verbal abuse.
February 25, 2013
I gave this book 5* It was unputdownable!
This was a free e-book, downloaded as a recommend. It is the story of a young girl living on a farm in New Zealand in the 1800s. Having lost her mother and then her grandmother, who taught all she knew, she takes care of her father and two brothers and runs the house as if it is her own. It is a hard life for all of them, but they seem happy. Her life changes for the worse when her father remarries and brings home his young fashionable wife, who dislikes Amy on sight, and makes the poor girl’s life a misery. The story follows Amy over the next few years.
The author paints such a vivid picture of life in those days. The characters are brilliant. I reached the end of this book far too soon and immediately bought the sequel Mud & Gold.
This was a free e-book, downloaded as a recommend. It is the story of a young girl living on a farm in New Zealand in the 1800s. Having lost her mother and then her grandmother, who taught all she knew, she takes care of her father and two brothers and runs the house as if it is her own. It is a hard life for all of them, but they seem happy. Her life changes for the worse when her father remarries and brings home his young fashionable wife, who dislikes Amy on sight, and makes the poor girl’s life a misery. The story follows Amy over the next few years.
The author paints such a vivid picture of life in those days. The characters are brilliant. I reached the end of this book far too soon and immediately bought the sequel Mud & Gold.
November 21, 2017
Shayne Parkinson's descriptions are vivid, her writing is an accurate portrayal of customs and beliefs in a 19th century rural community. But the characters and the plot, while interesting, were a bit too predictable.
I have to admit that I skimmed over that last third of the novel when it became apparent that the "marriage" part wasn't going to happen until the end. I like endings that leave the reader hanging, so I wasn't upset by that as some reviewers were.
I read this novel because I was told it was similar to one I am writing. It is, and because of that it was an interesting read for me but I probably won't read more of this series. There are so many books I'm dying to read, but this one left me feeling unimpressed.
I have to admit that I skimmed over that last third of the novel when it became apparent that the "marriage" part wasn't going to happen until the end. I like endings that leave the reader hanging, so I wasn't upset by that as some reviewers were.
I read this novel because I was told it was similar to one I am writing. It is, and because of that it was an interesting read for me but I probably won't read more of this series. There are so many books I'm dying to read, but this one left me feeling unimpressed.
January 25, 2013
This author's writing blew me away. These are historical sagas that read like page-turners and how she manages that when discussing mundane things like milking cows is what is so amazing. That said, there is a fair amount of darkness to this series and I'd caution anyone who is sensitive to domestic violence that it is a strong focus. It's dealt with very well, but although this is a warmly written book, it's not warm and fuzzy, there are lots of prickly bits. But the overall story and writing is excellent. If you read this book, you'll want to read the three others that follow and will root for Amy all the way through.
January 31, 2014
This book is about a young farm girl Amy growing up in the 1800's in New Zealand,who having already lost her mother and grandmother is expected to take on the housekeeping and cooking for her father and two elder brothers. When her father brings home a surprise and much younger bride , everyone's lives are forever changed especially hers, and not necessarily for the better. This is a really well written book full of characters you will love to hate, and a cliffhanger ending that makes it hard to read just one ( of the 4 book series) . The first book is free @ Kindle store, most likely because most people will be buying the others. 4 stars.
January 17, 2015
This 4 book serial held me spellbound this week. I couldn't stop reading and I'm sorry it ended. I have rarely purchased sequels for my Kindle, but after reading the first free volume, there was no stopping. Excellent character development, suspense without major crime scenarios, true to life living situations, and great historical context made this series a fantastic read. I won't rehash the story, except to say that Amy's life held my interest.
December 27, 2011
I was so surprised by this book. I am giving it 5 stars because it played out in my head like a movie and I fell in love with Amy. It was hard to see her go through so much, but she was such a strong young girl. And even though I knew where the book was headed, it was still done so very well. I've already downloaded the 2nd book in the series.
May 28, 2017
I quickly became completely engrossed in this well-written, coming of age story of a New Zealand farm girl and her family. Poor Amy suffers more than her share of struggles, and I so want to see her find happiness, so I will have to purchase books 2 & 3 from the Kindle store, as they sucked me in by offering this first installment free! Good marketing strategy. :-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 852 reviews