The Promise

The Promise
Brenda Joyce

DEA agent Rodrigo Ramirez is sent undercover to Gloryanne Barnes's stepbrother's farm in Jacobsville, Texas, where he's looking to bust a new and vicious drug cartel.Gloryanne is smart, savvy and fiercely independent, but her job has put her in danger from the same criminal Rodrigo is investigating. She's drawn to the enigmatic new farmhand, Rodrigo, a man who is much more than he seems.Confused and bitter about love, driven by his dangerous job, Rodrigo's not sure if his reckless offer of marriage to the oh-so-tempting Gloryanne is just a means to completing his mission–or something more.But as Gloryanne's bittersweet miracle and Rodrigo's double life collide, they must face the truth about each other, and decide if there's a chance for the future they both secretly desire.

Praise for

BRENDA JOYCE’S

bestselling de Warenne dynasty

An Impossible Attraction

“Best-selling Joyce matches up a strong-willed, proud…heroine and a testosterone-rich, arrogant…hero…[A] long, lushly sensual historical.”

—Booklist

A Dangerous Love

“The latest de Warenne novel is pure Joyce with its trademark blend of searing sensuality, wild escapades and unforgettable characters. You’ll find warmth and romance alongside intense emotions and powerful relationships. It’s a story you won’t easily forget.”

—RT Book Reviews

The Perfect Bride

“Another first-rate Regency, featuring multidimensional protagonists and sweeping drama… Entirely fluff-free, Joyce’s tight plot and vivid cast combine for a romance that’s just about perfect.”

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Truly a stirring story with wonderfully etched characters, Joyce’s latest is Regency romance at its best.”

—Booklist

“Joyce’s latest is a piece of perfection as she meticulously crafts a tender and emotionally powerful love story. Passion and pain erupt from the pages and flow straight into your heart. You won’t forget this beautifully rendered love story of lost souls and redemption.”

—RT Book Reviews

A Lady at Last

“Romance veteran Joyce brings her keen sense of humor and storytelling prowess to bear on her witty, fully formed characters.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A classic Pygmalion tale with an extra soupçon of eroticism.”

—Booklist

“A warm, wonderfully sensual feast about the joys and pains of falling in love. Joyce breathes life into extraordinary characters—from her sprightly Cinderella heroine and roguish hero to everyone in between—then sets them in the glittering Regency, where anything can happen.”

—RT Book Reviews

The Stolen Bride

“Joyce’s characters carry considerable emotional weight, which keeps this hefty entry absorbing, and her fast-paced story keeps the pages turning.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A powerfully executed romance overflowing with the strength of prose, high degree of sensuality and emotional intensity we expect from Joyce. A ‘keeper’ for sure.”

—RT Book Reviews

The Masquerade

“Jane Austen aficionados will delve happily into heroine Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Fitzgerald’s family…Joyce’s tale of the dangers and delights of passion fulfilled will enchant those who like their reads long and rich.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A passionate tale of two lovers caught up in a web of secrets, deceptions and lies. Readers who love the bold historicals by Rosemary Rogers and Kathleen Woodiwiss will find much to savor here.”

—Booklist

“An intensely emotional and engrossing romance where love overcomes deceit, scandal and pride…an intelligent love story with smart, appealing and strong characters. Readers will savor this latest from a grand mistress of the genre.”

—RT Book Reviews

The Prize

“A powerhouse of emotion and sensuality, The Prize weaves a tapestry vibrantly colored with detail and balanced with strands of consuming passion.”

—RT Book Reviews

BRENDA JOYCE

The Promise

For Kathy Pichnarcik

The Promise

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

PART ONE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE