Family Drama & OCD | The Promise Between Us by Barbara Claypole White

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the bestselling author of The Perfect Son comes a hopeful tale of redemption, renewal, and the promise of love.

Metal artist Katie Mack is living a lie. Nine years ago she ran away from her family in Raleigh, North Carolina, consumed by the irrational fear that she would harm Maisie, her newborn daughter. Over time she’s come to grips with the mental illness that nearly destroyed her, and now funnels her pain into her art. Despite longing for Maisie, Katie honors an agreement with the husband she left behind—to change her name and never return.

But when she and Maisie accidentally reunite, Katie can’t ignore the familiarity of her child’s compulsive behavior. Worse, Maisie worries obsessively about bad things happening to her pregnant stepmom. Katie has the power to help, but can she reconnect with the family she abandoned?

To protect Maisie, Katie must face the fears that drove her from home, accept the possibility of love, and risk exposing her heart-wrenching secret.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Follow the TLC blog tour.

MY REVIEW

The Promise Between Us by Barbara Claypole White delivers to its readers a heartfelt family drama surrounding OCD. As they deal with the challenges OCD causes, White’s characters feel authentically developed based on circumstances, struggles, and personality, and the problems they face prove complicated, with no easy solutions to determine or implement.

As I read, my heart broke again and again for the MacDonald family. With circumstances and choices that seem impossible to navigate, each character (except Maisie) has his or her unlikable moments, yet not one of them is wholly bad. Despite their flaws and brokenness (or perhaps, because of them, as all the details come to light), I grew to like all of them over the course of the book, and I’m glad that White doesn’t leave them without hope by the end.

Well-told and emotionally-charged, with a valuable look at dealing with OCD (and the possibility of strength and resilience amidst consuming, perceived weakness), The Promise Between Us is a compelling read. I enjoyed reading it and often had a hard time putting it down when needed. Readers interested in contemporary drama involving family and mental illness, I think, will enjoy it, too, and should definitely consider this book from Barbara Claypole White.

★★★★

Thanks to TLC Book Tours, I received a complimentary copy of The Promise Between Us and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bestselling author Barbara Claypole White creates hopeful family drama with a healthy dose of mental illness. Originally from England, she writes and gardens in the forests of North Carolina where she lives with her beloved OCD family. Her novels include The Unfinished Garden, The In-Between Hour, The Perfect Son, and Echoes of Family. The Promise Between Us, a story of redemption, sacrifice, and OCD, has a publication date of January 16^th, 2018. She is also an OCD Advocate for the A2A Alliance, a nonprofit group that promotes advocacy over adversity. 

Website | Facebook