Judith D Collins
- Aug 31, 2015
- 3 min read

The Promise of Home

By Darcie Chan

Series: Mill River #3

ISBN: 9780345538246

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: 8/4/2015

Format: Other

My Rating: 5 Stars +

Top Books of 2015

Best Women's Fiction Series

The New York Times bestseller Darcie Chan returns to Mill River with her third heartwarming novel: when a collection of letters is discovered, a decades old secret is revealed that willl the change the course of destiny for beloved Mill River residents.

Mill River cop Kyle Hansen and teacher Claudia Simon are excitedly planning their wedding. When they learn that a new bed and breakfast is set to open in the old McAllister mansion, they hope the gifted Emily DiSanti will quickly restore it to its grand beauty. While refinishing the hardwood floors, Emily discovers a secret compartment and a mysterious briefcase. Inside, she finds years of correspondence between the reclusive Mary McAllister and her close friend—the town priest Father O’Brien’s late mother, Anna O’Brien. Through the letters, Emily learns about the surprising relationship between Mary and Anna and a secret that will change everything for Father O’Brien.

Karen Cooper, lives in town with her eight year old son, Nick. Her husband took a job as a government contractor in Afghanistan, and has been missing for a year. As Karen struggles with depression and Nick begins to have trouble at school, Father O’Brien is enlisted to offer his guidance, particularly for Nick, whose situation feels all too familiar.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Darcie Chan is the author of The Mill River Series: The Mill River Recluse (2011) and The Mill River Redemption (2013) by Random/Ballentiine, set in the fictional town of Mill River, Vermont.

She has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. For fourteen years, Chan worked as an attorney drafting environmental and natural resource legislation for the U.S. Senate

The third installment, The Promise of Home will be released, August 4, 2015.

Currently, Darcie lives just north of New York City with her husband and son. Connect with Darcie: Website Twitter Goodreads

My Review

A special thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Would make for a wonderful Hallmark TV series; one of my top books of 2015!

Masterful storyteller, Darcie Chan returns with her inspiring, and award-winning Mill River series THE PROMISE OF HOME (Mill River #3) with extraordinary characters, family, memories, age-old secrets, and a community of warm and caring residents.

While revisiting familiar characters from previous books; some struggle with social and economic tragedy, a painful past-- and some find a place of solace, where new adventures, promising futures, and new relationships, abound.

Old fans and new fans, alike will be delighted to get an inside look into Mill River's most loved town priest, Father O’Brien's intriguing historical past during the Great Depression; his childhood, family, sacrifices, secrets, and experiences shaping him into the altruistic man of today (Yum-my favorite part)!

Multi-layered, full of suspense and mystery; old secret letters, a bed and breakfast opening, an upcoming marriage, hearts mended, a possible new romance, a husband and father missing, a young woman's emotional struggle, and many more mysteries and surprises await in the quaint village of Mill River, Vermont--where family, friends, relationships, and community, unite and thrive. An idea selection for book clus and groups discussions.

Perfectly executed, well-researched, strongly characterized and emotionally complex, readers will find themselves swept up by Chan's believeable and lovable characters and their raw emotions, as much a gripping emotional suspense, mystery, and historical fiction-- as a novel of love, relationships, and family.

You are going to love this one, where the residents of Mill River become like family, drawing you back to a place of comfort and charm. Keeping my fingers crossed for a continuation of the series, as too good to end. Highly recommend!

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Mill River Series

In the meantime while you are anxiously awaiting Aug 4, be sure and read the previous two books in the series, if you have missed them. You will fall in love with the author, the characters, and the quaint town.