I have just finished reading the book of Richard Paul Evans entitled The Last Promise. It actually took me a while to finish this particular book which is uncharacteristic of me because I usually take just a few days to finish a paperback or a few hours if I read uninterrupted.

The book to me was dragging in the early pages but I think that is because I have been used to the fast paced storytelling of crime and suspense authors. Towards the end however, I had a difficult time putting it down. Since I read just before I sleep, I stayed up late a lot just to get another page in.

The story takes place in Tuscany, Italy where an American woman, Eliana, is unhappily married to a wealthy Italian businessman, Maurizio. They have a son who has severe asthma attacks and often has to be watched over in any kind of activity. The husband was no help as he was always away from home on business or cavorting with his other women.

Ross, is an American who ran away to Italy to forget a painful past. He finds his way into Eliana’s life by becoming a tenant at the family’s villa. He becomes attracted to Eliana and eventually falls in love with her. They were able to spend a lot of time together as the husband is rarely home. As expected Eliana falls in love with Ross. She finds it hard to imagine how someone could be so good to her when her own husband is not.

The plot becomes more complex when Maurizio discovers the truth. Although nothing has really happened between Eliana and Ross, their intimacy was apparent and Maurizio threatens to take their son away from Eliana.

The story ends with making Maurizio more human and Eliana and Ross making a future together back in America.

I was crying as I read the last chapters. I totally felt for Eliana and her son… and of course Ross. The romantic in me imagined myself in Eliana’s shoes. I hated the fact that there exists such double standards even in today’s world. And that is what I remained thinking about long after I had put the book down. I thought about how Eliana could not be faulted for being human and started thinking of things that would make me vulnerable as she had been.

• If the time comes that I feel neglected and unappreciated by my husband
• If the time comes that I feel like I was taking care of everything in the family and for the family
• If the time comes that I find no one taking care of me when I am sick
• If the time comes that I feel I can no longer talk to my husband
• If the time comes that I feel all of the above and then someone comes and takes care of me… treats me like a princess… haha… what a fantasy that is.

Good thing I am enveloped in my husband’s love… at least I think so…