When Promises Are Forever

A dream job, the perfect boss, and a surprise invitation. Is this an unexpected chance for happiness? Or is Sara about to make a mistake that will cost her everything for which she has fought?

Through hard work, self-sacrifice and stubborn determination, Sara Messinger believes she has earned her place in a prestigious Melbourne law firm. She is no longer an inexperienced "new girl" who needs constant guidance and direction. While the young lawyer is grateful for the encouragement and support she has received from her handsome supervisor during the past two years, she is not foolish. She carefully guards her heart against temptation, determined not to be distracted from her main goal. By refusing to entertain her childhood dream to have a family of her own, she dedicates all her energy to pursuing a successful career.

Oliver Johnson works for a private security consultant. The ex-military agent goes undercover as a night watchman to investigate a potential threat to one of the law firm's senior partners. The endangered client is heir to a powerful Australian-Italian family reputed to have far-reaching connections. After an accidental meeting with Sara, Oliver dismisses her as nothing more than an innocent bystander. The preliminary evidence suggests that an unknown enemy within the client's secretive family is the real danger. When Sara's name is added to the list of potential suspects, Oliver stands by his preliminary assessment. But then her best friend decides to play matchmaker...

When Sara's trusting nature draws her into a hidden world where extortion, violent intimidation and betrayal are the common currency, Oliver is torn between his primary mission and an inexplicable urge to protect a woman who can never be his.

Additional information about where this book fits in the River Wild Romantic Suspense series:

This is the fifth book in a seven-book series, but it stands alone and can be read independently from the other books. Central characters from the other books are involved in this story, and a timeline and a character list specific to this book are provided. There is also a brief description of the other Titles. Key themes which carry across the series, are presented through the lens of a Christian worldview: love, hope, justice. The darker themes in this story include unhealthy relationships, misplaced trust and potential for abuse.

The story begins with an encounter that pre-dates the first book. Previously untold facts are introduced, and as the saga unfolds, some key series events are explored from a different perspective. Sara and Oliver do not identify as having (or needing) a personal faith, but circumstances bring them to a place where they acknowledge that they are broken and in need of rescue. The choices that they make from that point leads to personal transformation. The happy-ever-after ending Sara hoped for comes at great personal cost for both of them.