Promises are like castles made of sand...Kayla believed Zach was the man to repair her heart and her family. Zach believed Kayla was the woman to repair his soul. But Zach’s secrets are too big, his guilt too heavy, for him to keep his promises. He needs to get out now before he causes Kayla more heartache than the young widow has already endured. There’s nothing like a crisis to bring two people together, and suddenly, the idyllic island off the Mid-Atlantic coast has those in spades. A serial killer has found his way into paradise, bringing Zach’s former life close to home, and Kayla is facing a health scare that is every woman’s worse nightmare. Will the tragedies they face pull them apart or bring them closer to fulfilling their promises to each other? Very moving, and filled with sensory description that brings heartfelt scenes to life. We can feel the differentiation between each of the relationships that author is blessed to have. Story opens with a well-crafted, gripping moment with the rifle. Mirroring that lightning-fast moment when all changes, even when it turns out to be a dream, creates high energy for the start of the book. Well done. We get action, trauma, character history and relationship. We're breathless and fully engaged in the story to come. Author writes fear and tension well, creating the up and down cadence of that awful season of waiting for diagnoses, tests and the primal reactions to all. Author creates a tapestry of emotional reactions, strength and faith from her loved ones that brought me to tears at times. It's amazing to see and feel a family working together, reassuring, sacrificing and uplifting. I liked the pace of this story, the unfurling of each chapter, with great, leading transitions between them. Author has a nice instinct for slowing down the narrative when we need to catch our breath, and - notably and admirably - weaves in such beautiful moments of gratitude. Settings become realistic with nicely-crafted descriptions, and dialogue sections often tap into the magic of soul connection deepening anything that might be said. Well done. Beyond this, we get Zach overcoming his trauma, and author has created an entirely different, nuanced set of feelings. The connections enlivened through this book each bring a layered world, inspirational in the strength they take from others. Very well done. Reader is reminded of the power of belief and the strength of faith even in unimaginable loss. Well done. I loved the power in these interactions and the shifting forms of intrigue. Author has crafted a well-structured, engaging book. Judge, 27th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards. Writing a book is not an easy task. Though the words always seem to flow effortlessly from my fingertips to my computer screen, there is so much more that goes into writing a novel than simply putting words to paper. Every character, every scene, every setting, becomes real to me, like family and favorite destinations. I pour my heart and soul into each story, each character, each line, and I hope that is evident in the final work. Chincoteague Island is a real place, and I have tried to portray the island and the surrounding areas much as they are in real life. Though I have taken some license with geography, names, and businesses, what you read about is indeed the wonder of the island and its inhabitants. Thank you, citizens of Chincoteague, for embracing Island of Miracles. I hope that Island of Promise is all that you hoped it would be. Amy has been writing all of her life as an author and freelance writer. Her first children's book, Crabbing With Granddad, is an autobiographical work about spending a day harvesting the Maryland Blue Crab. Her debut novel, A Place to Call Home, was released in 2014 by Sarah Book Publishing. A second edition was published in March of 2015. Picture Me, A Mystery, published in 2015, is the winner of the 2016 Illumination Bronze Award as one of the top three eBooks of 2015. Amy's critically acclaimed novel, Whispering Vines, published in 2016, was awarded the Illumination Bronze Award as one of the top three Christian Romance books of 2016. Whispering Vines was also awarded the LYRA for the best ebook romance of 2016. She followed up her success with Island of Miracles in 2017, winner of a 2016 Illumination Award. Amy also released her newest children's book, The Greatest Gift, in 2017. All of Amy's books may be purchased in bookstores as well as online on all major print and ebook sites. Amy grew up in Southern Maryland, received her Bachelor's Degree from Salisbury University, and graduated from the University of Maryland with a Master's in Library and Information Science. A former librarian and teacher, she now lives on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with her husband, three daughters, and two dogs.