Nettie Early Reviews: Impossible Promise by Sybil Bartel

Title:  Impossible Promise
Series:  Unchecked, Book 1
Author:  Sybil Bartel
Genre:  Romantic Suspense

**Disclaimer:  A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Three years ago, Layna Blair listened in horror over a telephone line as her parents were murdered. When the killer said she was next, Layna panicked and made a deadly deal—his secret in exchange for her life. She’s paid the price every day since, becoming a prisoner in plain sight.

Marine Sergeant Blaze Johnson offers Layna a way out—her freedom, his rules, no questions asked—and she takes it, despite knowing what her keepers do to people who get too close. She doesn’t know Blaze is fighting his own demons or that beneath his warrior façade is a man on the verge of breaking.

Embarking on a wild revenge mission with Blaze and his smooth-talking best friend, Talon, is not what Layna signed on for. But attempting to run when Blaze has made no secret he intends to make her his is a reckless mistake. With the killer closing in, it’s up to Blaze to save them all—and to Layna to realize that she’s risked the one thing she can’t afford to lose.

The title Impossible Promise says it all about the storyline of this book because it is impossible to see where the story will eventually land and which character will win the girl.  Sybil Bartel was first introduced to me with her first book, No Apologies, which I really loved so when I saw this one, I thought let me give it a shot. 

While there are some fatal flaws with the book, the storyline is really engaging and I just couldn't get enough of Talon.  As a secondary character, he rocked my world and I found myself asking multiple times, now why is chick slated to be with Buck?  Layna's chemistry with Talon was off the charts and I had a really hard time accepting the relationship between her and Buck.  The two ran hot and cold for most of the book and unfortunately, the circumstances involved in the storyline required Layna to spend most of her time with Talon.  Regardless, Buck and Layna eventually find their way to one another and I'm dying to find out what will happen next with their story.

Impossible Promise is full of action, savory characters and characters that you just know when/if their story gets told, it will be unbelievable.  I have no idea when I will get my next fix from Sybil but I'm sure she will deliver.  She has the ability to write heroes that readers love to hate and then somehow redeem them in a way that makes you really pump your fist when they get their happily ever after.  I'm giving Impossible Promise 4 Sizzling Keys to this one and desperately waiting to get the next book!