Terri Rhodes loves her husband—when he’s actually present. Their whirlwind marriage was a steamy fairy tale for about a year. They moved to Firefly Lake, made amazing friends . . . but over time, Jon’s legal practice and Terri’s work as an ER nurse have turned them into ships passing in the night. What she wouldn’t give to connect with Jon the way they used to before the long hours and unexpected tragedy broke both their hearts.

Jon can’t stand to see his beautiful wife in pain—or talk about his own. He couldn’t admit there was a problem until Terri got his attention in the worst way: by walking out. Jon will do anything to get her back, like leaning on their new friends in the Supper Club and taking her on dates that prove their chemistry is as hot as ever. He has to believe it’s not too late to prove to the woman he loves that his heart and ears are open. And that no matter what, he’s not giving up.

Titles in the Firefly Lake series include: A Table for Two ~ A Perfect Pairing ~ A Promise of Forever ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  A Promise of Forever
Series:  Firefly Lake #3
Author:  Sheryl Lister
Published:  August 19, 2025
Publisher:  Forever
My Rating:  4.5 stars

A Promise of Forever is the third title in the Firefly Lake series, bringing us Terri and Jon, a married couple who have drifted into uncomfortable silences when Terri makes a choice that will change their dynamics and perceptions of each other and their marriage forever.

Falling in love is the easy part; staying in love, paying attention to a marriage, that’s the hard part.  That’s where Terri and Jon are right now as their story begins.  The silence between them is screaming in pain.  The disconnection of their marriage into passing ships on a vast ocean is very real.  The fear of vanishing into something she no longer recognizes as the woman she once was is the final straw that brings Terri to the point of moving out of her home and into a friend’s guest property.  It’s not that she doesn’t still love her husband; she does.  Yet, she cannot connect to him anymore, and he spends more time at the office than ever before.  The grief that has touched their lives would either bring them closer or tear them apart… and it seems that fate has made that painful choice.

A Promise of Forever by Sheryl Lister is a soft, thoughtful, and emotionally rich story of how sometimes a couple may still be “in love” but there are also parts of their lives that desperately need attention, yes, even work.  We’ll watch as Jon gets that wakeup call, as we go on awkward dates, slow-burning emotions awakening, and perhaps, the ability to come back together better than they were, a real couple fighting to save their marriage, their love.  I enjoyed their story so much.  If you crave a well-written, emotional romance with believable characters and situations, then you’ll love Terri and Jon’s story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)