Brax Donovan plans to live out his last years with his faithful dog, Sunny, in a house nestled in the north Georgia mountains. But when he learns that the husband of his ex-lover, Dae Whitehead, has died, he sees a new hope for his future. To clear his mind, he takes a walk in the woods behind his house and meets a mysterious young boy named Ty tending a fire pit. Ty speaks haltingly and runs away after making a disturbing comment. Afterward, Brax discovers the charred remnants of some vile pictures in the undergrowth nearby.
In Promise of the Hills, a mature couple rekindle a love that has been forbidden for three long years. An eight-year-old boy enters their lives, bringing a new dimension to their future, and becomes a key figure in uncovering a shocking crime that stuns a small town. A strong-willed man and his rebellious son reconcile their lifelong differences. As a family comes together, three generations are bound by the memory of the past and the promise of the future. Promise of the Hills is the sequel to Mike’s debut novel, Promise of Silver.
PRAISE FOR PROMISE OF THE HILLS:
"Promise of the Hills is a heartwarming tale of mature love and understanding. The characters, a devoted couple, Brax and Dae, and Ty, the young boy they take into their lives, all leap off the page and grab you by the heart. But some of the locals are not who they seem, and when Brax helps untangle a crime with dark undertones, their small town is turned upside down. A warm and satisfying read."
—Lynda Fitzgerald, author of the Sunshine State Mystery Series
"Promise of the Hills is the love story of a couple in the autumn of their lives who find fulfillment by taking risks and making hard choices.”
—Mary Anna Bryan, author of Cardinal Hill, winner of the 2015 Ferrol Sams Literary Award
"Michael K. Brown has given us a winner – an intimate snapshot of the emotional journey of two lives challenged by adversity. Confronting the most horrific episodes of human-behavior, we’re swept into the outcome of hope and finally, peace, in the lives of a southern family and a young boy desperately in need of the love he seeks. The true values of courage and commitment become palpable before leaving the reader with a smile of satisfaction and a tear of happiness."
—Stan Waits, Georgia Writers Assoc. Award Winning author of Another Long Hot Day
"Promise of the Hills is an absorbing modern novel of a beautifully-unveiled late-in-life love story, coupled with a sub-plot that becomes more bizarre. Set in the Georgia mountains, it also introduces a subject people don’t want to talk about, especially in small towns, though such stories are all around us. It sends the protagonists to delve unexpectedly into solving a mystery, with plenty of twists-and turns that keep you alert. Michael K. Brown keeps the reader engaged with his effortless style of writing."
—Elliott Brack, veteran newspaperman, author, and current editor of Gwinnett Forum
"Everybody loves a love story but when it’s interwoven with mystery, drama, family angst and even a sinister presence, the reader gets hooked early on. Michael Brown’s Promise of the Hills portrays the depths of a late in life relationship with a heart-touching story set against the picturesque backdrop of Low Country tides and mountainside green spaces. His poignant ending leaves you satisfied that the story has been richly told with lingering hope that it will be continued.”
—Barbara Jackson Ryan, Publisher, Low Country Publishing
