Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

After six years of college, Princess Liliana “Lily” Rubyserpent returns home to her clan of hybrids. Awaiting her are a string of parties, including one for a huge family reunion and her twenty-fifth birthday. But that’s not all. She also learns that her childhood friends, Kayden, Trey, and Mason, are keen on holding her to a promise they had made to each other years ago. That they would be mates if by her twenty-fifth birthday, both sides were still single. Instead of exciting her, this only leaves her apprehensive about meeting them. They had drifted apart four years ago following an insensitive comment from Kayden. Soon, it becomes clear that she had been wrong about Kayden, and she gives in to their advances. However, as the trio courts her, she realizes that she has a darkness within her that may not only be affecting them but is pulling her into a world, where, unknown to her or her clan, her destiny lies. What exactly is Lily destined for? Find out in Their Promise by Catherine Banks.

If you are looking for a paranormal romance laced with drama, mystery, suspense, plot twists, and urban, dark fantasy, Their Promise by Catherine Banks is a worthy pick. With worldbuilding that integrates an urban world with the supernatural, and intimate, reflective prose, Banks introduces readers to interesting characters. The depictions of the scenes vividly painted the settings on the pages. Lily navigates her relationship with the trio—going on dates and losing herself in erotic escapades—and her investigation into the heightened demon activity in her home world. From the emotional sensations to the ambience of the scenes, the characters have conflicts and struggles relatable to the real world, maintaining the story’s grip on reality. Lily is just beginning to know herself and the world around her, yet the more she discovers, the more questions arise. The story ends with a powerful cliffhanger, promising more intrigue and answers in the second installment.