I Promise

Imagine watching two people plan their wedding. In excruciating detail. For months.<br /><br />So boring. I was nodding off while reading this. Really, I could barely keep my eyes open.

This book made me realize just how much I loved Christy and Todd. I almost cried like 5 times, I don't do that. It had all the drama Christy requires to make it through life and all the sweetness that Todd requires. The wedding was so beautiful. It left with you hope for their future, knowing that they would have problems, but they would love each other enough to make it through. I applaud Mrs. Gunn, she crafted a unique series. <br /><br />Todd is the most original guy ever and I fall in love when she said he had a VW bus. And who doesn't love a surfer? But it's more than that; he wouldn't give her false hope, he wouldn't hold her back, he was into symbolism, he was a forever kind of dude, he wasn't all or nothing, he understood that life had gray areas, he loved God, he wanted serve Him, he had dreams, and he believed in love at first sight. <br /><br />Christy really grew on me too; she was confused(aren't we all?), she grew so much, she was kind to everyone, she didn't give up, she was smart, and she was, in all certainty, perfect for Todd. <br /><br />And, yes, I used past tense on purpose. I feel like they've died. That's how you know a book series really got inside of you. But as someone smart once said "A good book has no ending" they will forever live on in my mind. <br /><br />This one needs a higher age recommendation though, due to their impending wedding they talk about certain parts of their future.

When I think back to fifteen years ago, when I read the Christy Miller teen years series for the first time, I seem to recall identifying with Christy and enjoying the fact thoroughly. A month or two ago, as I began the college series, my overall expectation was that I would no longer identify with the characters as much, since I've ben through a lot more of life, and Christian fiction tends to flatten characters by making them act too "perfectly" when life hits them hard. So, all in all, I wasn't expecting much from these books, although I wasn't expecting to hate them. I simply wanted to finish the series to gain a sense of completeness, of a finished task.<br /><br />So imagine my surprise when I found that God had some small lessons in mind for me as I read the books. Contrary to what I expected, instead of disliking the book because of Christy's close to "perfect" responses to life hazards, I began to see her more as, I suppose you could say, a role model. What made this really evident to me was the surprising renewed revelation that Christy's shortcomings are extremely similar to mine--but she handles them much, much better than I do. And for the first time I read these books in such a way that, instead of glorying in the fact that she has all the same problems I do, I was gently challenged to start to mature out of my shortcomings as Christy does. I was gently challenged to trust God more, worry less, and, above all, not wallow in my failures, but try to grow out of them. That last bit went especially deep.<br /><br />I feel like I read these books at just the right time. More than just the fact that I am very close to Christy's age and stage in life in this series, I feel that this was the right time in my walk with God for me to read these books. I was completely not expecting it, but God used them to show me some quiet truths He's been conveying to me little by little.<br /><br />As to the 4 stars, those are given from a more objective, literary stance, and that rating doesn't matter as much as how God used them in my life.

*Has a spoiler*<br />This book was so cool for me. It's been around fifteen to eighteen books of Christy and Todd's story and I started reading the series when I was around ten. It was amazing to see them be engaged, plan their wedding, work out their differences, and finally get married. I liked that they planned their wedding how they wanted it to be, not bending to anyone else's pressure for a certain venue or theme. I really appreciated that the differences between them was addressed. They have completely different ways of going about things and that isn't bad, but could cause problems. I liked that Marti was finally considering God, even if she didn't become saved. I think that would have been too perfect of an ending, even though they have been working on her for awhile but oh well. I really liked that some of Todd's issues were addressed, as well as the issue of waiting and being ready for sex when they got married. This was a perfect ending. I loved the details of the wedding, especially her dress. And Katie's part of the story made me excited to read her series. A great way to end it.

This was the straw that broke the camels back.<br /><br />When I reviewed the previous two books, I came away with a decidedly "meh" opinion of them. Although, if I'm honest, I was a little more "meh" about the second book than the first.<br /><br />Because they were just "meh" and had no extremely detracting qualities, I decided that they would stay on my shelf, for now.<br /><br />Then along came this book or should I say, "Here comes the bride."<br /><br />There is absolutely no real plot to this book. If you want a work of fiction all about planning a wedding with a few cutesy stories thrown in, this is your cup of tea. Seriously. Wedding planning with the last few pages being the actual wedding. I think Hallmark wants their cheesy clichés back.<br /><br />I knew yesterday that I wasn't keeping this book. However, once I start a book I usually finish it so I finished it.<br /><br />This is not real life. Life is not all about going to college but spending your senior year wedding planning/working to save money for after the wedding/a little bit of studying thrown in on the side.<br /><br />Whatever you do, don't read this book. Don't waste your time.

I found this a complete disappointment, considering it was the Story everyone was waiting for -- that of Christy and Todd finally getting married. But where was the story? This was just a wedding plan in stages, with some arguments here and there that we never saw get settled, sprinkled with a glimpse of Katie &amp; Rick's new relationship and finally larded with stereotypical romantic traditions of weddings and a woman's place in the world (read: only good if connected to a man).<br />I'm harsh, yes, but that's because I know RJG CAN give us a story. How much more fun and interesting if she'd shown us the marriage, not told us the wedding planning.

It was nice to see a conclusion to the love story between Todd and Christy and while I found this book entertaining, sometimes I found certain parts to be drawn-out or kind of boring. I agree with the message though and think there is a definite gap these books fill with their stance on purity and real relationships. I'd recommend.<br /><br />*Taken from my book reviews blog: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2009/09/book-review-826-i-promise-by-robin.html">http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2009...</a>

I loved this series!!! It was sooooo good! I can't even explain how much I enjoyed it! Every teen girl has to read all of the Christy Miller books! They are amazing!! Robin will have me reading these books forever!! :)

Such a wonderful series. I'm glad more of the wedding is in Katie's first book. I love it every time! I think I'll try to read this series once a year- it seems it will provide me with new insights during each season of life. I know it has so far. Well done, Mrs. Gunn!

It was everything I could have ever wanted for an ending. I'm crying right now because I keep looking back at 14 year old Christy and now she's 21 year old Christy. Or 20. Whatever. Thank you, Robin. And I can't wait for The Married Years.