Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Bound to a Promise

Rate this book
At six o'clock on a cold, foggy morning in Fresno, California, Bonnie Floyd's horrific nightmare began . . . but she was wide-awake! This may sound like the beginning of a fiction thriller, but it isn't. This is a true story, and the nightmare was all too real. Life as Bonnie had known it was over, and the future she faced was unimaginable . . . unspeakable. Bound to a Promise is a nonfiction novel, told in fascinating, page-turning fiction style. This astonishing true story will grab you with the first sentence and hold you captive until the very last page. Based on Scotland Yard's investigation, newspaper reports, court transcripts, and eyewitness accounts, Bound to a Promise has it all-exotic settings, courtroom drama, real-life adventure, convicting testimony, and puzzling mystery. The key to this disturbing drama hangs on a very crucial and binding promise made to Bonnie. Did the promise maker keep that promise or was there a chance it was broken? The answer to that burning question had everlasting consequences both for the one who made the promise and to whom the promise was made. This shocking story is like an exciting action movie played out in powerful print. Don't be surprised if it captures your heart and you, too, become bound to a promise.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

17 people are currently reading
80 people want to read

About the author

Bonnie Floyd

3 books2 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
45 (56%)
4 stars
22 (27%)
3 stars
7 (8%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
1 star
2 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Victor Gentile.
2,035 reviews66 followers
December 7, 2013
Bonnie Floyd in her new book, “Bound To A Promise” published by Creative Enterprises Studio takes us into the life of Bonnie Floyd.

From the back cover: At six o’clock on a cold, foggy morning in Fresno, California, Bonnie Floyd’s horrific nightmare began . . . but she was wide-awake!

This may sound like the beginning of a fiction thriller, but it isn’t. This is a true story, and the nightmare was all too real. Life as Bonnie had known it was over, and the future she faced was unimaginable . . . unspeakable.

Bound to a Promise is a nonfiction novel, told in fascinating, page-turning fiction style. This astonishing true story will grab you with the first sentence and hold you captive until the very last page.

Based on Scotland Yard’s investigation, newspaper reports, court transcripts, and eyewitness accounts, Bound to a Promise has it all-exotic settings, courtroom drama, real-life adventure, convicting testimony, and puzzling mystery.

The key to this disturbing drama hangs on a very crucial and binding promise made to Bonnie. Did the promise maker keep that promise or was there a chance it was broken? The answer to that burning question had everlasting consequences both for the one who made the promise and to whom the promise was made.

This shocking story is like an exciting action movie played out in powerful print. Don’t be surprised if it captures your heart and you, too, become bound to a promise.

You would think that this kind of situation could not happen to a Christian, yet it did. Why didn’t God prevent it? Individuals who do not know God certainly do not listen to Him so these individuals committed murder. However God was there for Bonnie and helped her through the entire time it took to bring about justice. I am pretty much sure that I could not have handled it but Ms. Floyd did with the help of God. It took years of waiting for the suspects to be arrested and the trial to begin. That kind of patience only can be given by God. ”Bound To A Promise” is a story of deliverance and forgiveness. Ms. Floyd could have sunk into bitterness and a want of revenge but instead leaned on her faith and found compassion. Ms. Floyd has given us an extraordinary story of her true life experience that shows no matter what life throws at us as long as we walk with God we cannot be broken and can rise above the situation.

If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.

To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
264 reviews
May 27, 2020
This book is a true story. If you’re looking for a perfectly written mystery, this is not it. It can’t be, because it is totally true and is written just as it happened. Knowing that makes it almost unbelievable at times. The author is a strong Christian who also details her own reactions and thoughts as she lived through the events of the story. It is a tale of amazing forgiveness made possible through the power of God. The star rating is based on these facts.
6 reviews
July 18, 2020
A bit of a disappointment

The reviews of this book were so high that I couldn't wait to read it. Once invested in the story and knowing what the devastation for the writer was, I kept waiting for more...and it never happened. Not to dismiss the events in the book, it was horrible what the writer faced however going round and round about it wasn't all that entertaining.

That said I feel for the author and her loss and LOVE her heart for Jesus!
Profile Image for Veronica McNatt.
3 reviews
October 29, 2019
I thought it was very slow & I found my mind drifting as I read it. Did not hold my attention or interest at all.
30 reviews
May 1, 2020
Powerful story of forgiveness and how the Lord can take a horrible thing and make something good come out of it.
Profile Image for Kathleen (Kat) Smith.
1,613 reviews94 followers
December 4, 2013
"Never in a million years did I think I would be feeling so apprehensive about a trip to Jethou, but then I never thought my parents would be murdered either. Life is so uncertain, and that is why what Kimberly's mom, Shirley, said to me the day I got "the call" keeps me from fearing what tomorrow may bring. She said, "Bonnie, I know this has shocked you and shaken you to the core, but honey, this did not take God by surprise."

Couple that with Pastor Johnson saying, "God, could have prevented this, but He didn't, and He doesn't make mistakes," and you've got a certain God in an uncertain world.

It is not God who makes our lives uncertain, it it those who choose to sin. God knew my phone would ring that fateful morning, and in His sovereignty He orchestrated His angels to watch over me, and He sent my brothers and sisters in Christ to come alongside me. Therefore, I rest in my faith, knowing that God can and will see me through anything." (pg 89).

In the book, Bound to A Promise by Bonnie Floyd, she chronicles the true story of the murders of her father William Norman Clever, his wife Kathleen and two crew man aboard the yacht Challenger, Thomas Williams, and Ian (Criddy) Cridland. It was the phone call no one ever wants to get and one that would consume years waiting for the suspects to be arrested and the trial to begin. But more than that, this book is about what redemption and salvation looks like for the believer that has to deal with a situation no one ever wants to deal with and how it looks to come out of it on the other side.



It show cases how prayer and faith in God got both Bonnie and her husband Don along with their family and friends through the darkest of times. It is a book based on the true story of those murders but more than that it is a store of restoration of lost souls and finding compassion instead of bitterness as the reader takes a walk back in time in Bonnie's shoes through this entire nightmare. Her faith in God remains evident on every single page and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this.

I received Bound to a Promise by Bonnie Floyd compliments of B and B Media Group for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one. The opinions contained in this review are strictly my own. This is such a great testimony not only of Bonnie's life of faith but also how God answers in some of the darkest moments of our life. The road is not one that is easily traveled but when you consider the alternative fork in the road, you can see the results of this endeavor once she emerges on the other side stronger in her faith than ever before. God never left her or her parents and He gives her confirmation of that through several ways. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend this to anyone struggling with faith in why God allows bad things to happen. It is life changing.

Profile Image for Kellyreads04.
144 reviews12 followers
January 25, 2014
Reading this book, Bound to a Promise, has left me wondering ~ is the beauty that lies within it’s pages the poignant words of a daughter’s heartbreaking loss and subsequent forgiveness, or the faith that remains steadfast through-out? The first would give one pause, a chance to question faith in humanity and perhaps one’s faith entirely. But the second lends itself the one true reason to write such a book ~ to speak, to share, to write it all down and give glory to Him .... now that’s a way to witness!

From the opening pages of her childhood, parents divorce, teeange spiritedness and meeting Donnie, the pages flow with character and ease. I had to smile at her dialog with her dad and the “look list” they’d share, like #27 being that’s inappropriate or #20 don’t follow. It gives great lead the strong relationship that Bonnie (Bean) and her dad shared as both a young child up to the point where he was lost to her in a senseless, sad murder.

And it’s a savage murder indeed! 3 men who climb un-welcomed onto their boat while sailing in Antiqua brutally take the lives of Bonnie’s parent and 2 crew members. They are caught and brought to trial. And it’s through this trial that Bonnie shares the ‘meat and bones’ of this novel’s purpose, I believe. And that is, as she states, God’s message: “the purpose in your heart is not to hate.” It was brutal, violent, horrific and no one should have to hear that a parent(s) died in such manner, let alone sit through weeks after weeks of the trial that ultimately brings justice to a senseless crime. But out of that, a bond is formed with Bonnie and Donaldson, one of the criminals that accepted Christ into his heart and the ensuing spiritual relationship was formed. God calls upon us to forgive those in that we do not harbor unforgiveness in our hearts. Bonnie has done that on an unfathomable level through her enviable relationship with God. She not only trusted Him in her greatest moment of tribulation, but rejoiced Him in moments of triumph and wrote it all down. It’s reflected in the crux of this unforgettable book as a wonderful tool of ministering to others.

There times most of us are stand still, reach into the corners of our minds and hearts and wonder “What is my purpose in life?” and I believe, having read this exceptional book, that Bonnie Floyd has most definitely found hers.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided to me (to review and give my honest opinion) by The B&B Media Group. The opinion expressed above is my own.
Profile Image for Deborah.
274 reviews
December 6, 2013
At six o'clock on a cold, foggy morning in Fresno, California, Bonnie Floyd's horrific nightmare began . . . but she was wide-awake! This may sound like the beginning of a fiction thriller, but it isn't. This is a true story, and the nightmare was all too real. Life as Bonnie had known it was over, and the future she faced was unimaginable . . . unspeakable. Bound to a Promise is a nonfiction novel, told in fascinating, page-turning fiction style. This astonishing true story will grab you with the first sentence and hold you captive until the very last page. Based on Scotland Yard's investigation, newspaper reports, court transcripts, and eyewitness accounts, Bound to a Promise has it all-exotic settings, courtroom drama, real-life adventure, convicting testimony, and puzzling mystery. The key to this disturbing drama hangs on a very crucial and binding promise made to Bonnie. Did the promise maker keep that promise or was there a chance it was broken? The answer to that burning question had everlasting consequences both for the one who made the promise and to whom the promise was made. This shocking story is like an exciting action movie played out in powerful print. Don't be surprised if it captures your heart and you, too, become bound to a promise.

My Review:

This story was amazing. It is drama, intrigue, suspense, redemption, and forgiveness that will blow your mind. I was surprised how I felt about this book, considering I'm not a fan of memoirs. But this one was really different, and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing.

I really liked how Bonnie included some background stories; stories of her childhood, of the early years. It really lent voice to her parents as people before they were killed, and I appreciated how Bonnie portrayed everything with honesty and frankness.

Forgiving someone of a crime like this seems impossible, and especially since her parents may not have been believers. But the grace of God is a wonderful thing, and He always keeps His promises. Bound To A Promise is a book that is realistic, and shows what the human capacity for love truly is.

This book was provided by the publisher through B&B Media for free in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Mary-ann.
163 reviews3 followers
August 30, 2016
I honestly don’t know where to begin, this is an amazing story that you can not put down. Ms. Floyd has written her story in such a gripping way.

The story begins with the introduction to her and her family, and the separation and divorce of her parents; and the travels of her father and step mother. Ms. Floyd has a way of bringing you right into her life as she writes the story of her father and step mother’s travels around the world.

Then the tragic hits, and she writes of her trust in God, and how He moves in her life, and how she uses God’s love and redemption to forgive a man involved with her parent’s murder.

This is an enthralling true life novel, which shows us God’s love, his redemption and how He can work in our lives. I highly recommend this novel. When I first read the back, I thought it would be a ho-hum story, but I was proven wrong! A definite must read.y don’t know where to begin, this is an amazing story that you can not put down. Ms. Floyd has written her story in such a gripping way.
The story begins with the introduction to her and her family, and the separation and divorce of her parents; and the travels of her father and step mother. Ms. Floyd has a way of bringing you right into her life as she writes the story of her father and step mother’s travels around the world.

Then the tragic hits, and she writes of her trust in God, and how He moves in her life, and how she uses God’s love and redemption to forgive a man involved with her parent’s murder.
This is an enthralling true life novel, which shows us God’s love, his redemption and how He can work in our lives. I highly recommend this novel. When I first read the back, I thought it would be a ho-hum story, but I was proven wrong! A definite must read.
Profile Image for Tamara Tilley.
Author 10 books23 followers
January 23, 2016
BOUND TO A PROMISE is the amazing story of how Bonnie Floyd turned incredible personal loss into a story of forgiveness and redemption.

In one earth shattering phone call, Bonnie Floyd’s life was changed forever. Finding out her parents were murdered while sailing the Caribbean, Bonnie is devastated and looking for answers. What transpires is an amazing story of how God used this horrific tragedy for good in the lives of those who came in contact with Bonnie Floyd. Bonnie became the feet of Jesus, bringing unearned forgiveness and the story of God’s love to the very people who took her parents’ lives.

I was fascinated not only by Bonnie’s listening ear to the voice of God, but this book also served as a reminder to me to be thankful in all things, and to realize the small inconveniences or difficulties we all experience on a daily basis is nothing compare to the incredible loss and grief others are experiencing right alongside us. Bonnie truly put faith into action, even when she didn’t feel like it.

An incredible true story, autobiographical but with all the suspense and angst of a modern-day novel.

Book provided for review purposes.
Profile Image for Karen Korb.
252 reviews5 followers
December 22, 2013
My Thoughts On The Book: This story was so powerful. It is filled with drama, intrigue, suspense, redemption, and forgiveness. I am not a huge fan of memoirs but this book had me from the very first page. As the story unfolded I could not imagine what it would have been like to have lived this horrible story. I felt as if I were right in the middle of everything that was going on. I really loved how Floyd included background stories to help the reader truly understand her feelings. The book was real, frank and honest. This could happen to anyone. The question I was left with was would I personally be ready if it did? When she talks about forgiveness it was raw reading. How do you forgive someone who did something so brutal to someone you love so much? Bonnie's forgiveness is given through the God she knows and loves. His grace is amazing and He always keeps His promises. Even if you do not like memoirs, this book is a must read.

Statement of Disclosure: I received this book to review from B & B Media Group, Inc. for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to participate in this one. It was AWESOME!



Profile Image for JoJo Sutis.
Author 1 book43 followers
December 6, 2013
WOW! What a powerful, emotional, unforgettable story!

Even though I do not know Bonnie, her father, or her family, I found my self drawn into the story- wanting answers and desiring justice. I felt Bonnie’s emotion over her parents divorce and her feelings of abandonment when her father chose to sail out of her life when she was only a child. I understood and could relate to her desire to be loved and the actions that followed. I felt the urgency she did as she shared the love of Jesus and desperately wanted the father she adored to accept Christ.

Every step of the journey. I felt I was right there, so enthralled in this heart-wrenching story.

But “Bound To A Promise” is so much more than just an account of murder….it is a story of forgiveness. This is a powerful theme that runs throughout the book.

As I read Bonnie’s story, I was challenged to look at my own life. I thought… “If Bonnie could do it…surely, I can do it too!”
Profile Image for Ann Nahigian.
69 reviews2 followers
January 22, 2014
What a mighty God we serve...yet One who is so personally involved in our lives. Story got a little bogged down during the trial portion...but was a fascinating read, especially knowing a number of the people involved.
5 reviews30 followers
March 14, 2016
This book was so inspiring. Bonnie's testimony is an amazing testament to who Jesus is. Her wit and heart shine through her writing and I can't envision this story being written any different. Thank you Bonnie for writing your story!
1 review
December 31, 2013
GREAT READ

Amazing true story of redemption and forgiveness. I couldn't stop reading it! I look forward to reading the follow-up to the rest of the story.
Profile Image for Kathleen Waggoner.
2 reviews1 follower
December 7, 2017
This is a wonderful true story that reads like a novel! An amazing story of forgiveness and redemption.
Profile Image for Andrew Pierce.
113 reviews2 followers
February 15, 2018
Basically I read this book at two sittings over two days. The pace of this true story just reeled me in. As a former Senior Detective & as a committed Christian I found it an enthralling read,
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.