This I Promise You

by Tracy Stern

This I Promise You is a modern-day Cinderella story—the tale of a determined young woman’s quest for happiness against all odds as she single-handedly struggles to save her family’s world-class hotel from disaster.The death of Kati Meier’s beloved grandfather marks the end of Karl-Gustav Becker’s half-century reign as owner of one of Europe’s grandest, most luxurious hotels, Baden-Baden’s Waldhotel Becker. Set against the breathtaking splendor of the River Oos, surrounded by the matchless beauty of the Black Forest and the soothing charm of the local hot springs, the Waldhotel is renowned for its Old World elegance and superlative first-class service, and revered by its celebrated (and fiercely loyal) clientele.But the future of the Waldhotel may now be in jeopardy as overwhelming financial problems and the overwhelming responsibility of running such a fabled establishment threaten to close its doors forever, or worse, see it fall into the hands of a stranger.Kati, enchanted by her family’s ties to this magnificent “grande dame” of European spas, and enraged at the thought of losing it, finds herself in the center of the maelstrom as she alone begins a hard-fought and oftentimes perilous struggle to carry on the legacy her grandfather so lovingly created.Driven by her desire to succeed, Kati must first overcome those who would see the Waldhotel Peter von Hassler as the son of a hotel gardener, Peter was forced to take a back seat to those born of privilege and wealth. But his bitterness and jealousy are only rivaled by his desperate desire to be part of that world, and when Peter is hired as the Waldhotel’s General Manager, he sees a golden opportunity for revenge. Eva-Maria Meier : Kati’s sensuous and tempestuous older sister, her love for the hotel goes only as far as what it can buy for her. In Eva-Maria, Peter finds an equally bitter ally and a passionate partner in crime. Henri-Etienne de Beaumont : the unscrupulous owner of the Villa Soleil on the French Riviera, his calculated seduction of someone even more important to Kati than her beloved hotel is only a prelude to his real desire—to win absolute control of the Waldhotel Becker. But his son, Christophe, unaware of his father’s dangerous intentions, secretly takes a job as Waldhotel chef and wins Kati’s trust and friendship—a friendship that could deepen into something much more passionate if tragic legacies both past and present can be overcome.Traveling from Germany’s lush Black Forest to a squalid pension on Paris’ Left Bank, and, finally, careening down the winding fast track of the Grande Corniche in the South of France, This I Promise You unlocks the door to a dazzling world of romance, tragedy, and triumph. Here is truly memorable and moving entertainment.

Genres: Fiction

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

heartbreaking and triumph story