The Moon Child's Promise by Lucille Mullen Sondern is the story of Maggie O'Toole Loveless and the quest she undertakes in order to fulfil the last wish of her Great-Aunt Emily.

Maggie O'Toole married the wrong man, something she discovered on her honeymoon in Mexico.  But rather than leave him she remained at his side for fifteen years.  It was not until the appearance of her Great-Aunt Emily that she began to see that there was more to life than what she had seen.  But she was still too scared to take the first step in breaking free of her regime by joining Emily on her journey to Mexico.

Then in April 1984 her life changed beyond recognition on one fateful day. 

First she discovered that her philandering husband had left her for another woman, then, before she had even had the chance to let that bombshell sink in she was called to the hospital where her Great-Aunt had been admitted following a car crash. 

Her Aunt's dying wish was that Maggie take her trip to Mexico in order to scatter her ashes at the Nunnery in the famous ruins at Chichen Itza.  She also has a second mission which involves tracking down the lover that Emily left in her youth and requesting, on her Aunt's behalf, that when he dies he takes Emily to Heaven with him...for Emily does not believe she will be able to enter Heaven on her own due to the disreputable life she has led. 

Under orders to go alone or risk losing the substantial inheritance Emily has left her, Maggie quits her job in a lingerie store and flies out to Mexico.

Not entirely alone, Maggie has the occasional company of Emily herself in spirit form.  Emily appears when it is in her own interests to do so and guides Maggie on her journey to ensure that she fulfils her quest.

Maggie also finds that it is not only Emily who is looking after her interests, she is also watched over by IxChel, the Moon Goddess, who has claimed her as a daughter and has been waiting for her to return to the Sacred Cenote in order to fulfil her promise to dive into the Well of Sacrifice.

Her travels in Mexico will lead Maggie to discover the great love that IxChel has promised her and also the secrets of Emily's past which is intertwined with her own future.

We follow Maggie's journey from a somewhat naive tourist who finds herself running afoul of a corrupt Customs office to an empowered woman who knows her own mind and is willing to take a chance on the new love she has found with her guide Jaime and the new way of life she has discovered amidst the beauty and mystery of the Mayan ruins.

This novel brings the ancient ruins to life once more as we see them through the eyes of Maggie O'Toole. 

I wouldn't describe this novel as a regular formula romance novel although there are elements of romance in it.  Those who read only romance novels may well find themselves a little disappointed.  I mention this here merely because the majority of the books reviewed on this site are romance novels.  However as a general fiction novel (which is what it is classed as) it is thoroughly enjoyable and well worth taking the time to find. 
 

RATING : 
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The Moon Child's Promise is available at the following online stores: iUniverse, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Read an interview with Lucille Mullen Sondern

Links to other online stores