Commitments

Commitments was written during Delinsky's transition period as she moved from straight romance to the broader arena of women's fiction. As such, the story has a strong romance at its core but attempts to deal with other issues as well. Sabrina Stone's son was born severely brain damaged, for example. Investigative reporter Derek McGill was wrongly convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison in a plot masterminded by a very powerful enemy. The work cascades from human interest to self-discovery to romance cum mystery, passable plots all, but in the end it is too confusing and ultimately unsatisfying. Joyce Bean's narrative contribution makes the tale bearable; she moves easily among the characters and adds emotional depth and tension to the dialog.