‏#BlogTour #Review #ThePromise #Netgalley

Release Date: 28th January 2018 / Publisher: Book Guild Publishing Ltd

A man has been stabbed. A woman is bloodstained. The nightmares from her teenage years have begun again for Olivia Field – just as she is preparing to marry.

Ex-convict, Tina is terminally ill. Before she dies, the care of her younger, psychologically unwell brother, Wayne must be ensured. So Tina calls in a promise made to her thirty years ago in a prison cell. A promise that was written down and placed with crucial evidence illustrating a miscarriage of justice in a murder case.

Tina believes Olivia is perfectly placed to provide the care Wayne needs, but to do so, Olivia must be forced to cancel her own wedding and wreck the lives of those close to her. Tina’s terrible blackmail demands put Olivia’s entire future and, ultimately, her freedom under threat.

The Promise is a fast-paced psychological thriller told from several third person viewpoints. The novel explores the lengths to which people are prepared go in order to protect those they love and the impossibility of ever fully escaping our past actions.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this review copy, given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for organising the blog tour and inviting me to be part of it.

This was my first book by this author. For information, it is set in the UK, mainly around the Birmingham area.

Olivia Field is fast approaching her wedding day to Mark. This is her second marriage, but she is still good friends with her first husband, Simon who she has known since she was young. Simon’s mother was convicted of murdering her husband, Simon’s father, some years ago following years of domestic abuse and committed suicide whilst she was in prison. Ex-convict Tina was friends with Simon’s mother in prison. She has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and whilst beginning to sort out her affairs she comes across a letter which her friend wrote to her son Simon and his girlfriend Olivia promising to help Tina in the future, should the need arise, as Tina had been a good friend to her whilst in prison. Tina decides to call in the debt, worried for her brother when she dies. What she also finds attached to the letter is a confession from Simon’s mother saying she hadn’t committed the murder, it was someone else…

I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it. The cover didn’t really entice me, but the blurb sounded more promising. I have to admit, I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. It started off well with the story of ex-convict Tina who had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I did feel for Tina probably most of the way throughout the book, despite her making some bad decisions. She was obviously trying to cope with the bombshell that had been dropped on her, and also worried about her brother who she looked after. She had no other family, and he had behavioural problems which made it unlikely for him to hold down a job or a relationship. When Tina found the letter addressed to Simon and Olivia, which she should have given them all those years before, she thought that she could use it to blackmail them to secure some funds for her brother’s future. It got me thinking what would I do? Wouldn’t I do anything for the ones I loved?

The only other character I liked was Joanna. Joanna was treated very badly by her best friend, Olivia, who was obviously only trying to save herself from the truth being revealed. I personally wouldn’t have had anything to do with her after how she behaved! I didn’t really warm to any of the other characters to be honest, with most of them having very selfish and not really caring about their friends or loved ones. The plot of the story was interesting and well thought out. I got through the story at a good speed, and found the suspense built at a good pace. It held my attention well, although I did feel that some parts were a little far-fetched. I finished it in less than a day, so it showed that I did enjoy the book! I would have liked a bit more at the end though, even just a “six months later”, just to show what happened to everyone. Additionally, I loved the setting of the book, as I live just outside of Birmingham so it was nice to hear of places that I know! Overall, a good read which I would recommend!

Sally Jenkins lives in the West Midlands. She is a member of a Speakers’ Club, a volunteer library reading group coordinator and a church bell ringer. Sally’s first psychological thriller, Bedsit Three won the Ian Govan Award.