Reviews

The story is beautifully written and you can't help falling in love with the characters, which is why you go on a journey with them and feel all their happiness and pain. A reminder that even in times of war love conquers all! ~ Amazon Customer

Absolutely amazing book. Five Stars. I have never read a book by Kathleen Harryman and Lucy Marshall before but it was very enjoyable. An absolutely gripping and emotional World War II historical novel, Recommend it very highly. ~ Amazon Customer

I’m going to be totally honest - I don’t read much historical fiction so I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book but as it’s set in Whitby, North Yorkshire, and co-written by a Yorkshire ‘lass’, I really wanted to show it some support. Well that will teach me to judge a book by its genre!! I really enjoyed The Promise. It’s beautifully written and well paced. The story is heartbreaking but hopeful. Romantic but tragic. Narrated by a number of different characters, we get an insight into each of their personalities and struggles, as well as their hopes and dreams. Instead of being confusing, this blend of voices adds depth and variety to the story and allows us to see how war affects everyone. Set against the backdrop of WWII this story is touching and poignant, and demonstrates the consequences of war, not only for those who fight on the front line, but on those who are left behind. ~ Amazon Customer

Wow! What a story. From the moment I picked it up I was hooked. I was enthralled with the story of Rosie, Will, Tom, Betty, desperately wanting to know what will happen next. I laughed & I definitely cried as their stories twisted and turned. This is beautifully written from each characters point of view. Would recommend to anyone interested in not only romance but in a a poynient tale of the struggles of WWII. ~ Amazon Customer

Really enjoyed this book. Filled with facts about the world war 2 but i really enjoyed how the character's grew through out the story. I didnt really like Rose's character at the beginning but as she got older in the book i started to like her more shes a very honest character. Trying to not give much away i would suggest giving this book a go. It has the power to make you smile and then cry the next minute and wow didnt i sob! It had my mind racing and im not ashamed to admit i went to bed and dreamt about it. Its a story you'll pick up and not want to put down! Beautifully written and well thought out! Enjoy fellow readers! ~ Amazon Customer

This novel tells a beautiful, intimate, and touching novel is story of life during World War II. Each chapter is narrated in the first person by the different characters. This style works extremely well, offering the reader a vivid and authentic glimpse into the hearts and minds of the men and women in this novel. War changes everything and everyone and the authors did a brilliant job in bringing the characters and their struggles to life. Friends Jimmy and Will, off to war, have left their loved ones back home in the seaside town of Whitby in the English county of North Yorkshire. Here, much of the story takes place at the Turnstone Convalescent Home. Rosie, the love of Will’s life, has begun working at the home when her feelings take an unexpected turn. I found the pacing and the balance of the story to be well executed and extremely well researched. There were some scenes so real and gut wrenching that I could see them play out before me, as if I were watching a film. This is a sentimental story of courage, valor, friendship, love, and the fragility and resilience of the human spirit. ~ Amazon Cusotmer

There is a lot more to this story than its genre would suggest. There are touching, honest love stories set against the uncertainty and horrors of WWII, but there is the deeper pull of relationships of all kinds that really drew me in and held my interest. The author went to great care to flesh out the key players in this drama that ultimately spans decades. What starts as a benign, happy look inside post-World War I subtly begins to take on a wary expectancy as England’s Prime Minister declares war against Germany. Suddenly, the sheltered youth who only knew of wartime horrors second-hand are now faced with the possibility of losing everything their predecessors had worked so hard to recover. Young love and the prospect of family and a future are now put on hold indefinitely. Hearing from the key players in this rich historical drama in their own words is what really hooked me. The insights the author has for each of her characters is truly remarkable. Nothing about this story was pat or standard; everyone in this drama comes across vividly, with their own unique mindsets. Watching as they grow and adjust to the impacts of war is eye-opening and refreshing, and most of all authentic. ~ Amazon Customer

Five young friends face the horrors of the second world war in Author Kathleen Harryman and Author Lucy Marshall’s The Promise. Rosie and Will are in love, facing the heartbreak of separation brought on by the looming of World War II. Childhood friend, Jimmy is always close by their sides–when Will decides to enlist, he is right there to support him through thick and thin. Will’s sister, Betty, is a shy nurse whose skills will soon be in demand at the convalescent home set up in their village of Whitby. Tom, a former childhood friend whose life changed with the suicide of his father, longs to join Will and Jimmy in combat to escape a life he has come to dread, but fears leaving his mother and young sister behind. The conflict of war changes the course of many lives as we go through the years. A bizarre accident leads to a new love. Shyness and strict Catholic upbringings test a new relationship. The war shows the soldiers the horrors of life–their perspectives forever changed. A brutal final conflict alters the friends’ destinies forever. Who will live, and who will be blessed with a relationship for the future? The Promise is an outstanding, bittersweet tale that shows the dramatic impact of war on the people who live through it on the battlefield and home front. A great read, highly recommended! ~ Amazon Customer

From the front cover , right to the end , this is a real page turner. The layout of the book makes it so easy to read, relaxing even though it covers the wartime era. I had it read quite quickly as I was enthralled straight away. The characters are very different in their ways, Rosie is your archetypal heroine , very enchanting at times and quite mysterious too. The characters , we get to know well and the story is told from different points of view. There are some interesting historical facts about WW2 you can learn about in this book. A very enjoyable read !!! ~ Amazon Customer