Promises are tricky things, are they not? As quick as a word, as light as a breath, yet as unyielding as an adamant stone. In Promised, Leah Garriott’s 2020 debut, we see promises kept and promises broken; vows to engage and vows to escape engagements; promises for true romance and promises to create nothing except idle mischief.

Mischief is something our heroine decidedly does not enjoy, yet she is without the benefit of a Kindle or cozy reading nook. I put it to readers to ask yourself this question: In this season of Cupid, don’t we all want a little bit of true romance and idle mischief in our lives?

Promised opens to a matchmaker’s paradise: one lavish house-party; countless single, handpicked, and moderately wealthy guests; and one agenda meant solely to pair off couples by party’s end. While other single women attend for love or acquiring more money, Margaret Brinton has only one purpose – that of entering into a marriage of convenience. Once long ago she had searched for love and thought she’d found it, but then she discovered her fiancé had chosen her solely for her dowry. Heartbroken, she promised herself that whatever she did, she would never, ever fall in love.

A husband, on the other hand, is a different story. Hoping to find a means to pave the way for her younger siblings to marry and for the malicious whispers to silence, Margaret selects the rakish Mr. Northam to be her future husband. Handsome? Yes. Rich? Decently. Able to attach her heart? Blessedly no.

The only hitch to her plan is Mr. Northam’s infuriatingly resolute, seemingly honorable (but decidedly arrogant) cousin, Lord Williams. The insufferable man insists that his cousin is a rake and not worth her attention. Even worse, Lord Williams simply does not know when to give up. His stubbornness to block her marriage to Mr. Northam by engaging himself to her by means of her father’s dictate—all without her consent—turns their already oil-and-water relationship to a blazing inferno. As the weeks go by, angry confrontations and comical mishaps transform into surprising honesty and mutual respect. Yet is this enough to base a future on? Is this enough to enter into—or break—iron-clad vows?

There’s a very long list of things I loved about Promised with an almost nonexistent list of what I didn’t like. First up: The descriptions. With a light touch, Leah Garriott describes details like a breeze-stirred lake or hair curling just above the ears. Nothing is overbearing or overly dramatic, but everything paints a vivid picture. Thematically, this novel is a gem. From the first line to last, the themes of trust, promises, and freedom remain strong. I particularly like all the scenes involving the lake of Margaret’s childhood. It symbolizes happiness and peace for her. As she changes, her view of the pond and what it symbolizes also alters. This depth was beautifully written.

The two leads, Lord Gregory Williams and Margaret, had a relationship of true equals. For them, it wasn’t love at first sight. More likely, love at first fight! As much as it sounds like a version of My Fair Lady’s quarrels or The Taming of the Shrew’s mercurial leads, Gregory and Margaret’s relationship didn’t fit into any established tropes. She sought a convenient marriage on her terms; he wanted to prevent it for his own murky reasons. They are very human leads because they are so unpredictable, so multi-faceted. Seeing what they would do and say made me read this in one midnight-reaching sitting.

What I didn’t like—out of the entire novel, mind—was the initial premise. A house-party created solely to pair off couples within such a short time frame seemed gauche yet was apparently respected by the novel’s upper-class society. It just felt like a contrived plot point (although in the real Regency Era, there was Almack’s, aka ‘The Marriage Mart’). If you feel the same about this as I did when reading the opening chapter, I urge you to keep reading! This is the sole plot device that feels predictable, and it only lasts for a few chapters.

When I finished Promised, I wanted to put off writing my review. Not because I hated this novel or dislike writing—far from it—but because this is a book to savor. I started by rushing through the pages to see how it would play out, but by the end, all I wanted to do was read line by line, again and again. I highly recommend this debut Regency as a present to a Janeite…or gift to yourself!

This was SO GOOD! I think I’ve discovered a new favourite author! Full review coming soon (cause it’s super late and I need to sleep) but if you’re looking for a regency romance that’ll tug on all your heartstrings, look no further! THIS IS IT!!

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All the stars!!

I could not put this book down! And when I did, my mind was constantly going back to it. Even now, a day later, I cannot stop thinking about how amazing this book was. It’s definitely going to be one of my favourite romances of the year if not one of my all-time favourites. And Leah Garriott is going to be an author who’s new releases I’ll wait for eagerly! I can’t believe this is her debut novel. She had me hooked to the story and it’s characters from the very first scene.
Promised follows Margaret Brinton who, having been deceived by love once, is determined not to let it happen a second time. She has vowed to protect her heart by refusing to be that vulnerable again. But it’s the regency era where women need to marry or else they’ll become a financial burden on their family. So Margaret attends a matchmaking party to find herself a marriage of convenience. Mr. Northam is the perfect candidate. With him, she knows exactly what’s she’s getting: a rake who’s affections will never stay loyal to one woman. His meddling cousin, Lord Gregory Williams, however takes it’s upon himself to protect her from forming the match despite her insistence. He warns her away by lecturing her and taunting her and, when all else fails, humiliating her so that no gentlemen, his cousin included, would want her. Furious, Margaret sees no reason to linger and returns home only learn her father has promised her hand in marriage—To Lord Williams! Surely he could see what a huge mistake that would be? Yet as she spends more time with him, she finds herself second-guessing what she truly wants out of marriage. Would she truly be happy in a lonely, loveless match with Mr. Northam? Or should she trust her heart and marry Lord Williams? Why had Lord Williams taken such an extreme step anyways? Was it simply to ensure she wouldn’t marry his cousin? Or is there more to it than what meets the eye?
It been forever since I read a historical romance and this did not disappoint in the slightest. In fact, words cannot describe how much I loved this novel. Leah Garriott has such a alluring voice, she makes you want to keep reading more. The pacing was perfect, the dialogues witty and clever, and the storytelling was exceptional. I smiled, laughed and got teary-eyed right alongside Margaret.
There were a couple of times quite early in the novel where I felt Margaret’s actions and decisions were naive and immature, but I had to remind myself this was a regency era and she lived a much sheltered life compared to a contemporary heroine. Either way, she grew so much as a character over the span of the novel, seeing so many things differently, that in the end it didn’t stop me from loving her. Margaret does remain quite stubborn and determined to keep her promise to herself though. Sometimes a little too stubborn. But it never got to the point where I got annoyed with her. Frustrated, yes. But I understood where she was coming from and I even admired it after having read so many heroines give up what they think they want so easily. In fact, she felt very real and relatable because of it. I loved her wit, her playfulness, her willingness to fight for what she believed in. I loved how she deeply she cared for those she loved. The author did a fantastic job showing that to us, showing how different yet important her bonds with her brother Daniel, her sister Alice, her parents, and her neighbour/friend Louisa were.
Lord Gregory Williams is a mystery at the start of the novel. We’re not meant to understand his actions and are left to assume he’s as entitled and arrogant as Margaret believes. And yet as the story unfolds, we get to see a softer side to him. Where he’s thoughtful, kind, patient, witty and playful. He has stolen my heart. I was honestly surprised Margaret resisted her feelings for him as long as she did. I wouldn’t have been able to.
I was rooting for Margaret and Gregory (yes, even I cannot think of him as Lord Williams anymore) from their very first interaction. I loved their witty banter, how they riled each other up, but also I loved how they soothed and comfort each other. I love those longing looks across rooms and those brief but so impactful touches they sneaked when no one else was looking. Despite this being a clean romance, I still could feel the yearning, the longing, the tension that I look for in explicit romance novels. I loved those those heartfelt words they exchanged for each other’s ears only (which I now wish I annotated...oh well! It’s an excuse to reread!). They made me giddy with joy and they made my heart ache. I love it when a book is able to do both. I find those books, those couples linger in memory long after I’ve closed the cover as I’m sure Margaret and Gregory will. I’ll definitely have to purchase my own copy and reread this one day.
I also want add that I loved the little Pride and Prejudice reference this had. They’re so subtle that if you’re not looking for them, you could easily miss them. But if you do notice them, you can see how much the author loves Jane Austen’s work. And as a lover of Austen’s novels myself, that made me so happy.

Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.

I was very intrigued when I got asked if I wanted to be a part of the blog tour for this book. With a young lady who has been unlucky in love and a Darcy-esque main love interest, I was ready to read it. I was not prepared for how much anger that Margaret holds on too because of her broken engagement two years prior and how she doesn't want love in a marriage. It's funny to watch her interact with Lord Williams as he trying to get her to marry him (even after a forced engagement) and she wants nothing to do with him at all. Eventually, she falls in love with him but finds out his interest in her was because of a bet. They eventually work things out and get married.

I really enjoyed this book and I would love to see more books from Leah Garriott again in the future.

Promised by Leah Garriott is an immersive Regency reading experience featuring a strong and intelligent heroine determined to navigate the precarious marriage market on her own terms and the man who thwarts her every last carefully planned step to do so.

Still reeling from a broken heart, Margaret Brinton decides she will play the marriage game on her own terms - even to go so far as procure a union of convenience to notorious rake Mr. Northam. You know where you stand with a rake, Margaret believes.  And while she may one day be hurt, she at least understands the truth about his character upfront. Yet during the weekend visit arranged to secure her fate, she crosses paths with Lord Gregory Williams who is so determined to stop her plans to marry Mr. Northam that he makes an arrangement with her father for her hand.   Surprised and appalled that Lord Williams would want a convenient marriage with the woman he publicly slighted at a musical evening, Margaret’s heart is torn between fulfilling her self-promise never to be taken for a fool in love again and her burgeoning confusion at Lord Williams’ evident contradictions. For as much as Lord Williams seems to disagree with her at every turn, his persistence in his pursuit and the lengths he will go to keep her from his cousin Mr. Northam perplex and infuriate her as she attempts to read the secrets of his heart and her own.

As a die-hard Regency era reader I’ll admit that it can be difficult to sift through many similar plots and tropes in pursuit of the next fresh voice.  By developing a heroine set on asserting her own agency in a society that would see her conform to the proper expectations of her breeding and circumstance, Garriott provides a needed look at the fallacies and limitations of an era we drape in romance. Thus, Promised is simultaneously a valentine to the Regency era and a deft critique of the few choices women had to secure a future of their own making.  To achieve this balance, Garriott relies on many tropes and devices familiar and beloved to Regency readers (and most Austenites), but her alluring voice and engagingly strong heroine make you feel as if you are encountering them for the first time.

There are some truly lovely and subtle Austen references peppered throughout including a musical gathering, the set-up of easels for painting á la Emma and Harriet, a seminal ball (“A ball is a wonderful place to change opinions”, the book explains), as well as a heart-wrenching vigil when Margaret waits at the side her ill sister much in the vein of Elinor awaiting Marianne’s fate. Mr. Northam’s obvious association to the attractive rake Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility keeps him at the forefront of the reader’s mind even during his significant time off-page. Lord Williams displays many of the qualities indigenous to Austen from the steadfast heart of Brandon, the quiet and stalwart character of Wentworth and the sometimes appalling manners of Darcy (including a slight at a musical evening). But it is when Lord Williams’ gestures - both grand and small - recall Emma’s Mr. Knightley that we see the latter’s determination to see the heroine even better than she does herself and in turn fall deeply for him. Indeed, it is Lord Williams who encourages Margaret to see her potential even beyond her initial reticence toward him and the many times they seem at odds.  For a woman stubbornly set on shaping her life, her past wounds have left her open to moments of believably vulnerable self-doubt. In this, Garriott has created a dimensional and achingly real character many readers will identify with.

The disagreements and misunderstandings that keep Lord Williams and Margaret from falling on the same page are clearly a result of the social restrictions and repressed communications of the era.  While frustrating, and often heightened by Margaret’s seeming stubbornness, her depth of character and our awareness of her broken heart and cautious trust cannot help but inspire our sympathies for both parties.    To add, despite Margaret’s numerous attempts to thwart Lord Williams’ pursuit, the most interesting facets of her character are revealed in their banter and exchanges.

Lord Williams, too, is impressed by the authenticity of their exchanges: “We have always spoken rather boldly to each other, have we not? It suits both our temperaments and has from the very first.”   Like the best Austen heroes - the best heroes in general - Lord Williams is determined to accept the heroine as she is by providing a counterbalance in personality, a challenge in conversation and a deep belief in her that underscores any of the moments in which she feels ill at ease.  Not without fault, his flaws and foibles are evident to him and that goes a long way to establishing our sympathy as he works to become a better man for the heroine   Moreover, Margaret continues to inspire shifts in his character, the exchange of ideas and gifts and even a believable promise of his own.  In one of my favourite exchanges, he admits he cannot promise not to hurt her, he can merely promise to try.

Promised is a winning portrait of a world oft-explored yet here differentiated by the authors’ unique heroine and voice. It is the portrait of a woman determined not to see what she has convinced herself is detrimental to her happiness and a world where a slight in modern capacity might prove inconsequential but was a dire social offense. And through it all runs the undercurrent of a lovely and smart slow-burn romance.

Slight physical moments are nuanced: curled fingers, a shoulder brush, the slightest touch the heroine learns to read like a book. A rose by a lake, a book of poems, and the angle of Lord Williams’ knees to give her room in the carriage build on the tension and chemistry between them even as Garriott maintains a story that will please readers who prefer their historical romances to be at the ‘kisses’ end of the heat spectrum.

Through every interaction with Lord Williams, the dashing Mr. Northam sinks further and further into the backdrop as Margaret begins to change. She lets her guard down and when unintentionally hurt the second time from someone she has grown to trust, she weathers it with a maturity we can only assume is a result of her time with Lord Williams. It is this slow self-realization of a heroine at turns vulnerable and stubborn that sets Garriott’s debut apart.

“Everything must start with a little step” believes Mrs. Hargreaves, a regular visitor at Lord Williams’ estate.  And it is these steps so brilliantly and precariously taken that offer the ultimate romantic payoff when two strong characters meet in the middle, and learn to love assured in their choice, their similar temperaments and their willingness and promise to compromise in pursuit of their ultimate happily ever after.

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This was such a fantastic book! It generally takes me a couple chapters to get into books written in first person, for some reason, but I did not have that problem at all with this book! Almost immediately I felt like the author helped me get to know Margaret, and I completely empathized with her and understood the reasoning behind the majority of her decisions. The author also did a great job explaining some of the nuanced emotions surrounding love. Gregory drove me CRAZY for the first part of the book--which I loved because he was driving Margaret crazy too! I started to question his motives until I started falling in love with him right along with Margaret.

The secondary characters were well-developed and fun, and the entire book kept me guessing! I was incapable of figuring out the ending! I can't wait for more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an eARC of this book.

(3.5 stars) - a fun though flawed Austen-flavored story

This book is an enemies-to-lovers trope which is my favorite (after all, it was Pride & Prejudice that led me into the clean romance genre), but it's also the most difficult trope for authors to pull off successfully.

It requires making one or both of the protagonists dislikeable in a way that appears justifiable but not in a way that is irredeemable to the reader. This one has a bit too much of the dislikeable vs redeemable.

First, the good: the cover is very nicely done - attractive & appealing

The story is written with obvious Jane Austen influences yet without being derivative.

The author is very good with depicting emotional scenes realistically, not stilted or stereotyped - and the only melodrama comes from characters who created it for themselves. It was easy to keep reading.

The characters are reasonably well fleshed out & developed. There is definite character growth for both by the end - which is a large part of what saved the story for me.

Now for the more difficult aspects:
Margaret is a young woman who has been cheated on by her fiance. She thinks that humiliating experience has made her worldly wise, but she is really still immature & painfully naive. It's difficult not to be frustrated with her. In addition to seeing no need to seek for answers outside of her own hastily, prejudicially formed opinions, she comes across as something of a brat - particularly for the societal expectations of that period.

The other half of the equation is Gregory who glares a lot & keeps information to himself to an unreasonable degree, ignoring opportunities to defuse situations that are ripe for misunderstanding, & then being hurt by Margaret's lack of trust & understanding when no attempt has been made to first establish either

Reason in no way justified Margaret choosing Northam.
"But marriage to him provided safety, protection, a chance to forget the past."
The dilemma is nonsense - there's no reason for her to expect that from a selfish, self-centered user like Northam. Quite the opposite. She'd have far more reason to expect it from Gregory.

Realistically, the obvious (esp to a woman who's been cheated on) "safe", emotionless match would be to find a pushover of a man who would go along with whatever she wanted & allow her to do as she liked. Yes, like a cologne-free, donkeyless Lundell.

Then there's Gregory. A true gentleman would never have made such a wager, but even if he had, there was no purpose in him continuing it if he really cared.

As I said, the developing maturation of the characters is what saves this story - along with a satisfying conclusion. The author is a gifted enough writer that I wanted to know things worked out for them & willingly stayed with the story even when there were plot points that triggered my inner critic.

It was an impressive enough freshman effort that I will definitely be keeping an eye out for her future work

*Clean romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic

4.5 stars rounded up for this debut novel.

When you've been in love and that person hurts you, it's not uucommon to promise yourself that you'll never let yourself be so vulnerable as to let someone do that to you again. Margaret has made that promise to herself and intends to keep it, no matter what.

Margaret was previously engaged to married but had the courage to call it off when she realized the man's feelings for her weren't as deep as hers for him. She then decided that if she didn't marry for love so she couldn't be hurt, because she'd know what to expect going into the marriage. While attending a matchmaking party she finds "the perfect man" in Mr. Northam, a self professed rake, but his somewhat haughty and snobbish cousin, Lord Williams has other ideas about that and ruins her chances causing Margaret to leave the matchmaking party early. Upon arriving home she finds her father has consented to a marriage contract for her with someone, but won't say whom until the man arrives the next day. Margaret is beyond surprised, astonished and words to find out it's the awful Lord Williams!!

Oh my. As Lord Williams spends time with Margaret's family helping her father survey their property for ways to improve it, playing games with she and her siblings, and basically being everywhere she turns, Margaret finds herself being attracted to him. This can't be! She promised herself she wouldn't marry for love and she won't, no matter that as someone pointed out to her, Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she would've wanted to marry before her ill-fated engagement. What's a stubborn and strong-willed woman to do?! 🤷‍♀ Stick to the plan of course. 🤦‍♀

I admit there were more than a few times I wanted to gently, ok not so gently, slap some sense into Margaret. Girl what are you thinking wanting to marry a rake like Mr. Notham just because you made a promise to yourself? I also wanted to ask Lord Williams if he truly listened to how he sounded when he 'complimented' her, because he did sound a little arrogant at times. Of course right when Margaret's about to throw the promise she made to herself out the window and tell Lord Williams how she felt, she finds out the truth behind the incident that made her leave the party early. Men can be so stupid! But this unexpected turn paves the way for Lord Williams to truly woo Margaret and I loved the way he did it. There's a lot of lovely banter between Margaret and Lord Williams because she doesn't hold her words back. She always speaks her mind when they converse.

I enjoyed this story and will definitely look for future books by this new author. Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for my copy to read. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Promised
by Leah Garriott
Rating: 4/5

With hints of Pride and Prejudice and She's All That, this story held my attention and I definitely lost sleep over needing to finish it in one reading session. Having been watching Sanditon, I didn't realize how much I'd missed reading about romance in the Regency era.

After abruptly ending her engagement to her philandering childhood friend and neighbor, Margaret Brinton is determined only to marry for convenience. She has promised herself to never love someone so much that they can hurt you, so she seeks out a matchmaking party where she meets the devilish rake, Mr. Northam. He seems perfect for her needs - she is neither attracted nor is her heart in danger when she already knows the truth regarding Mr. Northam. Her plans go awry when Mr. Northam's cousin, Lord Williams, interferes and warns her away from his cousin. After an embarrassing mishap, Margaret leaves the party early and escapes to her home where she finds out her parents' have arranged a match for her with none other than Lord Williams. The hurt and disdain she feels for Lord Williams is palpable but she finds herself still drawn to him. Can Margaret decide what she truly wants? Will she be able to honor her promise to herself?

Leah Garriott's debut novel is well written, heartfelt, and endearing. Her characters are bold, refreshing and opinionated. The plot is not necessarily unique but moves the story along with sass and hilarity. There's definitely a strong Pride and Prejudice feel between the main characters but there are also stronger male influences (her father and brother) in the main character's life which bring something sweet and new to the typical story.

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am curious to read more from this author! Highly recommend for those that love Pride and Prejudice type stories. PG-13 or less in content.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Premise/plot: Margaret Brinton has lost in love before. Having decided that once was enough to last a lifetime, she vows to never fall in love again. This might make choosing a husband a tad tricky. She’s looking for a potential husband whom she could never ever love. He must be willing to marry her—for convenience. But love is off the table...or is it? Could Margaret fall in love with the pesky gentleman who keeps standing in the way of her match with a rake?! Could Lord Williams surprise her after all? Did she judge him too quickly?

My thoughts: I love, love, love Regency romances. More, more, more! I can never get enough. Especially if they are CLEAN and PROPER romances. I enjoyed Margaret’s story. If you enjoy romance—even if slightly predictable and contrived—you might enjoy this one. Here’s the thing, when it comes to romance I know exactly what I like, what I want. I don’t mind a bit of predictability and formula. I really don’t. The characters were nicely drawn. There were some very sweet scenes.

I would recommend it.

My first impressions of Promised: it reminded me of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. And I love books that have that feel. Margaret had such a quick judgment with Lord Williams and I had to admit, I searched every nuance looking for a glimmer of Mr. Darcy.

This book didn’t disappoint. As Margaret came to learn who Lord Williams really was, her heart began to open. Which made the plot twist all the more shocking and unexpected.

This book was a fantastic read, with a great voice, and I can’t wait to read more books by Ms. Garriott. She knocked her debut novel out the ball park.

*I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 STARS

Promised is the debut novel for author Leah Garriott and is a classic enemies to lovers set in Regency Era England. In this story, our main character Margaret starts off this novel attending a matchmaking dinner party where she is set on finding a man who will enter into a marriage of convenience with her. She believes that this is the only way that she can protect her heart from the kind of suffering she has experienced in the past.

I loved absolutely everything about this book, and could not put it down! I loved Margaret, and could completely understand her reasonings and thought process in the things she did. That's not to say that she wasn't flawed, because she definitely made some bad calls, but that is what made her truly relatable. This novel is told from her POV the entire time, and I found I really liked this first-person narrative, as it let me immerse myself in Margaret's shoes and take the journey with her. I also really appreciated her love of Jane Austen--especially her love for Pride and Prejudice, as it is also my very favorite book of all time.

The storyline was really great, and truly well written. There were plot twists that I truly didn't see coming. I really loved how Margaret tried her very best to scare off her new fiancé, and the banter between them was really great! The chemistry was spot on, and the character development was well done.

The setting was beautifully written, and vivid. This is another reason that I loved the first person narrative to this story, because instead of having all these different POV's, we were able to get a really clear picture of our setting, and the beautiful descriptions of their homes and surroundings.

The pacing was well done as well. I felt that there were never any parts that felt dragged out or rushed, but I also was so immersed that I zipped through it in no time, and wished that it wasn't over! This one will most definitely be going on my reread list!

Overall, this is a beautiful and sweet story and I highly recommend this one if you love romance, regency stories, or anything Jane Austen.

Special thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advanced review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.

Enjoyable plot and fresh angle to the Regency writing we see today. There was plenty to keep the reader guessing and lots of integral characters, that keeps the story moving.

Not often a fan of 1st person story-telling, I will be upfront in saying that. I did feel that given Margaret’s tendencies and outlook I did actually feel like had we been given two points of view (and perhaps a 3rd with Northam), I do think this would have built on the chemistry that was felt as the book matured, but we could have had an interesting look at from the other side sooner. The benefit of that comes, because, it is quite obvious it’s a very one sided attraction for quite a while. Giving us just one person, leaves the story dragging a little or leaving you tired of all the complaints.

Overall, I wanted to finish it and was glad I did. The conclusion is perfect and nicely done.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC. This is my honest review.

This was a really sweet story. Some scenes had a pride and prejudice vibe to it. But overall it felt like it’s own story and not a remake. Gregory, or Lord William was a nice gentleman so there were lots of questions about why he forced the engagement. It was interesting what his reasons were. Margaret was so afraid of being hurt/disappointed again by a man that she had promised herself to only marry someone who would never be able to reach her heart. The man she chose was a known rake. However awful of a husband he would be, she chose to pursue him. Lots of hiccups along the way.

I wasn’t glued to the book but the story was very entertaining and kept my interest. It isn’t action packed or fast paced but a more Jane Austen speed book.

Rating: PG/G some discussion of rakes and mistresses but clean reading

I felt transported with Leah Garriott's 'Promised' to the feeling of a Jane Austen novel. Quickly, however, there was a switch to a Bronte feeling, with more Gothic angst. I was confused by this, as well as a contrived 'speed dating' house party. Once the novel settled into a Regency rhythm I became completely engaged and a delightful love story took over. The outcome was satisfying and one line near the end has me hoping for more about Alice. I sincerely hope this wish is fulfilled in future offerings from the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This sweet regency romance was completely captivating! I absolutely loved this story. The characters had so much wit and personality that they really brought this story to life for me. The plot was unique and kept me hanging on every chapter to see how things would progress. Gregory was my favorite character. He embodied all the things that make a perfect gentleman and his sense of humor was impeccable. It took me a little longer to warm up to Margaret, however they were a perfect match! I loved seeing their romance slowly develop! Their back and forth banter was one of my most favorite things about their relationship. This was such and exceptional debut! I cannot wait for more from this author! I am a fast fan!

This might be my favorite book yet by @lintonloveslife! Once I started it I couldn’t put it down. The characters were fun, the ending perfect, but not how I expected to get there. I hope we see future stories from a few of the supporting characters!

What a great story. The heartbreak from her engagement when she found her fiancee had at least one mistress, maybe more. She Called off the engagement and tried to forget. It had been a long time but she had gone, with her brother to a house party that catered to finding a mate. She met Mr.Northam, who confessed he was a Rake and proud of it. Another gentleman named Lord Gregory Williams, a Baron was his cousin, tall, muscular, and had the most stunning eyes. She felt that Mr. Northam, she knew she could never love him. She would have her freedom and he could go on his merry way. She couldn't be hurt if no love was involved. After Edward that is exactly what she wanted.
Lord Gregory Williams was a nice, gentle man . He stood up and left in the middle of her pinaforte rendition. She
was so embarrassed by it. Both Margaret and her brother were called home. She was so glad to be gone.
Lord Williams had gone straight to her father and arranged engagement papers. He was very intelligent and ran his own estate and took care of his mother.
From page one I was caught and read until I was done. The way the problems seemed to escalate and more or less found a solution. The characters were great and so engaging. The tale moved steadily and was easy to read.
I found it entertaining and kept me so interested. I really loved it.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was such a delightful addition to the proper romance series! I adored Margaret as a character and can relate to her desire to protect her heart! But also loved Gregory and while he had his faults as well, they helped balance each other out and brought a lot of wit to their romance. Such a wonderful story!

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the eARC!

Promised was such a fun read for me. It features the hate to love trope, which is one of my fave romance tropes.

Margaret is trying to find an eligible bachelor to marry, but her rule is it needs to be someone she won't fall in love with. She's had her heart broken before in an engagement (that she then broke off) and she's sworn she will not marry for love, but rather as a place of duty. She doesn't want to be hurt again.

Margaret is witty and speaks her mind, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the banter between her and Lord Williams, our other main character in the story. She has no problem telling him what she thinks and I loved it.

I found myself easily swept up in this book and the estates we travel to. Margaret's family and sibling relationships were sweet and hilarious. I loved her rivalry with her brother as it made me laugh quite a few times.

Lord Williams is such an interesting character. He's presumptuous and seemingly arrogant, to Margaret anyway. I loved being baffled with her as other characters expressed their respect and enjoyment of Lord Williams' company.

This is a slow burn, proper romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you love the "hate to love" trope, definitely check this book out!

***4.5 stars*** rounding up!

Sigh. I love and hate when a good book comes to an end.

This book starts out with a matchmaking party. Margaret is drawn to a known rake because she knows that she won't love him and he will not break her heart. To make things interesting his cousin, Gregory (Lord Williams), is continually warning her away from him. A quote from a well-known poem comes to mind. "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry." (Robert Burns)

The book gets really interesting at this point. Margaret is called home early from the party to find that she is engaged! To Lord Williams. (I am chuckling as I write this.) It's pure and total goodness for a reader. The banter is well done. They have a volatile relationship, to say the least.

I really couldn't help falling in love with the story and most of the characters. This book is well written and very entertaining.

I received a complimentary copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.