When Amy's fiancé Matt disappears two weeks before their wedding, she knows something is wrong. After reporting him missing, a couple of days later the police tell Amy that another woman also reported Matt missing - apparently he'd been leading a double life and was planning on leaving her. As details about Amy and Matt's relationship are revealed, and his many lies come to light, Amy begins questioning her own sanity and her past begins to haunt her.

This was a slow paced suspense novel that definitely did a really good job at building up the story, and keeping me clued into what was going to happen next and as always, I was suspecting everyone at one stage or another. There was a good bit of foreshadowing at the start of this novel which I don't always like but I didn't mind it too much in this case.

Debbie Howells is really good at building up a sense of place in her novels and in this case, it was definitely Amy's house and her garden where she grew her flowers and herbs for her job as a herbologist. I felt like I had a really good picture of the amazing garden full of kinds of flowers and it was a beautiful setting - even if the storyline was turning dark.

There wasn't any big shock moments for me in this book to be honest. The closest was possibly the bouquet of flowers with the bag of blood, which was just a really nice touch and just the horror of imagining receiving something like that, gah!

I think the explanation and look into emotionally manipulative, controlling relationships was important in this book, and the particular emphasis on gaslighting and the examples given by Amy's daughter Jess. It's something that I think could help readers recognise it in their own lives if they have experienced it.

Fiona's storyline for me felt a little bit disappointing in the end - I don't think her character was very drawn out and she felt very one-dimensional. I would have liked to have seen a bit more about what happened to her in the end, but it felt like the story just hit a dead end.

There was also some times in the police investigation I felt the line of questioning seemed really strange and speculative, and not particularly realistic. Like the police knowing the symbolism of the flowers in the garden and thinking they meant something - when the woman's job was to grow flowers and herbs.

Overall, I enjoyed this. Not as creepy as The Death of Her but still quite good.

Amy and Matt have spent months planning their wedding and writing their own special wedding vows, but just 2 weeks before the big day Matt disappears!
Frantic with worry Amy reports Matt's disappearance to the police, but within hours the police receive a missing persons report with a matching description from a female called Fiona. Could it be the same person? Has Matt been leading a double life?
The suspense starts from the off! The narrative switches between Amy and Fiona with interspersed chapters from an unknown dating back to 1996. The chapters are short, and the story rolls along at a steady pace.
I really enjoyed the many twists in this story, I thought I was on the right track, then I didn't, then I did.
A really well thought out plot, and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon books, and Debbie Howells for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be on the look out for future books by this author.

What a page turner this proved to be! An eclectic ensemble of characters who created a thought provoking pschological suspense until the climax. I did feel the ending was somewhat rushed, but there were plenty of red herrings thrown into the mix along the way, to the conclusion. I wasn't surprised by some of the reveals, but changed my mind a few times regarding the guilty party. Overall, I would recommend this novel and thank both Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this early reader's copy.

After a slow start I was debating on putting this down until a later date but I continued and I'm so pleased I did as once the story picked up I was hooked. The main character is unlikeable but there are other likeable characters in the story. I had lots of different theories as to who did it and didn't see the ending so for that I give it 4 stars. Thanks to netgalley for the advanced copy.

Great read!

You are guessing until the very end. I will admit that while I missed some of the twists coming the ending was a little expected. Still a fantastic book!

Amazing!!

The whole story was so clever and throughout I felt anxious and hooked! I loved how it all weaved together bit by bit!

The characters we’re very likeable and I liked how throughout there’d be subtle doubts, where you’d question if the main character.

I’m so thankful to have read this book! Thank you NetGalley and Avon books! I will definitely be recommending :)

From page one I was gripped! It’s a long time since I’ve read a book that keeps you guessing at what’s coming next who is in the frame and why? Loved how the back stories from the characters evolved through the book. Will definitely suggest as light reading to my psychology students as a break from text books! Explores some good themes here and how it’s easy to become entrapped in Toxic relationships, well done!

Amy, a herbalist, and Matt, have been together for couple of years and they will be marrying in a fortnight. But, in the meantime, Matt disappears. Will the wedding ever happen?

The first half of the book moves with a really slow pace, but it all changes in the second half of the book. Howels presents Matt as disappeared. Amy is beside herself.
Then, another woman comes on the scene, whom Matt has been having an affair with, in the meantime, and was 'planning' to leave Amy for.

Lots of unsolved mysteries, some of them as old as 23 years. Revenge at the heart of all.
Heart-thumping, gripping thriller, I had to read it in one breath.

Thanks @Netgalley and @avon_books for letting me read this novel. Well worth my time!

I really enjoyed this book

Every time I thought I knew what was happening, a new twist dropped in and threw my thought process completely. Which meant that I kept turning the pages and found myself in a race to the end and left me not really wanting to trust anyone.
Hard to believe this is a debut, I'd like to see what this author does next, I'm sure she'll go from strength to strength.

An exciting page turner of a book. A physiological thriller with lots of twists and turns. Old friends, now enemies brought together by someone from their past who they didn’t realise was even in the past! I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see what was real and what wasn’t. Great read.

The Vow

This was an interesting thriller with lots of twists and turns.

The first half of the book is taut and fast paced but this does lose steam in the second half of the book....which was a shame but not a major problem.

I think some harsh editing would have helped...several characters either needed to be removed completely or enhanced as they seemed to be unnecessary padding (Zoe, Lara and Cath being the most notable) and the big twist was one I guessed as soon as Kimberley and Charlie's story was revealed.

I loved the herbal/alchemy side of the story and would have liked to have seen more of that. I think a Waitress type of intro to each chapter would have worked very well here...where they do different pies at the beginning of each section....would have loved a different remedy/potion/cure at the beginning of each chapter that gave us some info or hints of what we were about to read....I think this was a missed opportunity and something I would have enjoyed.

This comment is a personal thing and definitely not a criticism but I also would have preferred some more consistency with minor characters. There was certain characters who I think if we knew we could have trusted them more then this would have guided the story better.
With both Amy and Fiona being unreliable narrators...side characters needed to be obviously reliable or unreliable to guide the story more and they were a little too grey for my liking...but I think that's just me!

Amy was a very interesting unreliable narrator and I thought her unravelling was very well done. It definitely felt like a journey we went on with Amy and that's definitely a credit to the authors understanding of the harsh realities and abuse shown throughout this book. Such issues are dealt with emphatically and very carefully and I was very impressed. This should definitely be applauded and gave an intense realism to the characters emotions which was great.

It is only a good thing that I literally could not put this book down and read it in a single sitting so my lasting impression was fun, interesting and that this was most definitely an addictive read!

Will definitely be reading more from this author and was very impressed and very much enjoyed the story overall.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Matt and Amy are two weeks out from their wedding. After telling Amy he’ll be home late, Matt never comes home and Amy is forced to report him to the police.

Told from the perspectives of Amy, her grown daughter Jess, and an unnamed narrator from 1996, this book has so many twists and turns it starts to become outrageous. However, I’m giving three stars for the winding tale and creativity!

One of the best psychological thrillers I have read. I have just finished reading it and my body is tingling all over. Be prepared to hold your breath, if you’re not scared you should be. Well done for writing a tremendous book

Such a fabulous book it got me through lockdown.
Each page was a cliff hanger and I needed to find out more. Unusual storyline which I haven’t read similar too before.
The author had me at each chapter and I couldn’t put it down. I have recommended to several friends.

A good read, enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning over nicely; I read it in a couple of days - a nice, easy read.

Thanks for an ARC. I was hooked on the book from the start. Amy is wrapped up with her forthcoming nuptials but one night having been stopped by a stranger who advised that she was in danger, Matt her fiancée disappears. As the plot thickens so does Matt’s betrayal along with the cancelled wedding. The book has many twists and turns some I could not guess. Will be watching for this author’s next book.

The Vow starts off two weeks before a wedding is to happen, and stays interesting all the way along

A story about a double life, missing people and just so much more!

I am giving this book 3.5 Stars

The Vow is a must read thriller! I could not put this book down. I was hooked from the first page. There is so much suspense throughout the book. There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book.

Amy's fiance Matt is missing two weeks before their wedding. After reporting him missing, she finds out he has a mistress, Fiona, who also reported him missing. Both women have secrets they aren't telling the cops but what actually happened to Matt?

I recommend The Vow to all thriller fans. I don't think you will be disappointed. I am looking forward to reading more books by Debbie Howells. I also enjoyed that my favorite character's name was Jess.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The past always catches up with you one way or another.

Amy’s live is great, her daughter is at college, her business is growing and she is about to marry the man of her dreams and live happily ever after, well spent she thought.

She wakes up and her fiancé Matt isn’t there. He’s missing and hasn’t sent her a message to let her know he’s ok. She calls around and can’t make heads or tails where he’s been or where he is. She alters the police of his disappearance and begins to try and piece everything together. She’s never met his parents and he doesn’t have any siblings or old friends, she starts to wonder if she ever really knew him at all.

The story is narrated between Amy, Jess her daughter and Fiona whom we come to learn that her partners also gone missing and he matches the exact same description of Matt.

Turns out they all have secrets, after Matt goes missing and their neighbour ends up dead the blame falls on Amy as she’s set up to be the star suspect. Jess knows her mum’s not guilty and does everything in her power to prove it. Even if it means uncovering a secret they have all tried to keep for 20 plus years.

Loved this!! When Jess’s fiancée Matt disappears shortly before their wedding, we start to see the unraveling of their relationship! Told over various points of view - it really had all the bits I love about a thriller! Abuse, murder, gaslighting, stalking, a few twists thrown in for good measure and I was hooked!
There are so many amazing books of this genre around but this really did raise the bar! If I had to find a negative it would be that I finished it as I am left with a sad, empty feeling! Brilliant and I will most certainly recommend!