The Vow by Stefanie London is a story of secrets and the ways bonds are tested through the darkest secrets of all. This book is a fast paced suspense packed with action, twists and turns, and surprises; grabbing me on page one, keeping me intrigued until I reached the last page.
It is a unique take on the 'reunion secret' novel and one which is an absolute must read. It is told in a dual time-line, through the perspectives of three childhood friends and the fallout from an unfortunate event that occurred in their past.

Three women, who have been friends since their schooldays and are as close as sisters, come together for the wedding of one of them. Sofia, a successful wedding planner, Rose, a disgraced swimmer, married now with a young baby, and Ellie, an actress who has just landed an amazing role. Ellie is getting married at an exclusive resort with the three women arrive earlier than the guests for some pre-wedding time together.

Someone is determined to ruin their lives: Sofia suddenly starts getting bad reviews; pictures emerge from Ellie’s past; and Rose suspects her husband of having an affair. This could be linked to something in their past, but how would anyone know since they made a vow to never speak of it again. There are some amazing red herrings and twists the will you hooked until the final page, wanting to know how or if it will work out for this trio of women keeping a deadly secret. As all is revealed is a reminder that all actions have consequences.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, prior to purchase.
#NetGalley #Avon #TheVow

As the friends come back together for a happy occasion it becomes an intense situation when the happiness turns into revenge and danger!

Well... wasn't this the book that kept on giving! And which kept me on my toes throughout, delivering a wild ride all the way through, spitting me out at the end, exhausted but satisfied.
We start with a wedding. A-List Hollywood celebrity and rising star Ellie is getting married at an exclusive venue. Amongst her guests are best friends forever, wedding planner Sofia and new mum Rose who, as we find out, all share a dark secret from their schooldays.
But it isn't to be the wondrous, streamlined, arranged to the skin of its teeth event that they all wanted as it becomes pretty clear very soon that someone is out to get them. The why of which is delivered slowly through flashbacks inserted periodically throughout the present day narrative. The who being carefully obfuscated throughout until, eventually, the whole truth is laid bare.
I have to be honest and say that I actually didn't really like any of the main trio of characters herein. And the devil in me actually secretly loved them getting knocked down. But I also don't think my feelings about them really mattered at the end of the day. It was popcorn, car crash telly at its very best as I watched their downfalls. It's entertaining and such fast paced that I didn't even get much time to roll my eyes over something before something else happened!
As well as the aforementioned obfuscation, there are also the usual secrets, lies and dysfunctional behaviour to be found herein, as well as misunderstanding and misdirection. The main theme of lifelong friends having a secret past and then getting together in the present for it all to come to the surface is not a new one, but I have to say that the author did a mighty fine job of executing it!
All in all, a riveting read that held me captive throughout, and which delivered very well at the end. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The Vow is a quick and entertaining thriller about three old friends, Sofia, Ellie, and Rose reuniting for a destination wedding after twelve years. They once made a promise to keep a dark secret hidden, but now someone seems to know what they did and wants revenge. I enjoyed the Australian setting, especially the lighthouse venue and the local references. The story moves between past and present, showing how their friendship changed over time. Each chapter is told from a different friend’s point of view, which kept the story interesting. While the mystery was a little predictable and the ending felt a bit rushed, the suspense kept me turning the pages. I didn’t fully connect with any of the characters, but I still found them compelling and real. Overall, this was a fun, fast paced read with secrets, drama, and twists, perfect if you're in the mood for a light thriller with a dark edge.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

A good fast paced read, three friends being targeted because of a secret from their past which they had vowed to keep. I did not guess who their tormentor was.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Four friends made a vow 12 years ago to never speak about a fateful night. They have now met up again for a destination wedding, only when they arrive things start to go wrong and they soon start to think someone is trying to punish them.

This sounded like a fun, simple read and it ended up being an entertaining thriller. I enjoyed the Australian setting and the wedding location. The story is told in the friend’s different voices and I found this compelling, especially discovering their individual backstories and relationship with one another. There is also a past narrative that helps build the background story.

Even though the characters were interesting, I found I didn’t really form a connection with any of them and I also found the story quite predictable, guessing the main reveal early on. Even so, I had fun discovering what the vow was and found this to be a simple, solid thriller. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up

Twelve years ago, school friends Sofia, Ellie and Rose made a vow. They promised never to talk about that fateful night. Never to tell anyone what they did. Since then, they've all followed very different paths, but as they come together to celebrate Ellie's destination wedding, it promises to be a weekend to remember....

It's meant to be the event of the season, but as things start to go wrong, they suspect someone is trying to punish them. But if the women took a vow of silence, how can anyone know? And what lengths will they be willing to go to get their revenge?

Published 19th June 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #StafanieLondon for my ARC of #TheVow in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly I thought the title of the book was really clever, the dual meaning of The Vow..

This book is excellent. Told in Dual timeline from multiple POVs it really captivates the reader and the fast pace keeps those pages turning.

None of the characters are particularly likeable in my mind and that also made things interesting! Perfect ending.

Ellie, Sofia, and Rose share a deep-seated friendship that blossomed during their school days, but beneath the surface lies a secret they've guarded for years—one that they fear is no longer under wraps and could incite someone’s desire for revenge.

This fast-paced thriller is narrated from the perspectives of the three protagonists, skillfully weaving together dual timelines. While the frequent shifts between past and present made it somewhat challenging to keep track of the narrative, the story ultimately proved to be an engaging and swift read. Overall, it delivers a compelling experience that keeps you on your toes.

It’s the wedding of the year for all the wrong reasons. Ellie is a successful actress and is about to marry Mitch. She heads to the venue in advance with her two best friends Rose and Sofia. They’ve been friends since school and share a dark secret. Something they vowed never to discuss again. However soon after arriving at the wedding venue, things start to go awry and it certainly promises to be a weekend to remember. It seems someone is out to punish them. A fast paced novel that will keep you guessing to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

A slow burner of a book dealing with the story of 3 friends,long kept secrets and then the inevitable secret resurfacing years later
Good characters and interesting to see how their lives had taken very different paths
At times wanted it to move on quicker but on the whole a good read

The Vow – ★★★½
By Stefanie London

It’s meant to be the wedding of the season—but for Sofia, Ellie, and Rose, it’s the start of something much darker. Once inseparable high school friends, the trio made a pact twelve years ago to never speak of a terrible night that changed everything. Now reunited at Ellie’s luxe destination wedding—held at an isolated lighthouse-turned-venue—their past is catching up with them. Someone knows their secret. And they want revenge.

I love when thrillers are set in Victoria, and The Vow absolutely delivers on location. One of the characters even lives in Narre Warren, which made me do a double-take—it’s so rare to see familiar Aussie suburbs in commercial fiction! That said, the opening prologue felt a little too corny for my taste and nearly lost me early on, but I’m glad I pushed through.

The strength of this book lies in the dynamic between its three flawed but compelling women. Their loyalty, simmering tensions—especially between Rose and the others—and emotional baggage add a layer of realism and depth. Each voice is distinct, and the alternating past/present chapters build a clear picture of how their friendship fractured and why the past still haunts them.

While the mystery kept me hooked with well-timed red herrings and a few satisfying twists, I did find the “big secret” a bit predictable, and the ending came on a little too suddenly. The final reveal is followed by a sharp time jump, wrapping things up a bit too neatly. A few extra chapters could’ve given the story the breathing room it needed.

I also struggled at times to connect with the main characters—there were moments where they felt more grating than sympathetic. The suspense occasionally leaned too heavily on vague hints and cryptic conversations. Still, the lighthouse setting was a nice touch, and overall it’s a fast-paced, engaging read that will appeal to fans of domestic thrillers looking for something light but layered.

Thank you to the author, Stefanie London, the publisher Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This book was just ok for me. I felt like it dragged on a bit.

Sofia and Ellie are highly successful ladies and their friend Rose is a happily married mother of one. However, they have a dark secret from their past that they vowed never to share with anyone. Ever. Ellie, now a Hollywood actress is about to be married to Mitch and Sofia, a wedding planner is helping her with her dream wedding. Located at a remote spot on the Australian coast, it is the private retreat that is perfect for someone in the public eye who just wants her friends and family to enjoy the happiest day of her life without any press intrusion. The excitement is building but as things start to go wrong, the girls wonder if the event is cursed and maybe they are getting payback for their past misdemeanours. This can’t be true though, as they promised they would never speak of the incident again, or could it? This book was told from two different time lines and also from various perspectives. It was quite an involved and complex story but I felt that the unspeakable incident could have been revealed earlier in the book so the reader understood the severity. The characters were somewhat annoying with their egos, entitlement and issues. The relationships between the girls and their families were fraught with difficulties. Nevertheless it was well told and the dramatic conclusion was a good twist that provided the necessary shock.

Twelve years ago, school friends Sofia, Ellie and Rose made a vow. They promised never to talk about that fateful night. Never to tell anyone what they did.
Since then, they’ve all followed very different paths but as they come together to celebrate Ellie’s destination wedding it promises to be a weekend to remember…
It is meant to be the event of the season, but as things start to go wrong, they suspect someone is trying to punish them.

I found this book an easy read with well-defined characters but it didn't drive me. The pace was a little slow but it kept me reading, but only just.

My thanks to #NetGally for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A complex novel of friendship, loyalty and murder. Intriguing concept and interesting location...a lighthouse with accommodation and a wedding venue. Lovely.
An enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this fast paced thriller. The 3 POVs was a cool way to tell this story and easy to follow. The story was full of twists which I love. I thought one thing and boy was I wrong. First time reading this author. Will read more for sure.
Very enjoyable read.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The Vow" is a tale of family, friendship and most critically, revenge! Sofia, Ellie and Rose have been friends since school, especially since and event that occurred during their schooldays, some 12 years previously. This event is hinted at but we do not learn the truth until late in the story.
The trio have been living completely different lives, but reunite for Ellie's wedding. And the differences between their current lives and "that event" are about to cause havoc as rivalry and revenge play out with fatal consequences.
A fastpaced and fun read.

was accepted to read this book before official publication through NetGalley and below is my honest review.

I loved this book!! All throughout I thought it was a high end 4 star but I really liked the ending so it ended up being 5 star!

The story is told through POVs of our 3 female main characters - Rose, Ellie and Sofia. They are connected for life as they all share the same secret.

I audibly gasped at a couple of points because they really caught me off guard. It was the perfect balance of suspense and tense - I thought I knew what was going on (as always) but I was wrong!

I did find that some of the chapters were quite long which usually I’m not a fan of but the writing style and pace was fab so I saw past that 😂

The ending for me was FAB. It may not be for everyone but it shocked me and I loved it.

Overall, I give this book 5 stars!

Suspenseful and interesting. Definitely a good thriller. Anti romances are great and out of my normal realm of reading but I really enjoyed it.