Good story but I found it a bit slow. Resolves around 3 friends that have a secret from their schooldays.

2/5

The Promise failed to deliver the dark secret as promised.

Beth, Sally, and Carol were three friends harbouring a deep secret from when they were teenagers. Now, way on their adult years, something happened that might threatened their secret. Desperate not to lose their current lives, Beth in particular decided to put a stop in this.

Alright, so, this book was boring me to death. I couldn't connect to the characters, many unimportant secondaries (and POV)(coughmatthewcough), and I had to wait until maybe half to find out the secret. Author spent too many chapters and pages into the introduction and mindless chats.

I'd recommend this to anyone who prefers slow build for the summer read.

It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.

Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.

But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol ­– before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.

Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.

But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?

The story started slow and I almost gave up because of the slow pacing at the beginning, but thrillers typically start off slowly before kicking into a lot of action.

This was a solid thriller, but I felt like it was trying too hard to be a Pretty Little Liars copycat of some sort. The ending was abrupt and incredibly disappointing.

The description made me curious but this took too long to get through. Characters weren’t all that relatable and it just seemed a little blah for me.

It’s worth a shot if you’re into the boarding school story that seems to be done to death. Nice thriller but really lacked much depth.

What a great read, just when I thought I had guessed the ending, the author threw in a new side. The only thing that I was disappointed with was that the story ended. I will be downloading other books by the author. I would like to thank the publishers and netgalley for letting me have the book to review.

True win for Teresa Driscoll !

Beth and Sally are best friends. Beth is married to Adam. She is there for Sally when she loses her baby. Sally's husband is a cheat and doesn't want the baby and kind of disappears - they divorce. Sad as it is, Sally and Beth later plant a magnolia tree where Sally can memorialize her miscarried baby. Years later, Sally calls Beth and asks what will they do now that the Catholic boarding school they attended is set for demolition. The reader does not have any idea what they are referring to. They have to contact their now elusive friend, Carol, who they boarded with at the school before they decide what "to do". Beth remembers that at her 30th birthday when Carol came to the party from France at midnight and stayed for maybe an hour. Carol did not want to be there. However, Carol's boyfriend, Ned was apologetic and tried to talk Carol into staying at the party longer. No, said Carol - pleading a headache.

Beth hires a PI; Matthew - a former cop - to assist in finding Caro,l now. After about a week, Matthew calls Beth to tell her that he believes he has found Carol's mother. After Beth's insistence, Beth (and Sally) go with Matthew to find Carol's mother (Deborah) at a bingo hall she had been spotted at. Deborah, is non-committal but finally she gives Beth Carol's phone number. Beth obtains the number under the auspices that they are sure she will want to attend the boarding house's' closing party. Carol is short with Beth and tells them she doesn't know if she can attend.

There was an incident that freaked out Carol when she was at boarding school. She was taunted into using a OUIJA Board by a class bully, Melody. Carol's mum said that since that occasion Carol has never been the same.Carol believes her dead father "spoke" to her via the OUIJA Board that night.

Carol, at 14, becomes pregnant during holiday break by a neighbor boy. She returns to boarding school and confides in Beth and Sally.

Too many spoilers to give any more away! This book is sure to be one of 2018's top sellers. Super character development and suspenseful to the very last page ! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Don't miss this one!


Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy a sure winner!

Carol, Beth and Sally did something terrible when they were teenagers, but they have kept their promise to each other to stay quiet about the event. Three decades later, it looks as though their secret may come to light. What are they willing to do to keep their past from destroying the lives they have built? I enjoyed this story, there was more than a little of “what goes around, comes around” to this tale of adolescent mistakes

I always enjoy these types of stories - e.g. ones where you are kept guessing throughout, subtle hints in chapters as to what is to come in future chapters. I was surprised that there was a big reveal 2/3rds of the way through the book and perhaps the pace started to drop a bit from here. I guessed at one element - not the big secret but what was happening with Carol but this did not make it any less enjoyable. Overall, a recommended read.

I was given in advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

The sad thing about this book is that by the time it really starts to get going two- thirds in, I had already lost interest in the characters and the story. This book could use some serious editing and maybe could have been published as a more interesting novella . Or you could just skip the first two thirds of the book to get to the payoff. 2.5 rounded up.

Really enjoyed this,, I loved the way the story unfolded from past to present mainly through Beth's eyes. The friendship between Beth and Sally is strong due to what they'd gone through at school but they thought they'd lost their close friendship with Carol but not for the reasons they thought.
I was surprised by the ending has hadn't seen it coming

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the Promse by Teresa Driscoll.
Thirty years ago a promise is made to keep a secret - teenage girls know that if they tell anyone their lives will forever be changed.
Something happens and their secret may be exposed - and this is something they vowed to keep in their memories and never speak of again..But someone knows, and this can change their lives if they talk about this - and they did keep a promise....
Started slow and then got better. Driscoll is a good writer and fans will like this one.

The Promise has many twists and turns. It had a few slow spots, but the end was worth it. The characters were well developed and Teresa Driscoll is a good writer. I would read another book from her again anytime.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher Amazon UK for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing flowed so naturally. Told between the 'then' and now' of three girls' lives since having met at their convent boarding school, and the burden of a secret they all share - but only one of them knows the full and shocking truth. I did think the development of the story and characters was a little lengthy up to the middle of the book, and then things moved on very quickly to some very surprising conclusions.

Keep reading - all will become clear!

The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a slow building tale of three friends who find out that the boarding school where they met when they were children is about to be closed and demolished. This puts them all into a panic because of a terrible incident that they have all kept hidden for many years and promised never to reveal.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of this author having loved her debut novel... I am Watching You..

The Promise is my third book by Teresa Driscoll and although not my favorite out of the three, I still enjoyed it and will be eagerly waiting for her next book. It is a slow build... Three friends, a boarding school about to be demolished, a secret and a promise made all those years ago... Will the girls keep their promise? The ending was worth the slow build. I do wish however that there were more flash backs and more of the time in boarding school spent on the book.. I found Matthew's chapters to be unnecessary. Overall however, I found this an enjoyable read and really enjoyed the story between these three friends.

A huge thank you to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read the advanced copy of this book!

Thanks to #NetGalley for this ARC of #ThePromise

Teresa Driscoll writes another respectable novel.

A sinister secret that three best friends made from their time at boarding school has threatened to be revealed. Thirty years has passed and that secret could now destroy the lives they have built. Beth and Sally must reconnect with Carol in order to ensure their actions never come to light. But when Beth begins to have second thoughts, things begin to take a dangerous turn. Someone is watching and it seems they will do just about anything to ensure the three women’s actions never come to light.

This book moves quite slow in the beginning as it attempts to build the plot. That time could have been used more adequately to add more depth to the characters as it was hard to become fully engaged with any of them. While the storyline does pick up midway through the novel, by this point in the book the reader has already formed an opinion of the characters and is no longer invested in the outcome. I do not feel that it was a poor read, but for this genre one would expect more development and heightened anticipation from an experienced author. 3 stars.

Amazing book! Couldn't put it down.
Was hooked all the way through. Really enjoyed this book!

Would really recommend this to others
Great work

This book dives right in from the very beginning and I absolutely love that. There’s no painful build up to the fact that we know someone died, these women who were girls at the time feel they are responsible and that there is an obvious threat to their secret being revealed very soon and possibly destroying their lives even further. There’s no guessing game as to why the secret might be revealed—their boarding school where the literal body or bodies are literally buried is being torn down and redeveloped. So we don’t have to wait on strange letters from an anonymous source to start showing up saying “I know what you did.” There are still plenty of big reveals, shocks, crazy drama and a whole lot of OMG moments. This is more than a mystery or a suspense. This is a love story, a story of endearing friendship, and one hell of a crazy good story! In the same vein of Big Little Lies—this book has great women leads facing a lot of everyday and crazy things and doing it together, which is always great to see in a story or in real life. I’m not sure why the reviews aren’t better as of yet, but I’m sure once we have more readers who are huge fans of Big Little Lies, they will recognize and appreciate the story of this book and the characters. 5 Star Read!

A bit of a slow start to get into the story but took off pretty quickly once it got going and had me gripped from that stage until the last page. I would recommend this book and read her next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I was intrigued by the description of this book....
3 friends making a promise to keep a secret about something so horrible that happened when they were 14!
This book takes us from the past to the present in a way that makes sense and keeps you guessing.
It was well written and keot me guessing until the end.
I will definitely look for Teresa Driscoll’s next book!

A bit slow in places but overall was one of my favourite books I’ve read this year. Really enjoyed it & would recommend it to anyone! Thanks for the preview.

This book started off very slowly. So slow that I almost gave up , but I'm glad I persevered as it turned into a very good read

This was absolutely brilliant - truely gripping. Definitely one of those books where I thought I had everything figured out only to find myself completely wrong.

One on my “read a second time” pile.

Am so excited to share with you this review after receiving an advanced copy from NetGalley! I had reviewed another book by Teresa Driscoll on my blog this year - I am Watching You . A genuinely surprising thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. So I figured it would be great to read another one of her books.

Unlike her previous book - I am Watching You, here the author takes the longer route to establish her characters and their backstory. It's told with alternating timeline but I think she has gone a tab overboard with all the character settings. It takes quite a while to reach the dreaded secret by which time the less patient may lose interest.

The writing is top notch and readers who like slow burning thrillers may like it, especially if you never expected the 'twist' but if I compare to her last book, this one was inadequate in its delivery.

Check out full review on www.bibliogyan.com

An intriguing story exploring friendship, relationships and the past.
Three girls who met at boarding school went on to lead very different lives but they were all bound together by a shared secret.
A bit slow in parts but the last few chapters where it all came together had me gripped.

Fantastic novel. Kept me hooked from start to finish and a fabulous ending. Will definitely search out more of Teresa’s books

I loved this book the twists that you just don’t see the promise made that you just want them to break and the end wow didn’t see that coming!! I have read all Teresa Driscolls books and thy never let you down in content characters and the written word can’t wait for the next one

A story of friendship, secrets and the promise made by teenage girls that over a lifetime will prove to be almost more destructive to their lives than the secret itself. I rather enjoyed this book and the characters. This is the first book I've read by this author and I look forward to reading more by her.

Thank you #netgalley and #thomas&mercer for the eARC.

It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.

Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.

Will they be able to keep their secret or will one of them crack under pressure? After the slow build of the plot, the conclusion will knock your socks off!

Thanks to #NetGalley for this ARC of #ThePromise by Teresa Driscoll
Pub Date: 07 Feb 2019

ALL THE STARS!
This was everything I need, want and love in a book. Deception, lies, a mysterious death, promises...
I’ve said in many of my reviews, I LOVE a book that has grown characters that suddenly face broken promises that they had as kids. Hiding lies and something very bad from childhood. It.Never.Ends.Well.
This book was beautifully written and full of thrill! I love how we were made to think one thing....then boom! Twist!
So many twists! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! The settings, the descriptions, the characters, the twists! I loved this book!
Thank you to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It took a while for this book to get going. I have read other books by Teresa Driscoll so I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. Great story that takes you on a journey then just when you think you have worked it all out BANG your sent totally off course.
Thanks to both NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my eARC of the book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I liked it more than the first one I read. I liked the mystery but the characters got on my nerves. I think Matthew was an unnecessary character and I think he’s a terrible PI. He just never seems to do much, I mean they found what they needed on their own. This was well written and I’ll probably read another book by this author. Thank you to Netgalley for a chance to read an arc of this book.

This was a great psychological thriller that has many interesting characters and storylines. I became emotionally attached to the three main characters, as well as the supporting cast of mothers and men. A unique setting (Catholic boarding school), many secrets and a pact - all great makings for an enjoyable read!

"The Promise" by Theresa Driscoll tells the story of three friends from Catholic boarding school who share a secret from when they were 14 that they promised never to tell. We know from the Prologue that the secret revolves around a dead girl, but we don't know until about halfway through the book who she is or how she died.

Beth is happily married to Adam. They have two kids, and she works for a sensationalist talk show. Sally is divorced from her cheating husband after having a miscarriage. Carol is estranged from both of them. Her husband Ned has tried over the years to encourage her to see Beth and Sally to no avail. When Beth and Sally find out that the boarding school they attended has been sold and will be torn down, they begin to panic about the body that may be found and are determined to find Carol to discuss whether to finally break their promise to one another and reveal their secret.

The story is told mostly from Beth's point of view with a handful of chapters thrown in from Carol as diary entries and from Matthew, a former cop turned private investigator who Beth and Sally hire to help them find Carol. I think the story could have been written without him since Beth does most of the investigating herself. He seemed to be in the story only to be a love interest for Sally so she would have a nice little wrap-up at the end of the book.

This was a really slow building story and could have moved faster, but I don't think it could have been a full-length book that way. I was a bit disappointed with the secret because it's something that the girls would have been able to reveal. I can see how they would want to keep the secret as 14-year-old girls, but as adults, they should have been able to see that it wouldn't destroy their lives as they kept saying.

***Minor spoilers***

There is a storyline with Carol and a Ouija board that doesn't seem to fit. She clearly has a number of mental health issues that manifest over time, but there were several references to the Ouija board incident, and it seemed a bit much. We find out at the end of the book that her relationship with her husband is not what it seems, but at one point, she is suddenly portrayed as seeming completely fine, and I found myself thinking, "What the heck?!" Once you realize that she IS still a bit disturbed, it makes sense, but it took me a few minutes to reconcile.

At another point, Beth and Sally get into an argument about Matthew and stop speaking. Beth falls into this deep depression, and Sally doesn't bother coming to see her to make amends. These two seem to be as close as sisters -- not a friendship that would end over a disagreement over a boyfriend without a serious conversation. They've been friends for 20+ years. Their unwillingness to talk it through doesn't seem realistic.

All in all, I'd say it's a decent book with some flaws, but still a good read. I'll give it 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled for publication in February 2019.

#The Promise# NetGally#
Teresa Driscoll

I love the writing of Teresa Driscoll and without fail, this book did not disappoint. The Promise is about love, loyalty, friendships, memories and the faithfulness of a promise. Beth, Sally and Carol meet in boarding school at a young age and form an indivisible friendship. A shocking event causes them to make a promise that they will never reveal to anyone. As they grow up and have their own lives, they are made to remember their schooldays as they receive an invitation to attend a party commemorating the sale of the school. It brings many feelings to the forefront of each of the three friends, some happy, some sad and one horrid secret. Someone does not want these events brought up and goes to great lengths to make it not happen. The mystery of how it will all unfold, keeps the reader guessing at what these events were that caused the mystery. I thoroughly recommend this book to all who love a well put together novel. I rate it a solid five stars. Thank you to the publisher Thomas and Mercer and to NetGally for an advanced reading copy and a fair and honest review.

A book of tension, secrets and unravelling lives. Something that has traumatised three friend's adolescence seems likely to ruin their futures. It takes a lot of skill to write a story from several different points of view in different timelines - this book is clever, evocative and detailed. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this but thought the actual Promise was going to be a lot worse than it actually was. Didn’t really class it as a thriller but still a good read.

It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.

Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.

But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol ­– before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.

Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.

But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?

my thoughts
5 stars
the author has a way of pulling you in and making you think about what would you do if it happened to you or to a friend ,would you keep the secret or tell, and even after i finished i still don't know the answer to that question . With that said i want to think Netgalley for letting me read it and reviewing it

Really enjoyed this psychological thriller, loved all the characters, the way the author writes and I found myself getting involved with the girls although I didn't guess the secret, an excellent gripping page turner.

Can definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a thoroughly good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read this excellent book.

I’d like to thank Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Promise’ by Teresa Driscoll in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Three schoolgirls Beth, Sally and Carol meet at the Convent of St Colman and when they’re in their mid-teens something so shocking happens that they make a promise to keep it a secret for ever. Thirty years later Beth and Sally have put the horror of the event behind them but when they hear that the Convent and its grounds are going to be built on they employ a private investigator, Matthew Hill, to help find the address of Carol who’s now living in France as they need to discuss with her the possibility of revealing their promise before it’s too late.
‘The Promise’ is a psychological thriller which had me hooked from page one. It had a storyline that moved smoothly from the girls’ schooldays to the present time and characters that were believable. As the story progressed I found the tension mounting and after twists and turns it concluded with a surprising ending. I like Teresa Driscoll’s style of writing which flows well and makes it easily readable. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would have no hesitation in recommending it.

3.5 stars- It started way to slow for me. I had trouble connecting to the story and the characters. After I got farther into the story it started becoming more intense and fascinating. There were a few twists that I did not expect at all and that held my interest. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and write about it.

It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise to take the horrible truth of what they had done to the grave. Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the past behind them. Carol has distanced herself from her former friends but all three are still adamant that the truth must never come to light. When shocking news threatens their secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with Carol. Somebody is watching them and wants to ensure the secret remains buried. 

'The Promise' is a very intense, slow-burn of a read. We are introduced to Beth and Sally and can see how close they are. We discover about the three schoolgirls through flashback chapters and Beth reminiscing and again can see how close all three of them were but do not know what happened to Carol to cause a rift. The book then progresses with the friendship being further explained and tested. I enjoyed reading about this friendship and it is clear to see how close they all are and were but this is a slow-burn and as a result quite boring in places. 

We have the return of Matthew in this book which is welcome, although I am confused about possible changes to his life, I also do not think he is necessary in this book. He is just there, does not do much and I do not think this book would suffer if he were not included. Anyway he is there and it is always nice to catch up with a returning character.

Despite this being slow, I was invested in the book and absorbed in the plot, I did sit and read this for a chunk of time, I was invested in the characters and their lives rather than wanting the plot resolved. When Driscoll reveals the big secret, I thought it was a bit weak and could have been something more. There are more revelations that make it more powerful but it was too late for me by then. 

'The Promise' is a good read focusing on an intense friendship being pushed to the limits. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters and am sure you will too. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me gripped to the end, with a very late night/early morning finish, because I didn't want to wait to find out the ending. Well-written, in an easy style, and focussing on the perspectives of different characters, it gives good insight into the plot, without revealing too much at a time. The characters are well-developed, and flawed, which always makes for more realism, and the premise is believable. The book emphasises how important life choices can be, and how they can affect us for years to come. It's also about facing up to responsibility, however hard the choice is at the time. Ultimately, guilt eats away at the soul, and I know that in hindsight, Carol, Beth and Sally would not have chosen to make The Promise. Well worth the read, and my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Thomas and Mercer, for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book. There were a few nights I literally couldn't put it down.
Three girls...one secret. I loved the fact that you were kept guessing pretty far in the book as to what "the promise" actually was.
All the characters came together nicely for a very surprise ending.

This starts very slowly. This does allow for some character building though not as much as I would have liked. At about the halfway point the action starts and once does this gets good! There were a few surprises and twists, some quite sad. Satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Amazon Publishing UK for a copy in exchange for a review.

This book was fantastic!
I greatly enjoyed the build up, the twists, the agony between friends and the untrust between families. I never knew who to trust, who was telling the truth. This terrible secret that tore 20 years of friendship apart continued to cast a shadow over the three lead characters. Once the secret is revealed, the story doesn’t end there! Most twists, more are secrets brought out of the woodwork. This has become one of my favorite thriller novels!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I found this really slow at the start about 3 friends from boarding school but it gradually picked up and really enjoyed it in the end

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Three friends met in boarding school and quickly became inseparable. However, something happens while they are at school which changes their lives forever. As the school is soon to be closed down and the site cleared, two of the girls are worried about what might happen when bulldozers begin to work. They try to get a hold of Carol, the third girl in their trio, and even hire a private investigator to do this. However she doesn't want to be found and the mystery is slowly becoming apparent. Although the pacing was a bit slow to start off, by the end I could put the book down.

While this book moved very slow in the beginning, I really liked it after the momentum built. Beth, Sally and Carol cover up a secret during their boarding school days that could come back and haunt them as grownups.

This is a rather odd book. I loved the way that the author captured the essence of how, when something happens to a child/juvenile, it festers away and totally goes on to affect the lives of several people who were involved. There is also something moving about the sensitivity with which there was a safe outcome for all of those involved. I am thoroughly impressed.

“The candles. The Promise. The bluebells....”

Something happened at the boarding school run by nuns.

And, now that the school is scheduled to be demolished, a secret may be revealed. It’s the secret that three fourteen year old girls vowed that they would take to their graves. It’s the secret that ended up severing the tight bond that Beth, Sally and Carol once shared when they were students at the school, thirty years ago.

Beth and Sally are still close. But they have been estranged from Carol for several years.

They need to find her before the school is torn down. So they hire PI Matthew Hill to help locate their former friend.

Told mainly through Beth’s perspective (past and present tense) the book takes awhile to set up. Once the plot is established, the present day perspectives of Matthew and Carol, are interspersed as well.

Perhaps because it took awhile to establish the story, I was not immediately engaged in this book, as I was in the author’s previous two efforts, “I Am Watching You” and “The Friend” . I also was not as surprised by the reveals, so it was my least favorite of her three books.

However, I still enjoy her writing style, and the characters she creates, and I never found myself wanting to skim, so, I would still recommend this for readers who have appreciated her earlier novels.

3.5 stars rounded up!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll (who attended boarding school!) for the ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!

Available Feb. 7, 2019!