The Promise

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WINSTON GRAHAM PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020Set in beautiful Cornwall, THE PROMISE is a haunting novel of love, war and dark secrets.No matter what promises you make, some dark secrets refuse to stay buried…shortlisted for the Winston Graham Prize for Fiction 2020In windswept and beautiful 1940s Cornwall, love, war, and dark secrets collide in a heart-wrenching story that stays with you long after the last page is turned.When Nell Summers discovers a faded photograph of a young soldier among her late father’s belongings, she is soon caught in a web of mystery that changes everything she thought she knew. Desperate for answers, she journeys to Cornwall where the remains of a neglected garden and crumbling World War II fortifications hint at a past buried in shadows but closer enough to touch. But the truth Nell uncovers is more devastating and far darker than she could ever imagine.In the chaos of wartime, American GIs flood into Cornwall, bringing with them excitement and danger. Amidst the turmoil, Estella Kellow, a young woman with a heart full of forbidden hope, falls in love with a young man she is forbidden from associating with. The American army and her own family are quick to condemn their romance, but passion blinds Estella to the consequences and she refuses to give in to threats. The promise made in the heat of love will reverberate through generations, concealing a secret too dangerous and too painful to reveal.A spellbinding tale of love, loss, and the unbreakable weight of family secrets, The Promise is an emotional journey that will grips from the first page and never lets go. Can Nell find redemption in the truth, or will the legacy of the past crush her future beneath its weight?What Amazon readers and reviewers are saying about The Promise”One of my books of the year,” ★★★★★”If you like Kate Morton, this is the book for you!” ★★★★★”I loved every word and had to ration myself” ★★★★★”A truly captivating and well told story” ★★★★★”My favourite book of the year” ★★★★★”Compelling and enchanting.” ★★★★★”A heartwrenching story that will live long in the memory” ★★★★★