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sslovesbooks_1's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this second book by Lorna Cook as much as I enjoyed her first.
Set in ww2 and present day it tells the story of matthew and Constance in 1940 and James and Kate in present day.
Central to the story is a house and a secret and it is set in the highlands of scotland
Set in ww2 and present day it tells the story of matthew and Constance in 1940 and James and Kate in present day.
Central to the story is a house and a secret and it is set in the highlands of scotland
colleend's review against another edition
challenging
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jo_bookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Second novels can sometimes suffer from sort of 'syndrome' not quite as good as the first, he most difficult to write, sweated over for months and months on end, massive edits and rewrites and never quite reaching the pinnacle of the first novel.
In the case of The Forbidden Promise this suffers with none of these, though I am unsure if the author suffered any of the aforementioned symptoms. For me this second novel is better than the first (and that was good) and shows a great example of dual time narrative, compelling storylines and wonderfully drawn characters.
Present day. Invermoray House in Scotland. The current residents of the home, Liz and her son James are struggling to make ends meet and the only way is for the house to be made to pay its way. A Bed and Breakfast seems a good idea with some typical HIghland pursuits for any guest that might fancy it.
Kate is famed for her PR skills and that was her previous role in London but when an incident leads her to want to hid from all she knows she takes refuge in a job at Invermoray House. Intrigued by the mystery of the house she does some research to discover a family bible with one of the names crossed out - Constance McLay.
1920. Invermoray House. Constance McLay's 21st birthday party. War has yet to really touch them so far north, it appears nothing has changed. But war is coming in many forms as young men, including Constance's brother and his friend join up and the estate workers go to fight for their country.
With the excuse of an headache, Constance escapees her own celebrations and wanders down to the loch.
There she sees a spitfire, dive and crash into the loch. Instinct kicks in and she saves the pilot and with one sweeping gestures promises to keep him safe in the abandoned ghillies cottage. However Constance finds that this promise is hard to keep.
As war starts to touch Invermoray House more directly, Constance finds that she is torn between her heart and her head.
Some eighty years later as Kate tries to find out more about Constance she also finds that her heart and her head are working independently of each other.
As the plot goes back and forth you start to form a picture of what life was like for Constance and also how it is perceived by Kate, trying to find out more about her, as if you were being told the same story from different perspectives.
What also holds the book up as excellent is the fact the author uses the landscape to be as much of a character as the characters themselves. This adds weight and depth to the plot and kept me hooked as I turned the pages wanting to find out the truth, the secrets, the lies and the promises that were made.
Lorna Cook is fast becoming an author you need to look out for.
In the case of The Forbidden Promise this suffers with none of these, though I am unsure if the author suffered any of the aforementioned symptoms. For me this second novel is better than the first (and that was good) and shows a great example of dual time narrative, compelling storylines and wonderfully drawn characters.
Present day. Invermoray House in Scotland. The current residents of the home, Liz and her son James are struggling to make ends meet and the only way is for the house to be made to pay its way. A Bed and Breakfast seems a good idea with some typical HIghland pursuits for any guest that might fancy it.
Kate is famed for her PR skills and that was her previous role in London but when an incident leads her to want to hid from all she knows she takes refuge in a job at Invermoray House. Intrigued by the mystery of the house she does some research to discover a family bible with one of the names crossed out - Constance McLay.
1920. Invermoray House. Constance McLay's 21st birthday party. War has yet to really touch them so far north, it appears nothing has changed. But war is coming in many forms as young men, including Constance's brother and his friend join up and the estate workers go to fight for their country.
With the excuse of an headache, Constance escapees her own celebrations and wanders down to the loch.
There she sees a spitfire, dive and crash into the loch. Instinct kicks in and she saves the pilot and with one sweeping gestures promises to keep him safe in the abandoned ghillies cottage. However Constance finds that this promise is hard to keep.
As war starts to touch Invermoray House more directly, Constance finds that she is torn between her heart and her head.
Some eighty years later as Kate tries to find out more about Constance she also finds that her heart and her head are working independently of each other.
As the plot goes back and forth you start to form a picture of what life was like for Constance and also how it is perceived by Kate, trying to find out more about her, as if you were being told the same story from different perspectives.
What also holds the book up as excellent is the fact the author uses the landscape to be as much of a character as the characters themselves. This adds weight and depth to the plot and kept me hooked as I turned the pages wanting to find out the truth, the secrets, the lies and the promises that were made.
Lorna Cook is fast becoming an author you need to look out for.
staceloren's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
danakask's review against another edition
5.0
I rarely read books in one or two sittings, but Lorna’s beautiful writing style had me completely immersed and hooked on this dual timeline story within the first few pages. The story is elaborately weaved around two different love stories set in picturesque Scottish Highlands. As the gripping plot thickens, seamlessly flowing between different times I was mesmerised how both romances unfolded.
This is definitely one of those page-turners that one can’t put down; beautifully written and easy to read. I would highly recommend.
This is definitely one of those page-turners that one can’t put down; beautifully written and easy to read. I would highly recommend.
sarahthereader's review against another edition
5.0
This book was AMAZING!!! I read it in two days, staying up way too late to read. Historical fiction that travels between 1940 Scotland and present day. There's mystery and romance. I couldn't put it down. Pub date Marcy 19, 2020.
angie50's review against another edition
3.0
Nice easy read, just a little predictable in places for my liking
lottie2424's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
megans_book_corner's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
faysieh's review against another edition
3.0
A pleasant read which won't exactly set the world alight, well not my world anyway, but one that has a certain slow and subtle charm.
A dual timeline story flitting between 1940 and the present day, we learn about Constance rescuing a pilot from the loch by the house at Invermoray, and years later Kate takes on a job at the same house, trying to rescue it from debt.
Constance is a privileged woman fighting against war time constraints and determined to make a difference. She doesn't know how she will achieve this, but whilst escaping the unwanted clutches of amorous Henry at her 21st birthday celebrations, she finds herself bravely saving the life of Matthew when his plane falls from the sky.
Meanwhile Kate gets off to a bad start in her new job when it turns out the man she nearly ran over finding her way to Invermoray House is none other than the son of Liz who hired her. Things are frosty between Kate and James but slowly they begin to work at keeping the house afloat as a B&B. To do this they delve into the history of the house and its former occupants, intrigued by portraits, local more and some names in a family bible.
This is the link between the two generations and we discover how eventful life was in 1940 for Constance, her brother Douglas and the wounded airman Matthew who Constance hides in an out of the way cottage.
There is happiness and sadness, a shock discovery or two and relationships between couples that seem doomed from the outset.
A reasonably interesting book, if somewhat predictable in places, but if you like historical fiction combined with a light read, this could be the book for you!
A dual timeline story flitting between 1940 and the present day, we learn about Constance rescuing a pilot from the loch by the house at Invermoray, and years later Kate takes on a job at the same house, trying to rescue it from debt.
Constance is a privileged woman fighting against war time constraints and determined to make a difference. She doesn't know how she will achieve this, but whilst escaping the unwanted clutches of amorous Henry at her 21st birthday celebrations, she finds herself bravely saving the life of Matthew when his plane falls from the sky.
Meanwhile Kate gets off to a bad start in her new job when it turns out the man she nearly ran over finding her way to Invermoray House is none other than the son of Liz who hired her. Things are frosty between Kate and James but slowly they begin to work at keeping the house afloat as a B&B. To do this they delve into the history of the house and its former occupants, intrigued by portraits, local more and some names in a family bible.
This is the link between the two generations and we discover how eventful life was in 1940 for Constance, her brother Douglas and the wounded airman Matthew who Constance hides in an out of the way cottage.
There is happiness and sadness, a shock discovery or two and relationships between couples that seem doomed from the outset.
A reasonably interesting book, if somewhat predictable in places, but if you like historical fiction combined with a light read, this could be the book for you!