This is quite the emotional roller coaster. The story contains nail biting drama. Three young girls swear to keep a secret that brings multiple complications into their adult lives. The story is told through the voice of multiple characters which adds great depth to the feelings and voice of the plot. It also transitions from one period of time to the next to add comparative perspective to what the characters were feeling or doing at different times. The author doesn’t leave anything to chance and only introduces characters and details that are absolutely vital to the plot. This keeps the reader intrigued and guessing at what is truly happening until she is ready to reveal it. A solid mind puzzle you will enjoy reading and trying to solve before you get to the end.

This was an ARC from NetGalley

This book was a surprise. It wasn’t quite the ‘thriller’ I imagined but I really enjoyed it. Reading the present day chapters, I was desperate to know more. But then was also hooked on the flashback chapters too. I loved the fact it was in the different voices of the characters.

This is a gripping story. It gets off to a slow start, and the panic that Beth and Sally are in to find Carol seems a bit over the top. To employ the services of a private detective seems bizarre, but Matthew does quickly follow up a lead which allows the women to find Carol’s mother, so was clearly a good idea. The side story of Sally and Matthew becoming romantically attached is a good device to occasionally reduce the tension of the main story. Matthew is useful to the women as well because of his knowledge of police procedures.

About a third of the way through the book the pace picks up, and it becomes almost unputdownable. When the secret the women have kept since they were fourteen is finally admitted it is almost an anticlimax, I was imagining far worse. Indeed, there are things to be revealed that are perhaps even worse, certainly on their effects on the persons involved.

The author is very good at building the tension, and the characters feel very real, they act and react in the ways you would expect them to. An excellent read.

This is a chick lit thriler and one I really couldn't get into unfortunately. It starts off so well but the plot is quite immature and not sophisticated at all. Jist too much descriptin of other stuff not really relevant and i found myself skipping pages just to get to the end. I think this would be a good holiday read. Beth, Sal and Carol are high school friends. They have a secret which is also a promise they made that they would never break. It follows that they lose track of Carol and are desperate to find her before their school reunion

I will not be posting a review on goodreads because I was unable to enjoy this book and do not feel comfortable leaving a negative review.

Secrets between teenagers ? Can they stay in the past? Unlikely. Read this rollercoaster of a book with no distractions. I devoured in one sitting. 5/5 on goodreads.

The Promise is full of surprises and shocking revelations. Imagine making a pact with two of your closest friends, promising to keep it a secret. Something so dark and horrible, you vow to never tell a soul. Will you be able to trust one another not to spill the beans and reveal your darkest secret?

I found this book to be a slow burn for me. The premise and plot of the book was interesting, but I found many parts to be quite slow paced and it took me some time to get into the book. I found the beginning of the book especially to be slow to lead up to the full plot, which is fine, but I found myself wishing the pace would pick up sooner than it actually did. I found myself struggling to get through the first part of the book because it was so slow paced for me, which is fine, but I personally prefer faster paced novels.

I found the dynamics of the three friends – Beth, Sally and Carol – to be interesting. When you are young and so close to one another and vow to keep something secret, will you be able to keep that promise some 30 years later? After all, they are no longer young girls but are now women. People change, don’t they? People grow up, personalities and responsibilities change, and so do priorities and values.

Dnf at 30%. The pace is glacial, the plot uninteresting, and after reading some reviews, it looks like it doesn't get any better.

Enjoyed this book, although I did find it a real slow burner. The secret is revealed around two thirds of the way through and I felt it lost some impetus after that. I've been a big fan of Teresa Dricoll's other books and am still looking forward to more in the future.

THE PROMISE is a character driven page turner that paints portraits with nuanced suggestions and inuendo. The well-crafted story makes you want to know more about the long-ago secret they are keeping. There will be times when you want to scream 'just tell me!' Then you will settle back to reading and absorbing details that taunt.

I imagine that this book falls squarely in the category of women's fiction, a category I tend to bypass on general principals. I avoid it in the same way I avoid men's fiction because to me a book is genderless, a story to be read by whomever is drawn to it. Along these lines, I would encourage men to read this book to better acquaint themselves with the psyche of women that so many find a mystery.

Driscoll has captured the very essence of the female thought process that has, for so long, be taught that they must be careful of what they say and do in the presence of men and/or male authority. The 'now' in this book is 2016. To think that women under the age of 40 are still so constrained defines the very reason for the feminist movement.

As you read, you will conjure up all sorts of scenarios to try and make sense of just what promise schoolgirls made some 20 years ago. When the male protagonist is introduced, with his own secret, a balancing act of whose secret is worse starts to fester.

The resolution is neither earthshattering nor is it anticlimactic; it is rather matter of fact and highly believable. The excellent writing and superb plotting make this an excellent choice for your next read.

This is third book by the author but first one that I have read.
It is a psychological thriller with three girls at the centre of a twisty turny and layered story. There is one promise that they need to protect at evwry cost.

But even after having so many turns and characters it is relatively easy and flowing read. Never at a point you have to stretch your memory to link chapters and events.

Writing is simple and author creates scenes clearly with simple sentences.
Characters are developed nicely and you could see the whole thinking process of each.

What I didn't like was first half of book where sometimes book stands still and looses all flow. Not a leaf in garden moves. But afterwards it picks up pace and suspects keep changing rapidly in second half of the book.
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It is nice that author has avoided going into complex minute details of everything and there are few things that reader has to imagine.

But at last you feel everything is clearly clarified and explained. One could never suspect till end who the main offender was and all links connect at last.
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One whole chapter dedicated to what happens to each character after the justice has been delivered.
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I liked the book but wish its first half could match second half. Looking forward to read other two books of author.

Thanks netgalley and author for review copy.

The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a wonderful, psychological novel that will test the very lives of Sally, Beth, and Carol. Thirty years ago, Beth, Sally, and Carol made a deep, dark promise and with one phone call, it is about to rear its ugly head. Carol would rather truly forget about that night, put it behind her, even if means cutting ties with her two best friends.
Beth and Sally have remained best friends. However, Beth and Sally know that the three of them have to deal with the secret together whether or not Carol wants too. Beth then hires a private detective to find Carol
Truly an exceptional read that had me absorbed in from the first day. As I read, I tried to figure out what could have happened to cause three-aged girls make such a secret. Why after thirty years does the secret come "back to life"? The secret threatens to change the lives of the now women once again, Once the secret is out, can all of the girls finally move on, and let go of the past?

Thank you to netgalley and St Martins Press for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was my first by Teresa Driscoll and did not realize it was her 3rd psychological thriller. I read this in 2 days so it's a quick read. I definitely read faster at the end as the pieces started unraveling. I'd recommend it and will probably take a look at her others.

Secrets and friendship in this great thriller that I really enjoyed. Another good read from Teresa Driscoll

Teresa Driscoll is a master storyteller. This was a story about three childhood friends with a terrible, dark secret that they make a pact to take to the grave with them. However, after they get older, events take place that threaten to reveal the secret. How awesome does that sound? I am here for that! This is a common story line that I have enjoyed seeing played how. It reminded me of I Know What You Did Last Summer (movie) and The Lying Game by Ruth Ware. This book grabbed my attention from the beginning, and I was curious to see how it played out. I find myself picking up this book every possible chance to see what was going to happen next. We know there is a secret, but we don't know what the secret is. This element of suspicion kept me engaged and guessing until the very end. I would recommend this book if you like thrillers that are centered around friendships and secrets. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book to review.

A good story, realistic characters. A promise made by three very different girls in boarding school. Years later the school is scheduled to close and two of the girls who have remained friends try to find the third. She really does not want to be found. Then the plot twists and turns. Well written, enjoyable read.

I was absolutely blown away with this book. I am really afraid to even start to talk about it because I would just give it all away. Loved it!!

3 <b> Three girls. One dead. </b> Stars
This book started out with some serious “promise” . it was about three women who all attended a catholic boarding school and now they are all facing forty and their secrets they left at the boarding school. Going into the book you know it’s a thriller so every crumb in the book you pick up to overanalyze it. The book oddly leaves many crumbs in its wake that have no explanation which just leave you confused at the end of it. The story is a slow build as most thrillers are. The book read very well but it was soo slow and boring. This is one of those books if I had set it down I would have DNF but I had plenty of time on my hands to move forward with the book. I was left with far too many unanswered questions to be able to like this book truly.

<spoiler> Matthews backstory needed to better developed and really what was his purpose?
Who was sending the FB taunts and why?
Why did there need to be a motorcycle accident?
Why did NOTHING happen for sooooo long.
Carol’s character was promised to be so elusive .. and yet big let down there.
</spoiler>

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll, published 2/07/2019
Normally I like this kind of book but this one really dragged for me. I read it between other books to try to keep it fresh but just was never grabbed by it.
The premise of three classmates with a longtime secret was a good one, it just never came to light like it should have in an interesting way.
The background descriptions were boring and trite. When we finally got further into the story, I was quite tired of it by then. There were no good twists or turns either.
I am sorry to say that I would not recommend this book.
** stars.

It begins by describing Beth, Carols and Sally’s arrival at boarding school. The story goes to the present and flashes back to the past. The girls made a promise to protect each other from a secret. This story takes you on a whirlwind ride to find out about Carol. The middle of the story lags a little, but the ending more than makes up for that. It was a great book with a surprise ending.