Promised by Leah Garriott, 368 pages. Shadow Mountain, 2020. $16.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
After having her heart broken and her reputation stained, Margaret is looking for a marriage of convenience. This would help alleviate the rumors around her family and restore their status while still keeping her heart safe from future harm. But safety is not happiness, and Lord Williams is determined to make Margaret feel the difference.
Margaret’s story is engaging in a way that makes it easy to read just one more page, though I wanted to shake Margaret half the time (and swoon the other half of the time). I enjoyed putting the pieces together that Garriott makes available to the reader and then see my suspicions confirmed regarding various characters. However, while readers can see the growth in Margaret and find satisfaction in her happy ending, I don’t fully support the main characters’ relationship and the mixed messages it can send to readers.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This is a lovely book. I couldn't believe it was the author's first. Will be looking forward to more from this author.

Promised by Leah Garriott

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Leah Garriott presents readers with her debut novel that includes good writing, a well developed plot and a love story that embodies incredible grace and mercy in the face of embittered meanness.

It’s always a fun gamble to read a new author who offers up such an interesting story. Either you will love it or hate it and that will color your view of them forever. I’m pleased to say that I was very impressed with this first story by Ms Garriott and hope that she will continue to write excellent stories like this one. She began her story with a great hook – a young woman looking for a marriage in name only sets off to a house party meant to introduce marriageable people to one another. Margaret is determined to marry but only on her terms. Having lost a man she loved to another and been made to look a fool in the process, she vows to find someone who will give her the protection of his name but not require her affections in return. She quickly meets two men of opposite type and finds herself drawn to them for different reasons. Mr. Northam is the perfect convenience match given his reputation and lack of commitment to one woman. But Margaret also finds herself intrigued by Lord Williams and his meddling in her possible match. But her intrigue turns to anger when Lord Williams destroys her chances with Mr. Northam. Returning home remains her only option and upon her arrival she is met with astonishing news – her father has made a match for her. And to none other than Lord Williams, himself. Unable to believe his highhandedness and arrogance, Margaret sets out to make him rescind his proposal before she does something crazy, like fall for his charms. But Lord Williams is determined to save Margaret from herself and takes her vinegar with great aplomb and kindness. Will Margaret realize the precious opportunity that has fallen in her lap or will she keep her heart behind the thick wall she has created for it forever? Can Lord Williams make her see that to love and sacrifice for someone is the only real basis for marriage? You’ll have to find out by reading this lovely story. I really enjoyed reading this first novel by Ms. Garriott. She created characters with real depth and honest feelings. I loved how incredibly bitter and mean Margaret got with every encounter with Lord Williams. She was so mean to him and he just kept being kind and the conversations between them snapped with electricity. And then how they finally ended up together was very well done and developed. My only issue with the story was that Margaret didn’t seem to experience enough remorse over her treatment of Lord Williams. I wished she had been a taken down a little more given her incredibly awful attitude and cruel actions. And while Lord Williams wasn’t a perfect man, he did have some amazing mercy and grace towards Margaret that most would not have had. He could certainly inspire others to act differently in the face of constant opposition. The secondary characters of this story were also well done and provided good sounding boards for the main characters. You could really become immersed in the story as you read and it helped me to connect well to the characters and situations presented. I will certainly be recommending this story to others and am hopeful they will enjoy it as much as I did. Well done, Ms. Garriott!

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Shadow Mountain Publishing via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

I absolutely love, and highly recommend, Promised by Leah Garriott. Oh my goodness is this book good! I was curious, I was angry, I was frustrated. I loved Margaret one minute, then wanted to smack her the next. Gregory, the hero, is simultaneously swoon-worthy, passionate, and so, so kind, and then he is totally baffling. And the chemistry between Margaret and Gregory is breathtaking. Truly, Promised is a masterful Regency-era novel that kept me turning pages well into the night and has left this reader one satisfied and smiling girl!

There is truly so much to love about Promised, but my most favorite aspect is the discussion about perspective. On her home’s property, Margaret has a beloved lake. Her whole life, the lake has been her solace space, the place she could run to in order to collect her thoughts, or scream, or cry, or take a rest. The lake brought her peace so she saw it as beautiful. But then life happens and Margaret gets beat up a little (metaphorically speaking, of course). In an unfortunate series of events, Margaret and her father have to leave home for a bit. As happens in life, Margaret slowly grows and changes. When she and her father return home Margaret naturally visits her beloved lake. But this time it’s different. Her perspective has shifted and now she can see reality.

You see, the lake was manmade and not really a lake at all. To Margaret as a little girl, as a teenager, and as a very naive young woman the lake was pristine and perfect because of what the lake represented to her — peace and security and sanctuary. From Margaret’s youthful perspective, the lake was perfect. But when she grew up, when she lost her naivety a bit, she could see the lake for what it really is: a place with the appearance of life, but really nothing more than a place of stagnation. I love how the lake was used in the story to reflect (pun intended) Margaret’s emotional and personal growth and maturity. It’s quite gothic actually, and very true to all our lives. Most of us had that thing or person growing up we saw through rose-colored glasses. When others would criticize it we’d be hurt and dumbfounded. But then we grew up and the rose-colored glasses came off! Reality struck and we saw that thing or person for what it really was. Our perspectives subtly shifted and we became adults, just as Margaret does in this novel. It’s definitely a very, very subtle message about personal growth — blink and you’ll miss it in the novel — but a message that makes this novel quite deep and poignant.

This review, I can say with absolute certainty, does NOT do Promised justice. Seriously, I could do a post on the swooniness of Gregory alone. LOL! Promised is a novel that must be experienced. If you adore Regency-era novels as much as I do, I implore you to purchase a copy today. You will not be disappointed.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I have to confess I struggled to warm to these characters, and for this character-driven reader, that presented a bit of a problem. In a broad sense this story was modelled after Pride and Prejudice, with the hero of the novel creating an unfavourable impression to begin with and the heroine’s opinion of the hero gradually transforming over the course of the story. So far so good—that’s a plot I love to see unfold. But for me, much of its success relies on being able to see the characters realise their flaws and grow as a result, and that didn’t happen for me in this book.

In the early parts of the story, both the hero and the heroine were ill-mannered, which made it even more important for me to see some personal growth. The heroine often came across as petulant, which definitely made me less sympathetic towards her. As this story was written entirely from the heroine’s point of view, it wasn’t until the end of the story that we fully understood the hero’s position, but even so, it didn’t explain the inconsistency in his behaviour towards Margaret at different points in the story. I felt that a well-mannered Regency gentleman would have handled things differently in many of the circumstances. And that goes for a well-mannered Regency lady, too.

The other difficulty I had was that several elements of the plot felt contrived for the sake of creating a specific emotion in the reader. Some of these elements echoed other Jane Austen novels, and while none of them were unrealistic in their own right, they didn’t always feel organic to the story. I thought perhaps the story could have been strengthened if one or two of the lesser plot threads had been removed to give the author room to develop the main plot more fully.

Overall, I’m sorry I didn’t enjoy this story more, but as this is a debut novel, I’m not necessarily deterred from checking out future titles released by this author as she hones her craft.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This delightful book is perfect for fans of Jane Austen and who enjoy wonderful Regency era romances.

Margaret Brinton keeps her promises, and the one she is most determined to keep is the promise to protect her heart…
Warwickshire, England, 1812, Margaret Brinton is seeking an eligible bachelor, for a marriage of convenience only. Having already learned a valuable past lesson…that falling in love can be disastrous to one’s heart. She has suffered a broken heart along with a broken engagement.

So taking things into her own hands, she convinces her brother to escort her to to a matchmaking house party. Margaret is witty with a enticing and flirtatious personality,
and attracts the the attention of two attractive bachelors, the notorious known rake, Fredrick Northam Mr. Northam and his reserved cousin Lord Gregory William.
When Lord Williams, does the unthinkable and snubs Margaret in public. This in turn causes Margret to have a preconceived view of Lord Williams character, and in her mind there will definitely not be any future pleasantries between them two.
In a twist of fate that will challenge Margaret to reign in her fiery and vibrant personality, and except the the well laid plans for her future.
Hopefully without losing her heart once more.

The authors development of the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine was believable and the chemistry was incredible. The writing is strong and flows perfectly, and I really enjoyed the first person narration. I was emotionally connected with the well fleshed out characters. The plot line is superb and the twists, add incredible depth and drama, to this lovely book.

A lovely enchanting, believable ennemis to lovers Regency period, that is compelling as it is faced paced. The storyline is engaging along with incredible dialogue, that keeps you immersed from start to finish. The prose and the storyline unfolds perfectly allowing the reader to feel completely in this atmospheric historical regency novel.
I loved this heartfelt book and I am impatiently waiting to read anything in future from this captivating author.

@LeahGarriott, @ShadowMountn
#PromisedBlogTour #HistoricalRomance, #RegencyRomance, #ChristianFiction, #InspirationalFiction, #Reading, #LeahGarriott, #ShadowMountain

Oh, I loved this book! I loved the main characters, the story, the romance and I’m excited to read future books by this new author!

I am in awe of each of the books in the Proper Romance Series! I loved the turmoil of the heart and the confusion of emotions portrayed in the story. If felt real and entranced me even more into the tale. I highly recommend this one!

This book delivered the one thing that makes a story come alive for me- emotion! There are hidden games being played here that ramp up the drama, and Margaret's denial of what will bring her happiness provides her character the opportunity for growth. Lord Williams is a Darcy-esque enigma at first, he has two sides of his personality that Margaret has seen and she doesn't know which is the truth and which is a facade. Knowing who to trust is difficult, especially when Margaret makes her life harder by not trusting those she really can and should. In the midst of the inner turmoil, Margaret finds herself falling in love against her will, only to have the tables turned and twisted around again. This book was highly entertaining and kept me invested in the characters all the way to the end.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Warwickshire, England - 1812

Miss Margaret Brinton’s heart has been broken by her neighbor and long time beau as he flaunted his mistresses for all to see. She and her brother, Daniel, have accepted an invitation to a week-long soiree touted for matching couples. She is simply interested in a marriage of convenience and in name only.

At dinner, Margaret is seated between Mr. Frederick Northam, a wealthy aristocrat, and Baron Williams on the other side. Turns out they are cousins. Baron Williams comes across as rather arrogant while Mr. Northam is quite solicitous. When Margaret plays a medley on the piano after dinner, Baron Williams jumps up, acting furious and leaves the room. The man had given her the direct cut!

Her father calls her home early from the soiree to inform her that he has made a match for her. It is none other than the odious Baron Williams. Furious at her father, she refuses to be gracious to the Baron and vows not to marry him. If he wishes to get into her good graces, he has his work cut out for him.

This book started off well and then…it went from bad to worse. I found myself constantly put out with Baron Williams and Margaret’s brother, Daniel, for essentially laughing at Margaret’s refusal to accept Baron Williams at face value. They expected her to accept him no questions asked. The little woman is to shut up and take it. No! That did not set well with me and I found myself angry with the lot of them. I really wanted to read this book but am sorry to say it was not my cup of tea.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Romance, clean; period; Proper Romance
Clean period romance. Margaret and Gregory's story was a lovely fall. A wager leads Gregory to seek Margaret's attention and affections. Margaret, still hurting from a failed engagement (she broke it off when the lack of fidelity of her fiance became apparent), has decided to choose a suitor where her heart will not be engaged in the marriage to keep it safe, and her secure in a situation. After spending time with Gregory (Lord Williams) in different setting, they gradually both have their hearts opened to each other. Lovely settings, sweet, tender moments, a bit of sass and fun, along with kindness, courtesies, gifts, and support as Alice, Margaret's sister struggles with illness. Solid side characters, setting, and moments make this a gorgeous, lush read. Loved it.

I was so surprised to see Promised was this author’s first published work. The depth of character, witty banter, swoony romance... it was a perfect symphony of prose. I can’t wait to read more from Mrs Garriott.

Promised, by Leah Garriott, is a book that grabbed my attention from the start with its interesting premise and unique heroine. Usually characters want to fall in love and then get married, but Margaret wants the opposite. She has experienced a hurt in her past and she is trying to escape a similar situation in the future by making a certain promise to herself. She has basically condemned her life to a life without the possibility of love again, because when you love, you have the chance of being hurt by that love. Sadly, there are never guarantees with love, being loved in return or not getting hurt in the process. This book was emotional and captivating with interesting characters and witty banter.
Trust is a tricky thing, hard won and when broken it can shatter a person. It does indeed make it hard to ever put yourself out there again. I was trying to understand Margaret and justify her very combative attitude and behavior for the first part of the book and came to the conclusion that everyone has the choice to deal with loss and grieve in their own way. Of course, I can't judge Margaret and her choices, but I can't help wishing that she had spent the two years she had to get over Edward differently and come to to other conclusions. That Edward was only one person, that not every relationship will end in the same way and more importantly, that she deserves to love find love again. I think she clung to things like the lake as way to anchor herself to something that didn't change and couldn't hurt her when she sought constance and stability in her life. To end up enjoying the river more may have showed her emotional growth and progress. Life is ever-changing and you can move along with it or get stuck on the side. Margaret made some hard choices but she chose love and to live her life and that was admirable.

Lord Williams was a mystery to me and therefore it was hard to trust him and to know if you wanted him for Margaret at all. It was unclear as to why he would choose to engage himself to someone that he apparently didn't like and left with you questions at possible scenarios. Does he really secretly like her and just doesn't know how to say it, or does he feel bad for walking out on her performance and felt like the honorable thing was to marry her? Any effort made on his part to be kind to or woo Margaret was questionable. I hoped he could be the one to help her love again but he acted so differently around everyone and was obviously keeping a secret so it was hard to trust him. He was a gentleman to the core and just the thing that Margaret ended up needing.

Though it seemed a little quickly done, their emotions and feelings did take a turn for the better and I'm happy for the way the story turned out. I loved their interactions and conversations when they started opening up to the other person. There were many insightful passages about nature, being free, of letting go of the past, etc. that I think added nicely to the story and were instrumental in bringing about change for Margaret. There were themes like regret, pain and loss and can help the reader relate to these characters in some way. Margaret matured much throughout the story and finally discovered what true love is and that true love is worth everything. Promised a unique, thought provoking, fun regency read that is sure to be loved by many.

Inspired by Pride and Prejudice, but with a backbone of its own

This is the debut novel of Mrs. Garriott and I was impressed by the quality of the writing and the flow of the narrative. The descriptions are beautifully done and the dialogues are intelligent and interesting.

Margaret was in love and engaged to be married when she found out her intended had a mistress and was only pretending to love her to set his hands on her dowry and please his father.

Feeling betrayed and fool, Margaret decided she would never give her heart away again. She would make a marriage of convenience to someone she could never really love and be forever safe from heartbreak.

With this intent in mind, Margaret went to a house party where she met two cousins: the handsome and rakish Mr. Fredrick Northam, and the arrogant and proper Lord Williams.

The story revolves around Margaret having to choose between the safety of a marriage to a known rake she could never respect or the risk of giving a second chance to love.

The story is told exclusively from Margaret’s point of view, using the first person, and I must confess I disliked it a little in the beginning. But, as the story progressed, seeing things exclusively in her perspective helped me to connect and understand her motives.

If at first, I thought her too stubborn, by the end, I had realized it was more determination than stubbornness, a reaction to the trauma she suffered and an attempt to regain control of her life.

Gregory, the hero, was handsome and intelligent but could be highhanded at times. Like Margaret, he had an ingrained sense of duty and gave great value to family and honor. Both main characters are complex and very relatable.

As a fan of Pride and Prejudice, I could not fail to identify several references and inspired-by characters, but it pleased me to see the story has its own backbone.

Mr. Northam, or should I say, Mr. Wickham, is a wonderful anti-hero and I hope he gets his own HEA one day (preferably in more redeeming circumstances than his Austenesque counterpart).

Promised is an engaging traditional historical romance and a strong debut novel. I’m looking forward to reading Mrs. Garriott’s next titles.

Disclosure: I have received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excerpt from review posted in All About Romance as affiliated with the Austenprose book tour:


Promised by Leah Garriott is an immersive Regency reading experience featuring a strong and intelligent heroine determined to navigate the precarious marriage market on her own terms and the man who thwarts her every last carefully planned step to do so.


Full review here https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/promised-by-leah-garriott/

It wasn't until I was a good way through Promised that I saw the similarities to Pride and Prejudice. The way in which Margaret was so repulsed by Lord Williams' manner and his haughty attitude. Then I started noticing other subtle things and began to realize that there were a number of connections. What I appreciated is that the author did not attempt to make this a retelling, including all the characters and situations with slight variations. Instead, Leah Garriott made the story her own.

There were some cute and some romantic moments, such as with the donkey. And some odious yet indispensible characters.

While I liked Lord Williams - mostly - I didn't really understand his motivation for the "thing" that ended up being a problem. Somehow it didn't quite ring true. Other than that, he was kind despite being a bit aloof and was certainly persistent!

Margaret had a deep love for her family, especially her sister, Alice. Her relationship with her brother, Daniel, was humorous at times, especially when they were goading and needling each other. I do have to confess, though, that her prejudice against Lord Williams and her grief over her sad circumstances was a bit overwhelming throughout much of the story. She wasn't bad, I just wasn't much of a fan. And I wasn't quite sure why Lord Williams fell in love with her.

There were a couple of items I would have liked to have had explained more thoroughly (or at all, like the donkey). The narrative style was good yet not compelling. Overall, Promised was enjoyable.

3.5 stars

The book's beautiful cover and premise intrigued me. And early on in the story, it was a pleasant surprise to come across a loving father who wants his daughter to be happy and feels remorse for the role he must play in securing her future. I've read so many books in this genre with villainous or disinterested fathers.
The development of the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine was extremely difficult to believe. I'm accustomed to suspending my disbelief, but something about this story proved far more challenging than usual, and it was difficult to ignore the glaring inconsistencies. She willfully misunderstood him, but in a petulant way, not in a strong-willed, opinionated way. And there's definitely a difference. Some parts were so obvious, yet our smart heroine was acting totally clueless, denying the facts right in front of her face. I did not care much for these characters at all, unfortunately. They felt superficial, even with first-person narration. Miscommunication is a standard trope, and I tolerate it when it's useful, but when a single question to any number of people might resolve the glaring confusion, and the supposedly forthright heroine won't even ask it or demand an answer, the story loses credibility. Some of the encounters between characters, including secondary ones, simply left me confused. I actually had to go back and re-read several chapters just to make sure I hadn't missed something. The writing itself was strong, but the character development and plotting lacked depth and flow. The romance would have been far more satisfying if it had developed naturally. I just couldn't enjoy the sweetness when I couldn't see how it arrived at that point. It was all too convenient. Nearly every character was distressed for one reason or another, lending a somber air to the story, and that single note carried throughout the entire book. Even in potentially devastating circumstances, the emotional reactions rang hollow. I never connected emotionally with the characters, and there was a lot of angst that might have increased the tension and suspense if it were proven necessary, but the reasoning for it was unrealistic, making the happily-ever-after not at all satisfying. Overall, this didn't feel like a true romance to me.

Margaret Brinton made the mistake of losing herself head over heels to a rake and suffering both a broken engagement and a broken heart. Now all she wants is to enter into a marriage of convenience with her eyes wide open, determined to have no romantic feelings for her future husband so that no matter what he does, he cannot hurt her. When she encounters Mr. Northam at a matchmaking house party, the flirtatious roué seems perfect for her plan. Her own substantial settlement ensures that Northam desires the marriage of convenience as much as she does, and the only obstacle in the way is the frustratingly stubborn Lord Williams.

Cousin to Mr. Northam, Lord Williams is obstinately and officiously determined to prevent Margaret from throwing herself away on a rake. Approaching her father behind her back, Lord Williams manages to contract his own betrothal to Margaret. Furious, Margaret uses every rudeness and jibe at her disposal to deter Lord Williams, but despite her best efforts, the odious man begins to grow on her. But a man who appeals to her emotions is the very opposite of what she wants! Can Margaret find a way to drive off this intractable baron before it is too late?

This enemies-to-lovers Regency romance had overtones of Pride and Prejudice. Haughty Lord Williams (AKA Gregory) seems impervious to Margaret’s barbs while she insists that his interference is entirely unwanted. The insult that he deals Margaret (walking out during her piano performance at the house party) is certainly reminiscent of Mr. Darcy’s behavior at the opening ball in P&P. Some readers may enjoy only having one point of view in the novel, but I must confess, I liked Lord Williams better than I liked Margaret, and I wished that the point of view had been his!

A subplot with Margaret’s pesky older brother Daniel and his own intended added depth to the story, however, the main premise of the book (Margaret’s peculiar desire for a marriage of convenience even after discovering her own attraction to Lord Williams), was a little far-fetched and felt rather like a step Charlotte Lucas might take. At times, I would have liked the heroine to be a little bit more like Elizabeth Bennet in the department of good sense. Fans of clean Regency-era romance will enjoy this debut novel, and Lord Williams is sure to garner interest from many quarters.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for participating in the blog tour. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Promises are tricky things, are they not? As quick as a word, as light as a breath, yet as unyielding as an adamant stone. In Promised, Leah Garriott’s 2020 debut, we see promises kept and promises broken; vows to engage and vows to escape engagements; promises for true romance and promises to create nothing except idle mischief.

Mischief is something our heroine decidedly does not enjoy, yet she is without the benefit of a Kindle or cozy reading nook. I put it to readers to ask yourself this question: In this season of Cupid, don’t we all want a little bit of true romance and idle mischief in our lives?

Promised opens to a matchmaker’s paradise: one lavish house-party; countless single, handpicked, and moderately wealthy guests; and one agenda meant solely to pair off couples by party’s end. While other single women attend for love or acquiring more money, Margaret Brinton has only one purpose – that of entering into a marriage of convenience. Once long ago she had searched for love and thought she’d found it, but then she discovered her fiancé had chosen her solely for her dowry. Heartbroken, she promised herself that whatever she did, she would never, ever fall in love.

A husband, on the other hand, is a different story. Hoping to find a means to pave the way for her younger siblings to marry and for the malicious whispers to silence, Margaret selects the rakish Mr. Northam to be her future husband. Handsome? Yes. Rich? Decently. Able to attach her heart? Blessedly no.

The only hitch to her plan is Mr. Northam’s infuriatingly resolute, seemingly honorable (but decidedly arrogant) cousin, Lord Williams. The insufferable man insists that his cousin is a rake and not worth her attention. Even worse, Lord Williams simply does not know when to give up. His stubbornness to block her marriage to Mr. Northam by engaging himself to her by means of her father’s dictate—all without her consent—turns their already oil-and-water relationship to a blazing inferno. As the weeks go by, angry confrontations and comical mishaps transform into surprising honesty and mutual respect. Yet is this enough to base a future on? Is this enough to enter into—or break—iron-clad vows?

There’s a very long list of things I loved about Promised with an almost nonexistent list of what I didn’t like. First up: The descriptions. With a light touch, Leah Garriott describes details like a breeze-stirred lake or hair curling just above the ears. Nothing is overbearing or overly dramatic, but everything paints a vivid picture. Thematically, this novel is a gem. From the first line to last, the themes of trust, promises, and freedom remain strong. I particularly like all the scenes involving the lake of Margaret’s childhood. It symbolizes happiness and peace for her. As she changes, her view of the pond and what it symbolizes also alters. This depth was beautifully written.

The two leads, Lord Gregory Williams and Margaret, had a relationship of true equals. For them, it wasn’t love at first sight. More likely, love at first fight! As much as it sounds like a version of My Fair Lady’s quarrels or The Taming of the Shrew’s mercurial leads, Gregory and Margaret’s relationship didn’t fit into any established tropes. She sought a convenient marriage on her terms; he wanted to prevent it for his own murky reasons. They are very human leads because they are so unpredictable, so multi-faceted. Seeing what they would do and say made me read this in one midnight-reaching sitting.

What I didn’t like—out of the entire novel, mind—was the initial premise. A house-party created solely to pair off couples within such a short time frame seemed gauche yet was apparently respected by the novel’s upper-class society. It just felt like a contrived plot point (although in the real Regency Era, there was Almack’s, aka ‘The Marriage Mart’). If you feel the same about this as I did when reading the opening chapter, I urge you to keep reading! This is the sole plot device that feels predictable, and it only lasts for a few chapters.

When I finished Promised, I wanted to put off writing my review. Not because I hated this novel or dislike writing—far from it—but because this is a book to savor. I started by rushing through the pages to see how it would play out, but by the end, all I wanted to do was read line by line, again and again. I highly recommend this debut Regency as a present to a Janeite…or gift to yourself!

This was SO GOOD! I think I’ve discovered a new favourite author! Full review coming soon (cause it’s super late and I need to sleep) but if you’re looking for a regency romance that’ll tug on all your heartstrings, look no further! THIS IS IT!!

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All the stars!!

I could not put this book down! And when I did, my mind was constantly going back to it. Even now, a day later, I cannot stop thinking about how amazing this book was. It’s definitely going to be one of my favourite romances of the year if not one of my all-time favourites. And Leah Garriott is going to be an author who’s new releases I’ll wait for eagerly! I can’t believe this is her debut novel. She had me hooked to the story and it’s characters from the very first scene.
Promised follows Margaret Brinton who, having been deceived by love once, is determined not to let it happen a second time. She has vowed to protect her heart by refusing to be that vulnerable again. But it’s the regency era where women need to marry or else they’ll become a financial burden on their family. So Margaret attends a matchmaking party to find herself a marriage of convenience. Mr. Northam is the perfect candidate. With him, she knows exactly what’s she’s getting: a rake who’s affections will never stay loyal to one woman. His meddling cousin, Lord Gregory Williams, however takes it’s upon himself to protect her from forming the match despite her insistence. He warns her away by lecturing her and taunting her and, when all else fails, humiliating her so that no gentlemen, his cousin included, would want her. Furious, Margaret sees no reason to linger and returns home only learn her father has promised her hand in marriage—To Lord Williams! Surely he could see what a huge mistake that would be? Yet as she spends more time with him, she finds herself second-guessing what she truly wants out of marriage. Would she truly be happy in a lonely, loveless match with Mr. Northam? Or should she trust her heart and marry Lord Williams? Why had Lord Williams taken such an extreme step anyways? Was it simply to ensure she wouldn’t marry his cousin? Or is there more to it than what meets the eye?
It been forever since I read a historical romance and this did not disappoint in the slightest. In fact, words cannot describe how much I loved this novel. Leah Garriott has such a alluring voice, she makes you want to keep reading more. The pacing was perfect, the dialogues witty and clever, and the storytelling was exceptional. I smiled, laughed and got teary-eyed right alongside Margaret.
There were a couple of times quite early in the novel where I felt Margaret’s actions and decisions were naive and immature, but I had to remind myself this was a regency era and she lived a much sheltered life compared to a contemporary heroine. Either way, she grew so much as a character over the span of the novel, seeing so many things differently, that in the end it didn’t stop me from loving her. Margaret does remain quite stubborn and determined to keep her promise to herself though. Sometimes a little too stubborn. But it never got to the point where I got annoyed with her. Frustrated, yes. But I understood where she was coming from and I even admired it after having read so many heroines give up what they think they want so easily. In fact, she felt very real and relatable because of it. I loved her wit, her playfulness, her willingness to fight for what she believed in. I loved how she deeply she cared for those she loved. The author did a fantastic job showing that to us, showing how different yet important her bonds with her brother Daniel, her sister Alice, her parents, and her neighbour/friend Louisa were.
Lord Gregory Williams is a mystery at the start of the novel. We’re not meant to understand his actions and are left to assume he’s as entitled and arrogant as Margaret believes. And yet as the story unfolds, we get to see a softer side to him. Where he’s thoughtful, kind, patient, witty and playful. He has stolen my heart. I was honestly surprised Margaret resisted her feelings for him as long as she did. I wouldn’t have been able to.
I was rooting for Margaret and Gregory (yes, even I cannot think of him as Lord Williams anymore) from their very first interaction. I loved their witty banter, how they riled each other up, but also I loved how they soothed and comfort each other. I love those longing looks across rooms and those brief but so impactful touches they sneaked when no one else was looking. Despite this being a clean romance, I still could feel the yearning, the longing, the tension that I look for in explicit romance novels. I loved those those heartfelt words they exchanged for each other’s ears only (which I now wish I annotated...oh well! It’s an excuse to reread!). They made me giddy with joy and they made my heart ache. I love it when a book is able to do both. I find those books, those couples linger in memory long after I’ve closed the cover as I’m sure Margaret and Gregory will. I’ll definitely have to purchase my own copy and reread this one day.
I also want add that I loved the little Pride and Prejudice reference this had. They’re so subtle that if you’re not looking for them, you could easily miss them. But if you do notice them, you can see how much the author loves Jane Austen’s work. And as a lover of Austen’s novels myself, that made me so happy.

Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.