A truly gripping work of fiction. Amy is about to marry her fiance Matt who disappears, Jess is Amy's daughter who dislikes Matt from observing him go from a perfect partner to a contolling bully. Then there is FIona, Matt's lover. The book is cleverly written from the points of view of the three women. Amy was two weeks away from marrying Matt when he vanishes without a trace. Fiona believing that Matt was leaving Amy to live with her belives Amy had something to do with his disappearance. As Matt's double life unravels and the past emerges the book draws you into a 'who is telling the truth' scenario.
This is a brilliant read, full of love, betrayal, loyalty and deceit. Be warned that once you open the book you will not be able to put it down. Highly recommended.

We meet Amy and Matt, they are a few weeks away from getting married when Matt disappears.

Amy is frantic and reports the disappearance to the police. Supported by her friend Cath and her daughter Jess she struggles through the loss of her partner. Mysterious things happen to Amy during this time and each time she is questioned by the Police we get an insight in the the relationship Matt and Amy had.

The police officer supporting Amy tells her that Matt was seeing somebody else at the time of his disappearance. The pieces of the puzzle drops into place.

Throughout the book we have snippets of another story and as the two move together more is revealed.

Enjoyable read, would recommend, thank you to Netgalley the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Before I go any further I'd like to raise my hand and say that my rating and review will definitely be in the minority. This is one of those books that everyone I know who has read it has LOVED it.... apart from me!

I just did not connect with this in any way at all which was a huge disappointment after hearing such rave reviews about it.

Now dont get me wrong, the start of the book started to pull me in pretty quickly, I do love a good strong start but (for me) it just didnt seem to pull me any further. It just felt like I was walking through treacle trying to get through it.

I'm definitely not knocking it at all, this is 100% me just not telling with it and I do like the authors writing style, just at this time - maybe in the wrong head space- it didnt work for me.

I did enjoy the plot and I didnt guess the "whodunnit's" whichnis rare for me so a thumbs up there.

Personally I wouldn't describe it as a thriller, more if a murder mystery type genre but once again that could be done to me as I read an awfu7lot of thrillers and this didnt feel like it sat comfortably in that category.

2.5*

Thanks to netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This was a great read about a wedding that is about to happen and living a double life. You will get sucked in right from page one and enjoy it until the very last page.

The Vow is the first book I’ve read by Debbie Howells and I really enjoyed it. It has everything you could want: secrets and lies; a missing person and enough pace to keep you entertained throughout. I found this to be an easy entertaining read that I could immerse myself in. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

I have mixed feelings about his novel. It started really well with an unexplained disappearance and excellent development of a creepy, haunting atmosphere, but I struggled to understand the main protagonist’s motivations and the dénouement was predictable. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed Debbie Howells’ engaging writing style and seeing how the story, told through three different perspectives, slowly unravelled. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers Avon UK for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

On Goodreads 2 stars is equal to “It was OK” so I don’t feel too bad about rating the book 2 stars on there, because the book was exactly that – OK. I’ll admit this book dragged for me and I didn’t really enjoy it. Then this morning I finished it – yay, a little happy dance. Then I read the authors acknowledgements at the end and then felt bad. At the end of the day this is the authors baby. She’s put her heart and soul into writing this book so who am I to knock it.

I’m not knocking it as such. It just wasn’t what I was expecting and it wasn’t really my kind of book, plus I’ve read it to the backdrop of some pretty rubbish weather, grey skies and drizzle on a daily basis so maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this type of story at this particular time.

I wouldn’t say it was a thriller and for me personally I wouldn’t describe it as gripping either. It plodded, at an even pace. I would describe it more as a murder mystery, a who- dunnit, midsomer murder kind of a story with a bit of domestic noir threaded through for good measure. Hence, I found it all a bit depressing if I’m honest. It is also based around a criminal investigation, again just not my cup of tea. I don’t really like detective stories and the two detectives lacked any kind of personality.

The plot itself was quite an interesting one I thought. I’ve read a few reviews where it’s been said they guessed who did what etc. Well I didn’t. I never do in these kinds of books so that wasn’t a problem for me. In fact that’s what kept me going. There was no way I was reading so far and then giving up without finding out the why’s and the wherefore’s of who did what and why.

Once I got to the final chapters, and down to the nitty gritty of the great reveal I got quite engrossed and did enjoy the ending so all wasn’t completely lost. Just not really my thing overall. I've rated it 3 stars here and will also rate 3 stars on Amazon because really my disappointment is down to personal taste (and present mood) rather than there being anything greatly wrong with the book itself.

Review to be posted to blog nearer the time of publication.

The Vow written by Debbie Howells, is an engaging read. Amy is walking down a road when a stranger approaches her and warns her that her life is in danger. That night her fiancee Matt also fails to turns up at their house. With days passing on without Matt reappearing, the wedding is cancelled. In the very next turn of events, Amy is arrested when another woman reports Matt's missing.

Amy's daughter who has been suspicious of Matt begins to dig deeper in his past and make discoveries about her mother's past. Layers of truth begin to emerge as the book moves forward. The story is intriguing and the writing is fluid. A very imaginative story indeed.

I was really intrigued by the concept of this book but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. I was keen to find out what had happened to Matt but I thought the execution was a bit clumsy and I found the conversations to be quite stilted at times between the characters. Also, one minute the police were being friendly with Amy, then they were suspicious of her, then they were chatting with her like they were friends... it was all a bit odd.

Amy's character has a lot of secrets, even from herself, and I enjoyed finding out her past as this unravelled alongside the main storyline. It was clever that you didn't really know who to believe between Amy and Fiona, the other woman.

Amy's daughter Jess was the best character in the book and her parts of the story kept me engaged. Although Jess' boyfriend Rik seemed a bit unnecessary to the story as she would ask him to look into something but then find it out herself.

I still think the author had a good idea for the story but the writing could have been improved. I really hate to write a negative review but unfortunately this book just didn't work for me.

I gave this 2 out of 5.

TW: physical abuse, mental abuse.

This is the first book I've read in weeks and I had to finish it. The author does a brilliant job of sending you down the wrong path until more information is revealed.

I don't normally like thriller books, but I read this within a day.

Amy is getting married to Matt and all the wedding plans seem to be going well until Matt disappears and a whole heap of trouble lands at Amy’s door along with a bunch of flowers in a container of blood. Human blood.
Hooked you will be. So here we are a couple of weeks before Amy is going to walk up that aisle and if she could have wrote a list of things that would occur next following Matt vanishing into thin air - the list would have seemed unbelievable. Cough cough.
Well the book starts with a bang and draws you in and your racing through it and then.. cough cough it does go all a little unbelievable.
So where was I ah yes.. about halfway through the book I am thinking about this rat the Matt, the groom to be and actually hoping he is dead. We don’t know that at this point and I’m shouting at the book “how could you not see what a rat he is Amy?”
And we are suddenly taken back to her teenage years and a whole heap of secrets, lies, death and nastiness are discovered.
We are then also introduced to another major character Fiona and we learn that she is also seeing the rat aka Matt. Having an affair even though he is about to get married.
So now my eyes are rolling and more talking to myself occurs... and the story just goes all a little too weird and a tad unbelievable for me.
Anyway in steps Jess, Amy’s daughter and I suddenly feel like I am watching an episode of Colombo and thinking Jess just needs a raincoat.
Thank heavens for Jess is all I can say.. Detective inspector whatever your name is must be glad she’s involved too.
Cough cough again.
OK so I can’t give anymore away.
I loved most of the plot, it had me up to half way through the book, some of the characters were strong and it is a twisty tale that had some great writing but for me it unraveled and I wasn’t really invested in the end.
I will definitely pick Debbie Howells again.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books and Harper Collins
3.5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. Where to start. I loved this book! I loved the writing, the plot and the characters, all of it came together so nicely, and I enjoyed reading this book so much. Highly recommend. 4.5stars

What an excellent book! Written mainly from the point of view of 3 people. The plot twists & turns so that your sympathy moves from 1 person to the next. I couldn’t put it down & highly recommended it.

Many Thanks to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book before being published in exchange for an honest review.

Amy is a single mother who is going to get married for a second time to Matt. But Matt dissapears so she has to call off her wedding. And then another woman reports another man missing, but he really is also Matt.

This is a psychological thriller that had me thinking all the way while Amy talks to her daughter and long term friends and realise that in between her and Matt there wasn´t only a love story.

There were moments with him, where her life wasn´t what she expected with him but she couldn´t or didn´t want to see it.

The book had me thinking all the way through and it kept me guessing until the end. There is also a second story and then at the end, all of it makes sense.

Full of twist and turns where you could think of almost every character as a suspect.

I really enjoy this novel and I will be looking for some more books by Debbie Howells.

I started to read the book and from the very beginning it took hold. If I could of kept reading I would of. Wow what a page turner. Can't wait to read more books.

If you wish to know what this novel is about, this can be explained from the fly cover and I rate it 4 stars, as it twists and turns all the way to the ending, which did surprise me.
I was intrigued from page 1 and continued to the end. Parts of the book containing police interviews at police station were repetitive and I found them boring, but did not stop my interest to complete the book. For some readers who enjoy this form of writing, it will suit as it is dark, absorbing and twisty. The main characters Amy, Fiona and Jess, I thought were strong characters.
The storyline is interesting. Could this happen in REAL LIFE? I think it could!

The book is all about revenge, love, long past secrets, jealously and trust.


I THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK

The Vow by Debbie Howells

Amy is due to get married in 2 weeks time, until her husband to be mysteriously disappears after saying he is working late. After reporting Matt missing, Amy is told that another woman has also reported Matt missing, claiming he is her boyfriend.

Amy & Fiona are soon questioned by the police and Amy is suspected of murdering Matt, despite no body being found. Did Amy murder her controlling & manipulative husband to be or is she being set up? Her daughter Jess doesn’t believe Amy could ever be capable of murder and begins her own investigation into Matts background.

It soon becomes clear that Amy & Fiona we’re friends in their younger days and a murder resulted in them going their seperate ways.

2 murder investigations, a missing husband & boyfriend and past secrets never to be told, will the truth be uncovered?

I really enjoyed the Vow, I loved the mystery surrounding Matt’s disappearance and it left you guessing many different theories throughout. The theme of ‘gaslighting’ is a main one throughout this book and I think it’s a really important subject covered, most of the time people don’t realise they are in a manipulative & controlling relationship, and it’s clear throughout this book that Amy wanted to do everything to please Matt, even going as far as breaking her Vegetarian diet to keep him happy.

Towards the end of the book I did guess Matts past and how he linked to both Amy & Fiona in their younger lives, however this didn’t take away the suspense and excitement as there was still more clues to be uncovered.

Overall a brilliant read!

Thanks to Netgalley & Avon books for letting me read this book in return for an honest review!

Wow a story of love, lies and secrets.
Amy and Matt are weeks away from their wedding when Matt disappears. After reporting him as a missing person to the police, Amy begins to slowly find out things that Matt has kept hidden from her, namely another woman he was leaving her for. As the police investigation turns into a murder investigation, past secrets are unearthed that cause a ripple effect in the lives of those involved in the case. After all, people can change their names, but their past will always be there along with the secrets and lies that were kept hidden. This book is a great suspense novel filled with many twists and turns and an ending that the reader will never see coming. Highly recommend for all suspense and mystery lovers.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The plotline was brilliant! Lots of unforeseen connections, leading to various twists and turns. I couldn't put it down, I was desperately guessing what would happen, all to no avail. A definite creepy undertone made this a deliciously dark read. The setting was well described but not overdone.
The characters and their connections were well thought out and added a whole dimension to the plot.
I loved this book and I would definitely read it again

I really enjoyed this book. It makes you think “do you really know anybody” you trust your partner completely- or do you? I have seen a lot of books with a similar story line but this is a cut above. I don’t want to rewrite what is in the book description but do want to say READ IT.