The Vow

Amy is shocked when a complete stranger stops her on the street to inform her that her life is in danger. That night, her fiancee, Matt disappears. With no sign of Matt, the wedding is canceled, but then a woman named Fiona reports her lover missing. The man matches Matt’s description and Fiona tells police he was about to leave his fiancee to be with her. Amy can’t believe that Matt was betraying her, but she gets evidence in the form of photos of Fiona and Matt together. Clearly, he was living two different lives, but what happened to him? This is a clever, sly mystery that I really enjoyed

With The Vow you get double the amount of story for your book!

Okay, the synopsis. Yes it’s perfect. As soon as I read it I knew this was a book I had to read, if the lovely team at Avon hadn’t approved me for an ARC this was a book I was going to buy.

Luckily we didn’t get to that, ARC approved let’s dive in....

Amy is due to get married in a couple of weeks but then her fiancé doesn’t come home one evening after work. Where has Matt got to? Shockingly another woman reports Matt as missing as well. Who is this other woman? What happened to Matt?

Amy while a little naive is written perfectly. I really felt for her reading The Vow. Her daughter Jess was a great input as well. Really impressed with how this story fooled me with red herrings!

There’s a remarkable little story within a story which I enjoyed. Set in 1996 it’s all connected to the present events, but how?

#TakeTheVow #NetGalley
It sucked me in from its suspenseful starting but it's ending was predictable. Although it's a good read for thriller fans.
Amy is two weeks away from her marriage with Matt. They are a happy couple, at least she could think so but she didn't know that Matt was living two lives at the same time. Matt is not what she thinks he's. A woman told her to stay away from him but she was truly in love with him. And then one day Matt was disappeared.
Without any trace of him,Amy was worried where her love was gone and finally she contacted police.
WPC Page and DI Lacey started the investigation and soon they told her that there is another woman who reported a person missing with me a matching description to that of Matt's.
Stunned, shocked Amy denied to believe it and then started the web of lies.
Amy and Fiona are suspects of the police. They both denied of killing Matt and told them that the other woman is trying to frame them.
Its ending was predictable easily but the author's execution is good. Her characters were suspenseful although the final twist was not able to surprise me. It was not worthy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this good psychological thriller.

This novel keeps you guessing until the very end. Amy and Matt have 2 weeks until their wedding when Matt goes missing. Matt has been cheating on Amy with Fiona who also reports him missing. This is the story of their relationships and the hunt to find him. There is good procedural information by the inspectors so the novel would appeal to mystery fans, as well as thriller fans because the antagonist is not readily discovered. The two women has similar backgrounds which add to the plot. The book has twists and turns as well as psychological aspects. I enjoyed the novel. It kept my interest right along.

Two weeks before Amy’s wedding, Matt her fiancé doesn’t come home. As she looks for him she starts to find out all is not as it seems.
This book is everything a good suspense novel should be. Writing that drew me in from the first sentence, an interesting multi layered plot building and twisting until the last page, and a satisfactory conclusion that pulls everything together. Not to mention characters who keep you off balance and you’re not quite sure which one to believe.
The cover s a perfect fit for the story too.

Not a bad book at all! Lots of shocking discoveries to light when true identities are revealed. The true culprit over all was a little predictable to me.

This is a very good domestic thriller and the first book I’ve read by this author.
The plot is fast paced and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout.
I’ll be looking out for more books from this author in future.

"Nature perseveres...until balance is restored." Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Amy was leading a seemingly perfect life, or so everyone thought, until her fiance disappeared. An ever twisting tale of deceit, lies and secrets. A masterfully crafted whodunit that will keep you guessing until the end. The characters are so well written that I was invested in the story immediately. By the middle of this story I couldn't put it down. The first person writing really made me feel like I knew Amy. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers and murder mysteries!

From the first page of this book, I was hooked. I didn't want to stop reading. I carried the Ipad with me as I did my steps...couldn't wait to get back to the story when I was cooking. Once in awhile, I come across a book that puzzles me...this one did. Although I determined the outcome early on, it was still a good read. The main character was a naïve woman who didn't trust herself-and others didn't either. The book is character driven with little thought given to the setting, although that is fine for this genre. The character I liked the best was Jess, the daughter. She was intuitive, smart, and strong. She cared about her mom, and she saw through the boyfriend early on. When others gave up on her mom, she did not. Although I enjoyed reading this novel, I did not like the story in italics. I did not like giving background that way. There was some language that was not necessary. That being said, if one can get by that, this book is one that will cause the reader to stop and think-why do men want to abuse women? Trying to discern the ending is a good way of learning that all mysteries are not the same. This author has honed her craft, and I hope she will write more in this genre. However, I hope she might refrain from using the words that most of us just don't need to read. They take away from the story. As one reads, all of a sudden a character blurts out...not necessary...after all of this...read the book...understand the protagonist...feel for her...wonder if she is a murderer or not...or a victim...read read read and enjoy. Just an afterthought, I loved the part about the gaslighting...few write about that anymore...

When you think your life couldn't be more perfect and you're about to marry the man you love, what could possibly go wrong? When Matt doesn't come home one night, Amy gets worried and eventually has to report him missing.
Fiona also reports Matt missing a few days later. Both of them claiming to be in a relationship with Matt. Where is he and who is to blame for his disappearance?
The Vow has many twists and turns and had me guessing throughout. as Amy is arrested for the murder of Matt, her and Fiona's past become intertwined. When both ladies were children, someone died and could that have something to do with Matt disappearing?
I was impressed with how the writing led me to think different scenarios right up until the last page.

Amy and Matt are getting married in two weeks, everything seems perfect and they are writing their own vows. Matt says he is taking a client out for dinner and will be back late - but he doesn’t return!!

Amy had been warned by a stranger that “she is in danger” but now wonders if the message is connected with Matt’s disappearance.

When the police start to investigate, another woman, Fiona comes forward as her boyfriend Matt has disappeared. Was Matt living a double life?

The story is told from Amy, Fiona and Jess’s (Amy’s daughter) point of view.

I loved everything about this book, its eye catching cover caught my eye, but the story soon had me totally hooked with its suspense and twists along the way.

This is much more than a missing partner story, we have snippets that Matt and Amy’s relationship was not all it initially seems and that they are both hiding secrets from their pasts, that leads to an explosive ending.

I highly recommend this book!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

The Vow is an intense psychological thriller that holds your interest throughout and keeps you wanting more! Loved this book!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amy is a bit dense and a bit lovable. I feel like this book could have been fleshed out a bit more. Amy is just far to naive. It's predictable, however, even though it's a bit predictable, you can't help but keep reading chapter by chapter to see what is going to happen. That's what a good story is all about in the end. Would recommend to my mystery lovers.

I loved this domestic thriller, with its wonderful cast of characters and gorgeous prose. The storyline was engaging and flowed seamlessly.
Highly recommended!

Two weeks before their wedding, Amy's fiance, Matt, disappears.
Soon after, another woman, Fiona, reports her partner missing, and it quickly turns out that the missing man is Matt.
As the police start investigating, Amy's and Fiona's conflicting yet plausible stories don't make it easy for them to find out which of the women is telling the truth, especially as both of them are hiding something.

The story told from multiple perspectives: Amy's, Fiona's and Amy's daughter Jess', is interspersed with a mysterious narrator recounting past events.
This was a fast-paced, suspenseful read that got me hooked very quickly.
It may sound like a standard missing husband/partner thriller but the author managed to find an interesting and gripping premise for the story.
As the plot progresses and the secrets are revealed we learn that Amy's and Matt's relationship not only wasn't all roses but also that neither of the main characters are who we believed them to be at first.
My only reservation lies with the police work, especially the unprofessional way they seemed to treat Jess and their failure to find the clues that Jess discovered by herself.
Other than that, it was a twisty and thrilling read, and I raced through it. I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. The plot went a different way than I anticipated. There were some good revelations when true identities were brought to light. It has the reader guessing the entire book as to who did it? Good book!

Enjoyed this suspense novel! This will be hard to put down until the very end. Very predictable storyline but had lots of twists that kept you engaged.

"You'd have saved us all a lot of time if you'd been honest," says one of the people in this story of secrets and revenge. He may speak for readers who are impatient with characters who get themselves into terrible trouble, but who are slow to see or admit any connection to the dark shadows in their past.

If you are not one of those impatient readers, this is a creepy, twisty tale, skillfully told, of a beaten-down woman whose cheating fiancé goes missing on the eve of her wedding. Shocking clues accrue, pointing toward her guilt, including a bouquet of red and white flowers with stems sunk in his blood. When the other woman surfaces, the malevolence intensifies.

If you are one of those impatient readers, you may be frustrated with the way some of the characters react in this book, including the police. Either way, it's a well-told story, and you may particularly enjoy this book if you like gardening, herbs, and the sometimes menacing language of flowers.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Devoured this book, really enjoyed the switching of characters and trying to figure out who the "other woman" was. Great style of writing

Many thanks to Netgalley and Publishers Avon UK for this ARC for my opinion and review.

This is a fabulous read of intrigue and suspense. Was there or wasn't there a murder?

The reader is taken into the everyday lives of Amy and Jess, mother and daughter. Amy is divorced and through this experience, although there is no description of the divorce, the reader will see that it has left her uncertain of herself and insecure. Had the author included the former husband and divorce details the read would have become bogged down, by not doing so the read concentrates on the main characters and moves quickly. Amy has followed on from her grandmother's vocation and is a practicing herbalist which she has been able to build up into a rewarding business.

There is excitement in the household with the pending marriage between Amy and the fabulous Matt who has moved into the home already. Everything appears to be on track even with a few nerves and supposed anomalies on Amy's behalf. That is, until the day she receives a message from Matt that he will be late home as he has an appointment with a client. When he fails to return home Amy, naturally worried, phones his work only to discover that there was no such appointment.

From here on the book is hard to put down with the intrigue and suspense that follows.

Amy's childhood was traumatised with the death of her sister and in order to cope with this and events surrounding the death and events that followed, Amy has blocked them all out and by reinventing herself has been able to move on with her life. However with the disappearance of Matt, her past begins to unravel, the mystery of the ownership of their home, the stranger that warns her, the woman from her past, reaching the point where she is taken into custody by the Police.

Amy and Matt are getting married. It should be one of the brides most memorable times of her life. And it will be but not because of the wedding. Matt has disappeared. And when Amy reports him missing it comes to light that Matt was living a double life. He has a girlfriend named Fiona who has also reported him missing. So what happened to Matt? Told in different POV's this story was engaging enough to keep me turning the pages. We get to know Matt from three perspectives. I was curious to know if something foul had befallen our groom or if he staged his own disappearance. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Great thriller, everything comes together very well. The story kept my attention and I found I couldn’t put the book down. There are plenty of twists and turns in this novel.

i very much enjoyed this book if you want twisty gripping addictive this the book for you its a brilliant story Amy has meet the man of her dreams Matt . but as there wedding day gets near he goes missing am not saying no more but her daughter Jess places it all together so a must read book

The Vow by Debbie Howells is a scintillatingly secretive and dark novel swathed in questions, accusations and the need for answers.

In this novel, readers are introduced to Amy Reid, soon-to-be Amy Roche. With the wedding of her dreams just a couple of weeks away, her life is coming together in the most fairy-tale-esque way, and she couldn’t be happier. But isn’t it strange, how absolutely perfect something can appear to be on the surface, when beneath, that is most certainly not the case? Once-divorced, Amy already knows what it’s like to have her heart broken, to be let down in the most life-shattering of ways. Having come away from her first marriage, Amy and her daughter, Jess, who is at Uni, have managed to leave their past behind, and are ready to begin again, albeit with a new man in their lives. But in the space of just 24 hours, everything changes for Amy, and her soon-to-be husband, completely vanishes.

From the get-go, the mystery behind Matt’s disappearance was ultimately what kept me turning the pages, but further down the road, it became clear that there was much more to this novel than the disappearance of a soon-to-be married man. Peppered with snippets from the past, I was constantly kept on my toes, wondering who, what, where and why. I had so many questions, much like Amy, and as the plot progressed, I found myself becoming more and more impatient to have them answered. Once the police become involved, the story takes a much darker turn than I had anticipated, and it dragged me down even further, on -edge to find out where the author would take me next.

Being taken back to the past before being dropped back into the present day is something I adore when reading, and it’s even more sneaky and delicious when it happens within a premise like this. It’s sort of cheating, in a way. The reader gets glimpses of what happened before, and slowly, oh-so-slowly, you can try (emphasis on the word ‘try’) to slot the pieces of the past into whatever is happening in the present, unfolding story. It’s a fantastic way to deliver hints to the reader, and really fleshes out the backbone of the story, giving it a little bit more weight and realism. These flashbacks really got the cogs in my mind turning as I tried to put two and two together. I don’t want to give too much away, but there is so much more to discover within this book than simply what is set before you on the page.

The characters were believable and I enjoyed getting to know each of them. Jess, Amy’s daughter, was a particular favourite of mine. She seemed determined and tenacious and very driven whenever it came to her mother, and I found her to be one of the characters who stood out most to me long after I’d finished the book. Amy, a herbalist, was interesting and I found her to have a lot more layers to her than I’d originally thought. I was rooting for her, and when the plot takes a drastic turn for her much later on, I couldn’t believe what was happening. I really wanted some good to come her way, because I honestly felt that she deserved it. As for Matt, I felt like I knew enough about him to put together a good picture of what he was like. The sort of man women would do well to stay away from. Although not present throughout the novel, Howells did a great job of still managing to make him come to life on the page. There were a handful of others characters too, who really made the story take shape, like Mrs Guthrie and WPC Page, all playing a role in the search for Matt, no matter how big or small.

Overall, The Vow by Debbie Howells was a brilliant novel, with all of those key qualities that ensure a reader sticks with it. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey I was taken on while reading this book, and I would recommend it to any readers out there who love a good mystery/psychological thriller, emphasising the importance of trust and honesty in a relationship, because it doesn’t matter how well you think you know the person you love, sometimes you just don’t know them well enough.

The Book Babe is giving The Vow by Debbie Howells a rating of four out of five. I’d like to thank Avon Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reading copy of this book.

I’d seen so much talk about The Vow on Twitter, so I decided I definitely needed to check it out for myself – as soon as I hear that there’s a new thriller, I’m all over it. And this did not disappoint. The novel jumps between different perspectives – Amy, Fiona (who both claim they are in a serious relationship with Matt, who is missing), Jess (Amy’s daughter), and a mystery narration. Each perspective offers a unique insight into the plot. The best way I can describe it is as different puzzle pieces which eventually all slot together.

The most gripping, and at times frustrating, part of the book, is how there are no hints given as to who is innocent and who is guilty. I kept changing my mind, and it wasn’t until the last few chapters that everything is revealed. I really enjoyed that element of being kept in the dark, it made me feel a lot more involved with the story and characters.

Speaking of characters, they were really well presented and described. Especially Matt – he was really easy to hate, especially when we learn more about his gaslighting and almost psychotic tendencies.

At times, the tense used/the flashbacks included in chapters were slightly confusing, so I think my only criticism is that it could have been made a bit clearer as to when characters were reflecting on the past or speaking about the present.

Overall, I think this is a really strong thriller novel and it had me gripped throughout, I think I read it in about 2 days! Although I wouldn’t say that it’s the best advocate for marriage…

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with an early copy in exchange for a review!

Debbie Howells certainly knows how to create a suspenseful tale. Amy finds herself at the centre of a missing-person’s case when her fiancée disappears. Is she responsible? Or is the “other woman” in Matt’s life to blame? An enjoyable thriller with many twists and turns!

Tense chilling from opening scenes.The best type of thriller it kept me guessing from beginning to end.An author to follow a book I highly recommend.#thevow#netgalkey

Two weeks before her wedding, a stranger stops Amy in the street and warns her she’s in danger. Then that night, Matt, her fiancé, doesn’t come home. Desperate, Amy calls the police – but when Matt fails to emerge, she’s forced to call off her wedding day. Then another man is reported missing, by a woman called Fiona – a man meeting Matt’s description, who was about to leave his fiancée for her. He was supposed to be moving in with her – but instead, he’s vanished. Amy refuses to believe Fiona’s lover can be her Matt – but photos prove otherwise, and it soon becomes clear that Matt has been leading a double life. As the police dig deeper, two conflicting, yet equally plausible stories emerge from two women who allegedly have never met.

This is an okay read exploring Amy's relationship with Matt and the truth about them slowly unravels. Part one focuses on Amy telling the story of their relationship and her struggle with accepting the possibility he might have duped her. Then in part two, the truth starts to emerge as we realise all the characters are holding secrets and none of them are being honest about their connection to Matt or how he really behaved.

All of this should have made for a thrilling, intense read but something did not quite translate and I was not hooked or addicted to the read. Howells builds this atmosphere that does not really go anywhere. What could have been a dangerous situation just ends and I was left disappointed by the reveal.

The characters are good and I enjoyed getting to know Amy and Fiona in particular. From early on we know there is more going on than first appears and it was interesting trying to work out what the truth would be. Some of the twists are more obvious than others but none of them are very shocking or electrifying.

'The Vow' is okay but that is the problem, all of this is just okay and there needed to be something extra to really bring some intensity and adrenaline to the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy.

A real page turner. It kept my interest from the first page to the last, and kept you guessing. I liked the way the book was written from the point of view of the main protagonists. It added a different dimension to what you thought you believed had happened. I understand this is a new writer. It is well written. The people are well defined and believable. I can't wait until her next book. Well done.

Everything was perfect. And then her fiance disappeared…

Two weeks before her wedding, a stranger stops Amy in the street and warns her she’s in danger. Then that night, Matt, her fiancé, doesn’t come home. Desperate, Amy calls the police – but when Matt fails to emerge, she’s forced to call off her wedding day.

Then another man is reported missing, by a woman called Fiona – a man meeting Matt’s description, who was about to leave his fiancée for her. He was supposed to be moving in with her – but instead, he’s vanished.

Amy refuses to believe Fiona’s lover can be her Matt – but photos prove otherwise, and it soon becomes clear that Matt has been leading a double life. As the police dig deeper, two conflicting, yet equally plausible stories emerge from two women who allegedly have never met.

The story is told from 3 different points of view - Amy, her daughter Jess and Fiona. Initially, you can't help but feel sorry for Amy and what she is going through, but as more and more is revealed about their relationship, you can't believe that she really thought that Matt was so wonderful she wanted to marry him. Talk about fooling yourself!! Amy is a likeable character even though she has "victim" written all over her. Jess loves her mother very much and even though she is not "taken" with Matt she tries to support Amy and be happy for her. Fiona is the "other woman" and an attorney who doesn't come across as a real likeable person. While she is smart and tough, she also gets hood-winked, but you don't ever feel very sorry for her.

I very much enjoyed this book although some elements were somewhat contrived and a little far-fetched. Definitely kept my interest and made me want to finish it to find out how it all came together.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of this book for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC
When her fiancé, Matt, disappears two weeks before the wedding, Amy is worried. A stranger had warned her that she may be in danger.
Amy reports a missing persons and soon she finds out that she is not the only one who has done so. Another woman who claims that Matt was leaving Amy for her, has also reported Matt missing and she has more proof than Amy that she is telling the truth. What does she have against Amy? Who is telling the truth?
The story is told in turns by Amy, her daughter Jess, the other woman Fiona and another voice from their past. Fast paced and a delightful read

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Vow
Debbie Howells
Publication date 10/2/20

Amy is getting married, she’s counting down the days until she marries the love of her life. Out of the blue Matt disappears just two weeks before the wedding. Distraught and heartbroken Amy reaches out to the police, another woman also reported Matt missing as well. Is Matt leading a double life? This is a well written psychological suspense thriller, I enjoyed the twists and the turns, and many of my suspicions were wrong….. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters, this was the perfect book to escape reality with! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advanced readers’ copy for an exchange on an honest review.


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I really enjoyed this. It got deep into your psyche and you wondered if justice would prevail. Strong characters with twists and turns kept you intrigued throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley for the preview of this book. It was a really great read . Amy is due to get married but two weeks before their big day her fiancee goes AWOL. From then Amy's life takes a dramatic turn; & the book will take you on many twists & turns. It was really good & was hard to work out who to trust. I look forward to more from this author

This book was a fun read! I figured out the twist about half way but I still enjoyed reading the twists and turns and watching the characters figure it out themselves. Overall, a light, fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.

When Amy's fiance goes missing two weeks before their wedding, her life is thrown into chaos. Little does she know that Matt's disappearance would upend her life.

A story of betrayals, lies, and a haunted past make up this novel. It has shades of Gone Girl in it, but it's very much its own story. It's hard to know who to trust in this novel, but the characters are well written and the narrative moves smoothly through all the twists and turns without ever becoming so wild that it's unbelievable.

Enjoyed this one. Started off with everything being perfect 2 weeks before a wedding and before you know it, there’s a missing partner and it all starts to go horribly wrong! Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. And enough in the story to make you suspect anyone. Really good read. Worth adding to the to read pile. Thank you for letting me review this book.

I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
I have to say the author did a great job for her first novel. The characters were engaging, and I found myself liking the two main characters, then hating them. I liked how the police unraveled things as well. There was probably only one thing that bothered me a little, which was the young daughter helping the police. One of the police officers seemed to be on Amy's side, and then not. Yet she listened and seemed to value what Jess, Amy's young daughter would say into the investigation. It just seemed a bit far fetched to me at times.
Other then that the conclusion of the book was good, the ending could've been held out a bit longer for a better surprise, but other then that a great mystery!

Two weeks before their wedding Amy comes home from work and her fiancé Matt, never comes home. Stricken with emotion Amy calls the police. It seems like their idyllic relationship is not as it seems when another woman comes forward to say her partner, Matt, is also missing.
This was a twisty tale that had me thinking who could be involved from Amy’s social circle.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t have a lot of expectation about this book but OMG! It really is a great book! I love it a lot!

I keep guessing what is happening but I can’t! Everything is so unexpected. The plot twist is definitely commendable. I love how modern kind of mystery and thriller this is. It’s easily relatable! It had multiple POV which gives you a wide range of what is really happening. About 20% till the book is finish it pulls me in to keep reading more. I love it!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon Publishing for approving me of this book! I’ll write a review in my website sooooon...

The Vow by Debbie Howells is a great psychological thriller. It is a convoluted, compelling tale that kept my attention. A bit slow in parts, but still a worthwhile read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for and advanced copy.

Two weeks until she gets married, Amy makes their final plans and looks forward to the special day. But things start to go wrong when a stranger warns her she is in danger. Then her husband-to-be Matt doesn't come home that night, and it soon becomes clear that he is missing and that she will be forced to cancel the wedding. Amy is in contact with the police and is keen to find out what happened to Matt. Then things get even worse when the police advise her that another woman has also reported Matt missing, and claims that they are in a relationship and that he was going to leave Amy and move in with her. Amy doesn't believe it until she sees evidence and realises he has been living a double life. But it seems that this might not be the only secret, and the police and even Amy's daughter Jess do their best to get to the bottom of the story... Who is telling the truth?

This was the first book by Debbie Howells I've read and I absolutely loved it. The style of writing, exciting and intriguing plot, and the interesting characters all had me hooked. The story was full of twists and turns and I liked how it all came together. I really recommend this book and can't wait to read other books by Debbie.

Thanks so much to the publisher, author and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for my honest feedback.

This was a great thriller, felt very fresh and I liked the character voices, especially the daughter. Amy was a little too naive for my liking. I kind of anticipated the ending, but enjoyed the ride.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for providing a review copy, all views are my own.

This fast-paced read tells the story of manipulation, revenge, and sorrow…

The suspense kept me turning the pages and along the way, I lost trust in all characters as their unreliability became quite palpable.

The last revelation was a bit of a let-down but the way everything came together, at the end, was rather satisfying.

All in all, I enjoyed the writing style, the characters, and the storyline and will definitely recommend!

I would like to thank the Publishers, NetGalley, and the Author for sending me an ARC of this book.

An easy read and quite exciting although I don't honestly think that there was much doubt as to the outcome. Good characterisation for the most part although I did feel that Amy was a tad wet and very naive. The time taken for the police to unravel the mystery of the relationships between the various characters did seem rather unlikely, as did their reliance on Jess for Facebook detective work!

Nonetheless I found the story engrossing and very readable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publishers Avon UK for this ARC.

Sooooo good!! Just when I thought I had it figured out, another twist had me guessing again! It seemed like two stories in one book. Great development of characters and lots of plot twist. Highly recommend.

A fiancée goes missing, which brings many truths about the past to surface. Amy’s life is turned upside down when she uncovers what her missing fiancée was up to. So many twists and turns, secrets revealed and questions about where he went!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

A really gripping page-turner! I enjoyed this very much - perfect escapism. I thought it was fast-paced and compelling, one of those books that you stay up until the early hours reading. I'll recommend it to my followers. Thank you for sharing this review copy.

I really enjoyed this book. It grabbed my attention immediately and held it all the way through. I thought the story within the story was interesting. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was that I figured out the ending a little too soon for my liking. I loved Debbie Howell's writing style and will look forward to reading more from her.

What can I say about this book without giving too much away? This is the first book I have read from this author and was drawn in. The book starts with Amy and mostly told from her perspective. Amy is a divorcee with a troubled past. Her ex was abusive and she has a deep secret. Amy meets Matt at a party and they start a relationship and are planning to get married. Not long before the wedding Matt goes missing. While the police are investigating the disappearance another woman also files a report that her boyfriend is missing. At this point we learn Matt was having an affair. This is where the book gets really good, how did Amy not suspect her fiancé of having an affair, why was he still planning on marrying her, or was he really planning on leaving her? Where is Matt, is he alive? dead? Who is this other woman and what does she know about Matt? What happened in Amy's past? How does her past tie into her present life? All the twists come together in a neat little package. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Very well written book.

This is one of the best books I've read in a long while and kept me guessing until the very end. I just couldn't put it down and ended up reading it in a single day as I just had to find out what was going to happen. I highly recommend it and will look forward to reading more of Debbie's books in the future.

Not a bad book l I got into the characters and the story based on a herbalist was different. I thought I’d suspected the ending but I didn’t . I’ll be interested to read more from this author in the future

Masterfully written story about how your past and your future can be derailed in your present. When your fiancé doesn’t return home after a business meeting less than 2 weeks before your wedding everything is turned upside down. Any reported him missing only to discover another woman reported a man matching his discerption missing as well. Can they be the same person? What does that mean? Was her fiancé cheating on her this close to the wedding? What really happened to him?
It was interesting and easy to read. Thank you to Netgalley for complimentary copy. Thoughts and opinions my own.

Everyone dreams of their wedding day, your dress, cake, flowers, decorations, every detail planned and catered for. Of course not forgetting the groom the man you are deeply in love with, share all of your hopes and dreams with, the man you plan to spend a lifetime with.

Imagine that man not turning up on your long awaited wedding day.

Amy is due to marry Matt in two weeks, everything is going smoothly and they have even created their own vows. One evening Matt says he will be home late as he is having dinner with a client.

Matt doesn't return home, Amy is beside herself with worry- has he been hurt, lost, or even worse killed? It doesn't cross Amy's mind for a second that Matt could be seeing someone else, why would it? They're deeply in love. That is until another woman comes forward and claims her boyfriend also called Matt is missing.

Amy spends day and night frantically and desperately trying to find out what has happened to Matt, it might just occur that he has been keeping secrets and is living a double life.

I really enjoyed this book, it was gripping, addictive and extremely hard to put down.

A big thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Two weeks before the wedding Amy’s fiancée disappears and from that moment her life will never be the same as a mountain of past and present secrets start to unravel and be revealed for all to see.

From the start of this story I was hooked, I instantly clicked with the characters and feeling the same emotions they were experiencing. The plot line is one of simplicity but elegance as you begin to read through the eyes of other characters other than Amy to get a full picture of the events happening. The sections of what happened in the past being left slightly vague allowing the reader to make their own conclusions whether right or wrong added to the sense of mystery and urgency to get answers.

I must admit within the last sections of the book my guesses of who, why and where were found to be correct and even though I managed to guess these I was not left disappointed as to how the book was overall executed and tied together.

I would recommend this book 100%. I can see this being a good pick for a book club or just for anyone who wants to dive into a mystery to keep you on your toes.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for the chance to read this ARC.

A thriller with lots of twists and turns, changing narrator and perspective, and little mysteries throughout! I did find the story predictable, but had enough doubt in my mind as to whether my predictions were correct that it kept me reading!

This was a pretty good read for me , I was hooked right from the start and even though I did work out what was happening it didn’t affect my enjoyment .Amy is engaged and her wedding to Matt is growing ever closer , she starts to panic when he fails to return from work one night , growing increasingly worried she calls the police who have some interesting news for her , another woman has also reported Matt missing , Fiona knows about Jess but is adamant that Matt was leaving her and never intending to go through with the wedding . A good fast paced read with some interesting characters and I liked the references included about herbs and flowers . Will definitely look out for more by Debbie Howells

The Vow by Debbie Howells was a nice, twisty read that I didn’t know I needed. Thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooks for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. Amy is two weeks away from her wedding when her fiancé, Matthew, goes missing. She reports his disappearance to the police only to find out a woman named Fiona had also reported him missing and claimed that Matthew was supposed to be leaving Amy to be with her instead.

I loved this book because it was suspenseful from the start to the end. It’s told from Amy and Fiona’s alternating POVs. There is also an underlying backstory from years ago and we as readers could not be sure how it ties to the present until the end. I had my guesses, but the ending was surprising nonetheless. I thought the story was crafted creatively and the author knew how to build suspense. I also found the different POVs interesting and it was difficult to decide who was more reliable.

What a wild rollercoaster ride! Twisty-turny thriller, beautifully plotted, didn’t want it to end.
A few red herrings along the way, but the story comes to a very satisfying conclusion.
Highly recommended.

From the start this book had me gripped till the ending. You just want to carry on reading when you start! Look forward to more from this author.

A brilliant and engrossing read. I had to slow myself down as I was wooshing through it too fast.

Trying to second guess what will happen next, always getting it wrong.

Unreliable narrator? Maybe, there are many different points of view.

Well worth a read. I enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you for the arc of this book. As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew that this would be a book that I loved.....and I did.
This was one of those books that I found that I couldn’t put down and would read for hours.
The story is told from different viewpoints of 3 characters - Amy, Fiona and Jess (Amy’s daughter) and also a character from the past which occasionally pops up in the story.

Amy is due to get married in 2 weeks to Matt her fiancé, life seems pretty good for Amy, until she is mysteriously stopped in the street and told she is in danger, that very same evening Matt doesn’t come home and Amy after deliberating for a night calls in the police, she is very worried.
As it happens another woman Fiona has also called in a missing man, matching Matt’s description, who Fiona says was about to leave his fiancé that night but has left her home and vanished!

Something is amiss, Fiona refuses to believe that Matt could have another woman but evidence (photos) show what Matt really has done, he has been leading a double life. You really do at this point in the story feel sorry for Amy.
As the story continues, something isn’t right, it seems Amy is being framed and it appears that Amy and Fiona may actually have been friends in a previous life. Jess, Amy’s daughter refuses to believe her mother’s guilt and having seen first hand how Matt is with her mother, she is on a mission to prove her innocence.

Fantastic read - great thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end!

Matt and Amy are soon to be wed, the date is set, all the arrangements made, and then, poof! the groom disappears!

Amy is frantic, the wedding is coming up and her fiance is nowhere to be found. On a street she's warned by a stranger that she's in danger and that Matt is not who he says he is. As the story continues, the police begin to investigate and it seems as if Matt has led a secret life unbeknownst to Amy. The story is told from three opinions, Amy, Fiona and (Amy's college aged daughter).

The opera did a fantastic job with character development and a wonderful plot. There was no true Black or White in this book, all the major players had both good and bad sides to them. I highly recommend this book for lovers of psychological thrillers. I stayed up late reading it just because I couldn't put it down.

I would like to thank Debbie Howells, Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and girlie books therefore am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Enjoyed reading this book, kept me on the edge of my seat wondering if the main character was going to go down for the disappearance. Can’t wait to read more from this author

Amy found her perfect man, Matt, whom she would be marrying in two weeks. Her business was doing well. Everything was perfect.
A mysterious encounter with an old lady who warns Amy that everything is not as it seems, marks the start of events that turns Amy’s world upside down. When her fiancé fails to return home after a work meeting Amy is convinced something sinister has happened to him. However, after reporting his disappearance to the police, Amy finds out that another woman has also reported her boyfriend’s disappearance.
The police are convinced that both disappearances are the same person, Matt. But how could it be? Matt and Amy had the perfect relationship, or did they?
The events that follow takes the reader on a cryptic journey which keeps you guessing throughout the book. Debbie Howell, a bestselling author, keeps the reader engaged in the storyline with use of characters with variegated personalities, enabling the reader to picture the characters and events, and virtually live in the pages of the story.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really fun ride! It centers on Amy, who thinks she has found the perfect man in Matt, but 2 weeks before their wedding, he disappears. Creepy things start happening around the same time, including a complete stranger stopping Amy on the street and telling her that she is in danger. The reader starts finding out more about the situation, Matt, and their relationship, which causes more questions than answers. I love a story with an unreliable narrator, and this book gives you not one, but two! There are also flashbacks to 1996 weaved throughout the book, leaving the reader to guess the significance of those events (and the players involved) as it relates to the current situation.

Amy was a little naive, but kind of sweet in her unwavering support of Matt. Though I was sometimes frustrated with her (and in a couple cases, EXTREMELY frustrated with her), she was still likeable and I felt empathetic to her. I really liked her daughter, Jess, and thought she was a great character. The author also did a great job of introducing Fiona and toying with the reader around which character is being truthful.

I did figure out the twist in the story long before the characters did, but it was satisfying to be proven right and didn't really deflect from my enjoyment of the story. I also thought the police were a little slow on the uptake to some of the things that happened, where it should have been much quicker and easier to track down the info they were seeking.

All and all, this was a fun and twisty read and I finished it in less than a day. I'd definitely recommend this book to those who like mysteries and domestic suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book starts of sweet and innocent. The couple is planning their wedding, and then the groom just disappears. Amy, the wife to be, is frantic and starts looking for him. Soon she discovers a lot of secrets that she didn't see coming, and discovers that her husband is not the man she thought him to be, in all respects.
Highly recommended, gripping from beginning to end! Recommended.

Amy is two weeks away from her wedding when her fiancé, Matthew, goes missing. She reports his disappearance to the police only to find out a woman named Fiona has also reported him missing and claims that Matthew was supposed to be leaving Amy to be with her instead.⁣
⁣
I loved this book because it was suspenseful from the start to the end. It’s told from Amy and Fiona’s alternating POVs. There is also an underlying backstory from years ago and we as readers could not be sure how it ties to the present until the end. I had my guesses, but the ending was surprising nonetheless. I thought the story was crafted creatively and the author knew how to build suspense. I also found the different POVs interesting and it was difficult to decide who was more reliable. With that said, I do feel the police investigation could have been a little more sophisticated and professional - that’s the only reason I took one star off.
⁣

Great book that was hard to put down! Well written with a unique and enjoyable plot. Would definitely recommend this book.

This is the first book I've read of this author and I can honestly say....It was great. Very compelling thriller that kept me on the edge of seat. I would highly recommend this book. Thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to enjoy the advanced reading copy.

This book started off with a groom that had done a runner 2 weeks before the wedding, Amy his fiancée reports book missing... But so does his lover.

Then it takes a real twisty turn to Something that happened in Amy's teenage life.

I had worked out the connection but enjoyed seeing it unfold.

Also, loved Amy's daughter, Jess, that girl has gumption!

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

This is a really good read. It started well and gathered speed from very early on. It was well written and thoroughly gripping. I did not want to put it down. Eeriness set in immediately when Amy was stopped and told that she was in danger. Then Matt not returning home assed to the suspense. I too couldn't believe that Matt was the man Fiona was referring too and couldn't believe it when Amy confirmed his identity from the photographs. It was in no way far fetched. I could not wait to reach the end so that I could fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. I really enjoyed this book. I give it a very healthy and well deserved 4 stars!!.

Wow so this is the first book I have read from this author and I really enjoyed it. When Amy’s fiancé Matt doesn’t come home after a meeting Amy’s life is thrown into turmoil as she tries to discover what has happened to her partner only and when the police come round she finds out that maybe her perfect Matt was not quite the person she thought he was. As her life starts to spin out of control and she ends up looking like the guilty party will she ever find out what is happening and has something awful happened to Matt and if not where is he. This book is full of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the very end.

A psychological thriller about Amy, an herbalist, who is weeks away from getting married when her fiancé vanishes. Each section (as there are no real chapters) is told from a different character’s perspective. There is someone from the past who is giving background which is necessary for the story to reach its conclusion. The book is hard to put down and has stayed with me as I look back at the clues that were weaved into the story.

Loved this book. From the cover to the blurb to the whole thing.
Good description and nice believable and relatable characters.
Did not see the twist coming at all. Very cleverly put together.
I raced through this in only two sittings and enjoyed every word.
Huge thank you to net galley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read this brilliant and addictive book. Definitely an author I will look out for

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Wow is all I can say!! This book has everything in it that a pyschological thriller should!! Great book

This book was the right kind of addictive. I loved how the characters developed. It was a perfect book to read at the end of the day. Highly recommend!

The Vow
by Debbie Howells
Avon Books UK
Avon
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 29 Oct 2020 | Archive Date Not set

Thanks to Net
Galley and Avon books for the ARC of this book. It was well written and kept my attention from the first page on.
I will recommend it to our patrons.

Wow! What an ending!!
There is such a real truth in this book that you never really know what happens behind closed doors.
Amy the herbalist, Mother and Fiancee life turns upside down after one night. Passion, lust and revenge is all mixed together in this hold on to your seat thriller. I devoured this in 48 hours!! Prasie is well derseved!!

The Vow by Debbie Howells is exactly the kind of story that pulls me in immediately and keeps me fully engaged. Told from several points of view, we meet Abby, a woman who is thrilled to be marrying her fiance, Matt. But when Matt unexpectedly leaves one night telling Amy to 'take care', she feels that something just isn't right. These are not the parting words of a man who is madly in love and excited to jump into holy matrimony. When Matt has not returned by the next morning, Amy knows immediately that this is not a case of her betrothed sleeping it off somewhere for a night. Matt has disappeared. Amy's daughter Jess is not altogether shocked by the news. Something has always niggled about her mother's relationship, and this is her chance to expose Matt for the man she believes him to be. When another woman reports that her boyfriend has also gone missing, the description she provides is too similar to be a mere coincidence. Just who is Matt, where has he gone, and what is he trying to hide?

This is a twisty tale that held my attention for the first 70% of the book, but then things started to unravel somewhat. The storyline went a little astray, and I could not suspend my disbelief quite enough to be fully satisfied with the way things wrap up. All in all, this is a solid read, and I will look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.

The Vow is an incredibly tightly woven tale of murder, deceit, police investigations, and ultimately resolution. Debbie Howells tell the story of how Matt's disappearance/murder is pinned onto Amy, his fiance. We find out in time that Amy doesn't really know her fiance well at all, and the plot thickens with the revelation of a horrific event that happened many years ago. These people are not whom they seemed to be, and Howells does and incredible job of tying the past events with current allegations and identities.

I recommend this book to all who love a great "whodunnit"!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Wow, wow, wow. This book kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Just when I thought I had it figured out, there was another twist. It is thoughfully written and you can easily imagine someone caught in this situation. This is my first time reading this author and I will definitely be looking for more!

I loved this book! 5 stars! A page turner! Amy and Matthew are supposed to get married. Then Matthew disappears and Amy reports to the police later to find out another woman reports her boyfriend missing that winds up being Matthew as well. Matthew was a two timer! What happened to Matthew? Was he murdered? No body? What's up? Lots of twists and turns. Then later revealed the two women have a connection that takes us to another mystery in the past that ties things together and brings a conclusion you won't see coming.

Amy and Matt are getting married and everything is coming together. Matt takes a work partner out for a dinner and says he will be back late but he never comes home. Another woman comes forward reported her boyfriend missing with the same exact description as Matt and that starts to make Amy wonder if Matt is leading a double life. Amy then sees photos of Matt and Fiona together and really starts to wonder what is going on.


Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

This was a pretty darn good thriller with a heck of a lot of twists, turns, thrill and suspense. Amy and Matt are 2 weeks away from their wedding and Amy is warned in the street by a stranger that she is in danger. Matt appears to have disappeared! She learns Matt is hiding some secrets, but she has some of her own as well. The story is told in Amy and Jess' (her daughter) point of view.

I received an eARC of The Vow by Debbie Howells from Avon Books UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
The writing style was great, and the plot was intriguing but predictable for me. It was an entertaining read for me nonetheless. I give this book 4 stars. I love the creativity of the author and would happily read her other books.

What do you do when your fiance suddenly disappears? And then you find out he's not at all who he seemed? These questions and more are asked and (potentially) answered in The Vow. Right from the first few pages, I was pulled in and wanted to devour this book. It has multiple view points, and an almost Girl on the Train quality to it. It's very very quite good.

The Vow publishes October 15, 2020.

4/5 Stars

This book had a super interesting plot and was well written. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s which I didn’t expect in this book but it added so much to the emotions and perspective of the book.

This was an edgy thriller which kept me gripped to the end. Amy is happily looking forward to her wedding in two weeks,to the apparently perfect Matt. However, when he fails to return home from a meeting with a client, Amy's whole world is turned on its head. Matt has disappeared in to thin air! As the police investigate , everything they uncover reveals Matt wasn't the perfect boyfriend Amy had thought. A second woman reports him missing and claims Matt was leaving Amy to be with her. However each new deception they uncover, provides more motive for Amy to have murdered him. Each new lead wraps the handcuffs tighter around her wrist. Nothing and no-one is as they seem . I was totally absorbed to the last page. The tensions build layer upon layer to the brilliant denouement at the end. Yes I partially guessed the ending but it was revealed in such a clever way, that it could have gone in several different directions. I heartily recommend!

A great read, such a roller coaster! It pulled me in from the first page worth its twists and turns. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to others!

This was quite the thriller! One twist followed another in this fast-paced and thrilling novel. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves domestic thrillers!

Two weeks before her wedding, Amy finds a piece of paper on the kitchen table that reads Matt's wedding vow to her......it says "then when I can no longer be with you, a part of me will always be there watching over you" Amy at first questions this but resolves with of course Matt is always looking out for her.....then a stranger literally grabs Amy's arm and tells her someone is watching you, you think he is the love of your life, he isn't who you think he is...as Amy is running away, the lady yells Watch your back don't trust him....then Matt disappears...and another woman reports Matt's missing....who is Matt, why did he disappear? This book has many twists and turns and kept the reader intrigued in the psychological thriller.

Thank you NetGalley, Debbie Howells, and Avon Publishing for the ARC of The Vow in return for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this read! The Vow was one of the first books in a long time that kept me guessing until the very end with its suspenseful twisting plotlines The author developed characters that I became invested in and kept me turning the page!

I look forward to reading more from Debbie Howells.

Thank you NetGalley & Avon Books UK for the ARC of this great suspense novel.
Great writing. that had me guessing until the end.

This was a great book. It's a psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns. I definitely recommend it!

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this E-book to review via Netgalley.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy.

This was a fun quick thriller, centered around a wedding that didn’t happen. It was entertaining and held my interest.

This book definitely had me at the edge of my seat. Full of twists and turns that I could not see coming. My first book by this author and I'm already looking at other books she has written.

Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read The Vow. I'll start by saying that i enjoyed this book. It focuses alot on gaslighting and narcissistic tendencies. I enjoyed the storyline and that it highlighted on that subject. I just found that the story took a while to get going and i didnt really feel there was masive twists and turns so it all felt a little anticlimactic at the end as i was waiting for some big twist that didn't really happen. The ending did come across aa very rushed. Yes it was a good book but i think it lacked in suspense

I really enjoyed this book. I hadn't intended to read it so soon but when I started I found it hard to stop. The book is told from three different points of view and also brief glimpses of a past story. It's very well written and the characters, although uniformly loathsome, apart from Jess are well rounded and three dimensional. I wouldn't say there were twists as such more an unravelling of past secrets. It's very well done (a few hmmm moments) but overall I did like the pace of the plot and the flow of the storyline.
A few negative points that I'd suggest addressing for the final book-
1. WPC was officially stopped in 1999. Please alter-Page is a police officer- that's it
2. Please consider culling at least three quarters of the word "frown". This became exceptionally annoying and detracted from what is otherwise a great story

Layout not too bad but there are some spelling errors and layout improvements could be made
As half stars are not an option (I would give 4.5) I have given 4 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I found the story gripping and the twists and turns kept me gripped right until the end.

The Vow centers around Amy, whose fiancée disappears 2 weeks before their wedding. Amy reports him missing, then the police are startled to discover another woman also reports him missing, and this woman claims the fiancée was about to break things off with Amy and move in with her. And so starts this intriguing page-turner, as the twists are layered in, and the reader is hooked! Loved the premise, and the author unfolds the story slowly and deliberately, keeping the reader on edge, as we try and solve the disappearance along with the police. Great story, no fluff paragraphs, a nice easy read that will keep you guessing. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Amy and Matt’s wedding is two weeks away. One evening he calls to say he’ll be home late as he’s been asked to have dinner with an American client. But Matt never returns. Earlier that day, Amy is stopped by an older woman who warns her about Matt and says her life is in danger. Matt’s boss knows nothing about this dinner arrangement and then another woman reports her partner missing and from her description it’s clearly Matt. How has he managed to live a double life? Why did Amy have no clue this was going on? At first she has great difficulty in finding anything out. It appears he has covered his tracks well. But where is he? And why has he abandoned the woman who swears he was about to leave Amy and make a new life with her?
The story is told from three perspectives – Amy, her daughter Jess and childhood friend Fiona, who is now a lawyer. I spent time see-sawing between the two characters who were ‘persons of interest’, not sure who was innocent and who was guilty and how they tied in with Matt’s disappearance. It’s a real roller coaster of a read which keeps you guessing right until the end.

In trying to discover what has happened to Matt, the police begin to unearth secrets of Amy’s teenage years; which make her a prime suspect in her fiancé’s disappearance. You get a flavour of her past throughout the book, which reveals a time of jealousy, unrequited love and reckless behaviour. Recklessness which ultimately leads to disaster.

Highly recommended

I must say that I really enjoyed this book. I wanted to know why Amy’s fiancée vanished right before the wedding and this book was definitely a crazy ride that I didn’t see coming. The story picked up immediately and it was easy to feel what Amy felt based off the excellent writing. I do think that the story dragged on in the last 20% of the book but this book was still great. Thank you to NetGalley for a copy!

This is gripping! I found it hard to put down and read it so quickly. It’s dark, twisty and an excellent read.

The Vow is a fast read! Debbie Howells' writing is easy to read and really wraps you up in the story.

Two weeks until Amy and Matt’s wedding and then suddenly the groom vanishes. What follows is a mystery full of suspense and surprise. After years f being alone, Amy meets Matt just as her daughter Jess is starting college. In little over a year they are engaged and Amy thinks she is destined for the perfect life. Overnight it slowly unravels. Lies, deceit, hurt feelings and a need for revenge are all revealed. Long buried secrets return from the past. All leading to a surprise ending. The author does a wonderful job of keeping the reader guessing what the truth is and who did what until the very end. Several ugly truths about relationships and friendship are revealed. Sometimes we only see what we want to see. Thus allowing these half truths, omissions and deception to be woven into our so called perfect world. It is only when we look at the true situation that clarity can be revealed and shaped into our reality. Great book! Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Firstly a big thank you to Avon for approving my netgalley request to read. I have read her books under a different publisher so was interested to see how avon would direct her books.

I loved it and highly recommend if you like your thrillers twisty and unpredictable.

Cleverly written and told from different perspectives. This keeps it fresh and interesting as theres more than one side to the story

A perfect couple about to get married or is there more to them than meets the eye.

Fast paced and thrilling as time runs out to find the truth.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Amy had been alone for awhile before meeting Matt and is excited to marry him in a couple of weeks. Her hopes are dashed when Matt disappears without a trace. Then she finds out that another woman has reported Matt missing too, and he has been living a double life. To add insult to injury, the police start looking at Amy as a suspect.

This was a quick read with an interesting premise. I think the end could be considered a bit far fetched but that is what happens with suspense thrillers, so I was ok with it. Overall a good fast read. I would consider reading more from this author.

The synopsis of this book really got my attention and Promised to be a gripping psychological thriller. The first part of the book didn’t hook me though and it took sometimes for things to get interesting. The characters were well written and developed, but the plot twists a little bit predictable. Overall I’ve enjoyed the book and it was a good read.

Really enjoyed this book. Loads of twists and turns and an ending that you do not expect at all. I will definately read more by the same author

The vow was an interesting read and kept me wondering the whole time. Everything is so unexpected and you don't see the twists and turns coming.. The plot twist is definitely shocking!. I love easily and fast-paced the writing style is.. It has multiple POV which gives you a clearer version of the events and the story.
A must read for thriller lovers!

Positively outstanding. Full of mystery, suspense and intrigue, I could not put this book down. Read in one sitting it really swept me in. Can’t wait to read more from Debbie Howells. Highly recommended hence the 5 star rating.

This is the first book I have read by Debbie Howells and it isn't going to be the last. Gripping from the start with so many twists and red herrings that I had no idea how all the ends were going to be tied up. Well, I did....................but I was wrong. This would make a great film. Highly recommended

This is the first book I've read by this author and it didn't disappoint. Amy is head over heels in love with her fiancee Matt. Amy starts to plan her wedding with her wedding planner and she thinks everything is perfect, until Matt does a disappearing act. What follows is plenty of tears, lies, deceit and double lives. It gripped me and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It's utterly brilliant with twists I weren't expecting. It's an addictive read and beautifully written. I'd highly recommend if you like psychological tension, drama, mystery and intrigue.

Wow, did not see that one happening! Twists and turns all the way. Secrets from years ago brought out revenge for sure! Absolutely loved it! Will be reading more from this author without a doubt. Kept me gripped from the beginning. Thank you for the ARC.

✨ We are bound together forever by the vow we made. ✨ - this quote summed the book up for me.

What a brilliant book! I literally whizzed through this book because I found it so hard to put down! I was hooked by Amy's life tbh, I felt so sorry for her and things were just so against her! The twists literally kept coming, some parts were predictable but then other parts I did not see coming!! It was a brilliant Thriller and one of the best I've read for soo long!

The blurb got me straight away, because to me it literally made me think this is definitely going to be good but I would've never guessed how everything pieces together and how the story ends. It really was amazing and I cannot wait to get my physical copy of the book! 😍

Herbalist Amy is looking forward to her wedding to business consultant Matt in 2 weeks time. He calls late morning to tell her that he needs to take a client to dinner. He doesn't return home..

A dark, fast-paced psychological thriller. I read it in a single sitting. I did work things out well before the end though, and it was maybe a little too pat. I greatly enjoyed it nevertheless.

I just don’t even know where to start with this book - when I thought I knew where it was going, it took an even darker twist! Such an amazing read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC copy of this book.
Amy is left by fiance Matt 2 weeks before their wedding when he mysteriously disappears. She reports him missing and then things start to change rapidly.
Really liked the characters and was a tantalising read. Thought I had it all figured out and then that backfired on me.
Well worth the read. Cover reminds me of another book I have read this year.

Clever, intriguing and thrilling right from the start.

I read this book in two sittings, I couldn't put it down. Right away it grips you before anything has even happened!

The Vow is about a man who is due to marry his bride in two weeks but goes missing. The case solved by his daughter and police who have to work their way through his web of lies.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon publishers for the ARC copy of this book.

At the start of this book I thought it was going to be more of a chic lit story but as it progressed things become much darker and more menacing. I did expect the character, Cath, to be something more, even to the extent of not being a true friend to Amy, but in the end she developed only as a friend and support, subesequently to Jess. as well. Apart from the mention of Matt making a pass at her she was someone in the background who didn't really add anything. The plot developed well with glimpses into the past where Matt treated Amy with less than love and respect. However I strongly felt that where Amy was seen as a victim all the way through, despite our learning about the feted antics that she and Alison got up to in their jealously of Kimberley and her love of Charlie., in a lot of ways Matt was even more of a victim which was never really accepted.. He wss portrayed as a sociapath, using women with his manipulative personality and pretending to feel love as a means to an end. Yet if we look at his early life as a young teenager, his brother's girlfriend is murdered, his brother consequently commits suicide himself, then his mother does the same, his father loses his business and ends up in desperation so Matt is left with a life that totally fell apart at the hands of Emily and Alison. I do wish some sympathy would have been shown to Matt because of this chain of events that destroyed his life. Of course he was going to want revenge.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Avon Books UK for the ARC.

Oh Yes - this is a really good read. Such a plot that keeps you guessing throughout; very cleverly written.

It is two weeks before divorcee Amy and boyfriend Matt are due to be married. Amy's daughter Jess is at Falmouth University; Amy is a trained herbalist and her large house, garden and workshop on the outskirts of Brighton enable her to organically grow all the ingredients she needs to supply remedies to customers.
On a delivery-run in Brighton one morning Amy is accosted by an old women in the street - she has a warning for her - "He's not who you think he is" - "you're in danger". Passing this off as madness Amy returns home to a phone call from Matt that he'll be late due to taking an American client out to dinner. Only - he doesn't return home. Confiding in her closest friend Cath, Amy reports Matt as missing and WPC Page starts the investigation.

Another report of a missing person is called-in and WPC Page together with DI Lacey lead the investigation, because the description of the second missing person is the same as that of Matt - reported by Fiona, a successful Brighton solicitor. It seems Matt may have been living a double life.

Amy discovers from their wedding planner, Lara, that Matt had insured against the wedding cancellation - which she is in the process of having to do. What other lies has he told her?

Amy begins to discover a lot of inconsistencies and learns a lot from daughter Jess about their relationships.

Circumstantial evidence is building - who's lying? what's happened to Matt? Jess is determined to help her mother and embarks on an electronic trawl of information on Matt.

Meanwhile - the reader is treated to intermittent narrative from the events of 1996, which gradually gives another story which bleeds through into present day; until you start to see the connections, though not the truth, until the final pages - brilliant.

I really felt for Amy - placed in a seemingly impossible situation where all odds are stacked against her.
There are lies, deceptions and red-herrings galore. An expose of coercive control and domestic abuse alongside murderous intent, jealousy and revenge.

Excellent reading.

This is a stunning book. A heart-stopping, thrilling psychological drama. I read it hungrily in one day. In my mind I am casting the roles for what will surely be a suspense filled TV film. I am already advising friends to pre-order what will surely be a five star highly commended novel.
It has everything needed for an unputdownable story. Sympathetic characters who you will tremble for as the story takes insidious turns and dives. I became breathless at times as the story moved into 'I can't believe this is happening' mode.

An enjoyable read that really involved you in the story. Many characters came under suspicion as the plot thickened. I found the ending very satisfying.

I knew I would enjoy this book, as I loved the cover and the strap lines so it immediately jumped to the top of my TBR pile and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed. This is a really enjoyable and fast paced read, it is really cleverly written and keeps you interested right to the end.

Amy is due to get married in two weeks time but suddenly her fiancé Matt disappears and she is forced to call the wedding off.

Not far away another woman called Fiona reports her boyfriend as missing, he was going to leave his fiancé for her. The man who has gone missing meets the same description as Matt.

Amy doesn’t want to believe that Matt has been living a second life but as the police investigation moves forward Amy is forced to face the truth.

What can I say except...wow. A fresh, different take on the domestic thriller! Amy, a quiet herbalist, is devastated when her fiance disappears only weeks before the wedding. She is further devastated when she finds out through the police that her near-husband was living a second life behind her back. And the other woman is a successful, attractive lawyer. Did either woman have something to do with their lover's disappearance? Do they know each other? Did they know of each other? If they did...for how long?

This book was a steady, enthralling read for me. There are two layers to the story, both tragic and horrifying in their own right. I truly didn't guess at the final twists until when they happened, and I was so sure that someone was involved that wasn't! The ending was satisfying. Overall, my first 5/5 read in quite awhile.

This was a great read. Twisty and with great character development and a tense storyline. , I loved the healing herbal element to the story and jess’s Recognition of the gaslighting. There were enough red herrings to keep me guessing . A mist enjoyable read in the garden on a sunny lockdown afternoon

Matt hasn’t be truthful with his fiancée and his sudden disappearance is about to completely fracture Amy’s seemingly perfect world. The cracks were there lurking in the background and once they become truly visible to her, they will cascade into a tsunami of betrayal and misery. Is someone trying to frame Amy and what secret is she protecting? Is she guilty or innocent, the clues are stacking up and time is running out.

A twisted and entertaining mystery of deceit with a dash of dastardly revenge peppered throughout.

I wasn’t sure where the novel was going to take me at first and worried this was going to be a standard missing person story but I was pleased to see that it had some hidden depth with the psychological elements. This made the character of Amy much more interesting. The ending became predictable but not in a negative way. The startling cover perfectly matches the story and was what drew me to requesting a copy, I’m glad I did.

Wow what a book. I literally couldn’t put it down. I love the way the author has written in the first person of Amy, Jess and Fiona.

The relationship between Matt & Amy is unbelievable. I love how Jess is so feisty and isn’t going to sit back and let everything happen around her.

I suspected a couple of characters but it turned out I was wrong which is awesome because lately some books I’ve read have been too predictable but this book was never that. The outcome is just what I wanted.

I’d definitely recommend reading this.

Thank you so much to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in return for my honest review.

A great story with lots of twists that kept me guessing and second guessing to the very end. Very enjoyable!

A good psychological thriller. When Amy’s fiancé disappear one night, her life starts to unravel.
A good story with twists and turns in every chapter. I enjoyed reading this

I really enjoyed this book it's definitely in the 'do not want to put down or end' category.
Reading is my favourite hobby,but being in lockdown and someone who is having to sheild and has literally only been as far as our front doorstep since 21/03/2020 and it's now 26/05/2020,having a good book to read is even more of a joy than usual.
This book kept me engrossed and my thoughts on who may or may not be involved changed continually,which is always a good thing as it helps keep my brain ticking over!
I would not say it's an original concept for a book,but the way it plays out is different.
I especially enjoyed how herbalism was used,I found that interesting and educational,which is always a plus for me when reading a book.
The characters were believable and apart from one or two, obvious ones likeable.
I will definitely recommend the book to family and friends and read other books written by this particular author,who I would like to take the opportunity to thank for helping me to pass some 'lockdown' time.

Thank you to a NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book, and thought it was a first class psychological thriller. It held my interest the whole way through, I read it in a couple of sittings, as it didn’t want to put it down. It’s the story of Amy, a herbalist, who is looking forward to her wedding in the next couple of weeks, when her husband to be disappears. The subsequent investigation into this disappearance uncovers that another woman, Fiona, has also reported him missing. The story has you on the edge of your seat, with lots of twists and turns. The little snippets in the book concerning Kimberley and Charlie take a while to fit into the story, but once they do, you end up hoping that the police will believe Amy over the other woman, Fiona. I was also surprised at the ending, as I had it in my mind who I thought was also deceiving Amy, but I was wrong!

I would certainly recommend this book.

A thrilling rollercoaster of a read told from the differing perspectives of Amy, Amy's daughter Jess and the other woman, Fiona. When Amy's fiance disappears one night Amy's world falls apart as she learns that Matt is not all he seemed to be.

Loved this! Lots of twists and turns throughout. I often thought I had the "whodunit" right and then my suspicion fell on another character. Give this a look you wont be disappointed.

Rating: 4 stars

What an interesting read! I was excited to read this book as it seemed like something I hadn't really heard of before. It definitely kept me interested through all the twists of the plot. I liked the depth of the story, and the existence of Fiona's story really adds another element to the story.

Recommend!

A tense thriller with a quick pace and intriguing plot. It starts out as a missing person story that turns into a probable murder with a historical mystery lurking in the background. I loved how I was never quite sure what had happened and who had done what. A compelling read that I struggled to put down.

I thoroughly enjoyed this suspense novel. With fabulous characters and plenty of twists and turns, I didn't guess the ending - I actually thought it was another of the major players. Very well written with a pace that holds the readers attention.

What a story kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through, what you learn is you can’t trust anyone when you think you have a perfect life then it’s all pulled from under you, the thought of your husband going missing just before your wedding is tragic then to find out so many things you never knew about is a nightmare and nothing is as it seems really good read can’t wait to read more of this author and want to thank Netgalley and Avon Books the opportunity to read The Vow definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Vow.

What a quick and interesting book this was! I really enjoyed it, especially once I got to Part Two and couldn’t put it down. Amy is happily engaged to Matt, getting married in a few weeks when Matt suddenly disappears. Hoping for the best, Amy tries to believe that Matt will return however she eventually has to face the facts. Not only is he not returning, but he’s been deceiving her this whole time. Then you have Fiona, who is connected to both Matt and Amy but you aren’t sure how! What really happened to Matt? Is Amy really responsible or could it be Fiona? I have to admit I thought I knew what the plot twist was going to be and I was wrong! I was just waiting to find out that someone else in Amy’s life, completely unexpectedly, deceived her as well! While that may not have happened, I really didn’t anticipate the ending.

With Amy planning to marry Matt in just two weeks time, the last thing she needs is some woman ambushing her in the street and telling her everything isn't as it seems. When Matt goes missing that night, she reports it and then his OTHER WOMAN also reports it too, you know you are in for a tale with plenty of twists and turns.

The beginning of the novel was really fast paced and I really enjoyed it as we saw Amy begin to question everything. We find out that not everyone in Amy's life actually liked Matt and there's some flashbacks to a particular time and event that puzzles you as to where it fits in.

It does all eventually fit into place though although I found the story slightly stalled in the middle in pace, only picking up again towards the end. I was very happy to see that I had come to the right conclusion although I only got there a couple of pages before the reveal.

Just what happened to Matt? Did one of his women do something to him? You'll be kept on the edge of your seat.

As thrillers go, this is definitely up there as one of my favourites!.

Amy feels as though her life is pretty perfect, until one day her soon to be husband Matt gies missing.
Following his disappearance, Amy discovers things about Matt's past which unsettle her, and also has to deal with consequences of her own past too.

This book was just fabulous, well written with the perfect amount of suspense throughout!

This book is a fantastic psychological thriller I finished it within a day since I couldn’t put it down. Lots of twist and turns to keep you gripped. Definitely recommend this book.

Two weeks before her wedding Amy's life is blown apart when her fiance Matt disappears one night. Bit by bit she discovers her life is one big lie. Her daughter confesses to never having liked Matt and it turns out she is a good judge of character. Can Amy stop secrets from her past coming back to haunt her? Is Matt really who he says he is? Does Amy have any enemies? My favorite read of the year, couldn't put it down.

Great book lots of twists and turns I was sometimes confused as to who was who with the name changes and jumping backwards and fire wards etc there’s lots of red herrings to put you off scent ending is fantastic and brings it all together

There were plenty of twists and turns to the plot which make you keen to keep on reading. My only problem with the book is that the pace was uneven, particularly near the beginning. It is certainly worth reading beyond this as you will be totally gripped.

Fab book! Read it within a couple of hours! I honestly couldn't put it down! Will look for more books by this author as it was really well written and had me hooked!

A past buried in lies,an uneasy and deadly alliance,murder,family secrets this book has it all and I loved every page of it.
As you read each chapter an insidious sense if unease grows,for one person the secrets they kept are now tightening around them.
An absolutely gripping book,I could not put it down.

History spins a web into the present. A teenager dies after drinking a potion prepared by her sister and her friend. In the present Amy is due to be married to her fiance when he doesn't return home. She reports him missing to the police but a few days later another woman reports the same man as missing and claims he is her boyfriend. An enjoyable story with a twist in the tale.

This was a complex tale of misconceptions and misperception of love, of the subtlety and insidiousness of abuse and the endurance of a held grudge. It's well told and it really isn't clear for the vast majority of the novel who the 'good guy' is. Cleverly worked with original character profiles and intentions.

With a sense of unease from the very start of this book, even the reader feels tense as the story unfolds. After a while there aren't many characters who you don't start to mistrust as their own versions of the truth are revealed. Is anyone ever who or what they seem and is their a single vision of justice?

Debbie Howells is such a talented writer and The Vow is solid proof of this. I was memorised by this book and story line, I couldn't put it down, there was so much I needed to know everything, I needed to know how it ended but at the same time I never wanted it to end.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.
At first I wasn’t totally engaged with the book and didn’t follow why the flashbacks were important. The storyline soon became clear (Matt, the future husband) had disappeared and everything started unraveling.
I thought the book truly started about half way through and gripped me from this point. I didn’t see the twists coming but they were well placed.
I thought the book from the different perspectives was good and kept the story flowing.

The Vow
Debbie Howells

Everything was perfect. And then her fiance disappeared…
Two weeks before her wedding, a stranger stops Amy in the street and warns her she’s in danger. Then that night, Matt, her fiancé, doesn’t come home. Desperate, Amy calls the police – but when Matt fails to emerge, she’s forced to call off her wedding day.
Then another man is reported missing, by a woman called Fiona – a man meeting Matt’s description, who was about to leave his fiancée for her. He was supposed to be moving in with her – but instead, he’s vanished.
Amy refuses to believe Fiona’s lover can be her Matt – but photos prove otherwise, and it soon becomes clear that Matt has been leading a double life. As the police dig deeper, two conflicting, yet equally plausible stories emerge from two women who allegedly have never met.
The wedding day never happened. But the funeral might.

Wow! What a good read this was. Really twisty and kept me hooked all the way through. Written really well. Liked the characters and the way the story was told through both women and the daughter. Definitely recommend, would like to read more from this author in the future.

Thanks to netgalley for this copy.

Happily engaged and planning the wedding. Love second time around. Then he disappears. Life changes quickly, so many twists and turns. Really enjoyed the story kept me hooked to the last page.

I loved the vow twisty turny , a great holiday read. A real page turner.5 stars . Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review it.

Thanks to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for this Arc and thanks to the Author Debbie howells❤️

Amy is getting everything ready to Marry Matt, she's sorting out things with her wedding planner she's sorting out the vows for the ceremony and much more then strange events lead to Matt actually disappeared and went missing..

alternates in perspectives of herself, her daughter, her Lawyer,and Fiona, going back to 1996

And a woman comes up to you saying the man you love isn't who you think he is..

As the woman insists that Amy's husband to be is planning to leave her for the woman..

We learnt a lot about Amy from her teenage years about deceitful things, lies, secrets and her desire of revenge😱😱!!

This is a book full of rollercoaster twists and turns really gripping and gives you such a unquote perspective and experience and feel of this book makes you feel that you are in the story !!

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books UK!!
Will review on Amazon etc once published ❤️

Recommend!
4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Amy is getting married in two weeks, but her fiancé Matt disappears one night. Before long it transpires he was just about to leave her for another woman. Then things progress down a scary path, where Amy's past secrets are revealed.
This is a real page turner thriller. Whilst I guessed one of the twists fairly early on, it kept you intrigued as to the outcomes. It is a perfect summer read and I would recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for a review.

If I had a penny for Everytime I eye rolled I would be RICH. Gosh I loved this book! I couldn't put it down and yes I hate Matt 😠 So this book is about Amy (we like her) whose fiance disappears a few days before their wedding on the same day some lady warned her about him (hooked yet!?). The storytelling, the characters and the plot made this book one of the most interesting reads I loved this book, it was written so we'll.

I really enjoyed this book. It had me intrigued all the way through and I was second guessing the ending and who was in the wrong from the start. I liked the way it went back to 1996 and you weren’t really sure who was telling this part of the story but you know it’s going to link with the main plot. Without giving anything away, it’s cleverly intertwined with the characters and their lives.
I’ll definitely be reading more from this author as it was a fantastic psychological thriller.

This was an easy to read page turner. Good story line, characters you could love or hate but really easy to devour in a short time.

A gripping read that kept me hooked from the start. The story line was well thought out and the characters were relatable

Brilliant book!! Well worth a read guys! Pick it up and you won't be disappointed. I've never read anything from this author but I will do now!

How much do we really know about our partners? Amy thinks she knows her soon to be husband very well. Until he goes missing. Then her whole life and the life they had together unravels rapidly. This is an unsettling read that keeps you guessing almost to the very end.

As soon as I started this book, I knew it was right up my street. I loved the herbal remedies and references to all the plants, as I myself am a big fan of natural medicines.

However, as the tale goes on, we learn about Matt and his controlling way, and dark secrets in the families. I think I would have been sceptical first off, I don’t know why women make excuses for men who lie and cheat. I’d have dumped him sooner rather than later! The story is told from different perspectives so you get a good idea what’s going on.

As the story opens up, you don’t know who is telling the truth, and the title of the book is clever, in that it’s not a wedding vow, but something made years ago between children.

Poor Amy is on a slippery slope and no-one really believes her, the other woman involved, Fiona is also hiding secrets, the question is, who do the police believe? Both maybe telling the truth or not, who knows?

Jess, Amy’s daughter is brilliant in it, and she actually finds out more than the police. I think they were quite lax in their investigative skills, as they had more resources to hand, but still didn’t find the truth. In fact they came across as a bit dim!!!

Well having said that, as a reader of a lot of crime, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this, it was certainly different.

My thanks to the author, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

Excellent. The story gripped me immediately with both its pace and all through the intrigue and always new questions popping into my head.
Great portrayal of the different characters. My suspicions were aroused to one or another character only to be transferred to another throughout the book.
All the way I thought there was something odd about Matthew and clearly he was setting up Amy but I did not realise at any time the huge twist towards the end and.
Definitely a book I would recommend.

This book was my introduction to this author, and what a way to be introduced. I really loved the premise of the story, and overall the story was executed well. There are a lot of characters in this story and on occasion I would have to stop and take a moment to remember who they were and how they fitted in. I personally feel that things could have progressed a little faster, but appreciated the backstory we got.

The story has plenty of twists and turns, some you may see, others you ma not. I spent most of the book with suspects in my mind - right up until the end when all is revealed, and I was wrong.

Definitely an interesting book, and I would certainly read more from this author.

Such a brilliant read. From chapter to chapter you are led down a different path of who did what and how could they possibly do it. The characters are full of depth and the storyline a refreshing change

I absolutely loved this book. This is from an author I'm not familiar with, but I will definitely be looking out for her next book. Full of mystery and suspense, this book kept me hooked right from the start and to be honest, I was disappointed when I finished the book, as I wanted to keep on reading it! If you're looking for a new psychological thriller to read, then this is your next book.

This is one of those books that I almost gave up on - although I am glad I didn’t. The second half of the book was definitely a lot better than the first. I also didn’t really feel like I got to know any of the characters the way I normally do with books and that meant I felt indifferent towards each of them.

Amy is a herbalist and lives with her fiancé Matt in the outskirts of Brighton. She has a daughter, Jess, who is at University in Falmouth and is happy. One day Amy gets a call from her fiancé to say he will be late home as he has to entertain a client. However, he later fails to return home and eventually Amy reports him missing to the police. Unbeknown to her, another woman has reported her partner missing and his description matches that of Matt. Told from the viewpoint of Amy, Fiona and Jess whilst peppered with someone’s memories of the Summer of 1996 - the story unfolds.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This was my first time reading a book by Debbie Howells and I really enjoyed it. I liked the first person perspective from three different characters. Everyone was a suspect from the very beginning right through to the end! I loved the ending. Great writing and a great book! I will definitely recommend it!

Big thanks to Avon UK and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this book in advance!

Very powerful book. Kept me engrossed throughout. Amy and Matt are getting married in 2 weeks when a stranger stops Amy in the street and says she's in danger and she doesn't know the truth. Then everything starts to unravel

Ok be warned if you want to read this make sure you have nothing to do, I could not put this book down, it had me hooked from the start and the whole way through I really didn’t know who you could trust or who to believe. I’m not going to go into details of the book as it is so good I don’t want to spoil anything, either way if you like a good mystery thriller then you have to read it! Brilliant!!!!!

#Netgalley #thevow #debbiehowells #arc #booksofinstagram oh man. I'm torn on this review. When I saw the title. Because, hello, my name is Cori and I will judge a book by its cover 🙈 I went on thinking marriage vows. While that's how it seems to start off it takes a left turn to a man and a woman soon to be married. The man goes missing. Odd things happen. Maybe the fiance is crazy. Maybe she killed him 🤷‍♀️ I liked the curvy road journey we seemed to go on. It was more than just a story that didn't tie up neatly until the end. #bookworm #booksofinstagram #bookreader #readbooks #bookreview

Many thanks to Avon Books UK, Netgalley and Debbie Howells for the ARC of this book.

I was in two minds about this book.
Part one felt like it dragged on, I couldn't really connect with the main character and I felt a lot of the lines had been repeated a lot.
But part two blew it out of the water! I loved part two. The flashbacks throughout were well done, the plot twists were brilliant and the writing style was very descriptive.
Again I feel this is the kind of book you need to go into blind.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for that ending!

Wow! That is the only word to describe The Vow. From start to finish the book pulls you in and you cannot leave until you have reached the end. There is so much to keep you guessing, plenty of twists and turns to keep you from putting the book down. At the end of every chapter you just have to start the next one - make sure you set aside enough time to read this in one sitting. When secrets from the past begin to appear in your perfect life and things start to unravel, what do you do? How many coincidences are there really in life? Is the universe conspiring against you or is there a deeper, darker reason your world is falling apart? Read The Vow to find out the answers.

Amy is due to marry Matt soon, but he suddenly goes missing. Around the same time, a woman named Fiona appears from the shadows to expose that Matt was due to leave his fiance soon to be with her. This leave Amy in an incomparable heartbroken position. Where is Matt, though? AHHH! I love thrilling books like this. SUCH a page turner, I couldn't put it down once I started. This is the perfect quarantine suspenseful mystery read!! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a copy of this book for an honest review.

The Vow by Debbie Howells

Not all is what is seems. As preparations are underway for Amy and Matt's wedding a series of events leading up to the groom's disappearance leads to more questions than answers and makes you wonder if we really know the people we are closest with.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Debbie Howells gets suspenseful thriller down to the very last detail. I highly recommend this page Turner!

4/5 Stars

Thank you #NetGalley and #avonbooksuk for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

An engaging thriller, believable characters that I could relate to but maybe one coincidence too many! I enjoyed the plot which had plenty of surprises.
Amy’s wedding is two weeks away when Matt her fiancé, inexplicably disappears. She is devastated but when she reports it to the police she discovers that another women has also reported someone missing, someone who said he was about to leave his fiancé. Two conflicting stories but who is telling the truth? As the investigation continues Amy finds herself under suspicion and events from the past are discovered that turn her whole life upside down.

I liked how the story was told not just from Amy's side but also the "other woman's" side (Fiona) and even Amy's daughter Jess. All three of them had so much to offer in terms of story line.

There were so many secrets in this book .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for my review.

A compelling story within a story; I really enjoyed reading this clever book! Thanks to Avon and to the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was the first book I have read by this author. I truly loved this book and was engaged from the moment I started reading. My heart broke for Amy at first and then I started second guessing everything and questioning every character on what happened to Matt two weeks before their wedding. I enjoyed the flashbacks as well, at first I wasn’t sure of the connection but I enjoyed how it all fit together. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Thank you Net galley and publisher for this opportunity to read this book.

This is my first Debbie Howells book and I loved it! The story kept me intrigued from the beginning.

My worst fear when I was getting married was my husband to be leaving me at the alter for another woman. So while Amy was not left at the alter per say, it was extremely close to her wedding day when her husband to be just disappeared.

I liked how the story was told not just from Amy's side but also the "other woman's" side (Fiona) and even Amy's daughter Jess. All three of them had so much to offer in terms of story line.
There were so many secrets in this book and it really hit home with the "Not everything is always as it seems" theme.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I was initially interested in this book because I am a corona bride dealing with having to postpone my wedding, but I can't imagine what our main character endures when her fiancé goes missing two weeks before she is set to marry him. I have read several books about missing wives and husbands but this one still hooked me from the beginning and had me eager to get to the final end reveal. I liked reading from the different view points and I didn't know who to believe or trust, everyone seemed unreliable. I liked the storyline from the past and how it wound up connecting with the events of the main plot. The author's exploration of the symbolism and use of flowers and herbs which I was afraid would be boring was executed in a way that kept me intrigued. I enjoyed the twist at the end, and while I had an idea of who was responsible, I was still pleased with how everything wrapped up. I especially enjoyed how the title was meant to throw the reader off and not intended as one would think.

Wow, a compelling read. So many twists and turns it kept me guessing right up to the end. Just when she should have been getting prepared for her wedding, our main character has her whole life turned upside down. Who can she trust? Is she all she seemed?
Definitely recommended and sure to keep you wondering and page turning.

Amy and Matt are getting married. Two weeks before the wedding, Matt goes missing. The story is told from three perspectives: Amy, Jess, and Fiona. This book immediately drew me in, with Amy’s narratives about herbs and gardening. Although the basic storyline is familiar, the author spins it so well that it felt fresh. It is a slow burn of a story, as secrets and vows unravel. Recommended.

Amy receives a strange call from her Fiancé Matt two weeks before their wedding and after their vows have been written. Matt disappears and Amy finds out that another woman, Fiona, is also claiming to be with Matt and that he was going to leave Amy for her. This is news to Amy!
A well written thriller with added events along the way that keep you guessing until the end. Is Matt who he says he is or is there a secret waiting to come out?
Jess, Amy's daughter, is a very strong character and she helps to find the way to the truth at the end.
An enjoyable read and one I would definitely recommend.

Just two weeks before their wedding, Amy’s fiancé Matt disappears. This is the beginning of a nightmare where she tries to work out what has happened to him.

The story is told alternately by Amy, her daughter Jess, and by the other woman. The first half of the story moves at a rapid pace and had me gripped. As more is revealed of Matt’s character, it appears that their perfect relationship was not what it appeared to be.

The second half of the story, told more from the perspective of the other woman in the story, left me feeling somewhat perplexed. I kept alternating between which one of them I thought was guilty. The pace of the story slowed here and although still interesting, it wasn’t unputdownable as it had been at the beginning. The police involvement didn’t feel quite as realistic at it could have been as the WPC had too comfortable a relationship with Amy’s daughter to be entirely believable.

The ending took me by surprise. It was neatly packaged and explained the doubts I had been experiencing earlier. This is an enjoyable read with an unexpected ending.

I loved the premise of this novel: Amy's finance disappears one day after leaving for work. Distraught, she calls the police after a strange woman alerts her that she has no idea who he "really" is. Later another woman, Fiona reports her partner missing and surprisingly it's the same Matt who was engaged to Amy. Of course there are conflicting stories and we don't know whose version of events to believe. Many surprises and twists to secrets that are generations old and come to light as we see the history between Amy and Fiona. A very satisfying read!

This came as a pleasant surprise when I felt a bit stuck with reading. It started off very unimpressively but actually drew me in nonetheless and then it was just a race until finish! It’s not a literary masterpiece but I can see it as a perfect summer thriller. I enjoyed the fact the main character is a herbalist - that was quite refreshing, and I loved all the little details about gardens and the stories they tell. What started off as a bit of an average page-turner revealed some more layers to it, was entertaining and HELD MY ATTENTION for long enough (which is no small achievement atm).

A well executed psychological thriller with a racy plot and unexpected twists with a predictable conclusion. Couldn't put it down. The author has done a superb job of keeping a tight narrative with well drawn out characters. There are also a nice summary of the flowers and their meanings which was informative. Well done 👍