Wow this book was good. Ellie, Sofia, Rose, and Michelle made a vow to never talk about the night they discovered a secret at their high school. Fast forward. Ellie is getting married at a remote location. She was just kicked out of her next movie, and pictures from a past affair show up. Rose, who cannot stand ever being left out, is a new mother, who doubts her husband, and lives in her twin sister's shadow. Sofia, the wedding planner, is getting all of these bogus reviews about her wedding business. These three run into Michelle at this same remote location. Someone has gathered them all there. But why? and Who?

*I do have to say I figured out who the killer is and what their connection is to all of these people. So parts were predictable.

3.5 rounded up

You like vows, Sofia? Here’s one for you : I vow to make you pay.

It’s 2024 and experienced wedding planner Sofia is working hard for her best friend Ellie McLeod, now an A-list Hollywood celebrity, who has chosen a rather odd location for her nuptials to Mitch. It’s Cape Turmoil, an isolated lighthouse with accommodation but it’s Ellie’s choice and so Sofia will make it work. They make their way there along with their other best friend Rose and although the venue is quirky, it’s also stunning. They’re warned about the dark, with no paths or lighting around the cliff edges. A dark night, a dangerous cliff edge, bottomless champagne – what could possibly go wrong? However, that’s not the only warning the three get as it seems somebody is out to sabotage the big day. But, why? It seems that someone knows about the vow of silence they made years ago and is out for revenge.

This is an entertaining, fast paced, twisty, easy read with plenty going on to keep you interested in the drama. I like the relationship between the three flawed central female characters who have each other’s backs although each have their own issues. At times there’s tension especially between Rose and the other two which is an interesting dynamic, giving a sense of the jitters that’s not just about the big day. My suspicions fall in several directions but as the plot unfolds it’s not hard to figure it out, as it quite simply has to be, hence the 3.5 stars. I love the setting too, I always enjoy an Aussie location.

Overall, I would read the author again as she does keep me interested in the novel throughout.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Avon Books for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

The Vow by Stefanie London is a thrilling read that delves deep into friendship, secrets, and the weight of a shared past. The premise is compelling: three women, bound by a mysterious vow they made twelve years ago, reunite for a wedding, only to find that someone seems intent on making them pay for their past actions. The tension builds as they face the consequences of a night they've vowed never to speak about.

The characters are complex and flawed, yet strangely relatable, and it's easy to find yourself rooting for them despite their imperfections. As their past begins to surface, I was hooked, desperate to understand what happened that night and who was behind the ominous threats. London does a fantastic job of creating a suspenseful atmosphere, keeping the reader guessing about the true nature of their shared secret.

The mix of mystery, emotional depth, and the intricacies of their relationships made this book hard to put down. It’s one of those stories where you can’t help but get invested in the characters and their journey, even as their past mistakes come back to haunt them. The twists and turns kept me hooked until the very end, making The Vow a compelling and satisfying read.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Wow! I literally finished this in a day. Kept going back to my book to read this as I had to find out what was going on. It is absolutely gripping and a serious page turner.

The characters are suspicious and have good number of red herrings and twists. Told in multiple perspectives and timelines this is a brilliant thriller. It has a good usage of visualisation and the character development and storylines. Absolutely want to read more from the author. Recommend!

Thank you Avon Books UK and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

As the description says "It’s the wedding of the year – for all the wrong reasons"
A real edge of your seat read, i devoured this in two big sittings.
Fab characters and an overall well written drama.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

The Vow follows Ellie as she gets married in a destination wedding. She invites her childhood friends, Rose and Sofia. This should be Ellie's happiest day in her life, but when things start to go wrong, she realises someone out there knows this is not the first vow she makes... Years ago, Ellie, Rose and Sofia promised each other they wouldn't tell anyone about what happened that night and now someone who knows has come back to taunt them... but why?

This book was so good I read it at the weekend. I think I would've read it in one sitting if it hadn't been for the fact I had to go out and get groceries. Ugh! I wish I'd planned better. I couldn't stop thinking about the book when I went to bedm so I snuck out of bed early to finish it before breakfast. You've been warned!

The story is di-a-bol-i-cal...!! where do I even begin? told from their respective POVs, it has two main storylines: Ellie's wedding today, and that fatidic night in 2013. Something I really, really liked was that this was a character-driven story. So this was quite "meaty" with good insight into what drives each character. I did feel a bit bad for them, the author did a great job emoting the sense of injustice that permeates life these days. Anyone can go online and say anything about you and you're presumed guilty until proven innocent. But... what if you're kind of guilty?

These are flawed humans that I strangely found myself rooting for! I wanted to know more about them, what drove them, and I NEEDED to know what happened that night and who was behind their misadventure!!

All in all, a great book!! I'm already looking forward to Stefanie's next book!!