This story of love, loss and bereavement was an excellent read.
The author is a mistress of characterisation and observation of the human condition.

When Patrick dies suddenly, his brother Dan is left to pick up the pieces of the life he leaves behind. Dan, a natural loner, the less adventurous of the brothers, takes on Patrick’s business and family affairs, but not always with great success. We journey with Dan as he untangles the web of Oatricks life, and as he learns so much about himself in the process.

I recommend this book.

The Promise by Lucy Diamond a haunting five-star read. This was sublime, I loved it. I don’t want to put anything else on the page as my words won’t do it justice. This story seems to be going in one direction, picking up and put together after a great loss and that made it a compelling story, but then the undercurrent pulls through and the story just gets so much deeper and so much better in my eyes.

This book has taken me a while to read, I enjoyed it, but i felt it didn’t flow as much as the author’s previous books. It could be the subject matter and the many emotions of the characters flying around, overall it was worth reading

A really nice read showing the hole the death of a loved one can leave behind. It was really interesting seeing how all the different characters coped from their different perspectives and how they healed. Recommended.

Two brothers meet for a pint, argue and go their separate ways. But one doesn't make it home. A tragic accident preceded by two arguments. All parties feeling guilty and blaming the other.
A tangled web of lies, half truths and secret life's are uncovered. Can family relationships be rebuilt? Follow the twists of the tale and hope for the best outcome.
Enjoy, I did.

When her husband dies suddenly, leaving her with three young children, Zoe is distraught. She's lashing out at her brother-in-law, Dan. Her perfect husband, Patrick has gone and she blames Dan.
But when it becomes apparent that Patrick wasn't quite the perfect husband after all, Zoe is left wondering if she really knew her husband at all.
It's a brilliant story which has a lot of twists and turns along the way. He characters are likeable, even the dead husband has some redeeming features.I
Lucy Diamond is fantastic at bringing her characters to life.

Another great read by Lucy Diamond. A tale of family disaster which twists and turns until some revelations are made, and friendships and romance bloom. Dan, the hero of the tale is a lovely man with a touch of OCD regarding his spreadsheets. His widowed sister in law is struggling and Dan helps out with her business and her children. At that point other characters enter the story and it develops very nicely with lots of relevations. I highly recommend this book.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot (there are plenty of reviews like that out there already!).

I have read and enjoyed a few other novels by Lucy Diamond, and was expecting this to be a light read. I guess it could be classed as such, but has a lot more going on than that...

As always when there is a sudden death, everyone feels that they should have done things differently, and blames themselves for every angry or unpleasant exchange they had with the deceased. In Dan's case, he takes this further, seeking to square his conscience by stepping in for his brother and trying to put things right. He takes on more than he bargained for...and discovers that he didn't know his bro as well as he thought he did...

Without giving away the plot twists and turns, all I will say is that Dan is clearly the better man, a decent egg who undervalues himself (quite wrongly imho). I was quite pleased by the ending (though whether people would be so forgiving is another matter!).

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Dan was the last person to see his brother Patrick alive. But they had argued and Dan feels guilty. He is on three month sabbatical but changes his plans and decides to help his sister in law and the three children. But Dan is used to spreadsheets so plots his achievements on one. However, a secret comes to light and dan is unsure what to do about it.
Lives will change but Dan will find a purpose to life again.

Poor Dan, trying to be all things to all people. After his brother's death in circumstances for which Dan seems to be blamed, he tries manfully to take his brother's place. He goes so far as to make a data base of the ways in which he can imprrove the lives of his brother's widow Zoe, and her children. He desperately focuses on his parents, feeling that his brother was the more favoured by them, and trying to emulate him.
I found this a sad book in many ways. It's very well written as always by Lucy Diamond, but just didnt leave me with a happy feeling..
Thank you for the chance to read and review the book.

I loved this book. I was hooked from the first moment and stayed up late in the night to see what is going to happen next.
Dan had lived in the shadows of his brother Patrick all his life until Patrick's death. Afterwards, full of guilt about the last night he had spent with his brother, he tried to make amends and fill in the Patrick-shaped hole in the family.
As is often the case it turnes out that Patrick's halo was somewhat tarnished. How can the family accept it and live with it?
I loved to see how Dan changed during this time and how he learnt to revaluate lots of things in his past, present and future.
A real feel-good story with characters you can love. I recommend it to everyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a refreshing change for the central character to be male rather than female. Interesting plot, believable characters, recommended.

In The Promise we meet the Sheppard’s facing life without head of the family Patrick, a much adored husband, father, son and brother. Still reeling from the shock of his sudden death, wife Zoé and their three children are stumbling through the days, cast adrift in a sea of mourning, unsure how to live life without Patrick’s presence to guide the way. A larger than life character he’s sorely missed so it’s left up to Dan, his brother to step into the breach and provide much needed practical and emotional support. Spurned on by the guilt that plagues him over his own involvement in Patrick’s death Dan makes a promise to himself that he will take care of his brother’s family no matter what. However he doesn’t bargain for the complicated twist and turn of events that occur the deeper he becomes entwined in Patrick’s daily responsibilities and work commitments. Discovering another side to his brother previously unknown, the repercussions of which could have devastating consequences for those left behind, Dan is placed in an impossible position. Tell the truth or keep quiet? What would YOU decide?

It took me a little while to immerse myself into the lives of the Sheppard family but Dan is such a likeable character and his implementation of his ‘Patrick Plan’ helps add a lightheartedness to proceedings as well as being a catalyst for some surprising and shocking revelations. As always with this author there’s an abundance of warmth, humour and compassion in the storyline to offset the sadness and guilt surrounding this family. The majority of the focus is on Dan and his relationship with his brother and how the dynamics of said relationship have affected him throughout childhood into adulthood, prompting the reader perhaps to consider their own sibling relationships. The author explores in depth Dan’s turmoil and guilt over his final moments with Patrick, allowing details of the night in question to slowly bubble to the surface and discover exactly what fate befalls him. In turn these details provide answers as to why Dan feels he needs to step up in his role of brother in law and uncle and support Zoé and the children through this difficult period and beyond. But trying to walk in someone else’s shoes is a tall (and unnecessary) order, never easy especially when you discover things about your brother that cast him in a different light to the man everyone believed him to be. This places Dan in a quandary and I didn’t envy him his dilemma over what do with this new found knowledge of Patrick. The truth can sometimes hurt so The Promise begs the question are some secrets best kept hidden??
I understood Dan’s desire and promise to himself to fill the gaping hole in this family left behind by Patrick’s death, attempting not always successfully, to be a doting uncle and shoulder some of Zoé’s many responsibilities. I loved him for trying so hard, for his determination to make amends, even if does he makes mistakes along the way! Living in another person’s shadow can be debilitating and through Dan’s character the author has captured those feelings of inferiority, real or imagined whilst offering opportunities for him to develop his own self confidence and self esteem. The more I discovered about Dan the more I felt he’s definitely a man worth catching!!!

The overriding theme of The Promise is that all human beings are flawed, none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes, big and small along the way. We are all complex multilayered individuals who present different facades depending upon the occasion so that however long you’ve known someone they can still have the ability to surprise you, and not always for the better. Patrick is a shining example of this so in many ways this novel is a cautionary tale of the dangers of placing people on pedestals; the fall from grace can not only tarnish reputations but inflict hurt upon friends and loved ones.

I’ve probably made this storyline sound quite serious, but I can assure you that isn’t the case! The adorable unicorn loving Bea can be relied upon to put a smile on your face as can the antics of Gabe, who’s a bundle of energy, keeping his mum and Dan on their toes. Ethan as the eldest Sheppard child is far more reserved and similar in many ways to his uncle but it’s heartwarming to witness more meaningful relationships develop between all of them. Kindness simply overflows in this storyline destined to melt your heart.

There’s a wealth of fiction in which characters are often defined by their sense of grief and loss but that’s not the case with The Promise. Whilst the author recognises the intensity of these emotions and the ways in which individuals can be consumed by sudden and traumatic loss she allows her characters to move beyond these initial stages of anger and bewilderment so that the storyline doesn’t suffer from becoming maudlin or depressing. Instead as well as tears there’s laughter, love and glimpses of happiness together with shock disappointment and I think acceptance. Ultimately by the ending you can imagine a more hopeful, brighter future for Zoé and Dan, and just maybe Dan in particular is walking taller than when we first meet him. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest novel from Lucy Diamond and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to fellow readers. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

Maybe because of the current, rather dire times we’re living in, I did find the first part of the book perhaps a little too sad and gloomy. We start the book with Zoe. Zoe has very recently lost her husband in uncertain circumstances. However he came to die, the fact is Zoe is left a widow with three children to bring up, and many unanswered questions. The main one being why did her husbands brother Dan leave Patrick to wander off on his own, what is Dan not telling her, because he definitely knows more than he’s letting on.

Meanwhile Dan is suffering terrible guilt as well as trying to work through the grief he feels at losing his brother. He can’t help feeling in some way responsible, not helped by the fact that both Zoe and his mum both seem to blame him too. Rather than wallow in self pity and to try to assuage some of the guilt he feels, Dan decides to try and step into his brothers shoes by offering to help Zoe with her family and to sort out his brothers business affairs, taking over the running of his property rental business.

The rest of the book follows Dan and his somewhat clumsy but well-meant attempts to get to know his nephews and niece better. As the reader, you really feel for both Dan and Zoe. They’re both struggling with their grief and feelings of guilt, with Zoe often taking it out on Dan and not always fully appreciating what he’s trying to do for her and her family.

In the meantime Dan is finding out more and more about the somewhat secret life of his brother, putting him in some very awkward situations.

Despite the unhappiness surrounding the family there are lighter moments in the book, with plenty to bring a smile and a chuckle especially when Dan decides to take on a more active role in keeping his nephews and niece entertained.

I really enjoyed the book overall. It certainly kept me turning the pages with revelations coming out from all angles and laughs and tears in equal measure.


*Will add to goodreads now and publish to my blog nearer to publication date*

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

As a regular reader of Lucy Diamond book's, this was another enjoyable book (despite some issues with formatting - certain letter groups seem to be missing which didn't make for a relaxing read)

I can't remember a male main character before in Lucy's books, but it worked well here. Dan was a well thought out character, trying to help Zoe, the children and then Lydia and his parents. His plan may have been unusual but his heart was in the right place. This was a voyage of self discovery for Dan, time to see what really mattered.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and i'm happy to recommend it.

I have read a few of Lucy Diamond’s books before this one and I would say this is one of her better books. The Promise partly focuses on Dan, whose brother Patrick has recently fallen in a river and died leaving behind a wife and three children. Dan turns his focus to helping Zoe, Patrick’s widow, and in trying to be a father figure to her children. He also tries to live up to his brother in his parents’ eyes and decides to spend more time with them. Dan feels Patrick was the favourite and wants to be more like him and tries to help them too, so his parents have the same high opinion of him as they did of Patrick. Dan has been given a sabbatical at work to enable him to grieve and uses this time in making his parents and Patrick’s family his project. Zoe is initially grateful for his help in ferrying the children around and in dealing with the paperwork from Patrick’s property business. However, despite Dan’s best efforts he does not always get it quite right and manages to upset Zoe as she doubts his motivations. While dealing with Patrick’s business Dan discovers that his brother is not the man he thought he was and the repercussions of what he finds out are the basis for the story. Although there are moving aspects in the book, The Promise is a very easy read. The reader is taken on a journey which is sometimes tragic but it has humour in it too and the characters are lively but generally very likeable. Dan meets several other people along the way including an elderly tenant called Rosemary who comes to rely on him and who he becomes friendly with and Lydia who he also meets through dealing with Patrick’s paperwork. These characters are woven into the storyline to make an interesting and very readable book.

I am a long term fan of Lucy Diamond and particularly enjoy the well written, realistic characters she always produces.

Dan’s brother has died and he makes a decision to make up for a fight they had, as well as being a little absent, by helping his sister-in-law Zoe. I grew to really love and enjoy Dan, despite the fact that he doesn’t always get it right his intentions are good and the journey he and Zoe go on is a realistic representation of families. A really lovely read and one I definitely recommend.

What an absolutely lovely book from Lucy Diamond! I always love that way that Lucy writes, she makes her characters so realistic, you always feel like you’ve gotten to know them very well. This book is no exception, Dan’s brother has died and he makes a decision to make up for a fight they had, as well as being a little absent, by helping his sister-in-law Zoe. I grew to really love Dan, despite the fact that he doesn’t always get it right his intentions are good and the journey he and Zoe go on is sad, happy and poignant. A really lovely read and one I definitely recommend.
Thanks to the author, netgalley and publishers for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I haven’t read a Lucy Diamond book in a very long time & I loved this!

A story of love, grief & family, I was hooked from the first page... Patrick dies and his brother Dan takes it open himself to ensure that his wife and
children are well looked after and that Zoe his wife doesn’t have to worry about anything extra than just getting through it,

A curve ball thrown in and you won’t be able to put it down!

Highly recommended, Lucy Diamond never disappoints,

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy for review.

Love a Lucy Diamond book, and The Promise was another fantastic read.
Patrick Shepherd is dead, and the fallout from his early demise, takes a while, but when it surfaces, there is an almighty blast.
Dan, his brother, suffering guilt at being the last person who saw him, and having argued, just before they separated company, goes out of his way to try and bring comfort to his brother's wife and family.
Zoe, his wife, is existing, not living. Unable to function without the love of her life, she struggles to accept any help from her brother-in-law, initially, until they fall into an easy pattern.
It doesn't take long for huge secrets to begin raising their heads, and with them arriving, will they rock the relatively steady boat, Dan and Zoe are trying to sail?
So many twists and turns, as the relatively simple life of family man, and builder, Patrick, sheds its shroud, and many home truths are revealed.
I truly loved reading this and finished it in a day.
I loved Dan's relationship with his niece and nephews, and even how he developed an easy working relationship with the tenants of his brother's rental properties.
He's a real good guy, for whom everything seems to just go wrong, or be taken the wrong way.
Zoe's grief is raw and it has been portrayed so well. It is so true how when someone leaves us, it is far easier to remember the good, allowing the bad to fade from memory...
I'm not one for spoilers, but initially, I feared romance would occur with the two main characters. There is romance but in a more unlikely place.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.