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Before You Go
The bond between a mother and daughter is meant to be unbreakable. What happens when it shatters?
Western Virginia, 1979. Dell Shaw knows the relationship between a mother and daughter should be something warm, soft and safe. But her relationship with her former beauty queen mother, Anita, has never been like that. And then one day, Anita packs up and leaves home, abandoning Dell to look after her alcoholic father and grow up alone.
When Dell meets handsome Mason, who has his own scars, she begins to think she can build a new, happy family with him. A year later, she’s shocked to find herself heartbroken and alone with a new-born baby girl and only her mother to turn to. When Anita refuses help and instead arranges for the local church to take the baby away, Dell knows she won’t ever speak to her mother again.
But all that changes on the day Dell discovers her daughter is missing.
Anita knows where the child might be. There’s only one problem—Anita is in a coma, fighting for her life. As Dell divides her time between her mother’s bedside and searching for her daughter, she finds herself discovering new things about her past that make her wonder if she can forgive her mother after all. But will she be able to reconcile with her mother and find her daughter before time runs out?
An unforgettable and heart-wrenching debut about the endurance of love, the power of forgiveness, and finding beauty in the world around us. Your must-read book of 2019. Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, Kristin Hannah and Kerry Lonsdale.
Western Virginia, 1979. Dell Shaw knows the relationship between a mother and daughter should be something warm, soft and safe. But her relationship with her former beauty queen mother, Anita, has never been like that. And then one day, Anita packs up and leaves home, abandoning Dell to look after her alcoholic father and grow up alone.
When Dell meets handsome Mason, who has his own scars, she begins to think she can build a new, happy family with him. A year later, she’s shocked to find herself heartbroken and alone with a new-born baby girl and only her mother to turn to. When Anita refuses help and instead arranges for the local church to take the baby away, Dell knows she won’t ever speak to her mother again.
But all that changes on the day Dell discovers her daughter is missing.
Anita knows where the child might be. There’s only one problem—Anita is in a coma, fighting for her life. As Dell divides her time between her mother’s bedside and searching for her daughter, she finds herself discovering new things about her past that make her wonder if she can forgive her mother after all. But will she be able to reconcile with her mother and find her daughter before time runs out?
An unforgettable and heart-wrenching debut about the endurance of love, the power of forgiveness, and finding beauty in the world around us. Your must-read book of 2019. Perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, Kristin Hannah and Kerry Lonsdale.
- GenresFiction
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2019
128 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Heard
4 books30 followersIncorrigible Sagittarius, nose stuck in a book. Writer of haunted hearts-Southern Gothic-romance-type of mysteries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 23, 2019
Dells dad is addicted to pills and her mother is extremely selfish. Dell does not trust people easily. Ut she meets and falls in love with Mason. But now Dell is pregnant. She thinks Masin will choose her family over her. Her mother advised her to give the baby to the church who would then find a good family to adopt her. Dell then leaves the town vowing never to return. She never told a tone where she was going, so she was shocked when her mother turned up one day to tell her that her daughter was missing. Dell had no other option but to return to the town with the hope of finding her baby.
This is not the usual type of missing child story that I've normally read. The chapters alternate between the past and the present. The story is set in the forest of Blyth, Virginia. Theres not a lot of fortunes get told. Then book is described as a thriller but I would say it's more like womans fiction. The story is beautifully written. Its hars to believe that this is a debut novel. Kelly Heard is an author to watch out for. This is quite an emotional read. Does Dell find her baby? Get yourself a copy of this wonderful story to find out!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kelly Heard for my ARC in exchange for an honest.
This is not the usual type of missing child story that I've normally read. The chapters alternate between the past and the present. The story is set in the forest of Blyth, Virginia. Theres not a lot of fortunes get told. Then book is described as a thriller but I would say it's more like womans fiction. The story is beautifully written. Its hars to believe that this is a debut novel. Kelly Heard is an author to watch out for. This is quite an emotional read. Does Dell find her baby? Get yourself a copy of this wonderful story to find out!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kelly Heard for my ARC in exchange for an honest.
November 9, 2019
If your favoured reading material is a compelling tale with a good sprinkling of drama, heartbreak and romance, then The Fortune Teller’s Promise by Kelly Heard is a must-read for you!
From the get-go there was so much happening in this wonderful drama-suspense-romance story! Adella, known as Dell, was an interesting character and it was a journey to get to know her. I got to see that sometimes life got so overwhelming and lonely for her. There was lovely depth and poignancy to Kelly Heard’s writing which kept me hooked throughout.
The author really worked wonders with most of the characters in this fabulous story and even the less personable ones still had very good parts to play and did not dampen my enthusiasm for this fascinating tale.
I totally appreciated this fantastic début and its realistic, touching portrayal of a young woman and her relationship with her parents and the father of her child. The plot was great and moved along at a really comfortable pace and I was very happy with the author’s general writing-style. There were many issues highlighted such as menace, narcissism, loss, grief and hope for the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting story and I think this book is a bit of a hidden gem.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
From the get-go there was so much happening in this wonderful drama-suspense-romance story! Adella, known as Dell, was an interesting character and it was a journey to get to know her. I got to see that sometimes life got so overwhelming and lonely for her. There was lovely depth and poignancy to Kelly Heard’s writing which kept me hooked throughout.
The author really worked wonders with most of the characters in this fabulous story and even the less personable ones still had very good parts to play and did not dampen my enthusiasm for this fascinating tale.
I totally appreciated this fantastic début and its realistic, touching portrayal of a young woman and her relationship with her parents and the father of her child. The plot was great and moved along at a really comfortable pace and I was very happy with the author’s general writing-style. There were many issues highlighted such as menace, narcissism, loss, grief and hope for the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting story and I think this book is a bit of a hidden gem.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
December 26, 2022
The Fortune Teller's Promise
by Kelly Heard is my first read by this author.
You can really feel the brokenness of our main character, Della. She feels like a squared peg in a round hole. Her father has been taking pills for years for an old injury, her mother is beautiful, goes within herself and tells her she was the "difficult child", her brother is overprotective.
A broken family, what is she to do, she finds solace in a boyfriend, Mason but then she gets pregnant. She wants to keep her baby; her mother convinces her to give it to the "good church ladies."
She can't stay put, she's a runner. The only thing that can bring her back is the thought of saving her child.
Pub Date 30 Oct 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
by Kelly Heard is my first read by this author.
You can really feel the brokenness of our main character, Della. She feels like a squared peg in a round hole. Her father has been taking pills for years for an old injury, her mother is beautiful, goes within herself and tells her she was the "difficult child", her brother is overprotective.
A broken family, what is she to do, she finds solace in a boyfriend, Mason but then she gets pregnant. She wants to keep her baby; her mother convinces her to give it to the "good church ladies."
She can't stay put, she's a runner. The only thing that can bring her back is the thought of saving her child.
Pub Date 30 Oct 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
December 7, 2019
Ok! This story was confusing to me for reasons I’m not clear. I might reread it and concentrate more on the story line. It’s the character Dell giving up a baby for adoption her relationship with her mom! It was nice but when I’m confused it makes it hard to read the book.
I want to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Kelly Heard for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
I want to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Kelly Heard for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2019
I wasn't sure what this book was going to be about but I was drawn in immediately and really loved it. It's the early 90s in Blyth, VA and Adella, or Dell as she is called, returns to her hometown after running away and becoming a psychic in a town an hour away. Dell drew up in a home with an older brother, a father who had been injured at work and is addicted to pain killers and a beautiful mother who does not want to be a mother and she deserts the family. In a then and now format, you learn about the family dynamics of this very complicated family. I found most of the characters unlikeable, especially Dell, but in the end my opinion of her softened. I loved the way the book ended. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this very interesting book in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2019
The natural imagery of this story is strong which makes up for the fact that Blyth, the small town of Virginia is fictional. The sense of loneliness contrasted with vast open space and claustrophobia is acute. It’s about a woman returning to where she grew up and where she was unhappy. Her baby taken off her, she was convinced this would be for the best, and now she has to return to find out what happened to the poor child.
I was a bit confused when reading as the blurb doesn’t match the story in many ways. Although there is a missing child, this isn’t the focus of the novel and it’s more about Dell and her journey of coming home, finding out secrets and growing as a person. This is actually the story of an outsider.
There’s also a romantic overtone to the novel which I wasn’t expecting given the subject matter. It’s not a bad thing however as you really get to find out more about Dell, her life and what she’s been through.
I enjoyed it but think the blurb should be rewritten to reflect the tone and content of the book. As a character-driven novel about loneliness and life itself, I think it works really well. Outsiders and small remote towns are a great set of ingredients for a good book! IT's a very emotional and heart rendering read.
I was a bit confused when reading as the blurb doesn’t match the story in many ways. Although there is a missing child, this isn’t the focus of the novel and it’s more about Dell and her journey of coming home, finding out secrets and growing as a person. This is actually the story of an outsider.
There’s also a romantic overtone to the novel which I wasn’t expecting given the subject matter. It’s not a bad thing however as you really get to find out more about Dell, her life and what she’s been through.
I enjoyed it but think the blurb should be rewritten to reflect the tone and content of the book. As a character-driven novel about loneliness and life itself, I think it works really well. Outsiders and small remote towns are a great set of ingredients for a good book! IT's a very emotional and heart rendering read.
October 30, 2019
Oh this book was just so beautiful! One of my favourite books of the year! So pleased to have discovered this amazing author. Hard to believe this stunning and assured tale was a debut. The writing is so beautiful that one read does not do it justice. I was highlighting almost every sentence, awed by the poetic beauty of the prose. I will be reading everything by this author and recommending this book to everyone. Brilliant! A masterpiece.
May 29, 2020
I have never read anything by Kelly Heard before, but this book has ascertained that I will search her work out in the future.
The writing was eloquent and I enjoyed the imagery. “The bruise on her temple didn’t look like an injury so much as some inner rottenness that had finally crept to her surface, like a soft spot on an apple.”
The Virginian Blue Ridge Mountains setting set the mood and the tone for the novel. The sometimes cloying aspect of small town America is evident – with all the pluses and minuses that that entails.
“People only wrote in ink with their lives here, and people talked before the ink dried.”
The protagonist, Dell, was a solitary, heartbroken, and heartbreaking woman who had received little maternal love in her life and therefore thought she couldn’t provide that love to her own child. The reader (and those characters she comes into contact with) can’t help but feel for her, even though she tries her darndest to remain aloof and self-sufficient.
This book reminds us that family and love comes in all shapes and sizes. That is is okay to need other people, and that motherhood is an inherent skill that most come by naturally. That loneliness, when chosen, can be a penance too great to pay.
I highly recommend this novel to all those who enjoy women’s fiction that expounds on family and motherhood, while telling a love story that is neither saccharine nor unrealistic.
4.5 stars rounded up
The writing was eloquent and I enjoyed the imagery. “The bruise on her temple didn’t look like an injury so much as some inner rottenness that had finally crept to her surface, like a soft spot on an apple.”
The Virginian Blue Ridge Mountains setting set the mood and the tone for the novel. The sometimes cloying aspect of small town America is evident – with all the pluses and minuses that that entails.
“People only wrote in ink with their lives here, and people talked before the ink dried.”
The protagonist, Dell, was a solitary, heartbroken, and heartbreaking woman who had received little maternal love in her life and therefore thought she couldn’t provide that love to her own child. The reader (and those characters she comes into contact with) can’t help but feel for her, even though she tries her darndest to remain aloof and self-sufficient.
This book reminds us that family and love comes in all shapes and sizes. That is is okay to need other people, and that motherhood is an inherent skill that most come by naturally. That loneliness, when chosen, can be a penance too great to pay.
I highly recommend this novel to all those who enjoy women’s fiction that expounds on family and motherhood, while telling a love story that is neither saccharine nor unrealistic.
4.5 stars rounded up
September 29, 2019
A story which was quite different, a love story but not quite, a thriller with a missing child but not really, which was both in the past and in the present, this twisted my insides with the emotions.
In 1990, coming from a sad, broken home, father addicted to pills and mother too selfish, Dell fell in love with Mason and became pregnant. She needed help, and finding none, she gave her baby up for adoption and with a broken heart, Dell left town and opened up her own place as a psychic, a fortune teller. A year later, July 1991, her mother came to her one day and informed that her 5 month old baby was missing.
The debut by Kelly Heard was beautiful. It wasn't a thriller but a journey. It was all about Dell as moved through her past and into the present. Trying to find her baby, she found herself and understood the circumstances better. Mason, as her love interest, stood steadfast by her even when she thought she was alone. Circumstances, some of them really dreadful, made her distrustful. I could understand that.
Dell's mother had an accident before she could reveal the details, so Dell had to go back home and find the frayed threads of her life and join them together, make them strong, to find her baby. Her relatives and loved ones added many emotions to this prose by their subtle actions.
Getting to know Dell was my journey too. I got to see that sometimes life got so overwhelming and lonely, that Dell had to go away to come home. There was a depth and poignancy in the writing which kept me hooked.
It was a slow starter and took me time to understand her, but the story slowly unfurled the truth. Emotions weaved into the story were sometimes subtle, and most times obvious. Dell was an interesting character, and seeing life through her and getting to know her made this my midnight read.
Did she find her baby, you ask? You have to read the book to know the real truth.
In 1990, coming from a sad, broken home, father addicted to pills and mother too selfish, Dell fell in love with Mason and became pregnant. She needed help, and finding none, she gave her baby up for adoption and with a broken heart, Dell left town and opened up her own place as a psychic, a fortune teller. A year later, July 1991, her mother came to her one day and informed that her 5 month old baby was missing.
The debut by Kelly Heard was beautiful. It wasn't a thriller but a journey. It was all about Dell as moved through her past and into the present. Trying to find her baby, she found herself and understood the circumstances better. Mason, as her love interest, stood steadfast by her even when she thought she was alone. Circumstances, some of them really dreadful, made her distrustful. I could understand that.
Dell's mother had an accident before she could reveal the details, so Dell had to go back home and find the frayed threads of her life and join them together, make them strong, to find her baby. Her relatives and loved ones added many emotions to this prose by their subtle actions.
Getting to know Dell was my journey too. I got to see that sometimes life got so overwhelming and lonely, that Dell had to go away to come home. There was a depth and poignancy in the writing which kept me hooked.
It was a slow starter and took me time to understand her, but the story slowly unfurled the truth. Emotions weaved into the story were sometimes subtle, and most times obvious. Dell was an interesting character, and seeing life through her and getting to know her made this my midnight read.
Did she find her baby, you ask? You have to read the book to know the real truth.
November 6, 2019
I enjoyed the story but at times the main character annoyed me. It was a quick story and kept my interest. Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy
November 4, 2022
A Mother's bond with her daughter is meant to be unbreakable, but what happens when it doesn't work out that way?
Dell has always had a complicated relationship with her family, She knows her former beauty queen mother regrets having her, she's cold and emotionally unavailable. One day she packs up and leaves, leaving Dell to look after her father who is struggling with addiction. Lost and feeling unloved she tries her best to heal her families wounds as well as her own and she meets Mason. Young and in love Dell believes she's found the perfect partner to have a new family with, but a year later she finds herself alone with a newborn daughter, the only person she has to turn to is her Mother. But will she abandon them like before?
This book left me with really mixed feelings, I loved the way Kelly Heard explores the relationship between Mother and Daughter but I struggled to form a connection with Dell right until the very end. I felt her character was undeveloped, she's been through a lot of trauma but it was a case of tell rather than show. I just wanted more. The thing that made me love this book was Mason tbh. I felt more empathy for him as a character, not without trauma himself I really adored his patience and how respectful he was towards everybody else. I liked the small town vibes this gave and I love dual timelines so that worked well. I also really liked the ending. Overall this isn't a bad book and I enjoyed it enough but It's not a new favourite.
Dell has always had a complicated relationship with her family, She knows her former beauty queen mother regrets having her, she's cold and emotionally unavailable. One day she packs up and leaves, leaving Dell to look after her father who is struggling with addiction. Lost and feeling unloved she tries her best to heal her families wounds as well as her own and she meets Mason. Young and in love Dell believes she's found the perfect partner to have a new family with, but a year later she finds herself alone with a newborn daughter, the only person she has to turn to is her Mother. But will she abandon them like before?
This book left me with really mixed feelings, I loved the way Kelly Heard explores the relationship between Mother and Daughter but I struggled to form a connection with Dell right until the very end. I felt her character was undeveloped, she's been through a lot of trauma but it was a case of tell rather than show. I just wanted more. The thing that made me love this book was Mason tbh. I felt more empathy for him as a character, not without trauma himself I really adored his patience and how respectful he was towards everybody else. I liked the small town vibes this gave and I love dual timelines so that worked well. I also really liked the ending. Overall this isn't a bad book and I enjoyed it enough but It's not a new favourite.
October 8, 2019
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
'Not there, she thought. You don’t have to go back there. Not even in your mind. Not ever.'
Dell’s childhood in the forest of Blyth, Virigina with it’s magnificent natural beauty and calm is the opposite of life inside her house. Born to a flower child mother Anita, whose beauty is the center of her life more than her son and daughter, and her father Gideon, a ‘dark-eyed’ construction worker suddenly laid off after an injury that relies on pain pills to get through his painful days, leads to nothing but chaos and storms between them. Mother longs to maintain the beauty queen status of her early days, and nothing can keep her anchored to her family. Longing to be free, she moves to a rented bungalow. It is here, when Dell should be spending quality time with her mother because ‘she needs a bra’ and it’s a mother’s place to teach a young woman everything she needs to know, that the fault line appears. Anita would rather her time be filled entertaining men who are dizzy over her beauty than playing mommy. It is these types of men who have an edge that can cut. Anita’s reaction to her daughter’s confession is met with anger and blame rather than comfort, and outrage. It is also when Dell learns that people like her have to shut up and take it, because those in higher standing have the power to hurt those you love. Especially when your family is covered in dirt, unwilling or unable to climb out.
Growing up under the cloud of the shame of her parents, the town doesn’t let Dell forget her place. But it is love that ruins everything, her one chance to be a single mother, better than her own ever was, is impossible when he mother urges her to give the baby a better life, put it up for adoption. The church can find someone better suited, and what is someone like Dell to do without the support of the child’s father or even her own family? She could never afford to support her baby, girls like her don’t have options. There is no way she can remain in this flea-bitten town, nursing the ache in her heart where her baby girl has nestled in. There’s nothing for her to do but abandon the past. She sets up shop as a psychic as she leaves the town, and her family, behind. Though she doesn’t consider herself a ‘proper psychic’, she is skilled in knowing what troubles others, uses the tools of the trade to get a clearer picture. If only she could intuit her own needs, heal her own wounds, clean up the disaster that has become her reality. She will never return to Blythe, nothing can make her… except learning when her mother tracks her down that her child has gone missing! The problem is, within moments of that revelation, silence overtakes her mother and life seems to have no end of testing Dell’s merit. She must return to the scene of her most heartbreaking acts, and discover that the past is never done with us. Is it possible, dare she hope to make things right?
This was novel didn’t have as much ‘psychic’ steam as I thought it would from the title. The promise is much more about motherhood. Love swims through the novel, as does the murky grime of disappointment and narrow minded ways of some small towns. The haves vs the have nots. It was a decent read, but it’s not what I expected. I was thinking there would be at least a little more focus on how she ‘knows’ how to fix other people’s hurts. The psychic bit is pretty mild but if you are looking for a story about motherhood, difficult dysfunctional families and a little romance, this is it.
Publication Date: October 30, 2019
Bookouture
'Not there, she thought. You don’t have to go back there. Not even in your mind. Not ever.'
Dell’s childhood in the forest of Blyth, Virigina with it’s magnificent natural beauty and calm is the opposite of life inside her house. Born to a flower child mother Anita, whose beauty is the center of her life more than her son and daughter, and her father Gideon, a ‘dark-eyed’ construction worker suddenly laid off after an injury that relies on pain pills to get through his painful days, leads to nothing but chaos and storms between them. Mother longs to maintain the beauty queen status of her early days, and nothing can keep her anchored to her family. Longing to be free, she moves to a rented bungalow. It is here, when Dell should be spending quality time with her mother because ‘she needs a bra’ and it’s a mother’s place to teach a young woman everything she needs to know, that the fault line appears. Anita would rather her time be filled entertaining men who are dizzy over her beauty than playing mommy. It is these types of men who have an edge that can cut. Anita’s reaction to her daughter’s confession is met with anger and blame rather than comfort, and outrage. It is also when Dell learns that people like her have to shut up and take it, because those in higher standing have the power to hurt those you love. Especially when your family is covered in dirt, unwilling or unable to climb out.
Growing up under the cloud of the shame of her parents, the town doesn’t let Dell forget her place. But it is love that ruins everything, her one chance to be a single mother, better than her own ever was, is impossible when he mother urges her to give the baby a better life, put it up for adoption. The church can find someone better suited, and what is someone like Dell to do without the support of the child’s father or even her own family? She could never afford to support her baby, girls like her don’t have options. There is no way she can remain in this flea-bitten town, nursing the ache in her heart where her baby girl has nestled in. There’s nothing for her to do but abandon the past. She sets up shop as a psychic as she leaves the town, and her family, behind. Though she doesn’t consider herself a ‘proper psychic’, she is skilled in knowing what troubles others, uses the tools of the trade to get a clearer picture. If only she could intuit her own needs, heal her own wounds, clean up the disaster that has become her reality. She will never return to Blythe, nothing can make her… except learning when her mother tracks her down that her child has gone missing! The problem is, within moments of that revelation, silence overtakes her mother and life seems to have no end of testing Dell’s merit. She must return to the scene of her most heartbreaking acts, and discover that the past is never done with us. Is it possible, dare she hope to make things right?
This was novel didn’t have as much ‘psychic’ steam as I thought it would from the title. The promise is much more about motherhood. Love swims through the novel, as does the murky grime of disappointment and narrow minded ways of some small towns. The haves vs the have nots. It was a decent read, but it’s not what I expected. I was thinking there would be at least a little more focus on how she ‘knows’ how to fix other people’s hurts. The psychic bit is pretty mild but if you are looking for a story about motherhood, difficult dysfunctional families and a little romance, this is it.
Publication Date: October 30, 2019
Bookouture
August 31, 2019
Dell grows up in the town of Blyth feeling like she is always being watched and judged by others. Her mother is beautiful and self-absorbed, while her father, hurt on the job and by Dell's mother leaving him, abuses medications and is mostly checked out. Dell has an older brother who tries to protect her, but Dell still feels alone and the book explores how she handles becoming pregnant.
The description for this book says that it is perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, and I can see some similarities between these two books. Both books have lonely characters who feel like outsiders, though in Dell's case being alone is more of a choice than it is for Kya. The Fortune Teller's Promise also makes extensive use of nature imagery like Where the Crawdads Sing, and though the landscape feels less integral to the story here, it is still beautifully rendered. Where I think the two differ is in the treatment of the romances in the story. Kelly Heard focuses a lot on the relationship between Dell and the father of her child, and at times that made the story feel a bit more like a romance than I'd expected from the description. The relationship is certainly important to Dell's development as a character, but it plays a much more central role in the story than I would have expected from the description of the book that I read.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and expect many others will too.
Thank you to @netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The The Fortune Teller's Promise is scheduled for release on October 30.
The description for this book says that it is perfect for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, and I can see some similarities between these two books. Both books have lonely characters who feel like outsiders, though in Dell's case being alone is more of a choice than it is for Kya. The Fortune Teller's Promise also makes extensive use of nature imagery like Where the Crawdads Sing, and though the landscape feels less integral to the story here, it is still beautifully rendered. Where I think the two differ is in the treatment of the romances in the story. Kelly Heard focuses a lot on the relationship between Dell and the father of her child, and at times that made the story feel a bit more like a romance than I'd expected from the description. The relationship is certainly important to Dell's development as a character, but it plays a much more central role in the story than I would have expected from the description of the book that I read.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and expect many others will too.
Thank you to @netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The The Fortune Teller's Promise is scheduled for release on October 30.
September 30, 2019
Dell is known for running from her problems. Her parents play a huge part in that behavior and in Dell's mind, the farther away from her mother, the better. She was controlling and narcissistic. After giving up her child for adoption, she settles down reading fortunes. But when her mother finds her with news that her daughter is missing, Dell must stop running and face the past.
When I first requested to read this book from Netgalley, I didn't notice the tagline to the book that you see on the Amazon page. I normally shy away from those books because the content almost never matches what you think it was going to. This mentioned it was a page-turner which has you thinking it's going to be a fast-paced thriller and that wasn't what we got at all. Instead, it's a lot more of a women's fiction/family drama. Even though I felt those didn't match, it was still a good read.
Dell has spent so much time running, she doesn't know how to settle down. Her child's father Mason has shown her time and again he just wants her, but she isn't ready to believe it. I sympathized with her struggle to find calm in a fairly chaotic life. I liked Mason and I thought he was a good fit for Dell. The Fortune Teller's Promise was a well-written and enjoyable read.
When I first requested to read this book from Netgalley, I didn't notice the tagline to the book that you see on the Amazon page. I normally shy away from those books because the content almost never matches what you think it was going to. This mentioned it was a page-turner which has you thinking it's going to be a fast-paced thriller and that wasn't what we got at all. Instead, it's a lot more of a women's fiction/family drama. Even though I felt those didn't match, it was still a good read.
Dell has spent so much time running, she doesn't know how to settle down. Her child's father Mason has shown her time and again he just wants her, but she isn't ready to believe it. I sympathized with her struggle to find calm in a fairly chaotic life. I liked Mason and I thought he was a good fit for Dell. The Fortune Teller's Promise was a well-written and enjoyable read.
October 10, 2020
When you come from a broken family, you might feel that you are not fit to become a parent yourself. You are willing to try if someone would reach out and give you the support to go through with it, to give you enough love to choose your side. When you find yourself all alone, there is only one thing left to do.
Sometimes when you love someone deeply, but are too afraid to do the wrong thing, you have to do the only right thing there is left : leave.
But can you stay away or is that overpowering feeling of love making you go back? Will there be a reunion and a happy ever after or will the rift be irreparable?
It makes me realise once again that people are not mind readers. It’s not because an idea or a situation is clear in our own head that it’s clear to other people as well. You might consider giving a bit more information instead of only half a sentence. I would solve a lot of problems and misunderstandings.
A lovely story. 4 stars.
Thank you, Kelly Heard and Bookouture (via Netgalley)
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
Sometimes when you love someone deeply, but are too afraid to do the wrong thing, you have to do the only right thing there is left : leave.
But can you stay away or is that overpowering feeling of love making you go back? Will there be a reunion and a happy ever after or will the rift be irreparable?
It makes me realise once again that people are not mind readers. It’s not because an idea or a situation is clear in our own head that it’s clear to other people as well. You might consider giving a bit more information instead of only half a sentence. I would solve a lot of problems and misunderstandings.
A lovely story. 4 stars.
Thank you, Kelly Heard and Bookouture (via Netgalley)
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
September 16, 2019
The Fortune Teller's Promise is not what I expected , it was better than I expected.
Kelly Heard has written a good book that is told between the past and the present. Dell has not had an easy life; a lonely one and as the story unfolds you realize why Dell made the choices she did.
Dell sets out to find the baby she gave up for adoption who is missing.
But don't be fooled its much more of a character story , love story as you watch Dell grow.
I enjoyed this book very much and will be thinking about Dell for days to come.
Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read The Fortune Teller's Pr
Kelly Heard has written a good book that is told between the past and the present. Dell has not had an easy life; a lonely one and as the story unfolds you realize why Dell made the choices she did.
Dell sets out to find the baby she gave up for adoption who is missing.
But don't be fooled its much more of a character story , love story as you watch Dell grow.
I enjoyed this book very much and will be thinking about Dell for days to come.
Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read The Fortune Teller's Pr
September 3, 2019
This was a different story than I was expecting and it’s certainly a strong emotional read. Not the standard missing child mystery I was prepared to read, instead it’s more of a character study of a young woman and her relationship with her parents and the father of her child, Their romance plays a central role and Dell’s history and the choices she makes influences the plot. We can identify with Dell on many of her responses and her development through her pain to understanding makes for an excellent read.
September 9, 2019
This book is a beautifully written, emotional story. I’d find myself thinking about the characters, long after I’d stopped reading.
Most of the chapters alternate between the past and the present, which I typically don’t like, but the author was able to make the story flow easily and I didn’t mind it.
I loved the way that you were immersed in not only the story but the environment as well.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy. I look forward to reading more from Kelly Heard.
Most of the chapters alternate between the past and the present, which I typically don’t like, but the author was able to make the story flow easily and I didn’t mind it.
I loved the way that you were immersed in not only the story but the environment as well.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy. I look forward to reading more from Kelly Heard.
November 14, 2019
The Fortune Teller's Promise by Kelly Heard was just a beautifully written Book. Kelly wrote this book with so much love and passion throughout. It's very emotionally in parts so be aware you will need tissues. I was hooked from the very first few pages and I just loved it.
This book I highly recommend The words just flows through this book ..............it took my breathe away.
Just beautiful.
Big Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kelly Heard for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book I highly recommend The words just flows through this book ..............it took my breathe away.
Just beautiful.
Big Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kelly Heard for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2022
What a lovely women's fiction book this is. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it kept me engrossed, as I travelled Dell's journey with her. Dell has to give up her daughter when she is younger, and now she is living alone in her psychic shop when her Mother comes to visit to tell her that her daughter has gone missing. She has to go back to her childhood town to try to find her daughter, and she goes on a journey of discovery, which is emotional, heartwarming, heartbreaking and touching. I enjoyed reading about Dell's life in her past, and in her present, and overall, I found this a really great book, which I highly recommend.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2021
As someone that often feels pulled between partner, family and children, I really related to this book.
The book is a very emotiinal page turner about the bond between a mother and the baby she gave away.
There is a lot of focus on the different demands that family can place on wellbeing and how difficult it can be to balance their meeds with your own wants.
The book is a very emotiinal page turner about the bond between a mother and the baby she gave away.
There is a lot of focus on the different demands that family can place on wellbeing and how difficult it can be to balance their meeds with your own wants.
July 30, 2023
🏝️Holiday Read⛱️
I must admit I didn't see that coming at the end. I did find this quite odd to read, but I persevered as I was intrigued to see what happened..
I must admit I didn't see that coming at the end. I did find this quite odd to read, but I persevered as I was intrigued to see what happened..
November 10, 2019
A mother avoiding her mother's mistakes.
The Fortune Teller's Promise by Kelly Heard did not seem to match the blurb in that it did not contain much fortune-telling or magical realism. Instead it was an unpredictable love story where the heroine, Adella, or Dell, walks out on the handsome hero, Mason, without giving him the benefit of an explanation. One reason given was her dysfunctional upbringing from which she still carries the scars. There is also Mason’s seeming allegiance to his misogynistic father who petted Dell when she was a teen, and his mother who is co-dependent with her husband.
Dell’s flawed trait of being unable to communicate when distressed but fleeing, is given again and again as her defence. The novel would have been more worthwhile if Dell had shown character development and had learnt to overcome this flaw by her late twenties. Instead there were multiple descriptive tracts.
The novel provides the sense that Dell considers herself to be a no better mother than her own who walked out on her, her brother, Scott, and her father.
The romance is slight, the protagonist’s flaws mentioned above, making it hard for this reader to empathise with Dell or to enjoy the romantic elements. The story would have been helped by knowing Dell’s positive character traits, e.g. how she helped people ‘heal’ from their hurts when they sought her out as a fortune teller, the qualities Mason loved in her, etc. The clairvoyant element was slight. It was a novel more about dysfunctional families, abandonment by a mother and small-town gossip than fortune-telling or even the traits of the latter such as empathy.
Some examples of the stilted prose are as follows.
‘“You didn’t read it,” Dell laughed. Stopped laughing. “Did you?”’
‘“Well?” she hummed, her voice sounding far away and strange.’
She hummed? People don’t laugh or hum words instead of speaking them.
The views were described as follows, which some readers found lyrical, ‘The mountainside beyond Dell’s bedroom window was the soft gray-violet of bark, dotted with an occasional evergreen.’
I was more interested in a page-turning aspect to the plot.
This review also appears in Netgalley and https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com/... and https://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Teller...
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kelly Heard for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Fortune Teller's Promise by Kelly Heard did not seem to match the blurb in that it did not contain much fortune-telling or magical realism. Instead it was an unpredictable love story where the heroine, Adella, or Dell, walks out on the handsome hero, Mason, without giving him the benefit of an explanation. One reason given was her dysfunctional upbringing from which she still carries the scars. There is also Mason’s seeming allegiance to his misogynistic father who petted Dell when she was a teen, and his mother who is co-dependent with her husband.
Dell’s flawed trait of being unable to communicate when distressed but fleeing, is given again and again as her defence. The novel would have been more worthwhile if Dell had shown character development and had learnt to overcome this flaw by her late twenties. Instead there were multiple descriptive tracts.
The novel provides the sense that Dell considers herself to be a no better mother than her own who walked out on her, her brother, Scott, and her father.
The romance is slight, the protagonist’s flaws mentioned above, making it hard for this reader to empathise with Dell or to enjoy the romantic elements. The story would have been helped by knowing Dell’s positive character traits, e.g. how she helped people ‘heal’ from their hurts when they sought her out as a fortune teller, the qualities Mason loved in her, etc. The clairvoyant element was slight. It was a novel more about dysfunctional families, abandonment by a mother and small-town gossip than fortune-telling or even the traits of the latter such as empathy.
Some examples of the stilted prose are as follows.
‘“You didn’t read it,” Dell laughed. Stopped laughing. “Did you?”’
‘“Well?” she hummed, her voice sounding far away and strange.’
She hummed? People don’t laugh or hum words instead of speaking them.
The views were described as follows, which some readers found lyrical, ‘The mountainside beyond Dell’s bedroom window was the soft gray-violet of bark, dotted with an occasional evergreen.’
I was more interested in a page-turning aspect to the plot.
This review also appears in Netgalley and https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com/... and https://www.amazon.com/Fortune-Teller...
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Kelly Heard for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2019
This is a very well crafted story about a heartbroken young girl, who becomes a single mother, in a small town full of gossips. She has no one to fight for her she is alone and vulnerable will things get better for her or is she destined to be so alone.
Amelia known as Dell, has not had the best experience growing up, her mother is engrossed in herself, in her own beauty she has no time for anyone else, her father after a work accident and his wife walking out on him has turned to pills to block out his life, the only one who does care is her brother but Dell finds him overprotective.
Dell finds herself pregnant but believes the father will pick his family over her, her mother persuades her the best thing would be to give the baby, a daughter away, to the church where it will be adopted and have a loving family. Dell decides to leave the town and vows to never come back.
She believed no one knew where she was, until one day her mother turned up to tell her her baby is missing. Dell returns to town in the hope that she will be able to find her baby. But is she destined to always be alone?
This is an emotional story examining the choices the Dell made, the romance that she had with the father of the baby is quite central to the story, seeing Dell grow.
This story is not just about a missing baby, there is romance, between Dell and Mason the father of her child, which was a surprise when you read the actual synopsis of the book it seemed a little misleading. I had expected it to be more of a thriller type read, which it totally isn’t.
The book draws on a lot of emotion, the relationship that a mother and a daughter should have wasn’t there. You really felt for Dell, her mother is just not a nice person. You really want things to get better for Dell.
This is Kelly Heards debut novel, I look forward to seeing what she writes in the future.
I would like to thank netgalley and bookouture for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
Amelia known as Dell, has not had the best experience growing up, her mother is engrossed in herself, in her own beauty she has no time for anyone else, her father after a work accident and his wife walking out on him has turned to pills to block out his life, the only one who does care is her brother but Dell finds him overprotective.
Dell finds herself pregnant but believes the father will pick his family over her, her mother persuades her the best thing would be to give the baby, a daughter away, to the church where it will be adopted and have a loving family. Dell decides to leave the town and vows to never come back.
She believed no one knew where she was, until one day her mother turned up to tell her her baby is missing. Dell returns to town in the hope that she will be able to find her baby. But is she destined to always be alone?
This is an emotional story examining the choices the Dell made, the romance that she had with the father of the baby is quite central to the story, seeing Dell grow.
This story is not just about a missing baby, there is romance, between Dell and Mason the father of her child, which was a surprise when you read the actual synopsis of the book it seemed a little misleading. I had expected it to be more of a thriller type read, which it totally isn’t.
The book draws on a lot of emotion, the relationship that a mother and a daughter should have wasn’t there. You really felt for Dell, her mother is just not a nice person. You really want things to get better for Dell.
This is Kelly Heards debut novel, I look forward to seeing what she writes in the future.
I would like to thank netgalley and bookouture for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
November 21, 2019
Dell Shaw has a beautiful but resentful mother and a kind but drug addicted father. On one visit to her mother, she is groped by a ‘friend’ of Anita’s, but finds no support from either her mother or the man’s wife. Instead they blame her for inciting his attentions.
Years later, she falls in love with his son Mason who has no idea about this incident. They are happy together until she discovers her father has died of an overdose, medicine prescribed by Mason’s father. At the funeral she realises she is pregnant and asks Mason to choose between his parents or her and their child. He hesitates and she leaves…
Dell has the baby adopted and is rebuilding her life when her mother visits to tell her the baby is in danger. Minutes later, Anita is injured in a car crash and despite her heartbreaking childhood and teens, Dell wait by her bedside, hoping for recovery to find out more about her child.
There is a gravitas to this style of narrative, and I was reminded of some of the older Margaret Atwood books. The descriptions and tone are vivid and of high literary quality, which is very impressive considering this is author Kelly Heard’s debut novel.
The plot is delivered in a non linear way, with chapters set in 1979 when Dell was young, 1990 when she became pregnant and then 1991 which is the present day. This allows us to see how Dell’s attitude to becoming a mother has been defined by her own unhappy relationship with Anita.
The Fortune Teller’s Promise is very emotional book. I became so angry with Anita and her selfish behaviour, and frustrated by the way Dell is let down by people but also keeps secrets which lead to further sorrow. I could understand Dell’s lack of trust in her lover and her own ability as a mum but she has built up protective walls and makes the wrong choices in an attempt to save herself from further heartbreak.
Years later, she falls in love with his son Mason who has no idea about this incident. They are happy together until she discovers her father has died of an overdose, medicine prescribed by Mason’s father. At the funeral she realises she is pregnant and asks Mason to choose between his parents or her and their child. He hesitates and she leaves…
Dell has the baby adopted and is rebuilding her life when her mother visits to tell her the baby is in danger. Minutes later, Anita is injured in a car crash and despite her heartbreaking childhood and teens, Dell wait by her bedside, hoping for recovery to find out more about her child.
There is a gravitas to this style of narrative, and I was reminded of some of the older Margaret Atwood books. The descriptions and tone are vivid and of high literary quality, which is very impressive considering this is author Kelly Heard’s debut novel.
The plot is delivered in a non linear way, with chapters set in 1979 when Dell was young, 1990 when she became pregnant and then 1991 which is the present day. This allows us to see how Dell’s attitude to becoming a mother has been defined by her own unhappy relationship with Anita.
The Fortune Teller’s Promise is very emotional book. I became so angry with Anita and her selfish behaviour, and frustrated by the way Dell is let down by people but also keeps secrets which lead to further sorrow. I could understand Dell’s lack of trust in her lover and her own ability as a mum but she has built up protective walls and makes the wrong choices in an attempt to save herself from further heartbreak.
January 3, 2020
An okay read especially after the historical fiction I have been reading lately.
September 27, 2019
This book took me pleasantly by surprise.
I thought it might have a little bit of “magic” in it surrounding the fortune teller, but that wasn’t really the focus.
The main character, Dell, has a very unusual family. Her dad is addicted to pills and her beautiful mother is not a god figure in her life and is an extremely selfish person.
Dell is very guarded and does not trust people easily, but she ends up falling in love with Mason. Yet, as soon as she starts to let her guard down, she seems an image of her father in the mirror of her bathroom and she knows he’s died. He overdosed on his pain meds, Dell finds out she’s pregnant and does the only thing she knows how to come—runs away.
She has the baby and give it up for adoption then takes over a fortune tellers shop outside of town.
Her mother tracks her down, tells her the baby is missing and Dell ends up searching for her the rest of the story with help from some unexpected people.
This is a sweet love story, and is not you typical fairy tale romance. It’s much more about real life and how much a person like Dell struggles with just letting herself be happy.
I thought the ending fell a little flat, but enjoyed the story overall.
I thought it might have a little bit of “magic” in it surrounding the fortune teller, but that wasn’t really the focus.
The main character, Dell, has a very unusual family. Her dad is addicted to pills and her beautiful mother is not a god figure in her life and is an extremely selfish person.
Dell is very guarded and does not trust people easily, but she ends up falling in love with Mason. Yet, as soon as she starts to let her guard down, she seems an image of her father in the mirror of her bathroom and she knows he’s died. He overdosed on his pain meds, Dell finds out she’s pregnant and does the only thing she knows how to come—runs away.
She has the baby and give it up for adoption then takes over a fortune tellers shop outside of town.
Her mother tracks her down, tells her the baby is missing and Dell ends up searching for her the rest of the story with help from some unexpected people.
This is a sweet love story, and is not you typical fairy tale romance. It’s much more about real life and how much a person like Dell struggles with just letting herself be happy.
I thought the ending fell a little flat, but enjoyed the story overall.
November 7, 2019
Oh my this was a beautifully written, emotion story which is hard to believe is the author’s debut novel.
The story switches from a pregnant Dell who is struggling with being abandoned by her boyfriend and mother , to Dell returning to her home town to try to find her missing daughter. As a mum I think I’m much more affected by stories about forced adoption then others may be as I can’t imagine having to make such a harrowing decision. I therefore really felt for Dell and the hard decision she is forced into making.
The romantic part of this story between Dell and Mason was absolutely beautiful and I loved watching it all unfold, even though I knew how it ended from the blurb. I was completely on their side from the start and wanting to keep reading to see how everything would turn out, hoping for a different ending for them.
Overall I thought this was an emotional and utterly compelling book that I found hard to put down. It’s rare for a book to actually make me cry but this one managed to and I found myself sobbing regularly. I always think it takes great skill from the author to cause such a strong reaction.
Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
The story switches from a pregnant Dell who is struggling with being abandoned by her boyfriend and mother , to Dell returning to her home town to try to find her missing daughter. As a mum I think I’m much more affected by stories about forced adoption then others may be as I can’t imagine having to make such a harrowing decision. I therefore really felt for Dell and the hard decision she is forced into making.
The romantic part of this story between Dell and Mason was absolutely beautiful and I loved watching it all unfold, even though I knew how it ended from the blurb. I was completely on their side from the start and wanting to keep reading to see how everything would turn out, hoping for a different ending for them.
Overall I thought this was an emotional and utterly compelling book that I found hard to put down. It’s rare for a book to actually make me cry but this one managed to and I found myself sobbing regularly. I always think it takes great skill from the author to cause such a strong reaction.
Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
March 1, 2020
The synopsis of the book was quite intriguing and this promoted me to pick it up. The story follows Dell, a fortune teller as she navigates her way through her present while trying to run from her past. Dell has moved away from Blyth, away from family and friends and away from her new born baby.
The author introduces us to a variety of characters as the story progresses. However, as the plot develops, there is little to no development on the fact that Dell is a fortune teller. This just seems to be a minor reference which exists until Dell goes back to Blyth. Dell races against time to try to find her daughter and spend time with her mother who is now in a coma and may be the only person who knows where her daughter is. The plot itself becomes quite predictable as the story progresses, and even though this story does bring out the importance of forgiveness and love, it becomes difficult to follow after a point. The characters are nice but unremarkable, and not very easy to relate to. The story plows ahead with no major twists or turns and is easy to follow.
The book did not engage me as much as I had hoped, but it is still a decent read! Fans of romance will enjoy this book!
The author introduces us to a variety of characters as the story progresses. However, as the plot develops, there is little to no development on the fact that Dell is a fortune teller. This just seems to be a minor reference which exists until Dell goes back to Blyth. Dell races against time to try to find her daughter and spend time with her mother who is now in a coma and may be the only person who knows where her daughter is. The plot itself becomes quite predictable as the story progresses, and even though this story does bring out the importance of forgiveness and love, it becomes difficult to follow after a point. The characters are nice but unremarkable, and not very easy to relate to. The story plows ahead with no major twists or turns and is easy to follow.
The book did not engage me as much as I had hoped, but it is still a decent read! Fans of romance will enjoy this book!
November 7, 2019
To be a drama and not an action-packed thriller The Fortune Teller's Promise still made me hold my breath a time or too. This woman’s fiction book by Kelly Heard had me hoping for the best but dreading the worst as I read Dell’s story of her mission to find her missing baby.
Adella has little happiness in her young life even with her ability to help other’s find some in theirs. I was not sure what would happen as this book progressed. I won’t spoil it for you by telling you what she finds in the end. What I will do is tell you to read it for yourself.
Knowing the Shenandoah Valley area, being about the same age as Dell and understanding her more than I thought I would, I can this is an incredible authentic read. Even more I found it to be a beautifully written story while being heartbreaking in so many places. Still just so beautifully written. Many author have tried to capture the spirit, the culture and the people of the Appalachian Mountains, this one does.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Adella has little happiness in her young life even with her ability to help other’s find some in theirs. I was not sure what would happen as this book progressed. I won’t spoil it for you by telling you what she finds in the end. What I will do is tell you to read it for yourself.
Knowing the Shenandoah Valley area, being about the same age as Dell and understanding her more than I thought I would, I can this is an incredible authentic read. Even more I found it to be a beautifully written story while being heartbreaking in so many places. Still just so beautifully written. Many author have tried to capture the spirit, the culture and the people of the Appalachian Mountains, this one does.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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