The Promise

by Emma Heatherington

One terrible moment changes everything for teenagers Kate and David. Brought together during the darkest of times of the Troubles, a spark of hope is ignited between them – a hand held in the darkness, a promise whispered. Neither of them will ever forget those moments. It’s another ten years before they meet once more, and their lives are now so different.

The promise they made to each other on that fateful day still binds them, but now they have so much more to lose. Have they missed their one chance at happiness? They only way they will ever know is to risk everything to be together. Is that too high a price to pay for love…?

Genres: Fiction, Family

394 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2021

About the author

Emma Heatherington is from Donaghmore, Co Tyrone.

Her latest novel, THE PROMISE, is out now in Ireland (HarperFiction) and available elsewhere on Kindle and Audio.

Reviews

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This felt at times like a modern day Romeo and Juliet story.. and at any rate it was a complete epic.

I really wasn't sure which way it would end up, I would have believed pretty much any ending, as there were so many possibilities.

Set in Northern Ireland starting during the time of The Troubles, one explosive day, changed the course of Kate and David's lives forever. We then meet them 10 years later and get to see how their lives have changed and from then on, we get snapshots are regular intervals of what each of them is doing.

The book is written from both perspectives and it is really easy to mentally switch between them both. And Kate and David really are clearly connected but also know that their ultimate destiny and happiness could be completely impossible due to their families and differences in upbringings.

This is turning out to be an impossible book to review without spoilers, so I'm just going to say that the story will have you thinking, it may have you researching more about what was really like during The Troubles, and it will grip you completely.

I suspect I'll be thinking about Kate and David for many days to come, and it really is a powerful and must read book.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It takes a while to get into. This story is well worth getting into. Taking in the terror that happened in Ireland turning into a romance kind of way with much more. Kate and David are thrown together by an event which neither will forget. David the ice cream boy. David is from the considered privileged side with Kate from the other. This carries on for much of the book however the story shows a view of love conquers all. Event after event happens right to the end. The part near the end when Kate is doing a speech when David appears from asking a question reminds me so much of the ending of Notting Hill. 4.5 Stars

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the advance copy of this book to be published on 14th October.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I was not disappointed, it is beautifully written.
An engaging emotional read throughout. I enjoyed reading both sides of the story as it alternated between Kate and David. This story had me gripped and I recommend it. 4 stars 🌟

[Livy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a beautiful love story about two people bought together by a shared traumatic experience and everything that happened in between.

Kate and David were absolutely brilliant characters and I just loved reading both of their perspectives throughout the book as it was so much fun to see their different approaches to everything that happened as well as seeing what was going through their mind regarding each other. It was very satisfying to see them both grow and change over the course of the book, especially because it took place over such a long period of time. The other characters, such as Kate and David's families were also brilliant to read about because they also changed in some very key ways that informed the decisions made by Kate and David as well as presenting some extra levels of complication to their relationship after they reconnected.

The plot itself was wonderful and I absolutely loved reading it because not only was it a brilliant romance but it also dealt with some very important topics. I loved how the author wrote about the harder topics she dealt with, such as the different backgrounds Kate and David are from as well as the trauma they both experienced at the start of the book. The way it all unfolded was just so well thought out and well-paced. Of course there was the third act conflict between Kate and David but even that was tactfully handled and wonderfully well-written. And the ending was also well done, it was dramatic but also just amazing and I'm glad about how it all ended!

The writing was just wonderful and I had such an amazing time reading this book. The characters were well written and the plot was well created and the romance aspect was incredibly well handled. I mean the mutual pining was very well written. A brilliant book that combines romance and some much heavier topics.

I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour.

[Sally Tyrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The promise is such a poignant heartwarming read of true love overcoming so many boundaries!
Set in Ireland when” the troubles” were rife and guards patrolled the streets, political and civil unrest and the massive divide between catholic’s and Protestants ruled lives!
Remarkably two people Kate a working class catholic and David a Protestant ministers son are caught up in a terrible bombing along with Kates neice Shannon, what they experience and endure in the aftermath of the bomb formed a tight unique bond between them that ultimately dictates the rest of their lives, through thick and thin, disapproval, personal battles, family dynamics their love eventually pushes through and leads to the most enchanting love story that shows love can conquer all.
Such a tender thought provoking read.
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One eventful day in Ireland changed two lives. Meeting up again 10 years later this story is told from both perspectives. Powerful and thought provoking
Definitely recommend

[Come_read_with_me_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

This book brought all my emotions to the surface, while I was reading I was smiling, laughing, gripping the book and crying. It was a real rollercoaster and I loved every second of it.

David and Kate have a connection like no other. Both surviving a bombing in 1998, these two characters promised each other they would meet again. As life goes on, it becomes apparent that keeping that promise is a little more difficult than they thought it would be.

This book was gripping. I was completely invested in their relationships and was rooting for them from the very start. Their connection was raw, heartbreaking yet heartwarming. I wanted to wrap these two characters up in a blanket and give them a cuddle. I loved their vulnerability and strength.

It was gripping, I genuinely didn't want to put the book down. The descriptions were spot on and I could visualise everything. What really surprised me was how the author took such sensitive topic's (The troubles and religion) and wrote this book with so much empathy and understanding.

Overall I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to the author and Harpercollins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma Heatherington has really come back on to my reading radar with her last two books. Several years ago I had read her earlier books written as Louise Jordan and, although enjoyable for me. they didn’t make the same impact as her more recent work. This new book, The Promise, along with her previous two have just been absolutely brilliant and I hope she starts to get the widespread recognition that she truly deserves as they are incredible pieces of work that deserve to be read by so many. Initially I thought how could she possibly live up the brilliance of her recent work, and to be honest I found the start of this one to be a slow burner, I kept thinking ah I can see where this is going. Is this just your typical boy meets girl love story but no Emma turned it into so much more and it just builds and builds, as she has such a deft touch with words, to the most incredible, heart stopping climax that left me gasping in shock but ultimately leaving you with a deep sense of appreciation and satisfaction for the exhilarating journey you have been on and for the captivating story you have read.

This author has such a way with words and sentiments. Time and time again, I found myself stopping, contemplating and absorbing a statement. With a few carefully chosen words designed to have maximum impact, she conveys so much and you really get a very deep insight into how the characters are feeling, what motivates them and why they wrestle with the many big decisions and life choices that they have to make. It’s a sublime read that I literally inhaled. It’s a sign of a good book when you are making dinner, stirring something with one hand and still have the book in your other hand as you are more than keen to see how things are continuing to develop.

It’s the summer of 1998 and Kate Foley is a trainee nurse living in Northern Ireland. She comes from a Catholic background and lives with her mother, who at this time is in prison for a crime she didn’t commit rather she was set up as she has strong opinions and is an ardent campaigner and vocal activist. At home are her sister Maureen and niece Shannon. Kate is strong, focused and determined to make a better life away from the small confines of her neighbourhood and the evil that seems to seep its way into her home. She loves her family very much but she has greater ambitions and feels at times she just can’t get her family out of the mire they find themselves in. The reasons for their situation soon become clear and it makes you understand why Kate can’t wait to leave.

Northern Ireland is still at the height of The Troubles and the divide between Catholics and Protestants grows ever wider. David lives with his parents. His father is a protestant Church Minister who wages his own war from the pulpit. He has little or no relationship with his son and his mother can’t stand up to her husband. She too has her own battles. Reverend Bob is strict and authoritarian, stuck in his ways and determined he can make David do what he wants not what David believes is the right thing to do or what he feels his life direction should take. David can’t wait to leave the family home and forge his own path. He doesn’t need to rely on his father, he knows his own mind and is weary of the put downs he constantly receives.

Six weeks after we are first introduced to the two main characters an event takes place that alters their lives for ever and it’s the subsequent years in which we follow them that really make the impact in this book. Of course said event is the catalyst but it’s more the fall out that become the pillars of this story. As the event approached I had a feeling as to what it would be, and it really struck home with me, because here was something that happened when I was younger but I still remember it well. It’s not like the war that I didn’t live through whereas here I lived through it. Ok maybe through the news but still I felt it was relatable.

On that day Kate and David’s path cross in a way they could never have imagined. The brutality of it and the apocalyptic nature create fear, darkness, anxiety and many demons in the pair. How can you distance your mind from what has been seen? They shared an experience that no one can ever forget, so much so that it binds them together. No one else can possibly understand why they are so bound together but it’s because of what they went through that this connection is established. One wonders if said event had not happened would they have even ever met each other? Will they let that day have the power to ruin the remainder of their lives? Will the visceral connection they established entangle them together forever or will their backgrounds, the experience they shared cause even deeper division? Can love triumph over adversity?

The book moves forward at a very good pace and the years slip by at good intervals. Ten years later and Kate is living in Dublin and in a relationship which is clear is on its last legs. David is in England working as a teacher and now has a fiancée Lesley. An occasion brings the pair back to their home town and this is where they set eyes on each other once again and so the story really picks up its pace and we are taken on a rollercoaster ride packed full of emotion that hits you deep right in the heart. Both are haunted by what they experienced although I felt David more so than Kate but that’s not to take from what she still feels. Kate had looked for David prior to this second meeting but here is where his father played his trump card and Kate knew not to pursue things.

But fate has plenty in store for them and the connection and simmering bond between them is evident. Will history hold them back like previous generations or have they the will power, strength and fortitude to follow their hearts? As David battles with the demons that always lay inside him and then they begin to come to the fore you wonder is it all too much? Can this pair keep the promise they made to each other? They are two broken souls who hook onto each other but is it for all the wrong reasons? Can they be with each other in the real world? I desperately hoped so and the journey to discover if this could happen was just mesmerising and incredible.

I was hooked on every word of this remarkable book. The plot development was superb and I was rooting for both Kate and David. Initially it was like a small seed that was planted when they met through horrific circumstances but overtime this seed grew into something more. It needed careful nurturing and it started to wither at certain points and you questioned whether there were just too many obstacles stopping their relationship blooming into full flower. The bond they shared was heartfelt, real and genuine but the author showed how the path they navigated was far from easy and the outcome was never clear cut and straight forward. They had so much going against them and it was like they were swimming against the tide which was surging towards them. So much happens over the course of the book which highlights the rawness of their shared experience. Their passion and vulnerability radiate from the pages and the topic of segregation is deftly handled.

I really couldn’t recommended The Promise highly enough. It’s an utter triumph for Emma Heatherington who always has a consistently high standard and that standard rises with each book that she writes.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Promise by Emma Heatherington was published with Harper Collins Ireland April 15th. Described as ‘a love story that will break your heart’, The Promise is a book that is a very emotional read indeed.

Kate Foley and David Campbell, two teenagers from across the divide in Northern Ireland, share a moment of chaos and tragedy that forever binds them in the years that follow. A bomb exploding in the town centre sends shockwaves through the community and further afield. There are multiple deaths and traumatic injuries witnessed as the carnage unfolds but in the midst of all this terror Kate and David become each other's saviour. Both are carrying injuries and both are clearly in shock. Kate is a nurse in training and puts her experience to good use, although in severe pain herself. For a time they keep each other awake and alive. As the emergency crews take over, Kate and David make a promise to look each other up in due course but life, and all its complexities, soon gets in the way.

There is a well-documented religious divide between Catholic and Protestant in the North. Growing up in the South I clearly remember the images on our TV screens and I still vividly recall the Omagh bombing in 1998. As the scenes unfolded the pure horror, the noises, the anguish came into all our lives. I was afraid that day for Ireland and what was going to happen next. For Emma Heatherington the experience was even more vivid, more real as Omagh is her hometown and Emma has very strong memories of that time.

Emma opens her book with a quote from the late John Hume. (1937 – 2020)

Difference is the essence of humanity.

“I feel it’s important to acknowledge the immense work of John and all those who worked with him, before him, and after him to pave the way for future generations in our society to live in a more integrated way where one day difference will not be a threat, where equality will be for all sections of the community, and where diversity will be respected. There is still some work to be done, but thank goodness we now live in much more peaceful times" – Emma Heatherington

Kate Foley grew up in a Catholic home, in a Catholic community, in an area where many had experienced trouble first hand. Kate’s family are known in the area, in particular her mother. Both her parents were of a generation where shootings and civil unrest were part of their life experiences and her mother was recognised as someone who was unafraid of speaking out for justice and equality.

David Campbell was the son of a Reverend, a man with very strong principles and ideals. His sermons from the pulpit were legendary but David was made of a very different cloth. David didn’t see differences in religion and class. David was of a new generation, one that was not to be silenced by a fear instilled from birth and one that would not grow up hating a section of the community. The relationship between David and his father was cracked and the fissures were widening daily.

Following the explosion, and the subsequent recovery period, Kate and David did not meet up as promised for many, many years but they were always to be in each others minds.

Kate moved to Dublin, making that necessary move away from the North to help her move on and move past this one event that was to mark her for ever. David, after different jobs, settled in the UK teaching science, a job he was very passionate about. Both were now adults in relationships with successful careers and prospects but life has a way of dragging us back to our past. When David and Kate bump into each other at a memorial event many years later, they both discover that the need to talk about their shared experiences is equally strong and a tentative friendship is lit.

The Promise is their story and, my word, what an absolutely heartrending tale ensues. I turned each page with trepidation, fearful of what lay ahead. My heart broke and regrouped on numerous occasions as I travelled on this very affecting journey with David and Kate. As their love for each other deepened, the obstacles seemed to always grow bigger. I was rooting for their love to conquer all. I wanted the happy ending. Did I get it? Well now that would be telling.

I expect there was something very personal for Emma Heatherington when she decided to write The Promise and, although it is a fictional read, the descriptions from the chapters dedicated to the bombing are very much based on true events. Reading this book brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. The anger, the hatred, the destruction are all incredibly depicted throughout, bringing it very much alive for the reader.

The Promise is ultimately a love story, but it is also a tale of hope and courage, and a desire for change. Against all the odds Kate and David keep fighting for a shift in attitudes and for communities to accept differences, or at least be willing to compromise, but history is hard to shift and there will always be those who refuse to alter their opinions. There is a life long and unshakeable bond between Kate and David. They see it but can the rest of society, and their families, be so accepting?

The Promise is a gorgeous book, one that will certainly leave its mark on every reader. Emma Heatherington’s passion shines through in her writing making The Promise a very stirring and impactful novel, one that I would recommend to all looking for a thought-provoking read.

[Angela DT · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Promise by Emma Heatherington


One terrible moment changes everything for teenagers Kate and David. Brought together during the darkest of times, a spark of hope is ignited between them – a hand held in the darkness, a promise whispered. Neither of them will ever forget those moments.
OMG ! An absolutely fabulous book , set in Ireland , and follows the lives of Kate and David , 2 young people , who part and go their own way , only to meet up 10 years later.
I loved the story , and I loved Kate and David. Couldn't put the book down. Spellbinding.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful love story that spans decades and shows a love that can be found in the darkest of times.
There is a little back and forth in regards to the relationship but the overall story is beautiful and I found myself sobbing at the last pages, as I thought it was going to end a certain way and I am so glad it didn't.
Readers of this book should be aware of certain trigger warnings before reading this, but they are written so well and make the story what it is.
I really enjoyed this story and would definately recommend.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not what I thought it was going to be. it felt like I was hearing the same dialog over and over in whatever situation we found the main characters in. "I will always love you, no matter what, you are my soul mate blah blah blah...only we can understand each other because we went through this horrible tragedy together , yada,Yada yada.."

I had a hard time cheering for David and Kate. I found Kate kind of annoying and both of them selfish. I finally turned up the speed so I could listen to the book faster...and now I'm sad I wasted my time with this one 😒

[Céline Berlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t tell you how much I loved this book. I fell in love with every single chapter, every single sentence, every single word. The way it was wrote was amazing.
The love conflict and the strength to get past big traumas. I can’t tell you you’re gonna love it, because I don’t know you. But I can assure you that it will let a print in your life.
When I started reading it I never thought that book would turn into my favorite book.

[Tess Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly powerful and thought provoking novel that gripped me right from the start and held onto me until the end.

[Jennifer Lawler · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love a good 'will they or won't they?', then don't miss out on Emma Heatherington's 'The Promise'. With 11 novels under her belt, Heatherington is no stranger to crafting a good love story.

The story begins in 1998 when teenagers Kate and David find themselves thrown together by tragedy as their small town is torn apart by a lethal bomb. Living along the Northern Irish border means local residents are familiar with frequent tension, tragedy, and political and civil unrest. However, up until this fateful summer day, neither Kate nor David had experienced violence firsthand and they don't know it at the time, but it will shape the course of their future.

Protagonist Kate comes from a working-class Catholic background sharing her home with her Mom, older sister Maureen, and Maureen's daughter Shannon. Theirs is a tight-knit family unit albeit overshadowed by Shannon's father Sean McGee's involvement in a dark and violent underworld. Across town, David, the son of a prominent and outspoken Protestant Minister, has grown up the only child in a large country house sheltered from local political tensions.

When Kate and David find themselves sheltering with 6-year-old Shannon in a shop doorway in the aftermath of the bomb, seriously injured, dazed, and terrified, the scene is set for the unlikeliest of romances. As can happen in moments of shared trauma, a bond is formed between the two, and the eponymous promise to find each other - once safe - is made.

Fast forward ten years and both Kate and David are preparing to attend a memorial. Finally, their paths cross again and what follows is a very tangled, but touching, love story between two similar people from very different backgrounds.

With ten years of living under their belts, both have taken varied paths. Kate is nursing in Dublin while David is about to start teaching in the UK. Kate has worked hard to overcome the trauma of her past, while David still struggles to process the impact of the tragedy on his emotional and mental health. Both are in committed relationships, or so it seems...

Navigating their intense and undeniably bond proves difficult. There seems to be so much going against them. Kate is constantly preoccupied by old-town loyalties and the trouble a potential romance with David could bring to her family door. David on the other hand is torn between the comfortable life he has built with his fiancee and the true happiness he feels only when he is with Kate. Thus, the ultimate, 'will they or won't they?'!

Heatherington takes her time to weave this unusual and memorable love story, sure to be a hit with fans of Cathy Kelly and Patricia Scanlan.

Like many Irish people, I vividly remember watching the news footage of the 1998 Omagh bombing, the biggest single atrocity in over 30 years of The Troubles. This is the first time I have read a work of fiction based on that tragedy. I never expected that when I did it would be a love story! The passages describing the event and the careful and considered depictions of the long-term effects of the day on its survivors add memorable depth to this story.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best read with a great big box of tissues, Emma Heatherington’s The Promise is a searingly emotional page-turner guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings.

In the darkest times of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, hope was all teenagers Kate and David had. Life was fragile and tragedy could strike at a moment’s notice and destroy everything they held dear to their hearts. Yet, during one terrifying moment, Kate and David had clung to one another out of desperate need and whispered a promise. A promise which can never be forgotten. In the intervening years, their lives have changed and Kate and David are no longer teenagers but adults. So much has happened to them yet that promise still binds them together and still unites them in a way nobody else can understand.

Ten years later, Kate and David meet again. They might be different people from those scared teenagers a decade ago, but deep down they are still the same. Never forgotten feelings and emotions quickly come rushing to the surface the moment they clap eyes on one another again. So much has changed yet so much has remained constant – except now they have a lot more to lose. Could this be a second chance for Kate and David? Could they ever be happy together? Or have they missed their chance?

Will Kate and David take the ultimate risk and pay the highest price of all? Or is it already far too late?

A powerfully written, intensely dramatic and highly poignant tale of hope, second chances, renewal and the power of first love, Emma Heatherington’s The Promise is a beguiling love story that will break readers’ hearts and bring many a tear to their eye.

Emma Heatherington has penned a complex, captivating and haunting read perfect for Karen Swan and Carmel Harrington fans.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up and lived all my life so far, in Northern Ireland, nothing in this book was a surprise. I guess I was around the age of Kate during the troubles and so I do remember the bombing in Omagh and that Catholic and Protestant divide. I guess though that it depends greatly what part of NI you lived in and even which parts of a town or city it was. As not everyone was filled with hate and bitterness for other religions.

I had many mixed emotions throughout the book and overall I liked David best. He never let his father control him and he went with his heart and what he believed in, which was Kate. However, Kate was different, as much as I understood her reluctance to have their relationship known about, I felt that she was letting them win. I really hated her when she went back home, her family are all grown adults and can take care of themselves, or they needed to learn to. I wanted David to never forgive her.
But then they reunited and that was so emotional and I was so happy for them.
But then we're thrown a massive twist and as much as you don't see it coming beforehand, you do know with the back and forth of the two of them, that something is going to happen and that it'll be David. I was utterly gutted and heartbroken at that point, like why? Why? Why?

I did like the ending, a bit disappointed that they weren't actually together in person at that point, but it was like a good ending to the whole story and a farewell of sorts to the bombing 20 years previous, like their lives had come full circle, with Hope and Shannon and with Kate and David of course.

[Kirsty (BookBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Promise - Emma Heatherington

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK and I am leaving this review voluntarily

One terrible moment changes everything for teenagers Kate and David. Brought together during the darkest of times of the Troubles, a spark of hope is ignited between them – a hand held in the darkness, a promise whispered. Neither of them will ever forget those moments.

It’s another ten years before they meet once more, and their lives are now so different. The promise they made to each other on that fateful day still binds them, but now they have so much more to lose.

Have they missed their one chance at happiness? They only way they will ever know is to risk everything to be together. Is that too high a price to pay for love…?

This is an emotional book - it will take you through a variety of different emotions. Ultimately this is a love story, but it is also a tale of hope and overcoming many boundaries. It is a lovely book to read that will leave its mark on you.

I thought that this book was much deeper than I initially anticipated. Some of the topics covered are delicate but these are handled in such a way that the book is an easy read.

Rating: 4/5

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I started to read this story I was gripped. I remember only too well growing up in a time when “the troubles“ in Northern Ireland were a way of life. Thankfully, we have all moved on and the troubles have been consigned to the history books. While this is not a history book it nevertheless touches on the not too distant past when people were judged on who they were and where they came from.
In the first chapter we meet Kate, a young trainee nurse visiting her Mam, who has been imprisoned for being involved with the local paramilitaries. As an activist and civil rights campaigner Kate’s mum was an easy target for the local police force
. In the next chapter we meet David who is the son of the local clergyman. While deciding where his future lies he is working in the local supermarket.
Circumstances bring David and Kate together on one fateful day but the ramifications of that day are with them both for a long long time to come. A super book, I loved it. Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperFiction for an ARC of this super book. I would give it 4⭐️

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone can tell you where they were and what they where doing when they heard of the deaths of Elvis, Lennon and even Michael Jackson. I know exactly where I was and what I was doing on the day the Omagh bomb went off. Although the author never at any point mentions the town, for those of us who have grown up in Northern Ireland,, it's obvious very early on what the story centres around. A really enjoyable read but also so sad when you realise the hurdles and barriers put between 2 people who made a connection over something so awful. A love and connection which found its way back again all odds, including the universe trying t o intervene. Keep in mind when reading this the real danger that they faced by pursuing a relationship, it truly was a risk to their lives and to that of their families. A first read for me from this author, but I feel she really did portray the storyline very well.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Harper Collins Ireland for sending me this book for an honest review.

This book centers around the troubles in Northern Ireland and the division between the Catholics and the Protestants. A bomb in a street brings our two protagonists together, both from different sides, promising to find each other again. Ten years later at the memorial of the bombing they do.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. It's lovely that they found each other again and that they are meant to be together but David is engaged and I found his and Kate's relationship a bit hypocritical as Kate was dumped by her previous boyfriend after being cheated on.

Some of the scenes in this book did pull at the heart strings and the ending left my heart in my throat but I think I'll pass this one onto someone who appreciates this type of romance more than I do.

[Siobhan Devlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a truly beautiful story.

The cover of this book drew me in, the story kept me turning the pages.

This book was so much more than I was expecting. Such a harrowing event brought to beautiful characters together, but would religion keep them apart?

I haven't routed for a couple so much for so long. Although their start wasn't without fault, Kate and David are the love story we all need to read.

A heartwarming and beautiful read, filled with heartbreak and hope.

I've never read anything by Emma Heatherington before but I'm already looking to pick up my next.

Thank you Random Things Tours HarperCollins UK and Emma Heatherington for my spot on the tour and gifted copy of this wonderful book.

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found that this story goes a lot more deeper than I was expecting it too, and I enjoyed reading Kate and David's stories. The event that happened that time in Northern Ireland is what the story is based around. Two people that were thrown together and now ten years later how will they feel when they see each other? Emma writing is brilliant, you really feel as a reader that you are getting the characters real thoughts on the situation. Emma is sensitive with her words but goes into great detail where it is needed. The story is about overcoming obstacles and finding love. I really liked it.

[Kelly Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a dramatic 'will they, won't they' love story and despite being a little bit of a slow burn for me I ended up really enjoying it. It was a story that ran much deeper than I expected and I loved the characters of David and Kate and reading about how their lives unfold apart and then together. The conflict in Northern Ireland is a big part of the book which was a really interesting side to the story and was quite an emotional trigger. I felt really invested in the characters by the end and was on edge waiting for the ending as it really wasn't clear which way it was going to go.

Will definitely be looking out for more of Emma's books.
🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.

[Emma Maddison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really thought I’d enjoy this book as the synopsis made it sound interesting and I haven’t read anything around The Troubles

But boy was I wrong
It was so bloody predictable - happily ever after when they meet again
Which of course they did meet again

I’ve never been through any horrible trauma like these characters but seriously, 2 folk meet for about 10 mins, survive a bomb blast and then can’t forget each other. Then meet up a decade later, fall in love and alls good with the world??

Just no
I would not recommend this at all and struggled through it in the hope it would improve and maybe get slightly better - it didn’t
Just don’t waste your time

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming

A beautiful and heartwarming story of a couple navigating through life’s challenges. It touches on a difficult topic of post traumatic stress, but this book broached the subject matter beautifully. While their experience shaped them as adults, their beliefs, convictions and even their love for each other remained. Some bonds are meant forever, and their story is a forever love! Sometimes you find gold in the unlikeliest of places, I found this book in a second hand shop but it will remain on my shelf & in my kindle 4eva! Thanks.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Promise - Emma Heatherington

This was an emotional rollercoaster for sure! Such a gripping love story, and one that will stay with me for a long time. I adored the magnetism between Kate and David, this is what really drove the book for me, I was desperate to find out their outcome and struggled to put the book down. This is the first book I have read from Emma and I really need to read some of her others now.

[Alva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oof! This almost broke my heart in two. There is little I can say in a review that can do it justice but I heartily recommend this book about two people brought together by tragedy, whose lives become inextricably linked through decades of turmoil. It's an examination of humanity, of resilience, of emergence from pain. It's so beautifully written, I turned each page with a gulp in the throat and a wish to read on and be with these people.

[Aly Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Omg my heart! Well deserved five stars for this book. I was blown away by it. It was a very easy read, incredibly easy to get lost in. I had a very hard time putting it down. Absolutely loved Kate and David's journey. Even after tragedy and 10 years later.
Absolutely brilliant book loved every minute of it!

[Lydia Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Captivated by this story from the beginning, and then to find out the bomb was a real thing that happened is just heartbreaking. Kate and David met quite quickly on in the book, I thought there would be a little more build up. I’m also so glad David didn’t get killed off at the end as that would have right annoyed me. Suspense was good.