The stunning new story of love and secrets from the Number One bestselling author of The Forgotten Village
Can one promise change the fate of two women decades apart?
Scotland, 1940 War rages across Europe, but Invermoray House is at peace – until the night of Constance’s 21st birthday, when she’s the only person to see a Spitfire crash into the loch. Rescuing the pilot and vowing to keep him … see a Spitfire crash into the loch. Rescuing the pilot and vowing to keep him hidden, Constance finds herself torn between duty to her family and keeping a promise that could cost her everything.
2020
Kate arrives in the Highlands to turn Invermoray into a luxury B&B, only to find that the estate is more troubled than she’d imagined. But when Kate discovers the house has a dark history, with Constance’s name struck from its records, she knows she can’t leave until the mystery is solved . . .
A sweeping tale of love and secrets, perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Lucinda Riley.
Lorna’s captivating new book,The Girl from the Island, is available for pre-order now! The perfect escapist read.
Readers love The Forbidden Promise . . .
‘Compelling, dramatic, with a great twist – everyone who loved The Forgotten Village will be sure to love this too’ Jenny Ashcroft, author of Beneath a Burning Sky
‘Kept me turning the pages eagerly. A real treat!’ Tracy Rees, author of Amy Snow
‘Entrancing . . . an evocative and romantic mystery’ Woman’s Weekly
‘A wonderfully romantic love story, full of twists and turns’ Nikola Scott, author of My Mother’s Shadow
‘A dual delight of love stories, with hugely likeable characters and a corker of a twist!’ Mandy Robotham, author of A Woman of War
‘A wonderful tale of forbidden love, full of cliffhangers that kept me reading late into the night. And it has a fabulous twist’ Kathleen McGurl, author of The Forgotten Secret
‘Nobody does cliffhangers like Lorna Cook does. I inhale everything she writes’ Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop
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I received an early review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and all thoughts are freely given and unbiased.
Wow! This book was cleverly written and the descriptive text kept you eagerly turning the pages as the story unfolds , it was captivating and I literally devoured it in a day. I had to go to work in the afternoon and was almost late because I was so engrossed in the storyline.
This is a dual time line historical romance with a contemporary modern story interconnecting the past and present .
Constance is a wonderful character and you totally relate to the confines put on young women in the 40’s . Wandering around the lake ,surrounding the manor house she resides in , She inadvertently becomes part of a mystery surrounding the man she helps save from drowning . Things are not as they seem and there are twists and turns in the plot as their story unfolds .
Kate has taken a job at a Scottish estate to escape from a scandal , not of her making . She slowly uncovers a mystery surrounding Constance and her brother and why they were disinherited .
I absolutely loved this book and the characters stay with you after you’ve read the last page. I can’t wait to read the next book published . This book would appeal to readers who enjoy Lucinda Riley or Rachel Hore. I thoroughly recommend it.
Just couldn’t finish this. Did not engage my attention. Story moved too slow, without anything interesting to me.
Excellent story
Quick read with enough twists and scenery to hold your attention. Very enjoyable.
I will say it is a really Realistic Forbidden one with a wonderful promise That you keep inside of you then you will know how it is
Wow, this is amazing. If you loved The Forgotten Village, you will love this one too.
A magnificent dual timeline set in Scotland in the present day and during the 1940’s. Full of surprises and thoroughly unputdownable.
Very very highly recommended.
A lifetime of Happiness
Two romance stories, one in WWII and one in current life. Both stories connected to a house called Invermoray on the Scottish Loch.
The year was 1940, the war between Britain and Germany had just begun. This is the story of a house called Invermoray where Douglas a young British pilot and his younger sister Constance lived with their parents. This is where it all begins. Douglas’s friend Henry, his sister Constance, and a downed Pilot in the loch named Matthew. The story is about a love affair, secrets reviewed and a tragic death. The story ends with a banishment from Invermoray, a disinheritance, and a happy ever after.
The year is 1999, and James and his mother have inherited Invermoray and decided to turn it into a bed and breakfast. they have hired a young lady from London named Kate to help with this project. Not only do James and Kate discover the mystery behind the airplane they find in the loch, but they actually meet the daughter of Constance. In all this they discover their own forever happiness.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and the characters were realistic and believable. I was very vested in both story lines and had a hard time putting the book down. The house and the surroundings sound so beautiful.
I recommend this book, it will give you hours of enjoyment.
Thanks to Lorna Cook, Avon Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of this book.
4.5+ stars
Split between 2 timelines at Invermoray House in Scotland, The Forbidden Promise looks at the ripples of events across time. In 1940 the house was at peace while the world was at war, but as war ramps up, the members of the household start to feel the pressure of the war. On Constance’s 21st birthday, she is the only witness to a plane crash that leads her to make a promise to keep the downed pilot hidden. Her promise will bring about consequences she could not have imagined.
Sixty years later, Kate is hired to help the current owners reimagine the house into a bed and breakfast, but quickly learns that the task is larger than she was led to believe. Plagued by finances and a reluctant owner, she has her work cut out for her to turn the house into the beauty it once was. But as she works to market the house, she is intrigued by the secrets that seem to be hiding within the history of the house’s past residents.
The two stories wrap seamlessly around each other, building in similar paces. As Kate learns more about Constance and the house, readers get to see more and more about Constance and the events that would change the fate of the house so drastically.
I loved the role the house played in moving both storylines forward. Constance’s secret is hidden due to the circumstance of war, and as the house moves forward with war efforts, her attempts at keeping the pilot a secret become that much more difficult. Kate’s entire purpose for being in Scotland is the house, and her intrigue at the house’s history makes it easier for her to look past her initial challenges dealing with James.
I loved the way the romances unfolded as well. Both time periods have elements of romance and each builds as is appropriate for the time periods.
This is the first book I have read from the author, but I will be looking to pick up her first (previous) book soon. I loved the writing itself and look forward to more from Ms. Cook.