- Author: Lilian Harry (also writes under the names Donna Baker and Nicola West)
- Number Of Pages: 416 Pages
- Genre Of Book: Historical Fiction / Saga (wartime story)
- Published On: 2003
Why I Picked This Book?
I chose A Promise to Keep during a calm reading phase. I wanted something emotional but not overwhelming. The title felt gentle and serious at the same time. It suggested love, duty, and quiet strength. I expected a slow and thoughtful story, and that is exactly what the book delivered.
About the Book
This novel is set in the 1940s during World War II. It shows how the war entered everyday lives and changed them forever. The story especially focuses on women and how their roles changed during this time. It talks about grief, waiting, loss, faith, and hope in a very human way.
These lines reflect the mood of the book well:
“Grief is a creature that feeds on pain and swallows the good memories until all you’re left with is the bad ones.”
“Faith was like a warm coat we put on in the morning, even when the buttons didn’t fit anymore.”
Short Summary (No Spoilers)
The story follows Thursday, a young woman from a working-class family in Haslar, England. Before the war, she lives a simple life and works as a tailor. When World War II begins, she decides to train as a nurse, wanting to help in any way she can.
During this time, she falls in love with Connor, a surgeon. When he leaves for war, he avoids an engagement because he does not want to tie her down. He gives her a brooch instead. Thursday makes a promise to herself that she will wait for him.
Over the next five years, she faces many emotional challenges. Life keeps testing her promise, but she continues to hold on to it persistently.
Writing Style and Themes
The writing style is very simple and easy to read. The story moves slowly, which suits the emotional weight of the book. There are no dramatic twists. Instead, the focus stays on feelings and inner strength.
Main themes include:
Love and separation Keeping promises Grief and loss Faith and patience The changing role of women during the war
What I Liked About the Book?
The emotions feel honest and real. The slow pace allows you to reflect. The promise is shown as something deep and personal.The war setting feels natural, not forced.It shows an impact world war2 created on human’s life and how it shifted women role from household to working.
What stood out to me is how quietly the book talks about women’s strength. There are no loud speeches or heroic moments. Instead, strength is shown through daily work, emotional control, and choosing to keep going even when life feels uncertain. Thursday grows as a person, not because of war, but because she learns how to live within it.
I also felt that the book shows how promises can be both comforting and heavy. A promise gives hope, but it can also limit choices. The author does not say whether keeping a promise is always right or wrong. She simply shows how deeply it shapes a person’s life.
The slow pace worked well for me. It made the emotions feel more real. The book felt like sitting quietly with someone’s memories rather than watching a dramatic story unfold.
It made me feel as though I was traveling through England itself,walking the streets of Gosport, standing near Haslar, and crossing the Neumonia Bridge alongside the characters.
What I Didn’t Like?
Some parts are predictable ,Side characters could have been explored more ,Readers who like fast stories may find it slow.
Who Should Read This Book
This book is perfect for:
Readers who like emotional and slow stories.Fans of historical fiction with personal focus.Readers interested in women’s lives during World War II .Anyone who enjoys thoughtful and reflective books
Final Verdict
A Promise to Keep is a soft, emotional, and thoughtful novel. It focuses on inner strength rather than big events. The story may feel slow, but it carries warmth and sincerity.
I delayed starting the book because of the small font, but once I began, it slowly drew me in. It left me thinking about how war changes people quietly and how one promise can guide an entire life.
#booklover ❤️❤️
Lilian Harry was born and brought up in Gosport, on the shores of Portsmouth Harbour on the south coast of England. Her earliest memory is of being snatched out of bed by her sister at the first ominous wail of the air raid siren, and rushed to the Anderson shelter at the bottom of the garden. It is that memory, together with the others of World War 2 – the searchlights criss-crossing the sky, the roar of exploding bombs, the barrage balloons floating above and the German parachute that landed in the garden – that informs her books with such vivid atmosphere.
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