Publication Date: 8 October 2024
Samantha Tonge
Elena Swan believes she’s going to die. And soon. She’s not ill. She’s not in imminent danger. But she is sure it’s going to happen.
Because many years ago… she’d made a promise to a stranger, in the woods. Elena’s mother was in hospital, after a life-threatening accident. The promise would keep her mother safe, but put Elena’s own life at risk, instead, when she grew up and turned thirty.
Elena put the promise to the back of her mind, over the years. But she’s twenty-nine now, and when something happens that puts her life in danger, she remembers. And she knows.
But Elena hasn’t done everything yet. She’s not brave like her daredevil friend Rory. But she’s also not ready to give up on life. Not before she’s been to Paris. She always wanted to skydive too. She’s never even fallen in love.
Without the promise of tomorrow, can she fulfil all her dreams before fate comes for her?
My thoughts on The Promise of Tomorrow…
The Promise of Tomorrow is a heartwarming mix of romance, heartfelt storytelling, and a touch of magic. The story follows Elena and her colleague, Rory, who become unlikely roommates while his apartment is being renovated. As they navigate this new living arrangement, the novel delves into Elena’s urgent quest to achieve her dreams before her 30th birthday, driven by a promise she made twenty years ago that now weighs heavily on her mind.
Elena, usually cautious and risk-averse, embarks on an out-of-character journey, throwing herself into new experiences in a race against time. Rory, appears brave and spontaneous, but as their friendship deepens, we see the emotional complexity behind his thrill-seeking nature. Their growing bond is a highlight of the novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them lean on each other as they faced tough challenges. Elena and Rory are both likeable and relatable, with their shared love of books adding an extra layer of charm. Their mutual affection for literature almost becomes another character in the story, bringing warmth and depth to their relationship.
This was my first Samantha Tonge novel, and I found her writing both emotional and uplifting.
The plot offers a refreshing blend of romance with a subtle supernatural twist, which kept me intrigued as the tension surrounding Elena’s promise and its potential consequences unfolded. However, I felt the romantic relationship between Elena and Rory could have been more gradually developed. While their emotional bond was clear, the romantic tension felt delayed and somewhat rushed toward the end. In fact, given how strong their friendship was, the story may have been just as impactful, if not more so, if their relationship had remained platonic. Skipping the romance altogether and focusing on their deep emotional connection as friends could have made the story feel even more unique and satisfying.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. All in all, The Promise of Tomorrow is a touching, emotional read about facing fears, sharing burdens, and finding joy in unexpected places. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys heartfelt stories infused with romance and a touch of magic.
Thank you once again to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Samantha Tonge for the opportunity to read and review this book!
The Book
- Title: The Promise of Tomorrow
- Author: Samantha Tonge
- Publisher: Boldwood Books
- Publication Date: 8 October 2024
- Pre-Order Link: (Amazon)
- ISBN: 9781835330012 (ebook)
- Pages: 330
The Author
Samantha Tonge has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines. She is represented by Darley Anderson Agency & Associates. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2020 one of her novels won the RNA’s Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award. Currently Samantha writes uplifting, emotional women’s fiction for Boldwood Books.
Samantha Tonge can be found on Facebook and Instagram
The Publisher
Boldwood is an award-winning independent, global fiction publishing house launched in February 2019, with its first titles published in August 2019. The company has published over 900 titles, signed over 167 authors and sold 28 million books across the world.
Find out more online at Boldwood Books and on Facebook and Instagram
The Review
Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood and Samantha Tonge for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
I requested, and was granted, a digital arc of this novel in September 2024 and I read the book quickly.
All views expressed are my own. This review, or parts thereof, may also be published on my social medial channels – find me everywhere as momobookdiary – and book websites (once published) such as Amazon, Goodreads, LoveReading, StoryGraph, and Waterstones. All links are correct at the time of publication.
Tags: #ThePromiseOfTomorrow #SamanthaTonge #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks #generalfiction #romance #womensfiction
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