Reviewed by phyllish on
My rating is 3.5 stars
It wasn't until I was a good way through Promised that I saw the similarities to Pride and Prejudice. The way in which Margaret was so repulsed by Lord Williams' manner and his haughty attitude. Then I started noticing other subtle things and began to realize that there were a number of connections. What I appreciated is that the author did not attempt to make this a retelling, including all the characters and situations with slight variations. Instead, Leah Garriott made the story her own.
There were some cute and some romantic moments, such as with the donkey. And some odious yet indispensible characters.
While I liked Lord Williams - mostly - I didn't really understand his motivation for the "thing" that ended up being a problem. Somehow it didn't quite ring true. Other than that, he was kind despite being a bit aloof and was certainly persistent!
Margaret had a deep love for her family, especially her sister, Alice. Her relationship with her brother, Daniel, was humorous at times, especially when they were goading and needling each other. I do have to confess, though, that her prejudice against Lord Williams and her grief over her sad circumstances was a bit overwhelming throughout much of the story. She wasn't bad, I just wasn't much of a fan. And I wasn't quite sure why Lord Williams fell in love with her.
There were a couple of items I would have liked to have had explained more thoroughly (or at all, like the donkey). The narrative style was good yet not compelling. Overall, Promised was enjoyable.
Read my full review at Among the Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 23 February, 2020: Finished reading
- 23 February, 2020: Reviewed