Each character had a side story cleverly interwoven within the main story and I felt so many emotions throughout this book! I’ve worked as a carer and have come across many grumpy old men like Edgar in my time and knew right from their first meeting that they would end up being friends. Not forgetting an equally grumpy chihuahua to give Edgar a run for his money, and her best friend who may finally be about to get a break from an unlikely source. Persoonlijk vond ik het soms wat te langdradig of duurde het te lang voordat er wat sensatie in het verhaal kwam.

My favourite had to be our four-legged friend, Captain Oates and I thought the relationship between him and Edgar was just absolutely delightful! Ik heb hier wel een puntje over de vormgeving, maar dit heeft geen invloed op de beoordeling van het boek. Lou is a good person at heart and is determined that she will make Edgar begin to enjoy life, and slowly, she does begin to make changes, although Edgar is still rude, still grumpy and still hard to please. Plenty of charming laughs, plenty of clever twists, plenty of romantic touches and the special bonds we make throughout life, that while this isn't my usual cup of tea, I was happy to sip alongside this delightful and heartwarming story. Taking the job means she's living close to old school friends, including the gorgeous Remy, in the tiny, picturesque Cotswolds village of Foxwell.Dit boek heeft me laten zien dat het erg jammer is om om die reden een heel genre af te serveren, want er zijn nog zoveel andere thema's (zoals het vormen van een zelfgekozen familie in dit boek voor mij de hoofdlijn vormt). Want naast Lou en de aanwezige spanning tussen haar en de broer van haar beste vriend Sammy, maakt ook Sammy het één en ander mee in zijn leven. I was championing the outcome of this book and I was so pleased that the author chose to end the book the way she did, I do love a dose of Karma! The romance is plentiful and a rollercoaster of emotions for many added to that we have strong friendships too.

Lou had a good job, and a flat in Birmingham, but every changes overnight and she’s homeless and unemployed. I suspect that I simply went into this book expecting way too much and maybe being misled by the synopsis. Who has become quite isolated from the world around him but with Lou in his life, encouraging and supporting him, this begins to change and more so with the arrival of Mr Oates…a furry, four footed kindred spirit. We lezen het verhaal vooral vanuit Lou, maar we krijgen ook de hersenspinsels van andere personages mee. It's addictive, this story, you can't stop reading it, full of little surprises and it will bring a smile to your face.

Jill Mansell's books have sold over ten million copies and her titles include: Making your Mind up, Fast Friends, Good at Games, Sheer Mischief and Solo, among many others. From Lou’s lovely personality to the grumpiness of Edgar, the charm of Remy through to the absolutely adorable four legged Captain Oates. Edgar isn’t the easiest man to get on with, but he seems to take a begrudging shine to Lou and makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

Jill has always been one of my favourite authors and I personally think Promise Me is her best book to date! His offer means that she would leave the area she knows to be closer to someone who she has her eye on. When I read the details about Promise Me, I felt and still do an instant connection to the protagonist, the lovely Lou, whose life experiences although fictional, were uncannily similar like my own, in some respects. Naast deze hoofdpersonages volg je ook Lou’s jeugdvriend Sammy, die graag een beroemde zanger wil worden, zijn aantrekkelijke broer Remy en een oude bekende van Edgar, een bont en boeiend gezelschap, de één sympathieker dan de ander. Dekt ontzettend de lading van het verhaal en het boek zelf was de afgelopen dagen mijn zonnetje in huis!The storyline moves along at the perfect pace, building up not only Edgar and Lou’s relationship, but also Lou’s relationship with childhood friend, Remy. Whilst Lou and Edgar are the human stars of this book, it is Captain Oates, the tiny rescue dog who really steals the show. And just wait until you meet the deliciously dastardly Della and her dreadful children, whose avarice knows no bounds and no matter how much you shout don’t do it at this book, they move in with Edgar and Lou…So what happens next, well there’s the Keeler brothers in the picture too, …but if you want to know more…you will have to read the book and find out for yourself…yes, I am such a tease! De heerlijke, soepele schrijfstijl van Mansell neemt je vanaf de eerste bladzijde mee naar het dorp Foxwell. Jill weet als geen ander personages met elkaar te verbinden middels verschillende verhaallijnen en dat vind ik persoonlijk echt een grote kracht in haar verhalen.