Another absolute cracker! As usual, Casey has shown herself to be at the very top of her game with Promise. With gut wrenching episodes and some near misses where I was keeping my eyes open with matchsticks so I could keep reading, Promise will keep you reading "just one more chapter" until the end. A huge 5 stars from me!

I'll start off by saying that I absolutely loved this book. I read The Promise in two sittings and I would have done it in one if I didn't have to be sensible and get some sleep in the middle. I did not want to put it down and I thought about it when I wasn't reading it, I was that drawn into the story.

The characters in The Promise are extremely complex and you learn more about each of them the more you read. I found none of the characters are particularly likeable except Marnie and Davey, but you become invested in them enough to want to know what happens next to them and I don't really think that they are meant to be likeable.

Josie, the mum of Georgie and Marnie is just pretty much a waste of space as a mum and a human being, but she does try her hardest when she's sober. As a mum myself I spent most of the book wanting to shake her and tell her to get a grip. How she produced someone as joyful as Marnie and as strong as Georgie I'll never know. Marnie is honestly a little ray of sunshine throughout the book.

Delray is the absolute epitome of pimp scumbag, but you can see how he charms women into thinking he's a nice guy before he changes into the horror he actually is. He is so real, I could just picture him perfectly.

The story is fast paced and covers some important topics. It depicts how awful life can be as a prostitute and it shows the horrendous affect sexual abuse can have on a child without going into any unnecessary detail, It also touches on child sex trafficking which right now is in the forefront of the news and it is definitely something that needs to be talked about more.

There are a few moments in the book which completely took me off guard and one in particular that blew my mind, Though you're always waiting for a "reveal" in a crime novel, this one still came completely from left field for me.

Though The Promise is full of darkness and the horror of real life for some people, it was compulsive reading and I thought the writing was excellent. I am looking forward to more from Casey Kelleher in the future and if you haven't read one of her books yet, go make the time to do so.

I am a massive fan of Casey and have been for years and couldn't wait to get my teeth into this latest novel.


The first half of the story is a slow burner where we meet Josie mother of Georgie and Marnie. Josie lives the life of a drug user and prostitute. And finds herself in a situation where she brutally murders a client. Then Georgie and Marnie are sent to a children’s home hoping that they will be safe after years of neglect. But they soon discover they’re in real danger.

Making a run for their lives they end up in the hands of violent London gangster and notorious pimp, Delray Anderton. Who has big plans for beautiful teenager Georgie, seeing her as a chance to make some serious money. The question is can they escape him?


For me this isn't one of my favourites due to the fact that I felt like I was reading a story about my sister which I disowned many years ago. Honestly I just wanted to punch Josie in the face because she had the same effect on me has my sister did! Bad I know but this is my honest opinion. But at the same time my heart went out to the sisters being neglected like they were.


Once Josie was out of the picture the story certainly picks up speed and I couldn't put it down. And has always Casey doesn't disappoint with her gritty gripping style of writing. With scenes that turned my stomach and made me feel visually sick. Seriously that's the effect this book had on me.


The Promise isn't for the faint hearted thats for sure. With subject matters that aren't for everyone. But Casey has done a brilliant job of portraying these with her well crafted writing skills.


Fans of Kimberly Chambers and Martina Cole will love it has the story takes you on a whirlwind of emotions. Which I highly recommend giving it 4 stars.


Thank you to Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a honest review.

A very good book. Poor children stuck in the middle of all the mess the mother has created. A lot of dodgy characters and the problems with money, drugs and prostitution. All is needed is a break, The story shows how trusting some people are and how they are yearning for a good life for their family and find a way out. Poor Marnie and her sister being damaged by everything.

When I was asked to take part in the blog tour, I was a little worried I wouldn’t like The Promise. From what I knew of Casey Kelleher’s writing, it wasn’t my normal read but I knew some if not all the #blogsquad love her writing so that was good enough for me.

I loved the prologue, what a fantastic way to start. It definitely got my attention if nothing else! So far so good!!

There was an interesting array of characters in this gritty novel. There were those that I felt for the young girls, Marnie and Georgie, children who are forced to manage because of their mother’s addiction and then #PoorPoorJason – I did wince but then again he is a naughty boy.

What can I say about Delray? now he is a character and a half. On the outside, he’s a flash hard nosed businessman, generous lover willing to splash the cash on his lady but if you mess with him, you’ll live to regret it! He’s got a proper dark side and the more you read of The Promise, the more you’ll discover he has earnt his hard man reputation and then some!!

And then there is Josie….. she goes from one mess to another, most caused by her addiction. But then she digs herself a very large hole. Will she manage to get herself out?! You’ll only find out by reading The Promise!

This story is rather saucy in places – that Javine she’s a right minx – and as I mention Javine, boy does she come into her own as she grows from the girl we meet in the rather expensive Mayfair club looking for men to buy her drinks – oh lordy having been on a night out in Central London a good few years ago on a starting salary income, I felt her need to have someone else footing the bill for champagne!

This book is totally addictive, I really didn’t want to put it down. I read until my eyes drooped. I really don’t know what sort of genre this book fits into but I loved it! I shouldn’t get hung up on genres and only stick to the ones I know and love – there are so many excellent books out there to read and I’m so glad I’ve discovered Casey Kelleher! The Promise is definitely a fantastic introduction to Casey’s writing and having looked on my kindle, I’ve already spotted I have two of her other novels which I can’t wait to read when my review pile allows!

A massive thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my e-copy of The Promise.

My oh my I'm really not sure where to begin with this review, Casey Kelleher writes what I call grit lit, and The Promise by Casey Kelleher certainly falls into this category, I wasn't expecting a "heart and flowers" kind of read, and I wasn't wrong, in fact due to the subject matter it sometimes made for an uncomfortable read, but my god I have to say it was also a gripping one. Josie Parker is a repeat drug offender, a heroin addict and a prostitute, she's bringing up her two daughters in the most damaging way. Georgie and Marnie know violence first hand, they know what it's like to be hungry, and scared they have to endure the very darkest side of life. Then you have Javine is seventeen year old who meets the wrong man. At first Javine is taken in by a man who treats her like a princess but she soon finds her dreams turn to dust, when she realises she is in the clutches of a powerful and violent pimp. As the two stories collide in the most dramatic way The Promise makes for a riveting read.


The story is a slow starter but in the authors defence she concentrates on developing her characters and my god she does it brilliantly, you can't help being drawn into the characters life's, love them or hate them they all have a part to play. I found my opinions of various characters changing as the plot developed, I don't want to spoil the plot but suffice to say some of the characters I started out disliking managed to redeem themselves by the end of the book. As for Georgie and Marnie they are the stars of the book despite their awful life's they remain resilient and feisty, determined to protect each other from bad things, at times my heart broke for the two girls, yes they are characters, but Casey Kelleher writes about very real subjects and it makes me sad to think some children are actually living this nightmare day in day out.


As the plot reaches midway it picks up the pace and I found myself desperate to read more I so wanted Georgie and Marnie to find their "happy ever after". Casey Kelleher paints a vivid and believable picture of the seedier side of life, this is an author who isn't afraid to tackle the most difficult subjects head on, she paints an ugly and brutal picture which at times made for a very uncomfortable read. Trust me this really isn't a book for the faint hearted due to the subject matter, abuse, violence, prostitution all find there way into this book. The Promise could have been a very depressing read, but fortunately the author offers the reader hope amid the horror. In my opinion this is the authors best book yet, despite the difficult subjects it's one that's hard to put down, as you feel an overwhelming need to see how the life's of Georgie and Marnie turn out.
5 ⭐this review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

The Promise by Casey Kelleher tells the story of the three Parker girls. Josie is a single mother with two daughters, Georgie (12) and Marnie (5). The three live in extreme poverty. Worse still, their house is pretty messed up. It is filthy with the girls’ bedroom being described as permanently being occupied by a strong smell of piss. Their living situation is made worse by the fact that Josie is a prostitute who entertains clients while her daughters are locked in the next bedroom. The girls are not spared from the noises coming from their mother’s room so you can imagine the horror which they had to endure every night. Apart from the Parkers, there is another young woman, Javine Turner, trying to better herself. However, she ends up making some decisions which get her caught up in a dark world of pimps and human traffickers.

This book is quite well written and easy to get into. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. The writing is compelling despite the heavy themes. There were a number of incidents that made me quite uncomfortable but I still couldn’t stop turning the pages. The world in which the women are stuck in is just nasty and the misery seems unending. Apart from the writing(which I really, really liked), the other reason that kept me reading is that I just wanted to find out if the girls had a good ending to their sad stories. I mean, the misery had to end at some point, right?

The female characters and especially the Parkers made the story even more compelling. The young girls were so likeable and so it was hard to read about what they were going through. My feelings about Josie and Javine changed from chapter to chapter though I did see the two characters transform through the pages. I kept thinking about their circumstances. Was it their fault that they got caught up in the life that they were living? Or was it just fate? Do people decide to go into some of these ‘professions’ or does the need to survive force them to make these decisions? This book definitely gave me a lot to think about.

A tough read but very well-written so definitely recommended.

Not having read anything by Casey Kelleher before I went into her latest book, The Promise, with a completely open mind, not knowing what to expect apart from a dark and gritty read. It was most certainly both of these things and whilst I’m glad that I gave this book a chance, I did find it to be quite a difficult book to get through. I would say from the start of this review that from the many glowing reviews that this book has received I am putting this down to personal taste, there are so many people out there who seemed to have read and loved this book so I think I am in the minority.

Georgie and Marnie are two girls, sisters, who have grown up in squalor with a mother who is not only a prostitute but a drug addict too so it’s safe to say they have seen the darkest side of life. When their mother is sent to prison for murdering a client their lives are turned upside down when they are sent to live in a children’s home which, contrary to popular belief, is not a place of safety. Forced to flee the children’s home and desperate to find somewhere safe to live Georgie and Marnie run straight into the hands of Delray Anderton, a violent gangster living in London who is a pimp with grand plans for Georgie who he believes will make him some serious money. For Georgie and Marnie it’s a race against time to get away from Delray Anderton and find somewhere safe to call home.

Throughout the book, Casey introduces us to a variety of characters the majority of whom I absolutely detested. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Georgie and Marnie were the only two characters throughout the entire story that I actually felt any form of affection or compassion for. My heart broke for them on more than one occasion whilst reading the book and I found it incredibly painful to read about what they were going through. I wanted to protect them, I wanted to help them and I think that my main reason for wanting to complete this book was to find out how things would turn out for them.

As well as being a dark and gritty read, this was a powerful and emotive read that made me feel so many different emotions, the majority of which were not particularly positive. The book was fast-paced and the tension was palpable from beginning to end. I feel it’s only fair to point out that the book was extremely graphic in the violence that it described which did make me feel uncomfortable, so it’s not a book for the faint-hearted. Additionally, whilst I’m not opposed to the occasional bit of swearing here and there I felt that it was excessive and I struggled with it.

Whilst this book wasn’t always the book for me, I thought that the ending was somewhat satisfying and so for me it ended up being worth sticking with. I would urge any reader of this review not to be put off reading this book, purely because of my review as this book worked for so many people. Having read one of Martina Cole’s books previously, I’d say The Promise would appeal to fans of her writing. I appreciate the effort that Casey put into writing the book and wish her every success in her career as an author.

This was a real page turner with a twist at the end, I really wanted the characters to get a better life. The descriptions make you feel like you where there living their lives loving the goodies and hating the baddies. The ending tied up most of the loose ends but leaving the option for another book about these characters, I really hope there is one.

I love Casey's books and her last one The Taken was an absolute belter of a book. Unfortunately as much as I enjoyed this latest release I couldn't help thinking it wasn't as good as the last book. Josie Parker is the mother of two young girls Georgie and Marnie Parker. Josie has spent her years selling her body and has ended up at the lower end of the market having abused drink and drugs. In all honesty the woman is a mess. Her two young children are forced to look after themselves and as such you can't help but feel for these two poor defenceless children.

The story is a bit of a slow starter but there is a wide variety of characters to get your teeth into. Javine Turner is a young woman on the lookout for a wealth man and once she sets her sights on someone there is no getting away from her. Although on paper Javine is every mans worst nightmare she is a character I loved and was rooting for her throughout the book. Delray Anderton and his sidekick Lenny are known faces and are making their mark in London with their criminal activities. Both of them are brutal and fierce and widely feared.

When Josie is jailed for the murder of a man, Georgie and Marnie find themselves in their own fight for survival. The second half of the story was fast paced and the story was enthralling. However, I think the overlying reason this book wasn't an entire success in my mind was that I had absolutely no sympathy for Josie. In fact I would go as far as to say I loathed the woman who was so selfish that her kids had to take care of themselves. By the time I had finished this I knew that it was a great read, and once again Casey Kelleher is firmly stamping her mark in this genre. However, it lacks the full rating down to my intense dislike of both Josie and Delray. That small issue aside this was another solid read and one that fans of Mandasue Heller and Martina Cole will love.

Easy book to read as the characters and storyline are believable. Casey Keller tells a great story with some nasty characters you will hate and others you just want to look after and make things better for them. Great writing and a book you will find difficult to put down.

Oh. My. Word.

You know, if you like a warm, cosy crime drama, or something that leaves you feeling all special and fluffy inside… stay away from this book. If on the other hand you like your books with a lot of grit and attitude then this will absolutely be the book for you.

After reading The Taken, I kind of knew what to expect when opening up the first page of this book. Casey Kelleher has established herself as an author very willing to tackle the dark side of human life with a brutal honesty, although without having to be too gratuitously violent that it disengages the reader. The Promise is a really gritty novel; covering subjects from drug abuse to prostitution and dancing around the periphery of child abuse, you won’t find anything here to warm your cockles. Not by a long chalk. Actually… that may be wrong of me to say, but more on that later.

This was a hard book for me to judge just how I felt. There is no denying that Miss Kelleher has an exceptional talent for writing. Far from pushing me away with what could have been a very abhorrent subject, she drew me in from the very beginning. Yes, I did find the subject matter objectionable, and it is a very strange book in that it is hard to feel any real empathy for any of the characters other than perhaps the pub landlord Dave, and the two children Georgie and Marnie, who are caught up in such a tragic story which is beyond their control and beyond comprehension at times.

And yet I couldn’t step away. Not so much because I needed to know that Georgie and Marnie were going to be safe, although that truly did matter to me, but because I was also intrigued by their mother, Josie. Josie is a strange character. Her life is blighted by a series of wrong choices; with a drug addiction born of working as a prostitute for the depraved Delray, she doesn’t seem to have any inclination of kindness towards her children. For sure, her actions will be affected by the drugs she has become addicted to, but the level of neglect is off the charts and you have to wonder how it could go undetected for so long. And yet, when push comes to shove, she makes the greatest sacrifice a mother can for her children. That revelation, that understanding, comes as one of the brightest moments of the story, the one bit which may just manage to thaw those cockles after they have been frozen in disbelief for nearly the whole book.

Kelleher seems to have a real way with creating antagonistic characters; developing people who are so abhorrent and beyond empathy or redemption, whilst keeping the reader as engaged in their story as they would be in that of a far more sympathetic character. Delray is a man without remorse, driven by pure greed. With Javine, while I was sympathetic to her plight and her back story, she was a hard character to like, even though no-one deserves what she was forced to endure. And yet she does redeem herself, more than making up for her questionable character traits. And as for the children, Georgie and Marnie, Kelleher captured their spirits perfectly. Two children, forced to endure the worst things any child ever should, and yet determined and strong, driven on by their love for each other and, ultimately, for their mother.

As I said, I was uncertain for ages how this book made me feel. It definitely captured my imagination and my attention more than The Taken and that was a strong and action packed book in itself. But with this one I was torn between being slightly saddened or maybe even a little sickened by the subject matter, and being enthralled by the way the author had created such tension, such a need in me to keep on reading no matter how I felt.

The book felt uncompromisingly real and at times was very harsh in both language and subject. If abuse or bad language is a trigger for you as a reader, then this may not be the book for you. But don’t be unnecessarily put off by it and give the book a chance; it is not the whole picture. For in there somewhere, among all of that harsh language and darkness, is a story of tenacity and redemption amongst which you’ll find an element of pure magic.

A tense, gritty and harshly realistic 5 stars from me.

Thanks to netgalley and bookcouture for allowing me to read The Promise in exchange for an honest review.
I was absolutely hooked from the very beginning of the book and couldn't put it down it really draws you in and you feel so much empathy for Georgie and Marnie as you follow their journey which starts when their mother who is a prostitute gets arrested and the girls are sent to a children's home but they realize they are not safe there and make their escape only to fall into the evil clutches of their mother's pimp. This is a brilliant book with many twists and a brilliant ending which i didn't see coming!

The Promise was such a brilliant, gritty, real life read, i've read and enjoyed all of Casey's books but this one I have to say, is her best yet.

What can I say. Couldn't put down. Hated it and loved it. How people have to live their lives. Might be a junkie and a prostitute but when lush comes to shove protect them to the end. Made me cry

This is the second book I've read by Casey Kelleher, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first! Really interesting stories and complicated characters. She deals with some heavy subject matter in this one, and some of it is hard to read. I was never tempted to put it down though, hopeful that the characters would get the ending that they deserve.

Josie has a lot of problems. She relies heavily on drugs and alcohol to make it through her life. She prostitutes herself to satiate her vices and put food on the table, but there's never enough. Not for her and not for her two little girls, Georgie and Marnie. Their lives go from awful to worse when their mom gets in trouble and they're forced into a children's home. They are bright and self sufficient kids, but no one can handle what they're up against... and things will get much worse before they get better.

Javine is a stunning seventeen year old who is determined to find a man to pay her way in life. She meets the wrong man. She is soon in the clutches of a man named Delray, a powerful and violent pimp. He's in charge of many women, from the past her prime Josie to escorts with supermodel good looks that bring in huge amounts of money. At first, Javine is charmed by him, but his fake infatuation with Javine won't last forever... and everyone but her seems aware of that.

The lives of these many different characters will intersect. At first glance, they seem very different, but they're not. They are all trapped in circumstances beyond their control. This was at times stressful to read because it really makes you feel for the characters and they all go through so much. Recommended read.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

I didn’t discover Casey Kelleher until her last book The Taken and then I got hold of all her other books to play catch up! I found her writing to be fresh and exciting and reminiscent of the early Martina Cole books and I couldn’t get enough of them even recommending them to my daughter’s who are now also big fans. I have loved them all but The Promise is now my new favourite! Hours passed but I had no concept of time as I was fully engrossed as this utterly unputdownable drama unfolded.

Josie Parker is never going to win Mother of The Year but she does the best she knows how. Sometimes there’s no electricity, she turns tricks in the bedroom next to where her two daughters are sleeping and they survive on weetabix and chocolate spread sandwiches. Marnie and Georgie actually seen very well adjusted considering the state of neglect they live in but Marnie wets the bed showing that maybe something is worrying her more than her mum and sister realise. I really wanted to despise Josie but there was really no point- her lifestyle was what it was and when you have sunk that low, climbing back up out of that gutter is nigh on impossible and although Josie tries she does it in the only way she know how. As in many families where there are addictions, Georgie has taken over that maternal role with her younger sister and they are doing okay until that one night….

The plot here is very dark and disturbing, especially as it involved children, and the emotions really thump you in the chest at times as it graphically depicts the life of a family on the edge. The will to survive and crawl out of their dismal surroundings is always present in the women here but boy, do they have to fight for it. Casey Kellehers strength is in involving the reader deep into her characters lives, provoking extreme emotions in the reader -both good and bad! I detested Delray and everything he stood for. And I just wanted to scream at Javine but she was, like Josie, a victim of past circumstances, frantically swimming against the tide in the interest of self preservation.

The last few chapters were brilliant with a few surprises thrown in. I actually think there was one character that I would love to meet again in future books as I’m sure there would be plenty more to discover about the life they go on to lead. If you like your crime thrillers realistically grim and gritty but with characters who feel like family you will absolutely love The Promise. It will make you angry, it will make you sad but it also leaves you feeling uplifted and hopeful! More please and lots of it!

I received a copy of this book via netgalley and have chosen to read and review it.

Enjoyed this book, I haven't read a Casey book before but was pleasently happy with this! I am a fan of these gritty books and wasn't disappointed. I will definatley be looking at her other books to read

The promise by casey Kelleher is a mystery and thriller and general fiction (adult) read.
Two sisters. One murder. And an unbreakable bond.
Growing up in squalor with their drug-addicted prostitute mother, sisters Georgie and Marnie Parker have had to endure the very darkest side of life.
When their mother is sentenced for brutally murdering a client, Georgie and Marnie’s already precarious lives are blown apart and they now share a terrible secret. Sent to a children’s home, the sisters hope this might finally be their safe haven after years of neglect. But they soon discover they’re in real danger.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. Full of twists. Really had me thinking. Highly recommended. 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.

Wow, Wow, Wow  what a book!!

The Promise is by far one of my favourite books.
I absolutely loved it. If I could give a 10 star rating I would!!

Casey does not fail to deliver.
This book is exciting, Thrilling, heart racing, horrific at times, deals with sensitive issues like drug abuse, sexual abuse, prostitution.
I literally was on the edge of my seat reading every single page.
I did not want it to end!

There is exciting twists and turns in nearly every other Chapter.

The characters are well thought out. Casey teased my emotions and took me on a journey with Georgie  and Marnie.

I will give you a short version of the story and main characters as I don't want to delve in too deep and give anything away!

Josie and Mandy are working girls who work for Delray their pimp and thug of the area! He is extremely dangerous and not to be crossed!

Josie has two children Georgie who is 12 and Marnie who is 5.
Josie always brings her punters home even with the kids in the next room.

Josie is a drug addict and has a drink problem.
Delray has made her promise to stay off the drugs.
However she can't help herself and scores some drugs.
A situation happens and Delray finds out she's using again and sacks Josie and Mandy from ever working in he's area again.

Josie is stuck not having any money to feed her kids or her habit.

Trevor is a client of Josie's and he makes a deal with Josie to become her "pretend" boyfriend in exchange for meals and the occasional night stay and money!

It is at this point the story takes a very very sinister turn.
Things happen, secrets uncovered, one horrific night, one murder!

So the story really begins and becomes gritty and dangerous and Thrilling, a page turner.

All I can say is Georgie and Marnie face some horrific times ahead.
We follow their journey, where the people who are meant to be keeping them safe have other disgusting, vile motives.

I could not put this book down.
I really have nothing more to say except READ IT!!!!
You won't be disappointed.