Jill Mansell has been an autobuy author for me for as long as I can remember (30 years?). She always delivers a book that I know I'm going to love and this was no exception.
What I particularly love about Jill's books is that although they're classified as romance the most important aspect of them is friendship and building relationships. Plus, there are no sex scenes. I don't need to read about heaving, throbbing, pulsing or anything like that.
There are so many characters to love in this book that I couldn't possibly name them all. Lou is obviously amazing as the main character, along with her best friend Sammy. I love that no matter what the setback he keep on pursuing his dream. While reading this I was watching a clip of Ed Sheeran and I could immediately picture him as the inspiration behind Sammy's character.
Edgar plays the grumpy old man to perfection. He's been let down in life and takes it out on everyone around him. Lou honestly has the patience of a Saint to put up with him.
Yes, there is romance in this book but the main storyline is actually the relationship between Lou and Edgar. which I adored.

JILL MANSELL: PROMISE ME.
MY REVIEW: Hurrah! The new year can now officially begin, because we have a brand spanking new read from Jill Mansell to devour.

Promise Me is classic Jill Mansell.
There is a cosy Cotswold setting, that brims with community spirit and neighbourly warmth.
An eclectic mix of characters bring light and shade to the story.
I loved Sam. He is such a sweetie and truly deserved some luck in life.
Remy is a dream and will set many a hormone racing.
Edgar is a treat. What a difficult and disagreeable old man. Lou does her best with him and we do see a more affable, but still brutally savage Edgar emerge. It is amazing what the love of a good dog can achieve too.

The story is jam packed with twists and turns all the way. There are a few curve balls thrown in that I didn’t see coming.

Jill Mansell is a writer who reliably produces good quality, feel good and heartwarming stories. Promise Me is no exception. It is unmistakably Jill Mansell at her best. As always though, a story may have the JM stamp upon it, but it still stands tall as a unique, warm, touching, witty and captivating story.

A must read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Audio narration by Katherine Press, who does an excellent job.

With thanks to Netgalley and Headline audio for an early copy of this title.

BOOK BLURB:
One minute Lou is happily employed, with a perfect flat. The next, her home and job have gone. Suddenly she has to start over.

The last thing Lou wants is to move to a tiny Cotswolds village. She certainly doesn't intend to work for curmudgeonly eighty-year-old Edgar Allsopp. But Edgar is about to make her the kind of promise nobody could ignore. In return, she secretly vows to help him fall in love with life again.

Foxwell is also home to Remy, whose charm and charisma are proving hard to ignore. But Lou hasn't recovered from the last time she fell for a charmer. She needs a distraction - and luckily one's about to turn up.

Secrets never stay hidden for long in Foxwell, nor are promises always kept. And no one could guess what lies ahead...

FORMATS AVAILABLE: Ebook, audio, hardback
Paperback available 22/6/23

LINK TO BUY: Promise Me https://amzn.eu/d/6bjtTLj

Description 🔖

One minute Lou is happily employed, with a perfect flat. The next, her home and job have gone. Suddenly she has to start over.

The last thing Lou wants is to move to a tiny Cotswolds village. She certainly doesn’t intend to work for curmudgeonly eighty-year-old Edgar Allsopp. But Edgar is about to make her the kind of promise nobody could ignore. In return, she secretly vows to help him fall in love with life again.

Foxwell is also home to Remy, whose charm and charisma are proving hard to ignore. But Lou hasn’t recovered from the last time she fell for a charmer. She needs a distraction – and luckily one’s about to turn up.

Secrets never stay hidden for long in Foxwell, nor are promises always kept. And no one could guess what lies ahead…

General Thoughts 🤔

I have never read a Jill Mansell book though I have of course heard of her as an author. I should give myself a slap on the wrist because I had slotted her books into a pigeon hole marked for “older female readers” and so I’ve never thought to pick one up. However, it dawned on me that I am now probably an older female reader so why not give her work a try.

I’m glad that I did because this was a very quaint and pleasant story and I really enjoyed listening to it. The characters were easy to like and the story was entertaining without being complicated to follow. I listened to Promise Me whilst I was doing bits and bobs around the house or other hobbies and it was a really great companion.

Characters 👫👭👬

I found that a lot of the characters in this story were likeable and I could imagine them living in my village. The lady in the shop had me in stitches because she was so like a lady that works in the local shop in my own village. Knows everything about everyone and makes everyone’s business her business.

Lou was very much a sweetheart and put everyone else before herself always. She wasn’t the greatest judge of character which I found a little bit frustrating, however I have to remember that a lot of people are naive and there are a tonne of people walking around with rose tinted glasses on and I think she suffered from this a little bit.

There were some not so likeable characters in the book too and I found them actually quite repulsive; which was the intent. I get wound up by spoilt, entitled people and so these particular characters were successful at getting under my skin.

Writing Style ✍️

I don’t know how to articulate this without sounding negative (because I certainly don’t mean it to be) but I can’t think of anything significant to call out about this author’s writing style. It was easy to read and quite cutesy. The story was slow paced, but I think that it was supposed to be. Did I think that these characters in this village and this storyline was believable? I’m not sure. Was it supposed to be believable? Again, I’m not sure.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I listened to this book whilst I pottered around the house, walked the dogs and generally did mundane, everyday stuff and it was a lovely companion. This was a heart warming story with very likeable characters. There was a little sadness thrown in there, but it was done tastefully and with a positive spin. A great easy going read, that I enjoyed.

Having read previous books by Jill Mansell, I was really looking forward to starting Promise Me , and I wasn’t disappointed Lou has to leave her job and finds herself working for the formidable Edgar Allshop, the grumpiest man in Foxwell.

The story makes you laugh and cry, shout at the pages to say it didn’t happen and keeps you guessing all the way though. The ending I didn't see coming which was brillliant and a perfect ending to such a wonderful book.

I really hope in the future we can revisit foxwell and revisit some on the characters that are there and their story Remi, Lou, Sammy Jess, and not forgetting Della.

This great book is recommended for anyone who loves a book that keeps you guessing.

Many thanks to net galley for allowing me a copy to read for an honest review.

I love a story which features a cantankerous character and eighty-year-old Edgar was the perfect complement to Lou’s sweet demeanour. It was a joy to watch the relationship between these two develop into something more than employer and employee. This is my first book by Jill Mansell, but it certainly won’t be my last.

The two meet when Edgar falls in a parking lot. Lou is in town for a couple of days to spend some time with a good friend. Being the caregiver she is, Lou quickly runs to Edgar to assist him. The next thing she knows, she is driving Edgar home and putting away his groceries.

Lou is surprised to see the size of the estate that Edgar is living alone on. It is evident that he needs help to maintain his home and she soon learns that he has gone through a series of caregivers. When he offers Lou the job she explains that she already is caring for a woman in the town she lives in. He continues to pursue her and shortly thereafter her circumstances change. To sweeten the deal, Edgar offers to leave his estate to her upon his death.

The book is filled with a diverse cast of interesting and well-developed characters including a woman from Edgar’s past and her family. I enjoyed the sweet romances in the book and the special bond that Edgar forms with his rescue dog. It was the special relationship that develops between Edgar and Lou that made this book such an enjoyable read.

I listened to the audiobook version of Promise Me which was narrated by Katherine Press. Her performance felt natural and easy to listen to at my usual playback speed of 1.5x. I recommend the audiobook version to all those that enjoy this format.

I recommend this book to those readers that enjoy women’s fiction. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

4.5 stars (rounded to 5)

A light hearted read full of awful people that seem to have been written in to provide shock factor and depth, but instead they just provided heavy amounts of annoyance.

It's frustrating reading a book full of adults who just don't seem to have their stuff together and not because they are still on their way to figuring themselves out (fair and can happen at any moment/age in your life) but just because they are somewhat cruel, enjoy being spiteful and act as though they aren't aware of how negatively they impact others around them - even though the internal monologue and narration provided, proves that they are all more than well aware.

There are many different characters and storylines to get accustomed to that I am not actually sure who the main character was supposed to be even though the story is apparently about Lou.

Edgar's final decision was supposed to redeem him for making other decisions out of spite...it doesn't.

I suspect that I simply went into this book expecting way too much and maybe being misled by the synopsis.
It really isn't bad but it really isn't great either.
The questionable characters take the limelight through the book and outweigh the 'heart-warming moments)

After losing her job and flat in Birmingham, Lou has to resign herself to her last resort: working as a live-in helper for curmudgeonly eighty-year-old Edgar Allsopp in a little Cotswold village. What tipped the scales on her decision was Edgar’s offer to leave her his house and fortune once he dies, as long as she manages to stick around until then. In the mean time, Lou is determined make Edgar enjoy life again.

This book was just lovely. Switching between multiple points-of-view, Mansell managed balance the cosy romance plots and Edgar’s life-affirming return to society with devious ‘bad guys’ and tense moments to keep the pages turning. The pacing felt just right, lingering in the sweet connections and skipping ahead through frustrating situations. It’s a feel-good, sunshiny book to get you through the dark dregs of winter - I finished it in three days!

The romance with Remy was deliciously relatable (especially if you’re from a rural village) with the awkwardness of a crush on your childhood friend’s older brother and the frustration of people having their noses in your business.

I listened to the audiobook, and Katherine Press’s narration was wonderful, her voice really suited the heartwarming story.

I haven't read a Jill Mansell book for ages and this book was a gem of a read - or listen in my case. Loved the cast of characters - even grumpy Edgar. Particularly loved Captain Oates.
This book had everything - set in the Cotswolds, both likeable and unlikable characters, romance and heartache. I was holding my breath about what was in Edgars will - and think the outcome was just perfect.
Happy endings and no loose ends - my kind of book.

Another great story by this author. Jill Mansell delivers a heart warming story about friendship and relationships. Lou, the main protagonist was like able and you really are on her side throughout the story. Edgar the grumpy older gentleman, certainly grows on you but do relatable and reminded me of relatives I have 🤣
The added attraction of this book, is that is set in the Cotswold, talking about Cheltenham. This is where I live , so it added a little bit of something personally to me. A big thumbs up to this hug in a book.

Thank you #netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed it!

An absolutely gorgeous and heartwarming read to start the year ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Warm, funny and kind, with great narration of the audiobook.

Lou is down-to-earth with a heart of gold, but after already losing her mother, her abusive husband has recently died, she's lost her job and now also been kicked out of her flat

So when cantankerous 80 year old Edgar offers to provide a place for her to live while she cares for him, as well as promising to leave her a substantial inheritance, she feels guilty despite his lack of family and friends, but can't really refuse.

Taking the job means she's living close to old school friends, including the gorgeous Remy, in the tiny, picturesque Cotswolds village of Foxwell.
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.

Through all the ups and downs, the supportive close-knit community, where nothing stays secret for long, is just what she needs to get back on her feet and help to distract her from risking what is sure to be another disastrous romance.... isn't it?

What a beautiful book to start the year! Jill Mansell expertly swept me out of dreary Glasgow to tranquil Foxwell. I instantly fell in love with Lou, a truly kind and beautiful soul. Through Lou’s eyes I fell also in love with curmudgeonly old Edmond too. There was one line in the book that absolutely ripped my heart out when he reads a typo as how Lou feels about him, that I sobbed. The side characters are all so beautifully written that I’d have happily remained in Foxwell and perhaps found in it my heart to forgive devious Della.

A lovely well written and beautifully narrated novel, perfect escapism! #Jorecommends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

This is a lovely cosy romance which I really enjoyed after reading a rather dark thriller. It feels like a fairy-tale book for adults with some ‘baddies’ (who you would boo if this was a staged pantomime), a couple of heroes and a wonderful heroine in Lou. All in all such a warm story, another triumph for Jill Mansell.

I was looking forward to the new book from Jill Mansell but found this a bit disappointing. Lou is a likeable character but there were so many other characters and sub plots going on I didn’t find it an easy read. Although There were some parts which made me laugh out loud.

What a fabulous treat!! A new classic from Jill Mansell and what a totally brilliant book!
Lou returns to Foxwell in the Cotswolds when her job comes to an unexpected end along with her flat. Whilst staying at an old friend from her school days she meets grumpy Edgar, an eighty year old who clearly needs a hand at home, and some joy and company in his life.
Wonderful characters, beautifully depicted, from the old to the young and their pets!!
The audible version was addictive and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. The narrator did some great accents and voices to bring it all alive.
Worthy of 5 stars and more! A lovely start to the year, heartwarming, heartbreaking and thoroughly fantastic!!
Thank you to NetGalley for the early listening!! I loved it and will be heartily recommending!!

My Christmas read, although nothing to do with Christmas. Based around one woman who is trying to work out which direction to take her life both romantic and career wise. Nice little read with some very interesting characters. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

I’ve read the book and listened to the audio book and loved both. Jill Mansell never fails to entertain. This book is beautifully narrated which makes such a difference to the pleasure of listening to an audio book. This story covers the stories of a wide range of characters of different ages and circumstances which adds to the richness of the writing. One not to miss.

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline Audio for the advance copy of the audiobook version of Promise Me for an honest review.
Jill Mansell can always manage to write a good and enjoyable story. Edgar was a cantankerous bachelor who changed after meeting Lou who came to help him at his house. Lou was so ameniable. Della was a distasteful character, out to play on Edgar's love for her.
Jill Mansell has a gift of making a book enjoyable regardless. This is the first of her books that I've listened to on Audio.
Katherine Press is the narrator and all in all has a very delightful tone. My only criticism is that her voice for 2 of the males, Tom and Edgar, sound very similar and when relaxed, sometimes you find yourself just rewinding to re listen, perhaps another male could do the other character?
This is my first time I have come accross Katherine Press so I maybe wrong? There are gaps where perhaps there could be a music interlude, however being told what chapter your on is extremely useful.
#netgalley #headlineaudio

Sometimes you need to sit down with a book that takes you on a journey away from your chaos, isn’t to complex, but does actually have a storyline. This was one of those books. Real people in storybook form. I loved the characters, the writer style and I really enjoyed having this book read to me via the audiobook. A great relaxing escape.

Jill Mansell is just the Queen of light hearted romance! She's my absolute go to, never fails me 😍 The second time I've been approved to read her work before publication day and the second time I've loved it.
Edgar and Captain Oates absolutely melted my heart and gave me small town A Man Called Ove vibes. Who doesn't love reading about a grumpy old man and his grumpy dog?!
And although it was a slow burn friends to lovers trope, I was sooo happy when we starting getting some of Remys POV and that romance started coming together.

Absolutely loved this audiobook. Amazing narration, brilliant heart warming yet heart breaking plot…I would love a sequel.