A pleasant read which won't exactly set the world alight, well not my world anyway, but one that has a certain slow and subtle charm.
A dual timeline story flitting between 1940 and the present day, we learn about Constance rescuing a pilot from the loch by the house at Invermoray, and years later Kate takes on a job at the same house, trying to rescue it from debt.
Constance is a privileged woman fighting against war time constraints and determined to make a difference. She doesn't know how she will achieve this, but whilst escaping the unwanted clutches of amorous Henry at her 21st birthday celebrations, she finds herself bravely saving the life of Matthew when his plane falls from the sky.
Meanwhile Kate gets off to a bad start in her new job when it turns out the man she nearly ran over finding her way to Invermoray House is none other than the son of Liz who hired her. Things are frosty between Kate and James but slowly they begin to work at keeping the house afloat as a B&B. To do this they delve into the history of the house and its former occupants, intrigued by portraits, local more and some names in a family bible.
This is the link between the two generations and we discover how eventful life was in 1940 for Constance, her brother Douglas and the wounded airman Matthew who Constance hides in an out of the way cottage.
There is happiness and sadness, a shock discovery or two and relationships between couples that seem doomed from the outset.
A reasonably interesting book, if somewhat predictable in places, but if you like historical fiction combined with a light read, this could be the book for you!

Two stories, two women in two different time periods. This is a story that starts in 1940 in Scotland. Constance is sitting by the Loch when she hears what she thinks is a Spitfire plane with engine trouble. The plane goes down and Constance swims out to rescue the pilot. She gets him to shore and takes him to a little carriage house on the property... And from there her story begins.

In 2020 Scotland, Kate is on her way to Invermoray House for a new job to help the house attract more visitors. She is looking for something different in her life.

At the start of this book, I wondered how the author was going to be able to tie both stories together but she did it masterfully! What she has created is a wonderful story full of secrets, betrayal, love and best of all redemption!!

Thank you to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for a eARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a lovely book! Enjoyed even more due to being set in my area which is quite rare for up here!!
Loved the 2 different era stories and although I predicted the reveal with Matthew, I still really enjoyed it. Actually doubted my prediction a few times so the author did well to keep it guessing. A real feel good book that’s really enjoyable to read.

Many Thanks to Net Galley, Avon Books UK and Lorna Cook for a chance to review this book.

Invermoray House in Scotland, oh how beautifully did the author bring alive the beauty of this place in Scotland. The loch, the mountains, the highland air, never have I wished so much to be physically present and walk in the shoes of the characters.

In 1940, the war is raging on and Constance has escaped the party hosted for her 21st birthday when she sees an aircraft crashing into the loch and she jumps in to save the pilot. She takes the pilot Mathew to the empty ghillie’s cottage in her property where she is requested to keep his presence a secret. Out of the goodness of her heart and fearing his mental stability, Constance agrees to keep the promise which has far reaching repercussions and never imagined consequences.

In the present day 2019, Kate a successful PR has had trouble at her work and to escape the belittling and embarrassment, searches for a new job and gets appointed by Liz the owner of Invermoray House to convert it into a B&B. James, Liz’s son who is also in the house trying to save the roof from collapsing is not keen about Kate’s presence and is hostile initially.

The story is enchanting and captivating as along with Kate who wonders about the heirs to Invermoray house Constance and her brother Douglas, we can’t help but turn the pages to know about the fateful night in September 1940 and to know what destiny had in store for Mathew. I loved how the author has developed the romance in a slow and sweet manner that one can’t help but fall in love with both the couples. The Invermoray village and its friendly inhabitants induces warmth and there’s a mellow feeling at the end of final chapter in the book.

For all fans of Kate Morton who love dilapidated houses, dual time story lines, with family mysteries and romance should definitely check this book out.Recommended!

I started reading this book while locked down at home, desperate to live vicariously through the pages of a book, traveling through time and countries. The Forbidden Promise was exactly what I needed and then some, and I'm so happy I decided to read it when I did. It was so engaging, flipping back and forth from present day to 1940, in the midst of WWII. What is it about that time period that draws us? Is it the sadness of war that you don't want to witness but can't look away from? Is it the certainty of lost love as soldiers say goodbye to those they hold most dear? I think for me it is the lessons to be learned and the reminder that humanity exists even in the darkest of times.

2020
Kate is desperate for a new job. Having left her last position with what felt like a scarlet letter on her coat pocket, innocent though she may be, she needed a fresh start somewhere else. Arriving at Invermoray House in the middle of nowhere Scotland, things don't start out quite as planned. The place is eyeballs deep in debt, and Kate doesn't know where to begin with fixing it up for visitors in time to avoid selling. And then there's the owner's son, gruff on a good day and downright rude on his worst, they don't mix well. It's a place of renewal for her, but for James, it's his home.
1940
Constance McLay just wants to be useful, but her mother says ladies don't work, even during a war. During her birthday celebration, Constance escapes to the loch in time to see a small plane crash into her loch. She saves the pilot, discovering that he is a RAF officer and in desperate need of hiding. He has no intention of rejoining the war, and Constance finds herself reluctant to see him go. As they grow closer, the situation becomes more dangerous, because their love is certain to be doomed. Not only is Constance worried she may not see him again, but the pilot isn't all he seems to be.

I absolutely loved how Lorna Cook wrote this story. It was so cleanly written, even with the frequent switch between years. It was easy to follow, and I found myself eager for both stories. Oftentimes I find myself drawn to one or the other, so I skim one time period. However, I was thoroughly engaged in both, and I wanted a happy ending for all involved. There were so many emotions that came up inside me - happiness, disappointment, love, pain. It's like you're reading about someone who is sitting right next to you. You feel connected. Kate and James were a great couples, almost an enemies to lovers story. I loved their relationship development, because it felt so real and didn't move too fast. Constance and Matthew were almost instantly connected, a bond forged from a traumatic event but as strong as if they had loved each other for years. It was magical but also one I knew was going to come crashing down at some point. It was both inspiring and heartbreaking.

This was my first book by this author, but it certainly won't be my last! I loved every page.

**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**

I enjoyed this second book by Lorna Cook as much as I enjoyed her first.
Set in ww2 and present day it tells the story of matthew and Constance in 1940 and James and Kate in present day.
Central to the story is a house and a secret and it is set in the highlands of scotland

In 1940 war rages against Europe, but Invermoray House is at peace. On the night of Constance’s twenty first birthday she is the only person to see a spitfire crash into the loch. She promised to keep the pilot hidden and safe - but what will it cost her?

In 2020 Kate accepts a job in the highlands, and tries to turn Invermoray into a luxury bed and breakfast, only to find that the estate is in worse trouble than she had imagined. When she discovers that the house has a murky history, with Constance McLays name struck off its records, she knows she wants to find out what happened in the past and why.

The two timelines work really well together, as each chapter in one timeline finished, it was continued in the other straight away so was very easy to follow.
I enjoyed the storyline too, this not being my usual genre it was nice to read something easy going. My first book by this author and I’m looking forward to reading more. A very enjoyable read.

This is a dual timeline story, one is of WWII, and the other is in present-day Scotland. I preferred the current day's timeline of our leading lady (Kate) is working towards making an old Scottish castle more lucrative for its owners. The other is of a girl on the brink of adulthood who doubts her own capacity to actually do something and feeling at a loss during the war. There is a romantic angle for both women in the tale as well. 

For someone like me who has read quite a few of these dual timeline books (and only because of that), there was nothing new in the tale. The writing was smooth, the characters vivid, and that made the reading worth the time, but I was not too impressed by the twist. It came too late in the older timeline, and by that time, it seemed to be the only possible angle that it could have gone for the situation to be what it was in the current timeline. In fact, I would have preferred more focus on the actual steps and time spent in converting the castle to a working B&B and even lesser time spent in 1940. I recommend this to those like me, who like dual timelines with a war/troubled background and easy like or dislike( the villains of the piece) characters. 

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.