I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. As always, an honest review.

The main characters, Dovey and Jo, survived the tornado in Tupelo that killed so many. They're both searching and caring for their family in the aftermath of this terrible tragedy. Dovey is African American and Jo is white, living in the southern states in the 1930s. Their lives are very different, but connected in so many ways before the tornado occurred. And even more so afterwards. This historical fiction novel tells the story of people dealing with the terrible aftermath of the storm, over the period of a week.

I enjoyed Promise by Minrose Gwin for it's in depth perspective of this historical event, great character development and insight, and unique lovely writing style. I do wish there was a bit more focus on the entire tragic event as a whole, not just focusing on those two characters mainly.

Focusing mainly on Dovey and Jo's perspective made the story feel a bit unbalanced at times. I wish there were more references to the historical aspect of the tornado, not just those two stories. Also, it was a slower read for me.

I enjoyed that the stories were told without giving labels to things. For example, the mom most likely had postpartum depression, but it is never labeled as that. Instead, she is described as being sad, lethargic, and minimally caring for her baby. I also appreciated the writing style; wonderfully descriptive and a perfect mix of dream like and practical. The character descriptions and development along the way makes the story.

In general, I enjoyed the historical fiction novel, Promise by Minrose Twin. The story gives a voice and perspective to the people often ignored in the terrible tornado of Tupelo.