Author: Liv Constantine
Publisher: Bantam/Ballantine
Publication Date: August 18, 2026
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I've read a number of Liv Constantine books, including the Mrs. Parrish trilogy, and I came to Promise Me Never hoping for more of that same compulsive storytelling. What I got, unfortunately, was something that felt like a step down — a gothic domestic thriller with an intriguing setup that takes far too long to deliver on its promise and is ultimately disappointing.
The premise is genuinely compelling. Aspiring writer Savannah meets and marries her literary idol, the celebrated horror novelist Bennett Bryson, and moves into his remote upstate home — only to find herself increasingly isolated, controlled, and haunted by the memory of his first wife, Poppy, who died under mysterious circumstances. The ingredients for sustained dread are all there: the brooding, secretive husband, the shadow of the dead first wife, the whispered warnings.
The problem is pacing. For roughly the first half of the book, very little of consequence happens. The tension that should be quietly ratcheting up instead feels stalled, and I'll be honest — had I not been committed to writing this review, I'm not sure I would have pushed past the midpoint. When the novel finally begins to accelerate, it does so in two sharp lurches: a significant twist at around the 80% mark, and a larger one near the end. Both were difficult to swallow. Promise Me Never is a middling thriller that feels underpowered.
A big thank you to Bantam/Ballantine and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#PromiseMeNever #NetGalley
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