The Promise of Wonder

by Katherine Webb

A tragic accident. A misguided accusation. Are some mistakes unforgivable?

England, 1889. In her family’s rambling manor house in Dorset, fifteen-year-old Theodora Hallewell dreams of magic, adventure, and Toby Meriwether. As Toby prepares to leave for university, Theo plans a midnight gathering—one last chance to make Toby notice her. By dawn, a tragic mistake will shatter the world as they know it.

Years later, Toby has built a respectable life in London, scarred by the past but determined to put it behind him. Theo, struggling with the aftermath of what happened, has begun to fear that the life she has built is more fragile—and far more dangerous—than she ever imagined. Both live under the shadow of that fateful night—until a startling discovery casts what happened in a whole new light, and offers a chance to right the wrongs that have haunted them for so long.

Spanning three decades, The Promise of Wonder is a spellbinding story of lost love, atonement, and the long journey towards forgiveness.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Mystery, Historical, Romance, British Literature

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2026

About the author

I was born in Kent in 1977 and grew up in rural Hampshire before reading History at Durham University. History remains a passion, and I write character-led mystery dramas, often with historical settings. I love to explore the way past events can reverberate in the present, and I'm fascinated by the vast grey areas in human morality and behaviour.

My debut novel 'The Legacy' was voted viewers' choice for Best Summer Read on the Channel 4 TV Book Club in 2010, and was nominated for Best New Writer at the National Book Awards in the same year. Subsequently, 'The Unseen','A Half Forgotten Song' and 'The Misbegotten' were all Sunday Times Top Ten bestsellers, and my books have been translated into 24 languages around the world.

Reviews

[Mary Jane]

At first, the story was a bit hard to get into but I hung with it and found it to be pretty intriguing. However, when I came to the end, I was honestly angry - it feels like a money grab to me (as I saw in another review). In the past, when I have read trilogies, they either continued on with the same characters, or at least picked up at some future point. This ending was abrupt and very unsatisfying. I will not be reading the rest of the trilogy and will be hesitant to read this author again.

[Jean Holtz · Rating 2 out of 5]

disappointed

Ending???? Truly disappointing. It felt like jumping off of a cliff with no real reason or literary purpose relative to the plot

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been awhile since I wrote a review (life and work just got busy), but I am always reading. I got this book as part of First Reads. I might have seen it was a trilogy, but the synopsis was the reason I picked it. Many reviewers are upset that the booked ended abruptly. Well, it’s a trilogy, so you need to books 2 & 3. I loved the style of the author’s writing. It’s really got an old world feel. If you like reading Jane Austen and such, the writing style will appeal. You don’t often get that feel with historical fiction these days and that’s mostly what I read. I also felt a gothic theme throughout, which I quite liked too. As a teen I got my start with adult novels with authors like Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney, the rain lashed cliff with the female protagonist standing dangerously close to the edge. This author has done an excellent job of bringing in the themes of the day, the disparity of the classes, the unfair judicial system, women’s suffrage, so everything ties in very well. I have pre-ordered book 2 and will eagerly wait until September to find out what happens with the Hallewell cast of characters. Oh, and lest I forget Uncle Crudge was a favorite character!

[Deborah McCabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing ending!

Such a disappointing ending! Do I have to read the sequel?! I loved the story and the characters but was left with no resolution!

[Sue Bloomfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be reflective of its time in terms of the justice system and the treatment of women. I’m sure by the end of the trilogy the protagonists will have achieved justice and their desired outcomes but, for me, this was far too depressing. I kept reading expecting some lighter moments but these did not materialise; I will not be tempted to seek out the ending.

[Kathi Cash · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfinished!

You read the whole book looking for hope and a solution in a very dark book and then you have to pay for another book to get the rest of the story. Not I. No thank you.

[Heidi (MinxyD14)]

*May 2026 Amazon Prime First Read

[Andrew Potter-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was a good book, but slightly too boring! I do want to read the other 2 though cause I am curious!

[AF Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s very few books I’ve ever read that make me regret the time lost to reading it. Sadly, this is one of the books that I regret losing the total of a day time in the reading of it.
I certainly won’t read the next books in the series, especially if I can’t count on the fact that they move faster than the first one - and oh, what a spaghetti bowl of characters.

There are several characters in the story like Audrey and Uncle Crudge that are likable enough and sympathetic enough, but I found Audrey‘s dithering rather annoying. Did she have a hard life, yes, she did. Toby was a whining bore. Theo‘s mother Diana was a rather ugly piece of marble sanctuary for all the warm and joy that came out of her. Theo’s husband, the good doctor felt like a cross between a spider and a serpent, didn’t like him at all.

The story didn’t move. It dragged, and dragged and dragged. I kept waiting for something to approve for something to happen after all the stage setting that sort of thing got done, but it never did. Other characters were introduced in and out to no real end.

I will own that this book was well written at a decent editor in terms of grammar punctuation, vocabulary, and that sort of thing. But the writer fell in love with each and every word and couldn’t barely get rid of any of them to move the story along, and I don’t like the fact I have to read the next book to find out more, especially when the first one is so hard to get through to begin with.

I’m sorry, Miss Webb – I’ve read other of your books and enjoy them. But this is not one of them.

[Mary Sue Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Read

At first I was unimpressed by this book. It took me awhile to get interested. After several chapters it was difficult to. Put down. Now I'm anxious to read book 2. It takes place during the late 1800's. It begins with a tragic accident which happened during a childish escapade.
The consequences of the accident result in years of struggle and unhappiness for the main characters. I highly recommend.

[Maureen Loesch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have given 5 stars if book didn't end so abruptly. Also disappointed that the next book in trilogy will not be available until September. First read by this Author but look forward to reading some of her other books.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

1900’s medical dilemma

This fictional story starts out slow but gains momentum as the characters develop. It struck me as a romance novel when I first started to read it. I dislike romance stories wrapped up as historical fiction but then the story became a medical mystery. I appreciate the suppled historical background at the end of book 1. I now await the conclusion of the dilemma.

[Debbie Crease · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable but uncomfortable read. Unusual to other books because I could not predict correctly what was going to happen at the end.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe this rating isn't fair. It's a good story -- although it drags out a bit. Theo experiences a childhood tragedy for which she feels responsible, and as a result of which her relationships with the other children in the village and the household is irrevocably damaged. Or is it?

We suffer as readers through 400-odd pages and the story ends mid-chapter. Literally. A shameless device, no doubt, to have us all run and pre-order installment number 2. Then there is a small preview of said volume 2, which also offers not even a tiny resolution to any of a number of connected characters. Should I care?

If it's free on first reads, maybe. But most likely not. If Ms. Webb wants to learn how to write a multi-novel epic story, I recommend she check out Paullina Simons' Tatiana & Alexander. Three incredibly long and riveting novels THAT CAN BE READ AND STAND ON THEIR OWN INDIVIDUALLY, yes, even out of order.

I guess you get my point. Not worth the effort until the other one is available...

[Jessica Meadows · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very sweet and had the potential to be a nice love story, but the ending was so abrupt I had to flip through the pages to make sure I hadn’t somehow missed something. It wasn’t a cliffhanger. It just ended almost mid-sentence. So awkward. I felt like it was supposed to MAKE me buy the next book, not make me WANT to buy the book. It felt very manipulative. I want read the rest of the trilogy.

[Marilyn Lablaiks · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Bit of a Slog

This book was definitely not a page turner. I put it down several times hoping it would get better. It didn't but I forced myself to finish it. The writing style was stilted in an attempt to recreate the atmosphere of the late 1800's. The heroine was constantly collapsing with nervous vapors and threatening to vomit due to anxiety and misplaced guilt that made little sense. The hero was full into the progressive movement in a prescient way a member of the Fabian society but like the doctor (husband of our distraught heroine) prone to anger and fits of displaced fault finding. Finally there was no evidence of wonder or its promise so the title made no sense. And in case you were wondering (no pun intended) book 1 ended with no ending as an inducement to buy the entire trilogy. I suggest a hard pass on that inducement.

[CJ Burmeister · Rating 2 out of 5]

What A Deal!

This is s!owest book I have ever read (but I always finish what I start) and then on top of my finishing it - to find it had no ending - well that took what ever was good right out the window!!! I would not suggest reading it to anyone. Although knowing this ahead of actually reading - it might
make more sense. What a waste of my time!!!

[MS S CASTLE · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still waiting to find the wonder

The story is well written and flows well but is utterly depressing and has no outcome. It just wanders aimlessly from one tragedy to the next seemingly without hope it release. Can't face reading the next book along. Sorry.

[CELIA · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really?

After ploughing all through the tedium of this, to find it not ended, is infuriating. Ok, I was warned it was a trilogy but I expected each one to have a start and an end. I certainly won't read the next two.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️ - I went back and forth between 2 and 3 stars. But I think ultimately it leans toward a 2. The story started out great. It was entertaining and the characters were interesting. I enjoyed the sense of wonder Theo had, and how kind she was to her friends, despite her mom being awful. But then the tone of the story changed, and I kept reading in hopes there would be a redemption story or some sort of resolution. There was none. Instead, I read the characters having the same interactions with each other over a decade. Theo became a shell of a character, no longer interesting. Toby’s storyline was so slow, I found myself skimming page after page. 400 pages and I am suppose to read another book to get answers? I am no longer interested.

I do want to give credit to the author… I think her writing ability is excellent. The book was well written, and the language the characters used felt true to the time. For me, I just did not enjoy the story or the way it ended (or rather didn’t end).

[Rachel Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I Can't Even

This book builds around so many stories, and after reading over 400 pages, NOT ONE of those stories even comes close to some sort of conclusion. I have to purchase the next book to hopefully find out anything.

[Denise & Paul Cables · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining but Incomplete

Good storytelling, but I feel cheated as the book ended without a real conclusion. Maybe it’s just a trend for new books, but it feels more like disappointing bait and switch than a good read.

[Laine · Rating 2 out of 5]

WHAT a couple of sad sacks the two main characters Theo and Toby are - starting in childhood and only getting worse as they age without actual maturity occurring. Their youth is blighted by a tragedy for which both bear some responsibility. A continuing unhealthy obsession with each other, hers verging on hysteria, his repressed spoils any chance of a happy marriage to anyone else. One wonders how they ever inspired friendly feelings in surrounding characters as both give off the fumes of autism or at least severely curtailed sociability. She is particularly effete, incapable of even setting up her own household, letting her mother decorate in a style she doesn't even like but staying buried in books, forever talking about wanting a bigger life but not lifting a finger to achieve it.

Her mother describes her dismal affect to a t:
Diana sighed "Please tell me you're more animated than this at home. Poor Ralph. It can be exhausting you know."
"What can?"
"Your" - she waved her hand. "Melancholia. Doldrums, whatever you like to call it".
"I don't call it anything. It's only the way I am".

Yes, and the way Theo is presents a chore to read about, let alone live with, aggravated by two unfortunate miscarriages. The diagnosis of depression can be made in someone if being with them drags one's own mood down. By this criterion, the author has certainly succeeded in making depressive Theo authentic.

Meanwhile Toby can't figure out what to do after graduating university with high standing achieved through robotic work habits. A friend with lower marks but higher EQ whose sister Toby inadvisedly proposed to got him his first job. What the siblings see in this closed off cipher is a mystery. He's also a terrible son, nursing his own shame and grief instead of being a support to his bereaved parents. Eventually the sister gives up on him but her kindhearted brother Tom still reaches out a helping hand without which Toby would likely perish in a London that can be cruel to the ineffectual. He was so stupid he thought his mean lodgings would be held for him without rent paid or word sent for 2 months? Also, the trope of an unread letter diverting lives was turned into a sheaf of letters written by Theo to Toby that he refused to read yet kept to open years later and arrive too late at the understanding that he had wronged her.

Theo's husband who starts out the perfect swain is revealed to be flawed, then downright villainous - an abuser no less and medical megalomaniac. At first the reader like Theo herself wonders if her frigidity toward him, unable to return his love corroded him but by the end of the book he's monstrous and the age makes her an abused, cuckolded, trapped wife who nevertheless is sleuthing to establish that his malpractice cost two lives in that fateful youthful tragedy. Concurrently feminism, mistreatment of gays and fabian socialism start to take centre stage.

This novel turned very dark Thomas Hardyesque and dismal enough that I have ZERO desire to read the 2 planned sequels.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is sad. A lot of sad things and not many happy things happen in the book. The story follows Theo and Toby, two childhood friends who are broken apart by tragic events and social standings, as they navigate coming of age. Toby is going to university and Theo is becoming an adult woman, with all of the social pressures of the time. This book is set towards the end of the 1800s with lots of interesting social commentary and glimpses into different parts of life in England at the time.

Most of Toby's sections were kind of boring and I just pushed through them to see if he would come back to Hallewell to confront Theo, but alas. Both of their lives just keep getting worse in different ways.

As other readers have pointed out, the "ending" is not an ending- this is the first book of a trilogy and the next book comes out in September, so this one ended on a cliffhanger. I grew up on trilogies and series-es and I personally love a cliffhanger! It leaves me wanting to read the next one. A few people said it felt cash-grabby, but I think that may just be the nature of a series? Either way, I did pre-order the second book so I can read it right away!

The rest of the review will be hidden as it spoils basically everything.

In the beginning of the story, when the accident with Kit and Missy occurs, I was baffled by her passing. None of it made sense to me that a hit on the head with a rock would kill her, until you get towards the end and it becomes apparent that medicine in this time was experimental and the doctor was not willing to admit his fault in the matter. I think this was written in this way so that we would not know the big reveal too early, but I found it frustrating and kind of unbelievable.

Me having no knowledge of how persons with disabilities were treated in this timeframe and place, I was saddened by the whole murder trial and lack of sympathy from all involved. If this is truly how things were, and not just exaggerated for an interesting/shocking story, it breaks my heart to consider the people who were treated badly for an age before we began trying to understand them and treat them as regular people like they deserve.

Theo's relationship with the doctor (whose name I completely forgot, which shows how much I didn't like him) was awful. He goes from being a kind doctor to her friend (so we thought) to being a monster who abuses his wife and blames her for her miscarriages. The slow revelation that he was basically experimenting on Missy and that her death was more his fault than anyone else's was really heartbreaking, and while not shocking, it was a really nice and satisfying twist for me as the reader.

Her relationship with her mother was equally heartbreaking - her mother was more concerned with reputation than her child's well being, which I'm sure was accurate to the time period, but she was very cold and cruel to her daughter. Having her drugged up to keep her under control was also so awful. When reading that section you could really feel the mental anguish it was causing, especially in the way it was misconstrued to Toby, thinking she didn't care about his brother's trial. I think that the drugs and the traumas over the years caused her to hold on to her crush on Toby, no matter how hard she tried to suppress it.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Some sections were definitely too slow (most of Toby's), and some sections were so gripping that I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't able to read more. I'm really looking forward to the next book!

[Alison Monaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up almost on a whim through Kindle First Reads, fully expecting a pleasant but forgettable historical novel, and ended up completely absorbed by it.

This was one of those books that quietly snuck up on me. The pacing was excellent. The novel never rushed its many storylines, instead taking the time to carefully build the world, relationships, and social tensions in a way that felt natural and deeply immersive. By the second half, I flew through it.

What worked especially well for me was the complexity of the characters and their circumstances. I did not always like every character, but their decisions, flaws, and growth consistently felt believable and rooted in the realities of their lives. The book made room for people to evolve over time rather than forcing dramatic transformations or easy resolutions, which made me even more invested in where the story was taking them.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the depth of the themes woven throughout the novel, particularly women’s suffrage, class rights, the ethics of medical experimentation, and shifting social dynamics.

What impressed me most was how purposeful the novel felt. Nothing seemed gratuitous or superfluous. The themes, character arcs, and historical details all emerged naturally from the story rather than feeling imposed on top of it. The book trusted its readers enough not to be heavy-handed, and the result was a story that felt immersive, emotionally grounded, and deeply coherent.

I have seen some readers describe the ending as abrupt, but that was not my experience at all. This is clearly the opening movement of a larger story, and the novel ends at a moment of emotional and thematic transformation rather than neat resolution. The characters arrive at new understandings of themselves, their circumstances, and the systems shaping their lives, and I found that deeply satisfying.

More importantly, the ending left me genuinely eager to continue with the trilogy, not because of artificial cliffhangers, but because I am now deeply invested in these characters and the lives unfolding around them. I want to see what choices they make next, who they become over time, who else enters their worlds, and how these storylines continue to evolve across the larger arc of the trilogy.

After several recent reads that felt more interested in twists or atmosphere than coherence, this was such a satisfying reminder of how compelling a well-constructed story can be.

Very much looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.

[Joanna Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set during the late 1800s, The Promise of Wonder begins as fifteen year old Theodora Halewell (Theo) arranges a midnight gathering. Obsessed with magic and mysticism, Theo organises a gathering of friends on Midsummer’s Eve, including Toby Meriweather, hoping the spirits will show her the future; one hopefully linked to him. Unfortunately, things go badly wrong, and as a result someone dies and Toby’s brother Kit is arrested and charged with murder. Because of this, Theo loses his friendship for ever. The events of that evening are destined to set them both on different paths.
I found the beginning of this story very sad, and a reflection of how the justice system in those times was totally inflexible and sometimes very cruel. Toby leaves for Durham university holding Theo responsible for what has happened to his brother, vowing never to see her again. Four years later, hearing Toby is engaged and lost to her forever, Theo accepts Dr Ralph Anscombe’s proposal. Her husband seems a good choice, but as time progresses it is clear he is a controlling individual, inclined to violent outbursts and bullying. He has also hidden the truth from her regarding what happened on Midsummer’s Eve all those years ago..
I was gripped by this story which continually switches from Theo to Toby as we dip in and out of their lives. Theo is a strong heroine, despite her unhappy marriage and how little she has in the way of rights as a wife. It doesn’t help that she has a total lack of support from her mother Diana, a horrible woman. Toby makes friends in Durham University, but his life is blighted by the death of his brother, and he never fulfils his potential. The Promise of Wonder ended with Theo discovering Ralph's deception and swearing to right the miscarriage of justice that lost Kit his life. Looking forward to September and the second book in the series - The Echo of Loss - which I have already pre-ordered.
A wonderful read and highly recommended

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of The Promise of Wonder in exchange for an honest review.

[Lucy Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for providing me with an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Promise of Wonder was an engaging historical audiobook that ultimately earned 4 out of 5 stars from me.

One of the highlights was the dual narration. I really enjoyed having separate narrators for Theo and Toby’s chapters, as it gave each character their own distinct voice and made it easy to follow the alternating perspectives.

I also found the themes fascinating, particularly the exploration of medical advancements during the 19th century. It was interesting to see how these developments were woven into the story and the impact they had on the characters.

I will admit this was a slow starter for me. For quite a while I found myself wondering where the story was heading and how everything would come together. However, it is absolutely worth persevering. As the novel progresses, the pace picks up considerably, and I became much more invested in the characters and their journeys.

This isn’t a romance, despite what the title might suggest. Instead, it’s a character-driven story that focuses on personal growth, ambition, hardship, and the lives of Theo, Toby, and those around them.

The ending leaves readers with a cliffhanger, which isn’t usually my favourite way for a book to finish. That said, after everything these characters endure, I can’t help but imagine that Theo eventually found the happiness she deserved. The fact that I’m still thinking about the characters after finishing is a testament to Katherine Webb’s writing.

I’m definitely left wanting more, and for me, that’s always the sign of a story that’s worth reading.

[Deanna Loves to Read!!:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars rounded up!

Oh, man! It happened again. After reading this story and getting to the end, I was surprised at how abrupt the ending felt. Then I discovered that this is the first book in a series of 3- the other two still need to be written. So...

Theodora and Toby were friends in their childhood. As they get a little older (but still in their teens) they begin to have deeper feelings for each other. One night before Theo is to leave for university, tragedy occurs and the two are separated and dealing with the trauma of that night.

There is a lot of guilt, lies and deception in this book. It has a very heavy and dark atmosphere. There is a bit of a mystery in discovering what happened. As the two main characters lives go forward in different directions, I was interested to see if they would meet again. But the journey to the end of the book was long and very heavy, and seemed to continue in this dark vein with little to no moments of levity. I feel that the characters needed a little more rounding out so we could get a real feel about who they were. Was I interested in what would happen? Yes! But by the time I got to the end, I was left with a lot of questions and no answers! Not sure that I will read the other two that are coming.


Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Laurence Riendeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

This started off feeling very YA to me (I'm not sure if it actually is), which wasn't what I was expecting. Surprisingly though, I found it quite interesting from the start. I'm not convinced I would have enjoyed reading it physically, but it worked well as an audiobook to have on in the background in the beginning anyway.

The story is incredibly tragic, and that ended up being my biggest issue with it. I kept listening because I wanted things to improve for the characters, but everything seemed to keep getting worse and worse. I felt for the characters, but I never really connected with them and so I was never fully invested either. By the end, I felt like the story had spent a lot of time setting up what comes next rather than delivering enough payoff on its own. I understand why, but it wasn't enough to make me want to continue the series.

With that being said, I liked both narrators, and although I found it a bit strange to have two narrators for a story written in third person, I have no negative comments on the production of the audiobook.

Overall, this wasn't a bad audiobook, but it was a little too bleak for my taste, and I'm happy to move on to something lighter.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC. All thoughts are my own.

[Sherry Chiger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up from 2.5 stars

Rather than ending the story, "The Promise of Wonder" just stops. No resolution, nothing. I get that it's a trilogy, but most books I've read that were part of a trilogy were to some degree self-contained; I walked away at least somewhat satisfied with where things stood as well as intrigued as to what was next. The abruptness of this ending provided no satisfaction and feels more like a cash grab than anything else.

If the book had been more pleasurable to read, maybe I wouldn't feel shortchanged regarding the effort I took to finish it. It's not a bad book, and the setting kept my interest, but protagonist Toby was a damp squib, with Theo somewhat more engaging. Again, I understand depression and passivity often result from trauma and that presenting these in a way that's interesting without being sensationalistic is a challenge. However, when presented in such a monotonous way, as it is here, I don't really want to read about. The book could easily have been tightened, which probably would have heightened the emotional impact—though it then probably couldn't be sold as three books (see "cash grab" above).

Thank you, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.