Blog Tour – Heartache on West India Dock Road

“West India Dock Road is battered. It is ravaged. And yet still, it is standing. Still it keeps on keeping on.”

Despite being a lover of historical saga fiction, this third instalment of the series was my first visit to West India Dock Road. With well established, tight-knit characters who clearly have rich individual and collective histories, I felt as though I was arriving very late to a party which has been in full swing for a while. However, it’s a party that I’m definitely glad to be part of now.

My introduction to West India Dock Road came through the eyes of Ruth, a fellow newbie to the area, who received a heartfelt welcome which was as warm as Divya’s delicious cooking. Curling up in this Winter weather and entering Divya’s curry house, aka the epicentre of West India Dock Road, felt like being enveloped in a warm hug, and I could practically smell the delicious spices wafting out of the pages.

Although this book is an instalment of the West India Dock Road series, I was surprised that the first half of the plot takes place in Germany, paving the way for Ruth’s eventful journey to the East End. This was very much a pleasant surprise however, as this was a really gripping and, at times, genuinely emotional story that I couldn’t put down. It feels strange to say that such a tragic sequence of events was my favourite part of this book, but it was so thoughtfully written and filled with so many unexpected twists and turns that I couldn’t stop turning the pages and really felt as though I were a fly on the wall, experiencing these dramatic events in real time with the characters.

“Our narrow East End streets might be brutal but they are also full of community and camaraderie. “

After following Ruth’s incredible journey, I was relieved to arrive at West India Dock Road, although I was naïve to think that this meant the plot would become smooth sailing. This particular area of the East End may be a tight-knit community, the inhabitants of which care deeply about one another, but as with anywhere, prejudice and divide find ways to sneak into the cracks and put down their ugly roots.

“The world may be at war, but that doesn’t stop the hatred, the prejudice.”

I was shocked when some undertones of prejudice began bubbling up between members of this well-established community, even more so when they snowballed into outright division and hatred towards one another. However, without spoiling the plot for anyone who is yet to read this book, as Charity and Divya in particular both navigated these challenges, found their confidence and fiercely stood up for themselves (and those closest to them), I was practically punching the air in triumph by the time I turned the last page. I may be a newcomer to this series, but if there is one thing that was made abundantly clear to me, it’s that West India Dock Road has produced an array of headstrong, fiercely independent women who are never afraid to stand up for what is right; and I can’t wait to find out what’s in store for them next. Particularly, as this story ends with the return of someone who has clearly played an integral role in previous plots and, if suspicion serves me right, definitely has a bigger part to play as this story continues to unfold.

“They are quick to judge, and even quicker to gossip. They are brash. But they are also fiercely loyal. They care deeply and love wholeheartedly.”

Heartache on West India Dock Road

1941 – Amid the bombs falling over London’s East End, the residents of West India Dock Road endure wartime with courage, defiance and a good dose of humour.

From nights spent sheltering together in the Underground station to sharing gossip, pastimes and meals, they lean on each other as their world is turned upside down.

Since the bombing of her family’s boarding house, Charity has held her loved ones together, and now, with her heart set on becoming a ‘sugar girl’ working for Tate & Lyle, she’s determined to forge a new path, despite prejudice about her relationship with the Indian soldier she loves.

Her best friend Divya serves up warmth and spice in her beloved curry house, but is hiding a secret that grows more urgent with each passing day. What will happen when it is revealed?

Ruth is a newcomer, recently arrived from wartorn Europe and haunted by the atrocities she’s experienced. On West India Dock Road she finds not just refuge but an unlikely family.

As heartache affects them all and bonds are tested, can these three women find hope and happiness, even in the darkest of times?

Purchase Link –
https://mybook.to/HeartacheWestIndiaDock

Author Bio –

Renita d’Silva is an award-winning author of historical fiction, often set partly in India, where she is from.

Facebook: @RenitaDSilvaBooks

Twitter: @RenitaDSilva

Instagram: @Renita_dsilva

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Blog Tour – Changing Seasons for the Country Nurse

“This was her safe haven, her shelter from the storm, and right now, she felt as if she wanted to stay forever.”

I love Autumn. Crunchy leaves, bonfires, layering up with big woolly hats and scarves; nothing could be cosier. That is, until I entered the kitchen of Ingleside Surgery. As Nurse Lara Flynn would enter the old stone cottage and sit down for a pot of tea by the warm aga, surrounded by the tightly knit (albeit slightly eclectic) group of doctors, nurses, and of course Mrs H the housekeeper, it felt like the literary equivalent of being snuggled up in a warm, fuzzy blanket.

That being said, the picturesque village of Ingleside is anything but sleepy. I may be a newcomer, as ‘Changing Seasons’ was the first of the ‘Country Nurse’ series I’ve read, but even from the first few pages it was abundantly clear that drama was bubbling away across every corner of Ingleside and, at times, boiling over entirely. So, whilst it was the warm draw of a quaint Autumnal village that initially drew me to this story, it was the drama, tension and a plot with more twists and turns than Lara’s bicycle route past the saw mill, that kept me furiously turning the pages in a desperate need to find out what happened next.

“I know I’ll have a tough fight on my hands, but, with you lot behind me, it feels easier.”

Following Lara and Marion on their rounds across Ingleside, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the individual characters, their families and their individual stories, all of which are so unique and carefully crafted through Kate Eastham’s fantastic writing. Balancing the complex range of human emotion which underpins the medical profession, against the wider context of 1936, especially that which would encapsulate a relatively isolated and insular village of that time, can’t have been an easy task. However, Kate Eastham balanced this perfectly. My personal favourite character was Dr Bingham; the somewhat erratic and, at times, slightly scary, senior doctor. His development from the tough, no-nonsense boss to the warm, supportive almost father figure of Ingleside Surgery was a joy to read; particularly his wonderfully compassionate approach to a heart-breaking case of post-natal mental illness. In short, we all need a boss like Dr Bingham.

All in all, despite being new to the ‘Country Nurse’ series, I am now absolutely hooked. ‘Changing Seasons’ had me genuinely laughing, crying and feeling every emotion in between as I moved through the exciting yet heart-warming plot. I absolutely loved getting to know this unique mix of characters, and can hardly wait to find out what life has in store for them next.

“She felt boosted by the wonder of it all and, as she turned her face to the pale sun, she knew it would take a drastic happening to keep her from this place.”

Get your copy here – https://mybook.to/ChangingSeasons

Changing Seasons for the Country Nurse

In the quiet Lancashire countryside of 1936, city-trained nurse Lara Flynn must contend with far more than muddy lanes and boisterous farm dogs. Still recovering from a past trauma and an ill-fated love affair, she’s determined to prove herself as a capable district nurse and midwife to a community that doesn’t easily welcome outsiders.

As autumn sets in, Lara becomes a trusted presence at Ingleside Surgery – soothing frightened patients, forming a close bond with her spirited colleague Marion and earning the grudging respect of the erratic but brilliant senior doctor. But behind the laughter and team spirit, shadows loom. There’s loss, secrets buried deep in the hearts of her new friends and a face from her past that threatens everything Lara’s tried to leave behind.

When tragedy strikes a patient – a younger mother with four small children – Lara’s personal strength is tested like never before. Can she dig deep to find hope and healing, not just for those she cares for, but also for herself?

Changing Seasons for the Country Nurse describes the quiet heroism of a woman making a difference, one visit at a time. It’s the perfect read for fans of Call the Midwife and All Creatures Great and Small as well as Donna Douglas and Jean Fullerton.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/ChangingSeasons

Author Bio –

Kate Eastham is the author of heartbreaking wartime historical fiction. Before this, she was a trained nurse and midwife, and spent 20 years working in palliative care. During this time she had the privilege of listening to stories from patients of all ages and backgrounds, many of whom were veterans of the world wars.

Social Media Links

Twitter: @eastham_kate

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/KateEasthamNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-eastham

Review – Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls

“Mr Jack’s going to make an important announcement that will affect the future of the factory – and all of our lives.”

The toffee factory girls are back! The war might be raging on, but it’s no match for their courage and determination. By 1916, and Hetty, Elsie and Anne’s jobs at Mr Jack’s toffee factory in Chester-Le-Street may be more settled, but their home and romantic lives are anything but. Then, just as work seems to be the one stable element of their lives, Mr Jack makes an announcement which throws everything into question. And with sugar rationing crippling the nation, will the factory survive the uncertainty ahead?

As with all of Glenda Young’s fantastic sagas, the main thing which had me itching to know what comes next for our toffee factory girls is the (seemingly) unbreakable bond between Hetty, Elsie and Anne. If there’s one thing Glenda knows how to perfect, it’s writing powerhouse female leads, and the combination of these three heroines had me hooked on the ‘Toffee Factory Girls’ saga from the first instalment. However, as life continues to throw unexpected twists and turns their way, and secrets from their respective pasts threaten to boil over to the present, the bond between these three women is tested to the very limit. Without spoiling anything for those who haven’t yet read ‘Secrets’, I was absolutely rage-turning the pages as it seemed, at points, that the girls might drift apart irreconcilably in light of the huge plot twists which were pushing them in different directions. However, we can all relate to the idea of life getting in the way of our friendships, and I can only imagine how that would have been to experience within the wider throes of war, to say nothing of that huge, age-old and ever looming threat to female friendships – men.

“It felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her feet, but instead of being shaken, she felt very happy indeed.”

To match three such headstrong women, of course readers would never settle for some boring old doormats who fall in step behind them; our girls need male leads who can match their complexity, without overshadowing them. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but once again, Glenda smashed it. I was so pleased to see the return of Dirk and Mr Jack; of course less so to meet Frankie again, but then all great heroes (or in this case heroines) need an equally matched villain, and I continue to thoroughly enjoy the slow burn of sweet, dependable Stan in the background. Although, I’m not sure if I was getting caught up in the suspicion and paranoia of wartime, or if it was just Glenda Young’s great plot development (probably the latter), but I definitely had my guard up around Dirk and Mr Jack this time – something which I never would have expected from the first ‘Toffee Factory Girls’ book. It’s a testament to the great storytelling and plot twists however, that this instalment had me really questioning two such seemingly great and dependable characters which I was already familiar with.

“There’s only one woman I love. With you by my side, we’ll get through this damn war.”

However, as the old saying goes, it all comes out in the wash, and most of our toffee factory girls’ secrets (and those of their respective men) come out in the end, but as always, Glenda Young leaves her readers wanting more. Again, without spoiling anything for those who are yet to read this book, the end was a perfect blend of celebration, resolve and the reunion of our girls, but left me absolutely itching to know what happens next – particularly around whether Anne’s secret will remain out of sight and out of mind. Personally, I’ll be keeping one eye on that sneaky mother in law. But whatever happens next, I know Glenda Young will continue serve intrigue, heartbreak and heroism by the gallon, and if our toffee factory girls face it together, then nothing is unachievable.

“I’ll always stand by you. No matter what happens from now on, we’re a team, all three of us.”

Blog Tour – The Seaside Girls Under Fire

“‘You’d be surprised what wins a war, girls. Courage, bravery, fearlessness. Morale.'”

Cleethorpes, September 1940. Not a place I have previously visited, physically or figuratively, having not been familiar with the ‘Seaside Girls’ saga until this instalment. However, despite Jessie, Ginny and Frances being well established friends, each with their own intricate back-stories, by the time I had finished the first chapters, I felt they had very much welcomed me into their gang.

I love saga novels, although in such a well-established genre it must be really difficult to find ways to keep the stories fresh. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be a problem for Tracy Baines. We saga readers have seen brave women rising to all sorts of challenges in the midst of warfare, but I’ll be honest, I was intrigued to learn more about the experiences of performers during this time period. Singing, dancing and acting might not typically be seen as dangerous or particularly scary professions (unless you’re a massive introvert like me), but having to keep singing, quite literally keeping calm and carrying on, whilst bombs rain down outside the theatre walls, certainly isn’t for the faint hearted. Lucky for us (and London’s West End), Jessie is anything but.

“Sometimes it was hard to tell who were friends, and who were enemies. Sometimes they might be one and the same.”

Even though I was new to this saga, all of the characters had such rich histories and unique details that I instantly felt as though I’d known them for years. Although having said that, the complexity of all the characters certainly keeps the reader on their toes. I would reach a point of thinking I had the plot all worked out, but the author kept dropping little crumbs of mystery like Hansel and Gretel, which kept me guessing until the very end. Whilst all the characters are fantastic in their own way, I had a very love-hate relationship with Adele, who was, dare I say it, possibly my favourite? We’ve all met a version of Adele in some form, and of course we all hate them from the word ‘go’, but it’s a testament to Tracy Baines’ storytelling that I quickly became curious to know more about her journey to the stage, and was intrigued to peel back the layers of her personality whilst trying to anticipate what decision she might make next.

Similarly, Billy is such a well-established ‘baddie’ (albeit a charming one), that even as someone meeting these characters for the first time, I got the measure of him pretty quickly, or so I thought. Without spoiling anything for those who haven’t finished it yet, I must say I love a redemption arc, especially one which was so surprising to me as a newbie, that I can only imagine how much of a twist this will have come as for existing fans of this series. It must be so difficult for authors to keep plots fresh and the readers on their toes, when you have such a well-established story and characters your readers are so familiar with, but that is definitely not the case in this series. I might have been late to the ‘Seaside Girls’ party, but the rich characters and exciting plots which made this instalment un-put-down-able, have me absolutely hooked, and I can’t wait to find out what where life takes Jessie, Ginny and Frances next time.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/underfiresocial

Author Bio –

Tracy Baines is the bestselling saga writer of The Seaside Girls series. She was born and brought up in Cleethorpes and spent her early years in the theatre world which inspired her writing.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @TracyBaines

Twitter: @tracyfbaines

Instagram: @TracyBainesAuthor

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Bookbub profile: @tracyfbaines

Will the war put a stop to the Seaside Girls?

It’s all change for the Seaside Girls…Singer Jessie Delaney has finally got her big break in London’s West End and is determined to make the most of her golden opportunity, even with the start of the Blitz.

Lonely, and lacking the guidance of friends and family, Jessie hopes that seasoned performer Adele Bailey will help her find her feet. But, when fame beckons friendships are tested and loyalties are divided.

Ginny Thompson returns home to Sheffield to care for her sick but abusive father. Will she survive the wrath of her father and the blitz and return to her passion of entertaining the troops on the stage?

Meanwhile, back in Cleethorpes Frances Randolph is busy running the Palace Theatre whilst her husband serves his King and Country wondering if her life in the spotlight is over forever.

Will Jessie make the right choices as she navigates her way to the top – and can Ginny and Frances find their way back to the limelight?

Review – The Toffee Factory Girls

“Some may say I’m ruthless, reckless, a rebel. But all those ingredients, along with the best cream and top-quality sugar, go to make Jack’s toffees the best in the land.”

Chester Le Street, 1915. A war raging on longer than people had predicted, men enlisting in their masses and a huge factory in need of some order, hard work and a rebrand? Get some women in to sort it all out! Hetty, Anne and Elsie make the perfect trio in the first of Glenda Young’s latest trilogy ‘The Toffee Factory Girls’, which has all the ingredients of a gripping and un-putdownable saga; and is wrapped up with intrigue that has left me itching to know what happens next.

No-nonsense, organised Anne was my favourite from the start, but as with all of Glenda’s novels, I found myself constantly re-evaluating me opinions of each character as the story progressed. As a type-A person myself, I instantly related to Anne, but together with ditzy Elsie and dependable Hetty the three girls form a perfect blend of personalities which compliment each other, and are a force to be reckoned with when they work together. Without spoiling anything for those who are yet to read this, it became clear from early in the plot that Anne has a rich back story which I am intrigued to learn more about as the trilogy progresses. Glenda has once again mastered that fine balance of giving enough to really pique the reader’s curiosity, sending the cogs in my imagination whirring as I turned each page, but maintaining the mystery right until the end, which has left the door firmly open for us to (hopefully) delve deeper into her history next time, which I can’t wait for.

“If you want my advice, take happiness where you find it. You never know when your life will be turned upside down.”

One of the main things that I love about Glenda’s novels is the complexity of her characters. Although Anne was initially my favourite, I don’t mind admitting that I was frustrated at some of her treatment towards Hetty and Elsie at times. But, as with autonomous humans in real life, well-written characters seldom do what we want them to, or at least not consistently. Anne is exactly the type of complex female heroine that I have no doubt told Glenda exactly how her story pans out, and not the other way around! Similarly, I took an instant dislike to the somewhat immature Elsie, particularly after her early betrayal of Hetty, but through her complex personal journey throughout the story, I found myself really rooting for her by the time I closed the cover, and can’t wait to see her continue onwards and upwards (hopefully) when we see her again next time. Hetty felt, to me, like the glue which holds the group together, and could easily have become the typical passive ‘best friend’ character, who probably would have been given a back seat in favour of the more vibrant Anne and Elsie by many other authors. However, I presume Glenda is a dab hand at juggling from the way she perfectly balances all three girls’ stories with equal parts of drama, suspense and love. As a feminist it pains me to admit it, but something I really love about Hetty’s story is the bubbling romance, which is even sweeter than the toffees she wraps. But having said that, Hetty strikes me as the kind of girl who has always been overlooked. Expected to put her own wishes and feelings aside in order to support everyone around her, which is what makes her such a loyal friend, so if anyone deserves to have someone notice her and shower her with a bit of love, it’s our Hetty.

Again, as with all of Glenda’s other saga novels, the setting is so vibrant that it’s almost like another protagonist in itself. Despite being relatively local to Chester-Le-Street, I had no idea about the real factory which inspired Jack’s Toffee, but now I almost feel like I’ve been there because it’s described in such vivid detail as the plot progresses. I could practically smell the toffee wafting out of each page turn.

All in all, although ‘The Toffee Factory Girls’ has all the key elements of a typical saga – romance, mystery, feisty heroines and a rich array of background characters who swirl the plot around and keep the reader guessing until the end (and beyond), it certainly stands out from the others on the shelves. Once again, Glenda Young has taken a relatively forgotten and mundane chunk of local history, and given it a rich and exciting new life. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next for The Toffee Factory Girls, because if this first instalment is anything to go by, I know it won’t disappoint.

Review – The Widow’s Choice

“One thing I’ve learnt this past year, is that you don’t ever know what’s around the corner.”

She’s BACK! No, not just the fantastic Nancy Revell, but one of our beloved, fierce and fabulous women welders from Thompson’s.

Of course if you’ve even so much as skimmed over my earlier blog posts, it’s obvious that I (like many, many others) was/am a huge fan of ‘The Shipyard Girls series’, and was therefore waiting with baited breath to see what Nancy had for us next. No pressure there, right? ‘The Shipyard Girls’ was such a huge hit with saga readers, and beyond, so it must have been pretty daunting for Nancy to follow on from. Think The Spice Girls – yes, we eventually got ‘Spice Up Your Life’ which was an absolute bop, but when the first creative success you have is ‘Wannabe’, it’s basically impossible to immediately follow that with something equally brilliant (sorry ‘Say You’ll Be There, you just didn’t cut it for me). So I’ll be honest, I did no background research on ‘The Widow’s Choice’. I decided to approach it completely fresh, tried to put all things ‘Shipyard Girls’ out of my head, opened the pages and prepared to just appreciate it for whatever it was, whether that be another smash or something akin to that slightly less catchy second pop single. However, as always, Nancy knocked it out of the park.

Excited is an understatement to describe the moment I realised ‘The Widow’s Choice’ was a follow-on from ‘The Shipyard Girls’. Although the ‘Shipyard Girls’ saga ended with a wholly satisfying and heartwarming finale, they are all such fantastic characters that I will always have room for more of their stories. Like Downton Abbey – the series finale was completely *chef’s kiss* and tied up all the ends, but the subsequent films were like a wonderful dessert after an already fabulous meal, just like ‘The Widow’s Choice’. Having said that, however, Nancy has managed to perfectly strike that difficult balance between nods to the individual characters’ histories which thrill the familiar fans (hello Dr Eris – I spotted you towards the end!) and a rich plot which takes the reader on such an exciting and unpredictable journey that it works entirely as a standalone novel. So, if you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t read ‘The Shipyard Girls’, do not let this be a barrier to picking up ‘The Widow’s Choice’; although I would also urge you to start on ‘The Shipyard Girls’ after, because that’s equally gripping and un-put-downable.

“Angie owed it to all of them to put on a brave face and to start getting on with life again.”

So, we find our beloved Angie and Quentin four years on from VE day, and my goodness haven’t things changed! Angie has navigated the transition from coalminer’s daughter come woman welder to mistress of the manor, although I can imagine that the process of this was far from seamless, particularly once we’re introduced to Quentin’s mother Evelyn – monster in law if ever I saw one! Nancy Revell really does know how to write a baddie that we love to hate. I did wonder if Evelyn had ever come across our old favourite villain Miriam in their mutual social circles, although I dread to think of the chaos which that combination of personalities would ensue. The phrase ‘folie a deux’ springs to mind.

Although she is lady of the manor now, I was quickly relieved to find that our Angie hasn’t changed too much. She may be far from the impulsive, fun-loving and carefree girl we met several years back, but she certainly hasn’t forgotten her roots. When tragedy strikes in the opening chapter, Angie is understandably distraught and has the wind well and truly knocked out of her sails. But, with her motley crew of younger siblings in tow, as well as a spirited toddler of her own in the mix by now, the support of the eclectic mix of household staff and a fabulous new friend Clemmie (who even gives our Dor a run for her money), she rises to the challenge and, of course, comes out on top. And, in classic Nancy Revell saga style, does so with a new romance so fiery leaves even the draughtiest corners of mid-Winter Cuthford Manor, toasty warm.

I’m already counting down to the next installment, and can’t wait to see what Nancy has planned next for Angie and her tribe!

*Nancy Revell’s books are enjoyed by all ages in this family!*

Review – The Sixpenny Orphan

“The future was full of possibilities, making her mind race and her heart soar.”

We all know that Glenda Young has asserted herself as one of the main faces in the saga genre. When I pick up one of her books I don’t even need to read the blurb as I know I’ll be hooked from the start; frantically flipping the pages with baited breath, desperately needing to know what happens next. Of course, ‘The Sixpenny Orphan’ was no exception.

One of the reasons I love Glenda’s saga novels is her consistent ability to write amazing heroines who overcome huge adversity, have incredible strength and both inspire and humble the reader; although this time, she truly outdid herself by giving us not one, but two! My initial prediction when I realised this story was one of two sisters, was that there would be a typical ‘good’ and ‘bad’ one, the latter of which I would love to hate. However, as Glenda does so often, she took what could have been a typical saga plot and broke away from that mould, putting her own unique spin on these characters. Although we quickly learn that Poppy is the slightly more outspoken of the two, I was surprised and pleased as the story progressed and the complexity of both characters began to unfold as the chapters (and years) went by, with both Poppy and Rose having strengths and flaws which were unique to each of their multi-faceted personalities.

I wouldn’t say I had a favourite between Poppy and Rose, since both had their own, equally rich and intriguing personal histories, but one aspect of the overall story which really stood out to me was Poppy’s struggle to balance meeting the needs of her children, husband and sister; to say nothing of her job and responsibility of running the house. Some feelings simply transcend eras, and the overwhelm which comes from meeting the emotional needs of everyone around you whilst carrying the mental load for the household as a collective, is a feeling shared by mothers, or ‘default parents’ everywhere. A great deal of Poppy and Rose’s struggles were, although very emotional, quite unrelatable for a typical 2023 reader, most of whom simply cannot comprehend that level of poverty and inequality, but the emotionally drained mother trying her best to do it all is a feeling which struck a cord with me, and probably many others, instantly.

Glenda has an amazing ability to write inspiring heroines who we are all rooting for, but what ‘The Sixpenny Orphan’ really highlighted for me is Glenda’s aptitude for writing truly incredible leading men. I have touched on this before, but the character of Sid really emphasized this for me. The world of fiction is absolutely littered with dreamy, idealistic men, but being able to create one which has appeal within the context of a mining village in 1919 is no easy task. In a time and social context where women and men had very clear roles, defined both legally and culturally; decades away from women having the most basic of rights such as their own bank account (which is ridiculous when we consider the fact that most, if not all, of our Ryhope heroines work in some capacity, but the patriarchy never did make sense to me), it must have been incredibly hard to write a man who is appealing to a 2023 audience and yet still believable in the context of the plot. Of course Glenda nailed this though, and our lovely Sid embodies all the qualities we want in a modern man; he’s supportive of Poppy’s dreams, values her family and is a relatively hands-on dad (a term I despise), but is still very much of his time in that we still wouldn’t trust him to make a batch of soup or to tackle the mammoth task of laundry day. But, when it really matters, he is wholeheartedly there for Poppy and her sister. Not that she needs him of course, because like the rest of Glenda’s heroines, she is more than strong enough to face the world on her own, even more so with her sister.

“I daresay you can cope with anything life chucks at you.”

Similarly, I really enjoyed the glimpses we had into Ambrose and Ella’s relationship. Although secondary characters, it was moving to see how Ambrose truly sees Ella as his equal and values their business as a joint venture; another modern man like our Sid. I like to think that seeing this relationship at an early age (even when she was being told off) is what taught Poppy that she shouldn’t settle when it comes to her own choice of husband. A lesson which, thankfully, Rose eventually seems to learn too. Some of our Ryhope heroines weren’t quite able to get the measure of the right man, but Poppy especially seems to know what she wants and isn’t prepared to settle. It’s not often I celebrate the male characters over the females, but the world could definitely use more Sids and Ambroses!

Another thing which I particularly enjoyed about ‘The Sixpenny Orphan’ was Lil Mahone’s redemption arc. For those of us who have followed Glenda’s Ryhope sagas up to now, Lil has become the one we all love to hate; her gossip might help to move a plot along nicely from time to time, but I would really hate to know her. Although, having said that, I think every street has a Lil Mahone in some form; and she would absolutely be the diligent, Karen-esque admin of her local village Facebook group if she were around today.

All in all, even though I’ve had many, many visits to Glenda’s world of 1919 Ryhope, she continues to churn out fresh characters and plots which make the stories of this familiar village feel like we’re visiting for the first time. The only thing I was left wanting more of from ‘The Sixpenny Orphan’, is Rose’s story. I would be so interested to read this same novel written from Rose’s perspective, to really get into how things felt from where she stood.