I’m so thrilled to say I was invited along on The Women Of Fisher’s Wharf by Tracy Baines blog tour. Thanks to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and Boldwood Books for the ARC.
Great Grimsby, 1912
Newlywed fisherman Alec Hardy decides to make a fresh start with his young wife Letty and move to the thriving fishing port of Grimsby in search of a brighter future.
Letty is from farming stock and knows nothing of the hard life as a fishermen’s wife but is willing to embrace the challenge with Alec.
But where Alec goes, so does his widowed mother, Dorcas and she has trouble coming to terms with taking second place in her son’s life.
With Alec at sea for weeks on end, the two women clash and Letty seeks escape from her bitter mother-in-law amongst the streets of Fish Dock Wharf.
Can Letty help them break free from the shadows of the past or will she be bound by Dorcas’ insistence that they cling to the old ways?
A brand new historical sage from Tracy Baines whose previous series The Variety Girls was an excellent historical saga series. This time she has taken the mantle of the fishing community and their wives in 1912, Great Grimsby.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Variety Girls series so wasted no time in reading this book. etty and Alec have moved to Grimsby with the hope in their hearts that Alec will be able to get paid work on the boats. They don’t move alone though, Alex’s mum moves with them, Dorcas. She is used to the fisherman’s way of life where Letty is new to it all and has no clue how hard it will be once Alec goes to sea on the Black Prince. Letty wants to get out and earn for them too so goes looking for work while Dorcas stays at home. Can these two women find it in themselves to become friends and pull together to help them survive this harsh life?
Tracy Baines has again perfectly captured the time with her detailed descriptions of the harsh lives of the fisherman out at sea, while the women stay on land keeping things together while their men are away. She must have done some extensive and comprehensive research as I felt like I was surrounded by history, almost like a snapshot in time. I find her a skilled author in the way she creates the fishing community, the characters and the atmosphere of this time.
I was right behind Letty as she found her way in her new life. Making friends and working in a job that was a totally different one from what she did previously. We see her character develop over the story and it was great to see.
This is an author who writes historical sagas with all her heart. The research, the character development, the setting, all work their magic so the reader feels it as one with this new series. I am so looking forward to the next chapter in the Fisher’s Wharf series.
Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3zjfPtA
Author Bio
Tracy Baines is the bestselling saga writer of The Variety Girls series, originally published by Ebury, which Boldwood will continue with. She was born and brought up in Cleethorpes and spent her early years in the theatre world which inspired her writing. The first title of her new saga series for Boldwood – set amongst the fisherfolk of Grimsby – will be published in October 2022.
Social Media Links
Facebook: Tracy Baines | Facebook
Twitter Tracy Baines #TheVarietyGirls (@tracyfbaines) / Twitter
Instagram Tracy Baines Author (@tracyfbaines) • Instagram photos and videos
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/TracyBainesNews
Bookbub profile: Tracy Baines Books – BookBub
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 