I am so lucky to have been invited to the blog tour for this historical fiction saga. Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and the publisher for my gifted copy of the book.
Once a workhouse girl, always a workhouse girl…
Enid Hardcastle has always had a hard life, but when her family can’t make ends meet and are moved to the workhouse, it feels like things can’t get any worse.
But luckily for Enid, her friendship with local boy Jimmy gives her the strength she needs. Also from the cold, hard streets of Merthyr, Jimmy has made his name as an entrepreneur, repairing boots and hand-delivering them to the fine people of the town.
Enid has seen for herself that you can make a better life for yourself, so with Jimmy’s help, she sets about trying to save her family.
But there are even darker places than the workhouse, and as the rumour mill churns, it appears there’s an even more dangerous fate she will need to avoid…
An emotional and nostalgic historical saga that will have you turning pages, engrossed. Perfect for fans of Sheila Newberry and Lynn Johnson.
I am an avid fan of historical fiction sagas. I am only sorry that I have just discovered Lynette Rees! The Workhouse Girl has a blurb which made me want to read it and the cover is gorgeous!
There is something about an immersive saga that just carries me away with the story. This novel is certainly one of those. It’s told so vividly, I could picture the setting and Enid herself tugged on my heart strings. I became invested in her pretty quickly. She has been created so well, I can tell how much Lynette Rees pours into her characters. They are multi layered and so realistic. I felt like I could know Enid.
The storytelling is excellent. The amount of research the author has done is very present. It does make for such an authentic and emotional story. I haven’t read much about Merthyr Tydfil historically, so this was an educational and entertaining read. The conditions back then were atrocious, and this is very clear. I felt for Enid all the way from the workhouse and her personal battles. I know these things happened all the time back then, and it made it more bittersweet the further I read.
Yet another historical fiction author to add to my ever growing list! If you, like me, hanker for authentic, emotional, and gripping historical fiction, try Lynette Rees. I highly recommend her writing!
Purchase Link https://mybook.to/workhousegirlsocial
Author Bio
Lynette Rees lives in Wales and has been writing since she was a child. She’s in the fortunate position of being a hybrid author – as well as independently publishing some of her novels, she’s also published with Boldwood Books.
The Winter Waif, the story of one young girl’s struggle to overcome adversity following the death of her mother, was published by Boldwood Books in January 2024. This will be followed by two other titles focusing on the lives of another two children growing up in the bustling Welsh town of Merthyr Tydifl where the ironworks and coalpits are the main industries and a life of hardship is the norm. The second in the series, The Workhouse Girl, will be published on May the 31st. This book tells the tale of a fourteen year old girl whose family hits hard times when her father loses his job at the ironworks and they’ve little choice other than to enter the workhouse. This will be followed by a third book at the end of the year.
Lynette enjoys the freedom of writing in a variety of genres including: crime fiction and contemporary romance, though her first love is historical fiction which complements her interest in local history and genealogy. When she’s not writing, or even when she is writing, Lynette enjoys a glass of wine and the odd piece of chocolate as she creates stories where the characters guide her hand. She honestly has no idea how a story will turn out until the characters tell their own tales in their own unique ways.
The most important thing to Lynette is her family and her stories illustrate this with their warm characters who often show a great deal of compassion for others and the plight they find themselves in.
Social Media Links
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorlynetterees
Twitter https://twitter.com/LynetteRees0
Newsletter Sign Up https://bit.ly/LynetteReesNews
Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lynette-rees
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 