Julia Longfield looks forward to the announcement of her engagement to Chester Morrison, son of a business aquaintance of her father. But her fortunes are altered forever when Mr Longfield dies suddenly, leaving her family in poverty. Jilted by her fiance, it falls to Julia to look after her mother and her siblings."
First published with short stories, went on to writing novels, family sagas and historicals around 1980s. First novel published by Piatkus, London, in 1992. Since then there has been 22 novels published with one in the pipeline and one with my publishers Severn House. You can check out my books avaialable on Audios and CDs
Julia has to find her way in the world after her father's untimely death and bankruptcy. Her mother is critical and impossible to please. One of her sisters is jealous and spoiled and her younger brother feels resentful. Thankfully, she has one pleasant and caring younger sister, and Simon, her soulmate, to help her cope with life in the 1920s.
Julia's Way by Elizabeth Lord - Reviewed Julia's Way
British author Elizabeth Lord gives us a story of courage and fortitude in Julia’s Way, one of the nine novels she’s had published by Severn House. Julia and her story can at times be both charming and repellant. It is also rich in detail and an outstanding historical adventure.
Julia has grown up comfortably in London on the outskirts of the East End. It’s 1921 and Julia is about to be engaged. She’s not sure she loves Chester but knows he’ll provide a good life. Then her father suddenly dies leaving the family in poverty and Julia finds out who her friends are and are not including her fiancé who is no longer interested in marriage to Julia.
The family is forced to move to a more ‘affordable’ neighborhood where they meet Simon Layzell. Between her mother’s fragility and grief Julia must now take care of not only her siblings and mother but also find enough income for the family to survive. She and Simon go into partnership building a humble little shop into a hugely successful design house. But when the stock market crashes will Julia and Simon be able to maintain the business and life they have come to enjoy?
Elizabeth Lord conveys the story of Julia in a manner that flows naturally with details both accurate for the time frame and vivid in the telling. As we turn the pages we can feel not only Julia’s frustration and determination but also the jubilation that comes with her success and the fear of destruction by circumstances beyond her control.