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A Mother's Wish
A MOVING, HEARTFELT AND FAMILY DRIVEN SAGA SET IN TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY LONDON FROM THE BESTSELLING SAGA AUTHOR
Effie Grey has fallen on hard times since the death of her husband. Forced to live on a narrowboat owned by her tyrannical father-in-law, Jacob, Effie must put aside her own despair in order to protect her brother, Tom, and her young son, Georgie.
Life becomes even more unbearable when Jacob hires the villainous Salter and his vile wife Sal to run the barge. When Tom is sent away without a penny, Effie is forced to make a choice to protect her family. Driven by desperation, Effie steals Jacob’s hidden cache of money and flees with her son in search of Tom. No matter what, she will make a home for little Georgie and keep him safe from harm.
Effie Grey has fallen on hard times since the death of her husband. Forced to live on a narrowboat owned by her tyrannical father-in-law, Jacob, Effie must put aside her own despair in order to protect her brother, Tom, and her young son, Georgie.
Life becomes even more unbearable when Jacob hires the villainous Salter and his vile wife Sal to run the barge. When Tom is sent away without a penny, Effie is forced to make a choice to protect her family. Driven by desperation, Effie steals Jacob’s hidden cache of money and flees with her son in search of Tom. No matter what, she will make a home for little Georgie and keep him safe from harm.
576 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
125 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Dilly Court
83 books416 followersDilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 2, 2015
"She was determined to make a home for her son and keep him safe"
This is a romantic/historical saga, of life, love, treachery and revenge in the working class Victorian London of the late 1800s. The all too familiar story of the times, a husband who dies young, of consumption, leaving behind a widow, who also has the added responsibility of a much younger brother to support alongside her own, young baby; who are penniless and homeless, relying on the charity of others to avoid the last desperate journey that will take them to the workhouse.
Effie finds herself treated to a life of servitude, bullying and violence by her father-in-law, in return for a roof over her head, a fate which befell so many working class women of the times. Her loyalty is tested to the limits and then beyond breaking point, when her brother is put out on the streets to fend for himself, with Effie and her baby being sold on, along with their ‘home’, to the socially climbing Salters.
When she is unexpectedly thrown into the midst of a travelling fair, in the search for her brother, Effie is shown unexpected kindness by the travellers and is treated with the same respect as everyone else in the community. This is an overwhelmingly new scenario for her, to have both the male and female fair folk treat her with equal and unconditional acceptance, thoughtfulness and compassion for her plight. She is of course, expected to contribute to the community and do her share of the work, but is rewarded in the same way as all the others, without it being made to seem like charity and thus affording her some dignity.
Her new found pride and strength of character, prevents Effie from taking the easy option which many other young women in her position would have taken, to simply walk away in the hope that there would be more kindness shown to a lone abandoned baby and that her brother will have fallen into the charitable kindness of strangers, but she just cannot do it and vows to reunite her family and offer them all the protection she is able to.
After first exacting her revenge on the unscrupulous Salters, Effie seems to travel in circles, in an effort to avoid their vengeance and it is difficult to believe that she never actually leaves the immediate area, so she is unlikely to avoid them for long. However, when you stop and think that walking was the only way of getting around for the majority of the working class folk, then it is hardly surprising that she never actually strays that far from all that she knows and with which she is familiar.
Effie has become attached to the traveller Toby and is astounded when she is taken to the home where he grew up. The manor is a once opulent, secluded property on the outskirts of London, that has now fallen on hard times and is in a state of near collapse and dereliction, with Seymour Westlake, the resident Master who spends most of his days out of his mind on drink and drugs. Effie overcomes her revulsion at the way the last few servants are living and also how scared she is of Seymour, as practicality takes over and she puts her all into cleaning the place up, to make a home a home for herself and her son, to await the time when her brother Tom and Toby, if he is able to swallow his pride sufficiently and can find Tom, will rejoin them.
There is one final twist in the tail, which Effie, with her astuteness and observations of the human spirit, has detected. It will however have her stepping right out of her comfort zone and knowing her ‘place in society’, to contrive and execute her plan, which will hopefully lead to the happy conclusion she is seeking, without jeopardising all their futures.
A predictable plot and storyline to follow, but written with great perception and emotion, bringing the characters to life, with all their many emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Effie herself shows the indicitive resilience of her working class roots, finding hidden strengths that she herself, never knew she had, using them to motivate others to help themselves and in doing so learning new things about herself in return. Overcoming those deeply entrenched beliefs, about both her place in society and as a woman of the times and with her new found confidence to boost her morale, Effie finally arrives at a place where her views are as important as the next persons and her contribution valued by all who know her.
‘A Mother’s Wish’, albeit a work of fiction, is an excellent piece of social commentary, brought to life with characters and places evoking the essence of the late Victorian period in our history.
This is a romantic/historical saga, of life, love, treachery and revenge in the working class Victorian London of the late 1800s. The all too familiar story of the times, a husband who dies young, of consumption, leaving behind a widow, who also has the added responsibility of a much younger brother to support alongside her own, young baby; who are penniless and homeless, relying on the charity of others to avoid the last desperate journey that will take them to the workhouse.
Effie finds herself treated to a life of servitude, bullying and violence by her father-in-law, in return for a roof over her head, a fate which befell so many working class women of the times. Her loyalty is tested to the limits and then beyond breaking point, when her brother is put out on the streets to fend for himself, with Effie and her baby being sold on, along with their ‘home’, to the socially climbing Salters.
When she is unexpectedly thrown into the midst of a travelling fair, in the search for her brother, Effie is shown unexpected kindness by the travellers and is treated with the same respect as everyone else in the community. This is an overwhelmingly new scenario for her, to have both the male and female fair folk treat her with equal and unconditional acceptance, thoughtfulness and compassion for her plight. She is of course, expected to contribute to the community and do her share of the work, but is rewarded in the same way as all the others, without it being made to seem like charity and thus affording her some dignity.
Her new found pride and strength of character, prevents Effie from taking the easy option which many other young women in her position would have taken, to simply walk away in the hope that there would be more kindness shown to a lone abandoned baby and that her brother will have fallen into the charitable kindness of strangers, but she just cannot do it and vows to reunite her family and offer them all the protection she is able to.
After first exacting her revenge on the unscrupulous Salters, Effie seems to travel in circles, in an effort to avoid their vengeance and it is difficult to believe that she never actually leaves the immediate area, so she is unlikely to avoid them for long. However, when you stop and think that walking was the only way of getting around for the majority of the working class folk, then it is hardly surprising that she never actually strays that far from all that she knows and with which she is familiar.
Effie has become attached to the traveller Toby and is astounded when she is taken to the home where he grew up. The manor is a once opulent, secluded property on the outskirts of London, that has now fallen on hard times and is in a state of near collapse and dereliction, with Seymour Westlake, the resident Master who spends most of his days out of his mind on drink and drugs. Effie overcomes her revulsion at the way the last few servants are living and also how scared she is of Seymour, as practicality takes over and she puts her all into cleaning the place up, to make a home a home for herself and her son, to await the time when her brother Tom and Toby, if he is able to swallow his pride sufficiently and can find Tom, will rejoin them.
There is one final twist in the tail, which Effie, with her astuteness and observations of the human spirit, has detected. It will however have her stepping right out of her comfort zone and knowing her ‘place in society’, to contrive and execute her plan, which will hopefully lead to the happy conclusion she is seeking, without jeopardising all their futures.
A predictable plot and storyline to follow, but written with great perception and emotion, bringing the characters to life, with all their many emotions, strengths and weaknesses. Effie herself shows the indicitive resilience of her working class roots, finding hidden strengths that she herself, never knew she had, using them to motivate others to help themselves and in doing so learning new things about herself in return. Overcoming those deeply entrenched beliefs, about both her place in society and as a woman of the times and with her new found confidence to boost her morale, Effie finally arrives at a place where her views are as important as the next persons and her contribution valued by all who know her.
‘A Mother’s Wish’, albeit a work of fiction, is an excellent piece of social commentary, brought to life with characters and places evoking the essence of the late Victorian period in our history.
August 22, 2018
I read this book some time ago and I needed tissues for this story. I really enjoyed the book. Storytelling at it's best. Recommended.
October 2, 2022
Great read from silly court, Effie has a son Georgie lives on a narrow boat with her brother tom and her father in law her husband died and her and Tom runs the boat her father in law wasn't nice to them but then comes two nasty people convinces the old man to run the boat and they both Effie and Tom defend for themselves Effie meets circus people who helps her and looking for tom.she falls for Frank but is he the right person for her.enjoy her books.great writer.
March 6, 2018
Another great read from Dilly Court although seemed a bit rushed at the end but nevertheless enjoyable
April 7, 2017
Brilliant book from dilly court love her books.
September 21, 2016
If I want an uncomplicated book to read, I would choose Dilly Court. Her books are straightforward and slightly predictable. However, I personally find them enjoyable.
November 13, 2011
Amazing story with great insight about victiorian era and human behavior. Would read it again.
May 11, 2017
A lovely read, that kept me reading and interested until the very end.
March 11, 2020
1870.
I enjoy historical fiction. Women worked so hard and for so little.
I enjoy historical fiction. Women worked so hard and for so little.
September 24, 2019
This was another one that I really didn't like, and which I'm gutted about because I was desperate to like it.
Maybe I've just read too much Dilly Court lately , I dont know.
Maybe I've just read too much Dilly Court lately , I dont know.
May 27, 2012
Another enjoyable story from Dilly Court. Not as much of a page turner as previous reads from her but it was told at a much slower pace.
Plenty of likeable characters and although she rushed the last few pages as usual, she managed to wrap up the characters journeys in a much more sufficient manner than I have come to expect from her books.
September 23, 2019
Another brilliant story.
As always this deserves this rating I've red 30 of Dillys books now and every one has been brilliant i just love the way she tells you about every character in the story.I always feel i know them as the story unfolds.I would recommend all her books to everyone who love an amazing author .Can't wait to read the next one.
As always this deserves this rating I've red 30 of Dillys books now and every one has been brilliant i just love the way she tells you about every character in the story.I always feel i know them as the story unfolds.I would recommend all her books to everyone who love an amazing author .Can't wait to read the next one.
January 13, 2020
What a roller coaster
I really enjoyed this book there so many twist and turns ups and downs well worth the read real life
I really enjoyed this book there so many twist and turns ups and downs well worth the read real life
February 9, 2020
Yet another brilliant book
Another wonderful book, I hated to put it down. The story is good and kept you wanting more. Well done
Another wonderful book, I hated to put it down. The story is good and kept you wanting more. Well done
February 14, 2020
A mothers wish
I loved reading this novel. It is written in such a way that you could visualize the characters and places almost like watching a film.
I loved reading this novel. It is written in such a way that you could visualize the characters and places almost like watching a film.
Read
July 5, 2020e.
Loved this book. As all books by this author. Once I start reading can't put down and look forward to starting next book.
Loved this book. As all books by this author. Once I start reading can't put down and look forward to starting next book.
December 11, 2020
What a great book. Captures you through to the end.
May 23, 2021
At the start the plot was great. In the middle it was sort of all over the place and it pulled itself together near the end again. The things were kid of predictable but I had a good read.
January 1, 2022
Good easy read
January 8, 2022
I lovely period drama page turner book. I got lost in everything, the story, drama, time. I went to bed at 10.00 still reading at midnight!! One more chapter, one more page etc!!
September 14, 2023
A very moving story . How hard times were back then .
October 15, 2023
An interesting story line which I continued to read, only to find out what happens at the end.
I felt the story repeated itself too much going over old ground
I felt the story repeated itself too much going over old ground
February 23, 2024
Another great read
Loved the story ..read it in 4 days, did not want it to end , but like all good reads it did , on to the next book
Loved the story ..read it in 4 days, did not want it to end , but like all good reads it did , on to the next book
August 7, 2025
Wasn't at all sure this was my type of book but thoroughly enjoyed it. Great story with a happy ending, who could want more!
August 11, 2025
Exceptional
I have enjoyed reading this book very much. It is full of interesting characters. I look forward to reading another book by Dilly Court
I have enjoyed reading this book very much. It is full of interesting characters. I look forward to reading another book by Dilly Court
February 16, 2021
I enjoyed it -the narrative kept me reading despite my low attention span at present and there was loads of atmospheric historical detail that has lived with me. Took me to another place which is just what the doctor ordered just now.
February 5, 2011
cockney saga brill loved it couldnt put down
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews