A Woman's Work

by Victoria Purman, Jennifer Vuletic (Narrator)

For two women, in particular, the prize could be life-changing. For war widow and single mum Ivy Quinn, a win would mean more time to spend with her twelve-year-old son, Raymond. Mother of five Kathleen O'Grady has no time for cooking competitions, but the prize could offer her a different kind of life for herself and her children, and the chance to control her own future. As winter turns to spring both women begin to question their lives. For Kathleen, the grinding domesticity of her work as a wife and mother no longer seems enough, while Ivy begins to realise she has the courage to make a difference for other women and tell the truth about the ghosts from her past. But is it the competition prize that would give them a new way of seeing the world - a chance to free themselves from society's expectation and change their own futures - or is it the creativity and confidence it brings? Praise for Victoria Purman

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, Book Club, Amazon, Adult

Audiobook

Published April 5, 2023

About the author

Victoria Purman is an Australian bestselling author.
If you want to know more about her and her books, visit www.victoriapurman.com or follow her on facebook at Victoria Purman Author or on twitter @VictoriaPurman.

Reviews

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Australian women look forward to reading the latest edition of The Australian Women’s Weekly, it has advice and information, about raising children, fashion, recipes and advertises new products. The Weekly also runs competitions, in 1956, it's a cooking contest and they have a list of ingredients to use, and the major prize is six hundred pounds, the winning recipe will be published in the magazine and it's more money than most of their husband earn in a year.

The story is told from two main characters points of view, Kathleen O’Grady, is married to Peter a mechanic, the couple have five children and live in a modest home in St. Kilda. Ivy Quinn is a war widow, she’s a single mother to her twelve year old son Raymond and she works as a doctor’s receptionist.

Kathleen is a busy housewife, she has a set weekly routine and she hates having to cook tea every night for her hungry family. Ivy works full-time, she and Raymond live on quick and easy meals and often they come out of a can. For both women, winning the money would be life changing, Ivy would be able to spend more time with Raymond and Kathleen could buy a much needed washing machine and some luxury items for herself.

Kathleen and Ivy need guidance and inspiration to expand their cooking repertoire, Kathleen’s mum offers to help her and she’s noticed her daughter is struggling to cope with motherhood, Kathleen is worn out and has lost her spark. Raymond tells Ivy about the competition, she needs to learn basic cooking skills, a colleague from work offers to help her and she worries Raymond isn’t getting enough vitamins.

As the months pass, the seasons change and so do the lives of Kathleen and Ivy and they start to like the time they spend in the kitchen. Kathleen has been stuck in a rut, she enjoys trying new recipes and preparing food for her family, and she still longs for some time to herself. Ivy and Raymond enjoy preparing food together, she becomes more confident in the kitchen and they spend quality time with Ivy’s cooking coach. Due working at the doctors surgery Ivy realises women are struggling, she wants to help them, this means facing her own past, traumatic memories and taking a big risk.

I received a digital copy of A Woman’s Work by Victoria Purman from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Ms. Purman writes authentic and original historical fiction about the lives of Australian women, her latest novel is set in post-war Melbourne and in 1956. During lead up to the first Olympics held in the Southern Hemisphere, the hype around a national magazine cooking competition and how winning anything would make most women's lives easier.

The Australian Women’s Weekly had a national focus, regardless of class and age, women from all walks of life could find information, inspiration and guidance between it's pages. Once again another impeccability written and researched narrative by Ms. Purman, set in a time when it was still a man’s world, society had rigid ideas about a women’s roles and Australian men were rather sexist and stubborn, however things were slowly starting to change and for that we should all be very grateful. Five stars from me, I learnt so much from reading this enlightening book by Ms. Purman and she's leading the way by always delivering accurate, empathetic and informative Australian historical fiction.

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep reading this author's novels because I loved The Land Girls so much. I keep hoping for another book as good, but this is not it. However it is a pleasant and informative read, and judging by its reviews most people liked it much more than I did!

A Woman's Work is an interesting piece of research about life in 1956 in Australia. Post war and still suffering restrictions, it was not an easy time for women raising families. The author illustrates this using two different types of family, one a married woman with a husband and five children, and the other a single mum with one child.

As usual the author has done her research and there are some very interesting recipes of the day included. Overall a good story worth reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Post war Melbourne in 1956 saw many different faces in the community. The memory of rationing and loss wasn't far from the minds of everyday people, while others were thinking ahead to the upcoming Olympics. Ivy Quinn, war widow and single mother of eleven year old Raymond, worked at the doctor's surgery as receptionist, and her kind and caring nature was part of her charm. When a new doctor arrived, Ivy helped him to settle in, and soon he had a regular list of patients. When a competition in the Australian Women's Weekly took her eye, Ivy decided to teach an enthusiastic Raymond, and soon the new doctor, Harry, Raymond and Ivy were creating culinary delights.

Kathleen O'Grady lived with her husband Peter and five children, all two years apart in age, with her youngest still in nappies. Kathleen's days were full from beginning to end, with Monday as wash day, Tuesday for baking and so it went, while Peter was at work all day earning money to feed the family and keep a roof over their heads. Kathleen's mother Violet was a wonderful help with the children plus her cakes and biscuits were well loved. When Violet spotted a competition in the Australian Women's Weekly, she and Kathleen joined forces to participate - not that Kathleen had spare time, but Violet convinced her.

Would Ivy and Kathleen do well in the competition? Both women gradually gained a confidence they'd both been lacking which would help them with their futures...

A Woman's Work by Aussie author Victoria Purman sets the stage to a time I remember well. The husband/father at work while the wife/mum does it all, and even when he arrived home, he expected dinner to be on the table, the children to be bathed and ready for bed, quietly eating their dinner. On the weekend, said husband expected to sleep in while wife saw to the children and prepared his breakfast! Both Kathleen and Ivy were lovely women, strong, caring, excellent mothers, with a strength they didn't know they had. I enjoyed this book - which is a side-step from the author's usual work - and recommend it highly.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1956 the Australian Women’s Weekly offers an extremely rich prize in a cookery competition.For two women it could be life changing. Kathleen O.Grady and Ivy Quinn, both enter the contest. Kathleen is mother to five children, the youngest of whom is still in nappies. She dreams of the day when she will have an hour to herself. Ivy, a war widow, has one son. Thei two women’s lives couldn’t be more different. Kathleen is at home nearly run off her feet looking after the children her husband Peter and the house. Peter is a mechanic. He comes home and puts his feet up while Kathleen is left running around taking care of the children and meals etc. The two women’s lives could not be more different. Ivy is the receptionist for Dr Watkins and Dr Johnson, the new doctor, who has just joined the practice. Ivy has one son, Raymond, and she tries to be both mother and father to him. Both women need help in different ways.
This is the third book I have read set in Australia in 1956. This in an interesting look at the time in Australia’s past. It is well told, with believable characters and a great setting. But be prepared to get angry as I did at the attitudes and behaviour of the time. Women could only work till they were married, abortion and homosexuality were illegal, and contraceptives were emerging and deemed as wrong by the Catholic Church. So you will see, it covers a number of emotionally charged issues.
A well researched historical novel that reminds the reader how laws have changed and maybe also how some things have not changed over time. I am sure many readers will appreciate this book.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant story from Victoria Purman, this time she has taken me back to 1956, and tells the story of what life is like back then, we are introduced to two woman, who both live in St Kilda, so very different but show such strength and courage, come along and meet them and see what our mother’s and grandmother’s lives were like.

1956 and the Olympics are going too held in Melbourne and there is much excitement, to be had, television is about to come as well and the fabulous Australian Woman’s Weekly cooking competition is on, and the prize money is awesome and Kathleen O’Grady and Ivy Quinn will be entering.

Kathleen is married to motor mechanic Peter, she is thirty years old has been married for eleven years and they have five children and being a mother and wife is starting to take its toll on her, when her mother visits and brings the latest copy of the Woman’s Weekly they discover the competition and start creating recipes to enter.

Ivy Quinn, is thirty six and widowed, she has a twelve year old son Raymond and a job as a Doctor’s receptionist when young Raymond sees the prize money and thinks what it could buy them they decide to get creative and enter, although Ivy is not the best cook she is more than happy to enter with her son.

This is a beautifully told story that is realistic in the way things were back in 1956, this is what many woman went through, men ruled and it was really hard for any woman to make a decision for themselves, Victoria Purman has taken matters that still play a big part today and told them with care thought and compassion and bought this story and the characters to life on the pages. There are so many wonderful characters.

I loved this one so much and I learnt more about the times then and am glad that things are moving forward for many people, it is a story that I would highly recommend, Victoria Purman writes stories that are packed with real life and emotion, don’t miss this one it is a must read. This will be going on the keeper shelf.

My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You can never tell if a woman is having her own troubles. We’re so good at hiding them behind a smile and a laugh. Taught from birth, we are, to put on a brave face.”

A Woman’s Work is a historical novel by best-selling Australian author, Victoria Purman. Ivy Quinn went from being a secretary before the war, to a Corporal Stenographer in the AWAS in 1942, to war widow with a young son to raise alone. Her job as receptionist for Dr Watkins covers the cost of their small flat in St Kilda, but doesn’t leave her a lot of spare time. She freely admits that cooking has never been her forte and, while twelve-year-old Raymond never complains about the makeshift meals she serves, she wonders if she should try harder.

The enthusiasm that young mother of five, Kathleen O’Grady had for cooking when she first married Peter has understandably dwindled as exhaustion has taken over her life. “Kathleen’s time and energy had become increasingly consumed with nappies and cleaning and trips to the grocer and the fruiterer and the butcher and the fishmonger… being a wife and mother robbed her of sleep, distracted her, exhausted her, and despite the often overwhelming love for her children and her life, most days she went to bed feeling like the soggy dregs in the bottom of the sink.”

When the Australian Women’s Weekly announces a Cooking Contest, in which readers need to submit a recipe using one or more of five specific ingredients, the generous cash prize has even the poorest cooks wondering if they could win something. Raymond convinces Ivy that they could, together, try out some dishes to hopefully win a prize: the idea of buying a television set, or getting tickets to the Olympics, is a great incentive.

Kathleen is ready to dismiss the idea outright, but her mother, ever perceptive of her daughter’s condition, suggests they make a day of cooking potential winners once a week. It’s true that not every attempt is a success: Peter O’Grady, raised to be waited on, displays some xenophobic attitudes, even towards food. And Ivy’s first go, she laughingly admits, tasted like glue.

Prefacing some chapters with traditional recipes (actually sourced from magazines from the 1950’s), Purman paints a very realistic picture of a woman’s lot during that era. She demonstrates the difficulties caused by the Catholic Church’s ruling on contraception; the discrimination against women in so many aspects of life; and women’s powerlessness against domestic violence.

Her characters are likeable and much more than one-dimensional, growing and developing as their story progresses. They deal with homophobia, bullying, and the ignorance and small-mindedness characteristic of many at the time. Attitudes to polio vaccination show that anti-vaxers are not a new phenomenon.

Purman conveys her setting and era with consummate ease: cultural references like austerity cookbooks, darning stockings, Woman’s Weekly culinary suggestions, magazines in which a myriad of products offer cash for product captions and testimonials, the repurposing moth-eaten knitwear, simple leisure activities, going to the cinema, and the scarcity of TV, all cement her tale firmly in the mid-1950s. Well-researched, interesting and moving, this is superlative Australian historical fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harlequin Australia.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com

4.5 stars

Bestselling Australian author Victoria Purman is one of our nation’s most valued storytellers. A Woman’s Work is this talented writer’s current release. This authentic tale takes us back to post war times in Australia as women faced battles in the home and the pressures of society fell heavy on their shoulders. Rich in historical detail and filled with memorable characters, A Woman’s Work is a book that I know will unite readers.

A cookery competition held by the popular publication the Australian Women’s Weekly provides the audience with a rich picture of the lives of two characters featured in A Woman’s Work. In the face of the upcoming 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australian women are occupying their time with the winning recipe in a nationwide cookery context run by the Australian Women’s Weekly. The chance to win his coveted contest which carries a generous cash reward would be life altering for Mrs Kathleen O’Grady, a harried mother of five, who dreams of making her life just a bit easier. Ivy Quinn is a working widow and mother who would also welcome the prize to help her spend more with her young son. As the toll of domestic and work life continues to impact these two women, they both begin to realise their lives could be different thanks to the opportunity raised by the competition. What will they each learn from their participation in the cookery contest?

Before I started A Woman’s Work, I scanned the praise section of the novel. I was pleasantly surprised to find not one but two of my quotes from previous reviews I have written based on my enjoyment of Victoria Purman’s work. I was eagerly awaiting the chance to jump into A Woman’s Work, I just love how Victoria Purman continues to bring us new snippets of Australian history from a female perspective. This latest release is a stunner!

Firstly, I loved the up close and personal standpoint of the two lead characters Ivy and Kathleen. Purman’s narrative approach really allows us to get inside their hearts and minds. I appreciated this intimate form of storytelling as it allowed me to develop a lasting bond with both ladies. I think my connection to Kathleen was slightly stronger. I was taken back to a decade ago when I was a stay-at-home mum raising a baby and a toddler. These were hard but rewarding times and Purman reminded me of this chapter of my life thanks to A Woman’s Work. I think Purman’s novel will reach many women of all ages, as we understand the trials of motherhood and domesticity.

The insertion of the Australian Women’s Weekly cookery contest added a great spin to this absorbing novel. I loved learning how this competition shaped the women and their loved ones in different ways. It inspired me to try a few of the dishes included in the recipes section of this tale, which was scattered throughout the novel. What a fantastic extra flourish. With plenty of period specific detail and a starting disclaimer statement, I think Purman has ensured that she is faithful to the era she has chosen to set her latest novel. We rarely see books set in the 1950s period so A Woman’s Work was a fantastic period detail novel. I particularly found the insight into the societal norms, personal attitudes, gender roles, parenting expectations and the lack of focus on the self-care fascinating. Purman also zones in on some emotive themes such as motherhood, family support, contraception, the right to choose, sexuality, mental health, domestic affairs, disability, and violence against women. These areas can be hard to read at times, but I valued Purman’s compassionate approach to these issues. It definitely made me realise by the close of A Woman’s Work that we have made important strides in regards to women’s rights, but we still have some work to do yet.

Purman has excelled at bringing her readers a meaningful and authentic portrait of a bygone era, whereby women fought and were beginning to rise above their prescribed domestic lives. A Woman’s Work is a story I am grateful to have held in my hands and I hope to pass this moving story into the arms of many more readers out there.

*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr

**4.5 stars**

A Woman's Work by Victoria Purman. (2023).

1956, Melbourne. While everyone is excited for the upcoming Olympics, the women of Australia are cooking up a storm for the 'Australian Women's Weekly' cooking contest. The generous prize could be life-changing. For war widow single mum Ivy, a win could mean spending more time with her 12-year-old son Raymond. For mum of five Kathleen, it could offer a different kind of life and offer some control for her. Kathleen is feeling the grinding domesticity of her work as a wife and mother is no longer enough, and Ivy is starting to realise she has the courage to make a difference for other women and trek the truth about her past. But is it really the competition prize that offers the women freedom, or is it their growing self-confidence and belief in a new kind of future?

Somehow I've never read any books by this author despite her popularity. I finally picked this one up and now I know that I need to get my act together and read her previous books because this was excellent! When I read the synopsis on the back I thought it would be a light read and while it definitely had light moments, it also had some confronting topics included. Life after war, sexual assault, abortion which was illegal at the time, misogyny, single parent households, homosexuality, bullying and a patriarchal society all feature in this book; some of this is due to the time period the story is set in and makes this reader even more grateful that I wasn't around then! Both Ivy and Kathleen are likeable characters and you can't help but want them to not only succeed at the cooking competition but for life in general to be easier for them. The author has done a wonderful job realistically depicting the life for women in this time period.
Overall: highly recommend this excellent Australian historical fiction.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rich portrait of motherhood, societal expectations and self determination set in post WWII Australia, A Woman’s Work is an engaging novel from best selling author Victoria Purman.

Launched in 1933, offering feature articles on lifestyle, home decoration, cooking, fashion and beauty, parenthood, health and wellbeing, and current affairs as well as serialised stories, advice columns, and various competitions, by the 1950’s the Australian Women’s Weekly was the nation’s most popular household magazine. In A Woman’s Work, a competition run by the periodical searching for original recipes sparks unexpected but welcome change for Purman’s two main characters.

War widow Ivy Quinn is not much of a cook, dinner for her and her twelve year old son, Raymond, is usually no more complicated than eggs and baked beans on toast after her long days as a receptionist in a doctor’s surgery. The generous prize money offered by the Women’s Weekly competition provides an incentive for Ivy to improve her skills in the kitchen, and leads to a surprising new relationship.

Cooking meals for her family is simply another draining daily chore for exhausted wife and mother of five, Kathleen O’Grady. She appreciates that her husband, a mechanic, works hard to support them, but she increasingly resents his indifference to her own needs. Though initially reluctant to enter the Women’s Weekly competition, Kathleen discovers the task could be a gateway to reclaiming her forgotten hopes and dreams.

A Woman’s Work compassionately explores the constrained social expectations of women, and men, in mid 20th century Australia. It’s a realistic reminder as to how recently traditional gender roles were strictly enforced, and how little agency mothers in particular had over their lives.

Having raised my own large family I strongly empathised with Kathleen and her mixed feelings of love, resentment, and guilt as she struggles with the personal sacrifices she feels pressured to make to be perceived as the ‘ideal’ wife and mother. Ivy’s concerns about how she is seen as a working single mother, and her worries about her son’s masculinity, are saddening. Both characters are well realised and their journey’s are heartening.

Purman also touches on a number of provocative issues in A Woman’s Work including rape, domestic violence, homosexuality, contraception, and abortion. Though change has been wrought over time, the legacy of shame and fear still lingers today.

The era and setting of A Woman’s Work is deftly recreated. Recipes of the time drawn from actual entries to the competition preface several chapters. I did a little reading about the history of the Australian Women’s Weekly magazine (which is now a monthly periodical) and found it interesting, particularly with regards to how individual editors over time influenced the content of the magazine and therefore contributed to society’s attitudes about the role of women.

An engaging historical novel, I enjoyed reading A Woman’s Work and I am left thankful for the strides we have made since.

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
A Woman's Work is a poignant look at the expected role of married women post WWII Australia.

Set in 1950's Australia when the chance of winning a cash prize in a cooking competition could open up a wealth of opportunity.
Told through the dual narrative of two Australian mothers; Ivy Quinn, war widow and single mum to 12yo Raymond, and wife and mother of five, Kathleen O'Grady.

Victoria Purman knows how to immerse her readers into the lives of others. We get a very personal view of both Ivy and Kathleen's lives; their dreams, internal conflicts and despair.

Ivy is a single working mum, she constantly worries if she is doing enough for Raymond, he has no father figure and she is concerned this may have a negative effect on him.
Kathleen, a SAHM of five, finds her days overwhelmed with washing, cleaning and cooking. Her and her husband have grown apart and she feels lost.

Both women find a new purpose and confidence when they decide to enter the Australian Women's Weekly recipe competition with a cash prize of £600.

I immediately connected with Ivy and her son Raymond. Kathleen took me longer to work out. I didn't like her at all until the penny dropped and I realised she had severe depression (sometimes I need these things spelled out to me).

I loved all the cooking and recipes and whilst reading I had so many things I would have liked to ask my grandmother about. I also enjoyed all the nostalgia Purman invokes with the inclusion of rationing, movies of the time, fantales, the Melbourne Olympics and Bex powders.

A Woman's Work is a truly engaging read, and even though set in the past is perfect for contemporary fiction readers.
*I received my copy from the publisher

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

1956 St Kilda, Melbourne. After the deprivations of war and austerity of depression a woman’s work consists of washing, mopping, cleaning, cooking and raising children. Food coupons and rationing are over, but nutritional and economic meals are routinely predicable and rely heavily on mock chicken.
Kathleen has 5 children and is a patient at the doctor’s clinic where single mum Ivy is receptionist. Each depends on the amusing and enlightening articles of the Australian Women’s Weekly to alleviate the constraints of their lives. But it takes the AWW Cookery Contest to inspire them, to offer hope, possibilities and dreams of something more. Ivy’s 12 year old son hopes to win enough to buy a new fangled television and attend the upcoming Olympic Games and enthusiastically joins his mum in the kitchen to get creative. It gets him bullied and beaten at school, but leads to the involvement of the new young doctor, Harry in their lives. Kathleen’s mother encourages her to expand her culinary repertoire, despite her husband’s revulsion, in the hope of being able to afford a washing machine. The women experiment with recipes, more complicated and adventurous, gaining confidence – not just in the kitchen. When Kathleen is distraught at the news of another pregnancy, Ivy confides a secret to Harry and they agree to offer Kathleen a choice and a chance, to make her own decisions and control her own life.
An authentic and inspiring story, a recipe for change, to throw off the girdle and defy society's conventions, husbands and even the Pope.

[Sally906 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time Victoria Purman brings a book out I say it’s her “best book ever” and I honestly mean it. A Woman's Work is no different - this is her best book ever!

Moving on from her previous books looking at women in WWI and WWII we now get to the 50s where women are still expected to stay home after marriage and look after their children and husband. That is Kathleen’s lot in life - 5 children, one still in nappies and a husband who expects her to put his needs first - his favourite meals governed by the day of the week. He even gets to get in the bath first, followed by each of the children with Kathleen getting into the grubby cold water after the kids are in bed. Hubby relaxes and reads the paper while she baths and beds the children. She is constantly exhausted.

The other heroine of the book is Ivy, single mum to twelve-year-old Raymond, a war baby who never met his dad. She worries that he doesn’t have a male role model in his life, and because she works all day as a doctors receptionist she is so tired she doesn’t cook nourishing meals for him.

Enter the Australia Women’s Weekly cooking competition with a huge money prize. A prize that could turn around the lives of both women. Raymond talks his mum into entering so they can afford a TV set and maybe afford tickets to the 1956 Olympic Games to be held in Melbourne. Kathleen’s mother suggested she enters as the money could buy a washing machine and other modern household appliances to make Kathleen’s life easier.

Both women start cooking the suggested recipes, Ivy gradually learns she can cook, Kathleen can cook but her husband doesn’t like the changes - won’t even try the first couple of dishes she cooks. I really, related to Kathleen trying to extend her repertoire of family meals - my brother-in-law liked meat and three veg every night, with a roast on Sundays. When my late Sister-in-law made a spaghetti bolognaise one night he was aghast and refused to eat it. She and the four kids all gobbled it down and she made him ham sandwiches instead. Now in his 70s he is quite adventurous in his eating but we all had a good laugh at him.

Victoria Purman is a meticulous researcher - the period the book is set in is when women were starting to flex their muscles, trying to break out of the mould that their fathers and husbands had forced them in. Women tasted freedom and independence during the war and they did not like going back into the homes and losing their say in how their lives went.

I was horrified at the plights of these two women - I was very lucky my father was very helpful around the house and encouraged mum to do her own thing. When I got married in the 70s I did not have to give up my job, and my husband jointly helped with the house chores. Still does. It took the Ivy’s and Kathleen’s of the world to take the steps to free up the next generation.

Although there was despair and hard times, there was lots of light moments. Both women had friends to support them, show them kindness and give them hope. The two women eventually cross paths as Kathleen is a patient at the doctor surgery where Ivy works, Ivy helps Kathleen in her time of need.

I was entranced by the story - I started it reading it on a Saturday morning and did not stop until I finished it just before bedtime. My hubby was sent out for Chinese takeaway so I didn’t have to stop.

I can’t wait to see what Victoria’s next book is about - all I know is when I get my hands on it I’ll have to lock the doors and pretend to be out until it’s finished!

With thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for my copy to review

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
I love the way we are transported back to the 1950’s in Australia just after World War II where a woman’s life was not made easy. I feel so grateful I’m a female living in this decade and not back in the 1950’s! I found it so interesting to learn of Australia’s past through the pages in this entertaining read!

A Woman’s Work is told from the perspectives of two likeable women, both mothers and each with a secret. Kathleen is a married mother of five young children and wife and Ivy Quinn is a war widow and single mother who works as a doctor’s receptionist.

The book centres around the Women’s Weekly magazine cooking competition with a huge financial prize and the issues facing the women during a time when they didn’t have a say. The competition brings these women new purpose. Women were to stay at home, have babies, cook, clean and take care of their children and husbands while the men went out to work.

The plot explores motherhood, contraception, mental health, homophobia, abortion and domestic violence and serves as a reminder as to how recently traditional gender roles were still so strictly enforced in Australia.

A pleasing and fascinating nostalgic read that was obviously meticulously researched along with some tempting recipes!

I’m always excited for a new Victoria Purman book!

Publication Date 05 April 2023
Publisher HQ Fiction Australia


Thank you so much to Harlequin Austalia for a copy of the book.

[Cindy Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful story told from the perspectives of two women living in the same community in 1956 Australia. Each are trying to manage their struggles with family, marriage and work. On top of this, they are dealing with society’s view of women. Women were expected to behave in a certain compliant way and perform flawless domestic duties.

War widow Ivy Quinn has a twelve year son who has never known his father but Ivy goes to great lengths to protect, provide and nurture her child in the best way she knows how. She is independent and works at the local Medical Practice. Her own past traumas make her sensitive to other’s needs and particularly compassionate to the women who walk through the practice’s doors. She is very efficient and organised in her job. The two doctors, one older and one younger, are most appreciative of her professional skills. The senior Doctor and his wife have been longstanding friends with Ivy and even have become substitute grandparents for her son. As secure and accomplished as Ivy’s life is, she carries a secret that could bring her son’s world down. She has to decide at one point who to share this burden with as it may mean helping another avoid serious consequences.

The second woman Kathleen O’Grady is married to a mechanic. They have five children. She is still a young woman but the grind of an everyday homemaker’s life with a large family to care for, has aged and worn her. She has no time for pampering herself for she is always caring for her husband’s and children’s needs. Although she clearly loves each member of her family, she is exhausted and reaching her limits of patience and strength. Her mother sees her pain and sympathises and brings something to her attention that could restore her joy and recharge her exhausted batteries (so to speak). A cooking competition from The Women’s Weekly offers an amazing amount of money that could supply her with some financial independence or at least bonus money for indulgences.

I was filled with so many emotions and thoughts as I read this novel. My heart ached at the internal pain these women endured and the silence they had to maintain to protect their positions. It was very much a man’s world that dictated a harsh reality of what women were supposed to be and what was required of them. There was no freedom or personal space. And although the story is set before my time (1956), it made me conscious of the issues my own mother would have faced. I know from history (and my mother’s comments) this novel is an astonishing and accurate portrayal of women's lives at that time and of the limitations put on them. The burdens and work load they carried proved overwhelming. Especially for those with large families, low incomes and lack of modern conveniences such as washing machines, dishwashers, disposal nappies, etc. The mundane drone of repetitive tasks, day in and day out, wore many women down. In some cases, especially for those confined in the home, there was very little mental stimulation or few adult conversations to promote development. Child care was a twenty-four hour demand with little help from spouse or others.

It is such a perfect novel in its depiction of women in the latter 1950's Australia. We see and feel their trials, limitations and frustrations. Their dark days and restless nights. And although there is plenty of despair, a light trickles through with the Australian Women's Weekly cooking contest and turns things around for these two women by offering them a chance for self-fulfilment. It gives them a goal and a means to achieve personal success. So, although I saw internal anguish visible on these pages, friendship, kindness and hope are very much a part of this story's fabric, too; especially when these two women’s paths cross. They are given a new freedom and strength.

I loved A Woman’s Work. I could not put it down, even to eat as I was so engrossed in these two women's lives. I highly recommend it and happily give it a full 5 Stars. A Woman's Work is deserving of such a mark and more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to Harlequin Australia, HQ and Netgalley for a review copy.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing. Rarely does a book hold my interest so much that I was just nodding and smiling at the content which took me back to my childhood.
Two women with different circumstances both decide to enter the Australian Women's Weekly cookery competition where they may have the opportunity to win money which would change their circumstances. I just loved the references to the era that I remember so well as a child, the food, the brands, the fact that women did not wear trousers if they had a job and the list goes on. There are some pretty serious issues that are also discussed in this book, and I take my hat off to Victoria for doing so much research of the era in which this book was set - and she absolutely nailed it!

I cannot recommend this book more highly, I suggest that it is what I would call a modern historical fiction novel as a lot of readers would remember the time that it was set in.

Thank you so much to Harlequin and Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this novel for review purposes. 5/5

[beccabeccabooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Purman's portrayal of post war Australia is an eye opener. It's hard to fathom that 70 years ago, women were expected to stay at home, their only roles being a 'happy' housewife and mother, filling days with cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. Anything less was frowned upon, and if you dared to be employed whilst married, let alone being a mother, lightning would strike Thank goodness that times have changed and gender stereotypical roles have almost been eradicated. ALMOST.

However, one magazine was their saviour. The Australian Women's Weekly provided everything from Hollywood gossip and beauty tips to recipes and advice on child raising. 1956 was a year to be remembered. Whilst Australia was preparing to host the Melbourne Olympic Games and the nation was talking about a new revolutionary way in entertainment, housewives were cooking up a storm, hoping to win part of a major prize in the popular magazines cookery competition.

St Kilda mothers Ivy and Kathleen are just two of the hopeful entrants. The temptation of such a life-changing cash injection is far too strong for the two women. For single parent Ivy, it'll mean that she can give her wonderful twelve year old son, Raymond, anything that he wishes for. As for mother of five Kathleen, it'll mean a different life from the usual boring routine that she's practised for herself and her kids.

Of course, this cooking competition is just the stepping stone that Ivy and Kathleen needs to break free from society's expectations, gain confidence and believe in a different, newer future that will benefit themselves and future generations.

A whole lot of nostalgia was packed into the pages, same with the advances in technology and medicine. Ugh. When I learned how pregnancies were confirmed way back when, my stomach turned.

This was a great look at feminism. As a woman living in the 21st century, I'm so thankful to our female ancestors standing up and saying a huge FU to those men that denied the basic, fundamental, HUMAN right to choose for themselves.

Also, who else wants to attempt the retro recipes sprinkled throughout? I'm not so sure on the curried steak and spaghetti though!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5

[Craig and Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Victoria Purman, one of our great historical storytellers, is back to transport the reader back to the 50’s and it’s packed with realism and authenticity.
It’s 1956 and Australia is settling after the war and getting ready to host the Olympics but for two women entering a cookery contest is about to change their lives.
Kathleen is too busy for anything besides running a house, she has five children that demand her time and a husband who expects the standard meal on the table.
Ivy is a war widow with a twelve year old son, working as a receptionist for the local doctors surgery to survive, she just wants her son to be happy.
Seasons past as both women question everything and wonder what kind of future they will have.
Inside The Australian Women’s Weekly is a competition and a big cash prize for the winners, to come up with the best recipe, this will give them the opportunity to make a change and help with making life better for them both.
A historical tale that looks at and explores the roles of a woman in the 1950’s.
A role where society rules, as well as people’s attitudes, thought women were meant to be housewives, mothers and sometimes working in a secondary position.
Women were expected to act in a certain way in and outside the home.
Victoria’s research of this era is impeccable and while some of it was slightly difficult to read, it was that way back then.
Scattered throughout the story is a selection of recipes of the time, these were very nostalgic.
Don’t tell anyone but I quite fancy the Cheese and Gherkins scones.
With loss, secrets, friendships, despair, emotion, heartbreak, endurance and love, this is a book that will be read by many.
Plentiful in detail and rich in plot lines, A Woman’s Work has smash hit written all over it.

[Jessica (bibliobliss.au) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lately I’ve been really drawn to historical fiction set post-war and Victoria Purman’s latest novel, A WOMAN’S WORK really captured Australian life a decade on from World War II.

1956 is a big year in Australian history and this story is packed with nostalgia, but it also highlights just how far we’ve come. The attitudes, technology, language and social norms of the day were very confronting to read about at times (I am still shocked by learning how pregnancy tests were performed in the ‘50s!) and Purman doesn’t shy away from the realities of the day.

Less a celebration of women’s domestic labour (I was exhausted by the reality of some of the characters’ lives!), A WOMAN’S WORK is a tribute to the women whose courage to seek better futures triggered change and progress in what was overwhelmingly a man’s world.

I adored this story and especially liked that the tale took some turns I wasn’t expecting. An eye-opening read about a past that doesn’t feel all that long ago, I highly recommend this fabulous Aussie historical fiction!

I received a gifted copy of the book from the publisher.

[Anne Le Grand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very disappointing. At least 3 mistakes in reading book, proof reader not on the ball. Took away enjoyment of book.

[Katie Clews · Rating 4 out of 5]

New release: A Woman’s Work by @victoriapurmanauthor
Calling all historical fiction lovers !
I was so excited to receive an advance copy from @betterreadingau and boy it did not disappoint. I’m a huge fan of Victoria’s books.
This story is set in Australia in the 1950’s and told from the perspectives of two women - Ivy, a single mother to one child and Kathleen, a wife and mother to 5 children. These women lead quite different lives but are battling their own struggles and holding onto secrets that could have serious ramifications if found out. Life for women in the 1950’s wasn’t easy. I loved following their journeys and the way entering the Women’s Weekly cooking competition changed them both in ways they didn’t think were possible. Both women were extremely likeable. The research involved in this story is amazing! I loved the recipes featured throughout the book too. 4.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for this fabulous read #bookstagram #aussieauthors #historicalfiction #reading #bookshelf #booklover

[Juanita Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first few chapters I immediately felt privileged to have been born in the 60’s and married in the 80’s. What a different world for women it was back in the 50’s when this beautiful book was set.
I’ve never been seventh in line for a bath or had a husband butt out his cigarette on his dinner plate but I do have very fond memories of eating tinned tomato soup with grilled cheese on toast! I won’t make any more comparisons as I don’t want to give anything away but reading this book made me feel so grateful for the life I’ve had. I felt so much compassion for the characters in this heartwarming book and I really didn’t want it to end.

[Helen - Great Reads & Tea Leaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Purman writes wonderful historical fiction and A Woman’s Work is her latest brilliant addition. On this occasion she takes readers back to 1956 with two women living different lives in the same Melbourne suburb. With themes of courage and strength, Victoria uses a cookery contest as the impetus for change.

Firstly I loved being immersed in the Melbourne of 1956! Television was coming along with the Olympics and there were still reflections of a world war so recently over. Victoria covers a number of issues and through outstanding research, all are covered with knowledge and heart. From domestic violence and homosexuality, to contraception (the pill just starting to be spoken of) and abortion. Victoria could not have presented a better platform to raise such topical issues. The two contrasting women’s tales - one a single mother, the other a mother of five - was likewise critical and clever in demonstrating the many constraints placed on women of this era.

‘When had her life become an endless, endless cycle of breakfast and lunch and dinner and washing and cleaning and scrubbing and wiping and mopping and scolding and child-holding and disciplining and being a wife?’

Secondly, I just loved the many cultural references of the era. I am a child of the 70s, however, so many things felt homely and familiar (I miss Salvital!) Whether it be the Woman’s Weekly itself (my mother LOVED magazines - still does), the chore of washing clothes, deciding on the standard weekly family menu, the sharing of baths or clothes, the darning when something as simple as catching your stockings on the vinyl edge of a seat, to tales of dripping as opposed to this new product called margarine - so many things that made me smile with familiarity.

‘You might find that love of cooking again, Kath. It’s something women have to do - day in and day out, week in and week out - so why not put some fun back into it’

I applaud Victoria in her Author’s Note where she expresses her view that ‘to fully tell the truth about the past, it’s important to be honest about it’. I agree 100%! That is why this novel is the perfect depiction of all the many and varied trials and tribulations women endured in the late 1950s. Yet through the often dark days of despair, something as simple as the possibility of winning a cooking competition could shed a new light on life and open the window to new possibilities. Camaraderie, friendship and hope neatly bring balance to this well rounded tale.

I truly loved A Woman’s Work and highly recommend it. This period of time was not that long ago and Victoria does an incredible job of highlighting the struggles women experienced through laws, societal expectations and personal preferences. It is not only a journey of how far we have come (and still need to go) but also how together, women are stronger.

‘She had exercised a choice and it had become her secret and her power’










This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, another great book and read by Victoria Purman. It is about women, for women. It is a story of the life of women in the 1950's and it is a wonderful book.

A cooking competition and how its prize can change a life is what two women are after. But it isn't the money that changes their lives but what happens on the way to entering the competition that does. Ivy and Kathleen have very different reasons to enter this competition but in the end it is all about providing for their families. This is their story.

This is enlightening, powerful and emotional. Even in this day and age I think most women can relate to it. As I would expect from this author it is so well written and researched, it is a story that draws you in and keeps you reading and it certainly tugs at the heartstrings. On top of that it is very easy to read and didn't drag on. It got to the point but also told the story well.

Loved it and highly recommend it.

A Woman's Work
Victoria Purman
Harlequin Australia

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be honest, only reason I read this was to get mum off my back for being a "book snob", but I'm so glad I did! This was such a quick, easy read that I knocked over in a couple of sittings. Very sociological and I loved the twists (especially the one about the doctor! ) Has this bought me out of my reading slump? I think so.....

[Bernadette Pinchin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining historical novel - great snapshot of family life in Australia in the 50s and 60s.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This is my third Victoria Purman book and I've enjoyed each and really admire the way she seamlessly includes the historical aspects into her stories.

This time, the book revolves around the lives of two Australian women in the 50s, when men were men, and women were still meant to know their place.

Kathleen is a mother of five, her life relegated to the drudgery of housework that would be involved with that many children and a husband who refuses to lift a finger. With no husband and a son to raise, Ivy is employed as a receptionist for a doctor. Both women are searching for the proverbial 'more' in their lives and a cooking competition in the Women's Weekly magazine becomes a catalyst for them to be braver and stand up for themselves.

Both women were lovely characters, both with their own share of very realistic and relatable (even in today's world) issues. I can't say I preferred one woman over the other and that's always a good sign when books include more than one lead.

Apart from the obvious themes around women's rights including access to birth control, abortion, childcare, no-fault divorce etc, Purman includes homophobia, poverty, racism, post WW2 PTSD and domestic violence. The focus of women's rights in the workplace hit home to me as I have been subjected to, and a witness of, gender bias recently. Yes, things have improved since the 50s, but there's still a long way to go.

I think my only whine would be there was a distinct lack of romance in the book. (Funny how so many people scoff at romantic storylines and search for books without them, and I've been begging for some of late.)

Other than that, I highly recommend A Woman's Work and look forward to my next Purman who has become a bit of a favourite author.

4.5 out of 5

[Kim (hundredacreofbooks.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bestselling Australian Author Victoria Purman has returned, this time in post-war Australia 1956 in the kitchen, she is one of our country's most talented authors and if you haven’t discovered her books yet let me tell you there is no better time than right now!

Read the full review on the blog.
https://hundredacreofbooks.com/index....

[✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy received via Netgalley for an honest review

I really do enjoy Ms Purman's stories of women during/post the wars, and she has done another spectacular job with A Woman's Work.

Told from the perspective of two women post WW2, she gives us an insight to the role of women during this time, and these two wonderful women breaking down the barriers of what is expected of them, and what they are worth. They are not just tied to the kitchen with their apron strings. They are not just baby making factories.

They have their dreams and aspirations just like any man.

Though the one thing they both look forward to is the latest edition of the Australian Women's Weekly.

Strong, indestructable women rule the world, don't you know, and our leading ladies are two prime examples of nothing keeping them down.

Very enjoyable read with some darker undertones at times, it kept me interested and turning each page, needing to know what happened to them next.

[Kremena Koleva · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Никога не можеш да разбереш дали една жена има свои собствени проблеми. Толкова сме добри в това да ги крием зад усмивка и смях. Научени сме от раждането си да се държим смело.“

Има книги и автори, които съжалявам, че не могат да бъдат намерени на български език в книжарниците ни. Историите, които те предлагат, дават представа за еволюцията на женските права в свят, командван от мъже и във времена, когато религията е давала тон в личния живот. Обезличаването и пренебрегването на нуждите и желанията на жените много трудно са били победени и на висока цена.
Victoria Purman често рисува хората с цялата гама от слаби и силни черти в характера и природата им, с борбата на всеки обикновен мъж или жена да намери мястото си по време на превратни събития в историята на Австралия. Но дали в следвоенните години, дали в периодите на спечелване на някои лични и обществени права, жените в този далечен континент преминават през всичко - възможността да се съпротивляват на нещо, което не желаят или да се стремят към своя мечта, въпреки мнението на мъжете, на Ватикана или на клюкарите....
Ако бях котка, сигурно щях да стоя с извадени нокти през голяма част от четенето на A Women's Work. Или щях да се катеря по стените от гняв, заради положението на омъжените жени в следвоенните години. Не само в Австралия, а навсякъде по света, сякаш живота на съпругите и майките е бил ограничаван до грижата за мъжа, децата ( без знания за предпазване от забременяване, броят им може да расте постоянно), да перат безброй дрехи, пелени, завеси, спално бельо и покривки, да ходят редовно на пазар и да готвят като награден су - шеф всеки ден задоволяващи количества храна за всички гладни усти. Парите през онези времена са стигали с трудност при само един работещ родител ( не че сега стигат и при двамата работещи) , а часовете в денонощието не са позволявали възможност за четене на книга, следобедна дрямка или някакво здравословно неразположение за майката.
Онова, което е било тогава, днес ми изглежда трудно, обсебващо и демобилизиращо интересите и желанията на една жена. Може да е гарантирало стабилна семейна среда за децата, но и тогава някои съпрузи са залитали по алкохола, залаганията и извънбрачните връзки и у дома са използвали грубост, сила или просто пренебрежение. Само че в 50 - те години на миналия век разводът е бил мръсна дума и още по - мръсна мисъл, която да мине през главата на горката съпруга.
Такива книги ни карат да мислим, да сравняваме и да избираме пътя си. Както и да уважаваме постигнатото от поколенията жени преди нас, да се стремим да запазим извоюватите възможности за себе си и да ги разширим за младите момичета след нас. Това, което имаме днес, както е видно от репортажи от различни краища на света, не е даденост дори в 21ви век. И затова е много страшно!
За мен, като любител на готвенето и обичащ добрата и разнообразна домашна храна, книгата си беше малък празник. С всички нови рецепти и с плахите стъпки на едни от героите и с по - уверените действия в кухнята на други, аз бях във възторг и познавах себе си в много от ситуациите.
A Women's Work е и начин да погледнем към майките си - къде са те в нашия живот на зрели жени и какви майки за децата си сме ние? Как отглеждаме и как говорим за света на своите малки. А когато самите те станат възрастни, могат ли да разчитат все още на мама в трудни моменти и в ярки случаи на успех и победа?

* " Вайълет чакаше отговор, гледайки дъщеря си с едва сдържана надежда, примесена със загриженост и тревога. За първи път Катлийн осъзна колко трудно трябва да е за една майка да гледа собствената си дъщеря да се бори. Да гледа собственото си дете и да не знае как да помогне. "
* „Това правят майките, мила моя. Не можем да бъдем щастливи, ако децата ни не са. Тук съм, когато имаш нужда от мен. Не забравяй това.
И когато майките са щастливи, мила, децата им също са щастливи.“

Иска ми се повече жени да прочетат книгите на Victoria Purman! Заради своето самочувствие и за своята увереност, че никога не сме били слабия пол. Но винаги ще трябва да бъдем уважавания пол!

[Sam Still Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Woman’s Work is a look at the roles of women in 1950s Australia, in and outside the home. There are no punches pulled as to secrets and burdens they bear as the novel follows two women.

Kathleen is thirty years old. She’s also the mother of five children, having left school, worked briefly and then married her husband. Her days are filled with endless housework (not owning a modern washing machine, the laundry takes all day and is hard physical labour) and cleaning up after everyone. (From a modern point of view, her husband needs to start picking up after himself and making his own drinks). It’s mindlessly numbing and tiring. Even her cooking is down to a routine regimen after her husband got angry over her serving rice. Ivy is a war widow who works full time as a medical receptionist while looking after her son Raymond. She has no help from family, is stretched financially and her dinners relate mainly to canned food. When The Australian Women’s Weekly announces a cooking competition, both Ivy and Kathleen decide to enter. Through food, they gain confidence in working through their issues, sharing secrets and making their lives better.

For the majority of the novel, Ivy and Kathleen don’t interact. Their chapters are told alternately and they do feel a bit distant from each other. However, they do give insight into the different issues facing a housewife and a working widow. Towards the end of the novel, Ivy and Kathleen do interact more but it’s quite fleeting. I would have liked to see more interaction earlier on, as the common threads between the two are that they are both entering the AWW competition and bear the burdens of women during the time. Speaking of which, Kathleen’s life sounds absolutely terrible through a modern, feminist lens. While she hasn’t been controlled by the men in her life, she is expected to toe their line. Her husband Peter reads as an absolute pig, never thinking of his wife unless it’s for sex. For most of the novel, he’s not willing to take on part of the parenting roles and enforces his role as head of the family, from eating first, to having the first bath. While a modern woman wouldn’t put up with it, Purman does a good job in explaining the limitations in freedom, social status and lack of technology open to Kathleen and Ivy. For Ivy, her secret is shocking and through a modern lens against, it’s hard to see why she responded the way she did. Again, Purman details her (lack of) options to show why Ivy took the route she did.

Victoria Purman always does methodical research and it shows once again in A Woman’s Work. Interspersed in the novel are actual recipes of the day (can confirm as I have my nan’s copy of New Australian Cookery Illustrated, which is used for some of them). Most of them are more appropriate to the time period than modern palates (e.g., lemon jelly in a savory dish) but the cookbook is definitely worth a read and there are some recipes that do stand the test of time! Many other historical titbits of interest are included, such as how early pubs closed (6pm) and the New Australians (displaced people from Europe after World War II).

Overall, A Woman’s Work is a nostalgic read, but shows how things have changed for the better for women.

Thank you to Harlequin for the ARC. My review is my own opinion.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com