Daffodils

The Katherine Wheel #1

by Alex Martin

Katy, maidservant at Cheadle Manor, longs to escape her narrow life but events unfold slowly in her rural village. Finally, frustrated by personal tragedy and the shackles that continue to bind her, she becomes a mechanic in the WAAC as part of the British Expeditionary Force. Through the horrors of WW1 she discovers only love brings freedom.
Long description: In this heartbreaking romance feisty heroine, Katy, dreams of a better life than just being a domestic servant at Cheadle Manor. Her one attempt to escape is thwarted when her flirtation with the manor’s heir results in a scandal that shocks the local community.
Jem Beagle has always loved Katy. His offer of marriage rescues her but personal tragedy divides them. Jem leaves his beloved Wiltshire to become reluctant soldier on the battlefields of The First World War. Katy is left behind, restless and alone.
Lionel White, the local curate, has just returned from India bringing a dash of colour to the small village and offers Katy a window on the wider world.
Katy decides she has to play her part in a world at arms and joins up as a WAAC girl. She finally breaks free from the stifling class-ridden hierarchies that bind her but the brutality of 20th century global war brings home the price she has paid for her search.
COMPLETELY REVISED EDITION

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Historical, War, World War I, Ebooks

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

I came late to writing. No, that's wrong. I came late to publishing my writing. And what a thrilling ride it's proving to be.
I'm never happier than when bashing both brain and keyboard in my Plotting Shed wherever that may be! On gloriously creative days, I can look up and find hours have passed. I'm amazed the scenery is unchanged, fixed, when I've been absorbed in heart-stopping drama or tragedy, or romance.
At last, I am following my bliss. I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm dancing.
There was an old black and gold typewriter knocking about my childhood home. When I wasn't skinning my knees climbing trees or wandering aimlessly in the countryside with my dog and my dreams, I could be found, as now, typing away with imaginary friends whispering in my ear.
My first novel, The Twisted Vine, is based on a happy time picking grapes in France in the 1980s. I met some amazing people there but none as outrageous as those that sprang to life on my screen. Daffodils is based in Wiltshire, where I grew up. It attempts to portray how ordinary lives, and the rigid social order, were radically altered by the catalyst of the First World War. This book developed into The Katherine Wheel Series, with a sequel set in 1919 in the aftermath of WW1, Peace Lily, and Speedwell, taking the characters into the roaring twenties and the dangerous world of motor-racing. Willow (a novella) introduces the next generation who face daunting challenges in WW2 in Woodbine and Ivy, the final book in this epic saga which draws all the many threads together in the previous six books into a dramatic climax.
The Spirit Level comprises two dual-time ghost stories. The Rose Trail is set in the English Civil War and Triskelion has a Druid priestess giving Fay and Percy an urgent message for the modern world.
The next book is always just around the corner. I'm just listening to the whispers from the other side to get the full picture... And now that book (my tenth!) is here. Warrior Queens is the third book in The Spirit Level Series although the link is tenuous. Three friends struggle through adversity and only their bond can get them through. A modern tale of girlpower.

Reviews

[Margitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first world war broke out in Europe

Young people from small, poor bucolic British families all dreamed of new possibilities and better lives if they signed up for the war. Most of them, in counties such as Wiltshire, had never been in London, many had never seen the sea. They eked out a living working for the gentry on their big estates with poverty standing like invisible perennial guards at their doors. There was hardly any escape possible until the war came.

Katy Beagle worked in the manor house as a personal maid when the son of the manor needed a little bit of fun before he departed for London to join the war effort.

Young and inexperienced as she was, and bored to death with the prospect of being rooted to her situation for the rest of her life, Katy jumped at the opportunity to have some fun. It resulted in a huff and a lot of puff with a cloud of scandal threatening her good name and honor. Good, rock-solid Jem, the gardener, proposed again, and this time she had no other choice but accept. And so begins the story of a young couple within the village dynamics of Wiltshire with the assortment of lovable, despicable, and delightful characters who share their lives for ages. But after the young vicar announced them husband and wife, the village openly released a sigh of relief. The scandal was short-lived and the couple could live happily ever after.

But that was not to be. Katy and Jem's paths through the deeply moving narrative exposes the highs and lows of two young people's inner turmoil with life and love, their first encounters in the adult world with heartbreak and hardship. The tale winds through a volatile time in world history and how it personally effected two young people but also their community.

The horror of the First World War is portrayed with accuracy and emotion. The deprivations and devastation of the war is creatively and convincingly conveyed. All the elements to make this a great book is present: loyalty, weakness, betrayal, guilt, lies, sex, secrets, violence, an attempted suicide, heroism and finally love coupled with justice. All the people are real. So much so that the reader becomes emotionally attached to them and become emotionally invested in the turns and twists of the plot. Throughout the harsh reality of the war, there is still an almost ironic wholesomeness present in the young people's optimism and hope for a better future. Despite all the obstacles, the daffodils never seized to bloom among the privation and suffering of the war.

Daffodils is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope which teaches us the power of resilience, integrity and true honor.

This book was a deeply emotional experience that managed to reach the inner core of my being. This is such a powerful story. I am amazed that it has not attracted more attention on Goodreads. It really deserves it.

If you have enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, you will love this book as well.

Highly recommended.

[Nancy Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book

This was a very well written and enjoyable story. Great characters and storyline. It keeps you involved from the beginning to end. I would recommend this book and am anxious to start the sequel.

[Alicia Huxtable · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a story

Such a great, heartwarming story that first must rip you apart and then make amends by making you feel all fuzzy. Really enjoyed how this story made me feel, even the sad bits.......and to top it off, several of the characters were such strong female characters, made stronger by their experiences

[Misfits farm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daffodils- Alex Martin 4*
Set in the early days of the first world war this tells the story of Katy and her life and loves. Of the hills and fresh air of home and her dreams through her reading. The harshness of the living conditions of the time and the lack of sanitation and things we all now take for granted. The journey through the war for Katy and her family and village and the traumas therein. I am not usually into historical novels but this one has a certain charm to it and the characters are well described. The conditions of the war and the thoughts of those at home and abroad are easily pictured bringing scenes and the book to life. A poignant tale for anyone who had family they remember at that time and maybe a tale we should all read to know that things were not always how they are now both the war aspect as well as general life. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

[Jennifer Mull · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book..... After I finished it, it was as if I had seen a movie... I had to keep reminding myself that I didn't see it, I read it! It was just so vividly described and emotionally well-thought out. There is an element of grief to the story that is very realistic and even though the elements of faith are in a negative vein, the theme of grace and mercy and forgiveness still comes through... very moving story....

[Vanessa Wester · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic story which was written beautifully. I have not read many books based around WW1 and this was just right.

The characters have some hard times and I found myself in tears at times, but overall the story was told in a way I could relate to and understand.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.

[Buddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

WWI made real

Characters are authentic. Story line holds attention. True to life emotions and rationale. Loved it. Ready for the next one!

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

*This review will contain spoilers, but since they probably won't make you want to read the book, feel free to go ahead*

Katy Beagle is a servant in Cheadle Manor in England, early 1910s. Jem Phipps, the gardener, is interested in her but she has bigger dreams of leaving the country and her life. So she starts hanging out with Charles, the son of the family she serves, and when they're discovered she gets fired. So she finally accepts Jem's offer of marriage, and it turns out she loves him and the life they have together. They have a daughter, who gets typhoid and dies before her first birthday. Katy sinks into depression, and then gets pneumonia, and then Jem goes off to WWI. While he's gone, Katy pretty much moves back in with her parents. Then one day she goes home and gets a letter that Jem is missing, presumed dead. So she tries to kill herself, and Lionel White (the preacher who is hopelessly in love with her) rescues her, kisses her, takes her clothes off, proposes marriage, and gets mad when she refuses. Then Katy clicks that Jem is only PRESUMED dead, so she decides to join the WAAC to try and find him over in France. There she learns to be a mechanic for ambulances, makes a friend from the upper classes, Ariadne, and reunites with Cassandra, Charles's little sister (the guy she kissed years ago, remember him?) Meanwhile Lionel pops up every so often to continue being insulting, and then Jem shows up because of course he's not dead, and they live happily every after (or not - there are two sequels but I won't read them).

Hum, where to begin. All right, first off, I'll say the story had very good bones. The bit of Katy in the WAAC with Arry and Cass was the best and I actually enjoyed reading that. But as you can guess from my synopsis, there was way too much going on - and I didn't even get to the fight for running water, the fact that Charles and Albert, Katy's brother, died in the war, or the second job Katy gets at the manor. A lot of subplots and secondary characters could have been dropped, with the original plot (marriage and war) expanded to take the whole novel, and everything would just have been better, in my opinion.

Also, I found out later that this had been self-edited and, no offence to other self-edited novels out there, but it showed. Commas were severely abused in the writing of this story, and more than once the main characters' surnames were inverted, and it felt like, if the author seems to not care about her own characters to keep their names straight, how are we supposed to?

So unfortunately this felt a bit like a draft which could have benefited from some editing.

[Jenny Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last book I shall review this year and I found it compelling.

Katy dreams of a different sort of life, away from the quiet, Wiltshire backwater she has grown up in. Her dreams make her reluctant to accept Jem's proposal of marriage, as marrying him would mean giving up her dreams of travel. Katy has her head and heart briefly turned by the charms of her employer's son. Her liaisons with him are enough to cause a minor scandal which threatens to tarnish Katy's reputation. So, when Jem proposes again, she accepts. Surprising herself, she finds happiness and contentment in married life until tragedy strikes to break her heart and the ensuing grief creates a strain which threatens to tear the couple apart. Unable to comfort or console his grieving wife, Jem decides to sign up for the war. When he goes missing in action, presumed dead, Katy joins the war effort, too. Originally, she goes in the hope of finding Jem alive but is soon caught up in the blood, guts and mayhem of war, working at a field hospital in France.

Combining romance, historical fiction and a feminist touch, Daffodils is impressively well-researched and vividly imagined, making a worthy and respectable contribution to WW1 historical fiction. It vividly portrays the brutality and futility of war while paying homage to the bravery and camaraderie of those who were involved in all aspects of the war effort. While many novels have been written about the war, this one, for me, brought a fresh and feminist perspective to the subject. In many ways, the terrible loss and grief aside, the war was a liberating experience for many women as they were given roles which would never have been open to them otherwise. I do not hesitate to recommend.

[Siobhan Daiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This touching love story, set against the backdrop of the turmoil of World War I, is told from the heart and, although the subject matter is tragic, I really enjoyed the read. Katy is a wonderful heroine. I found myself caring deeply about her and wanting everything to work out. Jem, too, is a hugely sympathetic hero, and I liked him for his courage and steadfastness. The main theme of this novel is the human spirit and how it prevails in spite of the horrors of poverty and war. All is not doom and gloom in the narrative, however, and the lighter moments, not to mention the cast of believable secondary characters, including the creepy Lionel, help to make the storyline well-rounded. I found “Daffodils” un-put-down-able, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

[Dina_s · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, easy going read with endearing characters. Pure coincidence that I read it during Remembrance time and right after downloading Downton Abbey Season 5!
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book I do have a few gripes:
- the main characters are all so NICE! (Well apart from the vile Leonard.)
- i felt that some of the language did not fit the context properly, f.e. the use of pound cake vs sponge cake. Also, I can't imagine simple country folk from the Great War era likening things to automatons and zombies. Katy's hair was described as bobbed at one point - I thought the bob was invented for Clara Bow? There were a few similar foibles but these are easily forgiven and I look forward to the second instalment.

[Donna Wilkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story because it reveals so much history of WWI which is blatantly missing from my education. I remember memorizing facts about the “tinder box” of alliances which started the war. I know I had to memorize which countries were on which side. I knew about famous people that suffered in the trenches such as de Chardin and Hemingway. But this well-researched piece of historical fiction synthesizes the facts and makes it all very real.
The book also describes the class differences of the time (Downton Abbey), especially for women, and how those differences were obliterated by the war effort.
Top shelf, as the British might say.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katy is a maid who lives to read and hates being a maid. Her parents want her to marry Jem who is a gardener on the estate. Charles is the heir to the estate. When he comes home from school unexpectedly he takes a shine to Katy and all hell breaks loose. He ends up joining the army and Katy gets fired. Jem asks her to marry him. Though Katy finally admits that she loves Jem but their life is not easy and the First World War will affect everyone's lives.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This past autumn I visited the World War One museum. This historical fiction account of the war was engaging and insightful. The author had a good storyline and also helped the reader learn a lot of historical facts about the war.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the story of world war one. I am really looking forward to the sequel. Great romance and historical information.

[Debbie Shoulders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reads like a British television drama, with an ensemble of ordinary people living in extraordinary times. Katy works as a maid at Cheadle Manor, with many of her family and neighbors being employed by the owners as well. Though she is destined to marry Jem, the manor's gardener, she longs for freedom and escapes by reading. Marriage brings the two young people surprises as well as tragedy, ultimately, the Great War arrives and with it all of their lives are altered. This is the first of six books and though Daffodils offers closure it the reader understands there is more to Katy and Gem's journey.

[Deanna Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! Five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I absolutely loved it! I was hooked to the started til the end of the chapter…I definitely recommend this one!

Can’t wait to read another book series of this author..

[Pam Porell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. I couldn’t put it down. The characters were well developed.

[Robin Periandri · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome

I loved the book Daffodils. I could hardly stop reading it. I truly liked knowing more about the wartime. Thanks

[Jo-anne Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read set around WW1. Gets you emotionally involved

[Margaret Crampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable book set during and featuring the First World War. The historical background to the love story and the build up of relationships is intriguing and a great encouragement to read the next in the series.

[Julie Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never give up!

First World War….well written felt as I was at the front with them. I like books that make you feel that way.

[Angela Juneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyed it enough to download the others

[Shir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because I'm strongly interested in WWII books and its aftermath but am less familiar with WWI, and I wanted to read more on the topic. This book highlights some of the key themes surrounding WWI: class change, industrialization, changing gender roles, etc. I liked watching how Katy evolved and matured into an adult capable of understanding and interacting with the world around her. I wish we'd had a bit more of Lionel, creepy and pompous though he is. He, Katy, and Jem are such different people that while we got a good look into how Katy and Jem coped with the war, it would have been interesting to see how the war affected Lionel.

[Mrs Pamela Bluck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A romance with extras

I really enjoy reading a good romance, a story set in the war years and how people managed during this dreadful time. Daffodils has everything telling of a young couple getting married, having a child and struggling through their tragic loss. The stresses faced by family members 'doing their bit' comes across in the writing of this exceptional book. I read of love, unwanted attentions, terrible conditions of war and the bravery of young men and women fighting towards peace. I've read the book twice and loved every chapter.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

Set in England and France in the early 1900’s, Daffodils is a tragically tender story of love conquering all.

Read full review in the 2013 July/August double issue of InD’tale Magazine.

[Bette Lentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

War story

The book is a story of WWI as experienced by a servant girl. The depiction of the class separation before the war and how this changed is a good part of the story. I liked the story's characters and their interaction I will read the next book in the series.

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into this book at the beginning. I left it for a while and then came back to it, and it was really worth it!
I really enjoyed the modern views and descriptions of old times.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the strong female characters. The book discussed tragedies that happened in day to day live during a war.

[Kathy Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story takes place during WWI. Katy marries Jem and he goes off to war after they lose a child. Katy gets the letter that he's missing in action and decides to sign up to help the war efforts