What do you think?
Rate this book
Ambitious Love
Fern Jenkins' life is changed for ever when her brother is killed in action and her father dies in a mining explosion. Turned out of their home by the ruthless pit owner, Fern and her mother Wynne are forced to seek a new life in Cardiff. Whilst Wynne finds work in a factory, Fern attends the local school. But here she is bullied and is soon selling flowers outside Cardiff Central station to help make ends meet. When her mother is taken from her in an influenza epidemic, Fern has no one to protect her from her violent and possessive uncle. She longs to escape from the brutality and squalor around her and make something of herself. But with no money and her only friend away at sea, there seems little hope of her ever leaving her life of poverty behind, let alone finding the love she so yearns for...
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2010
33 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Rosie Harris
43 books31 followersRosie Harris was born in Cardiff and for several years worked in the City Hall. Her husband, Ken, was from Wallasey and after they married they lived on Merseyside for many years.
She has been writing since the 1950’s. In the 1960’s she ran her own agency, Regional Feature Service, writing articles for most of the provincial newspapers.
During the 70’s she became Editorial Controller for a non-fiction house.
In the 1980’s, after publishing a number of non-fiction titles she turned to fiction and during the 1980/90’s had a number of short stories published as well as five books by Sphere under the name Marion Harris.
Since 2002 she has had some 20 books published by Heinemann/Arrow. She sets her books in the 20’s because she has a great admiration for the women who were wives and mothers in those days. They had none of the current time-saving equipment – no washing machines or vacuum cleaners, no instant electric fires or cookers, and certainly no Internet. Their days were long and arduous and often they had to manage on very little money.
In 2005 she was one of the judges when Arrow and Asda collaborated in a major national competition to find the next big saga writer.
Her most recent titles are Love Changes Everything and The Quality of Love. The next, Whispers of Love, will be published in March 2010.
She has been writing since the 1950’s. In the 1960’s she ran her own agency, Regional Feature Service, writing articles for most of the provincial newspapers.
During the 70’s she became Editorial Controller for a non-fiction house.
In the 1980’s, after publishing a number of non-fiction titles she turned to fiction and during the 1980/90’s had a number of short stories published as well as five books by Sphere under the name Marion Harris.
Since 2002 she has had some 20 books published by Heinemann/Arrow. She sets her books in the 20’s because she has a great admiration for the women who were wives and mothers in those days. They had none of the current time-saving equipment – no washing machines or vacuum cleaners, no instant electric fires or cookers, and certainly no Internet. Their days were long and arduous and often they had to manage on very little money.
In 2005 she was one of the judges when Arrow and Asda collaborated in a major national competition to find the next big saga writer.
Her most recent titles are Love Changes Everything and The Quality of Love. The next, Whispers of Love, will be published in March 2010.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2020
It enjoyed reading the book. Had a few twists I didn't expect.
August 19, 2022
very good , read this again after years. first found it many years ago.
July 3, 2024
A good read but a little to far fetched for me. Could have done more with male charecters back story.
February 26, 2012
This story was along the same lines as most of Rosie Harris' books (for me anyway). I find her heroine's insipid, naive and some of things that happen to them and that they do a little unrealistic.
Fern, going off as a stowaway on her boyrfiend's ship to Russia, to live there on her own while Glamorgan went back to sea. Becoming a bit of a drinker, at such a young age, moving on to getting billed as a dancer with no experience (I know this could happen sometimes but...!) Onto a star billing at a French Theatre. Accepting the dotage of a Frenchman, knowing that something would be expected but not wanting to give it. Disappearing without notice from her position in Paris - that was weak of character and back into the arms of Godfrey? - who she had wanted nothing to do with earlier.
A bit of a weak, unrealistic story. Fiction is one thing, but I do like a fiction story that is a little realistic.
I only read it for a challenge, I needed a book with Love in the Title and this book did it for me in that respect.
Fern, going off as a stowaway on her boyrfiend's ship to Russia, to live there on her own while Glamorgan went back to sea. Becoming a bit of a drinker, at such a young age, moving on to getting billed as a dancer with no experience (I know this could happen sometimes but...!) Onto a star billing at a French Theatre. Accepting the dotage of a Frenchman, knowing that something would be expected but not wanting to give it. Disappearing without notice from her position in Paris - that was weak of character and back into the arms of Godfrey? - who she had wanted nothing to do with earlier.
A bit of a weak, unrealistic story. Fiction is one thing, but I do like a fiction story that is a little realistic.
I only read it for a challenge, I needed a book with Love in the Title and this book did it for me in that respect.
October 25, 2012
Not up to her usual story standard. Still liked it but not a keeper like her earlier work. I love her books based in Cardiff
October 8, 2016
Enjoyable, easy read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews