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On Her Own Two Feet
Bringing the Keep Fit movement vividly to life in 1940s' London, Pam Evans' family saga will inspire and enthrall anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.
Mollie Fisher's good-for-nothing husband can't cope with parenthood so walks out on his wife and child when Esme is just a baby. Luckily, Mollie has a loving family to turn to for help. Her mother, Marge, is delighted to look after Esme while Mollie goes to work and her nan, Nora, encourages Mollie to join a local keep fit class, which opens up a whole new world to her. Soon Mollie is a qualified teacher, running her own keep fit classes for the local community, and she makes friends with a group of women she would never have met otherwise. But with the Second World War looming, and the threat of losing her loved ones, it takes courage for Mollie to stand on her own two feet...
Mollie Fisher's good-for-nothing husband can't cope with parenthood so walks out on his wife and child when Esme is just a baby. Luckily, Mollie has a loving family to turn to for help. Her mother, Marge, is delighted to look after Esme while Mollie goes to work and her nan, Nora, encourages Mollie to join a local keep fit class, which opens up a whole new world to her. Soon Mollie is a qualified teacher, running her own keep fit classes for the local community, and she makes friends with a group of women she would never have met otherwise. But with the Second World War looming, and the threat of losing her loved ones, it takes courage for Mollie to stand on her own two feet...
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2014
40 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 18, 2023
Just a really good story. I’m addicted to WWII-era books set in London or Liverpool or any part of Britain where people go through all the difficulties of war. This was very good.
October 24, 2023
I enjoyed reading the story, getting to know the characters and the history. Pam Evans has got a lovely, comfortable writing style.
May 13, 2020
A good light read. You can always rely on a Pam Evans book to relax into, she has a way of drawing the reader in and making you feel as if you personally know the characters.
This story is all about Mollie, it spans the years 1935 to 1946 and is set in London. Mollie thinks she has everything as a wife and new mom, but her husband doesn't feel the same and walks out on them leaving a note. She lives with her very supportive family and she gets on with life. She joins a keep fit class which she enjoys and finds she is good at and is recommended to train as a Teacher. Mollie also gets a cleaning job so that she can provide for her daughter.
A really good plot.
This story is all about Mollie, it spans the years 1935 to 1946 and is set in London. Mollie thinks she has everything as a wife and new mom, but her husband doesn't feel the same and walks out on them leaving a note. She lives with her very supportive family and she gets on with life. She joins a keep fit class which she enjoys and finds she is good at and is recommended to train as a Teacher. Mollie also gets a cleaning job so that she can provide for her daughter.
A really good plot.
January 11, 2020
A great story about a mother bringing up a child while forging a career for herself, around the time of WW2, so a good family saga. Characters are strong , the writing quite powerful and especially graphic with vivid descriptions of war time Britain. First book I have read by Pamela Evans and it was thanks to our local library having a clean out but I will be looking for more by this author . Will be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys family stories from the WW2 time frame
May 29, 2017
So hard to put down
It was a real page turner. It really drew you in and felt you knew all the characters, it made me laugh and cry. A super book.
It was a real page turner. It really drew you in and felt you knew all the characters, it made me laugh and cry. A super book.
September 17, 2023
This book was incredible, I love everything from Pam Evans and this one didn’t disappoint at all. It follows Mollie who’s husband leaves her and their daughter. The story follows Mollie as she finds her feet looking after her daughter and juggling a job and her fitness classes. The story was such a rollercoaster and so much happened throughout the story I just couldn’t predict what would happen next. I adored all the characters and felt so invested, I’m so sad it’s finished but really enjoyed my time reading this and I was so invested I couldn’t put the book down.
August 22, 2020
This book had a good plot but skated over a bit of detail. It was still a easy enjoyable read.
March 6, 2022
Lovely heart warming story.
October 18, 2014
ON ARE OWN TWO FEET BY PAM EVANS
THE BLURB
Bringing the Keep Fit movement vividly to life in 1940s' London, Pam Evans' family saga will inspire and enthral anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.
In the middle of a party to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935, Mollie Fisher's good-for-nothing husband walks out on his wife and baby girl. Luckily, Mollie has a loving family to turn to for help. Mollie's mother, Marge, is delighted to look after baby Esme while Mollie goes out to work. Meanwhile, her nan, Nora, encourages Mollie to join a local keep fit class, which opens her eyes to a whole new world.
Determined to better herself, Mollie qualifies as a fitness instructor and starts to run her own classes for the local community, where she befriends a group of women she would never have known existed. But with the outbreak of the Second World War and the ever-present danger of losing her loved ones in the London bombings, it takes courage for Mollie to stand on her own two feet...
WHAT I SAY
I did enjoy this book it a great family saga it a story that you just want to read more to see what happing next it about wanting a better life for you family
In 1935 the whole street were out celebrating the silver jubilee having so much fun , drinking and dancing
Mollie was so happy her baby Esme was the love of her life along we her husband he was wonderful she loved him so much was he a good husband or not ?
That day he just walked out on them . Mollie got to carry on with her life her mum Marge will help her all she can she will look after Esme while mollie goes out to work
Her family were so good they helped and supported her so much what more could she ask for ?
Her mum and dad were just wonderful they helped her so much her nana was fab too she talks into going to a keep fit class with her. What fun they had there . Nora got a few secrets hide to i think ?
She was a figure that mollie look up to she help mollie to do her qualifies as fitness instructor
I loved to hear all about Mollie class when she was doing her study's things were very hard for her i like the way her family help out . The classes sounded fab you felt you were there doing one with them
I enjoy mollie friendship with cora . Cora was a lady she work with were they friends? Did they really like each other ? Iife can throw some very hard things a you sometime would you cope ? Did they both ? Both were very strong they were very interesting characters , cora was she happy ? I not sure i think she wanted more of her life i did like the end of the book i think both got what they wanted and thing work out for them both or did they work out right ?
Mollie had to learn to be tough her husband was a rotten swine his behaviour was not good i was so hard for Mollie to cope .Her keep fit was good for her
The book a very compelling read it got plenty of drama, intrigue , fun times , bad times and some fab friendships
The problems associated with the war were brought into the story so well my heart when out to them
All the characters had a deep dept to them you will get completely lost in their life's all the characters have a few twists and turns you could not help feeling for them all they were just such great characters .
The book great it got a bit of romance it a very easy to read book it a heartwarming read 4 stars read enjoy pass on
I like to thank bookbriger for sending me this book to review
THE BLURB
Bringing the Keep Fit movement vividly to life in 1940s' London, Pam Evans' family saga will inspire and enthral anyone who has ever dared to dream of a better life.
In the middle of a party to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935, Mollie Fisher's good-for-nothing husband walks out on his wife and baby girl. Luckily, Mollie has a loving family to turn to for help. Mollie's mother, Marge, is delighted to look after baby Esme while Mollie goes out to work. Meanwhile, her nan, Nora, encourages Mollie to join a local keep fit class, which opens her eyes to a whole new world.
Determined to better herself, Mollie qualifies as a fitness instructor and starts to run her own classes for the local community, where she befriends a group of women she would never have known existed. But with the outbreak of the Second World War and the ever-present danger of losing her loved ones in the London bombings, it takes courage for Mollie to stand on her own two feet...
WHAT I SAY
I did enjoy this book it a great family saga it a story that you just want to read more to see what happing next it about wanting a better life for you family
In 1935 the whole street were out celebrating the silver jubilee having so much fun , drinking and dancing
Mollie was so happy her baby Esme was the love of her life along we her husband he was wonderful she loved him so much was he a good husband or not ?
That day he just walked out on them . Mollie got to carry on with her life her mum Marge will help her all she can she will look after Esme while mollie goes out to work
Her family were so good they helped and supported her so much what more could she ask for ?
Her mum and dad were just wonderful they helped her so much her nana was fab too she talks into going to a keep fit class with her. What fun they had there . Nora got a few secrets hide to i think ?
She was a figure that mollie look up to she help mollie to do her qualifies as fitness instructor
I loved to hear all about Mollie class when she was doing her study's things were very hard for her i like the way her family help out . The classes sounded fab you felt you were there doing one with them
I enjoy mollie friendship with cora . Cora was a lady she work with were they friends? Did they really like each other ? Iife can throw some very hard things a you sometime would you cope ? Did they both ? Both were very strong they were very interesting characters , cora was she happy ? I not sure i think she wanted more of her life i did like the end of the book i think both got what they wanted and thing work out for them both or did they work out right ?
Mollie had to learn to be tough her husband was a rotten swine his behaviour was not good i was so hard for Mollie to cope .Her keep fit was good for her
The book a very compelling read it got plenty of drama, intrigue , fun times , bad times and some fab friendships
The problems associated with the war were brought into the story so well my heart when out to them
All the characters had a deep dept to them you will get completely lost in their life's all the characters have a few twists and turns you could not help feeling for them all they were just such great characters .
The book great it got a bit of romance it a very easy to read book it a heartwarming read 4 stars read enjoy pass on
I like to thank bookbriger for sending me this book to review
March 7, 2017
Heart warming
Very enjoyable book to read from start to finish. It is the first book I have read by the author Pamela Evans.
Very enjoyable book to read from start to finish. It is the first book I have read by the author Pamela Evans.
October 20, 2014
This isn't the type of book that I would normally pick up. If you follow any of my reviews that I am predominantly a vampire / witch type of book reader so anything with a pastel cover would typically not interest me at all! I saw this book on the bookbridgr website and decided to read the synopsis. I made a little pact with myself earlier this year to try different books that I would normally pass by and this is one of those books that I am glad that I didn't.
This book was beautifully written but then that is not really a surprise as Pam Evans is an established published author. It was a quick and easy read but a pleasurable anddelightful read. I often feel that there is a gap in my education where the war years are concerned as I always find out something new when I read a book based at this time. Obviously I am aware that fiction is mixed with fact but it gave me a real sense of what living in 1940s London must have been like for the women trying to work and raise a family.
I found the keep fit side really very interesting. I had no idea how or when keep fit classes started so that was really fun to read.
You really are plunged into Mollie's world and her family life. You can't help but feel instantly warmed to her and her entire family and it really is beautiful the way they all pull together even in the hardest times to help each other out. From the moment I started reading I was really routing for Mollie and I so wanted everything to turn out well for her. Of course it does because she is not the sort of person to sit around feeling sorry for herself, instead she appreciates everything that is around her, picks herself up and just gets on with life the best way that she possibly can. It shows us that no matter what has or is going on around you, it is how you deal with that situation that determines what sort of person you are. You can either be a victim or a survivor and Mollie chose the later!
There was a very slight continuity error almost at the end of the book which didn't really hinder the reading pleasure.
Again, not a book that I would normally pick up but I feel the better for having read it. A delightful, easy read and dare I say it a fairy tale with Mollie really getting the happy ever after that she deserves.
This book was beautifully written but then that is not really a surprise as Pam Evans is an established published author. It was a quick and easy read but a pleasurable anddelightful read. I often feel that there is a gap in my education where the war years are concerned as I always find out something new when I read a book based at this time. Obviously I am aware that fiction is mixed with fact but it gave me a real sense of what living in 1940s London must have been like for the women trying to work and raise a family.
I found the keep fit side really very interesting. I had no idea how or when keep fit classes started so that was really fun to read.
You really are plunged into Mollie's world and her family life. You can't help but feel instantly warmed to her and her entire family and it really is beautiful the way they all pull together even in the hardest times to help each other out. From the moment I started reading I was really routing for Mollie and I so wanted everything to turn out well for her. Of course it does because she is not the sort of person to sit around feeling sorry for herself, instead she appreciates everything that is around her, picks herself up and just gets on with life the best way that she possibly can. It shows us that no matter what has or is going on around you, it is how you deal with that situation that determines what sort of person you are. You can either be a victim or a survivor and Mollie chose the later!
There was a very slight continuity error almost at the end of the book which didn't really hinder the reading pleasure.
Again, not a book that I would normally pick up but I feel the better for having read it. A delightful, easy read and dare I say it a fairy tale with Mollie really getting the happy ever after that she deserves.
June 30, 2020
Oh dear! all was going fairly well for a light read and I was going to give this 4 stars but I found several typographical errors which irritated me then I got to Page 378 where Mollie’s daughter Esme has to be evacuated and they all tearfully waved her off. 3 Pages later and Mollie went off to meet someone and it quite clearly said that she left Esme being minded by her family. I checked and double checked this glaring error but Esme was definitely evacuated. It put me right off this book so I am only giving it 1 star.
May 31, 2014
Only 4 stars as a continuity error towards the end of the story
November 23, 2016
Really enjoyed this story. another great book from pam Evans.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews