The Cobbler's Apprentice

The Workhouse Series #3

by Lynette Rees

The BRAND NEW historical novel from Lynette Rees - a boy down on his luck finding his way in a cruel Victorian world... He made a vow, but will he be able to keep it?

Ever since Jimmy was a boy, he’s known two the rough streets of Merthyr Tydfil and that one day he would marry Enid Hardcastle. But when Enid disappears without a word, his life takes a different turn.

Determined to make something of himself, Jimmy pours his heart into his job at Mr Baxter's workshop, dreaming of the future he and Enid might one day share. Yet, just as his hard work begins to pay off, a man arrives claiming to be Mr Baxter’s illegitimate son, threatening Jimmy’s chance of inheriting the business he was promised.

With Enid gone and his future uncertain, Jimmy must rely on his wits and instincts honed from his childhood on the streets. But can he trust this newcomer? And will his dream of reuniting with Enid ever come true?

A heartwarming and gripping historical saga, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and AnneMarie Brear.

'A Victorian saga that will definitely appeal to fans of Rosie Goodwin' Lizzie Lane

'...flows from the heart, and is rich in period detail. Another fabulously enjoyable read from Lynette Rees, I loved it.' Sheila Riley

'A gripping historical saga well worth reading!' AnneMarie Brear

'...a gripping tale of love prevailing despite hardship. Lynette Rees has done it again! Brilliant!' Mary Wood

Genres: Historical Fiction

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 19, 2025

About the author

"My favourite author - this lady has just overtaken Catherine Cookson - I can't wait to read more!" ~ Amazon Reviewer

Lynette Rees lives in Wales and has been writing since she was a child. She's in the fortunate position of being a hybrid author - as well as independently publishing some of her novels, she's also published with Quercus Books/Hachette UK. Currently, her most popular novels with readers are: The Governess, Ada the Coster Girl, The Cobbler's Wife and The Ragged Urchin.

Lynette's historical fiction novel, 'The Workhouse Waif', hit the number one spot on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list in 'Victorian Historical Romance' during October of 2016 - it remains one of her favourite books to date. Much to her delight at the time, she was contacted by the commissioning editor of Quercus Books who had downloaded the book from Amazon Prime and loved the story so much that she devoured it all in one sitting! The Workhouse Waif was one of the first books ever enrolled on the then, new Amazon Prime Reading programme. The commissioning editor went on to offer Lynette a traditional publishing deal for that book and three others in the series which were published during 2018 and 2019.

Lynette enjoys the freedom of writing in a variety of genres including: crime fiction and contemporary romance, though her first love is historical fiction which complements her interest in local history and genealogy. When she's not writing, or even when she is writing, Lynette enjoys a glass of wine and the odd piece of chocolate as she creates stories where the characters guide her hand. She honestly has no idea how a story will turn out until the characters tell their own tales in their own unique ways.

The most important thing to Lynette is her family and her stories illustrate this with their warm characters who often show a great deal of compassion for others and the plight they find themselves in.

Praise for Lynette Rees:

The Matchgirl: "Beautifully written and imagined, this is both an entertaining story and a fascinating slice of life-changing history..." - book review - The Lancashire Post

Beneath a Sicilian Sun (retitled: Seduced by the Sicilian): "I was seeing everything described in this. This story is also very emotional and touching with everything that happens. The emotions that they feel are expressed beautifully..." - Sanfrancisco Review of Books

Reviews

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A historical saga about a kind-hearted teenaged boy and his struggles. I wish I had known that this was part of an ongoing series. It has its positives, but on the whole, I struggled to connect with the characters as I had no familiarity with them. Some of the writing choices also weren’t for me. But I feel this might be a decent option for historical saga readers, as long as you know that it is part of a larger series.

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Plot Preview:

1886. Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. Sixteen-year-old Jimmy Corcoran knows that someday, he will marry Enid Hardcastle. To that end, he even takes up a job at Mr. Baxter’s workshop making and repairing shoes. However, one day, Enid suddenly disappears from Jimmy’s life and no one, not even Mags, the woman who takes care of him as a mother, knows what happened. Devastated, Jimmy puts all his focus on his job, in the hopes that he might learn the skills to open his own business someday and maybe reunite with Enid. Little does he know that there are several other challenges awaiting him.
The story comes to us mostly in Jimmy’s third person perspective.

I picked this book on the assumption that it was a standalone novel. Nothing on the Goodreads or NetGalley pages of this book indicated that it was part of a series. However, when I started reading the book, I felt like I was losing control of the narrative. Everything felt so rushed – loads of characters, no backgrounds at all. The story assumed a certain familiarity on the part of the reader with the characters as well as their relationships. As I continued to struggle to get a hang of who’s who, I went online to search for clues. Doing a lot of digging revealed this on the author’s Facebook page:
“Although there are 3 books in the series, I’ve written them in such a way that they can be read as a standalone story. The Winter Waif is Betsan’s story, The Workhouse Girl is Enid’s and the next book, The Cobbler’s Apprentice, will be Jimmy’s.”
Mystery solved!

As far as possible, I don’t (or rather, I can’t) read series books out of order. Very rarely do I jump in between a series and still enjoy the book independently. So do take this review with a pinch of salt because a part of the problem comes from my being a series freak.

However, I must also make clear my annoyance at being misled this way. It's the second time in the last six months where a book by this publisher (who is actually one of my favourites) hasn't been marked as part of a series even when it is clearly so. It's not fair to the reader if series books are marked as standalone works. Not all of us can jump into any random book of a series and be comfortable! Apologies for this rant, but I had to get it off my chest.

Back to the book now.

I had been eagerly looking forward to this novel. Rarely does a historical fiction or a saga have a young male character as the protagonist. While I mistakenly assumed the titular apprentice to be a younger boy (I thought the cover pic made him appear like a tween; entirely my fault), Jimmy at sixteen is an interesting character. He is kind and generous but also a bit insensitive and impatient at times. In other words, he’s a good lead character for a saga. Sometimes though, it was difficult to remember that Jimmy was just a teen; his behaviour felt too adult. This could be attributed to the era and his poor background, which might have made him mature beyond his years.

Through Jimmy’s work as Mr. Baxter’s apprentice and also through Mags’ work as a seamstress, we also get a good look at old-world work ethics and practices during an era where human skill was valued above everything else. I wonder if the upcoming AI generation will even know such days.

Enid, Jimmy’s intended sweetheart, is an outstanding character. I sure would have liked to learn more about her. Apparently, ‘The Workhouse Girl’ is Enid’s story. However, reading its blurb makes me feel like the story runs too *parallelly* to this plot rather than sequentially. As such, I am not too motivated at present to pick it up and know Enid’s narrative better. Maybe in future…

Many of the supporting characters also are quite good. I especially loved Mags. She seemed to be the only character with common sense in this entire novel. Of course, there are some annoying (Baxter Jr.) and frustrating (Polly) characters as well, but that’s typical of a saga. Without the baddies, the good ones don’t get to shine!

The story of this novel can be considered complete, as it begins with Jimmy’s dreams about his profession and about Enid, and both those dreams reach fulfilment by the end of the book. In that sense, there’s no incomplete cliffhanger-kind ending.

On the other hand…

I was disappointed to see that the only Welsh-sounding content in the entire story was the name of the place, ‘Merthyr Tydfil’. There is no description of the location and not even atmospheric descriptions like a feel of the day or the weather or the season – all of which help us immerse ourselves into the narrative. Even the detailing of the characters’ appearance is somewhat vague. As a visual reader, I like to picture everything in my head, but it was quite tough in this book.

Further, the story jumps into the action right from the start without taking the time to introduce the characters and their relationships to us. It was like watching a family drama movie from the midway mark; we know what they are saying but no idea who they are! The plot sometimes referred to past events, which didn’t affect the present plot but made me feel like I had missed out on a juicy anecdote from that character’s earlier life. Even for something as basic as why Jimmy was staying with the unrelated Mags and her family, there are no clear answers. All this might not have been a problem had I read the other two books.

Also, there are no elucidations for some of the plot content that would have been helpful to readers like myself who aren’t from the UK area. There are many mentions of ‘workhouse’, but not having any idea of what this meant, it took me half the book to understand its exact role. The book also kept mentioning “China” and poor me, wondering why the characters kept referring to the Oriental country, needed most of the book to figure out that ‘China’ was the name of the locality the characters lived in!

The plot itself felt like a soap opera to some extent, but without going into melodrama; this, I appreciated. But the story gets a bit episodic with many time jumps of weeks and even a couple of months. At times, I even lost track of how old Jimmy was at that point until his age was brought up again. (He had aged a year by then!)

Basically, this is a story that is high on plot and low on descriptive prose and background detailing. As most readers are plot lovers, this book ought to work better for them. I too might have liked it somewhat better had I had more familiarity with the key characters. But given my almost-compulsive habit of reading in series order and my fussiness over writing styles, this was a mixed experience for me, though not a bad one.

Recommended to those who have read and enjoyed the other two books. If I am not wrong, ‘The Winter Waif’ needs to be read first, and the remaining two books can be read in either order.

3 stars.


My thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and author Lynette Rees for a complimentary copy of 'The Cobbler's Apprentice' via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The digital version of this book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

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[Carol (Reading Ladies) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poignant and compelling coming-of-age story set in Wales in the late 1800s, The Cobbler’s Apprentice is the third installment in a loosely connected series.

Young Jimmy has a difficult life in Victorian Wales, but he dreams of making something of himself and marrying his childhood sweetheart, Enid. He helps his foster mom at home with the children and works diligently in Mr. Baxter’s shop making and repairing shoes. His hard work is beginning to pay off when suddenly Edid disappears and Mr. Baxter’s illegitimate son appears and threatens to take the business that Jimmy had hoped to inherit. Determined not to lose everything, Jimmy uses his wit and street smarts to find Enid and secure his future.

In The Cobbler’s Apprentice, we first become acquainted with Jimmy as a young teen (? not sure of his exact age) and follow him through adolescence. He’s good-natured, responsible, and trustworthy as he helps the woman who cares for him with her children and picks up hours at Mr. Baxter’s shoe shop.

Sense of place is noteworthy in this story. Vivid details describe the neighborhood and everyday life of the working poor in Wales, appealing to all the senses.

In addition to young Jimmy, we are introduced to the shop owner and his wife, Jimmy’s foster mom and dad and their children, Jimmy’s love interest, and, of course, the villain. There’s a great deal to admire about our young main character. He’s resourceful, visionary, helpful, industrious, kind-hearted, loyal, and determined.

Content Consideration: (all reported and not explicitly described) toxic (and forced) relationship, rape (off page)

Fans of Victorian historical fiction and coming-of-age stories will find a great deal to appreciate in this poignant tale. This is the third in a loosely connected series. Other reviewers have noted that it would be helpful to read the series in order.

Thanks #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks for a complimentary eARC of #TheCobblersApprentice upon my request. All opinions are my own.

For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynette Rees aims for the heart with her enjoyable new saga, The Cobbler’s Apprentice.

Growing up on the tough streets of Merthyr Tydfil, Jimmy didn’t have much – except a determination that one day he would marry Enid Hardcastle. From a very tender age, Jimmy knew that Enid was the one for him, but when she disappeared, he realised that he needed to pull himself up from his bootstraps and make something out of himself. Getting a job at Mr Baxter’s workshop was a step in the right direction for Jimmy and as he toiled and worked as hard as he could, he made great plans for the future he would build with Enid one day.

Yet, just when Jimmy is poised to take over the workshop, a man arrives claiming to be Mr Baxter’s illegitimate son. With all his plans in tatters and everything he’s worked so hard for going up in flames, Jimmy’s situation seems helpless. Can he trust the newcomer? Will he ever see his beloved Enid again? Will the future he had mapped out for himself ever be in his grasp? Or will he end up losing everything all over again?

Lynette Rees has penned a touching, emotional and compelling saga full of wonderful characters it is impossible not to care about and root for. The Cobbler’s Apprentice is a gritty, dramatic and uplifting tale about triumphing over adversity, healing from old wounds and love lost and found from master saga storyteller Lynette Rees.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cobbler's Apprentice is the third and final book in the Workhouse Series. When Jimmy loses both his mother and father he is headed for the Workhouse until Maggie steps up and takes him in. He has lived with her and her partner, until he ended up in prison. Jimmy works for a local cobbler as his apprentice. He is like a son to them, and having no children of their own, he will inherit the business. He still hopes to marry Enid Hardcastle, if he can find her. When Mr. Baxter’s illegitimate son shows up, he begins working in the shop and the Baxters decide to change their will leaving Jimmy out in the cold. Jimmy is an entrepreneur and plans to open a market stall to become a cobbler, but something happens with the Baxters, putting his plans on hold.

Although this book is in the Workhouse Series, Jimmy did not live in the workhouse. He is friends with Betsan and Enid though which is what ties this book to the previous two. Jimmy is a great character. He is a hard worker, smart, loyal, and resourceful. He helps Maggie, his foster mother, with her twins and still works as an apprentice. Maggie is making a living sewing, and we see how this works out for her and Betsan. Life in South Wales is difficult, and it takes someone with that can do spirit to make something of themself. We also see what Enid is up to and how life is treating her. This is a coming of age story, with themes of friendship and family. There are some difficult things that happen in the story (rape, fraud, coercion) but they are not on the page, just described.

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cobbler’s Apprentice is the third book in the Workhouse series, following on from The Winter Waif and The Workhouse Girl. However it can be easily read as a standalone. Jimmy Corcoran lives in the Welsh town of Merthyr Tydfil and is serving as an apprentice with Mr Baxter as a cobbler. He had one true love Enid Hardcastle and his dream is to one day marry her. However when Enid leaves suddenly Jimmy is left heartbroken as he has no idea why she has left. Doing his best to get on with life he puts his heart and soul into his job but things are about to change there also . Will Jimmy get the love and happiness he so deserves or what will his outcome be.

I’ve read a few books now by Lynette Rees and have loved them all, this one was certainly no exception. From the first chapter until the final chapter I was completely gripped by this emotional and poignant read. The cast of characters are as always excellent and the author describes them all so well. The story kept me completely entertained and I loved seeing all the characters develop over the course of the book.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This charming historical saga takes place in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, in the late 1800's. The protagonist is sixteen-year-old Jimmy, an apprentice to the high street cobbler, Mr Baxter. At the start of the book, he finds himself concerned about the whereabouts of Enid, whom he hopes to marry. Jimmy hasn't seen Enid in some time, and she hasn't responded to his most recent letters.

Jimmy was a lovely character; I found him good-natured and caring, and I warmed to him very easily. It wasn't long before I became emotionally invested, and I wanted to know what had happened to Enid, as much as Jimmy himself did. I liked how the characters looked out for and supported each other. Aside from Jimmy, my favourite character was Mags. I found this book quite comforting; it was lovely to read, and I finished it in a couple of hours.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

The workhouse series #3.
A unique and heart wrenching historical saga.
Merthyr Tydfil Wales.

The story of Jimmy Corcoran will he earn the future he was promised.

Cobblers apprentice at Mr Baxters workshop dreaming of a future with sweetheart Enid Hardcastle. When her family are evicted and sent to the workhouse. Enid is giving a position with the Clarksons as a maid.
This is his opportunity to visit repairing shoes and to get to see her and to meet up on her afternoon off, and write to each other, whatever it took they will never be apart to be loved is what he desired most of all in life.

Oh my goodness tissues need to be ready at all times, this book will capture your heart, that is full of ups downs and turn arounds, imagination will keep running wild as your reading, as your wanting just one more chapter.

A unique heartbreaking story, that has stolen my heart.
Loved it.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jimmy is the cobbler's apprentice. He has been in love with Enid ever since they met, but she has disappeared. With Enid gone and his future uncertain, Jimmy must rely on his wits and instincts honed from his childhood on the streets. Will his dream of reuniting with Enid come true?

I have not read the previous book, but I was able to follow this story. The characters are well-developed. The story shows how you should never take things for granted, no matter how bid or small they might be. I wanted Jimmy to get all the things he dreamed of having. This is a well-written and believable story.

Published 19th February 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #LynetteRees for my ARC of #TheCobblersApprentice in exchange for an honest review.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews]

Unfortunately for me, I DNF at 20%. When a book is part of a series, readers would really appreciate knowing that going in. Nowhere in the synopsis of this book does it say it is part of the Workhouse Series by this author. I thought it was strange that the book started, and it felt very confusing because of all these characters that I knew nothing about seemed very well established. I kept reading and the book kept referencing past events in a glossed over manner. Sure enough, when I checked online, I found out it was part of a series, and you really should read the books prior to this in order to get all the nuances to the characters.

[Emma Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book. I unfortunately hadn’t read the first two books but you kind of pick up what has happened before.

Jimmy lives with Mags who has helped bring him up with her husband. Jimmy is a cobbler’s apprentice, but seems to be taking on more of the work from his boss. Jimmy has been in love with Edith since he met her as she stayed near him, but she has disappeared and said she did not want him to find her what has gone on.

The book was enjoyable and I liked the characters there was bits where there were misunderstandings and there was nothing I really didn’t like in the book.

It was interesting to read of the hardship of the woman in the book.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book on the assumption that it was a standalone novel. Nothing on NetGalley indicated that it was part of a series. However, when I started reading the book, I was lost. Everything felt so rushed – loads of characters, no backgrounds at all.

I looked online and that is when I discovered this is part of a series. So I have paused reading this book so that I can go back and read the first 2 books.

The author states it is a standalone...it isn't. I read over 50% so I feel able to rate it even not understanding the interconnection of the other characters. I fell it may have gotten more stars had I read the series in order though.

[Jeanette Fallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this wonderful story and then I realized... Hey, I read the first book with these same characters.  I was thrilled.

The book was everything I could ask for.  I loved Jimmy. He knew what he wanted.  He was loyal and hardworking.  He knew that Enid was the girl he loved. But she disappeared and he had no idea where or why.

A wonderful story of perseverance and determination. The characters are great.   

I highly recommend this story. I was entertained by every page. Another hit by Lynette Rees.

[Michelle Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stupendous!

Absolutely a wonderful book and a beautiful series of 3 books. You really should read them all, each one as good as the next, and you'll get to experience Enid and Jimmy growing up and all the hardships, struggles and joys they go through. Jimmy has a heart of gold and Enid is such a lovely and caring young lady. That's why all the people in their lives were always more than willing to help the two of them out in their times of need. Love,love, LOVED these books!!!!

[Nikki Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! Such a sweet story. The author does a great job of making you feel like you know each character and feel the emotion of Jimmy through out. Very well written!

[Caroline Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy through NetGalley.
A sweet and family drama filled sequel to the Workhouse Girl with a happy ending for everyone! I want more!

[Sarah Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good historical story, I did wish I had read the previous book in the series as it might have explained more about the characters.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took my 2 days to read! Love it! I have now read all 3 books. When's the next one Lynette? 😍

[Michael OKeane · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyavle read

Enjoyable easy read
There are not enough twists in tale to get 5 stars
Definitely worth a read
Enjoy it

[L Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

book

A great read thank you Lynette Rees kind regards I just love your books and others like it well done again

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's such a shame that this trilogy has come to an end. Following the lives of Enid and Jimmy;s love story. The characters in these books had me gripped from beginning to end especially how Mags deals with things. It's another triumph for the writings of Lynette Rees. who's books are always a pleasure to read. Keep them coming Lynette.