Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls

The Toffee Factory Girls #2

by Glenda Young

'Real sagas with female characters right at the heart' Woman's Hour

'Saga fiction at its best . . . I enjoyed it immensely' VICKI BEEBY

'A lovely read, full of highs, lows, friendship and foes' JOHANNA BELL

Discover the engaging new trilogy from the author of The Sixpenny Orphan, about three women working in a WWI toffee factory in the North-East!
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Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls is a heart-warming novel about love, friendship, secrets, war . . . and toffee! It is the second in a trilogy from hugely popular author Glenda Young - 'such a good writer, she's fantastic!' Woman's Hour.
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Praise for Glenda

'A gripping saga' People's Friend

'Using her local knowledge and her eye for human frailty, Young creates a believable and richly detailed world in this emotive story full of hardship, kinship and resilience, and with a memorable cast of beautifully drawn characters' Lancashire Evening Post

'Will resonate with saga readers everywhere . . . a wonderful, uplifting story' Nancy Revell

'I really enjoyed . . . It's well researched and well written and I found myself caring about her characters' Rosie Goodwin

'All the ingredients for a perfect saga' Emma Hornby

'Glenda has an exceptionally keen eye for domestic detail which brings this local community to vivid, colourful life' Jenny Holmes

'The feel of the story is totally authentic . . . Her heroine in the grand Cookson tradition . . . Inspirationally delightful' Peterborough Evening Telegraph

What readers are saying about Glenda's heartwrenching

'Definitely an author not to be missed when it comes to family sagas' The Book Magnet

'Writes superb historical fiction that bring the era alive. Her books are unbeatable and unputdownable' Ginger Book Geek

'The perfectly imperfect, human nature of Glenda Young's characters are what keeps her readership hooked' Clyde's Corner

'Gritty, compelling and full of heart . . an exceptional saga' Bookish Jottings

'Better than a Catherine Cookson' 5* reader review

'Wonderful read, full of rich characters, evocative description and a touch of romance' 5* reader review

'Just wanted it to go on forever and read more about the characters and their lives' 5* reader review



Love Glenda's sagas? Don't miss her cosy crime mystery series starring Helen Dexter and her trusty greyhound, Suki, starting with Murder at the Seaview Hotel, Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel and Foul Play at the Seaview Hotel, out now!

Genres: Historical Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the series begins in 1916. War is still raging and times are getting harder. The factory is struggling to continue making toffee because of all the shortages, mainly, sugar.
In this book Anne is to the fore. She's still working for Mr. Jack as his secretary and despite the unwarranted treatment from some of the male employees she's standing her ground and standing up for the girls on the factory floor.
Elsie is having a tough time but some of it she brings on herself. When something momentous happens she steps up to help out her Aunt Jean who has raised her. It's not an easy thing she has to do.
Hetty is in love but not with Bob who's gone overseas with the army. In spite of the letter she sent him breaking things off, he's still sending her army postcards.
Life is hard for all the girls. Some secrets are still kept but there's a happy outcome for one of the girls.
This author writes real characters in real life situations. It's a fast read and I gather from the ending there will be a third which I'll be glad to read.

Thanks to Headline Books and NetGalley for an early copy to read!

[Ray O'Hare · Rating 4 out of 5]

fantastic local nostalgia

[Lainy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 328

Publisher - Headline

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

As the Great War rages, Jack's toffee factory in the market town of Chester-le-Street, Durham, is threatened with closure when sugar rations begin.

Anne, who works for the owner Mr Jack, must choose between her heart and her head when Mr Jack declares his love for her. Not only might he have to sell the toffee factory if he breaks off his previous engagement, but he can never know the secret that Anne carries.

Elsie is forced to keep a secret when she risks her safety as well as her reputation in order to make ends meet.
And, for Hetty, a long-hidden family secret surfaces, threatening to tear Hetty's family apart. Her future with Dirk feels more fragile than ever.

Together the three toffee factory girls share laughter, sorrow and secrets, and support one another through the challenges ahead.


My Review

Book two of a trilogy (book one is The Toffee Factory Girls) - I absolutely recommend reading book 1 because it is good and you get your intro and back story to the characters. We mostly follow the three main who happen to be colleagues and friends, Hetty , Elsie and Anne. They came together and forged a friendship in book 1 and had many a drama there.

So where are we at now? Hetty, poor Hetty has never had it easy with her mother, she can be quite vicious and this book we finally get some insight into why the mother behaves as she does. Hetty we see a bit of a dramatic change in Hetty and she gets into scrapes along the way, some I found myself irritated noooooo, don't do that, why are you doing that? She finds herself in some dangerous and shocking scenarios. Anne, there has always been something between her and the boss, now with feelings being made clear Anne finds that not everyone is happy about it and it isn't just the effects of war causing issues.

We see the pressures and strains with the war, rationing not just on the families and money issues but of course the factory. With sugar rationing it puts the factories future in danger, jobs and that of course has huge impact of all the workers.

A lot of drama, issues, some violence and threats, relationships, family, secrets ooft a mixed bag. Whilst some attitudes and actions raise temper and emotions it is a book I easily found myself immersing in, 4/5 for me and I am very much looking forward to book 3.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel set WW1 Chester le Street (Co. Durham)



This is no. 2 in The Toffee Factory Girls Trilogy.

1916. In the opening pages, there is a brief synopsis of what happened in Book 1, which is helpful. We return to the lives of three young women, Hetty, Elsie and Anne. They all have different stories but they are best friends.

Hetty is now being courted by a Belgian, Dirk from Elisabethville. I was interested to find out about Elisabethville, named after the Belgian Queen: thousands of Belgians were brought over during WW1 to work in the munitions factories, it was a little bit of Belgium in England, a military base ruled by Belgian law.

Anne is having an affair with someone important and Elsie is married to a violent ne’er do well. As the war progresses, the factory has to adjust. The supply of sugar is becoming precarious. The factory’s use cannot be switched to the manufacture munitions because the reaction between residual sugar and the acid used to make bombs would blow the factory sky high (interesting fact!), and so a three day week is instigated which, of course, affects all the workers, already on low wages. Just imagine so many of the employees are at tables, wrapping the toffees BY HAND, all day long….

The author wonderfully brings to life the place and time, the stresses foisted upon each individual, the care within the community and how the women have to pull together and face ingrained misogyny. The factory is inspired by an actual toffee factory that used to exist in the locale and it is clear the author has really done her research – and instead of Dainty Dinah toffees that were produced, in the novel there are Lady Tina toffees (I’m all for that!).

It’s worth getting to know the characters in the opening novel The Toffee Factory Girls but this book can easily be read as a standalone.

As the novel draws to a close there is a wedding to look forward to (that’s all I’m saying).

[Heather Copping · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series about the girls who work at the Toffee Factory in the market town of Chester-le-Street in County Durham in the North of England during the dark days of WW1 It follows the lives of three young girls, Anne, Elsie, and Hetty, who work at the factory. Unfortunately the production of the toffees cannot carry on as before, this is because of the sugar shortages and the ports being blocked so the factory has to run on a reduced scale, meaning everyone has to work a three day week. Unfortunately, the fiancee of Mr Jack has upset him terribly when she tells him that her father will stop production of the toffees and go over to munitions instead. She tells him that this will happen when her father takes over the running of the factory after they are married as he will be a major share holder. The livelihoods of all the staff are soon under threat, will the factory be able to continue to produce the famous toffees?
In fact, the lives of the whole community are soon under threat, and the staff must all do that they can to keep the business going.
The three girls Hetty, Anne, and Elsie are finding their whole lives are changing and not always for the best. Can they pull together and make the factory work and keep them in work? Will their deepest secrets be discovered?

Another fabulous book by Glenda Young, I have read and enjoyed lots of her books set in the northeast of England, and this book too was unputdownable throughout.
I did appreciate the "story so far" piece at the front of the book. It was good to be reminded of what happened in book one. You could read it without reading the first book, but obviously, it helps to know the background stories of the characters. I really enjoyed the camaraderie and friendships between the girls throughout the book, and it is a big five-star read from me.

#Headlinebooks
#GlendaYoung
#SecretsoftheToffeeFactoryGirls

[Angela Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Toffee girls trilogy.

It was great to meet Hetty, Elsie and Anne again - the roundup from the previous book was most welcome and I hope other authors take note. A brilliant move.

I was looking forward to reading this but it was oh so drawn out and long-winded at times and sometimes, may I say it, repetitive.

All the girls had roles within the story in different ways but in some ways other than Anne’s wedding nothing seemed to get resolved. The end of the book seemed very rushed to me and ended rather abruptly and on a strange part of the storyline. But it also set itself up well for the next book.

There were characters to like and ones that you really didn’t care for much. It was interesting to read how the sugar shortages affected a business so reliant on sugar - though there seemed to be access to chocolate.

It was also interesting to read how the role of women altered in WW1 - and how they took on greater roles and asserted themselves.

Having made some negative remarks that doesn’t detract from the fact that Glenda Young had obviously well researched the book - and she knows her geographical areas well. It still deserves its 5 stars as an entertaining and informative read.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly lovely. I found myself making time to read it because I adored the entire story. I’m excited to catch up on this author’s other works, as I haven’t read any of her books before and feel like I've missed out on many of her wonderful stories.

Set in Durham, this particular book is warm and charming, featuring great characters. It follows the lives of three girls: Helen Lawson, Anne Wright, and Elsie Cooper, who all work at Mr. Jack's toffee factory.

As the war rages on, it has become increasingly difficult to obtain the sugar needed to make the toffees, and both Mr. Jack and Anne are struggling to find a way to keep the factory running.

Overall, it is a delightful book filled with laughter, sadness, and numerous ups and downs. I found myself consistently making time to read it because I loved the whole story. I'm eager to continue exploring and enjoying the works of this new author.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen Lawson, Anne Wright and Elsie Cooper.
Can three friends keep their secrets safe?
1916 as the great war rages in the market town of Chester Le Street Durham, Jacks the toffee factory is on a threat of closure due to shortage of sugar rations, the tins of Lady Tina must go on for the troops even if with shorter hours, Anne and Mr Jacks must keep it going.
This book has it all, full of laughter, sorrow and big secrets, that the author has once again delivered to her reader's, a superb historical fiction of an absolutely wonderful tearful read, that tissues are most definitely needed.
This book comes to life in many ways, turning over pages to bring fulfillment to all reader's.
Touching, unputdownable, moving with love.
I love how this series has progressed and eagerly await the next instalment.
Once again I loved it.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets of The Toffee Factory Girls is the second of a trilogy, and I was really impressed with the way that the author recapped what had already happened in the story so far. This book is based in Jack's toffee factory and there is also Anne, Hetty and Elsie who live outside. The story brings to life the harsh realities of living in Durham during a time of war. Filled with love, romance and friendship, I loved this book and I will definitely be getting the third in the series!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

[Sarah Jane Higginbottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book by Glenda Young! I have read quite a few of her books now and always look forward to a new one! This book just comes to life with fantastically written plot, characters and world building. I struggled to put this down and finished it in a few hours! Its such a moving, lovable story highly recommend to everyone!


📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Glenda Young and Headline📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another, gripping read from Glenda Young. I simply love following the ups and downs of The Toffee Girls, Hettie, Elsie and Anne. I am now locking forward to the third only. It's such a shame it's a long wait. Glenda's books alway have you held in the story.

[sky .⋆♱⃓ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this must be the best book i’ve ever read, the first one in this series was great aswell! she’s a great author and all the characters are interesting. if you’re looking for drama, friendship, romance, sadness and plot twists, this book has them all and it’s perfect

[KATRINA MUIR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have read both books now and they were a really good read. It said it was a trilogy so now waiting for the 3rd book to come out. Hope it's not to long till it's written and printed.

[Corrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read can't wait for the final one to come out. kept you tender hooks with all the twists and turns

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down, fab second book in the series. Book three 2026!!!

[C Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light hearted book focusing on 3 women working in the Toffee factory in the War. Cant wait to find out what happens to the characters in the upcoming book in the Trilogy

[andrea park · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Anna Jacobs, Rosie Goodwin, Lindsey Hutchinson etc you will not be disappointed with these books. Roll on 2026 for the 3rd book

[Carolyn Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was good to be back with the toffee girls and to share their friendship. Set in the North-East, the girls all work for Mr Jack the local toffee factory owner. The book didn’t disappoint and was hard to put down. World War 1 is raging, as each of the girls battle the difficulties facing them, whilst trying to hide secrets that could destroy everything. Glenda has developed the characters well and I’m excited for the next book. I like how Glenda broaches the subject of domestic abuse, along with the stigma of being an unmarried mother. We see the harsh reality of how life was for women back in the early 1900’s particularly. I look forward to the next chapter of the ladies’ journey and Jacks Toffee Factory.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Glenda Young for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.