Heartache For The Tram Girls

The Potteries Girls #5

by Lynn Johnson

Will her love cost her friendship?

After the death of her mother, whom she had spent her life caring for, Ruth Latham is lucky to find work as a typist at the Potteries Tramway Company in Stoke.

While conscription forces more men to leave for the battlefields, Ruth finds herself growing closer to shy, but kind, mechanic, Stan Bristow… even if their courtship makes her enemies in the office.

But the Great War causes scars at home and abroad and when trouble comes to The Potteries, tearing families apart and causing heartache for her greatest friends, Ruth must play her part in the difficult times ahead.

And when Stan is called up to fight, Ruth fears her chance at happiness may never arrive. Is she strong enough for the battle ahead?

A captivating and romantic saga, set in World War One, that fans of Rosie Goodwin and Rita Bradshaw will love.

Readers can't get enough of the Potteries Girls

‘A real page turner that I personally found hard to put down. The believable characters and storyline were well crafted and knowledgeable information shone out of every page. Excellent!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘I absolutely love this series… Their friendships were heartwarming and I liked how they all supported each other.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘I loved this book – a real insight into women working in harsh industries during WW1… Great story, heartbreaking at times, but a joy to read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘It’s a really engaging story with many threads to keep you engrossed. Recommend.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘A great historical fiction read that has you wanting to finish the book to see how all their lives turn out. Loved it!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘The story was compelling and the characters’ relationships kept me absorbed in their lives until the very end. I can’t wait to read more novels by this author.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

‘A great look at life in England for a working-class woman at the beginning of the last century and during World War 1.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review

400 pages, Paperback

First published July 17, 2025

About the author

Lynn Johnson was born and raised in The Potteries. She went to school in Burslem, the setting for her novels, and left with no qualifications. Like the protagonists in her books, she had ambitions. In her own time, she obtained a BA Hons in Humanities with Literature from the Open University, and a Diploma in Management Studies from Staffordshire Polytechnic and became a Human Resources Manager with a large County Council.

Lynn began to research her family tree and it inspired her to write short stories, one of which became the basis for her debut novel, The Girl from the Workhouse, the first of The Potteries Girls series. There are now three books in the series and a fourth will be published in August 2023. Her books are published in a number of formats - ebook, audio, paperback and large print. Lynn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. She still has a close affinity to The Potteries but now lives in Orkney with her husband and six beautiful cats.

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the fifth book in the Potteries Girls series, readers follow Ruth Latham, who has recently started working as a typist at the Potteries Tramway Company in Stoke after her mother’s death. As the war continues and conscription pulls more men to the battlefield, Ruth finds herself growing closer to mechanic Stan Bristow, but this relationship leads to her making enemies at work. When the war and troubles come to the Potteries and tear families and friends apart, Ruth must protect her chance at happiness and be strong as challenges come to the home front. Packed with details and fascinating characters, readers will love the depth of detail in this World War I historical fiction series from Lynn Johnson and the characters, who are the stars of the book. The relationships are really central to the characters’ development and the larger narrative in ways which readers will enjoy, while their more challenging moments add a great emotional depth to the novel. The character development and backstories are incredibly detailed and bring the story to life, while the setting of the Potteries is a fantastic backdrop for the challenges of the British home front during World War I that Ruth and her community deal with in this new release.

Thanks to NetGalley, Canelo, and Hera for the advance copy.

[Katie Awdas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the series although they can be read as standalone titles. I find the series well written and easy to read with likeable characters. Although I have never visited the area I feel I know the places well from their descriptions throughout this set of books. This one addressed the horrors of solders returning from war and how life was not always simple for them on their return. It also focused on how families who had lived in the UK for years were treated as "aliens" and how those who they may have thought of as friends weren't always true to them.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and as always I look forward to more from this authot.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and of course Lynn Johnson for allowing me to read and review an Arc copy.