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Orphan Girl
She's no more than an unpaid servant...Lorinda is only a child when tragedy deprives her of her true family and, sent to live with her aunt in her boarding house, she grows up desperately craving affection.And although she finds friendship - and even love - in the boarding house, she finally sees a chance to escape her drab surroundings and unkind family. But is a marriage of convenience better than a love that's true?
530 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 10, 2018
I went on binge buying and since the books were available for very cheap ( assume 50 cents per book ) I decided for some reason to pick this one up as I wanted to try as many new authors as I could. This author has been compared with Catherine cookson or something and I believe she writes similar stuff like this.
Now my relationship with historical drama books is on and off depending on how its premises are.
This one here contains a lot of local slang words like using Bye! for everything which I conclude stands for Boy! ? and even like too much : Eh , Howay , skivvy, etc. which was frustrating tbh but got past it later.
This review possibly contains spoilers for the book and maybe even some cussing so tread on your own volition. You can also check tl;dr however it would be nice of you to read this review as I write a bloody long essay. Thank you.
This one right here is set during the period of late 19th century to early 20th century (till first world war) and tells the tale of our protagonist Lorinda (or Ada as her Aunt calls her) from her childhood till the happily ever after happens if it ever does.
Lorinda , a small child, was left in her grandmother's care when her mother could no longer afford to take care of her and went in search for another life. Years pass by and she is having the time of her life until her grandmother passes away and she has to go live with her aunt (her mother's sister) in some another city. There she is treated like a skivvy (house maid) and made to do all the chores , at the same time she is well fed however she is made to sleep in the kitchen for the other rooms are kept for various lodgers who stay for various time as paying guests. she soon befriends a young boy named Johnny , slightly older than him and would have good time chatting up with him in secret as her aunt never liked any lad to come near her and wanted to keep her as secret as much as she could.
She didn't let her go to school nor let her know her real age and always telling she was younger than what she was and didn't need no schooling. She yearned to go away and hope that her mother would take her away once and for all from this place but that day never came.
Her uncle used to sneak at her and touch her as to which she thought at first her uncle liked her as against her aunt but whenever he touched her behind she knew deep inside something was wrong even as a kid. years pass by such scenes keep dragging on , the lad has to go away as his apprenticeship was going to start and she sobs inside as she thought she may have fallen for that guy but he only thought of her as a young girl. she befriends a new house maid named Eliza and would seek good moments as and when she could with her and would try to know about world outside her home. few months pass by and Johnny comes to meet her and Ada sneaks to meet him and have a jolly good time however little did they realise that Ada's uncle noticed them for afar.
johnny leaves and Ada comes back home only to find herself being raped later that night by his uncle as he thinks that the Johnny guy dirtied her and that she was a whore and she was asking for it.
Lorinda weeped and finally made her resolution to run away and she did very early morning and stealing wage money which frankly was rightfully hers as she worked her ass off but never got any money. Seeking refuge at Eliza's house for few days she lefts sneakily to her grandma's place to try new life. What follows is a lot of drama , new people , new relationships, heartbreaks, deaths , new beginnings and ends yada yada.
Will update more soon as what I have written roughly comes to 100-150 pages but as of now this concludes the reviewas I am very sleepy right now.
Tl;dr:
This book was a nice read for me , something new and refreshing which made me realise I didn't mind reading dramas (unlike Danielle steele ugh) and I could imagine and feel what the author was writing which was a plus. Its a drama so don't expect it to be fast paced but this was nice enough pace. The slang used in the book was a bother but you get used to that eventually.
SO overall a nice book.
I checked the author's other books blurbs and found out that most of them seemed similar , so I don't think I will try any other book of her anytime soonread probably not
Now my relationship with historical drama books is on and off depending on how its premises are.
This one here contains a lot of local slang words like using Bye! for everything which I conclude stands for Boy! ? and even like too much : Eh , Howay , skivvy, etc. which was frustrating tbh but got past it later.
This review possibly contains spoilers for the book and maybe even some cussing so tread on your own volition. You can also check tl;dr however it would be nice of you to read this review as I write a bloody long essay. Thank you.
This one right here is set during the period of late 19th century to early 20th century (till first world war) and tells the tale of our protagonist Lorinda (or Ada as her Aunt calls her) from her childhood till the happily ever after happens if it ever does.
Lorinda , a small child, was left in her grandmother's care when her mother could no longer afford to take care of her and went in search for another life. Years pass by and she is having the time of her life until her grandmother passes away and she has to go live with her aunt (her mother's sister) in some another city. There she is treated like a skivvy (house maid) and made to do all the chores , at the same time she is well fed however she is made to sleep in the kitchen for the other rooms are kept for various lodgers who stay for various time as paying guests. she soon befriends a young boy named Johnny , slightly older than him and would have good time chatting up with him in secret as her aunt never liked any lad to come near her and wanted to keep her as secret as much as she could.
She didn't let her go to school nor let her know her real age and always telling she was younger than what she was and didn't need no schooling. She yearned to go away and hope that her mother would take her away once and for all from this place but that day never came.
Her uncle used to sneak at her and touch her as to which she thought at first her uncle liked her as against her aunt but whenever he touched her behind she knew deep inside something was wrong even as a kid. years pass by such scenes keep dragging on , the lad has to go away as his apprenticeship was going to start and she sobs inside as she thought she may have fallen for that guy but he only thought of her as a young girl. she befriends a new house maid named Eliza and would seek good moments as and when she could with her and would try to know about world outside her home. few months pass by and Johnny comes to meet her and Ada sneaks to meet him and have a jolly good time however little did they realise that Ada's uncle noticed them for afar.
johnny leaves and Ada comes back home only to find herself being raped later that night by his uncle as he thinks that the Johnny guy dirtied her and that she was a whore and she was asking for it.
Lorinda weeped and finally made her resolution to run away and she did very early morning and stealing wage money which frankly was rightfully hers as she worked her ass off but never got any money. Seeking refuge at Eliza's house for few days she lefts sneakily to her grandma's place to try new life. What follows is a lot of drama , new people , new relationships, heartbreaks, deaths , new beginnings and ends yada yada.
Will update more soon as what I have written roughly comes to 100-150 pages but as of now this concludes the review
Tl;dr:
This book was a nice read for me , something new and refreshing which made me realise I didn't mind reading dramas (unlike Danielle steele ugh) and I could imagine and feel what the author was writing which was a plus. Its a drama so don't expect it to be fast paced but this was nice enough pace. The slang used in the book was a bother but you get used to that eventually.
SO overall a nice book.
I checked the author's other books blurbs and found out that most of them seemed similar , so I don't think I will try any other book of her anytime soon
February 11, 2015
This is the kind of book that first got me into reading seriously many years ago. I can never veer away from this type of read. I loved the late Catherine Cookson, so Maggie Hope is as near to this for me as a few other well known authors that I steer towards now and again to.
Here we have the story of a little girl who is taken in by her aunt. Her aunt wasn't a lover of her sister so we can see the way she treats her little niece, added to this, the aunt is married to a lecher, someone who prays on little girls.
Here this little girl is one day being chastised by her aunt when a lad overhears, winks at her and there starts are bond of friendship.
Many things happen to her, and many things change for the lad. The lad only ever sees her as a little girl as he is quite older than her, but will that always be the way?
There are traumas and events, hardships and experiences of life along the route of this wonderful story. I had to read this in one sitting. Love the tale that was told and very well written by Maggie Hope. One of my fav authors of today.
Orphan Girl, Lorinda is the star in this book.
I would like to thank Random House UK, Ebury Publishing via Net Galley for allowing me full access to read this lovely book
Here we have the story of a little girl who is taken in by her aunt. Her aunt wasn't a lover of her sister so we can see the way she treats her little niece, added to this, the aunt is married to a lecher, someone who prays on little girls.
Here this little girl is one day being chastised by her aunt when a lad overhears, winks at her and there starts are bond of friendship.
Many things happen to her, and many things change for the lad. The lad only ever sees her as a little girl as he is quite older than her, but will that always be the way?
There are traumas and events, hardships and experiences of life along the route of this wonderful story. I had to read this in one sitting. Love the tale that was told and very well written by Maggie Hope. One of my fav authors of today.
Orphan Girl, Lorinda is the star in this book.
I would like to thank Random House UK, Ebury Publishing via Net Galley for allowing me full access to read this lovely book
May 12, 2015
It’s always lovely to find a new author who has plenty of books for you to discover and add to your tbr list. I love these types of books and will enjoy reading through her others.
Lorinda is sent to live with her aunt, who wasn’t keen on her mother. They live in a boarding house and Lorinda is set to work. There isn’t a lot of affection heading her way. She befriends a lad –although he is quite a bit older than her ,he adds a bit of cheer to her days.
Lots of trials and tribulations for them both throughout the book- a really enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Randam House UK and Net Galley for the chance to discover a new author!
Lorinda is sent to live with her aunt, who wasn’t keen on her mother. They live in a boarding house and Lorinda is set to work. There isn’t a lot of affection heading her way. She befriends a lad –although he is quite a bit older than her ,he adds a bit of cheer to her days.
Lots of trials and tribulations for them both throughout the book- a really enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Randam House UK and Net Galley for the chance to discover a new author!
May 5, 2016
Another tragic story. Real emotion. Terrible people, good people, bad circumstances... I should have reviewed it earlier, now I don't know what to say!
October 17, 2017
Really good storyline.good book.
August 24, 2017
Ada was left by her mother to live with her grandmother. When her grandmother died, Ada's aunt and uncle took her into their boarding house, using Ada to clean, cook, set the table for boarders, etc. Her uncle touched her inappropriately, and Ada was frightened. One of the boarders, Johnny, took pity on Ada, and was fascinated by this little girl with violet eyes. He snuck her candy pear drops, and talked to her, making Ada feel special. When Johnny left to help run his uncle's steel business, Ada was bereft. Ada's uncle raped her, and Ada ran away, taking some money in order to get a job in another place, and start anew. Ada washed clothes and cleaned houses to make money. It seemed that throughout the book, Ada and Johnny's letters and messages to each other were mislaid. When Johnny's brother died, and Ada went looking for Johnny, she was told that Johnny's brother had died, but since she was told Mr. _______ died, Ada assumed it was Johnny. Feeling alone and loved by a Doctor's family who took her in when she had been ill, Ada agreed to marry the doctor's son. The two years before their marriage, Ada became a nurse. When Johnny came looking for Ada on the eve of the wedding, the doctor's daughter told Johnny that Ada was getting married. Johnny left. War broke out. You will need to read to find out the twists and turns of Ada's life.
February 9, 2017
This book was first published in 1988. This is one of the books for my L.D.S. Challenge for 2017. We are going to read ten books, one from each of the ten year periods of the 1900's.
This was a fast and interesting read for me. This is a story about a little girl, who was abandoned by her mother. She first lived with her grandma, who gave her love, and a positive image of herself. Grandma died, and she was sent to live with a grouchy old aunt, who was the sister of her mother. She was forced to work in her relatives boarding house, and not allowed to go to school. She had a teen aged friend named Johnny, who comes in and out of her life. Her uncle Harry raped her, when she was a teenager, and she ran away to make her own way. She worked hard, and she had people who helped her. She longed to read and write, and when given the opportunity, she worked very hard to learn. She washed peoples laundry, and cleaned peoples homes. She studied very hard to become a nurse, and served during World ward I. She married the wrong man, and hurt both of their lives, and his family. She finally ends up with her true love.
This was a fast and interesting read for me. This is a story about a little girl, who was abandoned by her mother. She first lived with her grandma, who gave her love, and a positive image of herself. Grandma died, and she was sent to live with a grouchy old aunt, who was the sister of her mother. She was forced to work in her relatives boarding house, and not allowed to go to school. She had a teen aged friend named Johnny, who comes in and out of her life. Her uncle Harry raped her, when she was a teenager, and she ran away to make her own way. She worked hard, and she had people who helped her. She longed to read and write, and when given the opportunity, she worked very hard to learn. She washed peoples laundry, and cleaned peoples homes. She studied very hard to become a nurse, and served during World ward I. She married the wrong man, and hurt both of their lives, and his family. She finally ends up with her true love.
November 30, 2016
This book was like reading an entire soap opera series set in the early 1900s! I feel drained; it's seems a bit far fetched that so many things happened to one person! That being said, it did hold my attention and I wanted to keep reading to see what (eventually) happened. I found myself skimming, though, because it did drag a bit at times. Overall, a solid book. I don't think I can rate it higher than 3 stars; as I was reading, it was mostly a 2.5 rating. But I looked so forward to finishing it that I bumped it to 3. I'd probably read another book by this author, but I'd definitely have to be in the mood for a long, meandering drama before tackling another one of these novels
June 20, 2016
Really gripping, just couldn't put the book down. It held me from start to end. Amazing, first time have read a book by Maggie Hope, now can't wait to read some more of herbooks
Amazing, can't wait to read more of her books, it held me from start to finish, really amazing story, erfect
Amazing, can't wait to read more of her books, it held me from start to finish, really amazing story, erfect
May 13, 2017
I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I loved the story line. I loved some of the characters also. What I had a problem with was how often can two ships pass in the night? The almost meetings got a little annoying. Also Ada was forgiving of her mam and aunt and yet not her husband.i enjoyed the sweetness of her relationship with Johnny. Again, mixed feelings.
November 25, 2014
A very enjoyable read. I thoroughly enjoyed this and found the story and characters real and true to life. Highly recommended.
January 12, 2016
Very good story
This story was so very good. I couldn't put it down. It was a historical fiction and this poor girl went thru hell.
This story was so very good. I couldn't put it down. It was a historical fiction and this poor girl went thru hell.
March 31, 2018
I liked this book
This is a really good book. The changes that war makes and how people manage to get o with lives Excellent book
This is a really good book. The changes that war makes and how people manage to get o with lives Excellent book
May 13, 2020
This is the second time I've read this book, once when I was around 14 and now when I'm 18. I only remembered a few things about it when I started getting into it the second time but what I didn't remember was how GOOD this book is. Hands down one of my favourite books. How can a storyline be this well written? How can a book be so emotionally touching (I couldn't hold my tears towards the end of the book). This is the type of book I would love everyone to read but at the same time I'm aware that not everyone enjoys these types of hsitorical dramas. I cannot WAIT to read this beautiful author's other books!
March 26, 2018
Lorinda and Johnny
This is a lovely story of Lorinda who had her name changed to Ada by her aunt but Lorinda comes through all her struggles all prove worth while in the end it's Maggie hope at her best 5 STARS .
This is a lovely story of Lorinda who had her name changed to Ada by her aunt but Lorinda comes through all her struggles all prove worth while in the end it's Maggie hope at her best 5 STARS .
December 5, 2016
Poorly developed characters. Motivations?
February 13, 2024
This book was a real page turner - I was desperate to find out what would happen to Ada. For positives, it was well written and I liked Ada initially.
But things began to fall apart with the Gray family, who were so unerringly kind to her, rescuing her from destitution and giving her everything she needed to turn her life around. And she repaid them with utter betrayal.
Tom was a great character and she didn’t even try - his cruel actions toward the end of their relationship felt like a manipulation on the author’s part to justify Ada’s continued faithlessness.
In the end everything was backed into a corner so that the only possible ‘happy’ way out for Ada leaves the Gray family broken and disillusioned.
I couldn’t be happy for her. Her many wrongs did not make a right in the end.
But things began to fall apart with the Gray family, who were so unerringly kind to her, rescuing her from destitution and giving her everything she needed to turn her life around. And she repaid them with utter betrayal.
Tom was a great character and she didn’t even try - his cruel actions toward the end of their relationship felt like a manipulation on the author’s part to justify Ada’s continued faithlessness.
In the end everything was backed into a corner so that the only possible ‘happy’ way out for Ada leaves the Gray family broken and disillusioned.
I couldn’t be happy for her. Her many wrongs did not make a right in the end.
January 21, 2023
A hard book to put down, I really enjoyed reading the story.It was a hard life for Lorinda Growing up as a child. But she worked hard and kept her wits about her. It's hard to understand how anyone can treat a child so harshly but it was a good ending .
August 14, 2018
An enjoyable read. Lots of ups and downs. Great story for anyone that enjoys historical fiction with a little romance.
July 12, 2022
An easy read of bygone times...
June 22, 2023
This book was an emotional rollercoaster icl.
January 3, 2021
Great 📖
Great Book keeps you reading as Great story and easy to read.
Would recommend this book and author to anyone.
Great Book keeps you reading as Great story and easy to read.
Would recommend this book and author to anyone.
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September 17, 2015BRILLIANT. Made me want to find more of the author's books.
April 17, 2016
Really enjoyed this book
April 4, 2017
Borrowed this book from the library. Read within one day. A really enjoyable family saga.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews