What do you think?
Rate this book
Lockwood Inheritance #2
Trying Times for the Mill Girls
A heartbreaking and unforgettable Yorkshire saga of family, love and resilience—perfect for fans of Call the Midwife, Rosie Goodwin and Catherine Cookson. 🌾 ✨ West Yorkshire 1900-1918
In changing times, even the strongest must fight to hold on...
At the dawn of a new century, mill mistress Verity Hardcastle and her husband Oliver welcome their long-awaited gentle, golden-hearted Briony and spirited, stormy Blaise. From the beginning, their children seem destined to pull in different directions—but the Hardcastles stand united, proud stewards of Lockwood Mill and its tight-knit community of hardworking girls.
As the winds of change sweep through Yorkshire—from the rise of the suffragette movement to the shadow of war—the mill stands firm. But cracks begin to show, not just among the mill girls, but within the Hardcastle family itself.
When a new mill girl arrives, bringing disruption in her wake, Verity and Oliver must fight to protect everything they hold dear. Loyalties will be tested, secrets unearthed, and the ties of love and family stretched to their limits.
Can the Hardcastles weather the storm, or will this be the end of everything they’ve built?
A sweeping, heartwarming saga of love, loyalty and resilience—perfect for fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin and Emma Hornby.
In changing times, even the strongest must fight to hold on...
At the dawn of a new century, mill mistress Verity Hardcastle and her husband Oliver welcome their long-awaited gentle, golden-hearted Briony and spirited, stormy Blaise. From the beginning, their children seem destined to pull in different directions—but the Hardcastles stand united, proud stewards of Lockwood Mill and its tight-knit community of hardworking girls.
As the winds of change sweep through Yorkshire—from the rise of the suffragette movement to the shadow of war—the mill stands firm. But cracks begin to show, not just among the mill girls, but within the Hardcastle family itself.
When a new mill girl arrives, bringing disruption in her wake, Verity and Oliver must fight to protect everything they hold dear. Loyalties will be tested, secrets unearthed, and the ties of love and family stretched to their limits.
Can the Hardcastles weather the storm, or will this be the end of everything they’ve built?
A sweeping, heartwarming saga of love, loyalty and resilience—perfect for fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin and Emma Hornby.
274 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2025
64 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 4, 2025
A fantastic read! I enjoyed it immensely. Written like the old saga's of years gone by, it was very well done. The author knows her history well and included lots of it without bogging down the story.
Verity is the only female mill owner in the region which isn't easy but she now fits in well as it's seen she's well able for the job. She's married to Oliver, who oversees the working of the mill and they have twins, a boy and a girl. As the children grow one of them becomes a right handful and Verity doesn't help matters in her handling of it. There's a tug of war here between a mother's love and the love of a wife for her husband.
There are some interesting characters at the mill. Verity is one of the better owners to work for but there's always somebody willing and able to cause trouble.
I didn't take to Verity. I found her to be selfish and self absorbed a lot of the time. She has some great friends though and as war looms on the horizon she needs all of them in more ways than one.
Highly recommended if you enjoy these stories and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an early copy.
Verity is the only female mill owner in the region which isn't easy but she now fits in well as it's seen she's well able for the job. She's married to Oliver, who oversees the working of the mill and they have twins, a boy and a girl. As the children grow one of them becomes a right handful and Verity doesn't help matters in her handling of it. There's a tug of war here between a mother's love and the love of a wife for her husband.
There are some interesting characters at the mill. Verity is one of the better owners to work for but there's always somebody willing and able to cause trouble.
I didn't take to Verity. I found her to be selfish and self absorbed a lot of the time. She has some great friends though and as war looms on the horizon she needs all of them in more ways than one.
Highly recommended if you enjoy these stories and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an early copy.
October 21, 2025
I received a free copy of, Trying Times for the Mill Girls, by Chrissie Walsh, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book two in the Lockwood Inheritance series. Verity and her husband Oliver have twins a boy and a girl. Blaise is nothing at all like his parents. I did not care for him at all, His sister Briony is his opposite in so many ways, I did not care for Verity in this book either.
December 10, 2025
This is the second book in the Lockwood Inheritance series and again it’s another thoroughly enjoyable read. The book opens in March of a brand new century and Verity Hardcastle is about to welcome her long awaited baby into the world but there is a shock in store when she gives birth to not one but two babies. As we progress through the book we see how different these twins are in character. Verity has her hands full what with caring for the young babies and running Lockwood Mill along with her husband Oliver. Not everything is running smoothly at the mill and when a new girl arrives to work there she is determined to cause havoc and disruption. From the first chapter to the final one I was immersed into the story and the wonderful writing from the author Chrissie Walsh who has written this book in such a way I felt at times I was living in that era . I cannot wait to read the third book in the series which is due to be published in July 2026
October 24, 2025
A changing world.
A devided family.
A fight for the future.
With trying times ahead.
Lockwood inheritance book two.
In changing times, even the strongest must fight to hold on.
Almondbury Huddersfield 1900.
The Hardcastles Verity and Oliver are blessed with twins Blaise and Briony now their family is complete, no two children are the same, as they are later we find out when the family is torn apart through war.
Lockwood mill is their proud business with hard working girls when cracks are soon to show when a new mill girl arrives.
This book takes us through this journey living with ups downs and big turn around, that grab all your feelings and emotions turning inside down, right to the ending.
Such a powerful inspirational story.
Well done to the author.
A devided family.
A fight for the future.
With trying times ahead.
Lockwood inheritance book two.
In changing times, even the strongest must fight to hold on.
Almondbury Huddersfield 1900.
The Hardcastles Verity and Oliver are blessed with twins Blaise and Briony now their family is complete, no two children are the same, as they are later we find out when the family is torn apart through war.
Lockwood mill is their proud business with hard working girls when cracks are soon to show when a new mill girl arrives.
This book takes us through this journey living with ups downs and big turn around, that grab all your feelings and emotions turning inside down, right to the ending.
Such a powerful inspirational story.
Well done to the author.
December 11, 2025
This is book two in this series. We follow Verity and her husband Oliver after the birth of their twins.
This was a family saga that plays out during the suffragette movement and the war. I didn’t really care too much for Verity and Blaise at first but I liked them more as the story goes on.
It’s a good historical fiction story.
This was a family saga that plays out during the suffragette movement and the war. I didn’t really care too much for Verity and Blaise at first but I liked them more as the story goes on.
It’s a good historical fiction story.
December 2, 2025
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of this novel.
This is the second of the Lockwood Inheritance Series, but, having read the first, I think the author provides enough context that it can be read on its own.
Although both volumes have ‘mill girls’ in the title, the focus is more on the owners of Lockwood Mill and their relationships. In the first story, the abusive and alcoholic Jebediah Lockwood is bankrupting his woollen mill when his daughter Verity decides to step up and take it in hand. Despite the initial tension, the manager, Oliver Hardcastle, helps her to learn how the business runs. Verity introduces a number of benefits for the largely female workforce that her father had exploited. While Oliver doesn’t fully accept her ideas, he is an astute manager, and together they improve relations with the workers, save the mill, and make their partnership one of marriage as well as business.
This story opens about three years later, with Verity being delivered of twins, Blaise and Briony. From birth they are so dissimilar that everyone comments on it. Blaise is big and loud, demanding, and receiving, all his mother’s attention, to the point where she is running herself into the ground physically. Her obsession with her ‘darling boy’ isn’t broken even by the heartache he causes her as he grows into a young man. Oliver takes a much stronger stand, warning her that her coddling will ruin their son’s character. Meanwhile, Briony, repeatedly described as ‘elfin,’ sweet, innocent, angelic, is neglected by both parents. They have only enough energy for Blaise, a truly nasty bully, and for the mill, where rumours of unionization are disrupting the customary good relations between the Hardcastles and their workers. The Great War adds fuel to their dissent.
I was impressed by the earlier version of Verity, who overcame the lack of love in her family by applying her intelligence and empathy to her work, at a time when women heading businesses were extremely rare. And I was pleased that she found her soulmate in Oliver. I really didn’t like the version of Verity in this second book. Previously clear and quick thinking, she is wilfully blind to her son’s very serious character flaws. She even interferes with Oliver’s very mild attempts at discipline. She spends much of her time whining and weeping. Despite others, including Oliver and Briony herself, pointing out that she gives little attention or affection to her daughter, she just doesn’t seem to care.
As for the second generation, they are set up as opposites, one bad and the other good, and seemingly born that way. The angelic Briony mostly comes across as a spoiled little rich girl. She volunteers to read to injured soldiers at the rehabilitation hospital, but seems motivated mostly by her attraction to the young doctors. Blaise is just plain awful, narcissistic, selfish and mean. He feigns an interest in learning the family business, but is really just interested in dallying with the mill girls, who are portrayed as besotted with the handsome son and heir. This leads me to a final point. The only time we really see the mill girls of the title, they are uncouth, promiscuous, manipulative, and also union supporters. Both Hardcastles, but Verity in particular, see the unionists as disloyal, ungrateful, unpatriotic, and unable to see just how good they have it at Lockwood Mill.
In sum, while I enjoyed the attention to historical detail and to the great changes underway in this period, from the 1880s through the Armistice, especially how this history was experienced differently depending on age, gender and class, the book overall didn’t affect me as much as the previous volume. It’s possible that the longer timespan—it starts with the twins’ birth and ends with Briony’s engagement when the war ends—kept things more ‘surface’ There is a forthcoming third book in the series, which I imagine will refocus on the second generation of mill owners and workers, and I’m interested to see how that unfolds.
This is the second of the Lockwood Inheritance Series, but, having read the first, I think the author provides enough context that it can be read on its own.
Although both volumes have ‘mill girls’ in the title, the focus is more on the owners of Lockwood Mill and their relationships. In the first story, the abusive and alcoholic Jebediah Lockwood is bankrupting his woollen mill when his daughter Verity decides to step up and take it in hand. Despite the initial tension, the manager, Oliver Hardcastle, helps her to learn how the business runs. Verity introduces a number of benefits for the largely female workforce that her father had exploited. While Oliver doesn’t fully accept her ideas, he is an astute manager, and together they improve relations with the workers, save the mill, and make their partnership one of marriage as well as business.
This story opens about three years later, with Verity being delivered of twins, Blaise and Briony. From birth they are so dissimilar that everyone comments on it. Blaise is big and loud, demanding, and receiving, all his mother’s attention, to the point where she is running herself into the ground physically. Her obsession with her ‘darling boy’ isn’t broken even by the heartache he causes her as he grows into a young man. Oliver takes a much stronger stand, warning her that her coddling will ruin their son’s character. Meanwhile, Briony, repeatedly described as ‘elfin,’ sweet, innocent, angelic, is neglected by both parents. They have only enough energy for Blaise, a truly nasty bully, and for the mill, where rumours of unionization are disrupting the customary good relations between the Hardcastles and their workers. The Great War adds fuel to their dissent.
I was impressed by the earlier version of Verity, who overcame the lack of love in her family by applying her intelligence and empathy to her work, at a time when women heading businesses were extremely rare. And I was pleased that she found her soulmate in Oliver. I really didn’t like the version of Verity in this second book. Previously clear and quick thinking, she is wilfully blind to her son’s very serious character flaws. She even interferes with Oliver’s very mild attempts at discipline. She spends much of her time whining and weeping. Despite others, including Oliver and Briony herself, pointing out that she gives little attention or affection to her daughter, she just doesn’t seem to care.
As for the second generation, they are set up as opposites, one bad and the other good, and seemingly born that way. The angelic Briony mostly comes across as a spoiled little rich girl. She volunteers to read to injured soldiers at the rehabilitation hospital, but seems motivated mostly by her attraction to the young doctors. Blaise is just plain awful, narcissistic, selfish and mean. He feigns an interest in learning the family business, but is really just interested in dallying with the mill girls, who are portrayed as besotted with the handsome son and heir. This leads me to a final point. The only time we really see the mill girls of the title, they are uncouth, promiscuous, manipulative, and also union supporters. Both Hardcastles, but Verity in particular, see the unionists as disloyal, ungrateful, unpatriotic, and unable to see just how good they have it at Lockwood Mill.
In sum, while I enjoyed the attention to historical detail and to the great changes underway in this period, from the 1880s through the Armistice, especially how this history was experienced differently depending on age, gender and class, the book overall didn’t affect me as much as the previous volume. It’s possible that the longer timespan—it starts with the twins’ birth and ends with Briony’s engagement when the war ends—kept things more ‘surface’ There is a forthcoming third book in the series, which I imagine will refocus on the second generation of mill owners and workers, and I’m interested to see how that unfolds.
December 8, 2025
It's the year 1900 in Almondbury, Huddersfield in the West Riding of Yorkshire in England. Verity Hardcastle is awaiting the birth of her baby, she unexpectedly has twins, a boy (Blaise) and a girl (Briony), as they grow up Blaise is very headstrong and wants everything his own way, often bullying other children whereas Briony is much better behaved, although she is peeved that her brother gets all the attention, just by being naughty.
A new girl (Juliet) has just arrived in the area and is due to start work in Lockwoods Mill, this is her first time away from home and is boarding with an elderly couple and she regularly sends what money she can back to her mother. But sometimes the thought of having new shoes or stockings is too much and they often win, plus the local women don't like her as she came from a mining area and Juliet would do what she could to be able to attend the Union meetings and the local women obviously didn't like this either. But when she came across a canal boat, she was intrigued and stowed aboard it, the men were not too pleased but let her stay on board for a while and then she noticed things that she wasn't supposed to and realised that they were up to no good, but by then they were on their way to Stanedge Tunnel, the longest canal tunnel on the network. But soon she is back working at the Mill and is looking now at Veritys son Blaise, letting him have favours for information. Blaise is totally smitten with her and he sneaks off to see her at any opportunity available. But soon Juliet is involved with union work at the mill and is really stirring trouble. All the time the war is raging and all the mill owners are trying hard to fulfil orders for uniforms, but will these strikes make that difficult to achieve.
It's not easy for both sides, management and workers are finding it difficult to survive and with the war still raging many women have either lost their husband or sons or they haven't heard from them for ages. Verity is finding it difficult too, she has uniform orders to fulfil, and they may lose the orders if they can't get them out in time. But when Blaise disappeared and no-one knew where, his family is understandably really worried especially when Verity thinks he must have joined up even though he is underage.
This is book two in the series about the girls and families who work in the Mills especially Verity, and their hardships and hard work. I found the historical storyline really interesting, my grandads brothers never returned from the front in WW1, although thankfully my grandad did, and I was rooting for Verity and her loyal mill workers. I have given this book five stars, I was totally hooked after just a few pages and I am looking forward to reading more of this community in the next book in this series.
#Netgalley
#ChrissieWalsh
#Boldwoodbooks
#TryingTimesForTheMillGirls
A new girl (Juliet) has just arrived in the area and is due to start work in Lockwoods Mill, this is her first time away from home and is boarding with an elderly couple and she regularly sends what money she can back to her mother. But sometimes the thought of having new shoes or stockings is too much and they often win, plus the local women don't like her as she came from a mining area and Juliet would do what she could to be able to attend the Union meetings and the local women obviously didn't like this either. But when she came across a canal boat, she was intrigued and stowed aboard it, the men were not too pleased but let her stay on board for a while and then she noticed things that she wasn't supposed to and realised that they were up to no good, but by then they were on their way to Stanedge Tunnel, the longest canal tunnel on the network. But soon she is back working at the Mill and is looking now at Veritys son Blaise, letting him have favours for information. Blaise is totally smitten with her and he sneaks off to see her at any opportunity available. But soon Juliet is involved with union work at the mill and is really stirring trouble. All the time the war is raging and all the mill owners are trying hard to fulfil orders for uniforms, but will these strikes make that difficult to achieve.
It's not easy for both sides, management and workers are finding it difficult to survive and with the war still raging many women have either lost their husband or sons or they haven't heard from them for ages. Verity is finding it difficult too, she has uniform orders to fulfil, and they may lose the orders if they can't get them out in time. But when Blaise disappeared and no-one knew where, his family is understandably really worried especially when Verity thinks he must have joined up even though he is underage.
This is book two in the series about the girls and families who work in the Mills especially Verity, and their hardships and hard work. I found the historical storyline really interesting, my grandads brothers never returned from the front in WW1, although thankfully my grandad did, and I was rooting for Verity and her loyal mill workers. I have given this book five stars, I was totally hooked after just a few pages and I am looking forward to reading more of this community in the next book in this series.
#Netgalley
#ChrissieWalsh
#Boldwoodbooks
#TryingTimesForTheMillGirls
December 8, 2025
Trying Times for the Mill Girls is the second book in The Lockwood Inheritance series, and although you don't have to read the first book, I recommend it to get the back stories of the main characters. Verity Hardcastle (nee Lockwood) has just given birth to twins, gentle, golden-hearted Briony and spirited, stormy Blaise. From the beginning the children were opposites of one another. Verity was adamant that her children would never go to boarding school and she would stay home with them while they were infants. Unfortunately, she spoiled Blaise, and he became a very unlikable boy in school and many other areas of his life. Oliver continues to run the mill and give their employees perks that keep them working for them. Unfortunately, the other mill owners don't treat their employees as well and there is talk of unions and strikes. Verity and Oliver try to talk down their workers, but a new hire is a bit of an agitator. When war breaks out, all the mills struggle somewhat, and lose a lot of their workers to the fighting. This is when the workers decide to fight for their rights, especially equal pay for women. Things are tough and the Lockwood Mill is suffering as well as all the others. Will they be able to survive?
This was another interesting story highlighting life and times from 1900 to 1918. Verity is the only woman owning and running a textile mill, and the other owners look down on her. She and Oliver are friends with some of their workers and that helps them understand what they want and need. We see Blaise and Bryony grow up and the spoiled, little rich boy plays out in this book. Bryony is a sweetheart, but Blaise is a bully, and thinks he is better than everyone else. His attitude changes when he enlists and realizes that he is no better than the farmer fighting in the trench next to him. There are lots of trials in this story, but it is very realistic. Chrissie Walsh must have done a lot of research to present their lives in such a real way, as well as make them characters that we get to know and want more of. I do like the Hardcastle family and hope we see more of them, their workers and what happens to the Lockwood Mill as times change. I liked that their is a women's fiction feel to this story as well. There are suffragettes fighting for the right to vote and workers fighting for equal pay for the same job. I enjoyed this book and recommend it and the previous one to those who like historical fiction.
This was another interesting story highlighting life and times from 1900 to 1918. Verity is the only woman owning and running a textile mill, and the other owners look down on her. She and Oliver are friends with some of their workers and that helps them understand what they want and need. We see Blaise and Bryony grow up and the spoiled, little rich boy plays out in this book. Bryony is a sweetheart, but Blaise is a bully, and thinks he is better than everyone else. His attitude changes when he enlists and realizes that he is no better than the farmer fighting in the trench next to him. There are lots of trials in this story, but it is very realistic. Chrissie Walsh must have done a lot of research to present their lives in such a real way, as well as make them characters that we get to know and want more of. I do like the Hardcastle family and hope we see more of them, their workers and what happens to the Lockwood Mill as times change. I liked that their is a women's fiction feel to this story as well. There are suffragettes fighting for the right to vote and workers fighting for equal pay for the same job. I enjoyed this book and recommend it and the previous one to those who like historical fiction.
November 29, 2025
I had not read the first book in the series and although I am sure I would’ve enjoyed it there is enough recap in this book that it’s perfectly possible to follow the storyline.
I had lived in Huddersfield for 20 years in Deighton where the dye works ended up. I could imagine the journeys that were made from Almondbury into Aspley Basin and the charabanc trips to Barnsley up and over the hills.
This book was the further story of Verity and her husband Oliver and their newly born twins. One a very arrogant and self centred boy and the other a sweet polite petite little girl. Blaise and Briony.
This started around the turn of the 20th century and encompassed the First World War and the fact that the emancipation of women’ meant that they realised that they deserved equal treatment with men, women had to take the roles men had held as so many were lost in WW1 - but striking for equality brought hardship as well.
Along the way there are examples of Blaise’s nastiness, his dalliance with a mill girl and ultimately his underage enlisting - to prove a point really but in the end shows him the errors of his ways. Hopefully book 3 will explore this further and he will become a better man than he was a boy.
This book was obviously well researched and well written. There was the everyday and often mundane work in the mill, lots of information about how Lockwood Mill differed from the others in the area - and the prejudice felt by Verity who owned the mill, and the dire situation faced by the men in the trenches.
This book brought smiles, reflection and tears with equal measure. Thank you for the chance to read this book. I shall look out for book 3.
All in all a delightful read
I had lived in Huddersfield for 20 years in Deighton where the dye works ended up. I could imagine the journeys that were made from Almondbury into Aspley Basin and the charabanc trips to Barnsley up and over the hills.
This book was the further story of Verity and her husband Oliver and their newly born twins. One a very arrogant and self centred boy and the other a sweet polite petite little girl. Blaise and Briony.
This started around the turn of the 20th century and encompassed the First World War and the fact that the emancipation of women’ meant that they realised that they deserved equal treatment with men, women had to take the roles men had held as so many were lost in WW1 - but striking for equality brought hardship as well.
Along the way there are examples of Blaise’s nastiness, his dalliance with a mill girl and ultimately his underage enlisting - to prove a point really but in the end shows him the errors of his ways. Hopefully book 3 will explore this further and he will become a better man than he was a boy.
This book was obviously well researched and well written. There was the everyday and often mundane work in the mill, lots of information about how Lockwood Mill differed from the others in the area - and the prejudice felt by Verity who owned the mill, and the dire situation faced by the men in the trenches.
This book brought smiles, reflection and tears with equal measure. Thank you for the chance to read this book. I shall look out for book 3.
All in all a delightful read
December 2, 2025
The Lockwood Inheritance #2
At the dawn of the new century, mill mistress Verity Hardcastle and her husband Oliver welcome their long-awaited gentle, golden-hearted Briony and spirited, stormy Blaise. From the beginning, their children seem destined to pull in different directions - but the Hardcastle's stand united, proud stewards of Lockwood Mill and its tight-knit community. As the winds of change sweep through Yorkshire - from the rise of the suffragette movement to the shadow of war - the mill stands firm. But cracks begin to show, not just among the mill girls, but within the Hardcastle family itself.
The author has certainly done her research around the era this book was written in. Verity is the only woman mill owner in the region, but she's more than able for the job. The story covers the war and the suffragette movement. They were a mixed bunch of characters, but I wasn't keen on Blaise. This enjoyable read lets us see how problems occurred at the mill and how the union worked back then.
Published 5th December 2025
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #ChrissieWalsh for my ARC of #TryingTimesForTheMillGirls in exchange for an honest review.
#
At the dawn of the new century, mill mistress Verity Hardcastle and her husband Oliver welcome their long-awaited gentle, golden-hearted Briony and spirited, stormy Blaise. From the beginning, their children seem destined to pull in different directions - but the Hardcastle's stand united, proud stewards of Lockwood Mill and its tight-knit community. As the winds of change sweep through Yorkshire - from the rise of the suffragette movement to the shadow of war - the mill stands firm. But cracks begin to show, not just among the mill girls, but within the Hardcastle family itself.
The author has certainly done her research around the era this book was written in. Verity is the only woman mill owner in the region, but she's more than able for the job. The story covers the war and the suffragette movement. They were a mixed bunch of characters, but I wasn't keen on Blaise. This enjoyable read lets us see how problems occurred at the mill and how the union worked back then.
Published 5th December 2025
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #ChrissieWalsh for my ARC of #TryingTimesForTheMillGirls in exchange for an honest review.
#
December 5, 2025
This was my first book in the Lockwood Inheritance series, and surprisingly, it worked well as a standalone. The story follows the Hardcastle–Lockwood family three years after their mill’s revival, now navigating motherhood, class tensions, and the growing unrest surrounding unionization and the Great War. I found Verity’s transformation from a strong, capable heroine to a fragile and deeply flawed mother both frustrating and fascinating, and the sibling dynamic between Blaise and Briony drives much of the emotional tension.
The historical detail is excellent, the pacing steady, and the depiction of early 20th-century mill life vivid and engaging. While the character development occasionally felt exaggerated—especially the “angel vs. villain” dynamic of the twins—the story kept me invested. I’ll definitely continue with book three.
Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources, and the author for providing me with an arc of the book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The historical detail is excellent, the pacing steady, and the depiction of early 20th-century mill life vivid and engaging. While the character development occasionally felt exaggerated—especially the “angel vs. villain” dynamic of the twins—the story kept me invested. I’ll definitely continue with book three.
Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources, and the author for providing me with an arc of the book. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 25, 2025
Set in a Yorkshire mill town at the turn of the century, Trying Times for the Mill Girls is a charming and deeply caring look at family, community, and change in the years leading up to World War I. Chrissie Walsh paints a vivid portrait of mill life—both the struggles of the workers and the challenges of those who run it. The Hardcastle family, especially twins Blaise and Briony, stand at the heart of the story. Their contrasting natures—Briony’s gentleness and Blaise’s fire—mirror the shifting times around them, from the rise of women’s voices to the shadow of war. What makes this book so appealing is its warmth and sense of place; you truly feel part of Lockwood Mill and its bustling, loyal community. A tender and resilient saga that will appeal to readers who love Call the Midwife and old-fashioned storytelling done well.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.
November 29, 2025
This installment starts with Verity in labor. She gives birth to twins. Blaise is a big boy who seems combative from the start while his sister, Briony, is petite with a sweet disposition.
I didn't like this one as well as I did the first in the series. Verity is so blinded by her love for Blaise who is spoiled, a liar and just plain mean. There were a couple incidents where you would think he would take stock and change his ways. In the meantime, a young woman is hired at the mill who is an agitator and with the war starting the mill has some struggles.
Bottom line, I did not like Blaise at all, found Verity to be a fool and was disappointed with Oliver for not standing up to both of them. About 10% of the book was a rehash of book #1 and the writing seemed simple and predictable. There is a book #3 and I would like to read that.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with a digital copy.
I didn't like this one as well as I did the first in the series. Verity is so blinded by her love for Blaise who is spoiled, a liar and just plain mean. There were a couple incidents where you would think he would take stock and change his ways. In the meantime, a young woman is hired at the mill who is an agitator and with the war starting the mill has some struggles.
Bottom line, I did not like Blaise at all, found Verity to be a fool and was disappointed with Oliver for not standing up to both of them. About 10% of the book was a rehash of book #1 and the writing seemed simple and predictable. There is a book #3 and I would like to read that.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with a digital copy.
December 5, 2025
Having lived in Huddersfield and knowing the streets and places mentioned I wanted to love this book as much as I did the first. Sadly for me it didn't tick that box. Like other reviewers have said I did not like Blaise at all, His behaviour, attitude and actions were not an enjoyable read and even at war he seemed to think he was a clever so and so. Verity having gone from a strong minded and actioned individual came across completely differently. Oliver too had a character change and went from being passionate about his wife to suddenly thinking about what was in his trousers and being afraid to stand up to his wife and wearing the trousers in the relationship. I felt the storyline with the strikes, war and suffragettes had so much potential but sadly it didn't deliver.
I would continue to read the series and hope the next book is stronger.
I thank the publishers, author and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an Arc copy.
I would continue to read the series and hope the next book is stronger.
I thank the publishers, author and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an Arc copy.
October 23, 2025
Verity and Oliver have twins, and we follow their journey over the children’s growing up. With a very headstrong boy to contend with, Verity is overprotective and the boy, Blaise, becomes a problem, while his gentle sister Briony is a delight and starts to show her mettle as the story progresses. The period of the war, the problems it created at the mill and the union issues were interesting reading. With Briony now engaged and Blaise altered by his war experience, the ending left me eager to read the next book, which I hope comes soon. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read and review this book.
January 19, 2026
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. I was able to find the audio version through my local library, I really enjoyed this book a lot. I have been really into these types of books lately and some of them they are good and some are not so good. I did not know this was part of a series and so I did not read the 1st book... but I didn't feel like I missed a lot... the book mentions issues that came up in the previous book and I feel like I didn't miss a lot.
The characters I enjoyed a lot and the story itself I could not put the book down. Highly recommend for anyone that loves historical fictions! I would read from this author again.
The characters I enjoyed a lot and the story itself I could not put the book down. Highly recommend for anyone that loves historical fictions! I would read from this author again.
January 14, 2026
We continue the series and it certainly is just as good as the first book.
This book sees the Mill having problems with the workforce. It also deals with the family in how the twins are so different I liked that part of the book how they can be the opposite of each other. This book also shows you what the mills did in the War with making the uniforms. It showed how the woman workers wanting better pay as well which was interesting.
I liked reading this book it ebbed and flowed and was well written.
Would recommend this book.
This book sees the Mill having problems with the workforce. It also deals with the family in how the twins are so different I liked that part of the book how they can be the opposite of each other. This book also shows you what the mills did in the War with making the uniforms. It showed how the woman workers wanting better pay as well which was interesting.
I liked reading this book it ebbed and flowed and was well written.
Would recommend this book.
December 9, 2025
This is Book 2 about the interesting Mill girls and Lockwood Mill owner Verity. Oliver and Verity Hardcastle are blessed with twins, and what a journey that is for them! The story takes us from 1900 and through WWI. It highlights the life and times for both the upper and lower classes. It’s an entertaining and enjoyable read. Looking forward to Book 3.
December 26, 2025
Trying Times for the Mill Girls by Chrissie Walsh is the second book in the series, but I didn't read the first book in the series and I was fine.
📖 Verity and Oliver Hardcastle welcome twins into their family - Blaise and Briony. They also run the Lockwood Mill. Verity is a good boss. Her employees are treated fairly and paid well.
This story is set in the 1900s - the suffragette movement and a war.
A new mill girl arrives; she's a union girl who wants to bring about changes.
Verity feels that her whole world is falling apart as drama occurs in her mill and in her family.
💭 This was a plot driven book, so I don't feel that I was able to get as close to the characters as in character driven. But I did enjoy the characters anyway. I also struggled with the obvious favoritism between the twins.
This book followed about 18-20 years of the Hardcastles. Even though it covers such a large block of time, the author did a great job with the story. I didn't feel lost at any point in time.
This was written in 3rd person and past tense.
✨ Tropes
• Opposite Twins
• Troublesome Newcomer
• Family Secrets & Buried Truths
• Wartime
• Social & Political Unrest
• Class Tension
Overall: This was a really good family saga. It was well-written and had me feeling all of the emotions.
This was an ARC from Boldwood Books & Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.
📖 Verity and Oliver Hardcastle welcome twins into their family - Blaise and Briony. They also run the Lockwood Mill. Verity is a good boss. Her employees are treated fairly and paid well.
This story is set in the 1900s - the suffragette movement and a war.
A new mill girl arrives; she's a union girl who wants to bring about changes.
Verity feels that her whole world is falling apart as drama occurs in her mill and in her family.
💭 This was a plot driven book, so I don't feel that I was able to get as close to the characters as in character driven. But I did enjoy the characters anyway. I also struggled with the obvious favoritism between the twins.
This book followed about 18-20 years of the Hardcastles. Even though it covers such a large block of time, the author did a great job with the story. I didn't feel lost at any point in time.
This was written in 3rd person and past tense.
✨ Tropes
• Opposite Twins
• Troublesome Newcomer
• Family Secrets & Buried Truths
• Wartime
• Social & Political Unrest
• Class Tension
Overall: This was a really good family saga. It was well-written and had me feeling all of the emotions.
This was an ARC from Boldwood Books & Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.
December 9, 2025
Book 2 of 3 - A great history in the early 1900’s in England. A wonderful story of neighbors and friendship. Great story.
January 29, 2026
The next installment for Lockwood Mill. Verity and Oliver have moved on since the first book where the Mill brought them together.
Verity has the struggle of juggling work and family life and you can see a stubborn streak as she ignores advice from those around her.
Oliver does what he can to pacify when really he just wants to put his foot down. Given the circumstances that'd be the better option but things gave a habit of working out.
Briony and Blaise are complete opposites and their views on the Mill and what they want in the future are very different and lead to a lot of conflict.
We see family life at its best and worst as we catch up with some characters we'd already met and see how things have mov d on for those. The newer characters add extra drama although it's not all bad. It does show life before world war 1 and the struggles family had with war, workers unions and strikes and women's rights. Good nostalgic read with another installment on the way!!
Verity has the struggle of juggling work and family life and you can see a stubborn streak as she ignores advice from those around her.
Oliver does what he can to pacify when really he just wants to put his foot down. Given the circumstances that'd be the better option but things gave a habit of working out.
Briony and Blaise are complete opposites and their views on the Mill and what they want in the future are very different and lead to a lot of conflict.
We see family life at its best and worst as we catch up with some characters we'd already met and see how things have mov d on for those. The newer characters add extra drama although it's not all bad. It does show life before world war 1 and the struggles family had with war, workers unions and strikes and women's rights. Good nostalgic read with another installment on the way!!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews