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Maids of Kent #1
Half a Sixpence: Catherine’s Story
True love sometimes comes at a price
East Kent, 1830
Catherine Rook takes her peaceful life for granted. Her days are spent at the village school and lending a hand on her family’s farm. Life is run by the seasons, and there’s little time for worry.
But rural unrest begins sweeping through Kent, and when Pa Rook buys a threshing machine it brings turbulence and tragedy to Wanstall Farm. With the Rooks’ fortunes forever changed, Catherine must struggle to hold her family together.
She turns to her childhood companion, Matty Carter, for comfort, and finds more than friendship in his loving arms. But Matty has his own family to protect, and almost as quickly as their love blossomed their future begins to unravel.
With the threat of destitution nipping at her heels, Catherine must forge a way out of ruin . . .
East Kent, 1830
Catherine Rook takes her peaceful life for granted. Her days are spent at the village school and lending a hand on her family’s farm. Life is run by the seasons, and there’s little time for worry.
But rural unrest begins sweeping through Kent, and when Pa Rook buys a threshing machine it brings turbulence and tragedy to Wanstall Farm. With the Rooks’ fortunes forever changed, Catherine must struggle to hold her family together.
She turns to her childhood companion, Matty Carter, for comfort, and finds more than friendship in his loving arms. But Matty has his own family to protect, and almost as quickly as their love blossomed their future begins to unravel.
With the threat of destitution nipping at her heels, Catherine must forge a way out of ruin . . .
401 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2017
20 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 15, 2017
The events of the 1830s will impact on Catherine’s life more than she could ever think
I have a confession to make about Half a Sixpence. I didn’t really like the protagonist Catherine. I thought she was too proud, often too rash in her attitude to others, and at times she really annoyed me. However, I think it proves the quality of Evie Grace’s writing that I still cared about what happened and by the end of the book I was desperate for Catherine to have some good luck in her life!
Indeed, there’s a smashing cast of characters and Evie Grace writes with such visual dexterity that I could picture them all and they came alive as I read. I have a feeling I may have met a few Mattys in my life! I really hope someone picks up this book for television as I think it would make a fabulous series.
The settings are so vividly depicted so that there is a real sense of rural Kent in the 1830s. I loved the way in which the society of the time was so cleverly woven into the story so that there is a real feeling of credibility and era when reading Half a Sixpence. It is a book that manages to inform and educate without the reader realising at the same time as being hugely entertaining.
Half a Sixpence has a plot that romps along at breakneck speed. There are so many twists and turns in Catherine’s life that I didn’t like to put down the book in case something happened when I wasn’t looking.
Half a Sixpence is the perfect embodiment of an historical novel. Readers who are looking for a tale of peril, love and history will adore it.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/07/15/...
I have a confession to make about Half a Sixpence. I didn’t really like the protagonist Catherine. I thought she was too proud, often too rash in her attitude to others, and at times she really annoyed me. However, I think it proves the quality of Evie Grace’s writing that I still cared about what happened and by the end of the book I was desperate for Catherine to have some good luck in her life!
Indeed, there’s a smashing cast of characters and Evie Grace writes with such visual dexterity that I could picture them all and they came alive as I read. I have a feeling I may have met a few Mattys in my life! I really hope someone picks up this book for television as I think it would make a fabulous series.
The settings are so vividly depicted so that there is a real sense of rural Kent in the 1830s. I loved the way in which the society of the time was so cleverly woven into the story so that there is a real feeling of credibility and era when reading Half a Sixpence. It is a book that manages to inform and educate without the reader realising at the same time as being hugely entertaining.
Half a Sixpence has a plot that romps along at breakneck speed. There are so many twists and turns in Catherine’s life that I didn’t like to put down the book in case something happened when I wasn’t looking.
Half a Sixpence is the perfect embodiment of an historical novel. Readers who are looking for a tale of peril, love and history will adore it.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/07/15/...
July 16, 2017
Half a Sixpence heralds the arrival of a brand new saga superstar set to become as big a name in the genre as Dilly Court and Maggie Hope: Evie Grace!
As the youngest daughter of a farming family, Catherine Rook's life is a peaceful and idyllic one. Juggling her schoolwork with lending a hand to her mother and father at Wanstall Farm, young Catherine has little time to worry. The only fly in the ointment is her classmate Matty Carter, who seems to take great delight in frightening her and in causing untold mischief. But Catherine's carefree life is brought to a sudden and frightening end when tragedy comes to Wanstall Farm and a chain of events are set in motion that threaten everything the Rook family hold dear to their hearts - including their livelihood.
As Catherine matures into womanhood, the threat of destitution and poverty continues to snap at her heels. As long-buried secrets are unearthed and tragic discoveries from the past are brought to the fore, Catherine finds herself in desperate need of a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on and she turns to her old classmate Matty Carter, who has matured into a strong, capable and intelligent young man who has awakened feelings in Catherine she had never experienced before. However, Matty is a labourer's son and Catherine's mother has plans for her - plans that do not involve her youngest daughter getting married to a man she deems to be unsuitable for Catherine!
With her future happiness at stake, what is Catherine going to do? Will she find the strength and courage to fight for her heart's desire amidst all the obstacles standing in her way? Or will she end up sacrificing her own joy for the sake of duty and responsibility?
An absorbing, evocative and gripping Victorian saga from a terrific new writer, Half a Sixpence is a wonderfully written and meticulously researched tale of courage, redemption, dangerous secrets, family strife and the ties that bind that I found absolutely impossible to put down. Evie Grace certainly knows how to tell a rattling good yarn and I found myself mesmerized by this intriguing, powerful and poignant historical tale.
With an indomitable heroine, dramatic twists and turns, searing emotion and uplifting romance, Half a Sixpence is an outstanding saga from a major new talent in the field: Evie Grace!
As the youngest daughter of a farming family, Catherine Rook's life is a peaceful and idyllic one. Juggling her schoolwork with lending a hand to her mother and father at Wanstall Farm, young Catherine has little time to worry. The only fly in the ointment is her classmate Matty Carter, who seems to take great delight in frightening her and in causing untold mischief. But Catherine's carefree life is brought to a sudden and frightening end when tragedy comes to Wanstall Farm and a chain of events are set in motion that threaten everything the Rook family hold dear to their hearts - including their livelihood.
As Catherine matures into womanhood, the threat of destitution and poverty continues to snap at her heels. As long-buried secrets are unearthed and tragic discoveries from the past are brought to the fore, Catherine finds herself in desperate need of a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on and she turns to her old classmate Matty Carter, who has matured into a strong, capable and intelligent young man who has awakened feelings in Catherine she had never experienced before. However, Matty is a labourer's son and Catherine's mother has plans for her - plans that do not involve her youngest daughter getting married to a man she deems to be unsuitable for Catherine!
With her future happiness at stake, what is Catherine going to do? Will she find the strength and courage to fight for her heart's desire amidst all the obstacles standing in her way? Or will she end up sacrificing her own joy for the sake of duty and responsibility?
An absorbing, evocative and gripping Victorian saga from a terrific new writer, Half a Sixpence is a wonderfully written and meticulously researched tale of courage, redemption, dangerous secrets, family strife and the ties that bind that I found absolutely impossible to put down. Evie Grace certainly knows how to tell a rattling good yarn and I found myself mesmerized by this intriguing, powerful and poignant historical tale.
With an indomitable heroine, dramatic twists and turns, searing emotion and uplifting romance, Half a Sixpence is an outstanding saga from a major new talent in the field: Evie Grace!
October 11, 2020
At first I couldn't understand why this book was recommended for fans of Dilly Court. I found the story started very slowly, Catherine is thirteen years old, she lives on a farm in a sleepy Kent village. The story eventually warms up and took me by surprise. Several years later, Catherine finds herself in very difficult circumstances, and from then on the story becomes more like a Dilly Court novel, with mystery, hardship, lies and secrets. The story has a satisfactory ending. Next I'm interested to read about Catherine's daughter, Agnes.
September 20, 2023
Found this book quite an easy read after I had recovered from the pounding of a lot of different characters thrown at me right at the beginning. I found Catherine a little annoying and the outcome was so predictable. I will go on to read the other two in the series though.
July 28, 2017
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was great, simply couldn't put it down. Really enjoyed it and can't wait to read "Agnes".
This book was great, simply couldn't put it down. Really enjoyed it and can't wait to read "Agnes".
September 15, 2017
When I first started reading this book thought it wasn't too good but as you got further on it became really good. Wasn't what I expected but would recommend, couldn't put it down at the end .
June 27, 2018
loved it
December 22, 2020
Started this and found it slow going to read. May tr6 again. As I want to read it.
September 22, 2021
WoW... I really didn't expect the ending....👀
April 26, 2022
Wanstall Farm!
July 4, 2023
I loved this book until the end. Didn't like the ending, Catherine should never have went with Stephen and even wore her dead best friends clothes to marry her husband.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews