Christmas on Coronation Street

Coronation Street #1

by Maggie Sullivan

A wonderful Christmas gift full of nostalgia and charm, perfect for fans of Coronation Street and readers who love Fiction set in Wartime.


Elsie Grimshaw lives in one of the worst streets in Weatherfield and is desperate to escape from life at home with a brutal father and the drudgery of working at the local mill. Grabbing at the slim chances that come her way, Elsie emerges from the heartbreak of first love and her marriage to bad boy, Arnold Tanner at only sixteen years old, if not much older, then certainly wiser.


Going under her married name of Elsie Tanner, she and Arnold move in to No.11 Coronation Street in 1939 as war breaks out. Her cheeky self-confidence immediately puts her at loggerheads with local busy-body Ena Sharples and Annie Walker, landlady of the Rovers Return.


As Christmas approaches, the residents of Coronation Street must put their petty squabbles aside if they are to survive the worst that Hitler’s Luftwaffe can throw at them. And as the Manchester Blitz grips their home town of Weatherfield, the residents must pull together to make this a Christmas to remember – for all of the right reasons…

Genres: Christmas, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Chick Lit, British Literature

400 pages, Hardcover

First published November 16, 2017

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-warming tale of one girl’s struggle to escape the slums of Manchester and her bully of a father just before World War II. There is a truly authentic feel about this story and you can’t help but root for the courageous and resourceful heroine. For someone who has never watched the TV programme Coronation Street, this is a fantastic introduction to the characters. And for fans of the show, it’s a nostalgic look back at the very beginning of this close-knit community. A book to savour whatever the time of year!

[Rheannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t plan to read this book, in fact I didn’t even know anything about it, But as I clapped eyes on it during an afternoon shop at Tesco, I knew I needed to read it. Being a fan of coronation street, Christmas and wartime themed stories, this was the perfect book. The story began in Manchester during the 1930s, it centres around Elsie Grimshaw and her tough start to life for herself and her siblings, her love life and how the 2nd world war affected her family. It was heartbreaking in parts but very real. An excellent read. I can’t wait to get my hands on the mother’s day one, I would 100% recommend this.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-warming tale of one girl’s struggle to escape the slums of Manchester and her bully of a father just before World War II. There is a truly authentic feel about this story and you can’t help but root for the courageous and resourceful heroine. For someone who has never watched the TV programme Coronation Street, this is a fantastic introduction to the characters. And for fans of the show, it’s a nostalgic look back at the very beginning of this close-knit community. A book to savour whatever the time of year!

[Margaret Galbraith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trip down memory lane with this one as I used to watch this TV show with granny in Scotland, it must be the longest running show ever beginning in the 1960s. Elsie lives in Manchester slums with her siblings and there are far too many. Her mum seems to have one child after the other and her father is an abusive drunk. You get the picture as Elsie us determined Ed to get out of that house and move onto a better life … but does she? Married once she becomes pregnant doesn’t seem like a good start but the people where she’s moved to in Coronation Street all look out for one another. If you’ve ever watched this show many moons ago you won’t forget Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell to name a few eel known ones.

It’s based at the beginning of WWII and like the previous book I read the stories of the trips to air raid shelters or wherever people felt safe during the German bombings. It’s a sad story but one of human life during that dreadful time. Rationing and gas masks were part of daily life land many went to extraordinary lengths just to survive

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

The story starts in the year 1937 a young nearly fifteen years old called Elsie Grimshaw living with her large family in back gas street. Working two jobs Elsie is a feisty girl that knows what she wants out of life. She always admired coronation street weatherfield and as years go on lives there after her marriage. this book takes us through two Christmases and into the war years. I loved it from start to finish

[Chelsea May xxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed being back in the coronation street world and being back with the characters. This book is sad and heartbreaking to read as it’s about the war. One of the characters loses a lot in this book and that made me so heartbroken for them. I liked how the author describes the settings and what’s going off and all the characters you feel like you’re actual in the book with the characters. I liked how the main character had a feisty side to them and doesn’t take much shit from people. I don’t read many books about the war time but this is a series that I will definitely be continuing. The writer of these books does it so well and so respectfully xxx

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these kind of books, a brilliant idea to mesh a story from the past with a soap that is still running today.
This one tells the story of one of Corrie's most famous characters, Elsie Tanner.
From her humble beginnings in Back Gas street to her eventual move to Coronation street and surviving the war years
A wonderful soap incorporated in a book with a wartime and seasonal flavour what more could you want this time of year?
A brilliant read.

[Larissa Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never watched Coronation Street but loved this book. Perfect pre-Christmas read!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this.

[theuntidybookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely, heartwarming story which reaffirmed my love for coronation street <3

[Gohnar23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fascinating story of love and a mix of break up and sudden family tragedies!

[Sophia Loves to read · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful Christmas read full of nostalgia and charm, perfect for fans of Coronation Street and readers who love Fiction set in Wartime.

[Ray O'Hare · Rating 4 out of 5]

An education and heartbreaking insight into the drudgery and hard life suffered by so many normal working people during the war years

[Juliana Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book that you don't need to be a Coronation Street fan to appreciate, the main character is Elsie Grimshaw who is known better as Elsie Tanner. We learn about the terrible childhood she is experiencing and how she comes to meet and marry Arnold Tanner after falling pregnant at the age of sixteen. Set during the war and the backdrop of air raid warnings, the community pulling together despite their difference was very reminiscent of the Street we see on our screens today. However, as is often the case with 'festive fiction', there are very few references to Christmas and they are very much a minor part of the timeline.

I found it very interesting to learn more about Elsie Tanner (a character I JUST remember from my very early childhood) who is a bit of a Coronation Street legend - though I'm now intrigued to know if she was related in some way to Eileen Grimshaw! An entertaining story in its own right and I'll definitely read others in the series.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of Coronation Street I enjoyed reading this, a nice change from the Detective/Murder novels that I have been reading lately. It also shows my age as I remember these characters :) Loved the history of the Street at the end, the series was always known for its portrayal of strong working class women, their lives and characters; somehow sadly I feel that the TV series has now lost that, especially after the death of Blanche and Deidre, in an effort to keep up with rival soaps.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most enjoyable read. I was a Coronation Street fan from about the mid-70's but not for a long time now. The new vulgar characters and dysfunctional families moving into the street and the much loved older ones leaving ruined it for me. There was a lot more substance in the earlier part of the series. This novel, set in the late 30's is about fiery-haired Elsie Tanner who took life at a gallop but coped with the fallout. I hadn't thought she was quite so promiscuous or from such a terrible background so that was a revelation. It was good to meet up with some of the long-gone down-to-earth characters like Ena, Annie etc. I was particularly interested in the details of the Spanish Civil War and the filtering of WW2 with its shortages and coping with loss. I wasn't too knowledgeable on the history of the Spanish Civil War, so that filled a gap for me. I shall follow onto the second of the trilogy now.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up I always watched Coronation Street and even to this day now I still watch it. Of course the characters have all changed as many things do with time. This book was set in 1938 and 1939 before the war started. I didn’t really get a Christmas vibe from the book but it was really entertaining to read. Sometimes a book can make you look at your life and realize how well we have things. Elsie Grimshaw lived in a bad street in Manchester called back gas street. It was a really poor street and her dad was always drinking, while her mum was constantly pregnant. Elsie’s dad was a bully and was constantly beating up his kids. Elsie was determined to make a life for herself and get far away from her dad. Lots of trials and tribulations that she goes through to try to better herself. You can’t not feel bad for her and the life she lead. A nice bit of history and what it was like at the beginning of the war.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t really been an avid watcher of Coronation street and my knowledge extends to a few of the well known characters and the fact that my mum met one of the actresses on the show (that’s it!), But I do love wartime themed books so this was a draw for me. Especially a cosy winter read, set amongst the dramas of war, it certainly made for interesting reading.

I had the audiobook of this and it was effortless to slip into. Great narration and the book really encapsulated the life of the times. Elsie’s character was weirdly endearing and I was rooting for her, despite her larger than life and fairly loose attitude, she was a great character to follow.

I’m so happy to see there are more in this series as I definitely didn’t want to leave it there. I think there’s so much potential with this given the characters in the show and the backstories and histories. Can’t wait to listen to more!

[Roz Radmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the early story of Elsie Tanner , who became one of the best loved characters in Coronation Street .
Fourteen year old Elsie Grimshaw lives in a dreadful slum in Weatherfield , a district of Manchester . She is one of eight sisters and has a baby brother . Her mother seems to be permanently pregnant and her father is an out of work drunk . Elsie is desperate to move away . When she meets Arnold Tanner she sees that he could be the way out . Finding herself pregnant at sixteen she is happy to marry him . They move into 11 Coronation Street , just as war breaks out . Arnold rushes to join up , leaving a very pregnant Elsie behind .
Soon Elsie will be doing battle with the indomitable Ena Sharples and Snobbish Annie Walker .
The war drags on but the Coronation Street residents will not be defeated in spirit .
A lovely nostalgic read for older fans of the series

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

To think it is anything like the show is not what this is about. It introduces some well known characters from the show, and their particular traits, but only briefly. Although it does refer to many places contained in the soap, but its mainly about the struggle Elsie has with her problems. Set in the war years, it makes you think the terrible times people had to go through during that era, and cannot imagine the worry and tension around at the time.
Its at a time when Ken Barlow was born, and is still in the show today, and many other well known names, which are mentioned.
I did enjoy this book, although a bit depressing sometimes, but I couldn't put it down, as I wanted to know the outcome of the Grimshaw family, and how they all fared in those times of trouble.
Recommended

[Between The Pages (Gemma M) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my Christmas read over the festive period. I absolutely loved it. I fell in love with the sisters Elsie and Fay. Although having a tough upbringing they both manage to get away and live happy lifes.

This book is an up and down book at times, plenty of happy, shocking moments but also plenty of the bad including deaths. Has you feeling the whole range of emotions. I was hooked. A real page turner. Highly recommend.

This story takes you to coronation street and the surrounding streets during the war and Christmas. It was lovely to see both Elsie and Fay growing up throughout this book. A lovely ending. A well deserved five stars from me.

[Linda Cousens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of nostalgia and charm, and a perfect book for lovers of Coronation Street still on Tv after so many years.
This is the first book in the Coronation Street series centred around Elsie Grimshaw and her siblings who live in slums in Manchester. With a violent father, Elsie cannot wait to escape. She marries
at a very young age and moves onto Coronation Street which is the street of her dreams. But when her husband goes off to war, she feels very alone after living in a small houses with many siblings. The people of the street are slow to accept her. But when bombs are dropped very close by, they all pull together.

[Rob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a sad book, the story of teenage Elsie Grimshaw is in places not an easy read as she lives with an abusive father and eventually marries Arnold Tanner (who has similar characteristics to her dad).
This well written book is unfortunately mis sold, the majority of events advertised on the cover don't happen until around 80 pages from the end and Christmas only briefly pops up three times during the book. I suspect it has been marketed as a such to cater for the Christmas market.
A good read nonetheless and worth a look for fans of Corrie or wartime saga novels.

[Sharon Thurnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I started watching Corrie when I started dating an English man, straight from London. I watched Coronation St. hoping it would help me understand what my future in-laws were saying to me. My future father-in-law, being a true cockney, was so hard to understand with the rhyming cockney phrases.
This book goes back to the beginning and I could picture in my mind what was to come.
This read was a great, fast one. It flowed beautifully and I could really not put it down.
Now off for another cuppa. Cheers!

[Karen Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

I was born in 1961 and grew up watching Coronation Street with my mum. I remember Elsie Tanner well and this book gives a great insight into what her life was like as a young girl. Sadly my mum died several years ago but she would have loved this book. I can't wait to read 'Mother's Day on Coronation Street' and really hope that there will be more books to come. Fabulous.

[Karen Mcnicol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up watching Coronations St. (my father was from Glasgow), although I have gotten away from watching it this book took me right back to those times. I never really knew how popular this show was until my first visit to Glasgow in 1985 and my Uncle and family had to be home to watch it. This book is so well written and the story so engrossing I was sad when it ended. Its a must read for any fan, it shows the characters in a different light. Can not wait to read the next one!

[Denlillebogblog · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the start of the summary on Goodreads is misleading. This is not af wonderful Christmas gift full of nostalgia and charm - it's filled with dismay, death and misery. And of course sparkles of hope but nonetheless - this is not the cosy Christmas read you're looking for.

Besides that - it's a wellwritten story set in Wartime with common people as the main characters. I haven't seen the tv show and can't compare it with this book.

[Elizabeth Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked but didn't love this book. The name references were clever; I thought it was neat that the main character's name was Grimshaw, and I liked learning the backgrounds of the characters that I have been watching for twenty-five years on the screen. But i found myself really trying to like it rather than being swept away by it. If you are not a Coronation Street fan I would give it a miss. If you are, it's a fun journey into the background of the people and places you love.

[Craig Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect with this novel. It was all rather confusing really.
There are some very racy parts of this novel, a lot racier than Corrie is. I didn't appreciate that, if I'm honest. It was written outside of the way Corrie is told. Which brings me to this novel reads like a child's novel, yet there are vivid descriptions of sex and rape. What audience was this book written for? I don't know. It wasn't my cuppa tea.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, especially reading about the characters from the early years of the soap, like Elsie Tanner, Ena Sharples and the parents of Ken Barlow! I think the book is well written and I felt like I couldn't put it down. My only negative is that I feel it didn't need to be so 'graphic' in some areas, I felt it spoilt a really nice book in some places.