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The Liverpool Matchgirl
Parentless and alone on the streets of Liverpool, Lizzie must fight for a brighter future...
Curl up this winter with a heart-warming and poignant saga by Sunday Times best selling author Lyn Andrews. Set in Liverpool in the years before the First World War, Liverpool Matchgirl is the perfect read for fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin or Call the Midwife.
Liverpool, 1901. The Tempest family is all but destitute, barely able to put food on the table. When Florrie falls ill with pneumonia and Arthur is imprisoned after a drunken fight, their thirteen-year-old daughter Lizzie finds herself parentless, desperate and alone.
Despite her young age, Lizzie has spirit and determination, and she knows that she must find work to keep herself off the streets. In a stroke of luck, she gets a job in the match factory, and foreman George Rutherford takes her under his wing. A new home with the Rutherfords promises a safe haven, but the years ahead will be far from trouble-free. And when Lizzie gives her heart, how can she be sure she has chosen a better man than her own father?
What readers are saying about The Liverpool Matchgirl :
' I couldn't put it down ' Amazon reader, 5 stars
' Love this book ...another brilliant novel from a brilliant author ' Amazon reader, 5 stars
'An excellent read , Lyn Andrews never disappoints ' Amazon reader, 5 stars
Curl up this winter with a heart-warming and poignant saga by Sunday Times best selling author Lyn Andrews. Set in Liverpool in the years before the First World War, Liverpool Matchgirl is the perfect read for fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin or Call the Midwife.
Liverpool, 1901. The Tempest family is all but destitute, barely able to put food on the table. When Florrie falls ill with pneumonia and Arthur is imprisoned after a drunken fight, their thirteen-year-old daughter Lizzie finds herself parentless, desperate and alone.
Despite her young age, Lizzie has spirit and determination, and she knows that she must find work to keep herself off the streets. In a stroke of luck, she gets a job in the match factory, and foreman George Rutherford takes her under his wing. A new home with the Rutherfords promises a safe haven, but the years ahead will be far from trouble-free. And when Lizzie gives her heart, how can she be sure she has chosen a better man than her own father?
What readers are saying about The Liverpool Matchgirl :
' I couldn't put it down ' Amazon reader, 5 stars
' Love this book ...another brilliant novel from a brilliant author ' Amazon reader, 5 stars
'An excellent read , Lyn Andrews never disappoints ' Amazon reader, 5 stars
- GenresHistorical Fiction
368 pages, Paperback
Published October 23, 2018
106 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Lyn Andrews
61 books150 followersLyn Andrews is one of the the UK's top one hundred paper-back bestsellers. Born and brought up in Liverpool, she is the daughter of a policeman who also married a policeman. After becoming the mother of triplets, she took some time off from her writing whilst she raised her children. Shortlisted for the romantic Novelists' Association Award in 1993, she has now written twenty-one hugely successful novels. Lyn Andrews divides her time between Merseyside and Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 1, 2018
The year is 1901. The Tempest family is all but destitute, barely able to put food on the table. When Florrie falls ill with pneumonia and Arthur is imprisoned for a drunken fight, their thirteen year old daughter, Lizzzie finds herself parentless, desperate and alone. Lizzie knows she must find work to keep her off the streets. She gets a job in the match factory, and foreman George Rutherford takes her under his wing. A new home with the Rutherfords promises a safe haven, but the years ahead will be far from trouble free
A tale of poverty, hardships and people who stepped in to help their neighbours even though they did not have much themselves. Lizzie gets taken in by George and his wife Eileen so that Lizzie could help Eileen around the house and learn how to sew to help Eileen with her work as a seamstress. George learns Lizzie to read and she learns how to draw patterns and designs, and eventually gets herself a job in Lewis's home department store. She eventually moves to London for a job in Liberty's. But eventually has to return to Liverpool to save George from killing himself through drink. A heartwarming and at times heartbreaking read. Lyn Andrews at her best.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Lyn Andrews for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A tale of poverty, hardships and people who stepped in to help their neighbours even though they did not have much themselves. Lizzie gets taken in by George and his wife Eileen so that Lizzie could help Eileen around the house and learn how to sew to help Eileen with her work as a seamstress. George learns Lizzie to read and she learns how to draw patterns and designs, and eventually gets herself a job in Lewis's home department store. She eventually moves to London for a job in Liberty's. But eventually has to return to Liverpool to save George from killing himself through drink. A heartwarming and at times heartbreaking read. Lyn Andrews at her best.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Lyn Andrews for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2018
Love Lyn andrews books but just couldn’t get into this story as well as her other books.
January 4, 2019
Heartwarming book
Liverpool 1901 lizzie tempest and her family do another moonlight flick ending up in Bennett street in bootle Liverpool. Mother florrie father Arthur her brother billy is in prison her other brother ned took off at the age of fifteen. Lizzie is nearly fourteen years old and to young to find work after her mother is admitted into hospital with pneumonia and her father at the boozer and getting arrested she moves next door to stay with nellie gibbons and her family. In this lizzie goes through so much trauma. But settles in to live with her boss from the match factory the Rutherfords he and his wife are such kind people and she starts up a life that she never dreamed would come true. I loved this book from the start. Lizzies journey is certainly worth reading
Liverpool 1901 lizzie tempest and her family do another moonlight flick ending up in Bennett street in bootle Liverpool. Mother florrie father Arthur her brother billy is in prison her other brother ned took off at the age of fifteen. Lizzie is nearly fourteen years old and to young to find work after her mother is admitted into hospital with pneumonia and her father at the boozer and getting arrested she moves next door to stay with nellie gibbons and her family. In this lizzie goes through so much trauma. But settles in to live with her boss from the match factory the Rutherfords he and his wife are such kind people and she starts up a life that she never dreamed would come true. I loved this book from the start. Lizzies journey is certainly worth reading
August 25, 2019
Lyn Andrews is one of my fave authors. Her stories are so heart warming. Every book I have read if hers leaves me wanting more. This story was so lovely. A young girl with a hard life finding love and happiness in the end
March 15, 2018
Liverpool, 1901. The Tempest family is all but destitute, barely able to put food on the table. When Florrie falls ill with pneumonia and Arthur is imprisoned after a drunken fight, their thirteen-year-old daughter Lizzie finds herself parentless, desperate and alone.
Despite her young age, Lizzie has spirit and determination, and she knows that she must find work to keep herself off the streets. In a stroke of luck, she gets a job in the match factory, and foreman George Rutherford takes her under his wing. A new home with the Rutherfords promises a safe haven, but the years ahead will be far from trouble-free. And when Lizzie gives her heart, how can she be sure she has chosen a better man than her own father?
Another wonderful family saga by Lyn Andrews. Ms Andrews ,in my opinion writes superb family sagas and I just love when a new one appears . This book is so well written me it gives us an insight into what life was like for many people in Liverpool in the 1900’s. I loved it .
Despite her young age, Lizzie has spirit and determination, and she knows that she must find work to keep herself off the streets. In a stroke of luck, she gets a job in the match factory, and foreman George Rutherford takes her under his wing. A new home with the Rutherfords promises a safe haven, but the years ahead will be far from trouble-free. And when Lizzie gives her heart, how can she be sure she has chosen a better man than her own father?
Another wonderful family saga by Lyn Andrews. Ms Andrews ,in my opinion writes superb family sagas and I just love when a new one appears . This book is so well written me it gives us an insight into what life was like for many people in Liverpool in the 1900’s. I loved it .
July 29, 2024
When I saw the cover of this novel I wondered if I had borrowed a Barbra Cartland story. The start of the story is terrific. It is well written and pretty harrowing covering the lives of a family living in slums in 1901 Liverpool. Lyn Andrews introduces her characters as bleak, dark and miserable and yet one child Lizzie is set to rise above it all. This is reminiscent of Pygmalion and somewhat a fairy tale, where a young woman who is chosen by a childless couple to join their family, goes on to become educated, skilled and beautiful. A worthless cad is thrown into the mix, a brother returns from abroad and Lizzie finally realises love is well within reach. The ending is a bit odd as I thought George and Eileen were substitute parents and George was certainly not a romantic character, mm.
I've given this three stars for the story and an extra for Lyn Andrews prose.
I've given this three stars for the story and an extra for Lyn Andrews prose.
June 14, 2024
4.25 ❤️
Jezu, jak ja kocham takie sagi rodzinne! Choć końcówka była strasznie cliché, jak to bywa w większości książek tego typu, to i tak świetnie się bawiłam. Motyw "from rags to riches" był trochę przesadzony, ale głównej bohaterki nie dało się nie lubić i kibicowało się jej przez całą książkę. Pozostali bohaterowie również byli dużym plusem, a cała ta słodko-gorzka historia była naprawdę ciekawa i urocza. Dodatkowo można było dowiedzieć się, jak wyglądała sytuacja na rynku pracy w Liverpoolu i Londynie na początku XX wieku, jak wyglądało życie klasy średniej i pracującej, a także uczestniczyć w kilku wydarzeniach historycznych, takich jak śmierć Królowej Wiktorii czy ruch sufrażystek w Londynie.
Polecam z całego serca ❤️
Jezu, jak ja kocham takie sagi rodzinne! Choć końcówka była strasznie cliché, jak to bywa w większości książek tego typu, to i tak świetnie się bawiłam. Motyw "from rags to riches" był trochę przesadzony, ale głównej bohaterki nie dało się nie lubić i kibicowało się jej przez całą książkę. Pozostali bohaterowie również byli dużym plusem, a cała ta słodko-gorzka historia była naprawdę ciekawa i urocza. Dodatkowo można było dowiedzieć się, jak wyglądała sytuacja na rynku pracy w Liverpoolu i Londynie na początku XX wieku, jak wyglądało życie klasy średniej i pracującej, a także uczestniczyć w kilku wydarzeniach historycznych, takich jak śmierć Królowej Wiktorii czy ruch sufrażystek w Londynie.
Polecam z całego serca ❤️
February 4, 2019
I love reading anything fictional about the history of liverpool. And this is no different than the rest.
The story started with hopelessness, the mother being very frail, the father not having a care for his family, the daughter having to bear the burden of her father's wrecklessnes and her mother's frailty but despite it all she found happiness with another family and with that found her self-worth and a love beyond all years.
I thought the story so heart-wrenching and then full of hope for the characters. A beautifuly written story.
The story started with hopelessness, the mother being very frail, the father not having a care for his family, the daughter having to bear the burden of her father's wrecklessnes and her mother's frailty but despite it all she found happiness with another family and with that found her self-worth and a love beyond all years.
I thought the story so heart-wrenching and then full of hope for the characters. A beautifuly written story.
October 11, 2020
Triumph over Adversity
Another evocative and poignant book by Lyn Andrews of triumph over adversity. The story of Lizzie and her struggles makes you want to take care of her and offer her a better existence to the one she was born to. You cheer all her achievements and cry with her when life deals her one blow after another. I would love it if there was a 2nd book in this series telling us about Lizzies later life. Well done Lyn for another descriptive book of life in Liverpool, mainly set at the turn of the century.
Another evocative and poignant book by Lyn Andrews of triumph over adversity. The story of Lizzie and her struggles makes you want to take care of her and offer her a better existence to the one she was born to. You cheer all her achievements and cry with her when life deals her one blow after another. I would love it if there was a 2nd book in this series telling us about Lizzies later life. Well done Lyn for another descriptive book of life in Liverpool, mainly set at the turn of the century.
March 12, 2019
Not well written, oddly unsettling turn in story
A bizarre story, an odd transformation from adopted 'daughter', swiftly moving on, without much thought to the much loved 'mother' figure... who just Died a few weeks ago! Hardly any description, no atmosphere just spoken 'at' instead of a story unfolding before you. Sorry, not great
A bizarre story, an odd transformation from adopted 'daughter', swiftly moving on, without much thought to the much loved 'mother' figure... who just Died a few weeks ago! Hardly any description, no atmosphere just spoken 'at' instead of a story unfolding before you. Sorry, not great
August 7, 2020
Haven’t read a Lyn Andrews book for many years I had forgotten what a good writer she is.
This book had me intrigued from start to end. Lizzie had a real poor start in life her dad was a drunk , a brother in prison and her mum becoming sick. Then she meets George and his wife Eileen and everything changes for Lizzie . From being a Wray and stray she becomes a designer in London.
This book had me intrigued from start to end. Lizzie had a real poor start in life her dad was a drunk , a brother in prison and her mum becoming sick. Then she meets George and his wife Eileen and everything changes for Lizzie . From being a Wray and stray she becomes a designer in London.
September 3, 2020
Really enjoyed.
I have this book as a five star rating. I read one of Lyn Andrews book before, and I really enjoyed that one too. I have just purchased another one to read next. I love the Victorian, Edwardian books. The slums, children in these conditions, growing up, and having their life changed. I would recommend this book, if, like me you love these kind of stories.
I have this book as a five star rating. I read one of Lyn Andrews book before, and I really enjoyed that one too. I have just purchased another one to read next. I love the Victorian, Edwardian books. The slums, children in these conditions, growing up, and having their life changed. I would recommend this book, if, like me you love these kind of stories.
October 11, 2020
Such an enchanting read by Lyn Andrews. I really enjoyed this historical saga and could not put it down. It was well written and I became so invested in the lives of each character that I didn't want the book to end.
I would highly recommend to anybody who loves historical sagas as much as I do.
I would highly recommend to anybody who loves historical sagas as much as I do.
December 20, 2018
Matchgirl to matchmaker
I have really enjoyed reading this fantastic story. Not only have I enjoyed this book but I have also learnt some history. Lyn Andrews is a beautiful story teller. I have enjoyed all her other books. This is a must read xx
I have really enjoyed reading this fantastic story. Not only have I enjoyed this book but I have also learnt some history. Lyn Andrews is a beautiful story teller. I have enjoyed all her other books. This is a must read xx
July 30, 2018
another brilliant story by Lyn, highly recommend!
August 1, 2018
gripping book, couldnt put it down and read it in a day while camping. going to pass it on to my mum who likes the liverpool books.
May 27, 2019
Great
Another great read by Lyn Andrews, can't wait to read more of her books. Would definitely recommend this book. The Catherine Cookson of Liverpool.
Another great read by Lyn Andrews, can't wait to read more of her books. Would definitely recommend this book. The Catherine Cookson of Liverpool.
June 9, 2019
Easy reading though somewhat predictable
June 9, 2019
Not a bad read, wasn't fond on the ending though
August 17, 2019
A lovely story of perseverance in the face of terrible hardships. Great read.
August 29, 2019
Easy read.
As always ,an easy read book. Quite predictable but never the less one you have to keep on reading!! Enjoyed it.
As always ,an easy read book. Quite predictable but never the less one you have to keep on reading!! Enjoyed it.
December 24, 2019
Just couldn’t like this book
March 4, 2020
I struggled with this book to be perfectly truthful.
So saying it told the tale of abject poverty in 1901. Lizzie had nothing and like a fairy tale her life changed. Did it ever happen in real life?
So saying it told the tale of abject poverty in 1901. Lizzie had nothing and like a fairy tale her life changed. Did it ever happen in real life?
June 30, 2020
Brilliant
Gripping couldn't put it down. sad happy and such a brave woman. Ten out of ten. Worth reading if you like past times
Gripping couldn't put it down. sad happy and such a brave woman. Ten out of ten. Worth reading if you like past times
October 27, 2020
Not a Review as such just a recollection. I read this book last year.. I’ve never really forgotten it. That’s either a sign of a book well written or it’s maybe a book with a message I needed at the time.
Five stars from me? I must have loved it for whatever reason.
Five stars from me? I must have loved it for whatever reason.
April 9, 2021
Touching story. Delightfully read.
May 8, 2021
Very good book.love the author.Couldn't put it down .A real page turner.
June 9, 2021
I enjoyed this story of Lizzy and George, along with the other characters.
April 22, 2024
Lovely light read, perfect after a heavy read. Will return to this author again.
November 19, 2025
not for me
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews