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A Stitch in Time

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Rose’s life is about to be torn apart by war, but can she and her sisters piece together a new life in a rapidly changing world?

London, 1914: Rose Boniface and her orphaned siblings live a small but happy life in South-East London. But when war breaks out across Europe and her older brother enlists, nothing will ever be the same again.

As men leave for the war in droves, the girls must take on whatever work they can find to make ends meet. High-risk work in munitions factories and back-breaking domestic labour seem to be all that’s available to them, but Rose has other ideas…

A tale of love and heartbreak, triumph and resilience, this sweeping saga by best-selling author Beryl Kingston takes the reader inside the extraordinary lives of ordinary women in Wartime London.

A Stitch in Time was first published in 1995 as Alive and Kicking.

492 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 13, 1995

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Beryl Kingston

53 books16 followers

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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Teresa.
758 reviews215 followers
November 18, 2023
A very enjoyable read for the most part. I read quite a few books by this author back in the day but this is the first in a long time. It starts off in 1913 and goes on into the 1920's. Rose is the main character who's struggling to keep her family of brothers and sisters together. They live in two rooms in a big house with other tenants. Brother Bertie joins up when war breaks out and Rose has to take a job working as a housemaid for a cantankerous old biddy, nearby. She works hard but there's never enough money. She can sew and comes up with the idea they should make clothes and sell them at the market. Everything takes off from here.
I was thoroughly enjoying the story until about the last quarter. While still good it did drag a bit and was quite repetitive about one issue. There's hardship and sadness throughout but the main stream of emotion is selfishness, even in Rose at times.
There is lots of history to enjoy and the ending was certainly a surprise. Well worth a read to historical fiction fans.
Profile Image for Ginger Pollard.
376 reviews3 followers
January 19, 2019
An extremely well written book! It's a little bit longer, but worth the extra time. Especially if you love a story and wish it didn't have to end, this is that kind of book. Characters who I loved, characters who were deliciously wicked! A very enjoyable book! Lots of characters, but they were very easy to follow and keep up with. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction in the WWI era, and afterward. I will be reading more from this author!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.Thank you so much, Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Jypsy .
1,524 reviews62 followers
January 8, 2019
A tale of survival and growing up with the backdrop of WWII. I enjoyed the setting of London. I liked the characters because they were relatable. It's a good story.
Profile Image for Camille.
479 reviews22 followers
January 16, 2019
The premise of the story is interesting, and I think the author did a good job of recreating people's everyday life during the time period. Only the beginning of the novel is set during WW1 though, so don't expect a full WW1 story.
Towards the middle, I started getting bogged down by the constant change of point of view of the numerous characters, but thankfully the pace picked up again after a while. I can often find my interest in characters waning when the point of view changes too often. That being said, I appreciated having so many strong female characters.
A lot of the story was quite predictable and the male characters do a lot of "booming". Nevertheless it is a pleasant, entertaining read.

Disclaimer - I received a free digital copy of this book from Agora Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Sarah &#x1f33a; Books in Their Natural Habitat.
321 reviews63 followers
December 20, 2018
My review for you today could be called old-but-new. That is, the book A Stitch in Time by Beryl Kingston (which is coming out November 22nd!) was originally published as Alive and Kicking. New title, new cover, same eloquent book! It's a solid four stars - let me tell you a little about it.

Rose Boniface and company (her friends and siblings) are alive and well but enter WWI and their entire lives are turned upside down. It's been hard enough living in London as orphans together but tragedy strikes and they are forced to figure out how to make ends meet with a war on. Enter the Monks family. They've got it made - their fanciful way of speaking, demanding, and generally being untouched by war doesn't give them the best reputation with those in town. But times are hard, and Rose, among others, will end up crossing paths with the Monks in more ways than one. But Rose is determined to continue on, and it's a delight following the journey.

A Stitch in Time demonstrated strong character building. There were points where I was so sad for Rose and her family and other times where I would have loved to smack Augusta. The characters painted the picture of both the struggling and wealthy during WWI and thereafter. But the strongest and most important message of all was that you are in control of your destiny. Follow your gut, listen to that intuition and take risks. This is advice we should all be striving to follow and this story is surely to inspire that in you.
Profile Image for Sherry Chiger.
Author 3 books11 followers
November 16, 2018
This is a tough one to give a star rating to. On the one hand, it was a fast, flowing read and lots of fun, in a cozy, "things were tough back then but we're English, darn it, so we're jolly well going to soldier on" way. For the most part it really evoked the London of the lower classes during and after WWI. But much of it was predictable, and it lacked the emotional punch I felt it should have had, And would an East Ender have been able to comfortably move amongst the middle and upper-middle classes without once giving thought to her elocution,, vocabulary, and grammar—or without anyone else judging it? So while I enjoyed it, I can't in good conscience rate it four stars. Consider it the literary equivalent of comfort food.

Thank you, NetGalley and Agora Books, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Gaele.
4,076 reviews85 followers
January 22, 2019
Rose, her two sisters Nettie and Mabel, two brothers Bertie and Col all live in London, hand to mouth in two rented rooms at the advent of World War I. Life isn’t easy, but they all muddle on and just make ends meet: quietly taking one step at a time. Knowing that things are tight, Rose starts working at the ‘great house’ for Augusta Monk – a difficult if very rich woman: the money is welcome and her quiet nature (if much comes from biting her tongue) means she lasts longer than most, a necessity when her brother Bertie joins up and she and her younger brother Col are the only ones bringing in money. A keen eye and a talent for reworking old garments, Rose’s skill with a needle keeps her little family well-dressed, and her skill with a needle will bring her a way out of poverty. Eventually.

This was a sweetly drawn story full of the struggles of wartime Britain and the associated losses, highs and lows. Through it all, Rose and her little family now consists only of she and her sisters, and a friend welcomed in after her time as a ‘companion’ to the cousin of Rose’s employer. A small cottage-industry is started with dresses made more stylish but affordable to the women in her neighborhood, the story follows their lives through loves, deaths, losses and gains, as the little group slowly works their way through the war and after, making a mark on the world through Rose’s fashion and business sense.

While I appreciated the author’s characterizations and the emotional ties that bound the women together in their own little ‘band’ of sisters – the entire story has a rather rose-colored tint when it comes to the upward mobility of Rose. England was in fact going through a ton of changes, socially, but the sharp rise from poor and hardscrabble to ‘respected businesswoman’ for Rose was entirely fabricated and far too optimistic. Sure, in her own neighborhood she’s a rarity and thing of wonder, but outside that small and ‘samey sounding’ group – her “ain’ts’ long vowels and ‘finks’ are dead cert giveaways to her background – add female to that and there isn’t a way that she would have found such ‘acceptance’ from either the powers that be or the Manchester Mill owner. It just doesn’t work. But, if you can ignore that and forgive the overly simplistic ending with a seriously rose-colored bow, the story is engaging and smile-inducing, a bit of candyfloss for an afternoon.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Profile Image for April.
158 reviews14 followers
January 12, 2019
I received an advanced Kindle version of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Agora Books Publishing and NetGalley!

This book was a quick read and was the epitome of all good parts of a book that I enjoyed. Rose is the second eldest of her family and along with her eldest brother, Bertie, she makes up the Matriarchal side. Their mother and father had passed away and now that the WWI is upon them, Bertie decides to enlist in the army to obtain funds for his sisters and brothers which leaves Rose as the sole head of house to take care of her two sisters and one brother. As the story progresses, Rose finds herself as a servant at the Monk house where she keeps a side hobby of mending and creating new clothes for her family and for Augusta Monk, her employer. She quickly gets caught up in the war as her brother continues his journey, rationing, and other horrors of the war take hold of her and her family.

This book was definitely unique from others in its genre, in that the author wasn't afraid to explain in descriptive terms the horrors that occur during wartime. She lays all of it bare to explain how awful it truly was across England and Europe during the time. I really enjoyed reading the book and was glad to have the opportunity. I look forward to looking for more titles by Beryl Kingston.
6 reviews
July 22, 2022
Picked up this novel on a whim and when I finally got around to reading it, I didn't expect much. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Beryl Kingston's style of writing makes this novel a definite page turner - crisp, eloquent, and vivacious.Even though the plot was quite predictable and some of it a bit idealistic, the well written prose and fast pace kept me engaged throughout.

The story is set in wartime Britain and revolves around a lower class family of orphans- 3 young women along with a friend - who try to make ends meet as the catastrophes of war strike at home.
Though the novel lacks an emotional punch, the author paints a vivid picture of the struggles, resilience, and joys of the young women as they soldier through various hurdles during and after the war. In sharp contrast is a wealthy family constantly feuding over money, almost comically, and relatively untouched by the exigencies around them.

All in all, this novel was quite a treat. Positively recommended to anyone looking for a light read.
Profile Image for Janette.
442 reviews
March 1, 2019
A saga set in wartime Britain which I really enjoyed. A story of a poor family set against the background of world war 1. The book was well written with interesting characters - I was rooting for the family from the start and enjoyed their journey throughout the story. Plenty of ups and downs make the story interesting throughout.

A perfect book for a Sunday afternoon on the sofa, I recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Carol Perreault.
1,586 reviews25 followers
February 21, 2019
Really good story of a parent-less family trying to survive in London during the first world war. The older brother goes off to war, thinking he'll make enough to help his siblings, only to find out that he'll only get a singles pay. The oldest daughter is a good seamtress, but works as a maid for an old rich demanding lady. The daughter, with the help of her sisters and best friend, start a business making clothes within their apartment. You must read it to find out more.
Profile Image for Karen.
763 reviews13 followers
December 8, 2019
A family of orphans surviving together and then The Great War begins. One brother goes to war, Rose needs to find a way to earn a living to keep her sisters and brother together. Then there is the Monk family that is part of London’s rich society. I thought the author Beryl Kingston let us feel how difficult life was, the suffering endured, yet showed how this family stood strong and survived the difficulties of war. Quick read.
Profile Image for Emily Renee.
52 reviews
December 19, 2018
Beryl Kingston has written a delightful and clever novel about a young girl’s coming of age, and her four siblings in Great Britain during WW1.

You can’t help but fall in love with this charming industrious family, as the story follows them through their growing up years, and for some of them, into their adult lives...our heroine: patient, cheerful Rose; sensible, hardworking Bertie; passionate, loyal Netta; bold, fearless Col, and loving, innocent Mabel. Their love for each other perseveres during the hard times of the war, and afterwards.

Love is gained and lost, friendships made, and kept.
Profile Image for Shreedevi Gurumurty.
1,018 reviews8 followers
June 26, 2020
This novel follows Rose Boniface as she and her friends adapt to life in south-east London during WW1. Fraught with heartbreak and loss, resilience and hope, this sweeping saga provides a window into a time gone by. Rose Boniface's parents died when she was young, and so she and older brother Bertie, had to play parents to their younger siblings Collum, Netta and Mabel. Then in 1914, World War One commences and boys were signing up to do their part for God, King and Country. Everyone assumed the war would be over by Christmas of that year. With Bertie serving, Rose, Netta and Collum take on other jobs for financial support, with Mabel doing domestic tasks around the house. However, tragedy strikes when Bertie is KIA, leaving the family and his sweetheart, Muriel, bereaved. Collum then enlists to avenge his brother, but history repeats itself. Rose then has a brief courtship with Bertie's good friend, Jack Jeary, but then never hears from him again. The women are left to pick up the pieces and move on with their lives as best they could, but luckily they have good sisterhood and strength. They become part of the surplus women after World War One, where there was an excess of unmarried women.Life was very tough for the lower class. Even before the war, many children were compelled by financial necessity to leave school at 14 to enter the workforce and earn their keep. Regardless of their marital status, females were able to find employment, especially during World War One due to the absence of males in the workforce. The war also compounded the gender imbalance. So many men died and the number of single women seeking economic means increased. But then demobilisation and economic decline after the war caused high unemployment. Many women found work in factories especially munitions, those workers were called "Canary Girls" or "Munitionettes" but their work in producing TNT shells was highly dangerous as the chemical is toxic and turns their skin orange-yellow, like that of a Canary bird. Discrimination was rampant in concerns that women were becoming too involved in their work life and thus neglecting household duties.
Profile Image for KTC.
57 reviews2 followers
May 1, 2020
3.5 stars

On the wall of a simple home in southeast London hangs a sampler stitched by a dearly departed mother, advising her five orphaned children to "live with dignity." And that is what Rose Boniface and her siblings do. ...more
Profile Image for Karyl Ahn White.
61 reviews4 followers
December 4, 2018
A Stitch in Time by Beryl Kingston
 
Blurb~
“Rose’s life is about to be torn apart by war, but can she and her sisters piece together a new life in a rapidly changing world?

London, 1914: Rose Boniface and her orphaned siblings live a small but happy life in South-East London. But when war breaks out across Europe and her older brother enlists, nothing will ever be the same again.

As men leave for the war in droves, the girls must take on whatever work they can find to make ends meet. High-risk work in munitions factories and back-breaking domestic labour seem to be all that’s available to them, but Rose has other ideas…

A tale of love and heartbreak, triumph and resilience, this sweeping saga by best-selling author Beryl Kingston takes the reader inside the extraordinary lives of ordinary women in Wartime London.”
 
The author seems to write effortlessly. Her narrative is evocative, and so descriptive and vivid. It is as if the characters stood before your eyes. The pacing was perfect for the plotline, with each passage, in turn, relevant to the arc of the story. The characters were likeable and dynamic. You became emotionally invested in them and their tragedies and triumphs.
This is a wonderfully written book about a remarkable family enduring through the hard cruelties of life during war. It shows the bonds of family, and illustrates how different members of a family unit can grow and come into their own. Their family ties strengthen during adversity.
While reading, there were moments of heartbreak, and, at times, laughter while cheering on our heroine Rose. The story was a bit predictable, but still enjoyable. The story flowed so well, and that made it an easy and wonderful read. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This review, or portions thereof, will be posted (when able) on Amazon, Goodreads, Kobo, Bookbub, BAM, Litsy, IG, B&N, Pinterest, Facebook, Kobo, and my own blog. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide all links at this time, as I am using my phone.
Profile Image for Doris Vandruff .
468 reviews5 followers
December 30, 2018
Rose Boniface and her two sisters and two brothers are orphans. At seventeen she has been helping to raise her siblings. Her brothers join the army to fight Germany. Rose is left with her two sister's to raise and no job opportunities. She finds work in the Monk House working for Ms. Monk. Ms. Monk is a hypochondriac who loves the attention from her two brothers and their families. To get this attention, she is constantly changing her will to either inherit or disinherit them. Rose works for her until she quits and starts her own company. Her sisters and some remarkable friends help her see, deliver and make the high quality clothes to sell.
During World War II, women were left on their own. Many of them supported families. These courageous, brave, strong women, did what they had to to survive. Many, like Rose, put their skills and talents to work for them.
This is a remarkable story of a women's struggle to make it at a time when women had no say so. Sometimes they were though to be weak. This is just another story that proves how false that was.
Strongly recommend this story being read.
Profile Image for Lindsey.
301 reviews5 followers
January 8, 2019
A Stitch In Time by Beryl Kingston, my latest NetGalley title, was both excellent and easy to read!

This historical novel was filled with descriptive prose and emotion. Set during WW1 and the Roaring Twenties, the tale follows one family determined to make their way despite the hardships of life in lower-class London and the intertwining of their lives with an upper-class family full of dysfunction despite their wealth.

Once I could read through the cant (mostly the first few chapters) I was enmeshed in Rose's narrative. In turns heartbreaking, surprising, comical, and filled with grit, it was a remarkable book.

Women were extraordinary through the Great War and the lives they built afterwards were inspiring, as reflected in this work. The determination to keep on - pull up the bootstraps and rely on each other, the resilience of families (as built by blood and by choice), and the hardships faced were unimaginable, but Kingston did well in painting this picture as a complete and colourful portrait of triumph in a rapidly changing landscape.

Note: this title was first published in 1995 as Alive and Kicking.

Published by Agora Books; current publication date: November 22, 2018

I received a complimentary copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and/or the publisher in exchange for my honest reviews. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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