A Workhouse Christmas

by Kay Brellend

Discover the Workhouse to War trilogy by Kay a new saga series set in the Whitechapel Union workhouse in East London, between 1904 and 1916. . .

Christmas Eve, 1909. Eleven-year-old Lily Larkin is left to fend for herself in an East London workhouse after her dying mother is taken to an her future looks bleak. Once she is separated from her twin brother, Davy, her childhood hopes seem to shatter. But Lily's fierce spirit - along with her beloved new friends - help her to endure the miserable drudgery of life at South Grove Workhouse and its cruel supervisor, Miss Fox.

When a handsome, smartly-dressed gentleman shows up at the workhouse, claiming to be her cousin and with an offer of employment, Lily seizes her chance to escape. But her new job is far from perfect, and her reunion with her brother isn't what she thought it would be. Still, she relishes her freedom from the workhouse, and, finding herself on the cusp of womanhood, is determined to embrace her new life - until a shocking secret from her past is uncovered. As everything she'd ever believed about herself is thrown into confusion, will Lily ever be able to rise above her past?

Praise for Kay Brellend

'Vividly rendered' Historical Novel Society

'A fantastic cast of characters' Goodreads

'Thoroughly absorbing' Goodreads

318 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2020

Reviews

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful loved this book.

A new series from this author.
East London 1909 South grove workhouse, Maude Larkin widowed and her twins Lily and Davy are begging to be took in. maude homeless and no job is at the end of her tether, it's been so tough she had no choice once inside they were separated, then Maude dies in the infirmary along with her unborn child.
Lily and Davy are orphaned and a good few year's before they meet up again Lily was told he died in a tragic accident.
Greg wilding her suppose cousin comes to take her and set her up working for him along side Davy they Will never part again.
Lily is a feisty determined girl and not afraid to be out spoken.
I enjoyed all of this book and look forward to reading the second book Stray Angel.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story about orphans is full of drama and heartache. The heroine is feisty and the other characters are great even the villains. I wanted to keep on reading to find out what happens to them all. Can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out.

[Heather Copping · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Eve 1909 and Lily Larkin, her brother Davy along with their mother are standing outside a workhouse in East London begging to be taken in, they had nowhere else to stay and didn't want another night out under the stars. Eventually they were admitted but they were separated and Lily was never to see her mother again, as she died a short while after. All the time Lily dreams of being reunited with her twin brother, but she has some good friends in the workhouse and they look after each other, shielding each other from those in charge. When a young man arrives claiming to be Lily's cousin and makes arrangements to get her out of the workhouse, Lily is both pleased yet wary as she was sure she never had a cousin, but if it gets her out she will go along with the story. After a while she is more and more unsure of his motives and even Davy is not as she remembered him. Lily has to work out who her friends are and who is standing by to get their own back. A lovely book set in the early years of the 1900s leading up to and the beginning of WW1. This book is one of those stories that grabs you and won't let you go until you turn the last page, full of strong characters especially Lily, she had some guts to put up with everything. I was so pleased on reaching the end to find that the story continues in the next book in this workhouse to war series "Stray Angel ". A well deserved 5 star read by Kay Brellend who always writes gripping stories with strong female characters that keep you wanting to know what is going to happen next, right from page one to the last page and reading the first couple of chapters of "Stray Angel" I know that will also be as compelling as Workhouse Christmas.

[Trudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and am so pleased to find it's the first in a series. From Lily, her twin brother and her mother have to enter the workhouse at the beginning to her waving someone off to fight in ww1 at the end this story just flows beautifully. I was so lucky to receive a signed copy of this book in a FB competition and I look forward to reading more about Lily Larkin.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first of 3 books, I really enjoyed this book about Lily Larkin. The story is set just before the first world war in London's East End. My only criticism is you don't get much of a sense of how much time has passed before the next thing happens.

[stephen vance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unstoppable

Good for a cosy night.

Lily was so loveable and her strength of character was unbreakable.

Would recommend for fans of dilly court.

[Kathy E · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read.

[Layla · Rating 2 out of 5]

kept picking this up and putting it down again cant get into it, its going back to the library.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. Absolutely excellent! I started the next book immediately as I could not wait!