The Girl from the Workhouse

The Potteries Girls #1

by Lynn Johnson

Even in the darkest of times, she never gave up hope

Staffordshire, 1911. Ginnie Jones’s childhood is spent in the shadow of the famous Potteries, living with her mother, father and older sister Mabel. But with Father’s eyesight failing, money is in short supply, and too often the family find their bellies aching with hunger. With no hope in sight, Ginnie is sent to Haddon Workhouse.

Separated from everything she has known, Ginnie has to grow up fast, earning her keep by looking after the other children with no families of their own. When she meets Clara and Sam, she hopes that she has made friends for life… until tragedy strikes, snatching away her newfound happiness.

Leaving Haddon three years later, Ginnie finds work as a mouldrunner at the Potteries, but never stops thinking about her friends in the workhouse – especially Sam, now a caring, handsome young man. When Sam and Ginnie are reunited, their bond is as strong as ever – until Sam is sent to fight in WW1. Faced with uncertainty, can Ginnie find the joy that she’s never had? Or will her heart be broken once again?

An emotional, uplifting and nostalgic family saga that will make you smile, while tugging on your heart-strings. Fans of Sheila Newbury, Kitty Neale and Sheila Riley will love this beautiful read.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Historical Romance

368 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2020

About the author

Lynn Johnson was born and raised in The Potteries. She went to school in Burslem, the setting for her novels, and left with no qualifications. Like the protagonists in her books, she had ambitions. In her own time, she obtained a BA Hons in Humanities with Literature from the Open University, and a Diploma in Management Studies from Staffordshire Polytechnic and became a Human Resources Manager with a large County Council.

Lynn began to research her family tree and it inspired her to write short stories, one of which became the basis for her debut novel, The Girl from the Workhouse, the first of The Potteries Girls series. There are now three books in the series and a fourth will be published in August 2023. Her books are published in a number of formats - ebook, audio, paperback and large print. Lynn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. She still has a close affinity to The Potteries but now lives in Orkney with her husband and six beautiful cats.

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ A Captivating War Time Saga that will tug on your heartstrings and keep you turning the pages!

Ginnie and her older sister Mabel are doing everything that they can to help out at home and bring in money, ever since their Father lost his vision and no longer able to do his job.

But after much deliberation Ginnie and her parents have no choice but to give in to their debts and ask if they can live and work in Haddon Workhouse.

Ginnie’s sister, Mabel, has gone to stay with Aunty Nellie.
Aunty Nellie can’t look after Ginnie as well as there is no room as she has five little ones of her own.

Fast Forward a few years and Mabel is now
19yrs old & pregnant and come to collect Ginnie from the Workhouse.
Mabel picks up Ginnie from Haddon's and takes her to live with Mabel & Her creepy partner Frank who is the baby dad.
But can the two start over and begin a new life?

The Girl from the Workhouse is a fantastic and poignant read, it captivated my attention the whole way through.
I loved learning about Ginnie's experience in the Workhouse and how she made friends that became her family.
It's a heart warming and endearing story about Friendship, Family, survival, heartache, love, coming of age, the effects of war and having to grow up fast.

I really enjoyed the dual timelines set before and after Ginnie enters Haddon Workhouse. It made the story all the more authentic and real as you got to see Ginnie grow from the young girl to the young lady she has become.

If you love a War Time Saga that will tug on your heartstrings, keep you enthralled the whole way through, with strong relatable characters and a plot that is superbly written, then you will adore The Girl from the Workhouse.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.




My Review is also on my Blog Website :-

https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in a day.
It's the story of Ginnie Jones who lives at home with her parents until she's eleven and tragedy strikes. The story continues with early chapters alternating between 1911 and 1914 onwards. It' easy to know what years you are in. The writing is wonderful. Descriptions of places and characters feel so real.
The hardship Ginnie endures is told without sinking into self pity or melodrama. Poverty is the over riding theme and you're right there with Ginnie hoping for better things for her.
I've already started the second one in the series.
Highly recommended.

[Vonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many books about workhouses and this was a quick enjoyable read. The historical facts about workhouses and the period in time (1911) were few so it read more like a YA than an adult novel.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love being transported back in time and the author does this wonderfully in this story. Whilst life in the early 1900’s is very different to how it is in today’s world, the one thing I love about books set in this era, is peoples spirits.

Ginnie finds herself split up from her family, living in a workhouse. I couldn’t think of anything worse but Ginnie seems to make the most of the bad hand that life deals her. Her life is certainly far from easy but certain characters within the home, make life a lot more bearable.

In the back ground is the suffragette movement of which I don’t think I’ve ever read in any other book in this genre, which for me was an added bonus and I loved Connie’s character. Obviously the war also features quite heavily having an impact on the families left behind as well as the work places. It was good to see this side of things.

The Girl From The Workhouse is a step back in time with a young protagonist who pulled on my heart strings. I felt so much empathy for this young girl who is thrust into growing up far to soon. The friendship between her and Sam was especially heartwarming. I really enjoyed my first introduction to this author and look forward to reading more.

My thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Hera Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynn Johnson transports her readers back to the 1900s in The Girl from the Workhouse. One of the reasons I’ve really been enjoying this genre is the historical realism that comes with them. This book is no different. The time period is realistic and I absolutely felt like I was there.

This story is heartwarming and emotional. I absolutely love the story line. The characters are well rounded. Ginnie is especially a character that I felt close to.

Overall, The Girl from the Workhouse is a great story. I really enjoyed the setting and the characters. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is definitely a book to read!

Rating:
4/5☆

*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own.*

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I thought that this was an excellent story!

I found that it was very well written and has some really developed characters.

It was set at a great pace for the story itself and the author has a brilliant writing style that worked really well with this story, her attention to detail was great and she really brought the past back to life for me.

It was a really enjoyable historical saga and it fit right into the non-fiction books I have been reading at the moment too. It is 4.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – I really enjoyed it and thought it was a really great story - highly recommended!

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl From the Workhouse is author Lynn Johnson’s debut novel set in Burslem from 1911 to 1919. I enjoy reading books in this time period and was extremely impressed with Ms. Johnson’s writing style. I’m so happy to have found a new author and look forward to reading more from her in the future!

This story focuses on a young girl, Ginnie Jones who at age eleven has to leave her home and all she’s known to enter into Haddon Workhouse in the year 1911 with her parents. The story is written into two parts, the first part is Ginnie’s life inside Haddon from 1911 to 1914 and then the second part is her life after she leaves Haddon from 1914 to 1919. We watch as Ginnie grows up from a young girl to a young woman and then how WW1 takes a toll on all those around her. As her friendship with a boy from Haddon, Sam White grows into love, one has to wonder if they will ever find happiness with the war raging in the background.

This truly was a fabulous story from beginning to end and I struggled to put it down! I really loved Ginnie, she was a wonderful, loveable character. As we follow her through her life at Haddon Workhouse and then later when she is grown up and working, you can’t help but want to see her finally get a HEA. I adored Sam and it’s obvious he loves Ginnie. I couldn’t help but root for this couple to find a way to be together. There were so many wonderful secondary characters in this book, each with fascinating stories of their own. The book is richly detailed, beautifully written and the storyline along with the characters was enthralling.

This was so much more than a romance story. It was a story of life, death, survival, heartache and finally happiness. I look forward to reading Ms. Johnson’s next book that is supposed to feature Connie a prominent character in this book, and hopefully catching up with Ginnie and Sam again! Highly recommend!

[Gill James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gives us a lot insights into what it was like living a workhouse and then being a working girl during the Great War. We also get to know a little about the nature of work in the Potteries. There are suffragettes, too. Lynn Johnson maintains a good narrative balance. She uses some dialect in her dialogue but this does not make it obscure. Rather, it enhances our understanding of the characters and makes them seem human. I look forward to reading more from this writer.

[Mark Brandwein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Storyline

The book was fantastic! Ginny and Mabel , sisters! Mabel was a bit jealous of Ginny. The Storyline is smooth sailing ! The saga does continue ! It is worth the read!

[Justine Hodgson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based in WW1 times and set in Staffordshire, nice easy to read book with relatable characters. There are other books in the series which I plan to go on to read one day.

[StinaStaffymum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynn Johnson transports readers back to the early 1900s in THE GIRL FROM THE WORKHOUSE, a debut novel that was an enjoyable and easy read. I've read a few novels featuring workhouses and it makes one thankful for the times that we live in today. They must have been such harsh places and folk must have been desperate to even consider going there. Despite the harsh realities of another time and era, it was indeed an engrossing escape back in time.

Set in the busy pottery town of Burslem in Staffordshire, the story begins in 1911 of 11 year old Ginnie Jones whose family have fallen on hard times with her father losing his job due to his failing eyesight. Little by little, Ginnie's mother sells of their trinkets and various belongings, including Ginnie's most prized possession of The Children's Book of Parables she won at Sunday School on her birthday, to try and make ends meet and pay the rent. However, it was all to no avail and the family soon packed themselves up and trudged up the hill to the workhouse. Ginnie's older sister Mabel was 16 and able to stay with a neighbour, aunt Nellie, as she could work and earn her keep there.

But Ginnie was to discover that life in the workhouse was even tougher when upon entry, her father was immediately sent to a different section and after being bathed and clothed in the workhouse uniform, she and her mother were also to be separated. As she was 11, she was too old to stay with her mother and too young to work, so she was sent down the road to Haddon House, where the children lived and she would go to school.

On her first night in Haddon House, she is introduced to young Clara who she befriends immediately and, as they are full to bursting already, the two girls share a bed. As Ginnie was used to sharing a bed with her older sister Mabel, she was comforted to have someone beside her. Despite it being tough in the early days, Ginnie soon falls into a routine and makes two special friends there - Clara and a boy named Sam. Although she is meant to attend school, it is shared with the village children who poke fun at the workhouse children and even more so at Ginnie because she can't read. She visits her parents up at the Big House occasionally but she never sees her sister who had promised to visit. When her mother dies, her father forbids her to attend the funeral stating that it is no place for a child. But Mary Higgins, Haddon House's mistress, secretly takes her to the funeral and they stay in the background so Ginnie can say her goodbyes.

Three years after first entering the workhouse, Mabel comes to Haddon to offer Ginnie a home with her and her new husband Frank. Without a word or a visit in three years, Ginnie (now 14) is angered that her sister wants to pull her out of the home she has come to love and feel comfortable in. But the law states that the parish will only pay for their keep as long as they have nowhere else to go...and Ginnie now has somewhere else. Now 19, Mabel reveals that she is pregnant and Ginnie would be of some help for her when the baby comes.

Grateful for a new start, Ginnie moves in with Mabel and Frank...but it soon becomes clear that she is to earn her keep by doing all the work Mabel should be doing to keep house instead of sitting idle all day. And then Mabel takes her down to Chamberlain's potters to beg for a job for Ginnie where she is given the dirtiest job of all as a mouldrunner. She works hard and come pay day is excited to receive her own money and begins planning on how she will save it to get Sam out of Haddon. But that is shortlived because as soon as she is home, Frank demands her wages for her keep...and Mabel still expects her to keep the house despite working the long arduous hours at Chamberlain's.

One afternoon, Ginnie comes across some women talking about the vote for women and it's there she comes across Miss Constance Copeland, whose mother was a Workhouse Friend and they would visit the children at Christmas. The two women recognise each other and it isn't long before they become friends, despite the difference in their classes. And over time, Connie proves to be a good friend to Ginnie when she most needs one.

Then war breaks out and soon men and boys are being sent off to fight for King and country, leaving the womenfolk wondering if they would ever return. Sam is discharged from the workhouse - thanks to Connie's mother - and is working in the mines. But it isn't long before he signs up to fight for his country and Ginnie becomes scared. What if she never sees Sam again? He is her best friend and she cannot imagine a life without him.

An enjoyable and poignant read, THE GIRL FROM THE WORKHOUSE pulls at the heartstrings as we follow the journey of Ginnie from a girl in the workhouse to becoming a young woman. Her friendships with both Sam and Connie are touching and incredibly heartwarming.

I love the dual timelines set before and after Haddon House, as well as her time during the workhouse. Her heartbreak, her contentment, her laughter and her tears. THE GIRL FROM THE WORKHOUSE is Ginnie's story of life, death, survival, heartache and ultimately happiness.

An enjoyable tale that was an easy read, THE GIRL FROM THE WORKHOUSE is perfect for readers of historical fiction.

I would like to thank #LynnJohnson, #NetGalley and #Hera for an ARC of #TheGirlFromTheWorkshouse in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

[Jacquie Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl from the Workhouse by Lynn Johnson, published by Amazon

Imagine you’re a young girl aged eleven, Ginnie Jones by name. It’s 1911 in the Staffordshire Potteries. Your father works hard in Chamberlain’s pottery, but life is okay. You live in a tiny terraced house with your parents and your big sister Mabel. And today is your birthday. Even better, though you can’t read, you’re going to be awarded a book prize at Sunday School.

Now imagine all that taken away, suddenly and brutally. Father goes blind, the family loses its home, and you’re sent alone to live in Haddon Workhouse, a vast cold place full of other displaced and deserted children. You don’t get enough to eat, and there’s no competent healthcare if you fall ill. Even your Sunday School prize book is lost, sold to the pawn shop.

This is working class life in the industrial Midlands, shortly before the Great War. This is the life of Ginnie Jones.

Lynn Johnson, herself a native of Stoke-on-Trent, has taken her inspiration from her grandmother’s experiences to meticulously recreate a young girl’s life of poverty, loneliness, and illiteracy. She gives us a clear-eyed vision of the long-lost England of a century ago, seen through Ginnie’s eyes as she struggles to keep the people she loves, and make something better of her life.

Lovers of historical sagas will really enjoy this book; and the good news is that its linked sequel will be following later in 2020. The book is rich in carefully researched dialect and detail, especially about life in a workhouse, and the tough but gradually changing conditions for young female workers in the Potteries. We meet Ginnie’s few beloved friends, smile as she shares her life with Clara, Mary, Constance and Sam, and mourn with her when she loses so many of the people she loves. We see her struggle and win against prejudice, ignorance and social barriers.

One of the strengths of the book is the characterisation. They are complex and vividly drawn, their plausibility enhanced by the author’s knowledgeable use of local dialect. Lynn Johnson has rounded out her characters so that all of them, despite weaknesses and faults, arouse our sympathy – Mabel and her laziness, Frank the predatory manipulator, the rough workers at the pottery where Ginnie works. The reader can readily see all these people through Ginnie’s eyes (I confess to a soft spot for George, despite his early bullying at school and work, and his later deceit and clumsy attempts to woo Ginnie).

I particularly enjoyed the structure of the novel. Lynn Johnson has created a shuttling timeline back and forth to interweave Ginnie’s years in the workhouse with her later war-time and working life. She uses Ginnie’s few treasures, her “tranklements”, to bookend the contrasting chapters. Everyone Ginnie loves has left a tiny gift in her life: from the red ribbon her father gave her when his sight was failing; to the yellow “shottie” or marble she wins from her great love Sam when she first meets him at the workhouse; to the doll Sam makes for her when her time at the workhouse ends.

Unlike other sagas set in the Edwardian/WW1 period, this novel is careful to keep the focus on the women: Ginnie and her female friends and family. The War is touched on, but mostly as it affects the women left behind to run the country. The author’s build-up of detail really give us a glimpse of being a working class girl of the era, and a rich sense of how quickly social attitudes were altering. Even the changing relationship with George, one-time bully and later would-be suitor, is set against the backdrop of Ginnie’s efforts to better herself in what is still largely a man’s world.

There are a few glitches in the text which more careful editing might have picked up, but the warmth of the writing and Lynn Johnson’s careful attention to research and detail shine throughout. The upcoming sequel, focussing on Ginnie’s middle-class suffragette friend Connie, promises to be just as enticing a read.

[Jéssica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel I'm reading of this author and when I saw the title I was a tiny bit curious about what it would be about, and when I read the synopsis, I was even more curious. It sounded like an emotional story, and I know it would make my heart jump out of my chest because it was a WWI novel, and in the past, those novels whose story happen during WWI and WWII, tend to mess up my emotions. But I was ready... Or so I thought.

We follow Ginnie and as I started reading the book I was reminded of all the story my grandma told be about her parents and grandparents, about how life could be hard for them all. My granda was born in 1934, and her childhood was already hard enough, and when she would occasionally tell me about her parents childhood it was even more heartbreaking.

The context my be different I know, because this story and my family's story happened in different countries, but it still touched me deeply to read about the society back them. Every time I read about the wars it just calls out various emotions, and this book certainly pull on my heartstrings and made me so interested that I was reading page after page, just to know what would happen next and if they would be fine.

A story about friendship, family, love, duty, survival and the effects of war. That is made to feel very personal because of the main character. I could connect with Ginnie, she was such an amazing character that people can relate to even when you haven't been through the same situation as she has, because you feel empathy for Ginnie.

Since we are reading about Ginnie's life, it's obvious that we would feel that connection. The author gave us such realism that  it was as if I was transported back in time and space. I love reading historical novels because of that element, despite the fact that I could still be transported to a fantasy world and feel as if it's real, historical romances happened with people as human as I am and in a time I could read about in History textbooks, or even talk to historians about it, it's a different kind of transportation and use of imagination.

Overall, I loved it. There were lots of moments that made me gasp and others that almost made me cry, and then there were those that made me smile and sigh. For every little moment and even the big moments, the emotional rollercoaster I felt I was in... it was an amazing story and of course I won't tell you want happen, no spoilers here, so if you like Historical novels, and are interested in this one, I do recommend it.

[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Lynn Johnson for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I was on a deadline when I was reading this and I just couldn't make myself read any faster. I was totally immersed in the time period, lost in the lives of the characters the author brought to life before my eyes, and there for every up, down, and in between with my heart in my hand. When Ginnie and her mum and da first go to the workhouse, I was shattered. How could they let Mabel go stay with the Aunty, but NOT Ginnie? Was there truly not enough room for such a little girl? Then when the visits didn't come from the outside, and sometimes not even within the "estates" walls, I felt the trembling of my shattered heart going dormant...and yet unable to stop hoping that something would change for the better. Then, as life often does, things DID change...

Clara became a dear heart that ended up parting ways from Ginnie way too soon. Sam started as her most innocent of loves and grew over time to be truly "the one" that may or may not ever actually have to chance to be something more to each other outside the walls of Haddon House, and yet it didn't stop them from dreaming, from holding on to each other's hearts with all their might. Even when times separated them, they still managed to keep the other as a tender possibility for a future they dared to imagine. Mary was an unexpected connection, but one that was no less genuine than the rest. She provided a mother/sister figure in time for Ginnie, as well as the other girls, while sharing not a drop of blood. Constance was another unexpected friend in the making, and just goes to show you that your class does not determine the size of your heart. Of course, we also have Ginnie's blood relation family, but the funny thing is...I hold more fondly to those she chose to be in her circle, per se, than to those that we granted the right biologically.

Through the voices of these characters (and more!), the author winds her story around your person and snares your heart. You can't help but hope for something more for Ginnie, Sam, and the others, while still holding tight to the richness of what they do have, albeit not countable in silver or gold. The historical events they are living through certainly color their lives, but in spite of the harshness, they become truer versions of themselves, reaching for a tomorrow that they certainly know isn't promised, yet can't help but try for. Though filled with much darkness and despair, there is also hope and love...and that my friends is certainly worth reading for.


**ebook received for review; opinions are my own

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even in the darkest of times, she never gave up hope.Staffordshire, 1911. Ginnie Jones’s childhood is spent in the shadow of the famous Potteries, living with her mother, father and older sister Mabel. But with Father’s eyesight failing, money is in short supply, and too often the family find their bellies aching with hunger. With no hope in sight, Ginnie is sent to Haddon Workhouse.Separated from everything she has known, Ginnie has to grow up fast, earning her keep by looking after the other children with no families of their own. When she meets Clara and Sam, she hopes that she has made friends for life…until tragedy strikes, snatching away her newfound happiness.Leaving Haddon three years later, Ginnie finds work as a mouldrunner at the Potteries, but never stops thinking about her friends in the workhouse – especially Sam, now a caring, handsome young man.When Sam and Ginnie are reunited, their bond is as strong as ever – until Sam is sent to fight in WW1. Faced with uncertainty, can Ginnie find the joy that she’s never had? Or will her heart be broken once again?In Britain, a workhouse was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment.Education was provided for the children-as per law,but workhouse teachers were poorly paid, without qualifications,and facing large classes of unruly children with little or no interest in their lessons,few stayed.Although dreary, the food was generally nutritionally adequate.Most inmates were allocated tasks such as caring for the sick beyond their capabilities,but most were employed on "generally pointless" work, like breaking stones or picking oakum.A potbank is a pottery factory in North Staffordshire used to make bone china, earthenware and sanitaryware. The Staffordshire Potteries is the industrial area encompassing the six towns Burslem, Fenton,Hanley,Longton,Stoke and Tunstall,that now make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire,England.North Staffordshire became a centre of ceramic production in the early 17th century,due to local availability of clay,salt,lead and coal.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good historical family sagas require believable and complex characters who are easy to empathise. Detailed historical knowledge of the place and time, which filters into the story, making it authentic, and allowing the reader to share the sights, smells and sounds of the era. Finally, angst and hardship that allows the protagonist's character to develop positively, giving hope that they will find a way out of their plight. 'The Girl From the Workhouse', encompasses all of the above and is a heartrending, heartwarming and motivational story.

Ginnie is a young girl who has always grown-up in poverty. Sadly, life becomes increasingly difficult and she and her parents have to go on Poor Relief and live in the workhouse. The family are split up and the first part of the story explores Ginnie's experiences as a girl in the workhouse environment. Her motivations and emotions are in keeping with her years, and you feel for her, she is so alone. Despite, this she works hard and makes friends, and forms a new family which makes her days bearable. Her life continues to be dogged by hardship and tragedy until she finally leaves the workhouse to live with her older sister who is married and needs an extra wage coming into the household.

The second part of the story follows Ginnie's transition into a young woman, how she copes with coming of age, and her reacquaintance with her workhouse friend Sam. At this point, you hope for some genuine happiness in her troubled young life, but WW1 draws Sam into its conflict and once again her future and happiness is uncertain.

The setting in 'The Potteries' gives the story its authenticity and richness, the author' connection and feeling for the area make this fictional story more believable. The saga is enriched with historical detail and events, and its characters are authentic to the period and very engaging.

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

[Katherine Hutton Mezzacappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Potteries, Staffordshire, in 1911: Ginnie Jones’s father’s sight is failing and he cannot work, so she is sent to Haddon Workhouse. Conditions have changed since Oliver Twist days, and though their existence is spartan, the workhouse children are in a rudimentary way schooled, albeit mocked by their classmates who live on the outside. Fellow inmates Clara and Sam keep her going, as later, so does an unexpected and life-changing friendship with the well-heeled and ideals-driven Connie.

Three years later, her sister Mabel takes Ginnie out of the workhouse to live with her, but more from self-interest than affection. Still a child, Ginnie becomes Mabel’s skivvy and another source of income for the household, working as a mould runner at Chamberlain’s pottery. Ginnie’s world is meticulously described – and has evidently been thoroughly researched without this weighing down the narrative – from the cramped interiors in which she lives, dodging the attentions of her brother-in-law, to the heat, dust and exhaustion of her job: this might be Arnold Bennett’s geography, but Ginnie inhabits a world far from his comfortable drawing-rooms.

The novel is intriguingly constructed, switching between the younger Ginnie’s workhouse life, told in the present tense, and her working life outside, told in the past, the two strands ultimately merging seamlessly together in the story of Ginnie and Sam’s growing love and the build-up to the cataclysm of the Great War. What this book is not is a rags-to-riches cliché; rather, it is the coming of age of an attractive and resilient heroine who finds contentment and fulfilment. After reading it I looked again at my modest collection of Staffordshire transferware with renewed respect for the people who made them.

[Shirley Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story and a good debut novel for Lynn Johnson. This is what I call a back to front story, it keeps darting back and forth between time. I just don't see the point of it. I prefer a story to be told from beginning to end. I must admit I was tempted to read all the chapters 'before Haddon' first and then move on to 'after Haddon', just to get some continuity in the story. However it did eventually catch up with itself and from then on it was okay.
I've read a lot of books about the dreaded workhouse and they have all been quite horrific tales. The severity of the staff and the absolute dire living and working conditions which those young children had to endure is beyond belief. I guess they may not have all been so dreadful but the picture Lynn Johnson paints is really quite soft in comparison. Everything seemed casual and lenient, even to the point that Ginnie didn't attend school because she didn't want to! I assume she did her research but I found it a bit unbelievable.
The term 'wench' is used throughout. I've never heard of this word being used so frequently before as it was in this book. It could be that it had a different meaning in Staffordshire in the early 1900s but it's very derogatory. It's an archaic word which I believe in olden times meant prostitute and it certainly seemed at odds using this word for the characters in the book.
A few negative points in my point of view but nevertheless it is a good debut novel.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm quite astonished this is a debut novel; it has all the signs of coming from a far more  experienced author.

Ginnie Jones is born into poverty; when her father loses his job things get much worse and she, along with her parents, enter the workhouse. Despite Ginnie's fears, she does make friends there, but when fate steps in to rob her of their precious friendships, Ginnie has to depend on herself to survive. When she leaves the workhouse, life is still a struggle . . .

This is an excellent read, telling Ginnie's story before, during and after her time in the workhouse. This is the first book I've come across with details of the potteries, and I found the details of the work there to be quite fascinating. Including information of the Great War, the workhouse system, the daily fight against poverty and touching on the suffragette's battle for women's votes, there is so much going on that I just flew through it! The characters came alive on the page, and it's a fully rounded story; even better, the author is working on the second novel and I look forward to that! A fabulous read which I'm very happy to give 4.5*.

[Anna || BooksandBookends · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been ages since I've read some historical fiction and the author managed to send the story back to the early 1900's with ease. It was a fantastic escape back in time seeing how different life was compared to life today.

Ginnie has spent most of her childhood living with her parents and sister fairly reasonably. When her father's eyesight deteriorates he loses his job and the family struggles so much without the income that the entire family (other than Ginnie's sister) are moved into the workhouse.

Ginnie was an amazing protagonist, who makes the most out of all life gives her, even when it's not a lot. Her life is far from easy, even in school she's made fun of for her inability to read. Her friends make life in the home far more bearable. She loses her childlike innocence and is forced to grow up far too quickly.

The war and the suffragette movement also feature in the story and the impact of both of these have a significant impact upon Ginnie and her family. It shows how jobs changed during the war and how the women of the war made their impact.

I highly recommend reading this and being transported back in time. An excellent historical fiction that had me compulsively turning the pages.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

My heart went out to Ginnie when she is sent to Haddon Workhouse at just eleven and separated from her family. The book portrays just how hard the conditions in the workhouse were and Ginny has to grow up fast. She adapts to the harsh lifestyle quickly and makes lifelong bonds with people, trusted friendships that stay with her far into her adult life.

After three years Ginny is collected from the workhouse by her sister Mabel who is now married and expecting her first child. Ginny soon finds out that her sister not only wants a helping hand around the house, but an extra wage coming in. She starts to work in a nearby pottery factory working as a mouldrunner, a job no-one wants to do.

The book is heartbreaking, emotive and well researched. I really felt for Ginny who was obviously intelligent but never given the chance to learn to read and write. The character has an amazing spirit, always finding the positives in a harsh and sometimes cruel existence. This is an easy, enjoyable and informative read, recommended for lovers of historical fiction.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story about a young 11-year-old girl Ginnie Jones, the story is set around Burslem 1911. Because of poverty, hardship and her dad losing his job through deteriorating eyesight, they are destined to the Haddon workhouse. Her sister Mabel being luckier is sent to live with her aunt Nellie.

Ginny's life in the workhouse is hard and she is lonely until she makes friends with Sam.

When she leaves the workhouse 3 years later she goes to live with her now-married sister who needs extra money coming in as she is pregnant She begins working in a pottery factory.

Such a brilliant story about a very strong character who experiences, loss, sadness and sheer hard work. The book touches on the suffragettes as we experience wartime.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Hatton town 1911. Ginnie Jones and her mother and father have no choice but to go to the workhouse and Ginnie is put in the childrens hostel. Her sister Mabel goes to live with their aunt Nellie as shes older. Her mother dies and three years on ginnie is sent to live with her sister who is now married to frank and expecting her first baby. This book takes us through her life with such a heartbreaking story and details taking us into the great war of 1914 with great changes. Will it be a happy ending for ginnie? Really recommend this book for all readers. And so looking forward to reading more by this new author. Totally loved all of it

[Courtney Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book couldn't put it down and can't wait for the next installment a brilliant writer thoroughly recommend this book. Well written novel revolving around Ginnie Jones, how she was sent to the workhouse, her family and the unlikely friends she makes on her journey, her loves and losses. Beautifully written by the author.

[jeannette allerston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

A brilliantly written story that pulls you in for the first page , I've not read many book from world war one but this won't be my last , a real page Turner , I'm not going to give the story away only have to say must be read 10/10 and 5🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you Lynn Johnson for all the time and hard work you put into this book

[Sarah Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must admit, I don’t know whether it was just a “phase” or the book itself, but I really struggled to finish this. I don’t think I really got into it until halfway through and then the last quarter had me hooked. I adore the relationship between Ginnie and Sam. It was truly heartwarming. I did find the constant flitting back and forth between time periods difficult to keep up with, however.

[Holly Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read in a long time!

Basically two young people meet in a work house and it’s about their story of going through their time there and then through world war 1 and their love story

I don’t want to do any spoilers this is book 1 of four so part of a series so I’m looking forward to reading the other books!

[irene currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This book is such a rollercoaster of emotions it makes you feel as if you are there just behind watching every moment play out how back in those days of workhouse's where hardship was round every corner how one young girl could survive but she does can't wait to see what happens in the next book if you haven't already read it then I would definitely recommend it

[Cheyenne Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been fascinated by historical fiction for awhile. The storylines are able to put in that situation and you'll understand the hardships everyone faced. Ginnie and Sam quickly became my favorites and I hoped that after everything they were able to start a life and be happy together.

I am looking forward to books by Lynn Johnson in the future and cant wait to read them!

Thank you Hera Books, Netgalley, and Lynn Johnson for picking me to write my review.

[Vickie Jameson · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Rags to Riches

I enjoyed reading this story but could have done without the bits of language scattered throughout the book. I like reading books set in different eras and this one kept my interest.