The Miner's Lass

by Glenda Young

Real sagas with female characters right at the heart' Woman's Hour

'In the world of historical saga writers, there's a brand new voice' My Weekly

'Heart-warming, emotional and simply wonderful . . . If you think family sagas aren't for you, you've never read Glenda Young's books - pick one up today and you'll be converted' 5 * reader review

If you love Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, you'll LOVE Glenda Young's 'a mazing novels!' (ITV's This Morning presenter Sharon Marshall)

'A super saga with a sparky heroine' People's Friend

What readers are saying about Glenda's heartwrenching

'Better than a Catherine Cookson' 5* reader review

'Definitely an author not to be missed when it comes to family sagas' The Book Magnet

'Writes superb historical fiction that bring the era alive. Her books are unbeatable and unputdownable' Ginger Book Geek

'The perfectly imperfect, human nature of Glenda Young's characters are what keeps her readership hooked' Clyde's Corner

'Gritty, compelling and full of heart . . . an exceptional saga' Bookish Jottings
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'You're a Dinsdale lass, Ruby. Nothing and no one keeps us lot down.'

A life of poverty in a cramped pit cottage is all that seventeen-year-old Ruby Dinsdale has known. Even with her father and younger brother working at the coal mine, money is tight. Her mother Mary is skilled at stretching what little they have, but the small contribution Ruby makes from her job at the local pub makes all the difference. So when Ruby is sacked, and Mary becomes pregnant again, the family's challenges are greater than ever.

When charming miner Gordon begins to court Ruby it seems as though happiness is on the horizon, until she uncovers a deeper betrayal than she could ever have imagined.

But although the Dinsdales are materially poor, they are rich in love, friendship and determination - all qualities that they will draw on to get them through whatever lies ahead.
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Look out for all of Glenda's compelling sagas - Belle of the Back Streets, The Tuppenny Child, Pearl of Pit Lane, The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon, The Paper Mill Girl and The Miner's Lass - out now!

Plus, Glenda has launched a brand-new cosy crime mystery series - don't miss Murder at the Seaview Hotel and Curtain Call at the Seaview Hotel - out now!

Praise for Glenda

'Wonderful read, full of rich characters, evocative description and a touch of romance' 5* reader review

'Just wanted it to go on forever and read more about the characters and their lives' 5* reader review

'I really enjoyed Glenda's novel. It's well researched and well written and I found myself caring about her characters' Rosie Goodwin

'Will resonate with saga readers everywhere . . . a wonderful, uplifting story' Nancy Revell

'All the ingredients for a perfect saga and I loved Meg; she's such a strong and believable character. A fantastic debut' Emma Hornby

'Glenda has an exceptionally keen eye for domestic detail which brings this local community to vivid, colourful life and Meg is a likeable, loving heroine for whom the reader roots from start to finish' Jenny Holmes

'I found it difficult to believe that this was a debut novel, as "brilliant" was the word in my mind when I reached the end. I enjoyed it enormously, being totally absorbed from the first page. I found it extremely well written, and having always loved sagas, one of the best I've read' Margaret Kaine

Genres: Historical Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

Published March 29, 2022

Reviews

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A life of poverty in a cramped pit cottage is all that seventeen year old Ruby Dinsdale has known. Even with her father and younger brother working at the coalmine, money is tight. Her mother Mary is skilled at stretching out what little they have, but the small contribution Ruby makes from her job at the local pub makes all the difference. So when Ruby is sacked, and Mary becomes pregnant again, the family's challenges are greater than ever.

Set in Sunderland, 1919. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Ruby Dinsdale, a miner's lass, and the poverty her family had to contend with on a daily basis. The men working hard down the mine for a pittance, and how their women folk had to try and stretch the wages out. The story is descriptively written and set in Ryhope in the North East. The characters and the plotline are true to the era they were written in. I hope there is more from Ruby in the future.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Headline and the author #GlendaYoung for my ARC of #TheMinersLass in exchange for an honest review.

[Glenda Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the interests of transparency, I am the author of this book. I'm writing this review to counteract the negative, destructive, two star rating left here by another reviewer which Goodreads refuses to remove.

This book is not yet available, no-one has read it yet, so how anyone can leave a negative, or any, star rating review of it is beyond me. Goodreads need to review their policy.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart touching, this will capture all the reader's buttons from start to finish.
It's the year 1919 in Tunstall Street, Ryhope, Sunderland, County Durham. The Dindales Mam Mary Dad Arthur a pitman, daughter Ruby, son Michael at the pit stop, Ruby needs a job the family are just about getting by on the pittance the pit pays out, and The Queens Head need a barmaid Polly Hutchinson takes on Ruby, it's a bit of a rough pub but Ruby is looking forward to the challenge and the money to take home and gets on well with the son Stan and warms to him, but the job doesn't last long, and she starts courting pitman Gordon Fisher, that her dad is not happy about as there is talk at work about him only time will tell.
Ruby is set to go through so much heartache that will leave a lump in your throat.
I loved this story as we go through the miner's pit strike and the whole village community pulling together setting up a soup kitchen at the miners hall, poverty has already scarred lives without the men's wages the women pull together to feed the family, even the pubs are at a loss and have to shut down as the customer loss takes it toll.
An inspirational story to read, Ruby's story is one of a kind as the battle of hardship with family friends and neighbours in a small community takes us through all the characters that have their own story to tell, Glenda Young show's this in her work, and has a way of gripping readers into her book that is amazing. I enjoy every one of her books and this one was no exception even catching old characters popping into the book.
very worthy stars all round once again, looking forward to more in the future from Glenda.

[Susan Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy Glenda’s writing style - this is an interesting story based in Ryhope near where I live. I find the historical research excellent and demonstrates the life of hardship in the time. More please !!!

[Elaine Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is enjoyable because it is so descriptive that you can picture the places and people in your mind. I am not familiar with the area but didn’t detract from the book. Absolutely loved it and don’t hesitate to recommend it.
My favourite character was Stan, who just flourishes in the story.

[JoAnne Guest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book

Another fantastic book by Glenda love her stories about the place where I grew up. Can't wait for the next book.

[Lisa Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story - love, loyalty and courage set in times of poverty.

I liked that it was set in the North East and to learn what Ryhope was like. Being a northener and my Great Grandad being a miner is what drew me to this story.

[Angela DT · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Miner's Lass by Glenda Young.

This is the first time I've read a book by Glenda Young. I really enjoyed it and would definitely seek out her other titles. It keeps you interested in all the characters , with heartbreak , great plot and a great description of the pit villages and the area ( North East ) at a time when life was very hard for the people living in them.
I look forward to reading more.

[Trudi Shattock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only recently discovered Glenda Youngs books, a new author for me. Set in 1919 in a mining town the characters appear in Glenda other books so you feel as if you already know them. I loved this book and finished in a few days. Thankyou for my advance copy and good luck on publications day, but you won’t need it!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Glenda’s work for a while now. In fact I have been a fan of her work ever since I had the good fortune to pick up her first book called ‘Belle Of The Back Streets’ a couple of years ago. Since then I have read and loved every single book that she has written in the series set in Ryhope, County Durham. When I heard that Glenda was due to release another book in the series, I knew that I had to read it as soon as possible. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because Glenda’s latest book in the series called ‘The Miner’s Lass’ has just been released. It is another corker of a read and then some. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Miner’s Lass’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Ruby Dinsdale. I warmed to her from the very start and it didn’t take me long to feel as though she had become a friend of mine. I felt very protective of Ruby and I kept wanting to jump inside the story to defend her and to also give her a blooming big hug when she was upset. Ruby hasn’t had the easiest of childhoods and she has had to grow up before her time. Ruby is a canny lass, who is friendly and helpful. She is also determined and at times rather stubborn. Ruby deserves happiness but at times it seems as though she isn’t going to find that happiness. Ruby goes through the mill a fair bit on her journey through the story. What happens? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Seeing Glenda’s name on the cover of a book was enough to grab my attention and then I took a look at the cover itself. I was lucky enough to get the hardback version of the book and to me the cover of the hardback is how I imagine Ryhope was back in the day. As soon as I started to read I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to put this book down at all. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because I travelled everywhere with me. I just couldn’t bare to miss a single second of this story. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. I soon got to the end of ‘The Miner’s Lass’ and I had to say goodbye to Ruby and her family. I found ‘The Miner’s Lass’ to be a gripping and emotional read, which held my attention throughout.
‘The Miner’s Lass’ is superbly written. To be fair ALL of Glenda’s books are superbly written. She certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a story. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Glenda has clearly done a lot of historical research into Ryhope during the First World War and this makes the story seem that bit more authentic. I had relatives who lived in Ryhope at that time and although I never met them, I got a real sense of what their lives would have been like through reading this book. Glenda writes historical fiction with a punch and a lot of emotion. This story is guaranteed to tug on even the hardest of heartstrings. Glenda makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the centre of all the action. For me, ‘The Miner’s Lass’ is the true definition of an unputdownable page turner of a read.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of ‘The Miner’s Lass’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more of Glenda’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping yarn about love, loyalty and courage, The Miner’s Lass is another exceptional Northern saga from Glenda Young.

A life of poverty and hardship is all seventeen year old Ruby Dinsdale has ever known. It breaks Ruby’s heart to see her mother Mary scrimping and saving every month trying to keep the wolf from the door and the whole family fed and clothed while her father and brother eke out a living down the coal mine working every single hour God sends in extremely dangerous conditions for very little money. Living in a cramped pit cottage, Ruby cannot help but wonder just what the future holds for her, but little does she realise that there are further challenges in store for her and her family.

Ruby’s job as a barmaid provides the family with a much-needed injection of cash. However, when Ruby is sacked and Mary announces that she is pregnant again, the family’s already dire financial situation gets another battering and becomes considerably more precarious. With so much on her plate, Ruby doesn’t have the time or the inclination for romance, but when she begins to be courted by charming miner Gordon, Ruby dares to dream that she could at long last be happy – until a dangerous secret about her beau is revealed that threatens her entire future.

Will the Dinsdales continue to struggle? Will there be ever be light at the end of the tunnel the family has been trapped in for so long? And will Ruby’s heart desire ever come true?

Glenda Young writes with plenty of grit and heart and in The Miner’s Lass she has once again penned an emotional and dramatic saga that readers will struggle to put down. A wonderfully poignant tale about the ties that bond, resilience, sacrifice and hope, The Miner’s Lass is the story of a strong and resourceful young woman ready to go to the ends of the earth for the people she loves.

An absorbing, atmospheric and emotional saga, The Miner’s Lass continues to cement Glenda Young’s standing as one of the genre’s most talented writers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic novel based in the village of Ryhope, Sunderland in north- east England.The story is set in the years after the first world war ,and tells the story of a coal miner's daughter ( Ruby) who lives with her family in Ryhope in 1919 onwards.
Expect excellent character portrayal and fantastic well- researched local history: mentions of many places that still exist today in Ryhope village itself.
I was enthralled by the mention of the old sand pit area behind an area in Sunderland where the former Toll Bar pub stood . Although this pub was demolished in approximately 2002 ,the land mentioned on the story is still there ( now a block of three storey apartments).
It's odd that the sand pit land behind the pub was once called The Blood Pit because to me that area still has a strange vibe about it.

[Carol Mageean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh I really enjoyed reading this book all about Ruby Dinsdale and her life as a miners daughter. Such an interesting and descriptive tale of what life would have been like . I felt like I had been transported back in time discovering how tough times were at the mines and how the consequences of living hand to mouth affected everyone and yet true resilience was shown. Loved this story of how Ruby experienced different relationships with her family and friends and feel there is room for a follow on - fingers crossed .

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of Glenda Young's which I have read and it will not be the last.

What a fantastic book. I was drawn in from the start and found Ruby a very likeable character. I could easily picture the Yorkshire mining community in which the book was based. I found the story to be well paced with ups and downs and really enjoyed the surrounding cast of characters. Well written I felt I had been transported to life in the 1920s and the hardships involved.

I look forward to reading more by Glenda Young.

Highly recommended.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things I love so much about Glenda Young's sagas is that, although the attention to historical detail is so meticulous that you can almost smell the coal dust emanating from the pages, the plot elements are always so universally human that the reader feels as though the characters are people from our own lives.
Full review on my blog - http://clydescorner.org/2021/11/10/bl...

[irene currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

COMPELLING DOESN'T DESCRIBE IT

What a moving and evocative read from beginning to end ups and downs that you didn't see coming Glenda Young is a brilliant author her books are amazing and the miners lass was up there at the top if I could give this book more than five stars then I would I definitely recommend it great for fans that like Kitty Neale Josephine Cox etc

[Pauline Chamberlain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good saga. Unfortunately my copy was in large print and I struggled to read this print, I`m more used to normal print. Enjoyable read about the hardships of life dealt to those in the mining communities last century

[Vicky Peplow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read!

Another great read from the author and shines a great spotlight on this coal mining village where I was born. Very descriptive characters and I could see in my head each place that was named. Congrats on another great book.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Glenda Young book.and I'll definitely read more from her. I really enjoyed the story about Ruby Dinsdale from a poor mining family circa 1920.

[Trudie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruby was a lovely character to read about and I really enjoyed this from start to finish

[Linda Hobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book

[Roxanne Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book despite it being a book I wouldn't have chosen for myself. Great read and has made me want to read more of this authors work.

[Judi Keane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of life in a mining village. Days of hardship. The men worked hard but not without strong women around them. Enjoyed Ruby Disdale’s story & that of her family & friends.

[andrea park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved all of Glenda’s books and this was no exception, I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Elanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need a sequel 😭🙏🏻

[miss s l stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I've read from Glenda I'm hooked .