Looking Back

by Josephine Cox

From the moment she learns of the stranger's visit, Molly Tattersall is filled with a sense of fear. A short time later, Molly's mother disappears, leaving behind a letter in which she asks Molly to take care of her five brothers and sisters. Molly's wayward father rejects his responsibilities, leaving Molly to make a choice between the young man she has given her heart to, and the family she adores, and who now desperately depend upon her. Just eighteen, Molly is made to realise that, however hard the decision, she must put the children's happiness before her own. It is the cruellest decision of her life, with long-reaching and heartbreaking consequences. Only one thing is Molly's life will never be the same again.

Genres: Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction

310 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at university but was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home. Instead, she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. She is now a No.1 bestselling author with over 40 books to her name.

She wrote dark psychological thrillers under the name Jane Brindle.

Reviews

[Rhona Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as it was given to my by my gran. I had never heard of the author before or seen any of her books but decided to give it a try as I normally enjoy historical fiction. I really did enjoy this book. I loved the controversy with the characters, new lovers springing up from the past and sweet Molly trying to protect her family and loved ones. I pretty much enjoyed everything in this book bar one little detail. Spoiler alert if you have not read it finished the book yet.....
Molly's mothers friend just out of nowhere gets together with Molly's abusive father. He was horrible to the mother and her friend in the end is just like "yeah y'know what? I like you now" I just felt the ending was rather rushed. Like she needed to wrap it up somehow and she just plucked the idea of those two getting together. I still rate it 4 stars because I did really enjoy the story and the writing, the ending just annoyed me

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. I've read a few Josephine Cox books and this one didn't disappoint.

[Chris Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very easy book to read but really disgusted at the ending. The author wanted a happy ending so rewarded a domestically violent man excusing this unacceptable behaviour.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how Josephine Cox's books make me both smile and teary eyed. It's been years since I read her books and knowing how much I loved them, yesterday decided to re-read them all starting with this one.

I have to admit once I started I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. Even though I had a feeling I knew exactly how it was going to end. However, was a bit disappointed as I felt the ending was a bit rushed. Would have been nice to have more of the secrets spilled out and see characters reaction to them.

Well I'm off now to start on the next one.

[Gabriella Simons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant character driven story

[Star Gater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Bolinda Audio for allowing me to read and review Looking Back by Josephine Cox on NetGalley.

Published: 12/01/23

Narrator: Sherry Baines

Stars: 3.5

I have mixed emotions and thoughts on this story. The 0.5 star is a signifier. I didn't want to forget mentioning Baines. Her performance kept me coming back to the book. I liked her and thought she did really well.

The story was weak. It was just words that flowed relatively well. I wasn't buying the story. The ending was ridiculous and not unexpected. I didn't guess the ending as subconsciously nor consciously did caring come up.

Seriously, at the conclusion I was tired and felt like I had meandered up and down corridors for hours.

It's not horrible and it's not award-winning, it's just available.

[Erin Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting audio book to listen to although I do have some misgivings regarding Molly's father Frank toward the end. I just can't believe that such a violent alcoholic man could be redeemed so quickly and completely without some kind of divine intervention or at the very least some serious soul searching. I think that aspect of the story could have been explored more fully. The narrator did a great job with the accents of all the characters and it was well paced. Recommended for the historical fiction genre and those who enjoy audio books.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and endearing…
This will gut you in more ways than one…

Molly Tattersall is a young girl who has fallen in love and wants to start her life with her young man. It is the 1940’s. Things were very different back then…
Molly has five brothers and sisters…and her Mom is pregnant yet again. Her Dad is a drunk who abuses her Mom often.

When her Mom’s old boyfriend shows up unexpectedly, Molly’s life takes a drastic change…and she is in a tailspin…

Beautifully written and totally tugs at your heartstrings!

The love of this young girl for her siblings shines through…and what a beautiful, bright light it is!

The father on the other hand…I’d like to reach through the book and smack him in the head!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#LookingBack by #JosephineCox.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BolindaAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which has already been released.

Of note, this apparently was written several years ago and was just re-released as an audiobook! Also of note, sad to see that this author has passed. I will be looking for more of her works to read, as this one was terrific…but sad that there will be no new ones.

Check out all my reviews at Book Reviews With Elaine on FB or on IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr.

Happy Reading!! 📚📖

[Jyotika Varmani · Rating 1 out of 5]

The characters are meant to be superhuman...especially that of Molly. They just end up being utterly revolting. Molly forgives her parents incredibly quickly after justifiably attributing her terrible hardships to them, particularly her stepfather. Amy deserts her children knowing too well what they will have to endure in her absence, only to remain obsessed with them and trying to overcompensate. Lottie turns from unnecessarily wicked to pitiably vulnerable. And of course, the most sickening, Frank the abusive husband and step/father, almost-murderer turns out to be an outwardly angry but inwardly "soft, good-hearted, vulnerable" being. This level of unrelatability makes me totally lose interest in a plot by the time it ends.

What a pain to read! What a purposeless plot! After having read 2 or 3 of Cox's books which were pretty bad with plots quite close to this one, I shouldn't have read this one only to finish the little benefit of doubt I was able to give her lame writing. My mistake, I admit. I can't even dismiss it as a product of its times. There's just no excuse for this tirade of a baselessly masochistic female called Molly. I wish there was a way to rate it a zero.

[Rachel Quinlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook.
It’s the late 1040’s. Amy Tattersall has six children and is pregnant with her seventh. Her husband isn’t a kind man, he abuses her and takes her for granted. Amy has a hard life. Amy’s eldest child, Molly, is courting and her and Alfie are talking about marriage, they are very much in love.
Amy has complications when she goes into labour shortly after a visit from Jack, a former lover from before she married Frank.
Amy runs away with Jack, leaving Molly to decided on life in America with Alfie or looking after the home and her younger siblings. Lottie is already going off the rails. Such a dilemma, what should she do?
A tale of decisions, repercussions and survival - made possible by close friends, family ties and the desire of what’s important.
A few twists and turns towards the end brought some tears and some smiles.
I loved it.

[cedarbucket · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written as long as you leave the plot out of it. The dialects of the characters were very enjoyable. There's a rawness to the story I didn't expect but found impactful - pretty direct mentions of marital rape, etc. But the whole thing about redeeming a wife-beater (who's, obviously, a violent man in general, towards his kids too) was so out of place. Lottie's horrible bloke too. You can't change him, girl, no. Plus stuff like Jack being convinced Molly wouldn't suffer the same harsh treatment from him? I mean, why would you think that? I couldn't buy into anything that happened between Molly and Alfie either. DNF somehow, I only skipped through the last 1/3 of the book because time is a precious thing.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book, and it really keeps you invested in the story throughout, but the ending seemed a little too desperate. There is no way that such a disgusting man would actually turn into an angel one day because his wife left him, and no real best friend would date their best friend's abusive ex or even feel anything but disgust for him.

I understand that the times were different and maybe forgiving abusive men was normal and "i can fix him" was also a thing, but ladies THAT IS NOT TRUE IN REAL LIFE LET'S USE OUR FUNCTIONING BRAINS.

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this novel I was wistfully back in time and the main characters quickly stole my heart, I enjoyed it right to the very end where I was screaming for the author not to have gone down this road. It was a shock twist and not in a good way.

Still, it’s well written and narrated.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

[Shin Kizuna · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐3.56⭐
I don't really have that much to say in this book. It was fine but it was not the best either.

⭐PLOT/PACING: 3.75⭐
It's very very slow but there are so many plots happening within the story. So much drama, tension, and character dynamics. I was expecting to cry but I didn't. What I think is unfair in this story was when Rosie and Frank ended up together so suddenly. Like everything he did was forgiven just like that just because he finally found his true love? It doesn't make any sense. I wasn't bored reading the story because of all the drama but I was not really that invested as well. The ending felt rushed for me, happenings that I felt like shouldn't happen and some things were left unexplained.

⭐CHARACTERS: 3.50⭐
Each character really played a role in this story, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Lottie and Sandra where so much alike but also so different in so many ways. I get why Amy did what she did, it only shows how broken she was just to keep the "family" afloat. This one particular character development and character dynamic did not make sense to me, it was so sudden and out of place.

⭐WRITING: 4⭐
I like the way this book was written. It's in third person perspective but it's really easy to understand and follow. I can also imagine their accents in my head while reading it.

⭐ENJOYMENT: 3⭐
It was fine, not very compelling but the premise and the story is still intriguing that made me going. I was really hoping that this book will make me cry, but it did not.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this a much higher rating as it was a really good book - all except the ending, didn't like how it ended, it was coming along nicely and a real page turner but the ending was too rushed I especially didn't like how it ended with the Father and Dave

[mois reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly

A very good book by Josephine Cox i really enjoyed it i loved the way Molly kept her family together . I wasn't expecting the ending it surprised me but it was good a definite 5 STARS,.

[Evelyn Horsky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book I read by Josephine Cox and it is the last. Really enjoyed the beginning but the story got more and more ridiculous to the point that even if this is a book of fiction the characters become unbelievable and the story silly. Great disappointment!

[Punit Sahani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A feel good in the end read that I would recommend. It just increases your faith that good happens with good people. Heart goes out to Molly for her determination and love for her siblings. Sacrifices never ho unnoticed. True love finds its way out.

[kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was okay, wasn’t the best book i’ve read but oh well. i want to say that the dad’s character development really confused me— especially when it came down to the neighbour rosie. that didn’t make much sense to me :/ not sure if i recommend this or not

[Laura Prindable · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Net Galley and Bolinda Audio for an audio copy of Looking Back. This book was written several years ago. This is Historical Fiction at its best!! 5 stars!


Molly is a young girl who is made to grow up very fast. Everything is falling in her shoulders.

[Marci Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sad and happy read. This isn't my normal jam of genre but I really enjoyed the book and loved that there was a happy ending and some healing for everyone involved. I can't image being Mollie or Amy.

#LookingBack
#NetGalley

[A. Lorna Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a well written story that drags you through all sorts of emotions. I really enjoyed this and would be interested in reading more by this author. The narrator did a great job as well.

[Mrs P Lloyd Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

A really great read. Difficult to put down, great portrayal of life in that era. Would recommend it to all fans of Josephine Cox.

[Sharon Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Another very good book by Josephine Cox. Enjoyable from the first page to the last. Looking forward to reading more of her books.

[Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a good read. The ending was a bit to perfect but it was a good story. Good

[Lynda Pengilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by Josephine Cox

Good storyline, fast moving and really easy to read.
Very descriptive, which took you back to the hard times after the war.

[Anupama Das]

simple but beautiful and captivating

[VALERIE BONNER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read

Hey another great book from Josephine Cox, Keeps you reading as the story unravels, and you can't put the book down, I love her books .

[Patricia Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking back

A great book a heart-rending story about love and loss with a happy ending 😊 would highly recommend it as a good read

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read