The Blurb
Is self-supporting success enough for Margaret Law or will her future also include an adoring husband and children? She might secretly yearn for that though how can she avoid a repeat of relationship deceptions that disenchanted her so much during her teenage years?
Employment as a lady’s maid, and then as a private tutor in Liverpool in the 1860s bring thrilling opportunities Margaret could never have envisaged. Though when those posts end, her educational aspirations must be shelved again. Reliance on her sewing skills is paramount for survival when she returns to Dundee.
Meeting Sandy Watson means love, marriage and starting a family - though not necessarily in that order – are a striking development though it entails a move north to Peterhead. Yet, how can Margaret shed her fear of commitment and her independence and take the plunge?
Jessie, her sister-at-heart, is settled in Glasgow. Frequent letters are a life-line between them but when it all goes horribly wrong, the contents of Margaret’s correspondence don’t necessarily mirror her awful day-to-day realities.
My Review
Although this is the second book in the series, there is sufficient reference to the first book to make this one work perfectly as a standalone.
This book features Margaret as the main character. We read of how she fights to keep her head above water - working in various jobs from tutoring, to being a lady's maid/companion and even sack sewing. However, her skills enable her to move up in the world to a leadership role in a factory.
Her search for employment highlights how women were viewed during the period in which the book is set. It was very hard for a woman to make much of herself, as all the opportunities to grow were only available to men. Through this, the author demonstrated the role of women at the time and how they were considered by Victorian society.
Margaret was an excellent character. She is a hard-working young woman with a strong character, which enabled her to survive in difficult situations.
The author immerses the reader in the time and place. She has exhaustively researched the time period and, therefore, immerses the reader in the book. I almost felt like I was there.
It is a dialogue-led book, which served to move the story along at an appropriate pace for the genre. It made for easy and engaging reading.
I enjoyed this book very much, and am looking forward to the next book in the series already.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1739696443
Publisher: Nancy Jardine with Ocelot Press
Formats: e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)
No. of Pages: 468 (paperback)
Series: Book 2 in the Silver Sampler Series
Purchase Links
About the Author
Nancy Jardine writes historical adventure fiction, historical saga, time travel historical adventure and contemporary mysteries. Research, grandchildren, gardening fill up her day in the castle country of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, when not writing or promoting her writing. Interacting with readers is a joy at Book and Craft Fairs where she signs/sells paperback versions of her novels. She enjoys giving author presentations on her books and on Ancient Roman Scotland.
Memberships include: Historical Novel Society; Scottish Association of Writers, Federation of Writers Scotland, Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Alliance of Independent Authors. She’s self-published with Ocelot Press.
You can also find Nancy at:
(ARC and media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)
(all opinions are my own)
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