Today I am taking part in the blog tour for Christmas Child by Carol Rivers, this is my first book by this author and I was excited to start reading the first book in this new saga.
I love historical fiction and really enjoyed delving into the East End in Victorian times whilst reading this book. This story follows Ettie who was born on Christmas Day and taken straight into the care of the Nuns as an orphan, we follow her as she is forced to leave the safety of the Nuns who are the only parentage she has known as she embarks on employment in Soho.
I found this book captivating, it painted a picture of the struggles facing the lower classes in Victorian England and how bleak the workhouses were and how frequently even children found themselves without a home or parent to take care of them.
A true love story that blossoms from a friendship between Ettie & Michael in the orphanage and continues through glimpses of eachother as they both go about their new lives. A lovely story that I enjoyed from start to finish with characters that warm your heart and fill you with hope for Ettie finding a happy ending.
Book Blurb
Christmas Day, London 1880
Snow falls … a dying Irish girl clutching her new-born baby drags herself to the sanctuary of an East End orphanage and throws herself on the mercy of the Sisters of Clemency. The nuns raise little Ettie O’Reilly as their own and provide her with the love and education she might never have had. But the lives of the nuns and orphans are soon crushed by a powerful and greedy bishop.
The heart-breaking outcome separates Ettie from her friends and family, luring her into a world of male dominance and the fickle nature of intimate relationships. With her faith in the goodness of human nature severely tested, she doesn’t know who to trust. And when the boy who has promised her his undying love and loyalty falls under the spell of a wealthy and beautiful young woman, Ettie’s world starts to crumble.
She must finally accept the hard-hitting truth – happiness comes at a cost! Does she have the courage and wisdom to face the demons she long ago learned about from the Sisters of Clemency? Will the resolution of an undiscovered and painful secret be her making – or breaking?
Available to purchase on Amazon UK / .com
About the Author
“Were there’s muck there’s money!” If my family had a royal crest I’m sure those are the words that would have been hewn into the stone above it.
Mum and Dad were both East Enders who were born on the famous or should I say the then infamous Isle of Dogs. They were costermongers selling fruit, veg and anything else that would stand still long enough!
Their family were immigrants who travelled to the UK from Ireland and France, while others emigrated to America.
As a child I would listen to the adults spinning their colourful stories, as my cousins and I drank pop under the table.
I know the seeds of all my stories come from those far off times that feel like only yesterday. So I would like to say a big heartfelt thank you to all my family and ancestors wherever you are now … UK, Ireland, France or America, as you’ve handed down to me the magic and love of story telling.
Social Media
Twitter – https://twitter.com/carol_rivers
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/carol.rivers1/
Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/carol_rivers01
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.co.uk/carolriversagas/boards/
Website – http://www.carolrivers.com
Giveaway to Win Five dedicated signed paperback novels by Carol Rivers (Open to UK Only)
One winner will win the following signed books
“Lizzie Flowers and the Family Firm”
“Molly’s Christmas Orphans”
“A Wartime Christmas”
“A Sister’s Shame”
“Eve of the Isle”
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Click here to enter this brilliant giveaway
Many thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to take part in this blog tour and the opportunity to discover a new author, please remember to like and share!
Love the Smell of a Book 