Nellie's Heartbreak by Rosie Clarke
Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2
Read: 13th May 2021
Published: 5th May 2021
★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
DESCRIPTION:
A new stand-alone saga set in Yorkshire around out the outbreak of the second world war and the unlikely relationship between a master and servant.
As a small child, Nellie Pearce was always dreaming but sensed her mother’s rejection.
Abandoned and sent into service at Beaumont House at an early age, Nellie is lost and alone until she meets the unpredictable and reclusive artist, Lucas Harrington and falls in love with him.
This unlikely association between master and servant is encouraged by Lucas’s gentle natured Aunt Alice as Lucas sees something unusual in Nellie and is compelled to paint her.
Broken promises lead to inevitable heartbreak and Nellie flees Beaumont House in disgrace for London.
Alone again, Nellie must learn to live and fend for herself and her new-born child.
Can Nellie win a second chance of happiness and can she solve the mystery of her mother's tortured past?
Was previously published as ALL THEIR DAYS in Hardback by Linda Sole
MY REVIEW:
I'm excited to be taking part in the #BlogTour for Rosie Clarke's heartbreaking new saga NELLIE'S HEARTBREAK.
There's nothing I love more than delving into an historical saga tale that sweeps me away to another time and place. And NELLIE'S HEARTBREAK is no exception. Set on the cusp of the outbreak of war from the Yorkshire dales to London, this sweeping tale takes readers through all sorts of emotions from sorrow to love and heartache to hope. Told in the first person by Nellie herself, the reader is able to feel as she feels, cry and she cries and love and she loves.
The story begins in 1935 in a small Yorkshire village with young Nellie Pearce about to embark on a journey she never expected to take. The eldest of two children to mother Rose and father Sam, Nellie also had a little brother named Bob whom her mother doted on adoringly whilst having nothing but contempt for her daughter. Nellie could never understand why her mother appeared to hate her so much, taking any pleasure Nellie found in life and souring it with her harsh words and doling out chores she knew Nellie hated. But it was her granddad Barnes with whom she loved to spend time on his allotment sowing vegetables to feed the family. They were by no means poor but as a working class family, they were comfortable.
Then came Nellie's 15th birthday in the summer of 1935. A day she knew she would be leaving school despite her teachers declaring how smart she was and that she should continue her studies to become a teacher. But her mother had other ideas for her. Upon arriving home from school on her last day, Nellie was surprised to find a flash car parked out front of their little cottage and thought the worst...that something had happened to her granddad. But as she ran into the kitchen she was greeted by the sight of her mother with two women, one of whom she knew to be Miss Alice Harrington from up Beaumont House. The other was the housekeeper Mrs Jermyn. It seems her mother was so eager to see the back of her that she'd packed up Nellie's things and arranged for her to go into service with the Harringtons.
Nellie's life at Beaumont House began in earnest as she shared the attic room with parlourmaid Iris and the two became good friends. But on her first day she was thrust into the one job she hated most - laundry. Even when she was at home she loathed it though she still helped her mother on wash days but the soda caused her skin to itch making the task an even harder one to endure. Now her heart sank as Doris regaled her with the task of doing laundry every day. It was as she walked through the unkempt garden near the summer house that she encountered the master's son Lucas Harrington. He appeared angered at her intrusion and she was frightened by the scarred face of the man. But after a war of words, they fell into a companionable conversation in which Nellie revealed her reasons for loathing the task from which she'd escaped. If Nellie thought anything was to come of it, she certainly never expected Miss Alice to switch her duties to assisting Cook, Mrs Jones.
Relieved to be away from the laundry Nellie thrived under Cook's hand as she learnt the basics of cooking before taking on the more adventurous tasks. Cook was fair and working together they formed a friendship that was to see them through what was to come. But when Nellie's presence was thus requested by Mr Lucas in his studio for an hour on a daily basis, the only person to get her nose out of joint was Doris who became bitter and spiteful at the favour Nellie seemed to have lavished on her.
Every day Lucas would work at drawing, sketching and painting Nellie...but not allow her or Miss Alice to see his work until it was complete. During the hour for which she sat for him, Nellie and Lucas formed a kind of friendship of sorts...if there were such a thing between master and servant. And slowly Nellie found herself falling in love with Lucas despite knowing how impossible it would be given the gap in their classes. But still she couldn't help that little flutter she felt each time that she saw him.
Meanwhile, Nellie knew she had to go home sometime but after the cruel way in which her mother had sent her away she was in no hurry to...although she missed her Da, granddad and Bob. So when Alice greeted her with the news that her granddad was ill she spared no further thought as she hurried home as quick as she could. But sadly her beloved granddad passed before she could reach him in time, though he tried to hang on for her. It was after his death that her mother dealt her the cruelest blow yet...one that sent her hurrying back to Beaumont House with no thought to return for a long time to come.
As the years passed, Nellie grew from the naive young girl she'd been into a young woman. Her childhood friend Tom Herries continued to deliver supplies to Cook as well as hankering after Nellie. He'd long since told her years before that he was going to marry her but Nellie just laughed at him knowing she could never think of Tom in that way. And yet still he called for her, taking her to dances and making promises that he would continue to make money and that one day he would be rich and be able to offer her everything she deserves. But Nellie's heart belonged to another. Lucas Harrington.
Soon everything at Beaumont House changes and Nellie finds herself in a predicament she never thought possible. With Miss Alice in France with Lady Amelia and Mrs Jones now living in Bournemouth with her sister, Nellie had no one she could talk to. Certainly not her mother and to confide in her father would only bring her shame she could not bear to see in his eyes. So instead she packs herself off to London where she struggles for a time until she meets Maud Bristow who gives her a job in her tearooms and offers her a room in her flat above the shop. The two women become best of friends and as war breaks out and rationing begins, Nellie uses her expertise to come up with some tasty and interesting treats for customers using what they can. Mrs Jones had given her her old recipe books when she left Beaumont House and using those as well as her experience of working class meals, Nellie was able to make a success of their new and refined menu according to rationing.
On a much needed break to visit Mrs Jones in Bournemouth, Nellie relaxes with her old friend until a face from her past returns. Lucas Harrington. And with him the promises of a life together. But first, he had something he had to do but could not tell her about it. Despite having her heart broken by Lucas before, Nellie succumbs once again...only to have her heart broken again. Lucas disappears and she doesn't see or hear from him when she needs him the most. For when she returns to London, he whole world is shattered once again.
For Nellie, it seems her life has become a series of tragedies, and despite knowing the reception she will get she makes the decision to return home to Yorkshire. But how will her mother receive her now? She has hated her all of her life so that's hardly going to change in a hurry, is it? And not having heard from her father for some time, Nellie begins to fear what awaits her at home?
There is so much sorrow and heartache in this book one would begin to wonder whether Nellie would ever find happiness and contentment. But then that's what makes historical fiction sagas so real, so raw and so enjoyable to readers. Although the time period is from 1935 and into the 40s, the story had a Downton-esque feel about it...even a Victorian quality. I guess it is the whole upstairs downstairs thing that gave it that atmosphere and it wasn't until war began that the reality of the time became absolute. I really enjoyed the friendship between Miss Alice and Nellie which reminded me of Lady Mary and Anna in Downton Abbey...although I found Miss Alice far more likeable than Lady Mary.
NELLIE'S HEARTBREAK is a fabulous story that historical fiction fans will love. It is captivating and absorbing from the first page until the last. I have no idea if this is the start of a new series but if not it suffices quite well as a standalone.
I would like to thank #RosieClarke aka #LindaSole and #RachelsRandomResources and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #NelliesHeartbreak in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Rosie loves shoes, especially those impossibly high heels you can buy and has a gorgeous pair of Jimmy Choos but can't wear them so they sit on the mantlepiece.
Rosie also writes under the name of Anne Herries and Linda Sole.
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