A Thimble for Christmas by Dilly Court
Genre: Historical fiction, Romance, Victorian era
Read: 17th December 2023
Published: 12th October 2023
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
She ran along the snow-covered cobbles, gripping her sewing box – fate in her hands…
Living hand to mouth ever since her mother’s tragic death, Amelia sells the last of her treasured possessions to avoid being cast out of her home onto London’s streets.
Her estranged grandfather unexpectedly bequeaths a small, struggling factory making mourning dresses and Amelia dares to dream… Drawing sketches by candlelight, she longs to sew elegant gowns from fine silks and beautiful ribbons for the rich.
As the cold winter wind begins to bite, Amelia’s future hangs by a thread – can she keep her hopes alive?
MY THOUGHTS:
I love historical fiction and since I was introduced to Dilly Court a couple of years ago I have thoroughly enjoyed her delightful rags to riches tales. I find her to be reminiscent of Catherine Cookson, a firm favourite of mine. It was a delight to rejoin Dilly once again as it has been some time since I have enjoyed her stories. I do believe their are characters from her Rockwood Chronicles which I have still yet to read...maybe I shall do so soon.
Amelia Sutton lives hand to mouth with her father Dr Harold Sutton, who tends to the poor and needy and often spares them the fee they can ill afford. This places Amelia is an awkward position when she asks for the rent money that is two months behind or a few pennies to put food on the table and coal to warm their small rooms. So it is against her father's wishes that she seeks her maternal grandfather's help and in light of the situation he places Amelia in the position of manager of a manufactory he owns which comes with a house, rent-free. Amelia can hardly believe her luck though her father is reluctant to take any handouts from the man who blamed him for his wife's, Amelia's mother, early death ten years before. He entrusts his man of business Caleb Marsh to her care, and he offers his services and assistance should she need it.
Upon moving into the house, Amelia scrubs it from top to bottom with the assistance of Mariah Simms, a woman she took under her wing to save her and her children from the brutality of the man they lived under. They make the house habitable and begin to let out rooms on the third floor to lodgers. Even her father has relented and welcomed the success she has made of the place and no longer is he tending to the poor and needy who cannot pay but he has been offered a position at the London Hospital where he trained and qualified many years before. Their first lodger is a fellow doctor who works with her father, Dr Todd Taylor. Then when her grandfather dies suddenly, his successor dispenses of Caleb Marsh's services and that of the butler who had worked for her grandfather for thirty years. Amelia offers them both a room each. She is also shocked to learn that her grandfather has left the manufactory and the attached house to her with the remaining estate to her mother's cousin Daniel Norris, who contests the will in the hope it will leave Amelia with nothing.
In the meantime, Amelia has dreamed of becoming a designer of fashions and whilst she managed the manufactory of mourning gowns, she decided to branch out into other gowns replicating the expensive Paris fashions but made to a budget. She is sure there are many women in London who would certainly pay for her services if only she could find the custom.
But when they are suddenly evicted, Amelia has no idea where they will go or what they will do. Until she is offered a gift...or is it really? Sometimes a wolf comes disguised in sheeps clothing but can Amelia spot the wolves for the sheep?
Another delightfully well written tale and one of my favourites of Dilly Court's I think, though it's hard pressed to find one that isn't beguiling. I think I found only one of hers okayish while everything else I have read by her has been thoroughly entertaining and wholly immersive. All the characters are well rounded even the ones who are unlikeable, of which there are a few.
Although her tales are all largely similar in style, they are each different. And yet they are all equally delightful. All set within the Victorian era and all are rags to riches in style and yet they each tell a different story. And yet I think this is the first book of Dilly's I have devoured in a day. Another compelling and thoroughly enjoyable read.
I would like to thank #DillyCourt, #Netgalley and #HarperCollins for an ARC of #AThimbleForChristmas in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Dilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.
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