The Winter Waif by Lynette Rees
Genre: Historical fiction, Victorian era
Read: 6th January 2024
Published: 8th January 2024
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
1884 - When Betsan Morgan’s mother succumbs to a devastating illness, she doesn't think her life could get much worse. But then her father moves in his new beau, an unserious flitty woman and coincidentally also the bargirl in the pub he works in, and she soon learns her house is no longer a home.
All she can do is sit in the attic and stare at the portrait of her mother. Her new stepmother, Elinor, couldn’t even let them have the grace of keeping it in the hallway.
When Elinor takes things too far – selling her dear mother’s beloved sewing machine – Betsan decides to flee, leaving in search of her estranged aunt, who she last heard was living in the working district of Merthyr Tydfil.
But the dank and dark place is not somewhere a twelve-year-old girl should stray alone, and lest she want to end up in a workhouse, she’ll have to watch her step…
MY THOUGHTS:
Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales 1884
Betsan Morgan loved to sit and watch her mother sew gowns as she sketched what they will look like once finished. Her mother Gwendolyn worked as a seamstress taking in orders for new gowns, shirts and even hemming and repair jobs to make one's clothing last longer. Her father worked as a barman at the Starr Inn. And her three year old twin brother and sister Aled and Alys played obliviously on the floor of their cottage.
But then one day Gwendolyn became ill. The cough she tried to hide got worse until she took to her bed and never got up again. When her mother died, Betsan was beside herself with grief. She found solace in their next door neighbour, Bronwen Jenkins, until the day her father brought home Elinor Evans.
A year after her mother's passing, David Morgan took Betsan aside and explained to her that Elinor was going to have a baby and they were going to be married the following Saturday. Betsan was happy if her father was happy. But as soon as the wedding was over, Elinor became the wicked stepmother and found fault in everything Betsan said or did, ordering her about to do her bidding.
When one day Betsan returned home from school, excited about the prize she had received, she stopped short when she saw the Welsh dresser in their living room. Her mother always wanted one and her dad had always promised to buy her one. But that wasn't the only change in the room. In the corner where her mother's sewing machine used to be, it was no longer. Where could it have possibly gone? Betsan searched the house for it until she heard Elinor return home with her friend crowing about the good deal she got at the market stall and flogging the old machine for the Welsh dresser. Betsan was furious. That sewing machine was the last remaining thing of her mother's and she was meant to inherit it. She raged at Elinor who slapped her for her outburst, after which Betsan packed a few things and left the house in search of her mother's sister Aunt Maggie.
But it's not all smooth sailing ahead for Betsan in her quest for answers, and first she must swallow her pride before she can put things right.
A touch of Dilly Court with a load of Lindsey Hutchinson thrown in, this delightful tale is an easy read that I devoured in one sitting. It is quick and easy to read and I enjoyed my time in Wales...even if I couldn't pronounce half the names.
The story is moving and emotive at times as Betsan is faced with many struggles and hardships. But with the help of good friends and overcoming a few obstacles, she manages to fulfill her dreams and achieve happiness in the end.
A nice quick read that was both heartwarming and satisfying.
I would like to thank #LynetteRees, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheWinterWaif in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Lynette's historical fiction novel, 'The Workhouse Waif', hit the number one spot on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list in 'Victorian Historical Romance' during October of 2016, it remains one of her most popular books to date. Much to her delight, she was contacted by the commissioning editor of Quercus Books who had downloaded the book and loved the story so much, she offered her a traditional publishing deal for that book and three others in the series which were published during 2018 and 2019.
"The Winter Waif" is her first book published by Boldwood in early January 2024.
Lynette enjoys writing in a variety of genres including crime fiction and [contemporary romance where she writes under the name of 'Crystal Carter'.]
Lynette lives in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.
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