Hattie's Home: After the war, London's in ruins. A story of love and laughter, against all the odds

A passionate and heartwarming saga from the bestselling author of CUSTARD TARTS AND BROKEN HEARTS.

January 1947. The war is over. But London is still a wasteland.

After eight years in the ATS, Hattie Wright returns to a Bermondsey she doesn't recognise. With so few jobs, she reluctantly takes work at the Alaska fur factory – a place rife with petty rivalries that she vowed never to set foot in again. But while she was a rising star in the ATS, Hattie's work mates are unforgiving in her attempts to promote herself up from the factory floor.

After journeying across the world to Australia to marry her beloved, Clara is betrayed and returns penniless, homeless and trying to raise a child in the face of prejudice. While war widow, Lou, has lost more than most in the war. Her daughter and parents were killed in an air raid bomb blast and her surviving son, Ronnie, is fending for himself and getting into all kinds of trouble.

The lifelong friendship these women forge while working in the fur factory will help them overcome crippling grief and prejudice in post-war Britain and to find hope in tomorrow.

PRAISE FOR HATTIE'S HOME:

'Mary transported me right into the heart of Bermondsey and the damage, heartache and devastation the war had left behind. The sights, smells, wreckage, the poverty, it was all so real. Yet even in such dark times friendship and the community shines through' Dash F, Netgalley reviewer.

'If you want a real taste of East London life before 1914, and the horrors and occasional laughs the times could bring – this is a must read' Mark Ryes, Amazon reviewer.

'This is an absolute joy from start to finish and it's clear that Mary Gibson has a passion for history and a good yarn! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the reality of life for women in the period leading up to the Great War without the safety net of the Welfare State to fall back on. It's one of the best historic fiction books I've read in a long time' History Geek, Amazon reviewer.

'Gritty, heart-felt and very real. Gibson really gives you a clear understanding of what life was like... If you are a fan of Nadine Dorries you will love this' Rachel, Amazon reviewer.

'I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters, in my opinion certainly worth 5 stars!' Shelley, Amazon reviewer.

© 2018 W. F. Howes Ltd (Audiobook): 9781510095212

Release date

Audiobook: 12 January 2018