The Jam Factory Girls

 

The Jam Factory Girls is an uplifting and emotional novel of friendship set in the heart of pre-WWI London from bestselling author, Mary Wood.

Life for Elsie is difficult as she struggles to cope with her alcoholic mother. Caring for her siblings and working long hours at Swift's Jam Factory in London’s Bermondsey is exhausting. Thankfully her lifelong friendship with Dot helps to smooth over life’s rough edges.

When Elsie and Dot meet Millie Swift, they are nervous to be in the presence of the bosses’ daughter. Over time, they are surprised to feel so drawn to her, but should two East End girls be socializing in such circles?

When disaster strikes, it binds the women in ways they could never imagine. Long-held secrets are revealed that could change all their lives..

About the author

 

Born the thirteenth child of fifteen to a middle-class mother and an East End barrow boy, Mary Wood’s family were poor, but rich in love. Over time, she developed a natural empathy with the less fortunate and is fascinated by social history. Mary raised four children and has numerous grandchildren, step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. An avid reader, she first put pen to paper in 1989, and is now a full-time novelist.

Website

https://www.authormarywood.com

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My Review

Mary Wood really brings to life pre-war London through the lives of Elsie and her family. The reader is drawn into the story from the start and the portrayal of conditions in the jam factory is well researched and authentically detailed. When Elsie and her best friend Dot cross paths with Millie, their lives intersect in ways that they cannot begin to imagine. 

Mary's down-to-earth style perfectly captures the period through gritty realism and carries the reader along until the grand finale. A great story from a great storyteller.