Half a Sixpence: Catherine's Story

Description

THE FIRST SAGA IN EVIE GRACE'S MAIDS OF KENT TRILOGY. 'An intriguing tale of family relationships and of finding love a second time around . . . I'll be sure to look out for the next book in the series.' Val Wood 'An enthralling plotline with unexpected twists that will intrigue the reader until the last page.' Margaret Dickinson 'I enjoyed reading Half a Sixpence and following the fortunes and tribulations of Catherine . . . It gave a very good sense of time and place and I hope it does really well for her.' Rosie Goodwin 'A dazzling debut that reminded me of the Catherine Cookson' Frost Magazine *** East Kent, 1830. Catherine Rook takes her peaceful life for granted. Her days are spent at the village school and lending a hand on her family's farm. Life is run by the seasons, and there's little time for worry. But rural unrest begins sweeping through Kent, and when Pa Rook buys a threshing machine it brings turbulence and tragedy to Wanstall Farm. With the Rooks' fortunes forever changed, Catherine must struggle to hold her family together. She turns to her childhood companion, Matty Carter, for comfort, and finds more than friendship in his loving arms. But Matty has his own family to protect, and almost as quickly as their love blossomed their future begins to unravel. With the threat of destitution nipping at her heels, Catherine must forge a way out of ruin . . . Praise for Half a Sixpence: 'What a treat. A Saga so refreshingly different from anything I have read before. A terrific story the reader will find impossible to put down . . . The tale that Evie tells us is fascinating, gripping, sad, happy, highly original and yes, you'll find out all about that half sixpence.' Eileen Ramsay 'A dazzling debut that reminded me of the Catherine Cookson books I have loved so much. Brilliant historical fiction that draws you in and does not let you go. Even better, this is the first book in a trilogy. We can't wait until the next instalment.' Frost Magazine 'I absolutely loved, loved, loved reading Half A Sixpence and I can't wait to read more from the pen of Evie Grace.' Ginger Book Geek, 5* 'Highly recommend to fans of novels in the saga or historical fiction genre.' Abby Bonny Book Reviews, 5* 'A brilliant first novel.' Mojo Mums blog

Evie Grace was born in Kent, and one of her earliest memories is of picking cherries with her grandfather who managed a fruit farm near Selling. Holidays spent in the Kent countryside and the stories passed down through her family inspired her to write her Maids of Kent trilogy. Evie now lives in Devon with her partner and dog. She has a grown-up daughter and son. She loves researching the history of the nineteenth century and is very grateful for the invention of the washing machine, having discovered how the Victorians struggled to do their laundry. Her Mother's Daughter is Evie's second novel in the trilogy, following on from Half a Sixpence. Half a Chance is the third and final novel, coming July 2018.

True love sometimes comes at a price. East Kent, 1830. Catherine Rook takes her peaceful life for granted. Her days are spent at the village school and lending a hand on her family's farm. Life is run by the seasons, and there's little time for worry. But rural unrest begins sweeping through Kent, and when Pa Rook buys a threshing machine it brings turbulence and tragedy to Wanstall Farm. * from the publisher's description * An intriguing tale of family relationships and of finding love a second time around . . . I'll be sure to look out for the next book in the series. -- Val Wood An enthralling plotline with unexpected twists that will intrigue the reader until the last page. -- Margaret Dickinson I enjoyed reading Half a Sixpence and following the fortunes and tribulations of Catherine . . . It gave a very good sense of time and place and I hope it does really well for her. -- Rosie Goodwin What a treat. A Saga so refreshingly different from anything I have read before. A terrific story the reader will find impossible to put down . . . The tale that Evie tells us is fascinating, gripping, sad, happy, highly original and yes, you'll find out all about that half sixpence. -- Eileen Ramsay