The Wrong Side of Happiness
1887 and times are lean. When West Country farm labourer, Emmanuel Ladycott, and his dairymaid daughter, Tresca, lose their jobs on the land, they head for Tavistock where Emmanuel hopes to join the hundreds of navvies working on the new railway line through the town. Lodging together in a tiny attic room, Tresca is determined to forge a new life among the overcrowding and poverty of Bannawell Street. But when Emmanuel is dismissed from the railway, Tresca doesn’t know whether to blame her father or his Irish foreman, Connor O’Mahoney. Torn apart by her conflicting emotions, events spiral out of control, leaving Tresca broken and on the brink of despair. Will she find the strength and courage to fight for her future, and when help steps in from an unexpected source, will it bring her salvation or further tragedy?
Reviews
The realistic storyline, subtle character, development and finely crafted descriptive writing elevates this novel from pleasurable read to literary gem.
Tavistock Times Gazette