1800, Bristol.
Jessica is widowed and finds her husband was in debt. After losing the family hotel, she faces destitution along with her teenage daughters until her new acquaintance, Captain Parnell, offers her a role of landlady at his boarding house while he is away with the navy.
Jessica’s youngest daughter, Amelia, becomes a companion to the frivolous Mrs Betsey Webster. It’s not long before Amelia is caught up in Betsey’s giddy world of parties in Bath and Brighton while two suitors: the friendly but illegitimate Lt Driscoll and his legitimate, wealthy half-brother, Charles Snowden, vie for her hand.
Lydia, the eldest daughter, yearns to help her mother and earn her keep. Had she been born a boy, she feels sure she could have trained as a surgeon…and she would be free to marry her best friend, Miss Thomas, the daughter of a local abolitionist.
Meanwhile, Jessica has established an increasingly affectionate correspondence with Captain Parnell. On his shore leave, Jessica and the captain grow ever closer, but can Jessica learn to love again after her husband’s betrayal. Is the Captain all that he seems?
A tale of rebuilding life after loss and shaping your own destiny.
Targeted Age Group:: 16+, adult but clean
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
It is set in my home town of Bristol (UK) which has a rich history I wanted to explore. I wanted to explore the lives of those who lived in Regency Britain but who were in the 'trade' classes, often referenced in the works of Jane Austen and similar but not often fully explored. I also wanted to examine the lives of women and look at the diversity in Regency cities.
