This book is so heartbreaking and emotional.
I loved the writing and the short chapters made this a quick read
The characters were well developed
Another great book by this author

Another new-to-me author, Cathy Mansell brings us a dramatic and emotional tale of family drama in post-war Dublin. With a touch of Catherine Cookson and Lorna Cook, THE DUBLIN GIRLS begins in 1950 as three sisters struggle to find their place in the world.

Nineteen year old Nell Flynn had her whole life set out before her. In her second year of training to be a nurse, she was planning to marry her sweetheart Liam Connor and begin a new life in England. But then her mother tragically dies leaving herself and her two younger siblings orphans. Nell realises at once that her priorities have changed as she gives up her training and her dreams of life with Liam in order to get to care for her two younger sisters. Liam has offered more than once to take care of them but Nell knows that her sisters are her responsibility. She gets a job at the biscuit factory, which she hates, but it pays far better than a trainee nurse and she has now has rent to pay and three mouths to feed in the dirty rundown tenement flat they live in on the eighth floor.

Life in Ireland post-war is difficult. Jobs are scarce and the country is struggling to find its feet after the war. But Nell must do what she can to care for her sisters and keep them from the workhouse. Her work in the biscuit factory isn't much but it keeps a roof over their heads, food on the table and coal for the fire. She is soon promoted to the labelling section of the factory, which sure beats washing hundreds of tins that are returned to the factory every day. But it seems her efforts aren't good enough for her middle sister who has dreams above her station in life.

Kate is 15 years old and has dreams of her own. Just because Nell gave up her dreams doesn't mean that she should give up hers. She wants to get out of the grotty tenement in which they live and into a nice house with running water and indoor plumbing. If only her mam didn't die before they could be rehoused. But she had and now they were stuck in this horrible cold and draughty two room flat with Nell bossing her about like she had the right. She wasn't her mam and Kate could do what she liked.

So when Father John calls at the flat and insists that it's high time that Kate begin pulling her weight and helping her sister by taking up her mam's job of working at the presbytery for an hour after school each day, Kate is horrified. She doesn't want to be a cleaner! She has bigger dreams than that! Her mam wanted her to get an education and qualifications to ensure a proper job. But Catholic guilt leads her to the church the following day where she meets Michael Flannigan, who has taken on the job as a clerk, and falls instantly in love.

Suddenly Kate has no problem working at the church presbytery...not if it means seeing Michael. But it's when she starts slipping out with a lie on her lips as to her intentions, Nell begins to despair of her sister at the times she could really do with her help. With stars in her eyes and dreams in her heart, Kate continues to lie to her sister about her whereabouts all the while resenting her elder sister's new authoritative role in her life. Refusing to pull her weight, Kate continues to selfishly pursue her own independence keeping most of her much-needed wages for frivolities such as nylons, lipsticks and shoes. Meanwhile Nell struggles to put food on the table and coal in the scuttle while Kate chases foolish dreams.

And then there is Róisín who is 8 years old and has always been a frail child since birth, predicted to not live beyond five years. The little girl is obviously ill but with hardly enough money to pay for food and rent, there is little left over to pay for a doctor. The cold and uncaring nuns at the convent school, which each of the girls had attended, insist that Nell sees her sister get sufficient sleep at night to ensure she doesn't keep falling asleep in class which provides much distraction to the rest of the students. Angered, Nell knows that Róisín gets more than enough sleep and is concerned that something may be wrong with her sister. When she takes her to the free dispensary one Saturday morning, after hours of queuing and waiting, the doctor examines her briefly and insists that there is nothing wrong with the child and to stop wasting his time.

Then one day Róisín is unable to get out of bed, complaining that her legs hurt. Nell rushes downstairs and asks their only remaining neighbour left in the tenement Amy Kinch to help take Róisín to the doctor. They place her in a pram and walk the long distance to the doctor who Amy knows will be kind, sympathetic and take the time to get to the bottom of what is wrong with Róisín. The doctor is immediately concerned and has Nell take her straight to the fever hospital, where it is later confirmed that Róisín has rheumatic fever. Róisín stays at the hospital for many months - over Christmas and into the new year - as she received treatment and begins her recovery.

Meanwhile, Nell continues to struggle while Kate selfishly pursues her own independent life that she cannot possibly sustain. Packing her suitcase one day while Nell is at work, Kate leaves the tenement and her old life behind in search of something greater believing it is what she is entitled to. When Nell discovers her sister has gone she is beside herself with worry. She has given up her own dreams, her own life, to care for her sisters and everything is falling apart. Kate has gone and Róisín is ill in hospital and her dreams of a life with Liam have drifted further away as she pursues a job in London. And now, as the only remaining tenants in the building as Amy and her family of 10 children have been rehoused in a new estate, Nell is truly alone.

A heart-rendering story, THE DUBLIN GIRLS is an engaging read from beginning to end about three sisters who all have different challenges to face. Each has their own personality and dreams they wanted to achieve. Nell was responsible in giving up her dreams to care for her sisters. Kate was rebellious, selfish and often rude and made the worst possible choices. Róisín was a young frail child who still believes in Santa and dreams of a happy life with her sisters. Liam continues to pursue Nell, refusing to give up their dreams of a life together. Desperately saving money from his job in England so Nell and her sisters can join him for a better life, he has the best intentions in taking on the responsibility and caring for them all. But will Nell allow him to do so? And will Kate return to the fold?

Warm-hearted and heartbreaking at the same time, THE DUBLIN GIRLS evokes a multitude of emotions as the sisters journey their way through loves, loss, fear, hardship, heartbreak and poverty...and in Kate's case, a plethora of bad decisions. This coming of age tale highlights Nell's perseverance, her courage and her loyalty to her sisters and the promise of eventually following her dreams.

A simply delightful and easy read...even if I wanted to throttle Kate into seeing sense...THE DUBLIN GIRLS is a sad story with a happy ending. Perfect for fans of historical and contemporary fiction, as well as fans of Catherine Cookson, Tracy Rees, Kathleen McGurl and Lorna Cook.

Set in my hometown Dublin, I really enjoyed this book! It was a nice easy read which I couldn't put down.. the characters were likeable and the book was well written.

A book full of drama, romance and hope. I adored this beautiful read.
The characters were endearing and likeable, the storyline itself was captivating. A definite must read in my opinion.

Nell Flynn is 19 years old, training to be a nurse and planning to marry her boyfriend, Liam Connor. The death of their mother hits Nell and her eight-year-old sister Róisín, hard. The little girl has had health problems since birth and when she is taken ill again Nell must do all she can to help. Kate is 15 and can't bear the fact that Nell is forced to be a mother figure to them.

Nell's work in a biscuit factory is not much but it's work at a time when the country is struggling because of the Depression. Liam is there for Nell— while he can be. How will she cope when he tales an opportunity not to be missed?

I adore books set in Ireland having dual nationality myself. I was drawn in by the cover and synopsis. The characters were well portrayed as was the setting. I felt worry, concern happiness and sadness for them. Kate was definitely unfair towards Nell and Nell is a real fighter. Her determination shone through. Her dedication to Róisín's wellbeing as well as her and Kate's was humbling.

I was glad she had Liam. The novel is rhe first I have reviewed by Cathy Mansell and I look forward to more.

The Dublin Girls is heartbreaking, hopeful and a wonderful portrait of 1950s Dublin and Ireland.

Thanks to Cathy Mansell and Headline for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars.

In the aftermath of WWII, three sisters struggle to find their place in the world.

The backdrop is post-war Dublin (1950) during a massive economic recession, general poverty, and mass emigration.

Nell was nineteen and had her whole life planned. She would finish nursing school, marry her sweetheart Liam, and start a family. But things rarely go as planned.

After losing both her parents, Nell had to assume the role of sole provider for her sisters Kate (15yo) and Roisin (8yo). Nursing school became a long lost dream, and reality was a full day shift at the local biscuit factory.

The sisters were fascinating characters. They had very different personalities, goals, and views of life and what they wanted to achieve.

The most complex of the three was Kate. She was as rebellious as a fifteen-year-old could be. She was egocentric, rude, and always making the worse possible choices. I had to keep reminding myself she was only a child.

If this had not been a fictional story, I shudder to think what would have become of Kate.

Roisin was a sweetheart, but her health was very fragile.

It was very touching to see how Nell, almost a child herself, tried to keep everyone together facing all kinds of challenges (and there were plenty).

The two of them reminded me a little of Elinor and Marianne from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.

There is a little bit of romance, even an almost love triangle, but it does not take center stage. Liam is an honorable and sweet hero, a bit clueless, in my opinion, but very good at heart.

It always fascinates me to see the world in another place and time. To understand how those people lived and coped with their reality. These girls, so young, out there in a cruel and merciless world.

The book is well-written and captured the post-war atmosphere sensibly and engagingly. The story has a happy and satisfying end.

Lovely read!

Warning: Sexual assault, death, illness, and poverty.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 07/24/2020 as part of the book's blog tour*

Set in Dublin in the 1950's. Nell, Kate and Roisin Flynn;s mother has just died. Nell had to give up her job training to become a nurse and move back to her family home to take care of younger sisters. Roisin is just eight years old and a sickly child. Nell breaks of her relationship with her boyfriend, Liam so that she can concentrate on her sisters upbringing. Kate is feisty and clever. But she lets her heart rule her head.

Some of the things these sisters have to endure is heartbreaking. We follow the sisters struggles of everyday life. i was rooting for Nell all the way. I just wanted her to have some good luck for a change. I liked nearly all the characters in this book. Nell's loyalty to her sisters was more than just a sense of duty. Kate annoyed me for several reasons. I just wanted her to knuckle down and do the right thing. There's a lot packed into the pages of this book. This is a great read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Cathy Mansell for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dublin in the 1950s. Meet the Flynn girls.

Nell the eldest, training to be a nurse and with Liam her wonderfully caring and touching boyfriend in tow, she has her whole life set out before her.

Kate the middle child, bright and feisty, she should go far providing she finished her schooling.

Roisin, the youngest. Sickly and not flourishing.

When their mother dies, it is up to Nell to hold them all together.

Giving up nursing, working in a biscuit factory and trying to make any meagre earnings pay for the rent, the coal in their condemned tenements shows a harsh reality of life in 1950s Dublin,

When Roisin is admitted to the fever hospital and Kate decides she wants a better life, Nell finds she is struggling to keep everyone close. They only have each other and they really should stick together.

Nell vows to stay in Dublin until she can have all her sisters together with her again, with a heavy heart she sees Liam go to London to forge a new life. Will the sisters ever be reunited?

This book has everything you would want from a great read, characters, plot, setting, love, adversity, tragedy and heartache. There is a lot packed into the pages and if you have read Catherine Cookson novels in the past, then this book could easily be for you.

A wonderful example of historical fiction.

A beautifully written emotional read that had me gripped from page one. Cathy Mansell is the queen of Irish family dramas and had me up half the night reading to the end.

This is a nice, easy romantic read set in Dublin in the 1950's. An engaging story about three sisters, left alone when their mother dies. It's about family, struggles, poverty and loyalty. A good book to while away the hours and evoke memories of a different era. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Set in dublin in the 1950s
I loved nell flynn story
Heartbreaking and so emotional this poor girl had to grow up fast looking after her younger siblings
They are all in for hard times but as strong as nell is she is a fighter
Loved all these characters that blend into this book by this author.
I loved every page

Well-written and hard to put down, I enjoyed the world of “Dublin Girls”, which follows the lives of three recently orphaned sisters and their growing, learning, and bonding.

What a glorious book- a cross between Maeve Binchie and Catherine Cookson, it evokes a Dublin of yesteryear, when a fledgling Irish Republic was emerging from world war two . An Ireland where poverty was still rife yet kindness and neighbourliness was still the norm. We follow the fortunes of the newly orphaned Flynn girls as they negotiate a life of grinding poverty and loss, a dutiful older daughter, sacrificing her nursing career to care for her wayward sibling Kate and sickly youngest sibling Róisín. We follow their lives and loves as they strive to make a new life for themselves. It's a time when Ireland was haemorrhaging her youth as they fled Ireland and caught the night ferries to England and beyond in order to find work and support the families left behind. Cathy Mansell truthfully depicts the Dublin of the fifties and lovingly crafts the relationship between the sisters and also the tenement neighbours . It's a story of heartbreak, strife and love and I devoured it at one sitting. I can't wait to read more from this brilliant writer !

This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I do not think it will be my last.
Although I read a lot of mystery thrillers now,I have read a lot of post war novels,based on families, communities and their struggles and relationships in the past.
This genre of novel is becoming slightly harder to find now,so it was a real pleasure to have my request to read it before it's published in exchange for my honest review.
Set in Dublin in the 1950's it quickly brings to life the characters and the poverty they are living in.
The main character,Nell Flynn is hard working selfless and dedicated to her family,so much so that she gives up all her hopes and dreams to take care of her two younger Sisters when they sadly lose both their parents and brother in a short period of time.
As with most families not everyone appreciates the sacrifices Nell made and continues to make in order to try and keep her family not only together,but literally to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table and without giving the story away the family do end being split up through no fault of Nells.The story continues with Nell doing everything she can to bring her family back together.
The relationships between the three Sisters,their friends and life in Dublin during that era is well portrayed and therefore it's easy to become engrossed in the story and invested in seeing Nell and her family succeed.
I would definitely recommend this book to friends of my age and those who are older as I think they would enjoy it.
At the end of the book there was an exert of a future novel by this author, which I read and am now looking forward to reading that when it's available, plus I will look at other books by Cathy Mansell.

Set in the slums of Ireland 1950's Dublin Nell Flynn is looking forward to marrying her sweetheart Liam. At 19 she is studying to be a nurse and life is wonderful. Then tragedy strikes and her mother dies unexpectedly and she is left to support her 15-year-old younger sister Kate and 8 years old Roisin.

Nell immediately has to give up her dream of becoming a nurse moves back into the family home and takes a job in a biscuit factory.

Kate is selfish leaves school without qualifications or experience, spends any little money she has on herself instead of helping to support her family. She does nothing around the home making Kates job almost impossible.

Little Roisin is weak from birth and spends most of her days in bed. She becomes so ill and thin that Kate manages to scrape together enough money for her to see a Dr who immediately diagnoses rheumatic fever. She is immediately admitted to hospital.

Nell is an amazing person who has so many worries to deal with as well as Liam finding work in London and leaving her to cope alone.
This is a lovely book of hardship, heartbreak and struggle, but well worth a read. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book xx

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This was a nice read, nice characters and set in a nice location. Not a lot more to say. I enjoyed it.

Courageous and determined main character who works hard,against all odds to keep her family together.Emotional and heartwarming read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I absolutely this book about 1950s Dublin.
Nell Flynn is a amazing girl who cares for her two orphaned sisters above everything else, putting her own life on hold including her wish to become a nurse, and goes as far as delaying her wedding, for the sale of trying to keep the family together at all costs.

The story tells of her trials and tribulations of her life and portraying how hard it is to care for her sisters.
Hooked from page one and could not get to the next chapter quick enough wanting to know what happens next.

I highly recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley for introducing me to Cathy Mansell. I loved this book about 1950s Dublin and Nell Flynn. Nell Flynn is a amazing girl who cares for her two orphaned sisters above everything else and puts her own life on hold including her wish to become a nurse and even delays her wedding, trying to keep the family together at all costs.

The story tells of her trials and tribulations of her life and how hard it is to care for her sisters - I loved it from page one and could not get to the next chapter quick enough. Totally absorbing story and highly recommend. I am now looking to read further books by this highly talented author.

Really enjoyed this book. Read in just one sitting and loved the characters. This is my first read by this author but it definitely won’t be the last.