Set in the 1920's this story is most addictive. It's sad in places but the strong women stand up to be counted. As well as caring for their family.

Robert and Annie McClure, take on several children to save their going into the workhouse.

Robert being a skilled tailor takes the boys under his wing and his wife trains the little girls in preparation for going into service. One of the little girls is ready to go into service at Lindall Hall, so Annie puts Molly Dubber forward as a maid looking after the owner's library he is known in the service as a grumpy man so the people that serve him do, not stay very long.

Set in Barrow on Furness. this is a lovely story, well-written, with some lovely characters.
I enjoyed the ups and downs of life at the hall.

Looked forward to this book but was so disappointed. The writing was not very well done and found myself skipping so many pages! There was no build up to anything and the story was rushed, I felt. Not my favourite book, My opinion only.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book

This book is set between the first and Second World Wars revolving around Mollys life. It’s a coming of age story.

It was really well written and I moved the descriptions of Lindal Hall and the library inside. I did find the story a little slow in the middle but overall it was an enjoyable read.

When I started reading this book, I had in my mind the way the story would pan out, I was wrong (in the nicest way). We are taken on Molly's journey starting as an orphan and ending up at Lindal Hall. We learn about her tragic past and how she succeeds in her life with pure determination to better herself. All the characters are well written and we touch on the harsh realities that the first world war brings back to England from the trenches, and how people coped with it. But there is also fun and laughter within the book as well.

The book is set between the two world wars and the flu pandemic so the characters indicate the tolls that all of that took on them. Widows, orphans, men with mental health problems and poverty.

Service at the hall was brought to life and you could almost imagine your life there.

The lovely Annie and Robert making life as wonderful as possible for the orphans. Unfortunately as Molly grows and leaves to work at the hall she finds love but all to soon her past comes back to haunt her.

The story is captivating and I loved every page. It is well written, historical and gives the reader a true picture in their mind of how life was at that time.

This is the first time I have read books by Katie Hutton and all in all I really enjoyed it. I did get a bit lost with the putting on of the play at the old abbey but enjoyed the book and would read more from her again
My thanks as always to NetGalley and to Bonnier Books UK, Zaffre for the early read

3.5 stars rounded up.

Barrow-in-Furness, 1929. The days of the Barrow Union at Roose are numbered and it's due to be closed, along with all the other workhouses. Instead "Cottage Homes" have been set up for pauper children, where they live in groups of twelve under the care of a resident mother and father. In house four, Robert and Annie McClure reside, tasked with taking care of a number of children. A skilled tailor, Robert trains the boys his profession whilst his wife prepares the girls to go into service. Molly Barrow has been in the Barrow Union since the age of three. When a request comes in for a new girl to work at Lindl Hall, Annie, although worried, decides to put Molly forward. The Hall has a reputation for bit keeping servants due to the moody and unpredictable owner, damaged by his experiences in the trenches.

This story is set between the first and second world wars. Molly has been brought up in care, but she's now at an age to go out to work. She gets a job at Lindal Hall working as a maid, looking after the owner's library. The characters are well rounded, and I really liked Robert, Annie and Molly. We gradually learn of Molly's past. The book is well written, but the pace could be slow, so I took off half a star for that reason.

I would like toi thank #NetGalley #BonnierBooksUK and the author #KatirHutton for my ARC of #TheMaidOfLindalHall in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved Molly and her house parents, Annie and Robert., Anthony and Mark. They were the only family she could remember.
When she had to leave to go into service she grew up quickly, being a very intelligent and talented young girl. Over time she learnt of Anthony Gascarth's love for her and she was able to find happiness with her beloved Anthony.
Gradually we learn of the tragic story of little Molly's early life and the devastating events which led to Molly living in Barrow.
This is a fabulous book with impeccable historical research and my heart went out to poor Molly
I will now look for the story of mother Annie and Robert.
Thank you netgalley.

A beautifully written story. Following the closure of workhouses Cottage Homes were set up instead. By all accounts Robert and Annie ran a lovely welcoming and supportive home for the young children. A fabulous story of love and loss and so much else as well. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was captivated by the story line and the characters.

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

Set in 1933, some people arrive at a cottage which Annie & Robert run for orphaned children, with a little girl, who is not even three, who doesn't speak. Soon they both look after her like a daughter.

Molly, although being a happy girl, may have had a bad past, as they find marks on her back, and her speech returns. She begins to bloom, enjoys school and books,

According to the rules and regulations, when Molly is fifteen, has to leave school, and go away from Annie and Robert, and work,

She is taken to Lindal Hall, there Molly has to take care of the library of the owner. Over time she starts to have feelings for her employer and her employer is fond of her.

But, the past that Molly left behind, comes back to haunt Molly and her present life. The story was well written.

I recommend this book.

Love this book by Katie Hutton as it was based in Barrow and the surrounding area which I know well. It is the story of Molly in the 1930,s who arrives at the Cottage Home looked after by Robert and Annie McClure.Molly is 3 years old when she first arrives there and it tell he story about going in to service when she is old enough. I would recommend this book .

This is a heartwarming easy read set in 1929 in
Barrow-in Furness.
If you enjoy historical fiction this one is a must.
A wonderful heartfelt story that makes for a gentle cosy read to enjoy.
Well crafted characters you get to know & love.
The days of the Barrow Union at Roose & the workhouses were numbered & due to close.
Cottage homes were the new accommodation for pauper children of twelve with a resident mother & father now.
Robert & Annie McLure live in one of these & Molly Dubber is a child that came to them at the age of three.
Robert & Annie help the children & hopefully get them work as they get older & go out into the world to earn a living.
When a position comes up at Lindal Hall Molly is put forward for it as she has now turned fifteen.
The hall does not have a good reputation for keeping its servants & it is one which Molly is soon to find out.
After drawing unwanted attention to herself Molly finds she could be putting herself in
danger.
Interesting captivating story that held me throughout & i absolutely loved it.

The Maid of Lindal Hall by Katie Hutton

Set in Barrow in Furness between the first and second wars a brilliant saga , featuring Molly who after being brought up in care is sent to work as a maid in Lindal Hall.
The author has a way of bringing the era to life with her well described characters especially Molly who you really are rooting for and hoping that she will get her ' happily ever after ' .
Loved this book.

It's 1933 and Annie & Robert McClure run a cottage home for orphaned children, when the guardians arrive with a little girl that's less than 3 years old who doesn't speak, Annie and Robert bring her up like a daughter.

Molly is a happy child but must of had a rough past as she has marks on her back and she starts to speak , while at the home she comes out of her shell and loves school and loves books.

But due to the regulations once Molly is 15 she must leave school and go into service and move away from Robert & Annie, she is placed in Lindal Hall where she must look after the owners library, Molly starts to grow fond of her employer and her employer is fond of her.

This is a coming of age story with the past also coming back to haunt Molly and her life.... the story is well written but does seem to slow slightly too much in the middle of the story.

Worth a read!!!

I just love these kind of books. Such an easy read where you escape into the past. A great cast of characters and a brilliant storyline had me laughing and smiling one minute and quite emotional the next. Saga fans will love this book

Set in and around Barrow in Furness in 1929 Molly Dubber has been in the care of Robert and Annie McClure since the age of three, she was one of the lucky Orphans because the couple were kind and they prepared the children for later life and earning a living for themselves.. There's lots of aspects to the story especially when Molly goes to work at an house where the owner can be very hard to understand and unpredictable in his words and actions due to his experiences in the Great War. The book held my attention from start to finish and I found it thoroughly entertaining.

I couldn't get into this, but my mum loved it. No review. I couldn't get into this, but my mum loved it. No review

This book was interesting and well written - you could actually picture yourself in the Hall itself and the characters were true to life. An enjoyable read if you like saga type stories

What a caring read, loved it.
As Molly is only aged 3 when she is put under the care of housemother Annie she just loves her, as she has little recollection of her own mother. I found myself reading this as a mother. Getting upset with/for Molly.
Then the time comes for Molly to move on, mother Annie thinks she is doing her best by sending Molly into service for Miss Cavendish, but is she!
WhenMolly moves to Lindall Hall I loved the descriptions of the house as it was easy to conjure up a picture.
Then the flamboyant part with Boxall & Symonds, all the connections with the classics was great.
Look forward to the next book by this author.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this Arc

A brilliant book family saga at its best. If you love books in the olden days with workhouse, poverty so many emotions. You absolutely need to read this book