Ruth Dixon is only fourteen when her mother leaves one morning for Stanhope, she assumes she’s gone Christmas shopping and she's worried when she doesn’t return. Her father comes home drunk, he assaults Ruth and she doesn’t know what do to? Ruth life turns into a nightmare, one night her father attacks her again and this time a desperate Ruth retaliates.

A pregnant Ruth wanders the country roads for days, when she’s rescued by Jay Gilbraith and he takes her to the nearby convent. Sister Madeline along with three other nuns run a new orphanage in Wolsingham, aided by Jay, and they provide food, shelter and an education to orphans and many are children of migrants.

Once Ruth recovers, she enjoys looking after the younger children at the orphanage, she discovers she has a talent for drawing and telling stories. She has a secret crush on Jay Gilbraith, he’s engaged to Eve Gray, the local doctor’s daughter and he’s building her a large house on the fell.

Jay Gilbraith and his childhood friend Wesley Hallam own the local coal mine together, after a terrible accident, Jay struggles to cope and Eve gets really annoyed with him and makes a silly decision.

I received a copy of The Foundling School for Girls by Elizabeth Gill from NetGalley and Quercus Books in exchange for an honest review. The story highlights the importance of friendship, and helping those in need, Jay and Wesley grew up on the streets of Newcastle, from his own personal experiences he wanted to protect innocent children, he uses the money he made from his successful business to do this, and I really admired his character in the narrative. Three and a half stars from me and I’m keen to read the next book in the series, The Runaway Children.

This is my first book by this author and it most certainly won’t be my last, This was an excellent read which I enjoyed so much. A book full of great characters and a wonderful story. Fantastic,

The story was so easy to get into! Loved this book, so christmassy and festive! Elizabeth gill books never disappoint!

I'm going to be in the minority on this book. I read until 40% and gave up. I didn't care about the characters. I thought the writing was a little mixed up, like the author couldn't get it all to mesh together.

This book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
A great read.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley..

This was my first book by this author. But it certainly won't be the last.
I adored this book. I love historical fiction books that pertain to orphans/orphanages.
This book held my interest from page one.

I enjoyed this book it tells the stories of Ruth, Maddy and Jay. They all struggle with their own problems, but they come together and start to build a new town for people to live and work together. They have their ups and downs along the way, but their belief in what they are doing helps to keep them going.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, it was very enjoyable. I found the plot line engaging and the characters believable. I have not read anything by this author before but will do in the future! I will be recommending this book to friends and family.

Elizabeth Gill is a new author to me but definitely one I'll look out for. Great characters, a lovely writing style and a rollercoaster of emotions, very heartwarming.

Another great book by Elizabeth Gill, as soon as I saw this book I had to start reading it straight away. Full of atmospheric northern fells and towns, we meet the main character of Ruth, her mother deserted the family home one Christmas and her father liked his drink too much. One night in his drunken state, he did an unthinkable thing to his daughter and she is soon left to deal with life on her own. She runs away from home and stumbles across a town deep in the fells. Here she makes a new life for herself with the nuns, who run a Foundling School and they appreciate her help with the younger children. The man who found and rescued her is a respected man in the community, Jay Galbraith, owning pits and iron works and providing employment for those in the town. After a major accident, many people are left bereft and lost loved ones and neighbours, none more so than Jay Galbraith, whom Ruth is more and more devoted to. Jay was due to marry, but his fiance Eve, who was not very pleased with the way she has been treated, has to make a decision. I personally didn't like the character of Eve, but I think that you have to have a character that you can't stand and others that you really warm to in a book. As the story progresses, the characters provide a story that draws you in and you can't put down. This is a truly lovely book that will appeal to fans of "Call the Midwife " and Catherine Cookson books, set in the northern fells of the UK.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. Great characters and a great plot line. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

I have read quite a few of Liz Gill's books and they were all so brilliant. This is no exception.

From the beginning my heart was torn in two by Ruth and her sad plight.. I thought how could such a thing happen but of course in those days and out in the bleak wilds, it is possible. The poor girl, so beset by guilt but she had to defend herself. Then her knight in shining armour, Jay came .into her life who himself had had a sad, tough childhood. His saviour had been Hallam.

Sister Maddie was such a lovely kind person. I longed for her and Jay to reunite as a couple but what they had at the end was a special bond..

I was devastated when the book finished, I wanted it to go on and on . I shed tears for Ruth and Jay but realised at the end that what would , would be. I wish there could be a sequel with Ruth, Nate, Jay and Maddie. I would love 💘 it

Thank you netgalley for this Arc. It is greatly appreciated.

Such a lovely book although full of heartbreak it has warmth with gentle characters.

The story surrounds poor Ruth abandoned at home with her drunken father after her mother leaves her to his mercy. He attacks her and she can stand no more and flees from his clutches. She is rescued by Jay Galbraith who takes her to sister Madeleine at a convent run by a group of nuns in a foundling school.
This book has you enjoying page after page making it all the more addictive.
I haven't read any other books by this author but i am certainly going to seek her out.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book x

Great book will be reading other books by this author.
Will also recommend this book to others.
Great read! 5*****

It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
I loved this engrossing and entertaining book, it's full of emotions and heartwarming.
The cast of characters is well developed, the setting is interesting and the plot kept me hooked till the last page.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Excellent story,could not put this book down,a real page Turner well written and thought out loved all the character's. Jay,Mandy,Ruth all added to the story can't wait for a sequel of this book.
A must on all readers list.