This book is set in 1910 England and focuses on twins.
Book is well written and the characters are well developed
Such a page turning saga

As a big fan of historical sagas, I couldn't wait to begin THE ORPHAN TWINS. However I had a few setbacks in "real life" so I felt I wasn't able to enjoy it in its entirety as I could have. But that is to say I didn't enjoy it because I did. Life just has a way of getting in the way and affecting the pleasure I often take in a good story...and that's in no way a reflection on the author. I think it's for that reason I found the story took me a while to get into, though I found some aspects depressing (again because of my mood, not the writing) but it picked up pace for me and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.

The year is 1910 and ten year old twins Lily and Artie live in a damp terrace house with their gran in Bermondsey in London. To make ends meet, their gran Maggie Tomkins takes in washing from various neighbours who are unable to do so. But when Lily begins to notice her gran ailing and in possible need of a doctor, she takes to running errands whilst out delivering the cleaning washing freshly ironed and saving up her halfpennies for when they need to call one out as well as skipping half days at school as her gran grows weaker. Soon the neighbours begin to notice Maggie's ailing health and offer to take in some of the washing to help out, banding together to help and to keep Lily and Artie from ending up in the workhouse.

One day whilst reciting answers to mathematical problems that Lily sets him, Artie draws the attention of Crispin Alderton, a retired schoolmaster. Believing in the value of a good education, particularly for a boy who will one day have a family to support, Mr Alderton offers to become a benefactor to young Artie taking him in, feeding him, clothing him and providing him with an excellent education. However, Artie doesn't want to leave Lily or his ailing gran but Lily is determined that Artie should receive this opportunity which will open up a variety of doors for him in the future. So it is with a heavy heart that Artie leaves their humble home and his beloved family.

It isn't long before their gran breathes her last and Lily is thrust into the workhouse. She is there just a few days when she is sent to Booth's Cottage School in Kent run by the Hendersons whom the girls must call Mother and Father. The education she will receive there will be basic with lessons mostly in domesticity in which to train them all for a life of service. Lily finds the schooling minimal and does not challenge her mind at all, all of which is redundant because women are only meant to become wives and mothers and to live a life of domesticity - be it in the home or in service. Almost at once, Lily finds herself at odds with the girl who sees herself as top dog simply for knowing the answers to the questions the teacher asks her. Rose thus makes Lily's life a misery, seeing that she is ostracised and her books and letters are stolen. And then she meets Elsie and Phyllis, and the three girls become friends making Lily's life somewhat bearable at Booth's.

Whilst at the school, Artie comes to visit on occasion and the twins continue to exchange letters. Despite his excellent education and the "posh talk" with proper enunciation, Artie never loses sight of where he comes from or the bond he shares with his sister. By the time they reach 14, Artie is boarding at a public school in Norfolk and Lily is sent into service at Beeches Mansions where she works under cook Mrs Hilda Tibbs for the Derwent family. Elsie and Phyllis have also gone into service though they dislike their employers and can't wait to seek other positions as soon as they turn sixteen. Lily enjoys her work with Mrs Tibbs and the pair develop an unlikely friendship. Then just weeks after Lily's sixteenth birthday, they receive news that the family is moving to Edinburgh and that the house is to be sold. They are to remain an extra week after the Derwent's move to prepare the house for the new family. Enraged that this has obviously been planned for some time without a thought or care for the staff, Lily confronts Mrs Derwent and ensures they will leave with glowing references.

Lily moves to London and gains a domestic position there where the family's two teenage girls bicker constantly over which one is prettiest and which one draws the most attention from suitors. She doesn't see herself remaining for long and when she comes across a Help Wanted sign in a bakery, she approaches the owner about the job. Lily is nothing if not confidant and thinks nothing of suggesting she take the rooms above the bakery as part of her employment. The owner isn't keen so she bids him good day and returns to the squabbling sisters. She happens upon the bakery a week or so later and hears her name being called. She turns to discover it is Mr Baz, the owner of the bakery. He pleads with her to come and work for him, even agreeing to her taking the rooms above the shop in which she may live.

And it is her employment at the bakery that becomes the turning point in Lily's life. Whilst Artie's education is set to open up doors for him, so too is her new position at the bakery.

THE ORPHAN TWINS is a delightful tale told solely from Lily's third person narrative. Through her we see life from Bermondsey to one in service and ultimately to a whole new opportunity through Baz's Bakery. We see her grow from the astute ten year old into a young woman of seventeen as Britain faces dark days through the Great War. No matter what obstacles life throws at her she faces them head-on and turns them into opportunities. Nor does she begrudge her brother a proper education through the kindness of Mr Alderton.

We watch Lily and Artie grow from children into young adults as they step out and face the world together. Despite their different paths, neither lost the hope that one day they would be reunited. There is a bit of love and romance, good times and laughter and above all, friendship. From her continuing friendship with Elsie and Phyllis beyond the walls of Booth's and in the real world to the one in which she shares with Hilda Tibbs, who retires to the south coast with her sister, buying and running a guest house in Hastings - both are as endearing as the other.

THE ORPHAN TWINS is a heartbreaking as well as heartwarming read that is well written. As an emotionally charged tale, you will need tissues on hand for this one but you will come away feeling as you have lived alongside them.

I was instantly reminded of Rosie Clarke's "Nellie's Heartbreak" when reading this as the journey that Lily takes is not unlike the one Nellie follows either...right down to the friendship shared with the cook she also worked under who also retired to the south coast with her sister. While each tale was similar, their journeys were also different and with vastly contrasting outcomes.

THE ORPHAN TWINS is the perfect read for fans of Lindsey Hutchinson, Shirley Dickson and Rosie Clarke. If like historical sagas and tales of orphans surviving the odds, then you will love this book.

I would like to thank #LesleyEames, #Netgalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #TheOrphanTwins in exchange for an honest review.

This is a historical fiction. This book starts out in 1910 in England. Twins Lily and Artie faces so many things in this book. This book shows the love between twins and the hard times of the early 1900's in England. It also looks at the difference between girls and boys during that time period. The book is told for the point of view of the girl twin, Lily. I think the book is very well written and the characters was well developed. Well reading this book I found myself feeling like I was there with the characters. I loved this book a lot. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Aria) or author (Lesley Eames) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I would like to thank Aria and the Netgalley website for allowing me to read this book.

I was immediately attracted by the cover of this book where we see the twins Lily and Artie.

The story takes place in London in 1910 where Lily, who is ten years old, has to look after her grandmother who is ill, she is a washerwoman in the lower districts of Bermondsey. She is a washerwoman in the slums of Bermondsey. She wants to help her as much as possible and keep her illness a secret. As for Artie, her twin, he also keeps all this a secret, except that their grandmother is not getting better and there is nothing they can do about it.

They will end up in a workhouse or an orphanage. A man offers to take Artie in to educate him. He doesn't want Lily, so the twins will lose everything and go their separate ways.

Will they ever find each other again?

A book read in one sitting, so much so that I was hooked on the story, so gripping, so moving in certain passages, so captivating, so addictive, so full of suspense and twists and turns with very endearing characters. I love the author's writing.

Couldn’t put the book down i would definitely recommend. keeps you drawn in from the beginning, just don't read if you're busy as you wont get much done lol

The human spirit can endure many things, both tragedy and joy. The Orphan Twins by Lesley Eames explores this and so much more. The story is told from Lily's point of view. She is twin to Artie, and when they are just young children, there grandmother and only caregiver passes away. Artie is brought to live with a man who wants to help educate the poor, but he has no room for Lily, since she is a girl. Selflessly, Lily encourages Artie to go, while she goes away to a workhouse and then a private charity school. As they grow, their lives take them in different directions, but they always seem to find each other. Lily works in service, while Artie goes to public school and then university. Then Lily works in a bakery as the first world war starts to take men away. When Artie is old enough to go, she is worried but brave. The story follows them, their friends, their loves, and their hopes. It is told with exquisite detail to the rebounding spirit of the human heart. I quite enjoyed this book and am interested in reading more by Eames, as this was my first! Definitely a good read, well worth the tears and smiles it wrought.
Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review this book.
#OrphanTwins #Bookstagram #all_the_pages

Lesley Eames is back with an emotional and heart-wrenching tear-jerker fans of Cathy Sharp and Mary Wood will certainly not want to miss: The Orphan Twins. Set against the backdrop of World War I, this talented storyteller has written an outstanding saga readers will not be able to put down.

Life in London in the early years of the twentieth century was anything but easy. Money was in short supply, opportunities non-existent and every day was a slog and a struggle to survive. Ten year old Lily finds herself having to grow up early when her washerwoman grandmother becomes seriously ill. With Lily’s life about to be changed forever, the young girl is charged with keeping a powerful secret. One which she daren’t reveal to anyone, not even to her beloved twin brother, Artie.

When the worse happens, Lily and Artie find themselves faced with the prospect of the workhouse being their new home. But at the eleventh hour, a benefactor steps in and offers to take Artie in and educate him…only he has no use for Lily, so the twins find themselves cruelly torn apart by fate. Life will treat both Lily and Artie differently in the intervening years. The twins take different paths and their destinies will force them to make choices and sacrifices which they might come to regret. But will they ever be reunited? Or have they lost one another for good?

Will The Orphan Twins ever find each other again? Or should they just resign themselves to being torn apart forever?

Lesley Eames’ The Orphan Twins should come with a warning: keep a box of tissues handy because this brilliantly written saga is so moving and tender, it could very well sever your heartstrings. A wonderfully told tale of sacrifice, sorrow and hope, The Orphan Twins vividly recreates the London slums in the early 1900s and takes readers on an emotional and satisfying journey that will bring a tear to the eye on many an occasion.

A superb historical saga, Lesley Eames’ The Orphan Twins is a tale that is not easy to forget!

Lily and Artie are ten-year old twins in Bermondsey. It is 1910. After the death of their parents, brother and sister are brought up by their laundress grandmother. Out of the blue, a benefactor gives Artie the chance of a proper education. Then Gran gets ill. ‘The Orphan Twins’ by Lesley Eames is a story of how chances were different from girls and boys in the 1900s.
Lily is at the core of this story both in terms of narrative and emotional heart. When Gran dies, the twins are tugged further apart. Lily encourages Artie to take his chance, seeing him educated in a way she can only dream of, watching as his accent and dress change and he looks more middle-class. Eames gives us a positive story about the changing role of women at the turn of the twentieth century. Deemed not worth educating, pragmatic Lily instead decides to work hard and gain as much experience as she can so at some point in the future she can fulfil her dream. Not yet sure what that dream is, she gains comfort from seeing Artie do well. It’s impossible not to love Lily, through all her wobbles and setbacks, she sets her shoulders straight and moves on. Until war threatens.
Told completely through Lily’s eyes, we see the country – and the opportunities for women – changing. The trio of best friends – Lily, Phyllis and Elsie – are inseparable despite having to make their own way in the world. Each has a talent that shines through. Facing difficulties and challenges, the girls encourage each other. Into their world come people they meet through work. The three girls, Artie, Hilda and Marion Tibbs, and Mr Bax become an extended family, supporting each other through shared love, loss and fear. Throughout the toughest of times, Lily and Artie show how perseverance, self-belief and hard work enable social mobility.
Reading this book was like snuggling into a blanket on a cold day. ‘The Orphan Twins’ is full of emotion. It’s the first book I have read by Lesley Eames, now I want to explore the others.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

The Orphan Twins by Lesley Eames is an engaging historical novel. Lily Tomkins and her twin brother, Artie live with their Gran on Jessey Street in Bermondsey in 1910. Lily is just ten years old when she notices that Gran is unwell. Gran passes within a year leaving the twins with just each other. Artie is fortunate to have found a benefactor in Mr. Crispin Alderton. He agrees to take in Artie and provide him with an excellent education which will allow him to obtain a good position later. Lily is sent to Booth’s Cottage Schools in Sevenoaks where she will train for life as a domestic. The twins will need to work hard to get ahead and fight to keep in touch with each other. I thought The Orphan Twins was well-written and it moved along at a good pace. The characters are developed, and I enjoyed following the twins’ journey. We get to see how differently boys and girls were treated. The Orphan Twins is told from Lily’s point-of-view. Lily Tomkins is smart, and she knows that she wants more out of her life. Artie is given a great opportunity (one Lily would have loved) and Lily encourages Artie to accept it. The education of a boy was considered a higher priority than that of a female. We get to see the differences in the twins’ lifestyle. I thought the author captured the time-period with the clothing, books, attitudes, and historical events. There are great descriptions of London and the scenic places the characters visited. Lesley Eames brought the setting to life with her vivid word imagery. The Orphan Twins is an emotional novel about love, family, trust, friends, and hope. We get to see good times and the bad (make sure to have tissues handy). The ending was just lovely. My favorite phrase from The Orphan Twins is, “It isn’t how much money a person has that matters. It’s what’s in their hearts.” The Orphan Twins is a captivating historical novel with a raging war, fine friends, tons of tea, romantic despairs, ingenious ideas, and steadfast siblings.

Such a great story about 10-year-old twins Lily and Artie living in Bermondsey and being bought up by their Gran Maggie. We watch the struggles and sadness after their gran dies and the happiness of finding new friends.
It really is a lovely story with some gentle characters.
The book draws you in from the start. it is well worth 5 stars, I really recommend this book and thank Aria and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. xx

What an amazing story! A loose historical fiction it's focus is the story of twins, a boy and girl aged 10. It follows their lives from poor upbringings starting in 1910 and follows their lives up to the end of WWI. It's well written, mesmerizing story that you want to never end, I am hoping sequels will be written. The characters are warm and friendly, you fall in love with all of them.. This is a book you get comfy and prepare to meet some new friends. A strong 4*, highly recommended.

Within the first couple of pages I knew this was going to pull me right in and take over life in general!

A historical fiction set in 1900's England, this is one of the most heartwarming, happy hearted books I have read in a very long time. I'm still smiling thinking about it now!

Told from the POV of Lily, this book follows the story of herself and her twin brother Artie, learning just how different life can be in those times just by being born female.

Your heart will feel heavy at times but at others will be fit to burst with warmth as you follow Lilys path into womanhood and watch her mature through grit, determination and pure hardwork all with the support of some truly amazing friends around her.

Beautifully written, portraying 19th century history in such a way that you can so clearly picture the scenes as you are reading.

I literally loved every second of this book and found it all consuming, definitely one to recommend!

The biggest thanks to netgalley and Aria for the ARC.

I enjoyed this heartwarming story about orphan twins that get separated due to their grandmother passing away. Earlier both parents had also passed away. Now they are faced with hard times as they get separated and must overcome many heart wrenching situations.
The setting is in 1910 England and continues to the end of the war. The story is full of love, friendships, family and, most of all, hope.
The Orphan Twins is is a beautifully written historical novel.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and give my honest review about this book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc of this book.

This is a Historical fiction set in the year 1910. in England. This follows twins named Artie and Lily and shows you about the love and bond between them but also shows the hardships of that specific time period, and it also shows the differences between both genders within this time. It is told through the Point of view from the twin Lily, i think this book was really engulfing and interesting and was such a heartwarming one, it was well written and could tell the history of that time period has been done as it was beautifully written and made you think you was there in the 19th century!

5 stars- this really heartwarmed and moved me it made me smile and cry at times as feel sorry for the twins this was such a great book! well done Lesley Eames. Definitely recommend.

I really enjoyed this book! It was relaxing and the story and writing were "smooth" I guess is the word for it. Nothing crazy..just read and enjoy. It's like water, the waves softly moving back and forth. I know this is a weird review, but I am not sure how else to explain how nice it was to just read and not get excited or depressed. Just me, a good book, and a cup of hot chocolate.
#TheOrphanTwins #NetGalley

The Orphan Twins by Lesley Eames is a charming story of 11 year of twins orphaned before World War I in England. Artie and Lily had been raised by their grandmother after the death of their parents and now, she too, was dying. Lily did her best to maintain the household while Artie went to school. They both knew the value of an education. At Gran's death, Artie was "adopted" by a benefactor who had taken on his education months before and Lily went to the workhouse and from there was sent to Booth's Cottage Schools, a kind of orphanage, but better than most. There she met her two life-long pals, Elsie and Phyllis. After spending three years there she was deemed ready for service so off she went and landed in a situation where she was the helper to an older woman, Hilda. After several years both their futures were put into question when their employers sold up with no notice, leaving them both without jobs. Hilda retired with her sister, several years earlier than was the plan and Lily left for London to find and job to begin her future.

This was an utterly charming story of perseverance and loyalty. Lily is a well written character who stand on her own two fee from childhood. She is loving and hardworking which is a combination difficult to beat. As a young adult she is faced with the onslaught of World War I, with her brother and many friends being called into service for their country. She continues to thrive, mostly through her own industry and comes out the other end in tact. Many adventures intercede in her life in a plot so much like real life it makes the read cringe sometimes. This is a wonderful book and I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Orphan Twins by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #theorphantwins

They only had each other . . . until they were torn apart.

I also did the blog tour for this novel.

Bermondsey, London, 1910. Lily is just ten years old when she realises her grandmother is seriously ill. She's determined to do what can she can to help, even if that means she has to not let on about how ill their Gran is— she knows her twin Artie will be devastated if he knew the truth.

Further tragedy rips their life apart and a workhouse or an orphanage may be the only place for the twins. Artie is taken in and educated. But what will Lily's fate be?


Of the two twins, Lily was more mature but they were both likeable. There's a lot of suffering and hardship in this book but I was so glad Lily had her friends Elsie and Phyllis and loved how their friendship was showed.

Mr Bax was a good man as was Mr Alderton.

Hard times, tough choices family and sibling love collide in this heart-wrenching historical saga.

Another excellent, grippingly written novel by Lesley Eames.

Thanks to Lesley Eames and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars

This was a lovely read with some very authentic background detail. Looking forward to seeing more from this author!

I would like to thank Aria for asking me to review this book and to be apart of the blog tour.
I loved the two main characters of this story. Twins Lily and Artie separated when their Grandmother passed away continued to be separated with visits view and far between, as a reader I loved the pull it gave me of wanting this two to unite for good.
The historical descriptions of 1900s was brilliant, Lesley really knows how to research a story and recreate it in words. Brilliant characters that bring their settings to live.
A brilliant historical read full of emotions. I loved it.

A Sharing of Hearts

An adorable story of two orphan twins Lilly and Artie orphaned at the age of twelve when their grandmother who was raising them passed away. Although separated and sent different ways they never forgot their love for each other and visited whenever possible.

As they grew into adulthood, Artie in school and Lilly finding her way into employment they never lost touch with each other. As they grew and were separated again by war and reunited they found a way to stay close to each other.

I loved the story and the characters. The story of the tea room, the chocolate store, and all the different friends. Lilly met Elsie and Phyllis in the orphanage and they became close friends staying in touch and sharing their lives with each other. They were all there for each other through their life challenges as they grew to adulthood and began new lives.

I loved the history and the descriptions of the scenic places they visited. I felt like I was on tour and visiting. The descriptions were wonderful and the characters were realistic.

The book is about love, trust, relationships, heartache and triumph. It is about new beginnings and new friends. The ending was perfect. I enjoyed the book immensely and would recommend it.

Thanks to Lesley Eames, Aria Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.