Many thanks to both NetGalley and to Canelo for letting me see an advance reader's copy of The Ragged Valley.

Set against the great Sheffield flood of 1864, this novel is the first in a new Sheffield saga series.

Not looking forward to a life of farming, Silas travels to the town hoping to find an apprenticeship at the steelworks. Thankful to her aunt and uncle for taking her and her brother in when their parents died, Harriet resigns herself to living a life of servitude. In anticipation of a life of glory, engineer John Gunson has just completed his flagship dam.

And then the dam bursts.

This novel follows the survivors of the disaster as they first of all try to cope with the devastation of the dam bursting, and then as they try to rebuild their lives.

I liked pretty much everything about this novel, but in particular I enjoyed the scenery and trying to place where everything was in the greater Sheffield area that I know. There were a couple of characters I didn't like at all, but I wasn't supposed to like them. Great characterisation. What would I do differently? I think I would have included a hand-drawn map to help the reader get their bearings.

In all, a lovely book, a lovely story, and I'm interested to see what happens in Book 2.

Five stars.

An outstanding debut that had me gripped from the first page.

Joanne's depth of knowledge about the unfolding events of the Sheffield flood and its impact upon the surrounding area is astounding. The characters are vividly drawn, their dialects and personal histories are so authentic. We are rooting for the blossoming romance between star-crossed lovers Silas and Harriet from the start, whilst following all the other affected lives as tragedy unfolds in their community.

On the fateful night that the dam bursts its banks, the tension is high and the pace never slows from there on in, even though it feels at the time that surely the most dramatic event has happened within the first few pages. A
wonderfully epic saga that I simply loved. Can't wait to read Joanne's next book, she is a truly gifted storyteller.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

A dam bursts and many lives are lost, changing many lives. Silas arrives as the dam bursts and meets a woman who saves his life and changes the direction of his life. She is older and there are plans made for her to marry
a wealthy man who will look after her family. Read this and find out how life plays out for both of these characters. An enjoyable read.

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

I absolutely loved this debut book from Joanne Clague, I found myself unable to put it down. The way it was written, how you felt the characters were real.

It’s the story of the flood which happened in 1864, how a man who came to live in the area, a woman who lives there and the person who builds the dam.

Joanna has written the story with very good knowledge of the area, understanding, attention to detail. How she integrates what happened during the flood with heartbreak and strength of the characters whilst they try to restart their lives afterwards.

I highly recommend this book.

What a fabulous debut!
This book is based on an event from history that I hadn't heard about and it's wonderful that the author has fictionalised this important incident.
I was drawn into this book quickly and although the writing is great, the descriptions beautiful, it also has a pace that keeps you turning the pages.
The night the reservoir bursts its banks, and the subsequent flood that is unleashed on the town below, is so well done, I was fully involved. It's such a visceral piece of writing.
Following Silas and Harriet through this story was so enjoyable and I was rooting for them and their blossoming romance.

A story with pace, well drawn characters and writing that has you firmly rooted in that fateful night in Sheffield.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Canelo for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Review posted Via. Goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4740610871
Interesting read.
Silas is the son of a farmer, trying to put his dark past behind him. He and his dog have moved to a new town in search of a fortune. In comes Harriet. She spends her days caring for her uncle. Our story picks up when a new dam is built. The Dale Dyke Dam. Suddenly overnight everything changes. Literally. A storm hits in the night and the new prized dam bursts leaving chaos in its wake. Now Silas and Harriet, are left to help the town pick up the pieces.

For me this book was interesting. I liked how the Dam brought Silas and Harriet together. Both of them had their own problems but come together to work together. I will admit my favorite character was Silas' dog. I would possibly recommend this book to friends and family.

Silas leaves home to find a better life and arrives in the village just as a large dam breaks. A great story of how people overcome great tragedy. Based on a true event with fictional characters.

An absolutely stunning debut from Joanne Clague. It had me hooked from the first page. The writing is gorgeous and the characters instantly come alive - I loved Silas and his faithful dog, Shandy, from the very first page.

The Ragged Valley tells the story of the Great Sheffield Flood in 1864, and follows the stories of a young man recently moved to the area, a young woman who lives in the town, and the engineer responsible for the dam's construction. Clague tells each story with such compassion and attention to detail, with a deep knowledge and love of the region and its history. She combines the dramatic events and heartbreak of the flood itself with the resilience and strength of her characters as they try to rebuild their lives after.

It's a wonderful romance with a lot of heart. A beautifully written book that I highly recommend for lovers of saga, romance or historical novels.

It begins with Silas who works on the family farm with his brother who thinks he can treat Silas as he sees fit as he will inherit the farm one day.
Silas decides that he should try for a different career and sets off early one morning , eventually getting a lift in a cart. At the end of his journey he gets his first sight of the dam and thinks it a great feat of engineering. Coincidentally so does John Gunson who was the chief engineer for it.

Harriet lives with her aunt and uncle where she is expected to care for her cousins as her aunt took to her bed after the birth of the youngest. This has led to her leading a sheltered life.

If only they all knew what was to befall them. Based on true facts.

This is a total five stars for me. I'd never heard of the Sheffield flood before, but this novel brings it all to life. The research is really impressive, but it still reads like a novel rather than a historical text book. I completely fell in love with Silas too! End of the book had me in tears. This is historical fiction at its best. Would definitely read more by this author.

I adored this book. Having lived in Sheffield for a long time, I loved seeing it brought to life through the beautiful descriptions found within the Ragged Valley. And prepare to have your heart broken. These characters are so real that when the unthinkable happens - the flood tears through their lives - it's truly gut-wrenching. The Ragged Valley is the start of something epic.