Ellen Kelly lives in the Scottish town of Clydebank, with her father Allan, mother Gert, granny Sal and sister Bridget and she’s the third generation of proud women in her family to work at the Singer Factory. Over twelve thousand people are employed here and it's the most modern factory in Europe, it takes forty one pairs of hands to make one machine from the start to finish.

Bridget works in the office, she’s a typist and so does her fiancée Malcom, Ellen, Gert and Sal are busy making Bridget’s wedding dress and she's given a traditional Wentworth send-off, she’s pushed around the factory floor in a cart and in a mock wedding dress and one of Ellen’s creations.

Sadie Franklin starts working at the Singer Factory, she nervous on her first day and Ellen shows her the cabinet polishing room. Sadie’s father recently passed away, she’s the breadwinner in her family, supporting her mum and three younger siblings and they live in Gorbals, Glasgow.

After Bridget’s wedding, a new manager starts running the factory, Mr. Beresford, he wants to make changes and use the new philosophy of scientific management, he lays of some employees and others are expected to work longer hours and for less money. Ellen is mad, after a few days she’s exhausted, Ellen thinks about going on strike and Sadie agrees. The strike escalates, others from the factory walk off the job and the members of the Industrial Workers of Scotland become involved.

Bridget is caught in the middle she has to choose between her new husband who doesn’t believe in the strike or her sister and she becomes very disillusioned with her marriage and job. She meets a suffragette, Ida McKinley they hold secret meetings, a subcommittee of the Women’s Social and Political Union and some of the members get up to mischief and all for a good cause.

I received a digital copy of The Sewing Factory Girls by Posy Lovell from Orion Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. An empowering and well written story about the women who fought to improve the working conditions at the Singer factory in 1911 at Clydebank, Scotland.

Women held everything together in the household, earn money to help support their families and at the time they’re not given a lot of credit for what they do and I found this a double standard. An inspiring narrative about courage, the fight for change and to be paid a fair wage.

The ladies form an unbreakable friendship, they support everyone in need and it's a true sisterhood. Five stars from me, perfect for historical fiction readers who like true stories about inspirational women and set during the industrial boom in Scotland.

A brilliant read and one I really enjoyed. The characters are loveable. The plot is one that is engaging and I found myself completely drawn into the story and enjoyed the writing style.

I've just finished this book and thought it was fantastic. I loved the main female characters and found their sense of community lovely. It teaches us what can be achieved if we all stick together (especially on the important matters). I hope there's another book soon :)

A story, about life in the time of the suffragettes trying to win the right to vote and the strength they went to to get it.

When a new manager comes in to run the Wentworth sewing factory and brings in a new regime of longer hours with less pay, everybody panics as they are already paying hand-to-mouth. A strike is formed with everybody almost everybody joining. It has a great description of the women who are fighting and community to help those with families that are struggling.

This is a great book the characters are imaginative and the story has credence to that time. It was easy to read and flowed from one page to another.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review this gentle story. x

4.5 stars. I enjoyed reading this book! It was very interesting and full of surprises. I loved the whole idea of women being empowering in the workplace and at home!

The characters are relatable and genuine! I like Ellen's spunk! She's a woman with a plan! Sadie is someone I'd want to emulate. She's strong, a provider, and very capable!

I liked the love stories that took place in the book. One was surprising...
There are some unwanted sexual advances in the workplace. I liked the sense of community and how the characters rally together!

I was provided a copy of the book by Orion Fiction through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook.
I have been enjoying these type books lately. What I don't like is the author putting in woke liberal feminist crap. I was really enjoying this book until about 80% into it. And we have a lesbian romance. The suffragettes were horrible law breakers. When you turn to violence then you loose respect. This book even though it takes place during this time it is just unrealistic. Ellen was absolutely so annoying I didn't like her character at all. I think Sadie was the best. My heart went out to her. I think the author expressed her modern feminist gay pride views that just didn't feel correct for that time period. The writing was kind of sloppy in some areas and it felt like more of a rough draft than a finished novel. The cover could have been good and edited better. But I was very disappointed in this one.

A heartwarming story that brings the people who worked in the sewing machine factory to life.

Like half of all the young women living in the Scottish town Clydebank in early 1911, Ellen works at the sewing machine factory. So does her big sister, Bridget, Bridget's fiancé Malcolm, and her new friend Sadie, who has come to work at the factory after the death of her father...

This is a nice book. The characters in the book were interesting to read about. The friendship between Sadie and Ellen was cute, and I was impressed with the communal living in that location. The author raised important themes that are prevalent in modern-day society.Although the book had a catchy title and attractive front page, I felt the plot was dragged too long. The author surprised me with the plot twists and new themes that were not noticeable in the first few chapters. I picked up this book to read because I sew outfits, and I wanted to see how sewing was done in the historical time. I am rating this book 4 stars. I am a lover of historical saga, and since this is a new book from a new author, I appreciate the historical reference in the plot.I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are mine.

Very interesting novel with great topics.
Workers striking for fairness and the suffragette movement.
Families, friends coming together to offer support to their community when the strike goes far longer than they anticipated.
Overall I found the subject matter interesting, likable characters and would read more from this author.
I received a copy of this books from the publisher through Netgalley. Opinions are my own

A gem of a story. Completely relatable and lovely friendly relationships that draw you into the tale.
A really lovely read with believable characters.

So well written so interesting great characters.Historical fiction at its best an author I look forward to reading more from #netgalley#orion

Thank you NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This book was brilliantly paced and written and gripped me from the very first sentence. Two sisters with opposite personalities who need to work together to achieve a common goal, from different sides of the issue, is exactly what I want to be reading.

It helps that there is a sprinkling of LGBTQIA+ within the book, as well as women's rights and talks of Suffrage,

The end note about this story being based on true events made the themes hit home even more, I wish I could read it for the first time again!

Great historical reading book, strong characters, story set in Scotland, I knew nothing of the sewing girls till I read this. Feels like a history book than a story, loved it

A Fictional Story about actual history that took place in and around the early 1900s. A tale about women working in a factory in Scotland that made sewing machines. Unions were just starting and at that time they weren’t even called unions. This was a big factory that employed roughly 12000 men and women. A new boss came to run the factory and everyone thought he would improve working conditions but that wasn’t his intention. Instead he wanted less workers on the assembly lines who he expected to do more work for less pay. That way the company would make a bigger profit. Nothing personal . It was just business.
Management would start this new way of doing business on a trial basis. They would start in the cabinet polishing department where the women worked. After a while the women got tired of working harder for less money and they decided to walk off the job. Soon women in other departments joined them and it wasn’t long before the men went out too. Would the manufacturer negotiate with the workers or would the strikers be fired for walking off their jobs?
I thought this was an interesting book about the history of manufacturing and the laborers who worked in the factories. I enjoyed the plot of the story and how the workers supported each other when the going got tougher and money became scarce. They believed that what they were doing was the right thing. They were pioneers in the union movement and workers rights. I thought it was entertaining, romantic and realistic.
I recommend The Sewing Factory Girls to readers of historical fiction, women’s fiction, and historical romance . Certain readers might be offended by a controversial issue that was lightly added to the story 73 percent into the book.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are entirely my own.
#TheSewingFactoryGirls #NetGalley

Posy Lovell brings the labor and suffrage movements to the Singer Factory in Clydebank, Scotland, in this fascinating and enjoyable novel. The novel follows sisters Ellen and Bridget, Ellen’s friend Sadie, and Bridget’s husband Malcolm, as well as a few other friends and neighbors, as scientific management threatens the jobs of Ellen, Sadie, and Bridget’s coworkers at the Singer Factory. Things continue to escalate, with Ellen and Sadie leading a strike which divides the sisters, and Bridget finds herself having to choose between her sister, her husband, and her new suffragette friends. Lovell’s characters are brilliantly crafted, with strong personalities, close friendships and relationships, and warm hearts, and they bring Clydebank and the Singer factory to life for the readers. Clydebank itself is another character with its own personality, culture, and social dynamics, and Lovell brings it to life through her characters and their interactions with the city. Lovell’s dialogue, prose, and descriptions are well done, and they bring the world of Clydebank and Ellen, Bridget, and Sadie’s stories and struggles to life. Readers will appreciate her interest in the labor and suffrage politics in Scotland in the 1910s and her representation of these issues in The Sewing Factory Girls.

RATING 4.7/5

Posy Lovell's "The Sewing Factory Girls" is an evocative and poignant narrative inspired by the resilient and courageous women who worked at the Singer Factory in Clydebank, Scotland, during the early 20th century. This uplifting and emotionally rich novel delves into themes of friendship, solidarity, and the unwavering determination of women fighting for better working conditions.

Set against the backdrop of early 1911 in Clydebank, Ellen, along with her sister Bridget, Bridget's fiancé Malcolm, and newfound friend Sadie, finds herself employed at the sewing machine factory. For Sadie, it's a means of survival following her father's passing, but for Ellen, sewing runs through her veins, evident in her dedication to crafting Bridget's wedding dress on her cherished sewing machine.

However, the excitement of Bridget's wedding fades quickly when Ellen discovers unsettling changes in their work conditions. The cabinet polishers, including Ellen, face reorganization that would demand more work for reduced pay. Feeling betrayed by the very establishment she considered family, Ellen is determined to resist, whereas Sadie takes a more pragmatic approach. They join forces with other women, fueled by the idea of a strike they've read about, much to the disapproval of manager Malcolm.

Amidst these challenges, Bridget faces her own struggles, torn between loyalty to her husband and supporting her sister, while also engaging in her fight alongside the suffragettes.

The looming strike not only disrupts the women's lives but also binds them closer together in unexpected ways. Lovell expertly portrays the upheaval, turmoil, and triumphs these women experience, highlighting their resilience, unity, and unwavering spirit in the face of adversity.

"The Sewing Factory Girls" is a testament to the strength and resilience of women united in a common cause. Lovell's narrative captures the essence of historical events, portraying the challenges faced by these women and their unwavering determination to stand up for their rights. The novel beautifully intertwines personal struggles, friendships, and the fight for better working conditions, delivering an emotionally gripping and empowering story that resonates long after the final page is turned.

Through vivid storytelling and compelling characters, Posy Lovell crafts an engaging and thought-provoking tale that celebrates the courage and solidarity of women fighting for justice, making "The Sewing Factory Girls" an inspiring read for those drawn to historical fiction steeped in real-life stories of resilience and empowerment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing for an advance digital copy for my honest review.

This author certainly does her homework when it comes to writing books.. This is another great read. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC

I loved it couldn’t put it down, the story development had me hooked from the first chapter. Is excited to read more of your books.
I wish I could reread this and feel everything for the first time again

A compelling and motivating story, with a strong female friendship at the center. When three girls find themselves in challenging circumstances, they pull together to conquer the obstacles that previously seemed insurmountable. This book was enjoyable to me. I kept reading it because I was drawn to Ellen Kelly, a main character, and I was curious to see what she would do next. The story's length wasn't bothersome to me, as I was completely absorbed.

The core of this book is the power of community; a small but dedicated group of individuals working together to make changes in society, potentially marking the beginning of something big. The inclusion of the suffragette protest is also praiseworthy.

If you're in a positive mood and looking for a pleasant read, this is definitely it. 😀

I looked forward to reading this book as I had enjoyed one of the previous books by the author. Based on the 1911 strike in Singer, Glasgow. Follow the sewing factory girls who rebel against the new manager who is changing the Wentworth factory to the detriment of the workers. The girls are expected to do more work and for less pay. The main characters are well written. The book is a pleasure to read.