Pam Howes’ A Child for Sale is an emotional, heart-wrenching and captivating tale of love, sacrifice and courage from a terrific storyteller.

1964 and seventeen-year-old Laura Sims discovers that she is pregnant with her boyfriend Pete’s baby. Pete immediately assures her that he will be there for her and their baby and they will look after their child together. Unfortunately for Laura, her mother is not so understanding and she turns her wrath on her and wrenches her away from her home and the boy she loves. Taken to a home for unmarried mothers, Laura is treated harshly and cruelly and when the time comes for her to bring her child into the world, is devastated when she realises that she will not be allowed to keep her baby.

2015 and despite all the anguish they had gone through, Laura and Pete have been happily married for fifty years. However, they’ve never forgotten their first-born child and they have never given up hope of being reunited with the baby that had been taken away from them. When Laura discovers a battered diary from somebody who worked at the home when she last saw her child, she wonders whether this might lead her to her firstborn. But will Laura and Pete find their child safe and happy? Or will their search for the truth lead to more heartache and despair?

Keep a box of tissues handy when reading the latest novel by Pam Howes because A Child for Sale will sever your heartstrings and have you crying buckets. A compassionately written and sensitively told tale about a mother’s love for her child, the power of resilience and never giving up, A Child for Sale is an involving and immersive read full of nuanced characters that you cannot help but care about and root for.

Written straight from the heart, A Child for Sale is the latest winner from Pam Howes’ immensely gifted pen.

Loved it, was completely gripped by this story, its got depth and some good twists to keep you guessing. A recommended read.

A very heart ripping story. Pam manages to bring the characters to life which makes the book so much more enjoyable.
It is a story set both in 1962 and coming up to date 2015 of young unwed pregnant girls being sent to The Pines a place for girls who have disgraced their family by becoming pregnant. Run by cruel nuns.

The book was set around the characters Laura Sims and her boyfriend Pete. They vow to keep their baby but Laura's mother cruely send her to The Pines .

A story of sadness, harrowing and horror. I enjoyed the way Pam marries the two years together, Seeing how they have grown and following their story.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. xx

I reviewed this book for the February edition of Historical Novels Review, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. Per their policy, I cannot post the review online until it is published on their site on February 1st. I will update the review then.

A great heart wrenching tale of loss and sorrow but also of rising and triumphing. I adored the characters and the plot. The back and forth in time worked well for this story. There were heart breaking moments but also tears of joy. This book strikes a perfect balance between the sad and the uplifting. The pace it moves at is perfect. This is a wonderfully woven story that captures depth in the characters and emotion of all sorts. This one is a must read.

I love Pam’s books and this one is one of those that you don’t want to put down. An emotional read about young girls getting pregnant and being unmarried in the early sixties. I know this home is fictional but unfortunately a lot of this really happened in real life during this times. It’s a very emotional read but with a feel good factor too. The characters are great and very believable I’m sure a lot of people can think of people like some of the characters. I highly recommend this five star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Before someone shoves me back onto the bed with my arms itching to touch my new baby, I reach out and catch a fleeting sight of velvety, dark-brown hair. The person who delivered my child informs me that it is alive before covering my face with something. My final memory before the world goes dark is of my baby's first cry.

1964. When 17-year-old Laura Sims learns she is pregnant, her boyfriend Pete promises to care for and cherish their child with her; nevertheless, Laura's mother turns on them angrily. Laura is sent to a home for single moms after being uprooted from her home and the boy she loves. Laura battles to protect her child while being denied access to the outside world and subjected to abuse.
2015. Laura and Pete have been happily married for fifty years despite the pain of losing their baby. However, they have never given up searching for their kid. And Laura's heart bleeds when she discovers a worn-out old diary from a person who worked at the residence where she last saw her child.

Once again Pam Howes has delivered a. Intricately woven tale entwining two stories one in the 1960s and another in 2015. As the story evolves and the facts brought together and emotions run high. So, don’t forget your tissues as you read this book. As I read this book I felt anger at what was happening in 1965 and great sadness that this happened at all. I found myself asking in my head what in 50 years time people might look back on our attitudes with sadness and anger? Thank you Pam for sharing this story and to Bookouture and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this book.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'A Child For Sale' by Pam Howes.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Pam Howes, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 15th September 2023


This is the second book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The Girls Of Victory House' which is the first book in Pam's 'The Bryant Sisters' series and I would highly recommend it.


This novel consists of 27 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

'A Child For Sale' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Pam discusses cruelty to children, child trafficking, suicide and speaks of the death of children.

Wow!!! Yet another absolutely captivating heart warming and tear jerking stunning page turner ♥ Well done Pam on yet another stunning success!

This book is absolutely beautifully written and it had me absorbed from the first page to the last. The vivid and evocative descriptions really put me in the storyline with Clara and the children and the cover and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.

This book has a unique storyline telling the stories of several young girls who were forced to move into 'The Pines', a home for unmarried mother's against their wills. I have never read a book with this storyline before and it was one that had me in rivers of tears on several occasions which is not an easy feat at all!!!! The most heartbreaking thing about this book is that sadly it is extremely realistic and after a quick Google search I can see that what happened to Laura, Anna and several other mothers in this book actually happened to mothers in homes such as Rosemundy House For Unmarried Mothers and Clevedon House, amongst others. There has also been news reports recently on mother's reuniting with their grown children after years or finding out that their real mothers passed away unknowingly to children. I have no idea whether Pam has researched these cases or even had experience of any of it happening to her but I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if either was the case as her extremely emotive writing skills really does ensure the reader feels what these mothers are going through. This book is a heart breaking dual timeline novel where we see Laura and her husband Pete as adults watching the news after a story has come to light about bones being buried in the gardens of the home where they were sent. We then move back in time to when Laura and Pete are teenagers in love and Laura has fallen pregnant. Her father has passed away and her disgraceful mother packs her off to the home rather than Laura "bringing shame" on her and the neighbours (another realistic attitude for this era). Pam weaves the storylines together perfectly and I was absolutely hooked throughout needing to know what happened next I'm each timeline. The storyline is filled with heartbreak, love, friendship, family, shocks, tension, twists,sadness, hope and much more. My mind and heart was completely captivated throughout and I couldn't stop turning the pages from start to end. I was completely shocked, sickened and saddened by certain events. OMG between everything that happens and the emotions flying around I was in absolute tears on so many occasions so make sure you have your tissues at the ready and clear your schedules as you will NOT be able to put this book down!!! I can't say any more than that as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. I cannot wait to get stuck into more books by Pam who has done such an amazing and beautiful job creating and bringing Laura, Pete, Anna, Mike and the rest of the amazing characters to life and I would love to see this book turned into a film!! This story will stay with me for life and THAT is how you know you have done an amazing job!!!


CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES AND GRAB THE TISSUES AS YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN AND YOU WILL BE HOOKED ON THIS EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER RIDE!!!

I was completely invested in each and every one of the characters although I absolutely despised many of the parents along with all the nuns except poor Olive. My heart broke for each of the mums who were forced into the hell that is The Pines!!! How these adults could treat these young mothers like they did, especially some of the parents made me absolutely sick to my stomach and I was so pleased that there was a handful of Angels scattered through this book. I have never needed a happy ending for characters as much as I needed it for these!!! The friendships and relationships that developed through the storm of the home were beautiful and it goes to show that where there is rain there are rainbows!!! I really can't say anything else without giving too much away so all I can say is grab your copy of this amazing page turner today and you won't regret it!!!


Congratulations Pam on yet another absolutely gorgeous book ♥ This is exactly why you are one of my favourite authors. I can't wait to read your next success 🥂

Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first two chapters of Pam's 'The Girls Of Victory Street', which I'd the first book in the 'Bryant Sisters' and a book I have also read and would highly recommend!!


Overall an absolutely heart-warming, heart-breaking, soul lifting, emotional roller coaster ride of emotions and unputdownable book that will captivate your heart, body and mind.


271 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £6.99 in paperback at time of review via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I am so happy to be on the book tour for A Child for Sale by Pam Howes. Thanks to Bookouture and the author for a complimentary eARC.

The book is set up with dual timelines: 1964 and 2015. In the modern timeline, Laura and Pete saw something on the news that piqued their interest: a metal box is found with bones in it at The Pines, a place they knew as a home for unwed mothers 50 years prior. As it turns out, Laura was at the home unwillingly when she was 17, pregnant with Pete’s child but wanting to get married. Instead, her widowed mother shipped her off to this home run by the Catholic church because of the “shame” Laura brought upon the family.

Flashback to 1964 when Laura finds out she’s pregnant. She’s ready to run off with Pete and get married when she’s waylaid by her uncle and aunt, who take her to the home for unwed mothers. There she meets several girls who are also in the same position, shipped off to The Pines without their consent, forced to give up their babies and then packed off and shipped back home.

The young ladies are forced to do all sorts of manual labor and treated like slaves. The nuns are cold, don’t like the girls to get too close to each other, inspect their belongings regularly, and in general, treat the girls as prisoners.

Back in 2015, more digging is done at the sight of The Pines, and many boxes with bones are found. Through contact with the authorities, Laura and Pete hope to find out what happened to their baby Laura was forced to give up at birth. It’s clear the nuns were operating some sort of adoption racket, selling babies to couples they deemed worthy. How long this went on, and what authorities find out about the boxes of bones, is just part of the story.

What makes this book so compelling is knowing that there really were homes like this in many places, that Laura and her friends’ experiences really happened to some unwed mothers and their children. Laura’s story could be any woman’s story of a certain age, shamed for having a baby out of wedlock.

This was a five-star read for me. Part women’s fiction, part historical mystery, A Child For Sale tells a story that needs to see the light. Highly recommend.

Another great book from Pam Howes. Set in two timelines 1965 and 2015. Telling the story of a
couple’s determination to trace their baby who was taken away for adoption at birth from a
mother and baby home.

Such a powerful and heartfelt story. It brought me to tears so make sure you have tissues before reading. It's told from past to present and as the story progresses I could feel my heart shattering. Laura and Pete have there baby cruelly taken away from them and years later they are still together and trying to find what happened to their precious baby. The plot is a strong and powerful one that is written with strength and dignity. I didn't want it to end.

Heartbreaking, gripping and emotional story .

The story had dual timelines, back in 1964 and 2015. In 1964, teenager Laura Sims was pregnant. Her boyfriend Pete Maxwell loved her so much and decided to marry her. But, they needed to inform the parents first.

Laura didn’t have a chance to tell Pete before being sent to a home with all other unmarried mothers by her own mother. The nuns were not friendly to them. Just like a prison. The ladies could not see their newborns once they labored.

In 2015, Laura and Pete were married for 50 years, now with two daughters. They never gave up on finding their son. The Maxwells were told that the babies in The Pines were sold to those family who was desperate for children…

It was a heartbreaking story but at the same time it was a relief to have this story in a dual timeline. Because it’s happy to know that Laura and Pete were married for 50 years at the beginning. Otherwise I reckoned it’s hard for me to enjoy the story plot.

The author also involved other unmarried mothers in the story in both 1964 and 2015, which made the story fuller, showing us their supportive friendship. Under those hard traumatic times, found something to lean on.

A Child for Sale is a must-read that you can’t miss out!

A Child for Sale is the latest novel by Pam Howes and what a heart wrenching story it is! Told over two timelines, we learn about Laura meeting Anna in 1964, in a home for unmarried mothers. Both girls become firm friends and find each other after they leave the home. In present day, Pete, Laura’s husband, urges her to come watch an item on the news; it brings their past right into their present. The story is heartbreaking at times, but heartwarming too. I was completely engrossed!

This was one of the most interesting and harrowing books that I have read. To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. I am always fascinated by these types of historical fiction books – ones about adoptions, homes for pregnant teens, mental institutions etc.. This book made me want to learn more about The Pines.

The historical part of this book was awful. The Pines were run by Nuns! They treated these unmarried mothers horrifically. And they were Catholic Nuns! I can’t get over it. To read about how the babies were ripped away, the mothers were treated as slaves for the nuns – it was all just so disgusting. How could anyone harm anyone? How can a nun harm a pregnant woman? It truly does baffle me!

Then there’s the fictional part of this book. And that was equally harrowing (though the ending let me with a good feeling in my heart). I have two children, and having them ripped away from me after birth is a horrific thought. Being put into a place like The Pines is … well, for lack of a better word, horrific. I know times were different, but if her parents didn’t want to help her and were embarrassed of her, they should have just let her be with Pete. I loved the little scheming with the other girls to get letters out of and into The Pines.

I loved how courageous Olive was – while she was shy and timid, Laura and her friends were nice to Olive. But she tried to help the girls any way that she could. And then after when the police were learning about the events that occurred at The Pines, Olive was once again courageous.

Howes beautifully wove these two timelines and events beautifully together to make one amazing book.

A Child for Sale is an emotional and completely gripping read by Pam Howes. Pam is one of those authors who I don’t even need to read the book description as without a shadow of a doubt I’m in for an unputdownable read. And this was certainly the case with this book. Told in dual timeline 1964 and 2015 we meet Laura who at the age of 17 discovers she is pregnant and her boyfriend Pete is determined he will stand by her. However not everyone is happy and Laura is forced to spend her pregnancy in a home for unmarried mothers . In this home the young expectant mothers are treated appallingly but Laura is determined to stay strong for herself and her unborn child. Whilst confined to the home Laura meets Anna and the two girls form an u breakable bond. Each chapter alternates between 1964 and 2015 and in the 2015 chapters we find out a lot more about that actually happened in the home called the Pines during Laura’s time there. Will Laura and Anna find their happy ending or will one of them be left disappointed ?
To say that I started this book early one morning and didn’t put it down until I had reached the very last sentence is not one word of a lie. I was completely absorbed in Laura’s story and was desperate to find out what the outcome would be. Pam Howes has written such an emotionally charged read that you actually feel you’re right there in the story as you race through the chapters. I recommend this book 110%.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy.

A very powerful novel about how women were treated in mother & baby homes...absolutely gut-wrenching.
This genre of historical fiction is particularly difficult to read if you are a parent. However, it is definitely worth highlighting and remembering how these mothers and families were torn apart, and how many were never reunited.

I empathized with Laura and Pete immediately in their predicament, and I found their characters well-written. They made some harsh judgements and comments, but they were young and in very stressful situations. I imagine that it would be incredibly difficult, no matter how much you love someone, to build a life together after that sort of trauma.

Overall, a very gripping and well written novel!

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

This is a dual timeline story, set in 1962 and 2015.

It’s an emotional read about the place that was set up by Nuns for unwed mothers, and what happened to the mothers and babies in these places.

I highly recommend this book.

Another great book by Pam Howes. This is such a heartwarming and engaging story full of twists and turns heartbreak and happiness. Thank you Net Galley for granting this book really enjoyed and would recommend

A Child For Sale by Pam Howes is a powerful, heart wrenching dual timeline novel that has its roots in fact. This novel will tug on your heart strings. It will make you angry at what happened and was deemed acceptable in the past. And it will make you feel grateful that we treat others with more tolerance today.
The action is set in1964 and 2015 in Cheshire and Manchester as we follow two couples who are celebrating forty nine years of marriage in 2015. One pair are childhood sweethearts, the other couple were thrown together by adversity.
In 1964 we follow the fortunes of the young girls who were unmarried mothers and found themselves admitted (by their heartless and judgmental families) to a home for unmarried mothers, run by Catholic nuns. We witness the daily cruelty and the harsh conditions as babies were whisked away to be adopted or sold. It was an abomination and one in which the girls (even if they had loving partners) were completely powerless.
For fifty years, hearts have remained broken, always searching, never healing. A gruesome discovery in 2015 (when renovations begin on an old house) re-open old wounds and a desire to find lost babies. Significant advances in DNA testing and social media re-ignite hope in long broken hearts.
This is a very distressing read. It is awful to see the stigma attached to unmarried mothers in the 1960’s. Even their own families were more concerned with appearances than the welfare of their own children. The cruelty inflicted on the young girls by the nuns is dreadful. The reader’s heart breaks.
All the characters were well drawn and realistic. The leading ladies were easy to empathise with.
The modern reader is so thankful that attitudes have changed and no one suffers from the stigmas of the past.
This is a powerful read that tugs at all the emotions. Thank you Pam Howes for highlighting this dreadful time in our social history.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.