This novel was a highly enjoyable story weaved with strong female characters trying to empower/champion women and each other to determine their own futures by making choices and being a voice for issues that effect them and attempt to influence social change at a time when women where a lot were treated appallingly by men and seen as only being good for being wives and mothers.

We meet central character Hannah Todd, who has returned home to a small rural town in England in the 1890s. She is a school teacher whose parents have recently bought a pub. Hannah has big aspirations to help pave the way to bettering the lives of the local women for which, life is particularly tough during this time period in history. Hannah is therefore determined not to marry and have children because women do not have a family and a career, and as a teacher, Hannah would be required to leave her job which she adores, if she was ever to marry. Women of this time can’t even own property in their name when they are married.

Hannah and a few of her close friends begin a local suffrage society, and they want to petition to parliament for laws for women to get the vote. But it is a tough road as what they propose often gets knocked down at every turn as ‘male’ dominated attitudes of the time, don’t want women to have any say because they think no good can come of it. They prefer women to keep quiet and be submissive and not l stand up or question them. In essence they only feel threatened by any advancement of women.

Hannah’s drive to suceed becomes stronger due to the hardships of women that she witnesses, as was common for husbands to beat their wives. She also helps establish a breakfast club for kids who have no food to bring to school. Other issues are raised including the need for further education for women, and staying in school longerer and also having access to study at university, as well as compulsory vaccination for children and better healthcare for women.

Of course Hannah’s life goes slightly off course when she meets and falls in love with Roger, and she ends up pregnant and has to take over the running and managing of the pub. This was not what she wanted for herself, but ultimately in the end she realises she can still help women through her suffrage work and as the local publican offering refuge and a place for women.

Ultimately, life for women seems to have come a long way in over 120 years. We now have the vote, have fought for women’s equality and equal pay with men and so forth but it also begs the question, while our lives have essentially improved, are we still living in a ‘male’ dominated world with some of these old attitudes toward women as second or less worthy where violence toward women still exist? The answer is absolutely. Whilst there has been progress, we still have a way to go toward improving the lives of ‘all’ women.

Thank you to Net galley and publisher Harper Collin’s Australia for an early digital copy to read and review.

I have to say I am a big fan of Tania Blanchford and this book didn't disappoint. I loved it! This is a story of women, strong women making changes that would make the world a fairer and better places. This is the story of their lives, the hard work they did, the hardships they faced yet they never gave up.

Set in Northern England in 1890 we start with Hannah Todd, a woman who doesn't want to marry, who wants to be independent, who wants to make a difference and most important of all wants to work towards the day women are allowed to vote. But of course not all goes according to plan.

I love the story, the way these strong and courageous women come together, how they support each other and how the people around them love and support them as well. This is a very emotional read, the strength of community, family and friendship yet the heartache of a society that doesn't want change and thinks women are only good for looking after the home and family.

Such a well written and researched book it kept me reading from start to finish. I never got bored as there was always something more from page to page. Dramatic, heart-warming, intriguing, interesting and at times quite tense - this is book that has it all. It really does make you think about how the past has made us what we are today.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

While I enjoyed A Woman of Courage and found the historical setting interesting, this has not been my favourite Tania Blanchard book. For me it seemed at times to lapse into a history book rather than a novel written in a historical setting and the pace tended to the slower side of things. That said, I enjoyed reading about early women’s suffrage in the UK, particularly as this story is set in the small town of Ebberfield, rather than in London, where most of the histprical focus on the suffrage movement is placed.
Hannah Todd is an excellent heroine and I loved her strength of character as well as her sensible approach to improving the lot of the poor in her town. I laso loved the way she was able to rally others to her cause. Living conditions, other characters in the story, both likeable and otherwise, and the sense of community were all brought to life and overall this was an entertaining read.

A woman of courage is a vibrant tale of community, women's rights and discovering that you can and should fight for what you believe in. I loved the characters and found this book to be so incredibly inspirational.

‘The world was changing fast as we crept toward the new century and we were immersed in new modern ideas and opportunities. I for one was determined to evolve to live the life I wanted.’
A Woman of Courage is the fifth novel by Aussie author Tania Blanchard and I was excited to read it as I have very much enjoyed her previous offerings. This is such a well researched tale of the fight for the right to vote. Set in such a different era from her previous works, Tania makes it so personable that the reader cannot help but become immersed in what life must have been like for women during this period.
‘Is this suffrage talk?’ ‘Don’t, Mama!’ I said sharply. She just didn’t understand that I wanted a different life, a life where I could choose how I lived it.’
Set in northern England in the 1890s, the reader follows Hannah’s struggles between her dreams and her family’s wishes. The 1890s is a period of social change in England with women asking questions and wanting more from their life - more freedom to choose its direction. Whether that be to marry or not, or whether to have children or not, or how to remove oneself from dangerous situations. Tania also touches on social changes in light of vaccinations, mental illness and things as basic to us as education for both the young and older generations.
‘I was part of a new generation who wanted to be at the forefront of change.’
The story moves in a different direction from Tania’s previous novels, on this occasion she is said to be inspired by her husband’s family stories. Once more she does another sensational job of melding fact and fiction. As in her previous works, Tania blends the events of the rights of women beautifully with a story bringing real heart and soul to a momentous period in history for women. With themes of family and ambition, dreams and heartbreak, I recommend lovers of historical fiction to take this journey with all the drama that this period brings with it. Looks like Hannah will get another opportunity to pursue the rights of women with Tania alluding to a follow up book in 2024 where Hannah’s passionate journey to achieve the vote for women will continue.
“… remember why you’re doing this. Not just for your own sanity and sense of self but for Annie. We’re doing this for the future of our daughters. One day they’ll understand and be proud of what we’ve done, no matter how difficult it might have been for us.”



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I love historical fiction, especially books centred around women’s rights. I was so excited to receive this book and it really did not disappoint!

Hannah Todd has recently completed her teaching qualification in Durham when she moves to a small town in the north of England to help her ailing father run his public house.

While working at the local school, Hannah sees the injustices facing woman and children every day and is determined to do something about it.

Going on her knowledge of the Suffrage movement from her time in Durham, Hannah sets up her own local branch looking to make positive changes to her local community as well as adding her voice to the rally for women’s voting rights.

I really enjoyed this book. The historical accounts of women living at this time were accurate and raised a lot of important issues around the difficulties women faced, not just in relation to the vote.

I did find parts of the book to be a little predictable but I think that’s in the nature of the story and I thought overall it was very well written. This was my first book by Tania Blanchard but it definitely won’t be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins AU and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I am a fan of Tania Blanchard, and this was another excellent novel, although I preferred the ones set in the war. In this one, Hannah is the epitomy of the modern Edwardian woman in England. A young and ambitious schoolteacher, she has returned to Ebberfield to help her parents run their pub, but she really wants to have a life in the big city. As her father becomes worse, she becomes trapped, but she starts the suffrage movement there, makes new friends and helps people in the town. Will her desire to live an independent life be affected by her feelings for Roger, an idealistic and handsome young man, however?

The only trouble with Tania Blanchard's books is that they're a bit long, and definitely very long to read in ebook format.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Hannah Todd has just finished her teaching studies in Durham, when her parents buy a public house called The Ox and Plough in Ebberfield, in Northern England. Hannah joins them, they need help due to her father's health problems and she’s going to teach at the parish school.

Hannah is horrified when some of her students arrive at school hungry and don’t have decent footwear and warm clothing. Hannah decides to hold meeting and a small group of women gather, and they want to improve the lives of the children in the district, they come up with some excellent ideas and a wealthy patron provides the funds.

Hannah dreams of living in London and wants to be a Suffragette, her idol is Millicent Fawcett and she later forms The National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies. They lobby for women to have marital and parenting rights, protect children, improve literacy and adult education, public health and sanitation, and for Parliament to give women the right to vote and pass the bill.

Hannah discovers women in Ebberfield are being abused by their husbands, she can’t understand why they stay with the men that hurt them, it’s because a man has his rights and women don't have no money of their own or a safe place to go. Hannah's shocked to discover domestic abuse is happening in all walks of life and you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors or is hidden by long sleeves and dresses.

Women bore the brunt of life’s hardest trials and yet they were seen as the weaker sex and not fit to fulfil the full duties of citizenship and be able to vote.

I received a copy of a Woman of Courage from NetGalley and HaperCollins Publishers Australia in exchange for an honest review. Ms. Blanchard is one of my favourite Australian historical fiction authors, this book is set in a different era to her others and it's magnificent and makes you think about what it was like to be a woman in the 1890's.

The beginning of social change in England, women are questioning what they can and cannot do, deciding if they want to marry and constantly being pregnant, be financially independent and are starting to speak up and find their voice.

Things like vaccination is in it's infancy, theories about germs, illness and where to go for treatment and what's available, and people having access to books, adult education and a clean water supply in country towns are mentioned. For me the characters in the narrative are diverse and suit the time period, Hannah is the leading lady and a trail blazer, a perfect example of why women should be given the right to vote, she's smart, looks at things from a different perspective and comes up with an alternative solution to issues and problems. Five big stars from me, superb and I can't wait to read the sequel next year.

Making a change from her usual World War II novels, Blanchard tells the story of Hannah Todd and her fight for women’s right to vote. Set in 1893 in the Northern English town of Ebbefield, Blanchard makes the small village surrounded by mining towns come to life. Meticulously researched I appreciated the attention to detail- streets lamps lit by gas lighting, the pub being the center of the town, the scandal of women rising in pantaloons and bathing machines for modesty!

Hannah was an amazing, strong female character, ahead of her time. She came to the small village with her parents to take up teaching position. Just her work with ensuring a decent education for the kids in town in a time where schooling was only compulsory until the age of eleven and girls weren’t encouraged to go on after that was an interesting story. On top of all that she worked to ensure the kids had access to school lunches and vaccinations as well as tirelessly campaigning for women’s rights. Blanchard really captured the feeling of the time well. It was so frustrating seeing the attitudes of some of the males and sad to see several smart women who weren’t able to succeed because of their gender.

Intertwined with Hannah’s story and village life, I also enjoyed her relationships with her family and Roger. Parts of the story played out in letters to and from her sisters. Her father’s fight with manganese poisoning was interesting- the lack of worker’s rights and knowledge on such things and then treatment choices- he was sent to a lunatic asylum for palliative care. I am glad to see times have changed. Her relationship with Roger really illustrated what it was like at the time for women- to marry meant giving up her dream job and her decision not to marry was met with resistance from family. I did enjoy seeing how it all played out. When finishing the novel I was pleased to see there is more of Hannah’s lately to come and I can’t wait for the sequel.

Another superb read by Tania Blanchard. Hannah Todd dreams of a world where women are treated as equals but she is living in Northern England in the late 1800s. The suffragette movement has begun and Hannah is keen to enlist as many women from her community as possible.
Hannah’s parents have moved to a small rural village Ebberfield due to her fathers ill health with manganese poisoning . Her father has become the publican of The Ox and Plough with Hannah’s mother cooking the meals and assisting with the running of the pub. Hannah joins her parents after studying teaching in Durham and finds life in the small community stifling but she takes her teaching position seriously and strives to do the best for her students. She improves the school and the lives of the children through innovative programs for that period of time - sports games, breakfast and lunch clubs, a library, warm clothes for those children who need them and a vaccination program.
Her initiatives with the women of the community see her enlisting the local suffrage group as a member of the National Society for Women’s Suffrage. There was always going to be resistance to the suffrage movement from the men but she “hoped her community projects would show them we could make positive change in our village and should be given the chance to do more at a national level. Suffrage was about women lending their voices to issues that were important to them. The world outside of the town was changing and soon that change would be knocking on our own doors, whether people liked it or not.”
Hannah’s life takes a turn in a different direction when she meets Roger. Her thoughts of remaining unmarried and being a suffragette are challenged. Can she be a married woman with children running a pub or should she remain a staunch supporter of women’s rights. Maybe she can have both?
This is a well researched story of the women who fought for their right to vote - “women who quite literally changed the world”. A truly great read and I look forward to the sequel.