Lissie Fairweather has the most despicable mother who abandons Lissie at the orphanage. Lissie is devastated and longs for her beloved father as she worries about what happened to him and if they will ever be reunited. Lissie makes quite a few good friends on her journey but they are not her father. The plot is enchanting and had me captivated as tears streamed down my face it took me on a emotional ride. The author has written a well represented story of the times and although the way some of the characters talk was hard to understand at times it was easier to hear them and by the end I was trying to speak like them but I don't think I can get the accent right! This historical saga drew me in straight away and even though I cried a lot I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Dora Fairweather wasn't cut out to be a wife and mother, and as sonn as she's able, she turns her back on her young daughter Lissie. With no parents to protect her, Lissie has no option but the dangerous streets of soot-sodden Bradford or the workhouse orphanage. Life in the orphanage is bleak, and Lissie longs for the warm embrace of her beloved father. As the years pass, Lissie learns to enjoy the camaraderie of the girls in the workhouse, and when she's taken under the wing of matron Connie Briggs, things begin to look up. A move to the seaside of Scarborough, friends and even love are finally within Lissie's grasp.

Lissie and her father suffered the abuse and beatings she got from her mother Dora, until the night she went too far., and she flew from her maritaal home taking young Lissie with her. But Dora didn't care much for Lissie, and she was left to fend for erself. She ends up in the workhouse orphanage where matron Connie Briggs takes her under her wing.

This is a well-written, easy to read, at times, a heartbreaking read. I was fully committed to this story and read well into the night to see how thngs worked out for Lissise I loved this book.

Published 9th November 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks aand the author #ChrissieWalsh for my ARC of #TheWorkhouseLass in exchange for an honest review/

An emotional read about a young girl getting seperated from her beloved father and a mother who wants nothing to do with her puts her in workhouse.
Lizzie gets put to service working in a shop and begins to make a life for herself.
A lovely story. Thank you for advanced copy.

This is a review of my 100th book this year! Woohooo!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started this one and the first chapter nearly scared me away. It started with young Lissie at home with her father and abusive mother. Her father is lying dead on the floor from what we can tell through the eyes of a 4-year-old. Mom takes Lissie and flees the scene. Awful woman. Hmmm

In the long run, though, it was a very good book!

First, look at the cover. What a beautiful girl and those eyes! The description intrigued me because I love stories about orphans. Trust me, even though the first chapters are hard to read - such cruelty little Lissie experienced - it really does get better. She eventually falls under the care of a good person in the orphanage, Connie, who becomes the matron of the orphanage. When she "ages out" at age 14, she goes to live with Connie's sister, Patience, in a town not far away. At first, the relationship is strained, but the story briefly became reminiscent of "Anne of Green Gables" once the childless Patience learns how to interact with a "child" they grow to love each other as if they were mother and daughter.

The setting is mostly in Scarborough, England, yet for the longest time I thought we were in Ireland. Some fo the language was pretty hard to decipher at times - for example:

"Aw, it's oreight, Jimmy, man. Tek no notice of me. Emmy didn't mean to upset me, did you? Aah took offence, but it w' over summat an' nowt." Some parts you might get and others I wasn't 100% sure but no matter - it still made send to me.

It's a coming of age novel complete with first love, drama, relationships, betrayals, death and so much more. It was a novel of HOPE and encouragement. I really enjoyed it!

A lovely story for the heart! Easy to read, easy to like the characters who are not particularly complex but it works here. The plot is ok , even though one might guess how it will all end...
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

Historical drama featuring the toils and troubles of Lissie Fairweather. Set in the early 1900s there is much drama and heartache as week as joy.

An emotional read massive highs and lowly lows, triumph over catastropic events. I have read the orphans heartbreak by the same author and this is equally excellent a real page turner.

1903 Bradford
Lissie Fairweather ends up in the workhouse after what happened to her beloved father cobbler Tom, her mother Nora doesn't want her.
A tragic tale of the fate of the lass who survived the workhouse.
With no parents to protect her Lissie has to learn to fend for herself.
Oh such a heartbreaking story that readers will love.
This author truly writes from the heart. let's her readers go into another time zone with superb historical stories.
It's a must read with tissues needed.
I loved it.

Oh. My. Word! Keep the tissues handy as you will find your eyes tearing up on several occasions. Chrissie Walsh shares the life of Lissie in such a vivid manner you see the sights, hear the sounds, and feel the touches (good and bad). Seven-year-old Lissie has a loving, doting father Tom and cruel, abusive mother Dora. During a terrible argument, Dora hits Tom with an iron, gathers up Lissie and a few belongings, and leaves Tom lying in his own blood.

As the story ensues, Dora turns to a life of scamming others with the help of an equally awful man, abusing and ignoring Lissie and leaving the little lass on her own all too often. Lissie is befriended by the neighbors who shower her with love, affection, and experiences like she is one of their own children. Dora's boyfriend Jed coerces her into dropping Lissie off at an orphanage/workhouse. The rest of the story is Lissie's life at the orphanage where she ages out at age 14. A kind and caring teacher arranges for Lissie to live with her widowed sister in law to help in her drapery store, making friends on her own, and learning to love and trust others like she has not been able to do since her mother took her from her loving father.

I can easily see this becoming a very popular book and maybe even a movie - it's that good.

A well constructed work of fiction, interspersed with fact which will wring every emotion out of you! Yes, I did love it.

Lissie Fairweather has been brought up under the caring eye of father Tom who Lissie just adores. The fly in the works is Dora who has a wicked temper. One day after allowing her temper to get the better of her she hurts Tom, not hanging around to see what damage she has inflicted, she grabs Lissie and leaves town. At this stage I’m thinking “how could you treat a child so badly “. Believe me it gets worse! I shouted oh no, how could you, please don’t and more. If you read one book this year, make it this one.

My favourite character was Lissie. Least favourite Miss Scroggins followed by Dora
I loved Tom’s thought provoking sayings to Lissie. I liked the battlefield descriptions, they helped picture the scene.
Felt lost on completion. Look forward to next by this author. Just wish I could give more ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was an emotional read. There wasn't much in the book about the workhouse which was a shame as the title suggested that it was about this. A very slow book with a lot of times with nothing happening but.a good read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A nice story, although the title is a bit out as the workhouse barely figures, it’s more the Orphanage Lass. I enjoyed it overall.

Lissie Fairweather has a mother who takes her away from her father. Lissie thinks he is dead but all her life she looks for him. At the age of seven she ends up in the workhouse. She is befriended by Connie Briggs who helps her find a place in Scarborough when she ages out. She finds a new life and a new family but can she find out what happened to her father?

A decent book that talks about the life of a young girl who is abandoned by her mother. It's emotional, it's has is ups and downs and it's written well, but somehow it did not quite keep my attention. A solid 3 stars.

#netgalley #theWorkhouseLass

A 100% buy-today-read-tonight delight.

Thanks to a great author we have warmth, wisdom and emotional intelligence, this book was a huge pleasure to read! A fabulous, really enjoyable read.

Awww another brilliant read from Chrissie,this book had me going through all the emotions, amazing characters and a wonderful storyline, absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down

I really enjoyed the story, but I don’t know if the title makes sense. Lissie spends seven years in the orphanage part of the workhouse, but she really isn’t penalized for it or given a hard time because of it. Everyone likes Lissie except for her mother and a woman in the workhouse, and everyone helps her.