Will she ever see the boy who saved her again?

When BJ, Bertram Jordan, is sentenced to seven years transportation to Australia, his biggest regret (and worry) is leaving behind his friend Alice. An adept pick pocket, BJ took Alice under his wing when the pair lived rough on the Wednesbury streets, setting up camp on the heath ans surviving on the meagre funds they could pilfer and scavenging in the market.

But now, BJ was gone. And Alice must face the near future without him. At first, taken in by the Greens who always took pity on the pair, giving them leftovers from their bakery so that they wouldn't go hungry, Alice came to look at them as the parents she didn't have. They picked up where BJ left off and began teaching her how to bake. Until one night a fire tragically destroyed their bakery and claimed the lives of Alice's new found mentors. Alice went back to what she knew - pilfering and pick-pocketing. Until a surprising find offers her new hope.

Now Alice runs a small bakery on Russell Street, employing a family as sale assistants and cleaner as well as a couple of bakers. So successful does her business become that she finds herself having the means to buy new premises to open a second bakery, thanks to her "savings" found from her pick-pocketing days. Going from strength to strength, Alice can barely keep up the demand and begins looking for a third larger premises. But is she biting off more than she can chew? Would it be the success her other two are?

Meanwhile in Australia, BJ is well into his seven year sentence serving on a cattle station out of Fremantle. The owner of the station, Mac, is a fair man and sees a potential in BJ taking him under his wing and training him up for bigger things. Soon the uneducated boy from the Black Country finds himself getting an education, learning to read and write and overseeing the hundreds of convicts on Mac's land. The boy is whip-smart, coming up with some good ideas which bode well for not only Mac, but the rest of the convicts under his watch.

Though it's been four years since he left England, neither BJ nor Alice have forgotten the other. Both continually write full of news of their plights while each are secretly counting down to when BJ gets his Certificate of Freedom. But what then? BJ has made a life for himself in Australia. He enjoys the work and Mac is like a father to him. He longs to return to Alice but what will that mean for him?

Another heartwarming easy read from Lindsey Hutchinson. I loved it from beginning to end. I found I slipped back into BJ and Alice's story with such ease and though I didn't want to leave, it ended all too soon. I look forward to the third book which I'm sure will be equally endearing.

As this is the second book and follows on from the first, I recommend you read "The Pick Pocket Orphans" first. BJ and Alice are to warm your hearts.

I would like to thank #LindseyHutchinson, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #ThePickPocketsPlight in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

In this new historical fiction novel set in nineteenth-century Australia, readers follow Betram Jordan and Alice Truelove after their separation (caused by BJ’s arrest) during their lives in England and Australia. BJ is learning how to survive the penal colony of Australia as he works on a cattle ranch in Fremantle with other convicts, while Alice disguises her age to establish a successful bakery in the Black Country, a position which helps her help others and survive in this poverty-stricken region. With two very distinct narratives of overcoming struggle and working to better their own lives and support others, readers will gain some fascinating insights into the struggles of convicts and the working class in the nineteenth century and the relationships tested by transportation to the Australian penal colonies. BJ and Alice are street-smart and clever characters whose relationships to their community and to each other are charming and heartwarming to follow throughout the novel, and readers will really enjoy the character development Hutchinson embeds in this new novel. With a great pair of narrators and excellent historical worldbuilding, readers will really enjoy this new release, its characters and their relationships, and the incredible attention to detail present in this fun new historical fiction novel.

This is the second book in the Pick Pockets series and having read and loved book one I was excited to read this one , and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Whilst Bertram Jordan (commonly known as BJ) is serving his time at a penal colony in Australia, Alice is making her own way in life and has set up a very successful bakery business back in England. I loved the alternating chapters based on each character and how life was treating them. Ms Hutchinson has a brilliant way of describing everything and I could visualise so clearly life for both BJ and Alice as I read this book. This book has well written characters, some I loved but others, the less said about them the better. Whilst this is an easy read, it’s also one that will have you turning the pages frantically to see how everything will turn out for the two main characters. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series which publishes in March 2025.

Love this author's books and thoroughly enjoyed this newest one. The story has 2 different tales woven through it and I really enjoyed the way in which the author allowed the reader to transition from one tale to the other without having to think about it! Only little problem I have is that it ended so suddenly and can only surmise that there is a further book to be released? Great book, easily read and can't wait until the follow jup!!
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book

The story follows BJ and Alice, two relatable characters living on the streets. It explores their struggles for survival, capturing both the difficult moments and the brighter ones.
This heartwarming book is filled with elements that keep readers engaged.
It serves as an excellent historical drama that can be quite emotional at times.

I haven’t read the first book but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this one. It was easy to follow the characters and the story was wonderful . Each chapter concentrated on either B.J or Alice, telling their stories and their hopes for the future. A well written book, can’t wait for the next in the saga.

This new book by Lindsay Hutchinson is the 2nd part of a brand new saga and follows story of BJ and Alice.
I liked this book a lot. And even better-it ends with a cliff hanger s9 can’t wait for next book.
Excellent present for those who love this style of writing

We continue the story of Alice & BJ a few years after we left off from the previous book and certainly this book is just as good as the last book.

Alice’s business of the bakery goes from strength to strength and the ideas that she has with her friends who work for her makes the business grow. She still writes to BJ hoping she will see him again. BJ is also having a better time in Australia waiting for his ticket from freedom he is learning on how to run a ranch for his boss, he is wondering what will happen when he does. He has a dilemma will he be able to afford to go back to England and back with Alice or will he end up in Australia.

As there is another book this book was finished on a bit of a cliff hanger so that we continue the story which is really good.

I liked the book and it certainly was just as good as the other book. It was interesting to read about life in Australia back then how the prisoners were treated on other farms in the area.

Well written and loved every bit of the book.

Continuing the story of BJ and Alice,this historical drama is set on a cattle ranch in Australia and a bakery in Britain. The characters are wonderful and the story heartwarming and at times heartbreaking.

I loved this second book in the Pick Pocket series as much as the first .HI has been shipped of to Australia after been sent too Fremantle for his crime while Alice is left in England.We followed them both in their new lives in different countrys.This book was worth the wait .Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood.

The story picks up several years after the events of the first book, following Alice in England and BJ in Australia as they carve out new lives. Switching between their perspectives, the book shows both characters finding legal, hard-earned ways to survive, and highlights a world where persistence pays off and villains don’t always get away with it—a refreshing contrast to reality.

Though I expected this to be the conclusion of their journey, the story ends on a major cliffhanger, leaving me (almost) patiently waiting for the third book. Surely, this isn’t where their story ends! New readers should start with *The Pick-Pocket Orphans* to fully enjoy this captivating continuation.

I was so excited to get ahold of this one. I read the first book and I just hated it to end. This one continues on with BJ in Australia learning the ranch trade. Alice is thriving in her bakery business.
Is there any chance for the two of them to reunite?

They both were great judges of character. They developed friendships with quite interesting people. And it was a delight to get to know them.

The Pick-Pocket's Plight is book two in BJ’s and Alice’s story by Lindsey Hutchinson. I fell in love with these two homeless children in the first book. That book ended with a thirteen-year-old boy being sent to a penal colony in Australia for breaking into a house. A harsh lesson to be sure. I was thrilled to see their story continued. Several years have gone by before this book starts.

Switching back and forth from Alice in England and BJ in Australia this book keeps the reader up with both. I was so glad to see that both had learned ways to survive that did not include breaking the law. Also, I appreciated that their story is one in which hard work is rewarded and evil doers do not prosper, not always true in reality.

I had thought that this would be the conclusion to their story, but instead it ends with a major cliffhanger so now I am waiting almost patiently for the third book to be published. Surely this is not how it is to end for them. Since this is the continuation of the first book, a new reader will want to read he first book, The Pick-Pocket Orphans too.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion

I had read the previous book in the series so it was great to meet up with Alice and her bakery and BJ in Australia again.

Alice had done very well for herself and her bakery empire was growing with help from her friends. In some ways BJ copied her progression though in a completely different way being educated and trained in ranch work.
As BJ reaches the end of his time of penal servitude in Australia he struggles to decide if his life is with Alice or there in Australia - where his fortunes have grown in leaps and bounds.
Both met with people out to hurt them. Alice has some hard times with her friends though

This is such a heartwarming series, well written and very well researched.
I look forward to their further adventures

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This is the second book in the Pick-Pockets series, featuring BJ and Alice as main characters. Having enjoyed the first book, I was keen to see what happened next for them.

When I read the previous book, something about BJ and Alice went to my heart, and I found that while reading this second instalment, my attachment to them deepened further. I appreciated the friendships between the characters, and the bond that BJ and Alice continued to share while apart.

I found this book heartwarming and emotional at the same time. If you like historical sagas, you may enjoy this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Alice and BJ grow up so poor they have to support themselves by pickpocketing When BJ is transported to Australia they must each make a life of their own. Alice opens a bakery and BJ becomes a manager on a cattle ranch. Will they ever be able to see each other again or must their lives forever be separate.

I didn’t reliase when I requested this book that it was a second book in a series. It took me a while but I got into it and really enjoyed it!

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

This book continues on from the first book.

In Australia BJ is serving his sentence and meanwhile in England Alice is carrying on with her life as a baker in the hope that one day they’ll be reunited.

The characters were lovely and the story was well-written.

I highly recommend this book.

The 2nd book in this series it takes off from where the last book finished with BJ still in Australia serving his sentence and Alice trying to make a life for herself with her bakery business.
It is nice too see both BJ and Alice growing both hoping they will be together again. A great read and looking forward to next installment. Thank you for advanced copy.

I really enjoyed this book, it shows the struggles back in 1864. BJ is currently sentenced in Australia for committed a theft, he left behind Alice in England. She’s not pickpocketed now, but working as a baker and she is successful in that. Her heart longs for BJ though.
A lovely book with great characters, they make it a easy read. The author has good knowledge of both countries and it shows in her writing. Looking forward to reading the next book. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.