The riverside maid is the 3rd book in this series, about 3 women who have grown up as great friends, sharing their high and lows with each other. This book concentrates on fliss who was orphaned as a child and brought to her uncles pub, where she lives a loveless life with an aunt who cannot take to her and a cousin who diislikes her. After her uncles death fliss inherits the pub and has huge plans to make a better for herself. A wonderful series which I hope carry’s on into their new lives.

What an enthralling rags to riches story by AnneMarie Brear! I adored The Riverside Maid more than I can express. And although I enjoyed the previous two instalments of this Waterfront Women series, this by far is the best in my opinion and therefore my absolute favourite.

This novel centres around Felicity (Fliss) Atkins who was an orphan until her aunt and uncle took her in to their home. After she grows up she works in her uncle’s pub, The Bay Horse Inn, and proves her capability and love for the business. Her uncle adores her but her aunt is very unkind and controlling and her cousin Gerald is spiteful and treats her with contempt, verbally and physically. But she has her loving best friends, Meg and Lorrie who provide wonderful support as needed but her time with them is limited. When she meets surveyor Oscar Nolan, her life takes a little change. They are attracted to each other and Fliss begins to dream of the possibilities. He has an adventurous spirit and kind heart and his positive influence helps her believe she could have a happier life. But then disaster strikes and everything is turned on its head. There are some unexpected surprises and Fliss is put in a position of making some big decisions. The rest of the story is quite a tumultuous and at times exciting ride for this young woman who faces many challenges. But each of these mountains she must climb take her a bit higher and help her to become stronger in mind and spirit. She is a hard worker, resilient and unstoppable.

I plunged into this story head first but my heart became fully engaged after a few pages. Once I started, I literally could not stop reading and I could not go to sleep until I swiped the last page. I truly cared about Fliss, Oscar, Uncle Terry, Meg, Lorrie and even Aunt Hilda by the end. They all played some important roles in Fliss’s life and development. And Fliss’s best friends, added both encouraging and tense moments! There were lots of twists and turns in their lives and I was hanging on to threads at times! AnneMarie’s riveting words took my heart on quite a tumultuous journey! But I am so glad I read this lovely story. It was like curling up under your most comfortable blanket after a hard day’s work. I just drifted off to the setting and became quickly absorbed in the drama, loves and futures of these special characters. The plot was well executed and the enemy of the story, Fliss’s cousin Gerald, was vicious to the core. My heart ached for her with the abuse she endured from his wicked hands. But without giving anything away, l was glad that Fliss won some victories and to watch her grow from a timid girl to a strong woman was so uplifting. She had her trials but battled them fiercely.

This is an inspirational story (with a bit of delicious mystery!) of hope and love after a time of trials and tremendous loss. Beautifully written, it just floats along like a movie. The Riverside Maid is a seriously great feel-good story that does not ignore the messiness of life but offers a wished-for happy ending. Thanks to AnneMarie for making such positive choices for her characters. An absolute joy to read and a book I definitely recommend! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for a review copy.

I loved this series, reading about these 3 women who have grown up and become successful despite their humble beginnings, such wonderful characters and gripping storylines, I really hope to read more about these women as they start a new adventure.

I haven’t read the first two books in this series but I think I’ll now go back and do so.
The story had me hooked from the beginning and a real page turner for me.
A great storyline highlighting difficulties within a family and choices that need to be made for future happiness.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Orphaned Fliss working in her uncles pup longs for a better life. when she inherits the pup and then meets Oscar Nolan she must make a decision. Should she give up her friends and her business to follow him to another country.

Fliss is orphaned as a child abd taken in by her aunt and uncle to stay at their pub. Fliss gets on well with her uncle not so much with her aunt and not at all with her cousin.
Fliss enjoys running the pub so when her uncle passes away she is left the pub, her cousin not happy about this at all.
A nice story about love, loss and hope. Thank you for advanced copy.

Fliss is orphaned as a child and is taken in by her aunt and uncle. they don't treat her very well, and when she gets a chance to take a job traveling she takes it, this is part of a series. I think it would help to read the first books in the series first, but a good read.

What an amazing series!

I loved seeing the growth of the 3 women as they evolved from poor girls into successful and happy women. Book 3 tells us the story of Fliss, and we get more insight into her upbringing and home life. It was so well written, with everything from love and hate to fears and triumph. We get to see just how important the love of true friendships is, and that blood is not always thicker than water. The importance of compromise is also a massive theme, and while I thought Oscar was very selfish for most of the book his character development showed again just how important true love is. Aunt Hilda is a fascinating character, it would be amazing to have a spinoff book with more details about her story and how everything she had been through made her into who she is.

I hope we get to read more about the next adventures of the trio of Waterfront Women and their families!

4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

From rags to riches but will happiness follow?
Wakefield Yorkshire 1875.
Orphaned Felicity Atkins (Fliss) the Bay Horse Inn living with her aunt, uncle and awful cousin Gerald always on their beck and call.
She meets Oscar Nolan a surveyor who always here and there with his job and they become close.
Her two best friends Meg Henderson and Lorrie Bannerman are there for her always but have happy marriages and children to look after, will Fliss find this with Oscar?
Big changes are ahead after a family tragedy that will mean she will no longer be hiding in the shadows, this could be the making of Fliss, but as always Gerald is going to bring her down in everyway possible.
Oh my goodness the story the characters all blend in to make this book full of happy days and sad days as we see Fliss become a strong willed business woman in her own rights as the saying goes believing in yourself, taking one day at a time, will this leave a happy ending for her and Oscar at long last.
Totally inspirational story for readers to love.
And yes I loved it.

You just know when you start reading one of Annemarie’s books that you will be captivated, this was no exception.
After being orphaned Felicity (Fliss)Atkins was taken in by her lovely uncle Terry, the same can’t be said for her aunt Hilda who thinks Fliss is there to see to all her needs. The biggest downside is her cousin Gerald who bullies her, often using violence. Always in a way that the injuries/bruises can’t be seen by others. Fliss just keeps her head down, doing any job that keeps them off her back. Then one day she meets Oscar Nolan by chance, is this an opportunity for Fliss .
Her life is suddenly to be changed, but is it for the best! Wolves in sheep’s clothing!

It was lovely to have familiar characters through the book. I was reading wanting one thing to happen and then saying “oh, no”.
Read it in one day , couldn’t put it down. Favourite character was Fliss, she just cared for everyone, whether they deserved it or not. Least favourite was Gerald for bullying and Hilda for being selfish.
Saddest part was the knowledge that it was last in series.

I hadn’t read the first two books in the series, which would have helped to understand the relationship between the three women better. I did enjoy the clean story, although there was physical abuse depicted. The heroine was very smart and caring, but felt unloved except for her friends and her uncle. The hero was a surveyor - that is a job I hadn’t come across in a book before. They both have an attraction to each other but different outlooks on what their future might be. It takes almost loosing each other for them to come to a compromise. The author had good descriptions of a river flooding.