The Shopgirl of Ironbridge

A dramatic and heartwarming Victorian saga, perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Anne Bennett. Will she find love again?Ironbridge, 1892. When seventeen-year-old Maria Keay is offered an exciting job in a department store in Shrewsbury, she is determined to follow her dream, even if that means leaving behind her childhood sweetheart, Charlie. At first, Maria's new life is everything she dreamed it would be. Her new job is glamorous, and she even catches the eye of Oskar, a charming German chemistry student who makes several trips to her sales desk. But the true reality of shop work - with its long hours and low pay - soon takes its toll, and when her relationship with Oskar takes a dark and devastating turn, Maria must decide if moving away from home - and Charlie - was the right decision after all . . . Praise for The Ironbridge Saga:'A compelling blend of real history, rich period detail, and a gritty, authentic story brimming with love, loss, intrigue, hope, and bitter revenge' Lancashire Evening Post'A Journey. Compelling. Addictive.' Val Wood'Walton has created a brilliantly alive, vivid and breathing world in Ironbridge' Louisa Treger'Evocative, dramatic and hugely compelling . . . I loved it' Miranda Dickinson'Feisty female characters, an atmospheric setting and a spell-binding storyline make this a phenomenal read' Cathy Bramley'Such great characters who will stay with me for a long time' Beth Miller'The attention to period detail and beautiful writing drew me right in and kept me reading' Lynne Francis'Vivid, page-turning drama' Pippa Beecheno'A powerful sense of place and period, compelling characters and a pacy plot had me racing to the end' Gill Paul'A story that is vivid, twisting and pacy, with characters that absolutely leap off the page' Iona Grey'Beautiful and poignant' Tania Crosse