A great book I like how the paste of the book was it was a good plot characters you could feel for a warm sage justcwantbi need to read I recommend to you all

Good book. Good author. Loved the characters and the plot. Look forward to reading more of her work.

I'm no stranger to Pam's novels and was curious to see what this new book, her first since becoming part of the Bookouture stable of authors, would be like. Now I know publishers love to hook potential readers with cover blurb but believe me 'a heart-breaking and gritty saga' is exactly what this book is. In fact it's one of the best family sagas I've read for ages. My full review will be posted 3rd February on publication day.
A wonderful emotional roller coaster of a read, highly recommended…oh and tissues are essential!

This book was written by Pam Howes very well. I have never read a book by this author . I would really need to buy others

This is a family saga from the end of the Second World war. Dora, is a seamstress, married to Joe. He has just returned from the war. They are happily married and expecting twins when tragedy strikes and Dora is never the same again. I thought that the book deals with Dora's mental illness in a caring and thoughtful way. She was also very lucky to be surrounded by family and friends. It's a good read.

I really enjoyed the book, it has everything I love in a novel from start to finish. I can’t wait to read what the author has planned next!

This is a classic family saga and oh joy- it's the first of a planned trilogy! Loved the Liverpool setting in the 40s and 50s. These are terrific characters - loved Dora and boo=hissed Ivy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one if you like the genre as its quite a rewarding read, full of pathos and emotion as well as joy. I can't wait for the next installment.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. and what a truly beautiful book! Its an honestly heartwarming storyline and I cant wait for follow on books. A definite must read.

Good family saga. Defined the 40's and 50's era really well.

Loved this book and would highly recommend. Waiting patiently now for part 2!

Before reading 'The Lost Daughter of Liverpool', I hadn't really read that many historical fiction novels. Whilst war-time history, especially involving women workhouses etc, is a big interest of mine, it never really occurred to me to make it one of my 'go to' genres. Well, until now that is.

Set in 1946 Liverpool where the aftermath of the war is still prominent and rationing is still part and parcel of daily life, Dora is about to marry the love of her life. However, the newlyweds find that married life isn't as plain sailing as people seem to think, especially where families and babies are concerned. The setting of the storyline was incredible as even though the war had finished, the war-time life was still extremely evident, making it feel as though I literally had stepped back in time.

Dora goes through some very harrowing times and despite them being heart breaking to read, the situations were very realistic and incredibly eye-opening. I couldn't sympathise with Dora as I have never been in her position(s), but my heart went out to her multiple times and I may have shed a tear or two (may = obviously I did). Reading a novel in 2017 which is set in 1946 takes a little bit getting used to, especially if you weren't born around that time. I know that sounds weird of me to say, but, life was extremely different back then due to the war, religious beliefs, rationing, lifestyle differences, money, health care, emergency services and so on. So, because of that, my FIRST thought during yet another devastating situation in the book was 'GO IN!!!!', and they couldn't because certain things weren't invented then. It was things like that, that opened my eyes big time and also made me think about how spoilt we are in this day and age.

Pam Howes made time stand still with her FANTASTIC new novel; The Lost Daughter of Liverpool. Emotion became the paper that the words sat on and reality became 1946 instead of 2017. I could not put the book down as I felt as though I would miss a birth, miss another heart breaking moment or the light at the end of the tunnel being switched on. My only irk towards this novel is the blurb because it gives a little bit too much away. The Lost Daughter of Liverpool is such a special momento of way back when and I just feel that the reader should embark on the journey through time themselves.

This HAS to be made into a movie, it just has to be. I really am in awe at the magic that my min and soul digested; I feel incredibly bad that I can only give this book five stars when it deserves way, WAY more. The Lost Daughter of Liverpool is a tale as old as time with enough spellbinding moments to warrant its own bodyguard. Absolutely BRILLIANT; I wish I could find the right words to say exactly how much this book moved me. I loved it.
Ladies & gentleman, you're looking at my new favourite book of 2017 so far. Outstanding.

Thank you Bookouture!

The Lost Daughter of Liverpool is the first book in a trilogy where the author transports us back in time to 1946 with a truly beautiful story that takes us up to 1950 and what an absolute belter of a story is to. The author sucks you in right from the beginning that was it for me I was well and truly hooked until the very last page. What can I say but I was totally blew away!


This is the first time I have read the genre and my god have my eyes been opened. Not just with finding a new genre but learning about this decade where life is simple with no technology like today. The author has certainly done her research making me feel like I was right there in the story.


In this story we meet Dora Evans who is finally marrying the love of her life, Joe Rodgers, and her dreams of opening a dressmaking business look as if they might come true. With twin daughters on the way, Dora has everything she’s ever wanted.


But then tragedy strikes and we are taken on one roller coaster journey of emotions. When one of Dora’s babies dies in infancy which for me was heartbreaking you definitely need your tissues for this one. I could never imagine having a baby in the forties but I can now. This is just one example where we learn what it is like to go through a pregnancy without the technology that we have today. And a catastrophic fire happens which had me on the edge of my seat! But this fire changes their lives forever. Dora is consumed with grief, struggling to get through each day and Joe is suddenly distant, finding solace in his colleague, Ivy. With Ivy watching and scheming, and Dora battling against her own demons, can she keep her family together?

I loved Dora she is someone I can totally relate to the author has done a brilliant job of making the characters so real. I cannot begin to tell you how fantastic this story is. And it isn't often I move over from the dark side with all the crime books I read. But I am really glad I did and I cannot wait for the next book in the trilogy to come out.


I cannot recommend this book enough giving it 5 massive stars.


Thank you to Bookouture for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Bookouture publish such a wide range of genres taking in all the literary tastes of their loyal readers but there hasn't been that many that fall specifically into the historical fiction/family saga genre of which I love dipping in and out of every now and again. Then I saw the cover for The Lost Daughter of Liverpool and subsequently read the blurb and I thought this would be my kind of read and hopefully I would enjoy it. Pam Howes was an author I had never heard of before and I love to take a gamble on new authors as I always want to broaden my reading in terms of the authors and genres I read.

This is the first in a planned series entitled the Mersey Trilogy so I figured the author may slightly hold back and spread events out over the course of the three books in order to keep readers guessing and on their toes. In fact, and I am delighted to be able to say, Pam Howes didn't do this in the slightest. Indeed it was more a case of building up a picture only for the reader to be left gasping at what was unfolding as everything spun out of control. There was a solid, strong storyline throughout with moments of calm, serenity and happiness only then would the gritty, harsh realities of marriage and family life come crashing in to make themselves known in the most desperate of ways. The tagline on the cover says it's a heartbreaking and gritty family saga and you do begin to think god haven't those words being used to death to describe a book in this genre and are becoming nothing more than a cliché. But then the more you read through the story you realise the words are totally justified in this case and Pam Howes has written a deeply moving story in which every reader will take something worthwhile from it.

The book begins in 1946 and follows Dora over a three year period and in that time we see her undergo lots of changes some for the good and some for the bad. She is definitely a character that grows on you the more you see what is befalling her. You feel every emotion as she experiences so many tumultuous events. Even from the beginning I felt this book was a breath of fresh air, maybe not in terms of some of the subject matter rather for me the fact that it wasn't set during World War Two rather the years following it. I've read so many books set during the war that it was refreshing to see how people coped with the aftermath and attempted to restore some sense of normality to their lives and move forward into the oncoming years with more hope and optimism than had been previously felt for a long time. The fact the focus wasn't on the war meant the author could dedicate more attention to developing the characters and focusing on their specific problems within a small community rather than worldwide events dominating.

Dora Evans works alongside her best friend Joanie Lees in Palmer's factory. They have been friends since childhood and are more like sisters than friends. The factory had been buzzing during the war but now the owner's son has taken charge and orders are dropping off and therefore the girls are in danger of loosing their jobs. Yet from the outset I could see the pair had a spark about them, that little bit of extra initiative which could see them go along way compared to others who were prepared to sit back and loose their jobs. Dora and Joanie loved sewing and dressmaking and even began to have a little sideline going. Dressmaking would prove to be the salvation Dora needed and which would bring her back from the brink many a time.

I enjoyed how the story didn't just focus on the girls for a few months but rather the story flowed over several years and it made the story feel very natural and not forced. If the timespan had been shorter events would have been shoved in one after the other and it would have become unrealistic and unbelievable. I suppose that's what made this book so enjoyable - it was all so believable and although at times it was quite a difficult read and I felt desperately sorry for the characters the author never shied away from the plain facts and truth of the matter and bravo for writing about a topic that needs more attention and to be written about more in books because unfortunately for so many it's a painful reality.

The further I read the more I felt Dora could be a real character and one that I would love to spend time with and chat to about everything under the sun just like herself and Joanie did. Dora marries her teenage sweetheart Joe Rodgers and she has to accustom herself to running her own household out from under the warm embrace of her own family. Dora's family were all just so nice even though they had their own hardships to face and her mum was the backbone to Dora when she needed her the most. To be honest I thought everything would just be plain sailing for Dora and Joe but I'm glad the author threw a few spanners into the mix although I didn't like several of the things that occurred. I found myself gasping out loud at some of the injustices and I thought had the author gone that bit too far but it's clear she has a very good idea in which direction she wishes the whole series to go and she is not shying away from anything. In other books I find it often feels like the author just throws everything at a character to fill up page space and then doesn't deal with the resulting events and repercussions. Here I felt dealing with the aftermath was handled magnificently and all the sides of the story were presented to perfection. I never felt on one person's side or another's rather at times I was the person on the outside looking in and getting the entire picture on which I could form my own opinions and final judgement.

So many events unfold encompassing each and every character we meet that just when you think things may settle down and people can have a breather along comes something even more devastating and there were one or two points that brought me close to tears. I'm not in anyway saying this book is full of doom and gloom because it's not at all as the highs and lows merge together successfully. When the good times appear Dora embraces them and she showed her plucky determination and optimism. Her ambition and willingness to have a happy marriage was lovely to see so I hated what occurred during the later half of the book yet as I have said it was meant to be there to make the book the great read it turned out to be.

Honestly I was surprised how much I really enjoyed this book as I felt it could have been another run of the mill family saga and nothing new would be brought to the genre. Instead the total opposite proved to be true and I found The Lost Daughter of Liverpool increasingly hard to put down. To end the book the way Pam Howes did on such a cliffhanger after the reader becoming so invested in the characters in one way I was angry but in another it guarantees I will certainly be back for part two. I hope we won't be kept waiting too long to see what happens next as obviously there is an awful lot more to Dora's story to be told. The Lost Daughter of Liverpool is definitely one to watch out for and certainly lives up to the tagline on the cover.

This review is written with thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy of The Lost Daughter Of Liverpool.
It is 1946, shortly after the end of World War II, and the city of Liverpool is trying to come to terms with the effects of the war. Dora is due to marry Joe. She works at Palmer's factory with her best friend Joanie, and lives with her parents and brother, Frank. Everything seems to be going well for her, until a series of tragic events turns her life upside down. Can Dora save herself before it is too late?
In The Lost Daughter of Liverpool, Howes creates a fantastic sense of time and place. I was not alive at the time the novel is set, and I am not familiar with Liverpool and the surrounding areas about which Howes writes. However, I could see the locations very clearly and could hear the Liverpudlian accents of the characters as if they were speaking to me. Howes also gives the reader great insight into what it was like to live in a working class area in 1946, and I became fully immersed in the world which Dora inhabits, and was able to relate easily to the characters in the novel.
I chose to read The Lost Girl Of Liverpool after reading several psychological thrillers in the last few weeks, as this novel seemed to be a little different. However, had I expected a lighter read, I would have been disappointed. The Lost Girl Of Liverpool does not have the immediacy I am used to, but the hard hitting plot crept up on me slowly, and with this, I found myself feeling every emotion alongside the characters. This novel is the first book of 2017 to bring me to tears, and I enjoyed the journey on which Howes' writing took me.
Throughout The Lost Daughter Of Liverpool, Howes raises important themes, particularly mental illness, and it is interesting to read about this in a post-war context, just as the NHS is being introduced. Despite being set around seventy years ago, I felt that the issues that were highlighted in the novel are important for us today, and as such, I found Howes' writing very thought provoking.
The Lost Daughter Of Liverpool ends on a cliffhanger, and as the first in a trilogy, I look forward to seeing how Dora's story will develop.

I really enjoyed this book although some of the storyline was given away in the synopsis so you were waiting for something to happen to the children. It was well written and thought out but I felt that it didn't finish. I know there is a sequel but still think the ending could've been a bit more defined. I will however look forward to the next book

Pam Howes is a new author to me, I enjoy reading family sagas now and again and I really loved this book, which is the first in a trilogy. The Lost Daughter of Liverpool is an amazing heartwarming story not without its tragedies.
The characters pull you in from the beginning and the 1940's/50's setting is fascinating. From the moment I started reading I couldn't put it down.
For me the beauty of this book was how the author developed the characters. I felt like I knew them and cared what happened to them, I was constantly rooting for Dora.
If you like your characters with depth and from a few eras ago this ticks all the right boxes, I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Thank you.

Firstly thank you so much to Bookouture for approving my request to read this book via Netgalley. And then thanks also to the wonderful Kim Nash who twisted my arm right up my back lol..... And gave me the chance of being part of this blog tour.

​This book is certainly not my normal read. For anyone that knows me or the small few that follow my reviews, you will know I'm a BIG Crime fiction fan.
​But funnily enough the day I requested this book, Mum and I had been chatting about family, and I have quite a bit of family living in Liverpool. I also fondly remember my mum used to read an awful lot of family saga books, so thought I'd have a complete change and give this a go.

I'm so glad I did. What a refreshing change to my usual crime read. The story is brilliant. Very well written. It flowed beautifully.
​I was interested right from the first chapter. The scenes and characters are described so well that you could almost feel like you were there with them. It's a very easy to follow to book, and in no time you are dragged into the lives of the characters. Living their lives with them, going through the joys, the heartache, the grief. You become so consumed in their lives. A real trip back in time. It was interesting reading how things were back in the 1940s with the midwife turning up on her bicycle, the food rations. You sometimes just don't realise how much things have changed so much.
​ Once I started this book, I just couldn't wait for every chance I got to read it. But I made sure once I was well into the book that each time I sat down with a cuppa to read, I also got the tissue box by my side.
I just loved the character Dora and everything about her, her ups and her downs, her happiness and her heartache. I felt so much for her throughout the book.
​
​This is book 1, and you know what I am most certainly looking forward to the next book. Who knows maybe I might just have to read a few other books out of my usual comfort zone.

After reading a lot of psychological thrillers lately I was looking for a complete change. I live near Knowsley and was quite looking forward to this book but was somewhat disappointed by the disjointed chapters.
I think readers of Helen Forrester and Maureen Lee will enjoy this book/trilogy. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it so I have given it 3 stars.

The Lost Daughter of Liverpool

Today is my turn on the Book Blog Tour for the wonderful “Lost Daughter of Liverpool” by Pam Howes. Before I start with my review, I just want to give my thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, Bookouture, for this advance copy in return for an honest review. Also thanks to Kim Nash, the Publicity & Social Media Manager for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Blog Tour.

I received this book from Netgalley, but it has sat in my To Be Read pile for a while. An email from Bookouture asking if I had read it yet, and would I be interested in being part of the Blog Tour prompted me to move it up to the top of the list, and I’m so glad I did! This is the first book in the series of The Mersey Trilogy. It’s set in Liverpool in 1946. The war is over, but times are still hard. Dora Evans is all set to marry her sweetheart, Joe Rodgers. She is a seamstress in a clothing factory, and together with her best friend Joanie, they have dreams of setting up their own business. Things look like they are on the way up – she marries Joe, they get their own home, thanks to her making her own wedding and bridesmaid dresses orders come in, and then she falls pregnant with twins. Could life be any better? Tragedy then strikes, not just Dora and Joe, but their whole family when one of the twins dies, and a fire at the clothing factory causes devastation. Can Dora cope with all the grief?

I loved this book! It’s set just after the war, so whilst we don’t get the devastation that the war caused in big cities such as Liverpool, you still get to see how difficult it was for people of this time. Buildings were still in ruins, the economy was poor and rationing was still in place. But, you also get to see how people manage to overcome all these things and live and enjoy their lives. Dora lives with her mum, dad and her brother Frank. She and Joe are planning their wedding, and despite there still being shortages, they manage to all work together to give her a wedding to be proud of. Things are looking good, but as we all know, in books like this things never stay good. Dora and her family suffer some devastating times when one of Dora and Joe’s twin girls dies the day after she was born. From then on, the sad times continue.

The characters in this book are wonderful. You can’t fail to love something about all of them. The story is so real and you can’t help but get caught up in the story and not let up until the very last page. I loved sharing the characters experiences – the struggling, the happiness and of course, the overwhelming sadness. I’ve laughed and I’ve cried. I do warn you to have a supply of tissues ready, as I certainly needed them! I’ve also loved the setting. I’ve been to Liverpool a few times, and I can picture some of the places that were mentioned in the book, and can imagine what life must have been like at this time. It was a beautifully written book that keep me reading until the early hours. I just didn’t want it to end, and it ends on such a cliff-hanger that you just can’t wait until the second book in the series is released!

If you like your family sagas, or your wartime romances, then this is definitely the book for you. My first by this author, and definitely won’t be the last. I shall be keeping my eye open for Book 2!!

Well I wasn't expecting that.
I love this book so much, I really can't wait for the next one to carry on from this one.
It didn't finish as a cliff hanger as such, but, almost certainly kept you gasping for more.

You get some people that seem to sail through life. Then you get others that get all the knock downs life throws at them. How many times can Dora get up from being knocked down.

I found this an emotional read on two levels.

My first level was when Dora and her husband went through a tragedy of event concerning their babies.

The depression and psychosis that Dora goes through is tragic. But she mends.
Only for other things to happen.

I so felt for Dora. I could understand her mental state, her anguish and her way of thinking and her unhealthy mind turning and twisting things.
Very scary for her husband and a lonely road for him to go down. I've been there. Bringing up kids with the aide of his mother-in-law.

It's real people within these pages. They are tangible. I can feel them.

So many tears were shed whilst reading this I got a blocked nose! Red eyes.

Just where is Dora and her hubby going to end up?

What about Frank her brother. Oh my dayz I'm so into this family unit I feel a part of it.

My thanks to the author for such a fantastic read. I'm waiting on the next instalment. I won't forget what this is about ever.
Thank you to Bookoutour for my early copy.