Tildy is one of those books that is hard to read, and even harder to put down. The story follows the life of Tildy, a woman in 1820's England. Early in the book, Tildy is forced to consume a large amount of alcohol and, semi-conscious, is raped by Tom Crawford. A pregnancy results, and she is forced to marry her rapist. Her life goes downhill from there, if you can imagine that. And while it was almost excruciating to see her pain and her hardships, it was such a draw to see her incredible strength. A tough, but good book.

A very slow book, which may be because it is one of a series. Nevertheless it was a gentle story to while away a wet afternoon. Just not really my cup of tea, but thanks for letting me read it Netgalley.

Taking place in 1820's England. At 18, Tildy meets Tom Crawford. She is forced to consume a large amount of alcohol and half conscious she is raped by him. With the coming child she is forced to marry the father by the church. She despises the father and wants to build a better future for her child. When a horrible circumstance occurs she has had enough of her harsh life and runs away while she is in labor. She is rescued and has her baby in the poorhouse . After recovering she is put out of there and taken in by someone. Even though she is shown kindness, which she is not used to in her marriage she feels she must leave her rescuers house and try to make another go of her marriage.
Tildy is the first book in an eight parts series about her struggles in a very harsh world.
Thank you to NetGalley and Endeavour Press for providing me with a review copy for my honest opinion.

From the moment she meets handsome and violent Tom Crawford, Tildy Seymour knows her life will never be the same. Raped & now heavily pregnant, Tildy finds herself with no recourse but to marry the father of her baby, only to find themselves in the same day homeless, jobless, and penniless. With nothing left to them, the newlyweds must return to Tom’s birthplace of the Sidemoor in the Midlands, a savage and oppressed community of nail-makers.
Surrounded by misery, saddled with a husband she despises, and desperate to build a future more positive than her own for her unborn child, Tildy holds her head high, refusing to be daunted, and faces all that her new life throws at her.
I did wonder how an ex marine would approach a Regency era novel & I was more than pleasantly surprised. This is the first in a series of eight & I so hope Tildy’s life improves. It was good to read a regency era novel not set in London & featuring the ton but the lives & struggles of the poor & working class. I felt the author dealt with Tildy’s trials & tribulations with a deft touch, the pace of the book was good & kept me turning the pages. I was also left wanting to continue Tildy’s story so I’ll be reading more in the series. A very good series opener