This is book 1 in a series.
I grew up reading these type of books from a teen through to when I had my first baby 1984 this author was one of my favourite along with Catherine Cookson.

I miss the way that writing books was back then. The sentences and slang were included in the narration of characters just as if you were right there listening to them speaking in their accents. You don’t get much of that now and I do miss that, it seems to have to be “auto correct” nowadays and everyone’s a critic.

Off my soap box lol


Based around the 19th century and this young girl was not about to lead the life she was given. Intended to just accept.
She wanted more from life and that included any children in the future she would have with Jim.

Why did women have to accept things the way they were?
If she was pregnant and wanted to go out or work until she birthed her baby, why not?

She didn’t realise she could be a trailblazer.

The ups and downs of a war world, devastating conditions and consequences, the hope for the future. It’s all within these pages.

Will I get book 2?
Definitely

Everybody’s Somebody by Beryl Kingston is the story of Rosie Goodison. The book opens to students admiring paintings done by Gerard de Silva in an art gallery. The girls are drawn to four painting (one for each season) with one woman featured. There is no mention of the model’s name and the teacher states she is no one of consequence. Rosie Goodison is twelve years old and heading off to work at Arundel Castle as a nursery maid. Rosie is a determined, smart young woman. She questions the roles of woman and those of the working class. Rosie is soon unsatisfied with her work in the nursery and looks for a better position. Rosie is lucky when she obtains the position of housekeeper for Lady Eden’s two sons for the summer. It gives Rosie a chance to read the latest newspapers and hear the news regarding the war that is erupting throughout Europe. After the summer, Rosie decides to venture to London where she works at the RAC Club in Pall Mall. Rosie is exposed to new experiences thanks to her new friends and coworkers. She soon meets Jim Jackson, a dockworker. When conscription begins, Jim is called up and off to war. Rosie continues her work at the RAC Club where she meets the artist, Gerard de Silva. The war continues, and it takes its toll on everyone. When the war ends, Rosie is reunited with her love. But life is not easy, and they struggle to survive. Rosie is fortunate to get a job modeling for Gerard. Will Rosie achieve her dreams? How will her life turn out? Join Rosie on her journey in Everybody’s Somebody.

Everybody’s Somebody is nicely written, but I found the pace a little slow. It is a simple story about the life of Rosie Goodison. Rosie wishes for a better life. She does not understand the division of classes. Rosie is a determined, intelligent feisty woman who struggles to survive in an ever-changing world. Personally, I did not feel the author pushed the character as far as she could have. I wanted to see Rosie achieve so much more (the potential was there). I felt the author captured the era with the language, clothing and descriptions (good attention to detail). It is evident that Beryl Kingston did her research. I did feel the name dropping of famous people was forced (too many names). It did not feel natural (at least for this book). I was not fond of the alternating POV (it pulls me out of the story). The author should have stuck with Rosie’s point-of-view for the whole book. It was difficult to discern the dialect of the characters. I was baffled (at times) by what the characters were saying (and the words were not in the online dictionary). The ending felt unfinished. The story could have used more editing (for content, pace, length). I did like how the story went full circle (the paintings). Everybody’s Somebody is a sweet, yet predictable story. The story is told, but it was not given life. I just expected more from the description.

I found this novel so interesting from the start. The story of Rosie and her family growing up and living through some harsh times which were a reality. World War One, the Suffragette Movement and working in service are all there in the novel and Rosie's determination to make a good life for herself rather than settling for what was to be "her lot". Her life with Jim, who became her husband, and Gerry de Silva who was a Jewish Artist who painted many famous people of the time, who Rosie models for over the years is so interesting.
I really enjoyed this novel and particularly the way all the events of the time were included. I think a follow-up novel is a must..

Strong is a word I'd use to describe Rosie, both physically and mentally. This takes place in early 1900's England. An interestingly informative historical novel.
Pub Date 01 Sep 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Endeavour Press for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Good old fashioned story by a great author. Just what I needed at the time of reading it. Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher

This is a story which takes place in early 1900s England and centers around the main character of Rosie. As the book begins in the present day, teenagers are on a school trip to a national art gallery. The art teacher is expounding upon the works of an artist named Gerard de Silva. Although the teacher is steering their attention to de Silva's portraiture of famous sitters like Lawrence of Arabia, two teenage girls are drawn to the dark-haired woman in several of his other paintings. When they asked the teacher who that sitter was, the teacher replied that it was "someone of no consequence." Once the teacher is out of earshot, one girl confides to the other, "I don't care if she had consequence or not; she looks strong. And if you think about it, she must have been somebody. Everybody's somebody. I'd like to have met her."

Then the time rewinds to a day when Rosie was twelve and expected to go for her first job miles away to contribute to the family. They live very simply in a home in the English hamlet of Binderton. Ma keeps having babies, and money is tight. Rosie's scared and upset at the thought of leaving her family to work at a rich estate, but maintains a stiff upper lip for the sake of her parents. This was my favorite part of the book. She's provided a smart uniform and assigned to work in the nursery with babies. It's the best clothing and grub she's ever had in her life, but it will be ten long months until she's able to visit her family again.

Throughout the book Rosie exhibits strength and resourcefulness in navigating various job situations to keep financially afloat. She's always looking to improve her life and takes risks and moves to do so. She's feisty, determined, strong and level-headed. Rosie lives through World War I and there are frank and moving depictions of the horrors of battle. One of the jobs Rosie falls into after losing her waitressing job at a high end club is posing for artist Gerard de Silva. It is here that the book harkens back to the beginning and we find out the identity of the beautiful and mysterious woman in the paintings.

As the book concludes, she has felt the effects of the recent Great Depression, and World War II is on the horizon with the emergence of Hitler. I did enjoy this book, but I wasn't wowed by it. I was looking forward to move on to something else.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my fair and honest review.

This historical novel, set in England from pre-World War One to pre-World War Two, is an excellent study of life during that period, and crosses class boundaries as well. We follow closely the life of Rosie, a dairyman's daughter, as she finishes school and goes out to work as a maid at twelve years old. We know her husband Jim, a dock worker before the war, and a store clerk after when his permanent injuries preclude manual labor. We are also at home with Gerry de Silva, a Jewish artist who uses Rosie as a model for many years, and are allowed to watch the children of their extended families grow up. Altogether an excellent novel, well peopled and historically correct. I was interested with the coverage of the Nazi party in London before WWII - you don't see that mentioned very often. Everybody's Somebody is a book I am happy to recommend to friends and family.

I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Beryl Kingston, and Endeavour Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.