This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

I am from Ironbridge, which is why this story stood out to me. My family have lived locally for generations. I was instantly drawn to the book because of the title because of this.
The story was lovely. Sometimes emotional but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and author for allowing me the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

I would like to start this review by thanking Bonnier Zaffre for providing a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I must also start by saying that Shropshire is my hometown. It is where I grew up, where I return to when I get time off work, and probably what I will always classify as home. I also spent time as a teenager volunteering with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum’s Trust. As a kid Blists’ Hill Victorian Town was my favourite place to visit. So, when I saw a book based in and around the ironworks of Ironbridge, I was super excited.
I am so pleased that I picked this book up, it approaches the story by largely focusing on the friendship of Anny and Margaret, who despite being from opposite side of the social spectrum strike up a friendship almost immediately. The story explores the lives of two young girls from opposite sides of the social spectrum, their friendship provides each of them with different things, but it’s the very thing that they seem to need at that moment in their life.
The book follows many perspectives, allowing for issues that don’t touch Anny and Margert’s world without jolting you out of the story. Often setting the happy, almost carefree, perspectives of Anny and Margaret against darker or opposing character’s point of views. Making you realise, that despite their optimism and newly forming friendship nothing is as simple as it seems to them. It allows for the wider picture to be exposed and explored, which makes the story interesting, as it is often things that neither Anny or Margaret see or consider. I fell in love with Anny and Margaret almost instantly and the number of other characters presented in the book are all well thought out. Even those who are not painted in the best light are intriguing, which makes it difficult not to feel somewhat invested in them.
Also, a quick note on the setting. As I am from the area, I must commend the descriptions and settings that are provided in the story. The way that the social history and the various perspectives of the characters are woven into the story is a testament to the authors writing ability.
I must admit this book took me a while to read. However, it was easy to dip in and out of when I found the motivation to read. The story runs along at a nice pace for the most part. Although the ending did seem a little abrupt, hopefully that is because the story is to be continued in another book – which I would pick up! I need to know if Anny and Margaret’s friendship can withstand everything that has been thrown at it.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and the world that was created. I enjoyed returning to the world each time I picked up the book and cannot wait to see what is in store for the characters if this series continue. It is one that I would defiantly recommend it to friends and family.
Thank you again to both the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book.

3.5 stars

The Daughters Of Ironbridge is historical fiction set in Shropshire around the iron industry.

Annie is the daughter of an ironworker and is lucky; she has been taught to read and write. This enables her to gain employment in the offices of the factory owner.

Margaret is the lonely daughter of the King family. The two girls become friends and this story follows their lives, loves and losses.

The author’s research into the ironwork setting shone through with plenty of detail and local dialect from the era. However, I thought there was a little too much local colloquialism, as it stopped the flow of my reading experience; just the odd word or saying would have been enough.  Dialect spelled out in each sentence can become irritating; once you know how the characters talk you tend to read it in their accent anyway. I quite liked the characters but I thought opportunities to make both girls really stand out were missed. Their storylines were good, but safe within the historical genre.

Overall an interesting piece of regional history woven into book one of a saga series, but I didn't find it memorable.

Daughters of Ironbridge is an already well-known authors diversification into historical saga's uner a new pseudonym and as expected she adapts to this style of writing extremely well.

This is women's fiction aimed at fans of authors such as Diney Costelloe and Katie Flynn, which explores aspectes of friendship and life on both sides of the class division of the early 19th century The story begins when an uncommon friendship springs up between two young women from very different backgrounds. Working class Anny, daughter of an ironworker is thrown in the path of wealthy Margaret and surprisingly, against all odds the girls soon become staunch allies.

Despite their huge lifestyle differences the girls find a lot in common and soon decide to band together as a force to be reckoned with. Strong feisty women, a great historical setting in an inimitable location in Shropshire combine to make this book a sure-fire winner.

Secrets and lies are uncovered in the kind of novel often described as gritty and definitely authentic to the period it is set in and there are plenty of twists and heart-wrenching scenes to keep the reader enthralled.
This is the first in a planned trilogy which I am sure will be a great success with it's wide subject appeal for many women readers.

The Daughters of Ironbridge tells the story of an unlikely friendship between Margaret King and Anny Woodvine. While Anny comes from a poor background - her father works for the King family, Margaret is the daughter of the house. They keep their secret friendship going for several years but the arrival of a budding artist, keen to capture the essence of Britain's industrial revolution brings changes for both of them. There's a host of characters here. Some you like, others not so much. Margaret's father Ralph and brother Cyril are particularly unpleasant. Mollie Walton certainly puts her characters through some tough experiences before we reach the final page. The ending leaves the story wide open for the second instalment, one I can't wait to read. An entertaining and well written debut from Mollie Walton. Thank you to the writer for an ARC copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

In the Shropshire town of Ironbridge, two girls find that despite their very different upbringing they have a natural delight in each other's company. However society doesn't look too kindly on a girl from the big house and the daughter of the iron works owner, mixing with one of the girls from the poorer side of town whose father is one of the iron foundry workers.

Anny Woodvine is a canny lass, she's bright and intelligent and her ability to read and write takes her life in a different direction that that of her contemporaries.When she is asked to run errands for the ironwork's estate manager, Mr Brotherton, Anny is thrilled to have this special responsibility. However, her clandestine friendship with the more affluent, Margaret King, will lead Anny into danger.

The Daughters of Ironbridge is a lovely historical saga which is made all the more fascinating by having two delightful lead characters who add a vibrant energy to the story. The author brings to life the chasm of social differences and shows that whilst money brings comfort, it doesn't always bring happiness, and as Margaret finds out, to her cost family secrets, which run deep can have a devastating effect on the future.

This is the author's first foray into historical saga writing and in The Daughters of Ironbridge she has made a commendable start in a story which is filled with historical detail, bringing to life just what it was like to live and work in the industrial age, and whilst it was a time of great social changes, this novel shows, that the great divide between rich and poor was still very much alive. I especially loved getting to know Anny and Margaret who each bring something rather special to this lovely story.

I think this is the start of a trilogy, and the ending of the story certainly lends itself to a further continuation. I can't wait to see what happens next

Does the class divide matter. When Anny and Margaret are young girls they make friends thinking the divide means nothing to true friendship, but when circumstances change and things happen their divide is all too clear. I throughly enjoyed this book reading about the ups and downs of both girls lives.

This book was just wonderful – whisking me back to 1830s Shropshire, entirely immersed in the lives between its pages, living every twist and turn of its enthralling story, feeling all the injustices, rooting for the wonderful women at its centre.

The author features strong women, drawn in depth, in her historical novels (written as Rebecca Mascull) – and her equally powerful portrayal of Anny and Margaret was one of the many things I loved about this book. It takes two girls at the opposite ends of the social spectrum: Anny desperate to better herself, to be able to secure her future with a job in a Shrewsbury office rather than the hard manual work that might otherwise be her fate; Margaret surrounded by privilege but deprived of love, passing her uncomfortable days until her father can get her married.

The unlikely friendship that develops between them is so convincingly done, with moments of pure joy for them both – but it’s a friendship that proves difficult to sustain when the realities of their lives intervene, and the story takes some very dark turns indeed before its thoroughly satisfying conclusion.

The research the author must have undertaken to build their world in such rich detail and with total believability must have been immense. The social history and the contemporary detail – the relationships between the foundry owners and the workers, the conditions they endured, the casual disregard for safety and the lives of others, the social position of women – combined to make this world one I became entirely part of.

And the story telling is quite superb – I was totally lost in this story from beginning to end, cheering every triumph, shocked at every setback, angry about every threat to their happiness, tearful at the moments of injustice and loss. This book is the first in a planned trilogy, and I’m totally committed for the duration – very much my kind of read, and I absolutely loved it.

Anny and Margaret form an unlikely friendship across society's boundaries.

I so enjoyed The Daughters of Ironbridge because there's a fabulous authenticity to the era presented by Mollie Walton. Her use of dialogue, dialect and her presentation of class differences in particular, draw in the reader to a vibrant and genuine setting. Having been to Ironbridge, I could see just how much assiduous and relevant research has gone in to creating a town that lifts from the page into sharp reality. It was as if I were actually there as I read.

The plot is a cracker. It starts relatively gently with Anny and Margaret becoming friends but builds and builds creating real tension so that I wasn't sure quite how this story would resolve itself. I found it hugely satisfying to read. Not everything resolved itself as I anticipated (or perhaps wanted) and so I'm now hooked into the story and desperate to know what happens next in the series.

Anny is a wonderful creation and she was the one who held my affections most, because I most identified with her. Her desire to better herself and the way Mollie Walton weaves in the importance of literacy and education to Anny's life is a universal theme that I could relate to completely. Indeed, I felt The Daughters of Ironbridge was a surprisingly feminist read with a depth I wasn't quite expecting and the journeys of self-discovery for Anny and Margaret are as relevant to anybody today as they were to women of their era. However, I really appreciated the balance of characters too. There are positive and negative characters of both sexes so that The Daughters of Ironbridge feels well- rounded and balanced in spite of the main plot elements (about which I won't say more. You'll have to read the book for yourself!)

Themes of poverty and wealth, cruelty and altruism, love and brutality give layers of interest that make The Daughters of Ironbridge a smashing story. It truly does have everything a lover of the saga genre wants in a narrative.

It's some time since I read a saga and what a perfect example of women's saga fiction The Daughters of Ironbridge is. Mollie Walton has created a glorious world of history, society, family and friendship, love and hate that slots right in to the genre without a glitch and has reignited my interest in this type of writing. I loved the way this first book in the series ends and can't wait to find out what happens next. Brilliant!

Oh, what a beautifully written novel this is. Set in 1830’s Shropshire, The Daughters of Ironbridge tells the story of an unlikely and largely forbidden friendship of differing classes.

Anny Woodvine, is the daughter of an iron worker at the local iron works. Margaret King is the daughter of the owner of famous King family, the owner of the iron works. Their lives could not be more different, yet circumstance brings them together.

Anny Woodvine, although from a poor family, is well educated for both the time and her class. She is able to both read and write and upon delivering a message to the ‘Big House’ after a chance visit to her Father at the iron works is asked to be their messenger.

It is whilst running what at first are nothing more than small errands that Anny meets Margaret, the King family daughter. Margaret is desperately lonely, despite her obvious wealth, she doesn’t have a good relationship with either her Father or Brother and a chance encounter between the girls leads to a tentative friendship.

The girls both know that their friendship would be frowned upon by both their own families and society, so they begin meeting in secret and writing to each other when they are unable to meet, leaving their letters in an agreed hiding place.

Both girls believe that nothing can break their friendship, and that together they can eventually change societies ideas about their individual classes. Until disaster strikes at the iron works, their ambitions are almost believable (particularly as a modern day reader). Is their friendship about to be tested to its limits?

The Daughters of Ironbridge is the first in Mollie Walton’s Ironbridge Saga series and I cannot wait to read the next!

Well this is wonderful, if ever there was a book that was written that needed to be read, then it is this one! It is a beautiful story that is all about friendship, about how two completely different young girls from two different back grounds found a real friendship.

Set in the 1830’s this tells the story of an unlikely friendship between Anny Woodvine, daughter of an ironworker at the iron works and Margaret (Peggy) King daughter of the owner of the works. Anny has big dreams and as she is can both read and write she gets a job as a messenger for the King’s which is when she meets Peggy, and straight from the off they form a special friendship. But its not all plain sailing for the two friends as their friendship is tested, are they strong enough to sail the storm?

What I particularly loved about this is that the story is centred on Anny’s and Margeret’s friendship, from the moment they meet you see that here is two young girls who are from opposite sides of the social spectrum and yet they have found a true friendship together, they both are the very thing that the other needs in their lives and I found it so heart-warming watching their friendship blossom and grow as the story developed, it is a natural and organic relationship that forms between the two girls, which is based on mutual trust and loneliness.

I love the character’s in this, each one is really well researched and developed, the girls really are the star attraction but I loved the secondary character’s too, each one has been wonderfully created even the evil ones such as Cyril; Peggy’s brother – who really is a nasty piece of work – but I especially like Peggy’s grandmother ‘Queenie’ there is something a little other worldly about the old matriarch of the King family, the old bird has secrets and there is a mystery that is swirling around her like an ever present mist, I love how Ms Walton keeps the read on edge with concerns to Queenie there is just something about her that kept my attention

This is a piece of really great writing, it’s not one of those wham-bam and then we are straight into the story, this is a gentle stroll that takes the reader past beautiful scenery both natural and industrial (I bet your wondering how an industrial scene can be beautiful? Believe me, it can) past heartache as well as joy and all the human emotion’s in-between. It shows both the good and the bad of both sides of society and amongst all that you have a very simple story with Anny and Peggy. The story is a mix of sweetness and raw brutal truth’s of the era. It doesn’t hold back any punches when it comes to delving into how divided the era was, how the social divide was wider then ever.

Overall this is a great story that has real backbone, a story that takes the reader on a real journey into the past. Every scene is perfectly detailed that makes it very real, you can see Ironbridge in your mind as you read. Ms Walton has done a great job and I can’t wait to read more.

This was an Arc from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have just finished The Daughters of Ironbridge and absolutely loved it, the way it was written bought Anny and Peggy to life and left me being able to clearly visualise them and the places described in the book.

This book highlights the differences based on social class that was experienced in 1800's and how some people didn't feel that they fitted within the class they were born into. I found this book interesting and was keen to keep reading as the story kept developing and changing course for Anny and Peggy.

A brilliant book that left me wanting to read more about what would happen to the lovely Anny and Peggy and whether their friendship could withstand the tests that had been thrown in their direction.

The story was set in a time when there was a vast difference between the have's and the have not's. Anny came into the second category, her family struggled to make ends meet but Anny did have an advantage over the other children in the street as her mother had taught her to read and write. This led to a job at the big house working for the family who owned the ironworks and also to a secret friendship with the Margaret the daughter of the house. All seems to be going well but then the son of the house starts to take an interest in Anny and he always gets what he wants. I enjoyed reading how the story progressed and can highly recommend to anyone who enjoys this type of historical novel.

A spell binding saga for fans of Rosie Goodwin etc.
This is the story of the rich and the poor in Ironbrodge during the industrial revolution and the author vividly recreates the period. The story is told through the eyes of Anny a poor girl who wants to make more of herself and rich Margaret who is lonely in the big house. Through their eyes we experience the truth of being working class and learn of the horror of prisons at the time.
I really hope the sequel is available soon as we need to know what happens to Anny and Margaret next. Will the curse on the King House come true and what of the baby on the bridge?

I really enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it. It has a great story line, excellent main characters and it is a real page turner. I read this book in one sitting and the hours just flew by!

An interesting book about life when iron was made. Life was hard and dangerous, this was shown by good description when furnace exploded killing many people. I enjoyed story and could easily relate to characters ,Recommend book to be read.

Brilliant, couldn't put this book down! Great characters but an even more interesting setting and time. Other reviews hint that this is the start of a series and if that's true, I'm really excited for more to come.

A great book of the class divide and those caught in the middle,i have loved reading of Margaret(peggy) and Anny's friendship.Margaret's brother Cyril is mean boy with a nasty streak and he shows it to those he considers beneath him.I can highly recommend this book and look forward to the next.Well done to the Author 5*

I was keen to read this book as I live in this area and it's always fun to read books set in an area you recognise. Obviously, it's a very different landscape and this was something I felt the author described well. I could picture the furnaces very clearly and I was able to feel the heat and see the clouds of smoke and ashes.

The book tells the story of two girls, from different stations in life. Anny is a clever, but poor child and Margaret is the daughter from The Big House, younger child of the Furnace owner. These two meet and become close friends and the story is based around their lives and friendship.

The book ambles along nicely, but I wouldn't exactly call it a page turner. More the sort of book you can dip in and out of when you have the time. I didn't really understand the reason for introducing the Baby on the Bridge- unless it was to lay the groundwork for another book. It certainly wasn't explored in any detail in this one, which was a real shame as the opening chapter was so promising!

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I think that was more to do with the interesting era and the setting, rather than the actual characters. I found that I wasn't particularly attached to any of them and read to see what happened with mild curiosity rather than a burning desire. I also felt the ending was rather abrupt, particularly in Margaret's case. I would have liked a little more on what she planned to do next and how she achieved it! Anny's chapters concluded believing she'd got above her station and the life she was left with was all she deserved, which wasn't particularly cheery either. I'm glad I read and finished it, but I wouldn't rush to read it again. Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book.