I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. The cover is very pretty. A great historical fiction romance/drama novel. Highly recommend.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

Ella Bancroft literally pulls herself up as a talented milliner in Victorian England. At first employed by a jealous employer, Ella manages to establish herself in her home as a milliner, and soon many ladies from her town shop up to buy her wares. Sensitive and poignant, this is a well written novel and worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this book.

I have read books by Lindsey Hutchinson before and always enjoy them, I learnt about the millinery processes and how designs can be developed. Who knew that top hats came in any other colour than black and that bridegrooms often requested white ones? !

The book is essentially typical of the genre - always some characters that exasperate, some that are cruel and the inevitable love stories.
However I had not foreseen the the ending at all - and rarely for a novel, it did bring a tear.
I don't feel this is a spoiler as other reviewers have alluded to it.
The ending as is the way with many books was rushed - and I found the epilogue useful though, in fact, very annoying. I read before bed so couldn't react out loud but I was thinking 'Really?!' 'and 'Would that actually have happened?!'

All in all this was a lovely book to read and one that I read quickly as I wanted to know what happened to the characters.

I dont think I will spoil my review with any more of the plot
It was definitely needed in these uncertain times

Thanks again to the publisher and Lindsey Hutchinson for the chance to read this book

I thought this book was really good I could not put it down.

Ella is working for a milliner but the woman is not very nice to her.

Ella’s Father is a cripple due to an accident at his work and seems to be able to turn his hand to anything. He says to Ella she should set up her own hat business and give up her job. They decide to do this and her designs are really good that she has some rich clientele buying from her.

The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the ending but I won’t spoil it for people.

I would certainly recommend this book.

'The Hat Girl from Silver Street', doesn't sound that interesting but, my word, it will drawn in from the first line right until the last word, just like it did me.
More up and downs than a roller coaster, I loved all the individual characters especially Ella and her father, a lovely bond between them.
A very well written book, happy, sad and lots of whit, I'm sure you'll love it as such as I did.
Most definitely recommend you read it, it will not disappoint.

First Initial Thoughts

Ella at the beginning of the book is working at a hat store as a hat designer. Her boss, Ivy Gladwin is not very nice and belittles her work every time. Ella’s father recently was in a work accident and is now confined in a wheelchair. She knows she must keep working to support her father and herself, but she also doesn’t want to work for Ivy. Ella’s father suggests that she open her own hat business and helps her get started. Together, they open the front part of their house into a little hat store and start selling hats. When one wealthy customer comes in, Mrs. Fortescue, and is pleased with the hats, she brings in even more customers. And through word of mouth, Ella has many new customers.

Ella was such a sweet woman and willing to do what it takes to make things work. She persevered through the difficult stages of opening the business and making it a success. She started the business with little to no money and was able to make it grow. I found this to be such an inspiration and I loved that her dad was supportive of her career. I think without her Dad, Ella wouldn’t have had the courage to start the business.

Harper Fortescue is the son of Mrs. Fortescue. Through his mother’s business relationship with Ella, he was able to meet her. He was engaged to a woman named Darcie Newland. Harper does not love her and finds Darcie to be an immature spoiled woman who thinks she is owed everything in life without hard work. When he meets Ella, he believes he found the woman he wants to marry. Will their love overcome all the obstacles in their lives?

Setting

Ella’s family lived in the poor part of town. I found it interesting that Lindsey never really went into the atmosphere of what it was like living in that neighborhood. There were brief mentions of chimney sweep workers (this was an actual career) and how dirty they were, but that was about it. Even though Lindsey never really went into the home life of the well-off, it was somehow perceived how they were living. I guess that is good writing!

Final Thoughts

Ella was a smart businesswoman and it showed in her success. Even though there were people who tried to undermine her success she kept going trying new designs and business strategies. Ivy, her previous boss was jealous of Ella’s success. This kind of reminded me of today’s social media and how we like to compare ourselves with others. Especially those that are in business. While we could remain jealous and spiteful, we actually could learn from those individuals. What are they doing right and what can we learn?

In the book, Darcie is portrayed as a spoiled woman who thinks she deserves everything in life. However, as the novel progressed I felt she was kind of miss understood. Her parents knew of their daughter’s behavior but did nothing to help fix it. I think Darcie was suffering from some kind of mental health issue. During that time period, mental health was not talked about or even dealt with humanely. Even though I kind of saw what was coming for her, I do hope she was able to seek help afterward.

I won’t spoil the ending but I have to say that I was quite shocked. I was not expecting what happened in the end. It reminded me of how life is. I liked how realistic it was. Life is hard and this book did not shy away from that fact. But it also showed that as people we can move on. We can persevere and make a success in life if we try and work hard.

A gritty, poignant and atmospheric Victorian saga, Lindsey Hutchinson’s The Hat Girl from Silver Street is a tale of ambition, resilience and survival from a master storyteller.

Life for Ella Bancroft is no bed of roses. With her father wheelchair-bound after a tragic accident and her mother dead, the burden of duty and responsibility lies heavily on young Ella’s shoulders. Her sister Sally and work-shy brother in law Eddy are no help at all, so it is up to Ella to keep a roof over their heads, the bailiffs at bay and herself and her father fed, clothed and watered. Ella’s life is one of constant sacrifice, worry and anguish, but compelled to find a job to keep the wolf from the door, she wonders whether a talent for millinery will stand her in good stead and keep her family from becoming destitute. Setting up shop in the front room of their house on Silver Street, Ella – helped by her father Thomas – begins to work hard to establish a thriving concern and the fashionable ladies of the Black Country soon begin to take notice and start clamouring for her creations. For the first time in a very long while, Ella feels as if happiness might be within reach, but could a cruel twist of fate put paid to all of her hopes and dreams for the future?

When she meets the man of her dreams, it looks like Ella can finally stop worrying and fretting, but as events conspire to once again test Ella’s mettle, will the courageous milliner end up crumbling under the pressure? Will her fighting spirit see her once again triumphing over the adversity being thrown her way? Or does fate have further surprises in store for her?

Lindsey Hutchinson’s The Hat Girl from Silver Street is a heart-warming saga from a terrific storyteller that tells the story of a resourceful, loyal, courageous and strong heroine who is determined to rise above the straitened circumstances she had been born into and to make something out of herself for her sake and that of her family’s. Ella is in an inspirational heroine readers will warm to and cheer on in her quest to become the mistress of her own destiny.

Lindsey Hutchinson’s The Hat Girl from Silver Street is a touching, enjoyable and dramatic Victorian saga perfect for curling up with.

Wow! What a book. One that took me to heights of elation and slammed me back to earth in a matter of few pages.

Ella’s triumphs and tribulations had my insides in turmoil. One moment she would be rejoicing with happiness; the next moment she would be shedding tears over another setback.

The Hat Girl from Silver Street is an utterly gripping story. I finished the book in two days straight. I was mesmerized by Hutchinson’s writing skills. The story flowed smoothly. I eagerly kept on turning the pages to see how Ella would conquer all the challenges that life threw at her. With help from her near and dear ones, she succeeds but also learns a truth: sometimes, you cannot win. You simply must accept. I cannot divulge anything more than this.

I liked all the characters in the story. Not even one seemed a waste to me. Hutchinson breathes life into every character, each of whom contributes to the drama. However, Ella was my favorite due to her creativity and resilient spirit. Her father, Thomas, comes a close second due to his staunch support for Ella.

Despite a heartbreaking conclusion, I loved the book. Usually, I do not like tragic endings, however, that’s the power of Hutchinson’s writing. The Hat Girl from Silver Street by Lindsey Hutchinson is highly recommended for lovers of historical and literary fiction.

Many thanks to the publisher for my digital copy of the book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion on the book.

Heartwarming family saga with some great characters .A young girl determined to succeed,encouraged by her dad ,faces rivalries and jealousy which put hurdles in her way.

The story began innocuously, but developed with a burst! Ella Bancroft is one of the the most resilient women of her time. She faces adversity with such vigilience that she is an amazing example for her friends and other young women wanting to start new businesses.
Ella opens up a hat business to keep her and her disabled father from being homeless.

This plot is one the author takes in so many directions that you can’t put it down because you will become so invested in Ella and her life choices that you will need to know the outcome.

I definitely would recommend this book!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

The Hat Girl from Silver Street by Lindsey Hutchinson is a historical fiction saga set in Victorian England. It is 1900 we are in the Black country, Walsall. Ella Bancroft is an apprentice hatmaker working in a shop. Her father has an accident at work so they live on Ella's wages alone, until the day she makes one mistake too many and is sacked.
Ella and her father set up a Milliners from their home with Ella making hats. The business takes of and she meets Harper, a dashing young man who falls for Ella as much as she falls for him. Their biggest issue is the marriage of convenience that Harper is already promised to. What hope is there for the couple when Ella is a lowly milliner? What does the future hold, if anything for this young couple?
What an emotional book such heartbreaking moments that tugged at my heartstrings. The characters we meet on Ella's journey along with Ella, are all well developed and give you the feeling of being back in the 1900s with them all. I adore a good saga as I love history and really enjoy being wrapped up in times gone by and all the problems people had then. I almost feel like I have an extended family whenever I finish a book such as this! A beautiful book that holds a beautiful tale. Another fantastic saga from the Boldwood stable of writers.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the copy of the book today.

How young Ella grows from being an apprentice to a slave driver of a milliner and establishes her own successful business makes for a remarkable story. She goes to work to support her wheelchair bound father, but then he finds that he can help her with setting up a business. Through her business she meets the man she falls in love with. But then trouble comes in many ways and Ella's spirit is tested.

This is a story of entrepreneurship, courage, loyalty and love that manages to draw you in although it is set in the 1900s. The characters in the story are so well defined - some mean, vindictive, some kind and gentle - and it's easy to get emotionally involved with the story. I found myself moved to tears at times, and smiling at other times as I got so caught up in this beautifully told story.

This is my first book from this author, but I'm certainly going to be looking out for more from her as her writing reminds me of Catherine Cookson, whose books I grew up with.

Goodreads
This is an engaging story of a young woman who is struggling to keep her family afloat. She is working as an assistant hat maker to a woman whose ideas are out of fashion and who isn’t shy about stealing Ella’s ideas. Her father decides that it is time for Ella to open her own shop.

The book deals with topics such as disability during this time period. Ella’s father is unable to walk which strains the family finances. Through the book you see him moving out of depression to finding meaning and unexpected skills by helping Ella make hats. However, there is some derogatory language about disability used in Ella’s mind when she described him as “emasculated” by not being able to walk. It didn’t seem accurate or necessary for the story.
There are also a lot of considerations of class dynamics. Ella is working class and has her store front in her house in an unfashionable area of town. Her first customers are upper class. There is a woman who is engaged to a person in that supportive family who is horrified to be required to come to a working class house.

I’d recommend this book for fans of historical fiction with strong female characters who face a lot of adversity.

The Hat Girl from Silver Street is a glorious story of love and loss between the social classes in 1900 victorian times. The characters Lindsey portrays are so realistic you can believe you are a bystander. I loved it.

The Hat Girl from Silver Street by Lindsey Hutchinson grips the heart and gently twists it.

This historical fiction saga set in 1900 revolves around Ella, a sweet girl taking care of her depressed wheel-chair-bound father. Working in the millinery trade for a witch of a shopkeeper, she is barely holding body, soul, and home together.

With help from her father, she sets out to open a shop selling her own creations. Times are so hard in the Black Country, and they scrimp by until fortune begins to smile upon them. Then trouble once again finds poor Ella. Will she be able to overcome the heartbreak that follows her?

The cast of characters is well-defined. I promise you will either love or hate them. When I thought it was unrealistic that so much was working out for Ella and her friend Kitty, the rug is pulled out from under them.

The subject of depression is artfully woven throughout the story, which had to be accurate in that period of time. Life was so hard for common people.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It made me laugh, cry, and even talk to the characters a time or two. If historical fiction is your genre, you will love this story. Please don't take my word for it; pick up a copy today and judge for yourself.

I have read a few of Lindsey’s books now and I have really enjoyed them. When I read the synopsis for ‘The Hat Girl From Silver Street’, I knew that I was going to be in for a treat. I was spot on too as reading ‘The Hat Girl From Silver Street’ was certainly a treat and I enjoyed every single minute of it but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Ella Bancroft and took to her from the very start. In fact I grew to consider her to be more a friend than a character in a book. She is a lovely young lady, who is working as a sort of apprentice/ assistance to an unpleasant woman, who treats Ella like a piece of dirt. Something happens and Ella is forced to leave her job. Ella is forced to find another way to bring the pennies in as she is the only wage earner in that house. Ella’s father and Ella come up with the idea of setting their own business up. Ella doesn’t have it easy at home either. She lives with her disabled father, who is only able to get about with the aid of a wheelchair. Ella has a sister, who is married to a workshy individual. Ella certainly has a lot on her plate.
It’s no word of a lie when I say that I was drawn into this story from the very first word on the very first page. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. I just couldn’t put the book down. The book wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I think that part of my addiction to this book is down to the fact that I liked Ella so much and I had to find out what happened to her and to her family. I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough as I worked my way through the story. Then all too quickly I reached the end of the book and I had to bid farewell to Ella.
‘The Hat Girl From Silver Street’ is superbly written but then I think that to be true of Lindsey’s books in general. She certainly has a way of writing stories that really get under your skin and affect you emotionally. I found that on more than one occasion my eyes welled with tears and at other times I was saying random comments to the book as if the individual concerned could hear me. I find that if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed this one then I tend to ‘live’ the story as if it were real. ‘The Hat Girl From Silver Street’ certainly took me on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride. I found ‘The Hat Girl From Silver Street’ to be a gripping read, which held my attention from start to finish and it had me on the edge of my seat.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Hat Girl From Silver Street’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Lindsey’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Apprentice hate maker Ella Bancroft works under the ever watchful eyes of her rather nasty employer Ivy Gladwin. When Ella’s loving father pushes her to see her own self worth, she makes the decision to leave her job and embark on a new adventure, with more determination than ever to make something of herself.

Thomas Bancroft is wheelchair bound, following an awful accident at work many years before, is left feeling somewhat useless. When he discovers a talent with ribbons he never knew he possessed, himself and his daughter Ella pull together and open up a store of their own, and produce the finest hats in Walsall.

This book was such a joyous story to lose myself in. The author does a marvellous job of exploring the living situations, alongside the various hardships people would have faced in those times too, in such a way that allows you to picture the scene perfectly in your mind. The characters were wonderful and endearing, each having their own stories to share, alongside having their individual personalities which impacted on their relationships throughout.

The story was wonderfully written and flowed perfectly right to the very end. The plot was intriguing and truly captivating, I found myself lost in the story, and completely invested in the lives of the characters. I would certainly recommend this book for others who love historical fiction.

ife is tough for Ella Bancroft. After her father, Thomas, is wheel-chair bound bu an accident at the tube works, the responsibility for keping a roof over their head falls to Ella. Ella is essourceful as well as creative, and soom discovers she has a gift for millinery. She sets up shop in their two-up, two-down home in Silver Street. Before long, the fashionable l;adies of the Black Country are lining op to wear one of Ella's beautiful creations. Meeting the man she longs to marry should be a turning point. But not everything goes to plan.

This is another well written book that draws you in at the beginningand doesn't let you go until the end. With a cast ful of charactersyou will mostly love, a few that deserve what they get in life and one spoilt brat you will quickly want to put over your knee and give them a good skelp. This is a heartwarming but also heartbreaking tale of romance, friendships, betrayal, death and loylaty. I would have liked to have learned more about what happened next to Ella and the reat of the remaining characters. But i was gald to see a few get their comeuppance.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks andthe author #LindseyHutchinson for my ARC #TheHatGirlOfSilverStreet in exchange for an honest review.

The Hat Girl From Silver Street by Lindsey Hutchinson is women’s fiction with a lot going on. In fact, it is a lot of things but not any one thing. One could almost consider it a story of friendship, or a historical family drama, or a romance, or a tragedy, or a story of friendship. It is all these things while also being a beautiful inspiring novel celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the determination to pursue a dream.

I was quite taken with the character Ella Bancroft from the beginning. Events made her life one of two steps forward and one step backwards as the sayings goes. Cheerfulness and perseverance were two strong attributes of this character. Her life is not easy in Black Country at the turn of the century. Her approach is admirable and inspiring in what I thought would be a somewhat Cinderella story. Sadly, it is not, the conclusion is not at all what was expected.

I truly hope that this is not the last that will be seen of Ella and her friends. The ending was so shocking that I felt that something more must happen to Ella in a future book. Still I loved this story but while Ella accepts her seemingly future life, I cannot but hope for another visit to Ivella’s shop.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.