I loved this book from page one. I was completely drawn into the characters lives. Some were great and others awful, but you became absorbed into the book. Ruby had a hard time with her father taking her baby away from her, but she never let him grind her down. With the love of Archie she became a formidable woman in her own right looking after those she cared for. The end was rather abrupt definitely leaving me wanting more. I can’t wait to start The Mersey Angels so I can catch up with all the great characters again.

Keep some tissues handy while reading Sheila Riley’s The Mersey Mistress because this superb storyteller is sure to tug at the heartstrings with her latest saga.

Ruby Swift is the kind of woman who takes no prisoners. She does not suffer fools gladly and you always know where you are with her. A hard worker who always puts her friends and family first, the straight-talking Ruby has a heart of gold which is why when she hears that a trusted employee’s house had been completely devastated by flames in a tragic accident where lives were lost, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Alongside her husband Archie, the couple decide to take in sixteen year old Anna Cassidy into their home after she had been orphaned by this mysterious accident.

Ruby opens her door to Anna, however, she knows that her young charge is grieving not just the loss of those she loved and lost, but is also completely and utterly devastated by the fact that her twelve year old brother Sam has been sent to Canada by the Church as a homeboy. Anna is completely broken-hearted by this. She knows that she will never see Sam again and that by going to Canada, he is as good as lost to her. However, Anna hadn’t counted on Ruby and on her determination to reunite this little family.

Ruby is prepared to move mountains for Anna and her brother. However, will her courage and fortitude be enough when there are so many obstacles standing in her way?

Sheila Riley’s The Mersey Mistress is saga storytelling at its finest. Ruby Swift is a wonderful heroine who is strong, loyal and so generous, readers simply cannot help but admire her and her huge heart. Liverpool in the early twentieth century is also brought brilliantly to life and readers will enjoy going on an emotional and dramatic journey with Ruby, Archie, Anna and all the wonderfully realised characters Sheila Riley creates.

A superb saga from a very talented writer, fans of Nadine Dorries and Katie Flynn will thoroughly enjoy Sheila Riley’s latest novel, The Mersey Mistress.

The Mersey Mistress is a detailed, well written emotional story. The reader is pulled straight into the story with an engaging dramatic scene. it was such a compelling read couldn't it put down.
I like how Riley has captured the society and conditions of the time in this heartfelt story. I also liked how Riley has included reallife events, such as the titanic sinking and the preparation that took place leading up to WWI.
The character development of The Mersey Mistress is good. There are a good mixure of characters that provoke different types of emotion, mainly likeable. Each character is unique with their own personalities making a very relatable and believable twist to the story told.
I particularly liked Ruby's character, as a strong independent woman.
I would recommend reading The Mersey Mistress to lovers of women's fiction and historical fiction, as it gives an interesting insight into the lives of the differences between the working class and the poorer social classes in the alleys surrounding the Liverpool docks...

I really enjoyed The Mersey Mistress by Sheila Riley, i was hooked from the start and this is a book that my mum would also enjoy this aswell

Although this is a novel it is very true to the lives of those who lived in the Liverpool Docks area before the WW1. It makes for a very good read infact I wished it hadn't ended when it did.. Another book to follow this would be a great addition as a series. I really enjoyed following the lives of these families and history of these times. I say history but it isn't boring history in any way. This has been very well written and well researched to be given 5 stars, I recommend you read this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

From the start, you are drawn into the story, right to the root of Ruby's situation. The writing establishes a strong sense of place in the Liverpool Docklands and through its domestic detail, creates a believable period story. I found myself swept along as it followed Anna and Sam's lives. There are some strong characters, some well-intentioned and others, far from it. Principal among them is Ruby, with her unconventional attitudes and the warmest heart. You absolutely feel for Anna's family and at times, really fear for Sam. You feel the helplessness of those who are subject to pomposity, greed and hypocrisy.
The evacuation of young children to Canada is integral to the story. Certainly, the Church's part in this seems cold and impersonal. Young lives are disregarded to make budgets and administration run smoothly. This isn't the only example of the weak being bullied and there is plenty of rich detail contrasting the different ways poorer people employ to survive. I also enjoyed the real-life incidents which feature, such as the sinking of the Titanic and the preparations for war. This is a great opening for a new saga, full of family values, set against a world backdrop.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

The Mersey Mistress is a bittersweet saga penned by Sheila Riley. It is the second in the Mersey trilogy but works great as a standalone. I didn’t feel as if I missed anything from the first book, The Mersey Orphan.

The Mersey Mistress ticks many boxes for me. It is like no other book I’ve ever read. There are several stories all spun together in a cohesive delight to read. It was much more than I could have asked for.

I was tearing up starting with the Prologue and spent many more tears while reading this novel. I believed that the whole story would be about Ruby and Archie as they navigated her father’s ire. But, we get Ruby and Archie, almost as background characters while Anna and Sam take center stage.

But, as I mentioned either, it all comes full circle with every character mingling with all the others. I knew what my mind thought the book would be, yet Riley shattered those notions with flair.

I award The Mersey Mistress a full 5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to many more journeys with this author.

5 Word Review: Family, trust, kindness, belonging, love.

This story broke my heart and then filled it to bursting. Then broke it again. And refilled it. It's a bit of a ride.

There are threads of romance from the start of this story, winding together through the years. Ruby and Archie are the cutest couple ever, and their love is so strong.

Ruby has such a large heart. We are first introduced to her in the prologue, and it is pretty heart-breaking. But she pulls herself up and does her best for herself and everyone around her. She is kind and generous and properly a good person, despite what life has dealt her. She has a fiery attitude and a take-no-nonsense outlook, and it was a breath of fresh air.

What happens to Anna is devastating. Christmas Eve is perhaps the worst day of her life, what could go wrong went wrong catastrophically, and yet she is a bright spark. Although things get pretty desolate for her, I loved how she rallied and grew from her trauma.

And Sam? Oh, poor Sam. He's so positive and full of life, and honest and caring young man who doesn't deserve what happens to him. I read a lot of his parts of the story on the edge of my seat, hoping and praying that things would work out.

The setting is vast, stretching across years and the Atlantic Ocean. I loved the contrast between the Docks at Liverpool and the open space of Canada, and I liked the contrast between Anna's home life and Ruby's business and home.

I have already read some of Sheila Riley's books under the Annie Groves name, and I will definitely be reading those under her own name.

This is a perfect read for all fans of historical saga stories, and fans of Rosie Goodwin.

The more Saga Novels I read, the more I like they. Not just because of the plot itself, that in this book was absolutely amazing, but also because of the way it portraits society back then, since it allows some reflection on life back them (the good and the bad).

Sheila Riley gives us, in The Mersey Mistress, a fantastical well create group of characters. I love following the lives of the main characters. Ruby was amazing, and it was thanks to her that I connected with the story at first. She's compassionate and friendly, and her background made me understand her more.

The pace was good, I was caught reading page after page. I wanted to know what would happen next to this family, I wanted to know how things would develop and if there would be happy ending once I finished the book.

Overall, this book touched my heart, it was warm, and it almost felt like I was reading about my family's story, it had that familiarity and connection that I could not escape and that I enjoyed.

[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Sheila Riley and Boldwood Books for the eCopy of this book, via Netgalley, and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]

I have been a fan of Sheila’s work for a little while now. I read, loved and reviewed her two previous books called ‘The Mersey Orphan’ and ‘The Mersey Girls’. So when I heard that she was due to release another book, I knew that I had to read it as soon as I could. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because Sheila’s new book called ‘The Mersey Mistress’ was released on 6th April 2021. It is another corker of a read, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Ruby Swift and I took to her from the start. In fact she began to feel more like a friend than a character in a book. She hasn’t had it easy herself as events happened in her past that led to her having to move away and create a new life for her and her husband. Ruby hasn’t let it keep her down as she and her husband have made a success of things. Her success hasn’t changed her and she has been known to help those in need. She has known hardship herself and she can’t bear to see others suffer. Ruby is a kind, compassionate, sensitive young woman. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly and she won’t take any nonsense from anybody.
It’s no word of a lie when I say that I was drawn to this book by the fact that I saw Sheila Riley’s name on the cover of the book. The synopsis left me wanting more and I dived straight into the story. To say that reading ‘The Mersey Mistress’ became addictive is a huge understatement. I picked the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I ended up becoming so wrapped up in the story that I was still sat there reading over half a dozen chapters later. ‘The Mersey Mistress’ developed a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. Despite my best efforts to ration how much I read in one go to prolong my enjoyment of the book, I finished reading ‘The Mersey Mistress’ in just under 12 hours.
‘The Mersey Mistress’ is superbly written but then I think the same to be true of Sheila’s work in general. Sheila has a writing style that is easy to take to and easy to get used to. She certainly grabbed my attention and drew me into what proved to be a compelling and emotional read. Sheila describes Merseyside so well that I feel as though I know the place without ever having visited. I hope that makes sense. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Sheila’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Mersey Mistress’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Sheila’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Sheila Riley’s newest book, situated in the Mersey area, is simply amazing. This historical fiction novel will grab you by the heart and keep you turning page after page.

Please note this is a stand-alone entry in the Reckoner’s Row set. This story revolves around Ruby Swift and Anna Cassidy. As their lives become more entwined, what starts as duty, turns to love. We follow along as tragedies are overcome and truly generous, giving people show there is decency among our fellow men.

While Ruby and Anna are the main characters, the large cast of people in the book is what makes it the most appealing. Without Archie, where would Ruby be? Can Anna find her brother Sam? Will Ned travel the world? I could go on and on, but I’ll let you discover the joy of these characters for yourself.

The Mersey Mistress is a family saga that deals with familial duty and the male dominance of the era. It touches on the earliest days of the suffrage movement. I learned more about the orphans called Home Children sent from Britain to Canada as indentured servants to rural farmers.

The poverty of the area is its own character in this story. The stark differences in how each family deals with their dire existence shines through as a moral to the story. While some will beg or steal to make ends meet, many others vow to let their work ethic and personal strength carry them through the most trying of times.

The author does a great job of giving us enough closure to be satisfied while waiting for the next book. There simply must be another book, as I need to know what’s next for these wonderful people.

This heartbreaking yet uplifting tale deeply touched me. It has earned the highest of my recommendations for historical fiction lovers, family sagas, and well-written prose. Please pick up a copy today; I’m sure you won’t be able to put it down.

Ruby has a child by her fathers groom Archie whom she loves very much. The child is taken away. Eighteen years later and Ruby and Archie are living as man and wife although not married. This is 1910 and would be frowned upon if certain members of the community knew. However both Archie and Ruby run successful businesses and the local community depends on them. Ruby is strict but fair- she has to be- Archies business is a pawn shop and hers an emporium where things can be quietly bought on the never never for those who either can’t afford things or wish to be seen on the rise. When her very trusted employee Emma Is off work, her daughter Anna fills in for the day and one thing leads to another in a bad way, leaving Anna in hospital and her brother being looked after by the church. Ruby steps in to help- too late to help Sam but she can look after Anna. I loved this- it's not my usual genre but something struck me when reading the synopsis and I'm very glad I did. A story of not being bullied into who you “should” be, but of being who you are and going with your heart. I greatly admired both Ruby and Anna. Both women who overcame adversity and found their strength in doing so. I very much look forward to the next in the series.
( amazon done- misfist farm)

You know how we are always told to not judge a book by its cover? Yet we do it anyway? The Mersey Mistress is why we shouldn't! Ignore the title and the cover, and dive into this amazingly detailed plot! Spanning decades and focusing on the years before World War 1, this is a book that was hard to put down.

Ruby Swift's story starts in 1892, when her illegitimate newborn daughter is legally kidnapped by her brother-in-law with the approval of her tyrannical father. Due to her underage status, there is nothing she and her lover Archie Swift can do. To spite her father, Lady Rowena Ashland becomes Ruby Swift, a woman who refuses to marry until her father dies. Ruby and Archie move to the Merseyside docks and over the course of years, create several successful businesses.

Emma Cassidy was Ruby's loyal employee, and when on her way to work she breaks her ankle, her daughter Anna offers to help take over her mother's duties so that they are not without income. This begins a convoluted and ultimately heartbreaking train of circumstances. Due to a devastating house fire that kills Anna's mother and 5 year old twin brothers, Anna and her surviving brother Sam are accidentally separated. Anna wanders the frigid streets of Liverpool in shock and ends up in the hospital with a life-threatening case of pneumonia. Sam, who missed the fire was taken to the local priest.  Despite the fact that Ruby Swift had told the priest that she would take care of the orphaned siblings, the priest conspires to send Sam away. The events of the next few years hinge on the fact that this decision.

The Mersey Mistress is a breathtaking historical novel full with the richness of the human experience. There is kindnesses balanced by cruelty, people who better themselves, and people who refuse to do the same.  It shows unflinchingly the struggles of those of all classes through the eyes of the pawnbroker, and the perils of judging others by the moral majority without knowing their pasts.

The Mersey Mistress by Sheila Riley is the third in her Mersey-based Reckoner's Row series and has as its protagonists Sam and Anna Cassidy with a cast of characters too long to list but include Ruby Swift and Ned Kincaid. They all live in Mersey, a poorer section of Liverpool, but still middle class in many areas. Sam and Anna's mother, Emma, had worked for Mrs. Swift for years and here the story begins. Jerky Woods was the local delinquent and had been messing with manhole covers. Between not putting one back on properly and the streetlight being out, Emma tripped and sprained her ankle. Anna was dispatched to do her work for Ruby so they would not miss a day's pay, with Sam assigned to meet her later so he could accompany her as she collected rents. He got tied up running errands for people who paid and Anna was accosted by Jerky. She refused his demands and fortunately was rescued by Ned, who was sort of a ward of Ruby's and her husband Archie's. Jerky decided to get back at Anna by starting a fire at her house while she was out and only her mother and smaller twin brothers were there. It went worse than even Jerky planned when the fire took off and Emma and her sons were killed. Things changed in the blink of an eye and through the machinations of a sour priest and a corrupt orphan master, Sam was whisked out of England and sent to Canada as a home child.

This is a wonderful story with yet another chapter to come many of the problems will get solved. Ruby and Archie adopted Anna and their back-story is told and pretty much put to rest. Sam's life in Canada is not good, but eventually gets better. Ned leaves to chase his own dream. This is such a masterful piece of story telling. The people are all (except for Jerky) sympathetic characters that it is easy for the reader to identify with and come to love. The plot is basically just their lives, with small plots in amongst the larger story. It is humanizing and revealing to read of these folks living in a different time and place, putting today's problems into perspective. It is a truly enjoyable time reading about all of them. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Mersey and Canada.

I was invited to read a free ARC of The Mersey Mistress by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #themerseymistress

The Mersey Mistress by Sheila Riley is a great start to a new historical fiction series. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to where this series will be going within future installments.

I really enjoy WWI and pre-war fiction novels, and this was a great addition to pique my interest. This book starts off pre-WWI Liverpool and mainly stays among the working class within England, however is unique in that it also at times spans to picturesque Canada. I enjoyed the full character cast, especially Ruby Swift. She has fortitude, strength, and is a multi-faceted female lead character that is imperfect, realistic, and likable. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the fundamental aspects of: family, love, loss, forgiveness, acceptance, and overcoming obstacles despite the odds.

I also really enjoyed the author's ability to place the reader within the beautiful, but yet at times real, raw, gritty locations of the early 20th century. It was interesting just to see the daily lives.

I enjoyed the plot, pacing, and I like how the book finished off in regards to giving the reader plenty of characters and story lines to move forth into future books.

A great historical fiction/saga novel that will appeal to a wide range of HF fans.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Boldwood Books for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 2/3/21 listings for these have not been created as of yet, will be posted/updated as soon as they are created) and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Really enjoyed this addictive book. Set in 1910 in the Liverpool dock side area. The story covers heart break and recovery among these gritty people and how they survive against the odds.

I loved this book. It was set in 1900 and continued on through to the sinking of the Titanic and the First World War. I loved all the different characters and the way it ended I would think there is going to be more of this series. I for one sincerely hope so as I would love to read more . My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This is such an addictive historical fiction story that fans of sagas will love. The intro to the story is hard and cruel, it is representative of a time gone by.

Set in 1910 in the dock area of Liverpool the author weaves the story of two women. One who has turned her back on all she knows for happiness. The other trying to the best she can. Both women have suffered tragedy in their lives. They have endured the pain of losing family. Yet they have fought through and are survivors.

This is quite an emotional story at times, that did pull at the heartstrings. There are so many ups and downs that I found myself unable to stop reading. The author has captured the feel of society and also of the conditions of the time. She has successfully used her characters to show the good and the bad in a society of the time.

The story is such a fabulous read and even though it has heartbreaking moments, I also felt that it was balanced with a sense of hope. This is one that historical fiction/ romance and family saga readers are going to adore. It has the feel of the start of a much longer story, and I would love to see a follow-up. I read this in one sitting, it was that good and I would definitely recommend it.

Beginning in 1892, THE MERSEY MISTRESS sets the tone of this enthralling new saga when young lovers, Rowena Ashland and Archie Swift, banished from Rowena's family home of Ashland Hall when it is revealed she is with child. But Rowena's father, Silas Ashland, forbids her to marry Archie and if she does so in his lifetime he will disinherit her. So together they set up home together and welcome their baby girl into the world. But unbeknownst to them, her father and her barren younger sister's husband conspired to steal away Rowena and Archie's little girl when she was barely ten days old for May and Giles to raise as their own, leaving Rowena distraught. She vowed to never forgive her father...or Giles Harrington.

Liverpool 1910: Emma Cassidy is a proud widow bringing up 4 children since the death of her husband at sea before her five year old twins were born. Pregnant and widowed, she knocked on the door of Ruby Swift's Emporium begging for work to feed her family. Ruby took her in and gave her a job in which Emma thrived. Now five years later, as she makes her way to the Emporium on Christmas Eve, she trips over a broken gas lamp and twists her ankle. She manages to hobble home where her 16 year old daughter Anna settles her in with the twins to rest by the fire, assuring her that she will work her mother's job for the day so she will not miss out on her much-needed wages.

Known as "her ladyship" to some, Ruby Swift did not come from humble beginnings like those who frequented her stores. But life has taught her to be humble since her father forbade her to marry the man she loved and stole their child in the night. Born Rowena Ashland, Ruby took on the name of Archie's beloved aunt and long-serving housekeeper at Ashland Hall and that of Archie's, living together as married despite the fact they are not. Ruby was good to the people of Liverpool's dock area and was revered amongst many, as well as charitable in her donations. But Ruby believed in an honest day's work and never begrudged anyone trying to do their best for their family. When she took on Emma Cassidy, she also became a friend as well as an employee, and a trusted one at that. So when Emma failed to show up at work on Christmas Eve she knew it was not like her at all...and then Anna came knocking, offering to do her mother's job in her place.

Anna Cassidy was brought up to be respectful of others but to also stand on her own two feet. She had no qualms in working her mother's job in her place if it meant giving the twins a memorable Christmas. She took her 12 year old brother Sam along with her to collect the rents for Miss Ruby, but when on her own she found herself cornered by the unpleasant and bullying Jerky Woods, who tried forcing himself on her as well as stealing her takings. A swift kick sent Jerky reeling in pain, giving her the chance to escape, but Anna knew she would need to be on her guard after that as Jerky would not let such a humiliation lie. It was not to be her last encounter with him that day either...but it was one that would change the course of her life forever.

Tragedy rocks Anna's world when Ruby tells her that her house is on fire and she races back to Queen Street to save her mother and little brothers...but arrives too late. After watching her house crumble into charred remains, the firemen carried out the lifeless bodies of her family. But where was Sam? Whilst Ruby faces off with the unscrupulous Father O'Connell, Anna steals away in the night to search for her only surviving brother. She searches all night to no avail and the following morning Archie and Ned, the young man he and Ruby too in, find Anna frozen and unconscious by the docks.

Meanwhile, Sam was discovered by a policeman in the charred remains of his house and taken to the priest who vowed not to let the sinful harlot Ruby Swift get her claws into the child. So he sent him off to the orphanage before Ruby could discover his subterfuge, signing Sam's life away to Canada in one fell swoop. It was to be a new life for Sam...but what was really in store?

Although Anna remained in hospital for many weeks, she was taken in by Ruby and Archie upon her recovery where she started work in the Emporium alongside the woman who had saved her life. Too late, she discovered Sam had been sent to Canada and all she could do was hope she would one day see him again. In one night, Anna had lost everything - her home, her family. All she had left was the silver locket her brother had saved for all year to buy their mother for Christmas.

Life is harsh on the docks, but Anna has been given a second chance. But is it enough? Can Ruby help Anna mend her broken heart? And will Anna and Sam ever be reunited? Or is there something sinister keeping them apart?

An addictive tale that sweeps you back to the early 20th century in this wonderful story of love, family, betrayal, loss and tragedy. THE MERSEY MISTRESSis truly heartbreaking but also wonderfully charming that will warm your heart as well as make you cry.

The grittiness of poverty to the opulence of the middle class, this book has it all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't want it to end. My only complaint is that it ended. I wanted it to go on and on and never have it end. But the story is left open to continue to a second book, which I hope won't be too far away.

Perfect for historical fiction and saga fans, THE MERSEY MISTRESS will tug at your heartstrings and have you reaching for the tissues. Be warned, you will need them.

I would like to thank #SheilaRiley, #RachelsRandomResources, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #TheMerseyMistress in exchange for an honest review.

The start of a community saga of families living in the rough world of Edwardian England.
Anna is one of the main characters, of teenage years but with adult responsibilities as so many were at that time especially when from poorer households. You can't help but like her and her brother Sam.
I enjoyed the story but did find it rather padded out by repeated description and conversations at times.