I have enjoyed this author’s books before and I was looking forward to reading this new series. It is set in Grimsby docks and tells the story of a fisherman Alec and his family. His wife Letty is new to this lifestyle having been brought up on a farm. Letty try’s hard to make a go of her new life with her husband but she doesn’t realise how much she will have to put up with from her Mother in Law Dorcas. There are lots of great characters in this book which I enjoyed and I look forward to reading more from them in the next book.

Historical drama set in Grimsby revolving round the wharf and the fishing trade.Good characters and storyline,new wife versus mother in law, always caused drama.

Tracy Baines’ The Women of Fishers Wharf is an intriguing saga full of family drama and intense emotion that kicks off a terrific new series set in Grimsby just before the First World War.

Newlywed Letty Hardy cannot wait to start her brand new life with her husband, Alec. Coming from farming stock, Letty does not know the first thing about the challenges of life as a fisherman’s wife, but in love with her husband, there is simply nothing she won’t do for him – even moving to the thriving fishing port of Grimsby with her mother-in-law Dorcas in tow! Letty knew that there were going to be hardships ahead, but even she was surprised and taken aback by just how infuriating and aggravating Dorcas turns out to be, who isn’t too thrilled at playing second fiddle in her son’s life now that he is a married man.

With Alec frequently away at sea, Letty and Dorcas find themselves clashing on a regular basis. Butting heads and disagreeing over pretty much everything becomes far too much to take for Letty who begins to seek solace far from her home and escapes to Fish Dock Wharf for some much-needed respite. Will Letty and Dorcas ever find some common ground and begin to work towards some kind of a resolution? Or will Dorcas end up driving Letty away from her home and her husband’s life for good?

The Women of Fishers Wharf is an involving, engrossing and compelling saga that brilliantly explores the complexities of family relationships, the struggle of finding your voice and the determination to follow your own path that will keep readers gripped. Tracy Baines writes so evocatively about the challenges, deprivations and sacrifices of life in a fishing port, readers will almost be able to taste the salt on their lips and feel the wind in their hair.

An enjoyable saga perfect for Rosie Clarke fans, The Women of Fishers Wharf by Tracy Baines is a highly satisfying tale.

This is an excellent book that had me hooked from the start.

Letty is an newlywed and lives with her husband Alec and her Mother in law Dorcas who is not very forthcoming and feels her son has married the wrong woman. Alec is an fisherman is away a lot so Letty & Dorcas need to get along while he is away. Letty works for a couple in a shop that has not done well for years but she helps them.

The story was enjoyable and was very descriptive and I enjoyed the characters.

Would recommend this book.

This has an interesting cast of characters that carry the story along a nice pace and create depth to the story. Great storytelling and I found myself filling an afternoon reading this in one sitting as I found it so enjoyable.

newlywed Letty lives with her mother in law Dorcas. Her husband is a fisherman and is away a lot of the time. At first they clash on everything but Letty is determined to bring about some change. A great read

The Women of Fishers Wharf is detailed medium paced story that hooks the reader in from the very first page.

Baines has created an interesting and intriguing plot by using vivid imagery and research into the poverty, superstitions and the danger faced by fishermen when they are at sea, as well as the life of those left on land in the community of fishermen. Baines mentions realistic events such as the sinking of Titanic and the Grimsby lockout strike to add to the realism of the story. The writing style is easy to follow with a good mixture of description and dialogue.

The character development of The Women of Fishers Wharf is good with lots of background information provided. The characters are relatable and realistic, with their own personalities. I really enjoyed reading Alec's viewpoint and learning more about what life was like at sea...

Letty is left feeling sad when Alec is away for weeks working. She grown up on a farm, and is unaware of the life and ways in the fisihing community. Letty is determind not be like most wives and finds a jobs helping in a shop, much to her mother-in-law, Dorcas's dismay and disapproval. Letty feels like an outsider when it comes to Alec and Dorcas and tries her hardest to make it it work...

Alec is a fisherman, like his father and grandfather before him. He makes a fair living, having a full of life and focuses on creating bright future. He is work as crew member on Black Prince steamer ship with plans t work through the ranks to Skipper. Letty is constantly on his mind, yet his mother's words often cause him to doubt his relationship...

I would recommend reading The Women of Fishers Wharf to people who enjoy reading historical fiction and sagas, as it is a character driven story of the hardships of life at sea and poverty faced by those at home. The reader follows Letty as she makes friends and tries to create a life for her new found family...

The Women of Fishers Wharf by Tracy Baines
Can you leave the past behind and embrace the future? - A brand new series from Tracy Baines
Great Grimsby, 1912
Newlywed fisherman Alec Hardy decides to make a fresh start with his young wife Letty and move to the thriving fishing port of Grimsby in search of a brighter future.
Letty is from farming stock and knows nothing of the hard life as a fishermen's wife but is willing to embrace the challenge with Alec.
But where Alec goes, so does his widowed mother, Dorcas, and she has trouble coming to terms with taking second place in her son's life.
With Alec at sea for weeks on end, the two women clash, and Letty seeks to escape from her bitter mother-in-law amongst the streets of Fish Dock Wharf.
Can Letty help them break free from the shadows of the past, or will she be bound by Dorcas' insistence that they cling to the old ways?
The Women of Fishers Wharf is an entertaining, well-written read. The author's easy-going, descriptive writing style keeps the reader engaged and captivated.
The characters are well-drawn and appealing.
An ideal read for those who like historical sagas.
I want to thank the publishers Boldwood Books, author Tracy Baines and Rachels Random Resources for a copy to read and review.

Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me the privelege of reading and reviewing this book.
This book was a lovely read from page 1 to the end. Not too many characters to remember and not too much excitement to keep you awake! I think we all know a "Dorcas", nothing was ever good enough for her, no matter what was done to help!
I don't think I could have been so understanding or forgiving as Letty who had a much stronger character!!
Look forward to the next book in this series, there needs to be another as it ended with a few strings untied!!
Enjoyed this book and the story it told!

This was my first book by Tracy and I loved it!

A little emotional in places but it had me totally gripped from the beginning and I found it incredibly difficult to put down.

Tracy has a brilliant way of engaging you and detailing the settings so that you actually feel like you are there and enables you to create images of the characters.

My favourite characters were Letty, Norah and Percy.

I look forward to discovering more of Tracy’s books and would definitely recommend this. A very worthy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this book. Excellent read with great characters and a really good storyline. I would recommend this book.

Just finished this book in 1 day it is that good. The story focuses on two newly weds Letty and Alec. Alec is a sea fisherman and Letty knows nothing of the new life she will be entering into. Things might have been easier if it hadn't been for his mother Dorcas who also lived with them. She resented Letty from the start and soon made it known and her life a misery. The tale tells how the couple who both want a better life work hard and go about acheiving it with the odd obstacle along the way.
Once you pick the book up you won't want to put it down.

A brand new historical sage from Tracy Baines whose previous series The Variety Girls was an excellent historical saga series. This time she has taken the mantle of the fishing community and their wives in 1912, Great Grimsby.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Variety Girls series so wasted no time in reading this book. etty and Alec have moved to Grimsby with the hope in their hearts that Alec will be able to get paid work on the boats. They don't move alone though, Alex's mum moves with them, Dorcas. She is used to the fisherman's way of life where Letty is new to it all and has no clue how hard it will be once Alec goes to sea on the Black Prince. Letty wants to get out and earn for them too so goes looking for work while Dorcas stays at home. Can these two women find it in themselves to become friends and pull together to help them survive this harsh life?

Tracy Baines has again perfectly captured the time with her detailed descriptions of the harsh lives of the fisherman out at sea, while the women stay on land keeping things together while their men are away. She must have done some extensive and comprehensive research as I felt like I was surrounded by history, almost like a snapshot in time. I find her a skilled author in the way she creates the fishing community, the characters and the atmosphere of this time.

I was right behind Letty as she found her way in her new life. Making friends and working in a job that was a totally different one from what she did previously. We see her character develop over the story and it was great to see.

This is an author who writes historical sagas with all her heart. The research, the character development, the setting, all work their magic so the reader feels it as one with this new series. I am so looking forward to the next chapter in the Fisherman's Wharf series.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books and finally NetGalley
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The novel is set in Great Grimsby and begins in April 1912. I have read and enjoyed Tracy Baines’s novels before and being from Lincolnshire myself, I do love the local area being featured. I am also a fan of historical fiction and sagas set in the United Kingdom in days gone by.

This is the story of newlyweds Letty (20) and Alec Hardy (23) who move from Lowestoft to Grimsby, along with Alec’s mother Dorcas. Letty has to get used to a new home, being a fisherman’s wife and living with her mother-in-law, who is a real piece of work. I was definitely cheering Letty on, in standing up to her! For his first trip, Alec is sailing on the Black Prince to Russia and Iceland and he is due to be away for at least three weeks.

I really enjoyed getting to know Letty and her neighbours and other fishermen’s wives. It’s one of those good, solid, working class communities where the men go out to work (often away) and the women stay at home, looking after the house and the kids and keeping things going until their husbands return. But Letty doesn’t want to do that, she gets a job in a shop and plans to contribute to the household income – pretty modern for 1912!

It’s a very atmospheric book with a really good description of place and time. As well as the interesting working class setting, I enjoyed seeing how Letty makes friends as well as following the difficult relationship between Letty and Dorcas. I also love Norah and Percy at the shop – we’ve all met couples like that. Strong women are usually at the centre of Tracy Baines’s novels and I enjoy reading about them.

Tracy’s writing is really easy to read and I was into the story straight away, caring about Alec and Letty and hoping their marriage would be a long and happy one. There’s enough going on to keep you turning the pages, without it ever becoming too complicated. I really enjoy Tracy’s novels and will definitely be reading more of her work in the future.

This is the first book in a new series and it’s one which I absolutely loved. This is a story of hardship, love and hope set in the North East of England around 1912. As soon as I started reading this book I became completely caught up in the story and just wanted to keep reading . This was one book I didn’t want to put down. There were parts of the book that had me in tears at times as I could just picture what was happening as everything was described so well. The characters were strong and mostly likeable and I look forward to their developments over the series. I can’t wait to read the next book in what I predict to be an excellent series. 5⭐️

The Women of Fishers Wharf is an amazingly written saga of historical fiction. It tells the story of Letty who has just moved to the area newly married to the love of her life Alec a fisherman. With Alec away working on fishing boats, Letty is left at home with her mother in law Dorcas who is very set in her ways and doesn't seem to like Letty. But Letty is a strong willed character and can definitely hold her own.

I am absolutely in LOVE with this saga and I have the shakes because I want to read more. It gripped me from the first sentence until the last. The characters are unique and well developed and the storyline is one that grabs you and holds on so that you really feel like you are apart of the story and are close friends with the characters.

Little Alfie was a favourite of mine because I liked how well mannered he is. It reminds me that kids in that era were bought up to be respectful especially to there elders.

The language and morals in the story, are really set to the times of the story. Some people may find the language a little hard to follow but I think it is quite easy to pick up as it's so well written.

I highly recommend everyone read this simply because I loved it (haha). If you are a historical fiction fan then you will love this saga.

The Women of Fishers Wharfe is the first in a brand new series by author, Tracy Baines. Set in Grimsby, I loved how Tracy included references to other local towns in Lincolnshire, including my own town of Boston! Set in 1912, the main characters are strong women: Letty and her mother-in-law, Dorcas. Dorcas is so set in her ways as a traditional fisherman's wife and Letty is new not only to being a fisherman's wife but also to the area they've all moved to. Can the two women find a way to live together happily, waiting for Alec, Dorcas' son to come home after each fishing haul? I can't wait to read more in the series.

The Women of Fishers Wharf is a historical fiction which takes place in 1912 near the fish wharfs in a small community built around the fishers and their needs. The main character, Letty is a young newlywed who recently moved to the area with her new husband and mother-in-law into a run down little house to be close to Alec's work as a fisherman. Life is not easy in Mariners Row, and Hetty finds it hard to adjust to a new place and her not-so-pleasant mother-in-law Dorcas who she must spend the majority of her time with now that her husband is working at sea.

Dorcas feels that Hetty knows nothing of being a fisherman's wife, while Hetty believes Dorcas is set in her old ways and has no interest in trying new things. Hetty is ready for new challenges including finding a job outside of the house, but this is just another thing Dorcas doesn't approve of. Hetty's not sure how long she can sit around waiting, worrying about Alec's safety and their future!

The characters are all well developed and unique but form a cohesive cast that is fitting for this setting. Between infusing the odd elements of the language and repeatedly reminding readers of the morals and beliefs of the location and time, the author creates a very immersive experience that makes readers feel as if they are really a part of this strange little community. This book is perfect for historical fiction fans looking for something that is not set in the war time era and does not time hop all over the place as too many new histfics do! It is an easy read and is well written.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
#blogtour

This historical saga novel is perfect for fans of the genre. It is well written and makes it easy to keep reading.
There are a range of characters and personalities to get to know and get invested in so I do think there'll be lots of readers who love reading this novel.

This was a new author to me but I think i would read another of their books as I liked this one.

I've read and enjoyed Tracy Baines' Variety Girls series but this book THE WOMEN OF FISHERS WHARF is so much better! Maybe it's the era that's different that I like without the usual wartime background, I'm not sure. But it is a wonderful historial saga tale set in the North East in 1912 around the fish dock wharves and the community it surrounds.

Letty Hardy is a young idealistic young women, having just married the love of her life Alec who is a fisherman. She made the brave move from her life on the farm to Grimsby with her new husband and his mother so that Alec can find work on a fishing trawlers. But she didn't anticipate just how hard life in Mariners Row would be, and how much harder it would be with her mother-in-law Dorcas.

Alec finds work almost immediately on the Black Prince as a third hand, leaving Letty at home with his mother. The two women do not get along, Dorcas showing her disapproval at her son's choice of wife obvious. In her opinion Letty knows nothing of the fisher wives way of life, having come from the land not the sea. And try as she might, Letty cannot seem to reach an even keel with her mother in law. They cannot see eye to eye on anything - from braiding nets to their neighbour Anita to Letty's volunteer work at the mission to her desire to make something of herself and helping to support them while Alec is at sea. Each time Letty tries to extend an olive branch Dorcas rebuffs her, both women stubborn in their own way. But Letty wants more for herself than threading needles and braiding nets for the menfolk and Dorcas sees that as a snub at their way of life.

Whilst out looking for work one day she was lead to the Parkers, where she offered her services on a trial basis. Letty knew she could turn this business around and make it profitable again. And despite Percy Parker's reticence, he soon warmed to young Letty who not only brightened the poky old shop but their lives as well. Meanwhile Alec was making plans of his own. He wants his skippers ticket so he could man his own boat and one day take ownership of a fleet of trawlers of his own.

Life in the fishing community is a hard one - for the men who brave the rough open seas and for the wives at home waiting for the safe return of their menfolk. Some make it back, some don't. The community around he fish docks is a thriving one and they each look out for their own, doing what they can to help. And when tragedies strike, they rally around.

All the characters in this tale are warm and welcoming, even the ones who aren't come around. Everyone helps each other and friendships are formed. THE WOMEN OF FISHERS WHARF is an easy read and thoroughly enjoyable. I loved the easy style with which it is written, drawing the reader into the story and keeping us there throughout.

I can't wait to see where this saga takes us next and eagerly await the second book. Although it is the first in a new series, it can easily be read as a standalone. But the characters are all so warm and inviting you just want to revisit them again.

A perfect easy read for those who enjoy historical sagas.

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

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/