Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading this book.

We meet Alec, is a fisherman, works on boats, his Mother and wife Letty.

Letty, moves to Grimsby, with Alec, leaving her family and the town she grew up in so that Alec can find work. But what she didn’t realise was, the difficult it would be living in Mariners Row, as well as with her mother-in-law Dorcas.

I recommend this book.

The Women Of Fishers Wharf by Tracy Baines is a marvelous historical novel set in 1912 in a North Eastern fishing community.
Life was hard. If you didn’t work, you didn’t eat. People had to make money however they could in order to keep themselves and their children out of the poor house. There were hard choices to be made at times. Women were particularly vulnerable. If they lost their husband, there would be no money as there were no widow’s pensions. Women did what they had to in order to put food on the table.
There were very few jobs available to women. Many worked at home doing piecework in their cottages. Some worked in shops. We see the strength and tenacity needed in order to survive.
Being at sea was a hard life. The atmosphere on board ship has been captured perfectly with Tracy Baines descriptions.
There is a thriving community spirit. People look out for each other. They do what they can to help. Needs are met as people pull together. When tragedies strike, the community rallies round.
All the characters were warm and welcoming. The women, left on shore while their men are at sea, help each other. Unbreakable bonds are formed.
I really loved The Women Of Fishers Wharf. It was a hard life but community was strong. I can recommend the book as I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I had read some of the Variety girls series by Tracey Baines - and knew her style of writing.

I did enjoy this book and the lives of the fisherwives living in poverty in Grimsby.. Waiting for their men to come home their wages dependent on the amount of fish that they caught and hoping for minimal damage on the boats.

However I did find the story very predictable - newly married girl left all she knew and moved with her mother-in-law (who had suffered loss and was a harridan) to s new town and had to live in what was a hovel.

it was easy to get into the book and to like the characters - even Dorcas - the mother-in-law- had redeeming features.

I understand this is the first in a series and it will be interesting to see where the storyline gets taken - there were unfinished parts to the story that could be taken further

If you like an easy read - then this is the book for you

Thank you again

This novel could really be a true story of the lives of families who lived by the docks and their families were working in the fishing industry. Wonderful story and very well written. 5 stars, wish it could be more.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

What a great read! I loved this book and the characters that were so believable you could picture them as you were reading about them. Lettie and Alec are newly weds who are embarking on a new life, along with Alec’s difficult mother Dorcas. Alec is a fisherman who is away at sea for long periods of time leaving Lettie at home with a disapproving Dorcas, who doesn’t think Lettie is good enough for her son. Everything Lettie does, Dorcas disapproves of, leading to a fall out. A great story of a fractured family that is true to life. Well deserved 5 ⭐️

I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was over the moon to receive this ARC as I adored Tracy’s other series The Variety Girls.

Newly married Letty and her husband Alec move from their farm in Lowestoft to the fishing port of Grimsby with Alec’s mother Dorcas in tow.

He’s a fisherman and wants to try his hand at deep sea fishing as that’s where he thinks the future and money is going to be.

Is Letty at 20 years old ready for a lonely life as a fisherman’s wife in a town and street she doesn’t know and will she ever get over leaving everything she knows behind ?.

I felt at home in this book just like Tracy’s other books, you get lost in the world of Grimsby in 1912 and you don’t want to leave.

Letty really had a hard time with her mother in law Dorca, no matter what she did she was in the wrong and I could see Dorca eventually poisoning Alec’s relationship with Letty and Letty deserved so much more.

Letty made so many friends who saw what a kind women she was and she was thriving then a series of tragedies happened leaving them all adrift.

This book and the characters stole my heart and I can’t wait for the next book in this new series.

love all the characters in this book about fishermen and their wives. very good read. this is my first book by this author, wiil look for more from her.

The Women of Fisher's Wharf, wow the characters especially the lead is such a lovable one. There's kindness in the story which makes it a touching story to read.

I was so looking forward to reading to Tracy Baines new book and she did not disppoint me.We meet the Hardy's Alec a fisherman on boats his mother and his wife Letty. Letty leaves her family and hometown to move to Grimsby with Alec so he could get work but she didn't realise how hard life would be living in Mariners Row and with her mother-in-law Dorcas.I have to say this was a lovely story and fans will love it as I did.Excellent book 5*

Fishermen and their families the world over should be saluted for taking on the forces of the seas and oceans from which they earn their livelihood. The ever-imminent danger at sea, lurks, taking toll on the men and their families who wait ashore. Families wait and watch, wondering - will they see their husbands and sons, ever again? I'd say this work of fiction is a wholehearted salute to these courageous men and boys, who daily, take their lives into their hands, and to their womenfolk who often suffer but work patiently at home and in the village to mark the time until the trawlers, hopefully, return.

Such was Alec and Letty's life. Letty, left with her hostile mother-in-law, found a sympathetic ear and friend in the shopkeepers' ears as she helped them revive their living. They also try to be understanding as she learns what it is to be a fisherman's wife. The stress and strain of such a life could not be fully imagined except to experience it firsthand. Author Tracy Bains helps the "outsider" reader do just this as she unfolds her tale that has been loosely based on real life fishermen and their families.

Anyone having grown up in a fishing village, will relate well to this story, knowing just 'how it is' with 'certain sure' clarity. I have been well satisfied with this story and give the author a 5 Star thumbs up.

~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~

September 2022

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the Boldwood Books publisher.

It is the early 20th century and they have expectations that are put on women and when you’re a fishing wife you’re expected to make nuts raise kids just wait for your husband to return, but Lettie has her own wants in ideas about what would make her a happy fishing life. When she said yes to Alex all she thought of was loving him and being in his arms not the long nights waiting while he is away fishing and she certainly didn’t think about the long days she would be expected to stay with his critical mother Dorcas. Despite her reality being for removed from her fantasy she tries to make the best of it and instead of netting Mets together like the other fishing lives she gets a job at a boat supply store just another reason for Dorcas to think badly of her no matter what she does she cannot do right in her eyes on Alex‘s first trip home he promises to take them to a show even Dorcas is in a great mood and made his favorite meal but when Alex doesn’t show up to eat in the neighbor tells Letty he is still at the red crown drinking pints she is more than angry and delivers his food to him in front of everyone. Not only is this not the life she wanted but she starting to think it’s too miserable to Indore and now that she went to get her mother-in-law and brought Alex‘s food to the bar in front of his friends Dorcas says she’ll never forgive her is this hall it’s going to be he’s going to spend weeks on board the ship and then come home use her body and then spent his of time with the same man he spent his time on the ship? Can Letty find a way to ease the heart of her critical mother-in-law? and The biggest question of all can she find the hope necessary to endure the life as a fishing wife? Let me just say I have read many books by this author and was not disappointed at all with the fishing wife I love how despite the way Dorcas treated Letty, Letty always met her criticism with kindness this really was a great book about love, kindness and what makes a family? I loved how kind the store owners were to leading I just loved this book. A truly great read! I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Great Grimsby 1912, Newly married Letty and Alec Hardy along with mother Dorcas move into Mariners Row in the fishing village, and Letty is now a fisherman's wife, Alec adored his mother but she always had a bitter expression toward Letty and once Alec sets sail on the Black Prince she is hoping they will become friends as well as family.
Letty has big plans to get on and earn in her new life and waste no time in getting out and about looking for a Job while her mother in law stays at home in mourning for her young son Robbie.
This book captures so much history as you read, I loved reading it all as we see Letty bloom and gets along with new neighbours, friends and her new boss a far cry from her doing farming stock. There is just no holding her back. A brand new series from the author to be enjoyed by all readers that I will highly recommend too. 5 big stars.

What comes across most in this book is kindness, mainly from Letty who has moved far from her farming family to resettle in Grimsby with her new husband Alec who is a fisherman looking to make a fresh start after his father which whom he fished alongside passes away.
Letty has many obstacles in her way as she looks to earn a living while Alec is at sea, mainly her mother-in-law Dorcas! Still Letty finds time to show kindness to those less fortunate. Letty is quite a determined character when she has a mind to.
Letty is sent along to local shop keepers Percy and Norah Parker to look for work, will they be accepting of her!
I liked reading about the history behind the fishing and particularly enjoyed reading about how the author found her information and in ent to write the book.

The Women of Fishers Wharf by Tracy Baines

After the death of his father and brother, newlywed fisherman Alec Hardy decides to make a fresh start with his young wife Letty and move from Lowestoft to the thriving fishing port of Grimsby in search of a brighter future.
Young Letty is from farming stock and knows nothing of the hard life as a fishermen’s wife but is willing to leave behind her warm hearted and loving family and embrace the challenge.
If you want to read a perfect read then this author is the one for you.
I've also read her Variety Girls series and very much looked forward to reading this one.
You immediately get taken into the book and she writes so well you get a picture in your head of the characters and to the sights and smells of Grimsby.