Liverpool, 1901. The Tempest family is all but destitute, barely able to put food on the table. When Florrie falls ill with pneumonia and Arthur is imprisoned after a drunken fight, their thirteen-year-old daughter Lizzie finds herself parentless, desperate and alone.

Despite her young age, Lizzie has spirit and determination, and she knows that she must find work to keep herself off the streets. In a stroke of luck, she gets a job in the match factory, and foreman George Rutherford takes her under his wing. A new home with the Rutherfords promises a safe haven, but the years ahead will be far from trouble-free. And when Lizzie gives her heart, how can she be sure she has chosen a better man than her own father?

Praise for Lyn Andrews:

'An outstanding storyteller' Woman's Weekly

‘A vivid portrayal of life’ – Best

‘A compelling read’  Woman's Own

‘The Catherine Cookson of Liverpool’ Northern Echo

‘Gutsy...a vivid picture of a hard-up, hard-working community...will keep the pages turning’- Daily Express