This was my first opportunity to read a novel by Tania Crosse and really enjoyed reading, The Candle Factory Girl. The book is set in 1930's England where women really didn't have a lot of freedom just like much of the world, being forced into marriages and relationships they weren't fully happy with nor jobs within factories and other institutions that did not provide much development from a career perspective. It was a tough time during the depression where women had to stop school at an early age and go to work to help provide an income to their family. The story really elaborated on the life that surrounded Hillie and the challenges she had with her abusive father and the relationships she had with her mother and sister. It was a great read illustrating the sacrifices made during that time for so many issues endured.

The setting for the book is Price's Candle Factory in 1930's London. One of the girls who works there is Hillie Hardwick, a seventeen-year-old who works long hours only to hand over her paycheck to a violent and cruel father. By her side at all times is best friend Gert Parker who was born just a few days apart from Hillie. Their mothers are best friends and the two girls, who grew up together have a tight bond.

Hillie's father is an ex-army sergeant. He rules his family with a rod of iron and expects the house to be pristine at all times. If things are not as he pleases, Hillie and her mother pay the price.

Times are hard, the family face extreme poverty but Hillie stands up to her father's rants and helps her mother out any way that she can. When Jimmy Baxter starts to show an interest in Hillie, she knows that her father would never approve and turns him down flat. However, Jimmy's cheeky humour soon wins Hillie over and a secret romance develops.

Hillie was an amazing character, she stood up to her father when it would be easier to just say nothing. The friendship between Hillie and Girt was so precious and I loved the fact that the Parker family were the exact opposite of the Hardwicks..loving, carefree and united.

I loved Hillie's story, the characters were all well rounded and believable (unfortunately even Hillie's father Harold) and the story had a solid flow.

For anyone who loves a great historical family saga.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Candle Factory Girl Kelly me turning the pages and rooting for the heroine! For me it was a fast read, really well written storyline with characters you get invested in. I really enjoyed it!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. 1930 in London, how different things are now. This book was based around the area where I grew up so had lots of parts that I remember. Enjoyable read

This is my first time reading Tania Crosse!
I enjoy historical fiction. I found this book very slow to get into.....I am a little bit critical of the grammatical errors, I find it very distracting.
Overall a good story, once I got into it the story flowed very well!

The Candle Factory Girl By Tania Crosse is a historical novel about a family in a town outside of London in the 1930s. I enjoyed this historical novel because of it's vivid description of life in this war and depression era. Hillie Hardwick, the protagonist shows unyielding strength despite of the adversity in her life. I admired her character.
I did not like the dialect used in this book. Perhaps the book needed another editing, I do not know.
I found many errors in tenses of words which I found distracting. Overall The Candle Factory is an excellent story and I endorse this book.. Than you Netgalley for sharing this book with me..

I really enjoyed this book, it has some great characters and I loved the setting!

The author really takes you in to the story with her writing style and I found myself savouring every page. I am a massive lover of historical fiction and this period is one of my favourites and the author has written a great book for this era and genre.

It is an easy book to read that I found myself reading very quickly as I didn't want to put it down without reading just one more page...

Four stars from me - a lovely book to read!

The Candle Factory Girl is the newest novel by Tania Crosse. The story opens in Battersea in June 1931. Hillie Hardwick is seventeen years old and works in the candle packing department of Price’s Soap and Candle Factory. Hillie is an intelligent young woman, but her father would not let her continue with her schooling. Harold Hardwick is a brute and a bully who makes life miserable for his wife and five children. He is particularly abuse towards his wife, Nell and Hillie (physical and mental abuse). Hillie is even forced to turn her paycheck over to him each week. The one bright spot in Hillie’s life is her friend, Gert Parker and her extended family. The Parker family and their home is a refuge filled with love, comfort and kindness. One day Jimmy Baxter, who works in deliveries, starts flirting with Hillie. They begin spending time together behind her father’s back. When Harold becomes violent with Hillie, Jimmy offers her a way out. Will Hillie regret her decision? What does the future hold for Hillie?

The Candle Factory Girl has nice writing and a slower pacing which suits the book. It did take me a couple of chapters to get into the story. Once I drawn into Hillie’s story, I was hooked. While Hillie was the main focus of the book, we also get the stories of her friends Gert, Jessica, Belinda. I thought Tania Crosse captured the era, locale and lifestyle. Her portrayal of the working class was realistic. People lived paycheck to paycheck in shabby dwellings with little pay and little food. However, there were bright spots in their lives with their friends, family, the local park, free concerts, etc. Hillie was a strong, smart female character. I enjoyed her friendships and the closeness she shared with her siblings. All the characters are genuine and believable. They had real problems, heartache and struggles. I could picture the scenes in my head while reading The Candle Factory Girl. The story has a feel-good ending and all the storylines were nicely wrapped up. The book does contain British slang that was true to the 1930s and there is some foul language along with the abuse. The Candle Factory Girl is my favorite book by Tania Crosse.

Review: This is my fist book by this author that I have read and it was a good read. I started off not sure about this one but as I read on the characters and story come to life more. It is a good read but not one of my favourites due to the plot being a little slow and not holding my attention.

Life in London in the 30s was not easy and definitely not easy if one was a female. With very little choice she quit school to bring home a paycheck when she was 14. The books takes us back to life in that era.

It took me a few chapters to get into the story and I thought it was dry at first, but I can say that I am glad that I finished reading the book. After a few chapters I was invested in the characters and cared for them, except the stepfather. When I finished, I was happy with the ending even though it seemed rushed in the final chapter.

4☆ A Beautiful insight into the 30s

 The Candle Factory Girl is a beautifully written historical Saga.

I adore reading historical stories set in the 30s life was so much different then.

We meet Hillie a young women setting out to work in the Candle Factory.
Her father however is an evil and Minipulative beast who bullies Hillie all the time.

Hillie gets the attention from Jimmy who also works at the factory doing the deliveries. He has a reputation as a ladies man. But he also has a big soft spot for Hillie. 
He is well aware of how her dad treats her and he knows he has to tread carefully if he wants to get to know her.

Can Jimmy truly save Hillie from her abusive life at home. Or will it only end in disaster and upset?

Hillie's  best friend was Gert. They were literally born together. Best Friends since birth. I loved their bond together.
Gert's family is everything Hillie's isn't. Warm and loving. Even with no money they welcome Hillie into their family.

Hillie is head strong, determined and protective. She only wants the best for her mother and siblings as she tries to protect them from her father.

You see her father was always a stern man with abusive tendencies. But after being made sergeant in the army he came out 10xs worse. Expecting his family to obey as his soldiers did.

The Candle Factory Girl is a beautiful comming of age story.
Tania gives the reader a fantastic glimpse into what it was like for women in the 30s.
This is a great Saga that packs so much emotion and passion into it that you are swept away, wishing a better life for Hillie as her character gets under your skin.

If you enjoy historical Sagas then this one is for you. A great story for the Year of the Woman!

The Candle Factory Girl: A gritty story of deceit and betrayal... by [Crosse, Tania]
Synopsis:

1930’s London – A backstreet saga full of hopes, dreams and the fight for survival. Perfect for the fans of Rosie Clarke and Lindsey Hutchinson.

Work at Price’s Candle Factory in Battersea is tedious for intelligent, seventeen-year-old Hillie Hardwick, but she knows she is lucky to have a job at all.

Her home life is no better, as she constantly battles with her exacting and bullying father in order to protect her mother and five younger siblings from his abuse.

Her only solace is her loving relationship with the chaotic Parker family and her best friend, Gert Parker.

When matters violently escalate for Hillie, smitten Jack-the-Lad Jimmy Baxter seems her only salvation.

But could this be the biggest mistake of her life, and should she be looking for protection nearer home?

A story that crackles with unease where courage and friendship are the only hope.

About the Author:

Delaying her childhood dream of writing historical novels until her family had grown up, Tania eventually completed a series of published stories based on her beloved Dartmoor. She is now setting her future sagas in London and the south east.

My Thoughts:

This is a very quick and easy read, perfect for a cold cozy weekend snuggled on the couch with a fire and a hot cup of whatever you prefer in your hand. Loved it!

You can Pre-order your copy here. (very good prices on these books!)

I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated above are my own.

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March 2018
February 2018

Life was hard in 1930s England for most people. During 'the depression', women had little or no say in their lives, forced into domestic drudgery or menial factory jobs, paying less than men and with few prospects.
Hillie Hardwick is a young woman, she works in the Candle Factory with her best friend Gert Parker, and hands over most of her wages to her father to help support their large family. Money is tight, and her home life is far from idyllic, Hillie's father is abusive, and Hillie seeks solace with Gert's family who financially are no better off than the Hardwicks but happy. The tone of this story realistically reflects the period, full of angst,  despair and hardship, which will not be the everyone's reading tastes. 
Jimmy offers Hillie a lifeline to a better life but is she moving in the right direction or following a different path to the same disastrous end? Romance, friendship and mystery are all explored in this saga. Abusive behaviour and crime also feature and the last few chapters are sinister and action-packed, Hillie's life is in turmoil and changes irrevocably.
Intrinsic historical detail brings the story to life, but you do spend a lot of time in Hillie's head which does slow the story's pacing and makes it daunting to read in parts. Overall, if family sagas that showcase the best and worst of life, full of realistic but often mundane events are your thing, this will be an enjoyable read. The ending is lovely and romantic and gives Hillie the type of life she deserves.
I received a copy of this book from Aria Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I always look forward to a Tania Crosse novel knowing it’s going to be packed with lots of detail and a fabulous storyline, and this one fulfilled all expectations.

Hillie is the eldest of six and as well as holding down a full time job in Price’s Candles where she is on her feet all day, she does her best to take the strain from her mother at home and protect her from her bully of a husband. He seems to take great delight in setting his wrath on Hillie and her mother, often resorting to physical violence to get his way. Hillie has dreams of getting away, but would never leave her beloved mother to deal with her tyrant of a husband on her own.

This is a wonderful saga, encompassing so much more than the Hardwick family and yet totally centred on them all. We follow Hillie through the highs and lows of her young life and the trying times she has to face. Skillfully written, as always, the author has conjured a terrific tale of fortitude in the face of adversity and, in my opinion, this is her best book yet. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this one as a truly great read.

My thanks to publishers Aria for pre-approving my requests via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Tania Crosse has captured the essence of Depression Era London in her novel The Candle Factory Girl. This was a time when youth were expected to leave school at 14 years old and start earning money to turn over to their family. Factory working conditions were often poor, long hours of monotonous manual labour and only Sundays off were the norm. Yet, one was glad to have a job when so many others did not. Married women stayed at home and worked like drudges to maintain a clean house, raise large families and prepare hearty meals on a strict budget. Men worked hard for the money, and hid behind their newspapers or at the pub after supper.

This novel has the added creep factor of a miserable father who treated his eldest daughter like dirt, by emotionally, verbally and physically abusing her. He treated his wife even more poorly by adding sexual abuse into his list of misdeeds. Trials and tribulations are many in the life of the candle factory girl, including getting caught up in illegal activities yet love conquers all and everyone (who deserves to) lives happily ever after.

A fun read.

The Candle-Factory Girl was a perfectly pleasant working-class family drama, but including some of the worst historical world-building I’ve ever read. The plot is regularly interrupted by awkward exposition comments:

“How about those upcoming 1932 Olympics in the American city of Los Angeles?”

“I’ve purchased a new cosmetic called mascara, it consists of a brush, and black powder that you need to wet before applying.”

“There’s a new-fangled contraption called a television, it will be like having the pictures in your sitting room.”

And so forth. It felt like NPC dialogue, almost comedic in how unnatural it was. The novel is so unsubtle and significant information is so forced on the reader that when a character read about a smash-and-grab at a jewelers, it was painfully obvious that that’s where her husband was.

I wanted to like this but it really needed another edit. Hillie's got a lousy life and marriage to Jimmy is not going to solve things. I know this is set in the 1930s when conditions for women were in many cases pretty rotten but this just didn't ring true for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I've enjoyed Crosse in the past and expect I will again.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and the plot was interesting and engaging. Highly recommended.

Pros:

- Strong female friendships. Hillie has lots of girl friends and they're all so close and always have each other's backs.

- It's a decent coming of age story. The characters make mistakes, get tangled in false starts, and finally find their way in the end.


Cons:

- Terrible writing. It's amateurish and awkward, and with an overuse of exclamation marks.

- The dialogue is horrific. It's full of info-dumps and is generally just cringy and unrealistic.

- I wanted more of the candle factory and the girls' jobs. Instead, the story focuses on their love lives.

- The characters are so stereotypical and cliche. Hillie is a special snowflake who can do no wrong, who's the prettiest of all the girls, and who's loved by everyone. Jimmy, the hero, is also annoying, and he's the stereotypical bad boy who's smitten with Hillie because she's the only girl to refuse his advances and because she's the smartest and most beautiful of all the other girls.

- The romance between Jimmy and Hillie is extremely inconsistent. One minute Hillie's set on their future and busy kissing Jimmy, and the next she's trying to decide if she loves him. UGH.

- Jimmy and Hillie's marriage is so problematic. She's hesitant about having sex for the first time and is clearly uncomfortable when Jimmy makes a move, but she makes herself to endure it because it's what "a proper wife must do." More than once, she's uncomfortable with sleeping with her husband and with him undressing her, but she stays silent and lets him to what he wants with her. That's not healthy! You need to talk to your partner, you need to talk....Hillie and Jimmy never do that. Marriage is not a one-sided show - and nor is sex - that's ruled by one person's desires and needs. It goes both ways.

- The book's ending is so predictable and convenient.


How many of you have watched the TV series Land Girls? If you're a fan of that, I think you'll love this book. Otherwise it's not worth reading.