This was a beautiful story! I loved the characters and the setting. I was fully invested in the lives of the people, and I didn't want to say goodbye at the end!

Bradford returns to the world of A Woman of Substance with this prequel to her mega popular novel. Blackie O’Neil is only thirteen when he has to leave Ireland for England, he’s lost his parents, his sister and his home and now must start over. His uncle finds him work as a navvy in England. But it’s on the Yorkshire moors that Blackie meets his future, the woman that will shape the rest of his life, Emma Harte. I was a little nervous, A Woman of Substance is one of my favorite books and I was afraid that this book might not measure up, but it really did provide an excellent backstory and answered some questions about Blackie and Emma’s pasts. Campion literally becomes Blackie, making this a rewarding, immersive listening experience