An uplifting and heart-warming historical saga

A Lancashire Lass

A Victorian saga set in Lancashire during industrialisation about a family coming to terms with the rise of the mills. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Catherine Cookson.

THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE INSPIRATIONAL MILL TOWN LASSES SERIES. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Catherine Cookson. 
______________________ 
 
Lancashire, 1832 
 
Maids Hannah and Mary find themselves with no jobs and no home when their employer, Henry Sudell, loses all his money and disappears in the middle of the night. They have no choice but to return to Blackburn where Hannah is lucky to be taken in by her sister Jennet and brother-in-law, Titus, but Mary must seek lodgings in the infamous Star beer house. 
 
Mary tries to get her job back as a weaver, but the influx of workers from the countryside and no support for the working class means that jobs are scarce. With no other choice she remains at the beer house, forced to risk her reputation and even her life. 
 
In the middle of a cholera outbreak and political upheaval, can Mary ever find a way to recover all she's lost? 
______________________ 
 
Praise for Libby Ashworth 
 
'An engrossing tale of hardship, struggles, love and family' Kitty Neale 
 
'Vividly drawn characters . . . gritty and heartfelt' Evie Grace 
 
'Brimming with drama, heartbreak, love, friendship and the powerful bonds of family' Lancashire Post 
______________________

Libby Ashworth was born and raised in Lancashire, where she can trace her family back to the Middle Ages. It was while researching her family history that she realised there were so many stories about ordinary working people that she wanted to tell. She has previously written historical novels - The de Lacy Inheritance and By Loyalty Bound – as well as local history books. The Cotton Spinner is her first saga novel. 
 
Libby currently lives in Lancashire with her son.

THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE INSPIRATIONAL MILL TOWN LASSES SERIES. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Catherine Cookson. 
______________________ 
Lancashire, 1832. 
 
Maids Hannah and Mary find themselves with no jobs and no home when their employer, Henry Sudell, loses all his money and disappears in the middle of the night. They have no choice but to return to Blackburn where Hannah is lucky to be taken in by her sister Jennet and brother-in-law, Titus, but Mary must seek lodgings in the infamous Star beer house. 
 
Mary tries to get her job back as a weaver, but the influx of workers from the countryside and no support for the working class means that jobs are scarce. With no other choice she remains at the beer house, forced to risk her reputation and even her life. 
 
In the middle of a cholera outbreak and political upheaval, can Mary ever find a way to recover all she's lost? 
______________________ 
Praise for Libby Ashworth 
 
'An engrossing tale of hardship, struggles, love and family' KITTY NEALE 
 
'Vividly drawn characters . . . gritty and heartfelt' EVIE GRACE 
 
'Brimming with drama, heartbreak, love, friendship and the powerful bonds of family' LANCASHIRE POST

An absolutely gripping historical saga

The Cotton Spinner

The rise of the mills is about to change everything . . . 
 
If you love Catherine Cookson and Val Wood, you will love this brand new series set in the mill town of Blackburn, Lancashire. 
______________________ 
 
'Brimming with drama, heartbreak, love, friendship and the powerful bonds of family' Lancashire Post 
 
'Engrossing tale of hardship, struggles, love and family' Kitty Neale 
 
'Vividly drawn characters . . . gritty and heartfelt . . . a must-read' Evie Grace 
 
______________________ 
 
Lancashire, 1826 
 
When Jennet and Titus Eastwood are forced to move from their idyllic cottage into the centre of Blackburn to find work in the cotton mills, their lives are changed in ways they could never have imagined and their new home on Paradise Lane is anything but . . . 
 
Then Titus is arrested and sent to prison for attending a Reform meeting. Jennet is left to fend for herself and things go from bad to worse as she finds herself pregnant and alone - with another man's child . . . 
_________________________

An engrossing tale of hardship, struggles, love and family. I was swept away to the North of England and into the world of cotton spinners. Well researched, perfect for fans of Catherine Cookson

With vividly drawn characters and Libby’s passion for Lancashire and its history shining through, this gritty and heartfelt tale of the mill workers and those caught up in the Reform riots is a must-read. I loved it

Brimming with drama, heartbreak, love, friendship and the powerful bonds of family

[A] well-written novel […] It’s a well-researched story any fan of historical fiction would enjoy

The rise of the mills is about to change everything. 
_________________________ 
'Brimming with drama, heartbreak, love, friendship and the powerful bonds of family' Lancashire Post 
_________________________ 
Lancashire, 1826 
 
When Jennet and Titus Eastwood are forced to move from their idyllic cottage into the centre of Blackburn to find work in the cotton mills, their lives are changed in ways they could never have imagined and their new home on Paradise Lane is anything but . . . 
 
Then Titus is arrested and sent to prison for attending a Reform meeting. Jennet is left to fend for herself and things go from bad to worse as she finds herself pregnant and alone - with another man's child . . . 
_________________________ 
'An engrossing tale of hardship, struggles, love and family. I was swept away to the North of England and into the world of cotton spinners. Well researched, perfect for fans of Catherine Cookson.' Kitty Neale 
 
'With vividly drawn characters and Libby's passion for Lancashire and its history shining through, this gritty and heartfelt tale of the mill workers and those caught up in the Reform riots is a must-read.' Evie Grace

Libby Ashworth

The doyen of the Northern saga, Catherine Cookson, would have loved this gritty tale

An emotional historical saga about family bonds and the power of love

THE THIRD NOVEL IN THE INSPIRATIONAL MILL TOWN LASSES SERIES. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Catherine Cookson. 
______________________ 
 
Lancashire, 1842 
 
Sixteen-year-old Bessie Eastwood works long hours as a weaver in Blackburn, helping to support her family. Meanwhile older sister Peggy works as an apprentice at the Girls’ School, hoping for a more prosperous future as a schoolteacher. 
 
Jennet and Titus Eastwood have always decided what is best for their daughters. But as they near adulthood the sisters are determined to choose their own futures. And with temptation in the way, will the girls find love, or lust, leads them astray? 
 
When an unexpected but familiar face arrives in Blackburn, the family’s future is threatened, and a difficult decision will have to be made – love or family . . .

Libby Ashworth

Praise for A Family Secret

Authentic and emotion-packed

The doyen of the Northern saga, Catherine Cookson, would have loved this gritty tale

Books by Libby Ashworth

Series by Libby Ashworth

The Mill Town Lasses

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