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The Fall and Rise of Lucy Charlton
From the bestselling author of Miss Appleby's Academy comes a gritty, emotional saga, perfect for fans of Dilly Court, Nadine Dorries and Maggie Hope.
1920, Durham. Since she was a child, Lucy Charlton has dreamed of working with her father in the family solicitor's firm. But a scandal shatters her dreams and, when her father disowns her, she finds herself on the streets, fighting for survival. Joe Hardy has returned to London after the Great War to find his life in tatters - his father is dead and his pregnant fiancée has disappeared. Then Joe learns he's unexpectedly inherited an old river house in Durham from a stranger called Margaret Lee. With nothing left for him in London, he makes arrangements to travel north and claim it. Lucy's determination has finally secured her a job as a legal secretary, campaigning for the rights of the poorest in society. As Joe arrives in her office to collect the keys to his new home, she promises to help him uncover information about his mystery benefactor. But before long, the past comes back to haunt them both, with shocking consequences...
1920, Durham. Since she was a child, Lucy Charlton has dreamed of working with her father in the family solicitor's firm. But a scandal shatters her dreams and, when her father disowns her, she finds herself on the streets, fighting for survival. Joe Hardy has returned to London after the Great War to find his life in tatters - his father is dead and his pregnant fiancée has disappeared. Then Joe learns he's unexpectedly inherited an old river house in Durham from a stranger called Margaret Lee. With nothing left for him in London, he makes arrangements to travel north and claim it. Lucy's determination has finally secured her a job as a legal secretary, campaigning for the rights of the poorest in society. As Joe arrives in her office to collect the keys to his new home, she promises to help him uncover information about his mystery benefactor. But before long, the past comes back to haunt them both, with shocking consequences...
- GenresHistorical Fiction
400 pages, Paperback
First published December 24, 2013
About the author
Elizabeth Gill
54 books29 followershttps://www.facebook.com/Elizabeth-Gi...
http://elizabethgill.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth, formerly a journalist and house journal editor, has a daughter Katy and lives in Durham City. She began writing at four and had a poem published at twelve and a short story accepted at age twenty. Her first book was published when she was thirty and subsequently has had a total of 40 novels published.
http://elizabethgill.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth, formerly a journalist and house journal editor, has a daughter Katy and lives in Durham City. She began writing at four and had a poem published at twelve and a short story accepted at age twenty. Her first book was published when she was thirty and subsequently has had a total of 40 novels published.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 24, 2014
The Fall and Rise of Lucy Charlton by Elizabeth Gill could be also named The Fall and Rise of Lucy Charlton and Joe Hardy, since Lucy was not the only protagonist of this story, they both were.
When I started to read the book, I was reminded a lot of Sister Carrie - 1920, young girl is leaving home, finding her feet, men-trouble ... all of it just happened in England not in past depression New York.
The story is interesting, things happening in Lucy's and Joe's life then in their lives together. It's a fascinating story about life in England's countryside after the I world war. How money is limited, many men lost their lives in war or because of war, woman had to step into men's positions but old customs were against it, families where ready to disown their children when they had done something not "proper" but made them come back and support them when there was a need in a house.
There were some things that irked me. There were many story lines thrown into the story, but they lead to nowhere - things like Joe seeing thing other didn't, Joe's plans with the second tower house and so on. And then the strange timeline. By the way the children are described, the ones who are born turning this story, it seems like all this happens turning 4-5 years, since the children are always small, always have trouble walking and always making mess at the table. But when you follow all the other things that happen and all the time passages that have been mentioned, it's more like ten years. And considering this, Joe's mother's cats must be immortals :).
I liked the story, I liked the characters, I liked how it was constructed and how the English countryside and weather was described I just got confused with the time passage and it was too bad that there where some things that where added to the story but the ideas where not completed.
When I started to read the book, I was reminded a lot of Sister Carrie - 1920, young girl is leaving home, finding her feet, men-trouble ... all of it just happened in England not in past depression New York.
The story is interesting, things happening in Lucy's and Joe's life then in their lives together. It's a fascinating story about life in England's countryside after the I world war. How money is limited, many men lost their lives in war or because of war, woman had to step into men's positions but old customs were against it, families where ready to disown their children when they had done something not "proper" but made them come back and support them when there was a need in a house.
There were some things that irked me. There were many story lines thrown into the story, but they lead to nowhere - things like Joe seeing thing other didn't, Joe's plans with the second tower house and so on. And then the strange timeline. By the way the children are described, the ones who are born turning this story, it seems like all this happens turning 4-5 years, since the children are always small, always have trouble walking and always making mess at the table. But when you follow all the other things that happen and all the time passages that have been mentioned, it's more like ten years. And considering this, Joe's mother's cats must be immortals :).
I liked the story, I liked the characters, I liked how it was constructed and how the English countryside and weather was described I just got confused with the time passage and it was too bad that there where some things that where added to the story but the ideas where not completed.
March 20, 2014
Interestingly story but poorly written, the inconsistencies both within the grammar and content make it incredibly grating to read!
Read more on my blog
July 6, 2018
The Fall and Rise of Lucy Charlton written by Elizabeth Gill for me was one brilliant read based on the life of one woman who was simply born too soon. Lucy Charlton had it all when we first meet her but one decision takes her to lose everything she holds dear in the most soul-destroying of ways.
Why I loved the character of Lucy was how she showed that she would not let the past rule her future as she knew she had a love of the law and her dream of being a solicitor was not easily quashed.
But as she leaves her home in Newcastle she knows she has to make her way in life without the help of her family. She moves across the river and though she is now living in a much poorer street the friends she meets makes up for the more indulgent life she once lived.
I loved this book as the character which we meet through Lucy really matters to the storyline, and through this excellent work of historical fiction I loved how I was able to see what life was like in the 1920's where the First World War was still deep in their memories, while women were there to be told what to do by the men who ruled them.
An excellent read which I am happy to recommend.
Why I loved the character of Lucy was how she showed that she would not let the past rule her future as she knew she had a love of the law and her dream of being a solicitor was not easily quashed.
But as she leaves her home in Newcastle she knows she has to make her way in life without the help of her family. She moves across the river and though she is now living in a much poorer street the friends she meets makes up for the more indulgent life she once lived.
I loved this book as the character which we meet through Lucy really matters to the storyline, and through this excellent work of historical fiction I loved how I was able to see what life was like in the 1920's where the First World War was still deep in their memories, while women were there to be told what to do by the men who ruled them.
An excellent read which I am happy to recommend.
August 21, 2017
Lucy Charlton has always wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a solicitor, at a time when, in the early 20th century, such professions were considered inappropriate for women. Her hopes are dashed when she is brutally assaulted and she is ordered from her home. How she achieves this is at the core of this novel. Along the way, she meets and becomes involved in the lives of several people, most importantly Joe Hardy, who having been discharged from the Army, finds his own life in disarray and the two become fast friends. We also meet the Misses Slater, impoverished gentry folk, the warm-hearted Formby family, and Edgar Braithwaite, a Durham solicitor, and his sister, Emily, who has problems of her own. Ms Gill has given us an accurate picture of the time, with its more restrictive social mores, and a wonderful bunch of characters to become involved in. A well-written novel and one I would easily recommend. I look forward to more of Ms Gill’s novels.
June 19, 2019
Interesting story let down by convenient subplots and amateurish writing.
January 24, 2014
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This story begins with Lucy being disowned by her family and cast out of her home, not the most cheery beginning. We then meet Joe, who is returning from France to find out his father is dead and his fiancee has run off. I was definitely a little worried this would be a very depressing book at this point. I liked Lucy though and I liked her determination to survive despite her family. I enjoyed reading about a young woman determined to push the boundaries of what society deemed acceptable for a young woman of her station. In the beginning I found Joe to be somewhat less likeable, yes, he did come home to find nothing of what he expected, but he was far too willing to be carried along by the tragedies at first. Thankfully he did come around into a likeable character. I also liked the various minor characters of the friends and neighbors that Lucy and Joe picked up along the way.
The description for this book made it sound as though Lucy was rallying on the streets for her cause for the poor in general and I found that to be misleading. Lucy’s drive to become a solicitor is to help others and the results are rather vague. You’re told she’s successful and beloved in the office, but the only people you personally see her helping are her neighbors in Durham, you don't meet her clients. I’m not downplaying the events with her friends and neighbors as they were central to the story, but I think this tries to sell the book as a bit more than it is. I think I was expecting more of a strident social activist or feminist like Emmeline Pankhurst.
This book definitely did wrap up all details happily, but not in the way I expected at the beginning. I enjoyed the story overall.
I will say as a warning/spoiler that there is some sexual violence. I don’t think it was out of line for the story nor was it excessive, but it did surprise me and might have been part of my initial hesitation when I started this book.
3 Stars
Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for this advance read copy!
This story begins with Lucy being disowned by her family and cast out of her home, not the most cheery beginning. We then meet Joe, who is returning from France to find out his father is dead and his fiancee has run off. I was definitely a little worried this would be a very depressing book at this point. I liked Lucy though and I liked her determination to survive despite her family. I enjoyed reading about a young woman determined to push the boundaries of what society deemed acceptable for a young woman of her station. In the beginning I found Joe to be somewhat less likeable, yes, he did come home to find nothing of what he expected, but he was far too willing to be carried along by the tragedies at first. Thankfully he did come around into a likeable character. I also liked the various minor characters of the friends and neighbors that Lucy and Joe picked up along the way.
The description for this book made it sound as though Lucy was rallying on the streets for her cause for the poor in general and I found that to be misleading. Lucy’s drive to become a solicitor is to help others and the results are rather vague. You’re told she’s successful and beloved in the office, but the only people you personally see her helping are her neighbors in Durham, you don't meet her clients. I’m not downplaying the events with her friends and neighbors as they were central to the story, but I think this tries to sell the book as a bit more than it is. I think I was expecting more of a strident social activist or feminist like Emmeline Pankhurst.
This book definitely did wrap up all details happily, but not in the way I expected at the beginning. I enjoyed the story overall.
I will say as a warning/spoiler that there is some sexual violence. I don’t think it was out of line for the story nor was it excessive, but it did surprise me and might have been part of my initial hesitation when I started this book.
3 Stars
Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for this advance read copy!
February 20, 2014
Set in the period immediately following the First World War this is the story of Lucy Charlton, the daughter of a solicitor who is studying at Durham University. The fall of poor Lucy is a shocking one and the consequences are not hers alone.
Joe went off to fight in the war against the wishes of his father who had bought him up in London on his own since the death of his mother. When Joe returns he finds he has lost not only his father but also his fortune and his girlfriend. His fortune he accepts as lost forever, he has letters from his father which he ekes out through the course of the story reading one on my reckoning every three months or so, but he will not accept the loss of Angela. He is determined to find out what has happened to her.
This tale is told from the viewpoints of Lucy and Joe over a period of years as their lives are intertwined by some of the minor characters in the book, some of whom are delightful like the Misses Slater who Lucy helps when she finds them in straightened circumstances.
The parts I was less enamoured with is the fact that Joe ‘sees things!’ Not only that but you would not believe the number of dreams that are mentioned in this book! This either results with the character on awakening suddenly knows something that was either already obvious, or conversely, leads to the next big discovery which moves the plot along.
As a romance I am sure this book works well, as a historical romance the actual historical details were quite light. No-one except Joe seems to have fought in the war nor does it appear to have had a huge impact on their lives which was disappointing for me as this was why I chose to read this particular novel.
I received a free copy of this book from Quercus in return for my honest review.
Joe went off to fight in the war against the wishes of his father who had bought him up in London on his own since the death of his mother. When Joe returns he finds he has lost not only his father but also his fortune and his girlfriend. His fortune he accepts as lost forever, he has letters from his father which he ekes out through the course of the story reading one on my reckoning every three months or so, but he will not accept the loss of Angela. He is determined to find out what has happened to her.
This tale is told from the viewpoints of Lucy and Joe over a period of years as their lives are intertwined by some of the minor characters in the book, some of whom are delightful like the Misses Slater who Lucy helps when she finds them in straightened circumstances.
The parts I was less enamoured with is the fact that Joe ‘sees things!’ Not only that but you would not believe the number of dreams that are mentioned in this book! This either results with the character on awakening suddenly knows something that was either already obvious, or conversely, leads to the next big discovery which moves the plot along.
As a romance I am sure this book works well, as a historical romance the actual historical details were quite light. No-one except Joe seems to have fought in the war nor does it appear to have had a huge impact on their lives which was disappointing for me as this was why I chose to read this particular novel.
I received a free copy of this book from Quercus in return for my honest review.
June 2, 2014
This is the second of Ms Gill’s books I have read, and I loved this one just as much as the first. It is, however, completely different. The storyline is very striking, set as it is with a foot in two totally different eras, due to the dramatic shift in life in Britain at the end of the war. This has been incredibly well researched and is put to paper in a glorious fashion in this book. It also shows the breaking up of the class divide, and describes very well the differences between London society life and the hardships of being near penniless in the North.
One of the things I enjoyed most in the story is the kindness and heart shown by the two main characters as they separately and together battle their demons trying to make their own way in life whilst trying to do the right things against a barrage of deceit, physical hurt and skeletons in the family closet. Of course there are waifs and strays picked up along the way bringing warmth, love, humility and hope to both their lives.
This is not a fluffy love story, but it is a real, true love story, with heart, determination and grit. It is on the darker side but this is because of its time and place in our history. It embraces the changes of the time and does not shy away from difficult topics. Above all, it is an honest read and one I heartily recommend.
review by Noemie Verlan on behalf of BestChickLit.com
One of the things I enjoyed most in the story is the kindness and heart shown by the two main characters as they separately and together battle their demons trying to make their own way in life whilst trying to do the right things against a barrage of deceit, physical hurt and skeletons in the family closet. Of course there are waifs and strays picked up along the way bringing warmth, love, humility and hope to both their lives.
This is not a fluffy love story, but it is a real, true love story, with heart, determination and grit. It is on the darker side but this is because of its time and place in our history. It embraces the changes of the time and does not shy away from difficult topics. Above all, it is an honest read and one I heartily recommend.
review by Noemie Verlan on behalf of BestChickLit.com
June 23, 2015
The year is 1920 and Lucy Charlton is away at law school. Ever since she was a little girl, she has wanted to work with her father, a lawyer. She comes home because her sister, Gemma is getting married. Lucy does not particularly like Guy, the man Gemma is going to marry. Disaster strikes the night before the wedding and Lucy is sent away in disgrace. She is determined to become a lawyer so struggles on her own to complete her education. When she has finished her schooling, she finds work in a lawyer's office as his assistant. Joe Hardy is back from the war and finds his father is dead and the house he grew up in is dark and empty. His father had built up a considerable amount of debt. His fiancée, Angela is no where to be found. Apparently she became pregnant with his baby and when her father vowed send her away until she had the baby, she ran away. Joe is desperate to find her. Then he discovers a woman named Priscilla Lee has left him a house but in order to inherit it, he must live in it for one year. He has no idea this woman is but travels to Durham to find out. He obtains the key to the house from the office Lucy is working in. The book tells the story of how Joe discovers how to survive in a world after the war when he has little skills, how he finds out who his benefactor is and Lucy's story as well.
September 9, 2014
The year is 1920, a time when young ladies were meant to be happy to aspire to be good homemakers and wives. However, Lucy Charlton is different. From an early age, Lucy has aspired to be a solicitor, spending time at her father’s practice when most girls of her class were at home learning sewing, painting and housekeeping skills. On the eve of her sister’s wedding an event happens which sees all of Lucy’s dreams and aspirations extinguished in a flash.
Joe, has returned to London from the horrors of the trenches only to find that everything has changed and his life will never be the same again. He discovers that he has been left a house in Durham by a mysterious benefactor. As Joe moves to Durham to start his life over – the worlds of Lucy and Joe collide and friendship blossoms but this is short lived as the past comes back to haunt both of them.
A superb read – this is more than just a saga. It explores the role of women at the start of the 20th century as well as offering a gripping mystery storyline.
I really glad that I picked up this book after reading a review of it. It is a shame that the cover makes it look like an family saga Catherine Cookson type book because it isn’t and would certainly appeal to a younger age group than the cover suggests!
Joe, has returned to London from the horrors of the trenches only to find that everything has changed and his life will never be the same again. He discovers that he has been left a house in Durham by a mysterious benefactor. As Joe moves to Durham to start his life over – the worlds of Lucy and Joe collide and friendship blossoms but this is short lived as the past comes back to haunt both of them.
A superb read – this is more than just a saga. It explores the role of women at the start of the 20th century as well as offering a gripping mystery storyline.
I really glad that I picked up this book after reading a review of it. It is a shame that the cover makes it look like an family saga Catherine Cookson type book because it isn’t and would certainly appeal to a younger age group than the cover suggests!
July 26, 2014
Lucy Charlton, a young woman in post WWI England who aspires to become a solicitor, is kicked out of her family home after she is raped by her sister's fiance. Joe Hardy, a young man who fought in WWI, returns to his family home to find his father has committed suicide, their money is gone, and his pregnant fiancee has disappeared. Joe then mysteriously inherits a house which brings him into contact with Lucy who has managed to find work in a solicitor's office. Will the mystery of the inheritance be solved and will the manifold tragedies of both their pasts come to determine their futures? "The Fall and Rise of Lucy Charlton" was a good story, albeit quite a depressing one at times. I expected a bit more detail regarding the time period of 1910s and '20s England but there was not much of that, which was a little disappointing. The main characters were well done, Lucy especially, and it was heartening that her rise was as great as her fall had been. Would read this author again.
April 19, 2014
I was rather disappointed with this book. I started off really thinking it was going to be compulsive reading but somehow it went off the boil for me. It promised to be a really fascinating story but I found myself putting it down and leaving it down too often for me to really say that I enjoyed it as much as I hoped to. It may just be me and my mood at the moment and to be honest I haven't quite got to the end but I need a change. I think I will go back to it eventually and hope then that I can add something more positive. Perhaps I should not review it before I reach the end but I have read most of it.
March 12, 2014
Enjoyable storyline. A gentle stroll through the 1900's
August 28, 2014
A typical romance novel and not the groundbreaking heroine I was hoping for, however it was a pleasant story and enjoyable to read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews