The Penny Wedding

Burnside Saga #1

by Jessica Stirling

Seventeen-year-old Alison struggles with family loyalty, love, and self-fulfillment in Depression-era Glasgow

690 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1994

About the author

A pseudonym used by Hugh C. Rae, initially in collaboration with Peggie Coghlan and later alone.

Hugh Crauford Rae was born on November 22, 1935 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, son of Isobel and Robert Rae. He published his first stories aged 11 in the Robin comic, winning a cricket bat the same year in a children’s writing competition. After graduating from secondary school, he worked as an assistant in the antiquarian department of John Smith's bookshop. At work, he met her future wife, Elizabeth. Published since 1963, he started to wrote suspense novels as Hugh C. Rae, but he also used the pseudonyms of Robert Crawford, R.B. Houston, Stuart Stern (with S. Ungar) and James Albany. On 1973, his novel "The Shooting Gallery" was nominee by the Edgar Award. On 1974, he wrote the first few romance novels with Peggie Coghlan, using the popular pseudonym Jessica Stirling. However, when she retired 7 years after the first book was published, he continued writing more than 30 on his own, and also as Caroline Crosby. His female pseudonyms first became widely known in 1999, when "The Wind from the Hills" was shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Widowed nine years ago, Hugh died on September 24, 2014 at the age of 78.

Reviews

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful "homely" family saga from the Scottish equivalent of Catherine Cookson.
It tells the tale of the Burnside family who after their mother dies have to shift together to make ends meet during the Depression years of the early 30s.
Alison is most affected as she tries desperately to take her mother's place and fulfil the role of matriarch by looking after her brothers and father Alex whilst striving to get on at school under the loving tutelage of her teacher Jim Abbott.
A mish mash of characters that are extremely lovable pop up throughout the story, Alex's new paramour from across the road, Ruby McColl and her flighty daughter Brenda, the Gilfillan granny and aunties, Trudi, Henry's new wife and scores of others.
A wonderful tale I could not put down and razed through in just two days.
Well crafted from start to finish and a must for fans of historical fiction.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started off a little slow, but I definitely got caught up by it! It's a nice family story set in Glasgow in the late 1920s/early 30s. The author reminds me of Maeve Binchy, but a much edgier version.I'd love to read more of her books.

[cathie knott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would not recommend

Found this book very boring could not get into it. Normally Jessica Stirling's books keep me wanting to read on

[Mrs Margaret Maher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok book

I found this book a bit long winded. It was an ok story but it sort of dragged. I could lay it down and picked it up.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1 of 2 and I really enjoyed this novel about the Burnside family and their Flannery Park community.
I highly recommend the Jessica Stirling novels.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good characters, nice plot. Would've liked it if Walter wouldn't have just dropped off the face of the earth though.

[Wayne Stirling]

To me this book was awefully slow. I can see it is very well written but sorry I just couldnt get past chapter 5.