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The House on Rosebank Lane
Edinburgh, 1953.
Kirsten Mowat, eighteen years old and with a joyful spring in her step, could't be more in love with her sea-faring sweetheart Duncan Armstrong.
But, seven years later – after a hasty wedding, a twist of lies and wrenching loss – Duncan and Kirsten's relationship has faded to tatters. When those closest to her turn their backs, Kirsten – alone, with a young family to care for – must gather all her spirit and strength if they are to survive.
From much-loved Millie Gray, The House on Rosebank Lane is an Edinburgh story of families entwined, of sorrow and hopefulness . . . and of a young mother's love for her children and a transforming quest for happiness.
A poignant and authentic family saga which depicts the reality of working-class life in 1950s Edinburgh, perfect for fans of Annie Murray (Sisters of Gold), Jennifer Worth (Call the Midwife) and Dilly Court (Nettie's Secret).
PRAISE FOR THE HOUSE ON ROSEBANK LANE:
"A deserted mother's struggles to survive and help her children thrive no matter the cost. Millie Gray's fast-moving story, set in the Edinburgh of the 1950s and 60s, is an emotional rollercoaster, full of twists and surprises . . ."
– ANNIE MURRAY, bestselling author of Sisters of Gold
- GenresHistorical
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2019
17 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Millie Gray
25 books14 followersMillie Gray is a writer and professional storyteller. Her humorous plays attract audiences from all over Scotland and she is much in demand to do workshops and talks about her work. Millie Gray was born and raised in Leith and lives in Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 20, 2021
Kirsten Mowat is eighteen in 1953, she lives in Edinburgh and is madly in love with her boyfriend Duncan Armstrong. They secretly get married at the registry office, their mothers have no idea and then have to face the music together. Soon Kirsten has two young children, a husband that’s working away at sea for months at a time and another baby on the way.
Kirsten’s baby is lucky to survive her high risk pregnancy, she’s a devoted mother to Dixie and Duncan feels neglected. After seven years of marriage, he tells her he’s starting a new job, he does a runner to Canada and she’s left to raise the three children on her own.
Kirsten has to find work, it’s not easy obtaining a job to fit in around school hours and she works for Stella Wise as a housekeeper at her brothel. She meets Inspector Eddie Carmichael, he understands her situation, he doesn't judge her, and suddenly Duncan wants a divorce. After years of sadness, loss and being abandoned and a resilient Kirsten has second chance of happiness, love and motherhood with her new husband.
The House on Rosebank Lane is a story about a woman being abandoned by her husband, raising her children alone in Edinburgh during the 1960's, a quick read, thanks to NetGalley for my copy and three stars from me.
Kirsten’s baby is lucky to survive her high risk pregnancy, she’s a devoted mother to Dixie and Duncan feels neglected. After seven years of marriage, he tells her he’s starting a new job, he does a runner to Canada and she’s left to raise the three children on her own.
Kirsten has to find work, it’s not easy obtaining a job to fit in around school hours and she works for Stella Wise as a housekeeper at her brothel. She meets Inspector Eddie Carmichael, he understands her situation, he doesn't judge her, and suddenly Duncan wants a divorce. After years of sadness, loss and being abandoned and a resilient Kirsten has second chance of happiness, love and motherhood with her new husband.
The House on Rosebank Lane is a story about a woman being abandoned by her husband, raising her children alone in Edinburgh during the 1960's, a quick read, thanks to NetGalley for my copy and three stars from me.
April 30, 2019
I haven’t read any books published by Millie Gray before, but since reading The House on Rosebank Lane, I’m very keen to read more of her books.
For me personally there was a roller coaster story and tears during this very much loved story.
Kirsten Mowat, was deeply in love with her boyfriend Duncan. When she confesses to Duncan, that she is pregnant, they get married in secret. Once they are married, Kirsten has another confession, she isn’t pregnant. But there’s plenty of time for Kirsten and Duncan to have children now they are husband and wife. When they tell their mothers, that they just got married, the reader is taken through both sides of families in what they think about both of them getting married without telling anyone. I did feel sorry for Kirsten as her husband takes a job that means he will be away for two years. I recommend this book that has love and heartbreak and tears.
For me personally there was a roller coaster story and tears during this very much loved story.
Kirsten Mowat, was deeply in love with her boyfriend Duncan. When she confesses to Duncan, that she is pregnant, they get married in secret. Once they are married, Kirsten has another confession, she isn’t pregnant. But there’s plenty of time for Kirsten and Duncan to have children now they are husband and wife. When they tell their mothers, that they just got married, the reader is taken through both sides of families in what they think about both of them getting married without telling anyone. I did feel sorry for Kirsten as her husband takes a job that means he will be away for two years. I recommend this book that has love and heartbreak and tears.
April 12, 2019
A very enjoyable book to read the story and characters fit together perfectly
definitely a book to recommend.5*
definitely a book to recommend.5*
July 2, 2020
Millie Gray does a great job giving us a look back at Edinburgh through the 50s toward the 70s, not only that but she gives you a truly heartstring-tugging and simultaneously heartwarming tale of not just one woman but the others in her life. At first, I found it difficult to feel sympathy for Kirsten but that soon changed once you saw the radiance of her love as a mother. After that, I may not have approved of everything she did or didn't do, but I gained respect for our main protagonist. I also greatly enjoyed the look back into the pasts of some of the other characters. Kirsten's love for a mother isn't just radiant but it's real, she makes mistakes and deals with lasting consequences but you never once question the fact that she loved her children, and I think that's what really drew me to this story, the heart of it all. You wanted to cheer them on, Kirsten, Dixie, Stella, Eddie, Jane, even Jessie! I was not expecting this to make me tear up, but it did and it was a satisfying read that I really didn't want to put down until I'd finished it.
I would recommend for anyone who reads these sort of heartwarming and tear-inducing tales, Millie Gray has certainly done a brilliant job with it! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eAR in exchange for my honest opinion.
I would recommend for anyone who reads these sort of heartwarming and tear-inducing tales, Millie Gray has certainly done a brilliant job with it! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eAR in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 20, 2019
I loved the setting of this book. My sister and her family live near Edinburgh and the locations and dialect were beautiful.
Kirsten’s story of young love and her struggles to rebuild her life for herself and her family were admirable. The stoyline in the book was very good.
I did struggle a bit reading it. Maybe I am used to more fast paced books at the minute and it may well appeal to others.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this book.
Kirsten’s story of young love and her struggles to rebuild her life for herself and her family were admirable. The stoyline in the book was very good.
I did struggle a bit reading it. Maybe I am used to more fast paced books at the minute and it may well appeal to others.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this book.
June 6, 2019
Why has it taken me so long to discover Millie Gray - this novel was so enchanting i didn't want it to end.
Set in Edinburgh, the novel centres around a young girl Kirsten Mowat and follows her life with all its trials and tribulations. Relationships, heartache, poverty, family, love, dedication - I could go on but suffice to say I loved every word.
It has a feel good factor immediately and kept me reading into the small hours.
Highly recommended and now I must go and find more of Ms Grays work.
Set in Edinburgh, the novel centres around a young girl Kirsten Mowat and follows her life with all its trials and tribulations. Relationships, heartache, poverty, family, love, dedication - I could go on but suffice to say I loved every word.
It has a feel good factor immediately and kept me reading into the small hours.
Highly recommended and now I must go and find more of Ms Grays work.
October 13, 2021
The House on Rosebank Lane was a great novel that captivated my attention and did not let go until the very end,
Description
Edinburgh, 1953.
Kirsten Mowat, eighteen years old and with a joyful spring in her step, couldn’t be more in love with her sea-faring sweetheart Duncan Armstrong.
But, seven years later – after a hasty wedding, a twist of lies and wrenching loss – Duncan and Kirsten’s relationship has faded to tatters. When those closest to her turn their backs, Kirsten – alone, with a young family to care for – must gather all her spirit and strength if they are to survive.
Description
Edinburgh, 1953.
Kirsten Mowat, eighteen years old and with a joyful spring in her step, couldn’t be more in love with her sea-faring sweetheart Duncan Armstrong.
But, seven years later – after a hasty wedding, a twist of lies and wrenching loss – Duncan and Kirsten’s relationship has faded to tatters. When those closest to her turn their backs, Kirsten – alone, with a young family to care for – must gather all her spirit and strength if they are to survive.
August 28, 2019
A fast moving story about a woman and her children who live in Scotland. They are abandoned by the husband and father. The mother makes a good life for her children. There's a tragedy in this book that I didn't see coming and was a little disappointed in, but love conquers all in the end. Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.. Thank you, Netgalley.
All opinions are my own.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.. Thank you, Netgalley.
All opinions are my own.
May 4, 2019
Is there going to be another book?
Is was bit boring in bits!I felt we didn’t get the full story!Did Bea ever find out her father was a wrong one,did Armstrong’s hotel go down the plug!Too much left out
Is was bit boring in bits!I felt we didn’t get the full story!Did Bea ever find out her father was a wrong one,did Armstrong’s hotel go down the plug!Too much left out
August 20, 2020
This book will have you laughing and in tears
When Kirsten married her first love she though this was her life but life had a few surprises in store for her she lost her sons but found a better man
When Kirsten married her first love she though this was her life but life had a few surprises in store for her she lost her sons but found a better man
April 18, 2019
Disappointing
Another book that didn't live up , the good reports of the reviewer's high praise,
abandoned at chapter four ,as the story failed to improve,
Another book that didn't live up , the good reports of the reviewer's high praise,
abandoned at chapter four ,as the story failed to improve,
June 10, 2019
Absolutely loved this novel! Excellent character development, the storyline was fluid and kept me in suspense and wanting to learn more about the characters.
May 20, 2019
Despite telling her chap she was pregnant so he would marry her, I did root for Kirsten. After being abandoned by her sea-faring husband, Duncan, and divorcing him for desertion, it's up to her to survive, thrive and fetch up their children - on her own. In the 50s and 60s - you see the problem here..... being a single mother in this era pretty much guaranteed to make you socially isolated, the one the 'good folks' talk about.
Duncan's mother (Kirsten's M-I-L) is a strong character, a money lender (a bruiser, as Millie calls her) and she's not happy about losing Duncan's wages to Kirsten and his new family. She lost her own father young, and had to come out of school to earn some money for her own family, so she's street-wise and she doesn't take any nonsense.
Kirsten takes work at the local brothel, helping Stella Wise out until the local Inspector turns up and accuses her of living immorally off her earnings, forcing her to leave. But that's not the end of their story... and there's plenty of activity around the brothel in this story to get you thinking.
Stella's story is full of it's own trials and traumas, as she works to make things right, morally, emotionally and financially.
This story addresses many issues of the time, the stigma of being a mother on her own, of gambling, of prostitution, of domestic abuse. Intermixed with Kirsten's story are authentic historical moments - Elizabeth II being crowned, the launch of Britannia, Hillary conquering Everest.
This is a novel about grit and determination to make the best of things, when life throws you a curveball, and in the main is centred around a cast of strong (if a little misguided at times) female characters, doing their best to fight the stigma, taboos and discrimination of the day. Will Kirsten fight and choose happiness for herself, despite everything she goes through? If you like TV shows like Call The Midwife , I think you really enjoy Millie's new book.
Duncan's mother (Kirsten's M-I-L) is a strong character, a money lender (a bruiser, as Millie calls her) and she's not happy about losing Duncan's wages to Kirsten and his new family. She lost her own father young, and had to come out of school to earn some money for her own family, so she's street-wise and she doesn't take any nonsense.
Kirsten takes work at the local brothel, helping Stella Wise out until the local Inspector turns up and accuses her of living immorally off her earnings, forcing her to leave. But that's not the end of their story... and there's plenty of activity around the brothel in this story to get you thinking.
Stella's story is full of it's own trials and traumas, as she works to make things right, morally, emotionally and financially.
This story addresses many issues of the time, the stigma of being a mother on her own, of gambling, of prostitution, of domestic abuse. Intermixed with Kirsten's story are authentic historical moments - Elizabeth II being crowned, the launch of Britannia, Hillary conquering Everest.
This is a novel about grit and determination to make the best of things, when life throws you a curveball, and in the main is centred around a cast of strong (if a little misguided at times) female characters, doing their best to fight the stigma, taboos and discrimination of the day. Will Kirsten fight and choose happiness for herself, despite everything she goes through? If you like TV shows like Call The Midwife , I think you really enjoy Millie's new book.
April 13, 2019
An outstanding Scottish saga of love and loyalty that will touch readers’ hearts and bring a tear to their eye, The House on Rosebank Lane is a spellbinding historical novel set in post-war Edinburgh that will go a treat with fans of Dilly Court and Margaret Dickinson.
The Second World War is finally over and after all that anguish and hardship, the time has come to draw a line under the past and move forth into the future. In 1953, there is a new queen on the throne and the future looks bright and hopeful. Eighteen year old Kirsten Mowat is a young woman who thinks she has the world at her feet. Having started to walk out with Duncan, her handsome new beau, Kirsten hasn’t felt this happy in a very long time. However, beneath all the smiles and kisses lies a very dark secret that Kirsten has been keeping close to her chest for years. A scandalous secret that she knows that she must confess to Duncan. However, Kirsten is ill prepared for the dangerous consequences which her secret will have on her newfound happiness and the people she holds dear to her heart.
After Duncan convinces her to have a shotgun wedding, Kirsten begins to look forward to a lifetime married to the man she has chosen to be her husband. However, married bliss seems intent on eluding her as Kirsten experiences untold pain and tragedy that propels her down a downward path which nobody could have predicted. With her husband and mother in law hardening their heart against her, Kirsten finds herself alone, vulnerable and with nobody to rely on other than herself.
Grief-stricken Kirsten cannot wallow in self-pity. She must dig deep to find inner reserves of strength to seek out a haven for the people she loves. When help comes from the most unlikely of places, Kirsten’s life looks set to change for the better…but only if she has the strength and courage to fight for her happiness and grasp this unexpected chance of freedom from the shackles of the past.
Searingly emotional, sensitively written and so moving that it could sever heartstrings, The House on Rosebank Lane is a vivid, compelling and captivating saga with a resilient and resourceful heroine readers will admire and cheer for, terrific supporting characters and lashings of grit and drama. Millie Gray certainly knows how to keep her readers turning the pages and with The House on Rosebank Lane she has penned a fantastic fifties set read that will delight and enchant saga fans everywhere.
The Second World War is finally over and after all that anguish and hardship, the time has come to draw a line under the past and move forth into the future. In 1953, there is a new queen on the throne and the future looks bright and hopeful. Eighteen year old Kirsten Mowat is a young woman who thinks she has the world at her feet. Having started to walk out with Duncan, her handsome new beau, Kirsten hasn’t felt this happy in a very long time. However, beneath all the smiles and kisses lies a very dark secret that Kirsten has been keeping close to her chest for years. A scandalous secret that she knows that she must confess to Duncan. However, Kirsten is ill prepared for the dangerous consequences which her secret will have on her newfound happiness and the people she holds dear to her heart.
After Duncan convinces her to have a shotgun wedding, Kirsten begins to look forward to a lifetime married to the man she has chosen to be her husband. However, married bliss seems intent on eluding her as Kirsten experiences untold pain and tragedy that propels her down a downward path which nobody could have predicted. With her husband and mother in law hardening their heart against her, Kirsten finds herself alone, vulnerable and with nobody to rely on other than herself.
Grief-stricken Kirsten cannot wallow in self-pity. She must dig deep to find inner reserves of strength to seek out a haven for the people she loves. When help comes from the most unlikely of places, Kirsten’s life looks set to change for the better…but only if she has the strength and courage to fight for her happiness and grasp this unexpected chance of freedom from the shackles of the past.
Searingly emotional, sensitively written and so moving that it could sever heartstrings, The House on Rosebank Lane is a vivid, compelling and captivating saga with a resilient and resourceful heroine readers will admire and cheer for, terrific supporting characters and lashings of grit and drama. Millie Gray certainly knows how to keep her readers turning the pages and with The House on Rosebank Lane she has penned a fantastic fifties set read that will delight and enchant saga fans everywhere.
April 14, 2019
I volunteered to give my honest opinion in a review in exchange for a free copy of the book. This story starts with a teenager lying about being pregnant in order to coerce her boyfriend into getting married without both parent's consent. While it has a good storyline, the book is written as if grade schoolers are reading it. It's really dumbed down. I couldn't get through the first chapter.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews