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A Lesson Learned
Nuneaton, 1850
Growing up on a canal boat has meant life for young Saffie Doyle has been hard. Her mother, Olivia, was cast out by her well-to-do family when she fell in love with Saffie's father, a lowly boatman named Reuben. But as the years have passed, Reuben has become a bitter and cruel drunk, forced to work for the local crook, Seth Black, to keep their family afloat.
Saffie always dreamed of becoming a teacher, despite her father's insistence that she had no need to read and write. Keen to nurture her ambitions, Olivia hoped to introduce Saffie to a childhood friend - the kindly and wealthy Marcus - who runs a free school for the local children, but when Olivia falls ill, she's unable to.
One night, Saffie's 17-year-old brother and her father go out on a job with Seth Black and never return home. Saffie is forced to place her dreams on hold as she steps up to look after her family.
With her younger siblings relying on her, will Saffie ever be able to live the life she hopes for?
Growing up on a canal boat has meant life for young Saffie Doyle has been hard. Her mother, Olivia, was cast out by her well-to-do family when she fell in love with Saffie's father, a lowly boatman named Reuben. But as the years have passed, Reuben has become a bitter and cruel drunk, forced to work for the local crook, Seth Black, to keep their family afloat.
Saffie always dreamed of becoming a teacher, despite her father's insistence that she had no need to read and write. Keen to nurture her ambitions, Olivia hoped to introduce Saffie to a childhood friend - the kindly and wealthy Marcus - who runs a free school for the local children, but when Olivia falls ill, she's unable to.
One night, Saffie's 17-year-old brother and her father go out on a job with Seth Black and never return home. Saffie is forced to place her dreams on hold as she steps up to look after her family.
With her younger siblings relying on her, will Saffie ever be able to live the life she hopes for?
451 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 16, 2023
165 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Rosie Goodwin
98 books356 followersBefore becoming a writer, I was a Placement Support Worker and foster carer, and worked in the social services department after completing a teacher training course. Many children have joined my family over the years. I still live in Nuneaton, where many of my books are set, with my husband, Trevor, and our beloved dogs.
I was thrilled to discover that I'd become one of the top 250 most-borrowed library authors in the UK, and would like to thank all of you who have taken out my books over the last few years! I love meeting my readers and am always pleased to hear from you. I hope you will all continue to get in touch and please do sign up for my newsletter!
I was thrilled to discover that I'd become one of the top 250 most-borrowed library authors in the UK, and would like to thank all of you who have taken out my books over the last few years! I love meeting my readers and am always pleased to hear from you. I hope you will all continue to get in touch and please do sign up for my newsletter!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 18, 2024
In 1850 Olivia is banished from her home with her parents after she falls in love with Reuben. Leaving her well off family, Olivia and Reuben start life together on the canals.
They have a daughter they name Sapphire, because of the colour of her eyes. Usually called Saffie. Saffie helps her mother care for her younger siblings. But what she really aspires to is it be a teacher. But will she ever get the chance to make her own dreams come true? Or will she always be putting the needs of others first? Will she find someone who will love her?
After her family is torn apart by death and circumstances, Saffie goes to live with her grandmother This is a story that will involve the emotions. Saffie, is a lovely generous and caring person. It is a hard read in some respects given the hard lives lived at the times and harder still when it comes to abuse of children as is the case with Catherine. Catherine is abused while at Hatter’s Hall, a mental asylum. Then Catherine is taken out of Hatter’s Hall by Saffie’s grandmother, who Saffie ends up living with. Saffie’s job is to care for the child who is treated appallingly by the grandmother. Despite Saffie and Minnie, the maid’s attempts to care for Catherine, the child is relegated to the attic never to be seen. What could produce such hatred for this child from Staffie’s grandmother?
While this story was involving and emotional I felt is also tipped over into implausible.
An interesting historical book but emotionally draining, I was glad Saffie found some happiness towards the end. I know a lot of other people have loved this book so maybe just me not being in the right frame of mind for something like this at present. Time for something lighter.
They have a daughter they name Sapphire, because of the colour of her eyes. Usually called Saffie. Saffie helps her mother care for her younger siblings. But what she really aspires to is it be a teacher. But will she ever get the chance to make her own dreams come true? Or will she always be putting the needs of others first? Will she find someone who will love her?
After her family is torn apart by death and circumstances, Saffie goes to live with her grandmother This is a story that will involve the emotions. Saffie, is a lovely generous and caring person. It is a hard read in some respects given the hard lives lived at the times and harder still when it comes to abuse of children as is the case with Catherine. Catherine is abused while at Hatter’s Hall, a mental asylum. Then Catherine is taken out of Hatter’s Hall by Saffie’s grandmother, who Saffie ends up living with. Saffie’s job is to care for the child who is treated appallingly by the grandmother. Despite Saffie and Minnie, the maid’s attempts to care for Catherine, the child is relegated to the attic never to be seen. What could produce such hatred for this child from Staffie’s grandmother?
While this story was involving and emotional I felt is also tipped over into implausible.
An interesting historical book but emotionally draining, I was glad Saffie found some happiness towards the end. I know a lot of other people have loved this book so maybe just me not being in the right frame of mind for something like this at present. Time for something lighter.
April 3, 2025
Just awesome. The characters are well developed and different. The story is so good that it's hard to put the book down. Some secrets are revealed and the ending is happy. 5/5 but if I could, I'd give more.
February 21, 2023
What can I say? This is by far, Rosies best book yet. I just couldn't put it down! Set in 1800's, again a bit of everything, mystery, drama, passion, murder, its all there, but in an unforgettable story. Read it, you'll love it. Bought up and raised on a canal boat, from humble beginnings.
July 7, 2024
A great read
February 16, 2023
I love all Rosie Goodwin books and this one was no exception. From page one I was hooked until the end, a historical drama with plenty of twists and turns and full of emotion. Would highly recommend for a great read.
August 8, 2025
Yet another enjoyable and most compelling historical fiction read from Rosie Goodwin!
This of course followed the same theme of Rosie Goodwin's other historical fiction stories, with the protagonist having to face hardship, usually in the form of poverty or some other sort of adversity, only to end up undergoing quite an adventure and experiencing a lot of different changes in her life.
Saffie was a very likeable and interesting character. I like the way as well that her sister, Elsie, actually had some character development, unlike with Bridget in Our Fair Lily who clearly had that potential but was just made into this one-dimensional, inhumanely selfish, spiteful and uncaring person, yet of course had that real potential of character development. What I also really liked and what also took me by real surprise was the unpredictability of it all. For instance, when it kept showing the policeman, Bernie, constantly trying to woo Saffie and how he was so obsessed and infatuated with her, I honestly thought that he was going to be her ultimate love interest who she ends up with, as this is usually the more predictable route a lot of RG's stories have taken. Even with Saffie making it clear she didn't like him that way, I still expected them to end up together in the usual cliched way, as that's what happened in The Lost Girl, with Esme initially claiming to only like Jeremy as a friend only to end up all of a sudden at the very end returning his feelings, and so that is exactly what I expected to happen here. However, I was very pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen, with things ending up going in another direction with Elsie being the one to marry Bernie instead. I must say I was really made up and impressed with this, as I did find Bernie's obsession with Saffie annoying, with his feelings for her and how he longed to be with her being too repetitive, but that was all forgiven when there was an interesting change in events. I am glad too as to be honest I had been shipping Saffie and Marcus but didn't expect them to end up together at all or that Marcus was even meant to be a love interest to Saffie, given that he was happily married and of course it kept getting made obvious that it would be Bernie she'd end up with, as well as of course Marcus being a lot older than her. Again, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were more twists and turns, and thought this was executed really well, as at first there are basically no hints at any romance between Saffie and Marcus, then there starts to be subtle hints, then the hints get more and more obvious, with Saffie's and Marcus's feelings about each other then being made clear. I thought this was brilliant the way this was done as it was indeed unpredictable, certainly less predictable than most of the previous romance arcs in RG's books, and it also made the story a lot more interesting and rivetting because of this. Sadly, it meant they had to kill off his wife who was lovely, but of course it wasn't until many years after Marcus's wife died that they ended up getting together, and even more years til they ended up getting married. Because of this unpredictability, it meant things were more interesting but also less cliched and more complex.
This is perhaps the one of RG's novels I've read that is full of the most twists and turns which definitely made for a very exciting read and was full of suspense. The storyline with Cathy and her situation and her whole parentage was very interesting indeed and again unpredictable, though I had a feeling there was going to be more to it than what they initially speculated, and certainly made for a big wham moment finding out the truth behind all that.
The only thing that I think disappointed me a bit was how short and rushed the epilogue was, being only in the form of a newspaper wedding announcement. It was still pretty satisfying though as of course it still gave us closure, that Saffie and Marcus did end up marrying and had seemingly already had two children beforehand (!), and that Saffie had started teaching alongside Marcus too. It would have been nice to see more of Saffie starting her new teaching career and her new marriage with Marcus.
Still, a very rivetting and exciting read. I look forward to my next RG historical fiction read.
This of course followed the same theme of Rosie Goodwin's other historical fiction stories, with the protagonist having to face hardship, usually in the form of poverty or some other sort of adversity, only to end up undergoing quite an adventure and experiencing a lot of different changes in her life.
Saffie was a very likeable and interesting character. I like the way as well that her sister, Elsie, actually had some character development, unlike with Bridget in Our Fair Lily who clearly had that potential but was just made into this one-dimensional, inhumanely selfish, spiteful and uncaring person, yet of course had that real potential of character development. What I also really liked and what also took me by real surprise was the unpredictability of it all. For instance, when it kept showing the policeman, Bernie, constantly trying to woo Saffie and how he was so obsessed and infatuated with her, I honestly thought that he was going to be her ultimate love interest who she ends up with, as this is usually the more predictable route a lot of RG's stories have taken. Even with Saffie making it clear she didn't like him that way, I still expected them to end up together in the usual cliched way, as that's what happened in The Lost Girl, with Esme initially claiming to only like Jeremy as a friend only to end up all of a sudden at the very end returning his feelings, and so that is exactly what I expected to happen here. However, I was very pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen, with things ending up going in another direction with Elsie being the one to marry Bernie instead. I must say I was really made up and impressed with this, as I did find Bernie's obsession with Saffie annoying, with his feelings for her and how he longed to be with her being too repetitive, but that was all forgiven when there was an interesting change in events. I am glad too as to be honest I had been shipping Saffie and Marcus but didn't expect them to end up together at all or that Marcus was even meant to be a love interest to Saffie, given that he was happily married and of course it kept getting made obvious that it would be Bernie she'd end up with, as well as of course Marcus being a lot older than her. Again, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were more twists and turns, and thought this was executed really well, as at first there are basically no hints at any romance between Saffie and Marcus, then there starts to be subtle hints, then the hints get more and more obvious, with Saffie's and Marcus's feelings about each other then being made clear. I thought this was brilliant the way this was done as it was indeed unpredictable, certainly less predictable than most of the previous romance arcs in RG's books, and it also made the story a lot more interesting and rivetting because of this. Sadly, it meant they had to kill off his wife who was lovely, but of course it wasn't until many years after Marcus's wife died that they ended up getting together, and even more years til they ended up getting married. Because of this unpredictability, it meant things were more interesting but also less cliched and more complex.
This is perhaps the one of RG's novels I've read that is full of the most twists and turns which definitely made for a very exciting read and was full of suspense. The storyline with Cathy and her situation and her whole parentage was very interesting indeed and again unpredictable, though I had a feeling there was going to be more to it than what they initially speculated, and certainly made for a big wham moment finding out the truth behind all that.
The only thing that I think disappointed me a bit was how short and rushed the epilogue was, being only in the form of a newspaper wedding announcement. It was still pretty satisfying though as of course it still gave us closure, that Saffie and Marcus did end up marrying and had seemingly already had two children beforehand (!), and that Saffie had started teaching alongside Marcus too. It would have been nice to see more of Saffie starting her new teaching career and her new marriage with Marcus.
Still, a very rivetting and exciting read. I look forward to my next RG historical fiction read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2023
There was another book by this author that made me think she was a VC Andrews fan. This one was almost too on the nose and proved to me she had to be. There's a child locked literally in an attic by an angry deranged grandmother (granted she's not the child's grandmother but the kids in FITA weren't the grandmother's real grandchildren either it turned out) and the grandmother does actually beat the child once a quick blow then again in a way similar to how Cathy and Chris were in that rainy day chapter. No tar in anyone's hair though but the child's name is Cathy. She's not a ballerina however. Aww. Also there is a killer staircase just like in My Sweet Audrina but only two victims in this book and there's subtle arsenic poisoning. Dang if she's a fan I wish she was the one to carry on the legacy since the current ghostwriter is doing a shit job especially lately. Anyway onto the story.
As this is the precious gem stones series we need a properly named heroine. Sapphire or Saffie as she's called is born into a family of boat people. I think Annie Murray wrote a book about people on narrowboats I'll gave to read it since it's quite fascinating. Her mother was banished from her family home because she wanted to be with a man who lived on the canals. Saffie is named both for her bright blue eyes and also after her parents' boat The Blue Sapphire. The family is fairly close there's Elsie who is selfish and vain so like most VC Andrews sisters (dang I just noticed that connection) a brother Archie and twins Ginny and Lucy who rarely get mentioned much like poor Cory and Carrie in FITA especially in the movies. Those two deserved so much better than they got. Dad gets mixed up with a criminal and he and Archie are arrested. Archie gets shipped to Australia where he eventually seems to settle, their dad goes to jail where he dies. The rest of the family does one last trip and end up at their paternal grandmother's house. Elsie takes off to work as a laundry maid and gets knocked up by the son of the house cause there's always gotta be an unwanted pregnancy. At least this one isn't featured too much and we don't have the usual you'll love the child once it's born beaten into our heads. As someone who fostered children you'd think the author would know better, but as I said it wasn't really mentioned and Elsie is married off and vanishes from the story soon after. Saffie is offered a job at her maternal grandmother's house caring for a child that her grandmother wishes to never see, hence why she's locked in the attic. The kid doesn't arrive in the middle of the night though and a neighbour Marcus helps bring her to the house and is sworn to secrecy. Grandmother loses her mind having the child around and it results in her being locked up in the mental institution then she too vanishes from the story which was sad. I wanted this Cathy to get revenge like Cathy Dollanganger did but that Cathy suffered years of abuse, this one a few months. We also meet Marcus' wife Mathilda who is painted as this wonderful kind hearted person. I didn't think she was. She was selfish. When she miscarries and is told she can't have anymore kids she basically let's herself die cause she doesn't want to adopt. There are literally two young kids in this book who have no families but hey who cares if I can give a poor orphan a safe loving happy home, I want my own. I liked Mathilda okay until she lost her baby then I was done with her. Saffie wants to be a teacher and fills in for Marcus while he cares for his selfish wife. Anyway this is getting really long. Overall I did enjoy this book and was glad there was little to know talk of women loving their babies as soon as they see them. It was dull in a few chapters and got annoying whenever the characters tried matchmaking, it's just written in an annoying way but for the most part it's a good story and I enjoyed it especially since it so strongly resembled two of my all time favourite books Flowers in the Attic and My Sweet Audrina.
As this is the precious gem stones series we need a properly named heroine. Sapphire or Saffie as she's called is born into a family of boat people. I think Annie Murray wrote a book about people on narrowboats I'll gave to read it since it's quite fascinating. Her mother was banished from her family home because she wanted to be with a man who lived on the canals. Saffie is named both for her bright blue eyes and also after her parents' boat The Blue Sapphire. The family is fairly close there's Elsie who is selfish and vain so like most VC Andrews sisters (dang I just noticed that connection) a brother Archie and twins Ginny and Lucy who rarely get mentioned much like poor Cory and Carrie in FITA especially in the movies. Those two deserved so much better than they got. Dad gets mixed up with a criminal and he and Archie are arrested. Archie gets shipped to Australia where he eventually seems to settle, their dad goes to jail where he dies. The rest of the family does one last trip and end up at their paternal grandmother's house. Elsie takes off to work as a laundry maid and gets knocked up by the son of the house cause there's always gotta be an unwanted pregnancy. At least this one isn't featured too much and we don't have the usual you'll love the child once it's born beaten into our heads. As someone who fostered children you'd think the author would know better, but as I said it wasn't really mentioned and Elsie is married off and vanishes from the story soon after. Saffie is offered a job at her maternal grandmother's house caring for a child that her grandmother wishes to never see, hence why she's locked in the attic. The kid doesn't arrive in the middle of the night though and a neighbour Marcus helps bring her to the house and is sworn to secrecy. Grandmother loses her mind having the child around and it results in her being locked up in the mental institution then she too vanishes from the story which was sad. I wanted this Cathy to get revenge like Cathy Dollanganger did but that Cathy suffered years of abuse, this one a few months. We also meet Marcus' wife Mathilda who is painted as this wonderful kind hearted person. I didn't think she was. She was selfish. When she miscarries and is told she can't have anymore kids she basically let's herself die cause she doesn't want to adopt. There are literally two young kids in this book who have no families but hey who cares if I can give a poor orphan a safe loving happy home, I want my own. I liked Mathilda okay until she lost her baby then I was done with her. Saffie wants to be a teacher and fills in for Marcus while he cares for his selfish wife. Anyway this is getting really long. Overall I did enjoy this book and was glad there was little to know talk of women loving their babies as soon as they see them. It was dull in a few chapters and got annoying whenever the characters tried matchmaking, it's just written in an annoying way but for the most part it's a good story and I enjoyed it especially since it so strongly resembled two of my all time favourite books Flowers in the Attic and My Sweet Audrina.
May 23, 2023
I always enjoy Rosie Goodwin's work and this was no exception. The storyline was good and the characters were likeable but about three-quarters of the way through, everything seemed to get a bit silly and unbelievable. I can't give you an example as it will entail spoilers but those who have read this book will probably know to what I'm referring. One incident after another did not surprise me as it was obvious what was going to happen but I was still very surprised that Rosie did indeed write the obvious. There was just one part which had a surprise element but the last quarter seemed a little disappointing. For those who like happy ever endings, the ending probably couldn't have been any different.
June 10, 2025
i loved it though it was hard for me to get into it, proba because i’m not the biggest historical fiction girlie but, i loved it it started getting better some scenes just went blurry for me. BTW when the end was nearing and when marucs told saffie that he might not wed her i literally screamed “GIRL STAND UP DONT SETTLE FOR LESS” but when i flipped to the next page and read the epilogue i was so so so happy. our girl saffie went through a lot, she literally had the ‘older sister image’ engraved into her, but at the end she finally got her own happy ending after witnessing people around her have their own.
it was great read though very detailed for me 💘
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars
officially a rosie goodwin fangirl 🫶🏻
it was great read though very detailed for me 💘
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars
officially a rosie goodwin fangirl 🫶🏻
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2025
Rosie Goodwin never lets you down. You know if you read one of her books it is going to be very enjoyable as this one was. They are always great page turners which are difficult to put down. This story revolves around Sapphire (Saffie) who was born and grew up among the boat people of the Midlands canals. When her father and brother are arrested and jailed the life of the family changes for ever. They move in with her paternal grandmother. When a letter arrives from her maternal grandmother offering her a job her live changes forever. This book has many sad and also many happy moments and is truly moving and beautiful story of love, hate death and new life.
I am not going to say this is Rosie’s best book, as for me she does not have a best book just great books with wonderful stories.
I am not going to say this is Rosie’s best book, as for me she does not have a best book just great books with wonderful stories.
March 13, 2023
This book gripped me from the first page. The Doyle family lives on a canal boat. Life is hard but they are happy until the father Rueben and son Archie commit a crime that leaves a lone mother and her children vulnerable.
The story revolves mainly around Sapphire "Saffie" the eldest daughter. There were many characters but because of the clever way, they were added gradually you had a chance to learn about them and their lives.
I love all of Rosie's books and was very much looking forward to this one and it didn't disappoint.
Another book of drama's twists and turns.
The story revolves mainly around Sapphire "Saffie" the eldest daughter. There were many characters but because of the clever way, they were added gradually you had a chance to learn about them and their lives.
I love all of Rosie's books and was very much looking forward to this one and it didn't disappoint.
Another book of drama's twists and turns.
July 10, 2023
What a wonderful book I could not put this book down it was very interesting to read and I did not want the book to end.
Olivia runs off with a boatman and her parents disown her. The years go by and Sapphire (Saffie) their daughter which is the main character of this book who is very intelligent and she ends up with her maternal Grandmother. We see what happens to her over the book.
The story was woven into making you were in this story and was fascinating to read.
Would recommend this book.
Olivia runs off with a boatman and her parents disown her. The years go by and Sapphire (Saffie) their daughter which is the main character of this book who is very intelligent and she ends up with her maternal Grandmother. We see what happens to her over the book.
The story was woven into making you were in this story and was fascinating to read.
Would recommend this book.
March 14, 2023
5 stars is just not enough! Her books just keep on getting better and better. I am only glad that I still have many to read on my pile. I devour them but never want them to end. You feel you know the characters personally and experience everything they go thtough. One of my favourite authors. 100 per cent.
March 16, 2023
Wow, what an amazing story. It turned out differently than I thought it would as I was reading it. I couldn't put it down and wish it didn't have to end. Yet again, Rosie Goodwin has produced another amazing story that has you gripped from the start. I can't wait to see what gifts Rosie gives us with her next book
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August 27, 2025Love her books but I felt in this there were a few too many cups of tea being brewed, got a bit boring. In fact I thought tea was a very expensive product back then . Good story but
fairly predictable ending, but will carry on reading her books
fairly predictable ending, but will carry on reading her books
February 18, 2023
Every year I look forward to Rosie’s releases and this did not disappoint! So much so I cried in numerous occasions throughout the book. Highly recommend if you love historical drama novels!
March 16, 2023
Another lovely read from Rosie Goodwin, Sapphire is a lovely character the story is so well written
March 25, 2023
Such a lovely book ,cant wait till her next one comes out
April 1, 2023
Another unputdownable book !
Wonderful story Rosie once again , loved it from the the first page to the last , looking forward to your next book Rosie x
Wonderful story Rosie once again , loved it from the the first page to the last , looking forward to your next book Rosie x
April 3, 2023
Really enjoyed the last part of the rock wood saga
You just have to love Millie this was a brilliant read 5*
You just have to love Millie this was a brilliant read 5*
April 4, 2023
Another fantastic read!!!
Loved this story, like all Rosies other stories it did not disappoint. Another unputdownable (if there's such a word) book.
Loved this story, like all Rosies other stories it did not disappoint. Another unputdownable (if there's such a word) book.
April 21, 2023
Another excellent read.
May 13, 2023
Once started I couldn't put it down!!
June 18, 2023
Great read
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book although have to say did actually anticipate what the outcome would be early on. However it did not spoil it for me.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book although have to say did actually anticipate what the outcome would be early on. However it did not spoil it for me.
September 8, 2023
Lovely book , I am always sad to come to the end of Rosie Goodwin books
October 31, 2023
Loved this story
November 10, 2023
An excellent read
February 6, 2024
Lovely story
February 26, 2024
Another lovely read author Rosie Goodwin. It gripped me from first to last page.
March 10, 2024
Brilliant book loved every minute of it
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews