SOLVED. YA Historical Fiction, 1800s. 3 characters on same boat passage from Ireland to London. Rich father dies leaving her penniless. Another girl gets older man to pay for her passage. Third character is male. Cover: blue. Published before 2000.

[Margaret]

The latest it could have been published would be 1999. The first character is well to do and when her father dies she flees to London believing she is now penniless. She spends the first night in the chair an old woman who takes pity on her and eventually finds work in a dress shop. Less certain- I seem to remember she may be fleeing/hiding for some reason.

The second character is a thirteen? year old girl who is determined to improve her desperate lot and convinces an older man to pay her passage for her. Instead he rapes her. She demands more money because it may have nothing meant anything to him, but it meant something to her. He sees his family as the boat pulls into port and gives it up. She eventually joins a gang but is adamant that she will never turn tricks and instead becomes a pickpocket among other things (yes, I swear this was classified as a YA novel that I definitely read earlier than 15).

The third character is the least memorable to me for whatever reason. He joins the same gang.

Randomly, the version I had was a paperback and I seem to remember the cover having a lot of blue, for whatever that’s worth.

Spoilers ahead:
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Somehow the first character is found/discovers that her father’s fortunes have passed to her. She returns to her hometown. She and the main male character have fallen in love. He becomes a dock worker. I seem to remember that they then dedicate their lives to trying to help other orphans.

This is driving me CRAZY that I can’t remember. Thanks for any and all help!

[Margaret]

I apologize- tried to add more detail in header. Only have mobile access and it won’t let me?

[Kris]

Margaret, how old are the three characters? Are they strangers?

What is the story's time period? What are they leaving Ireland and traveling to London?

I added some details to the header/topic title. You can post a comment with changes you'd like to see in the header.

[Margaret]

Thanks- updates to header seem great. Know this is more vague than I’d like. It’s been a while.

Story is set in the 1800s. (Late 1809s?) Describes tenement living in great detail. Flooded alleyways for access and other details.

3 characters are strangers at beginning of story but get closer. They were all either fleeing or desperate to find a way to survive. Unable to remember if this was related to potato famine or just other social issues and set a bit later in time.

Once again, apologies. It’s been about 20 years since I read it. Don’t know why it’s suddenly popped in my head and won’t stop bugging me!

[Crystal]

Skye O'Malley maybe

[Margaret]

That one looks interesting, but unfortunately the one I’m thinking of definitely falls in the YA category instead of romance (despite the heavy subject matter). Thanks for looking and helping, though!

[Rainbowheart]

The Escape from Home or the sequel Lord Kirkle's Money?

[Crystal]

oooh! I actually have Lord Kirkle's Money at home (I don't know why i didn't think of it)

xD I do hope it turns out to be the one

[Margaret]

No, but I read both of those around the same time! They had a similar feel, but it wasn’t an Avi book. I actually had my mother FaceTime since the only thing left intact in my childhood bedroom (now guest room) is my bookshelf. These books by Avi were in the shelf but not the darn book I’m thinking of... this may be the straw since it’s plaguing me in a way it really has no right to...

[Kris]

Closing duplicate thread. Please continue here - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...