The Forgotten Family of Liverpool: The Mersey Trilogy

Happy Friday!  Have you tried British historical novels?  There are some wonderful novels available that will take you back to 1930s through 1950s in England.  A few of my favorite authors of these novels are Donna Douglas, Kitty Neale, Rosie Clarke, Nadine Dorries and Daisy Styles.  I now get to add Pam Howes to the list.  

The Forgotten Family of Liverpool by Pam Howes is the second installment in The Mersey Trilogy.  The story starts in June of 1952.  Dora Rodgers is a dressmaker in Liverpool, England living with her two daughters, Carol and Jackie.  She has recently separated from her husband, Joe after he had an affair with Ivy Bennett.  Ivy and Joe work at the Royal Ordnance Factory which provides the house Dora is living in with the girls.  One afternoon there is a knock at the door and Dora opens it to find a Mr. Oliver from Department of Children’s Welfare.  They have received a complaint about Carol being neglected and that her behavior has deteriorated.  Mr. Oliver is removing Carol from Dora’s care and into Joe’s.   Dora is not allowed any contact with Carol.  Dora is determined to fight for her daughter but circumstances work against her.  Dora moves forward with her life while working to improve her circumstances and get Carol returned to her care.  But Dora’s journey along life’s highway will be filled with hairpin curves, potholes and speed bumps.  See how Dora fares in The Forgotten Family of Liverpool.

The Forgotten Family of Liverpool is well-written and has a nice, steady pace. The characters and their situations are realistic.  I could easily put myself into Dora’s shoes (not Ivy’s though).  It is an emotional story that draws readers into the lives of the Rodgers’ family.  While this is the second story in The Mersey Trilogy, The Forgotten Family of Liverpool can be read alone.  I did not have the pleasure of reading The Lost Daughter of Liverpool, and I had no problem.  Readers are brought up-to-date on what has occurred in the characters’ lives.  My rating for The Forgotten Family of Liverpool is 4.25 out of 5 stars (I liked this story).  The book does contain British slang and terminology.  Most of the terms meanings (or American counterpart) can be discerned from the text. The Forgotten Family of Liverpool is a heartfelt story that will have you cheering for Dora and hoping for the worst to happen to Ivy.  Fans of Donna Douglas, Rosie Clarke, and Nadine Dorries, will enjoy reading The Forgotten Family of Liverpool.  The book will remind you of Call the Midwife (the families that the midwives are responsible for).  

I hope you found my review helpful.  The next book I will be discussing is Knot What You Think by Mary Marks.  I hope you have a good and uneventful day. Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader