Anna Jacobs

Evoking the language, location and people of Lancashire, Anna Jacobs’ Salem Street takes readers to a time when mills were opening, cheap lodging was proliferating across once green valleys providing homes for workers, and a woman’s place was to bear children. Having grown up around Lancashire accents, I particularly appreciated how quickly I heard the voices of my youth in the dialog—easy to read and understand, yet beautifully portraying accent and dialect. The author spares no show more feelings with her depiction of difficult lives, the divide between rich and poor, and the ease with which a man can get away with cruelty. But this isn’t a story of bad men and good women. Women have a cruelty all their own, and both men and women can work for good or for evil. The Methodist church begins to make inroads in a mill town. A trained doctor begins to make a difference in the health of a neighborhood. And the divide between North and South is already beginning to take effect.

With pleasing characters, a strong female protagonist, and well-researched, convincing history, this novel is first in a series, a thoroughly enjoyable and enthralling tale on its own, and a great introduction the author, the area, and the lives of mill workers and women at home or in service.

Disclosure: I borrowed it from my Mum show less

This novel tells the story of four sisters who live in Lancashire with their father. Although they work in the cotton mill, they are quite educated because their father is a lover of education and knowledge, which is also the reason why they all have Greek names. They lead a simple, but content life and are a very close-knit family. However, when the cotton famine hits, caused by the Civil War in the US, they become very poor. After several more fateful blows, the sisters go to Western show more Australia and start new lives there.

It was very interesting to learn about the cotton famine which I had never heard about before. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Western Australia and the early days of that colony. What really got on my nerves after some time, though, was that the sisters are so utterly good, like saints, while the antagonists are so absolutely bad, like cardboard characters. It all is so saccharine that the story became boring to me after a while and I had to force myself to go on, which is why it took me very long to finish this. I will not go on with the series because I am simply not interested in these characters anymore. show less

Bright Day Dawning by Anna Jacobs is the third book in her Preston Family series. This book picks up immediately after the last book, and with only one more book in the series, a number of story lines were finished with this volume.

Carrie and Eli are rebuilding their music hall which was burnt down at the end of the last book but their inexperience in business finds them hiring a con-man instead of a respectable architect. We also follow the misadventures of another young couple as Gwynna show more & Lucas must fight to escape the clutches of an evil land-owner who is trying to control Lucas and punish Gwynna for her past. We also follow the story of Maria, the widow of Athol Stott and see her beginning to reclaim her life.

While the plot-lines follow a familiar path of evil men doing nasty things to good people, I still enjoyed the read. There is a comfort in these books, knowing that although bad things are going to happen, you can rely on good triumphing in the end. Although offering nothing particularly new or different, Bright Day Dawning was a comfortable escape read. show less

The Trader’s Sister by Anna Jacobs is the second volume in her five book historical romance series that is set in Freemantle on the west coast of Australia. This particular book features Ismay Deagan, an Irish lass, who in order to escape an unsavoury forced marriage emigrates to Australia to join her brother who has settled in Freemantle and opened a store.

She meets and falls in love with a fellow traveller, Adam Treagar, who together with his foster mother is also moving to Freemantle to show more take up an inheritance. Adam has been bequeathed a half share in a trading schooner and some properties. Unfortunately, Ismay is being tracked by her vicious suitor who vows that no one other than he will marry her. As the story moves from Ireland to Singapore and finally on to Western Australia, Ismay and Adam grow ever closer.

Although it was obvious how this story would work out, I enjoyed the read very much. The author has the knack of giving the reader characters who you enjoy either rooting for or against. As Ismay escapes from her life of oppression, and Adam comes into his own in regards to his business, we can see that this is a couple that is made for each other. The book is a nice mix of familiar characters from the first book and new characters that I am certain will feature in some of the next stories. I look forward to continuing on and learning what will happen next. show less