Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts: Factory girls fight for their loves, lives and rights in World War I Bermondsey (The Factory Girls Book 1)

'Mary Gibson is going to go a long way... a really good read' Dee Williams. Heartwarming and gritty, the story of a factory girl in Bermondsey through World War 1. They call them custard tarts - the girls who work at the Pearce Duff custard and jelly factory. But now the custard tarts are up in arms, striking for better conditions. Among them is Nellie Clark, trying to hold her family together after the death of her mother. She has the most desperate struggle to make ends meet, often going hungry to feed her little brothers. Two men vie for Nellie's love. One is flamboyant, confident and a chancer. The other is steady, truthful and loyal. But the choice is not as easy as it might seem. Looming over them all - over Bermondsey, over the factory, over the custard tarts and their lives and loves - is the shadow of the First World War. And that will change everything and everyone. The captivating bestseller about a factory girl in Bermondsey during World War 1. Britain, 1911. Strikes and riots erupt countrywide as the shadow of the Great War looms over Europe . But in one small corner of London, factory girl Nellie Clark's wages are all that keep her younger brothers and sister from starvation . And, as the young women of Pearce Duff's custard factory watch their menfolk prepare to march off to war, Nellie is forced to make a difficult choice: between the family who depend upon her, and the man she loves... Following Nellie and her struggle through the hardship of life in First World War London , Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts is an outstandingly moving novel full of tenderness and drama. PRAISE FOR CUSTARD TARTS AND BROKEN HEARTS : 'The twists and turns of the friendship, love and family keep you gripped throughout . The characters are engaging and soon feel like old friends ' Joanna, Amazon reviewer . ' Well written and beautifully told story of the hardships and heartache of early 1900's Britain. Couldn't put it down and had tears rolling down my face as I became entwined with the wonderful "cuckoo" family wanting them to survive' Dell, Amazon reviewer . 'This is a wonderful read . It has everything a good story should have, it made me laugh, smile and weep in parts . So well written that the characters come to life ' Mafanwy, Amazon reviewer . 'Brilliant book – well written, well researched, compelling read ' Squirrel 59, Amazon reviewer . 'An amazing and at times heart-rending story about the struggles of young women before and during the war. I was gripped from the start! ' Mrs S, Amazon reviewer . Factory girls fight for their loves, lives and rights in World War I Bermondsey. They call them the custard tarts - the girls who work at Pearce Duff's custard powder factory in Bermondsey before the First World War. Conditions are hard but nothing can quench the spirit of humour and friendship - or the rising tide of anger that will finally bring the girls out on strike for a better deal. For one of them, striking spells disaster. Nellie Clark's wages keep her young brothers and sister from starvation, while her father sinks into drunken violence after the death of their mother. While Nellie struggles to keep her family together, two men compete for her love, and over them looms the shadow of the coming war, which will pull London's East End together as never before - even while it tears the world apart. Cover; Welcome Page; Dedication; Chapter 1: Custard Tarts; Chapter 2: Going Home; Chapter 3: A Day Out; Chapter 4: Swept Off Her Feet; Chapter 5: Down and Out; Chapter 6: Penny-farthing Promise; Chapter 7: Bread; Chapter 8: And Roses; Chapter 9: 'Over the Other Side'; Chapter 10: Shifting Sands; Chapter 11: Fire and Ice; Chapter 12: Alibi; Chapter 13: To the Tower; Chapter 14: Christmas Contrasts; Chapter 15: A Game Old Bird; Chapter 16: Six Bob Short; Chapter 17: A Matter of Trust; Chapter 18: Choices, Mistakes and Promises; Chapter 19: Doing the Rounds; Chapter 20: A Storm Breaks Chapter 21: Orphans of the StormChapter 22: A Feather on the Wind; Chapter 23: Oh, We Don't Want to Lose You; Chapter 24: The Power of a Promise; Chapter 25: Home Soil; Chapter 26: Cuckoo's Nest; Chapter 27: Mother Love; Chapter 28: Little Canary; Chapter 29: 'Nothing to Mar Our Joy'; Chapter 30: 'Keep the Home Fires Burning'; Chapter 31: A Dark Moon; Chapter 32: Till the Boys Come Home; Chapter 33: Turn the Dark Clouds Inside Out; Acknowledgements; About this Book; About the Author; An Invitation from the Publisher; Copyright; Contents