CHRISTMAS CHILD by CAROL RIVERS

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Lizzie Flowers series comes a spellbinding historical saga about the trials and tribulations of a young orphan. Christmas Day, 1880, East London. Snow fell in silent showers, settling peacefully on the cobbles of the lane as Colleen O’Reilly dragged herself over the carpet of white. Behind her, drops of blood, as red as summer cherries, melted into the snow. It’s Christmas Day and Colleen O’Reilly is dying. But not before she drags herself to the sanctuary of an East End orphanage to deliver her new-born baby girl to the Sisters of Clemency. Not one to ignore the cries of a baby, the nuns take in little Ettie O’Reilly and raise her as their own. When Ettie turns thirteen, her world begins to crumble. The church can no longer fund the orphanage and the nuns announce its closure. Separated from her friends and family, Ettie must navigate the dark streets of London alone and finds herself being pushed from pillar to post. Struggling to find her place in the world without the Sisters to guide her, Ettie leans on Michael, a boy who promises his undying love and loyalty to her. But Michael is young and fickle and soon betrays Ettie. Now she must finally accept the hard-hitting truth: happiness comes at a cost. Fans of Dilly Court, Rosie Goodwin, Cathy Sharp, Annemarie Brear and Carole Llewellyn will adore this captivating coming-of-age story set against the bleak backdrop of Victorian London. PRAISE FOR CHRITMAS CHILD: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An unforgettable, epic Victorian saga . . . a true gem of a read.’ Heather C ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A beautifully compelling, captivating and enthralling historical saga about strength, courage, determination, heartache and a dash of Romance set in the Victorian era.’ Dash Fan ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Christmas Child is the perfect read for any historical fiction lover.’ Lana ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I don't even know where to begin to describe this book. I guess one word could do it . . . SUBLIME.’ AnnMarie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An enjoyable read . . . I loved every single page to the last.’ Booklover Bev ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fab read!’ Diane ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow I was gripped by this book from page one.’ Mois Reads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This was so much more than a romance story. It was a story of life, death, survival, heartache and finally happiness. The ending was absolutely perfect.’ Rose ALSO BY CAROL RIVERS GIRL WITH SECRETS CHRISTMAS CHILD CHRISTMAS TO COME