Books like 'A Brighter Dawn'
Readers who enjoyed A Brighter Dawn by Rosie Harris also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical 20th century industrial-era regency epic family
-
The Women of Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLove and heartbreak, birth and death, joy amid hardship, are all here in the gripping fifth novel about the people of Mulberry Lane during World War Two. The war is nearly over – or is it? The women of Mulberry Lane anxiously wait for news... -
With a Kiss and a Prayer by Ellie Dean
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCliffehaven, May 1944 Peggy Reilly is enjoying a rare moment alone in the garden of her Beach View Boarding House. Against the now familiar backdrop of squadrons roaring overhead and the wireless humming, it seems both impossible that war continues, and yet inconceivable that it will ever come to an end... -
Courage of the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSunderland, 1942: Polly's heart and her future are hanging in the balance… Polly’s sweetheart Tommy has been declared missing while serving overseas, and although there is no certainty that he is dead, there is no guarantee that he will return home. Now Polly needs her friends more than ever, and the other women welders are ready to rally around her while she waits for news... -
The Woman from Beaumont Farm by AnneMarie Brear
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom the author of the bestselling The Slum AngelSequel to The Market Stall Girl 1914, West Yorkshire, England.Newly married to Noah Jackson, Beth is happily content working on her family’s market stall while Noah fulfills his dreams of being a teacher... -
-
The Mothers of Lovely Lane by Nadine Dorries
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of The Angels of Lovely Lane, The Four Streets and Ruby Flynn. Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus hospital in Liverpool. Since her husband was injured in the war, she has supported her five children. With help from her eldest, Bryan – a porter's lad – the family just about gets by... -
Sealed With a Loving Kiss by Ellie Dean
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe gripping new Second World War novel from Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author of While We're Apart.After the death of her parents in a bombing raid, Mary Jones discovers a secret in the pages of father’s diaries. Her search for the truth brings her to Cliffehaven on the south coast... -
Cece by AnneMarie Brear
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe's the third sister, often overlooked and the last to know about anything that's happening in the family.Cece is gifted a cottage in the Scottish Highlands. She doesn't want a cottage or to go to Scotland. Her sisters' gifts were much more interesting... -
A Ration Book Christmas by Jean Fullerton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt's 1940 and the German Luftwaffe have started their nightly reign of death and destruction over London's East End. The Brogan family is braced and ready to take on Hitler single-handed, if need be, but with rationing, air-raids and the threat of Nazi invasion hanging over this doughty family, their spirits are taking a bit of a battering.. -
Threepenny Dreams by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRecently widowed, Hannah Firth is still young - young enough to dream of a new life. When her spiteful daughter-in-law uses her as an unpaid servant, Hannah tries to leave, but she is unaware of the depths that Patty's spite will lead her to... -
The Orphan's Mother by Marion Kummerow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratings1945, the German-Polish border: With Nazis on one side and Soviet forces approaching on the other, a mother and her little boy are torn apart, and so begins an unforgettable tale of courage, heartbreak and motherhood in wartime.“If you ever get lost, Jacob, you need to stay where you are and wait, because I’ll come looking for you. And I’ll always find you... -
A Valley Wedding by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe third novel in the brand new Backshaw Moss series by beloved million-copy bestselling author Anna JacobsLancashire, 1936. With her son Gabriel finally married, and her youngest following his dreams of becoming a doctor, Gwynneth Harte finds herself with an empty nest - until a fire forces her to move in with Gabriel and his wife Maisie at their home on Daisy Street... -
Break of Dawn by Rita Bradshaw
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEach day brings a new beginning... Her mother's death in childbirth leaves Sophy Hutton at the mercy of her cruel aunt and uncle, and her childhood is brutal. At sixteen, Sophy learns the shocking truth behind her birth and escapes to London to pursue a career as an actress, determined to put the past behind her... -
High Street by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn 1845 Annie Gibson can finally leave Salem Street. Her dreams of being able to open an elegant dressmaking salon in the High Street of Bilsden, a Lancashire mill town, have come true. And she is going to take her father and his second family with her, away from poverty, away from the Rows. But Annie has not left trouble behind. Someone is trying to undermine her business... -
Twopenny Rainbows by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn 1863 the authorities send Irish orphans Ismay and Mara to Australia against their will. Worse, on arrival they're separated from one another... -
-
The Colours of Love by Rita Bradshaw
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCan love survive when all is lost? England is at war, but nothing can dim land girl Esther Wynford's happiness at marrying the love of her life - fighter pilot Monty Grant. Their short honeymoon results in a baby, but on the birth of her daughter, Joy, Esther's world falls apart... -
The Waiting Hours by Ellie Dean
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSlapton Sands, Devon1943Carol Porter has had a difficult war. Less than a year ago she lost both her husband and baby, and with them her heart. Only recently has she’s found peace, working as a land girl at Coombe Farm. But Carol’s sanctuary, the whole local area in fact, is about to be disrupted.When Pauline Reilly learns of Carol’s situation she’s worried for her little sister... -
Our Mary Ann by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMary Ann is illegitimate and life in 1905 is hard. It rapidly becomes worse when her new stepfather begins to interfere with her. Sent away at fifteen to bear his child, she meets Gabriel Clough, who helps her escape to Blackpool after the birth. The Great War brings Mary Ann many new opportunities, and brings Gabriel back into her life. But circumstances mean they can never be together... -
A Pennyworth of Sunshine by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKeara Michaels doesn't want to leave her family in Ireland, but fate sends her first to Lancashire, then across the sea to Australia, pregnant and penniless. But danger threatens Keara as she starts the search for her lost sisters... -
The Orphans of Ardwick by Emma Hornby
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter a cold, hard winter on the streets, three orphan children are about to give up hope when an unexpected turn of events brings them to the doorstep of a grand house in Ardwick, Manchester. Taken in by the firm but kind-hearted cook, the young friends can hardly believe their luck... -
More than Riches by Josephine Cox
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWith her sweetheart Adam away in the army, Rosie feels completely alone. When the letters she eagerly awaits never arrive, Rosie is disillusioned and open to the influence of Doug. Finding herself pregnant, she is forced to marry Doug - but then a letter arrives from Adam, saying he is coming home... -
My Sister's Child by Lyn Andrews
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFor the inhabitants of Liverpool's Milton Street a steady income and a roof over their heads are luxuries. The Ryan family have barely grown accustomed to such things when a fire destroys their father Jack's modest coal haulage business, leaving Jack broken and his family facing ruin... -
Wedding Bells for Nurse Connie by Jean Fullerton
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEast End saga queen Jean Fullerton returns with a delightful new novel in the Nurse Connie series It's 1948 and the nurses of the East End of London are making the most of life post-war. For Connie in particular, things are looking rosy as she looks forward to planning a future with her sweetheart, Malcolm... -
Hope for the Railway Girls by Maisie Thomas
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe brand new Spring Railway Girls novel set in Manchester during WWII. Perfect for fans of Nancy Revell, Daisy Styles and Margaret Dickinson.___________________Manchester, 1942A new year brings new hope for the railway girls.Alison's romance with the charming Dr Maitland is blossoming, but then she is posted away from Manchester... -
With Love From Ma Maguire by Ruth Hamilton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the very first meeting of Philly Maguire and Richard Swainbank, a pattern of overpowering love, conflict, hatred, and secrecy was born. For although Philly and Richard were on opposite sides of the mill floor, they recognised - both of them - that they were equally matched in strength of character and the capacity for overwhelming sexual passion... -
-
Our Polly by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLittle Billy is the light of Polly's life -- it's for her son's sake that she puts up with an unkind mother-in-law and an isolated farm. Then Billy is knocked down by a car, his father killed attempting to save his life, and Polly, cast off by her husband's family, is left with a child who may never walk or talk again... -
Our Eva by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe thought she could trust him . . . Eva Kershaw thought she would never marry, and is happy living a quiet life with her dear friend Alice. But Alice is ill, and her nephew, Gus, has thrust himself into their household. Alice's dearest wish is that Eva should not make the same mistakes she did, and she alters her will so that Eva and Gus are strongly compelled to marry... -
Liverpool Daughter by Katie Flynn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA brand new novel from the bestselling author Katie Flynn. This is book one in her brilliant series about a young girl trying to make her way in war-torn Liverpool. Liverpool, August 1940 As the Luftwaffe turns its attention to Liverpool, Shane Quinn decides to move his family back to the safety of Ireland. But his only child, the beautiful Dana, refuses point blank... -
A Daughter's Price by Emma Hornby
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGritty and page-turning historical saga set in Northern England in the late 1800s, for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin... -
Over the Rainbow by Katie Flynn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTo face her future she must confront her past..._____________________Liverpool 1939: Olivia Campbell appears to have the perfect life. However, behind closed doors she lives in constant fear of her abusive father, and has no support from her mother.Longing for love and affection she begins a relationship with Ted, a young lad who works in her father's factory... -
We'll Meet Again by Rosie Archer
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGosport, 1941. The Bluebird Girls - Rainey Bird, Bea Herron and Ivy Sparrow - are on their way to stardom. From working mens' clubs to the glamour of the Savoy Hotel, fame and fortune beckon as the south coast's favourite singing trio work to charm their way into the hearts of the nation.But the war rages on, and reaching the top of their game will not be easy... -
The Street of Broken Dreams by Tania Crosse
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA poignant story which will tear at your heart strings. Perfect for the fans of Elaine Everest and Daisy Styles. Summer 1945. The nation rejoices as the Second World War comes to an end but Banbury Street matriarch, Eva Parker, foresees trouble ahead... -
The Girls from the Local by Rosie Archer
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGosport, Hampshire 1943, and even in the middle of war the local pub provides a warm welcome, thanks to its trio of barmaids. Ruby has been living and working at the Point of No Return pub since her parents were killed by a bomb. She loves the bustle of the pub; it helps take her mind off worrying about her fiance, Joe, away fighting in France... -
A Time for Renewal by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the wake of World War Two, the whole country is desperate for houses, with very little money available to rebuild. In the town of Rivenshaw in Lancashire, Mayne Esher has no choice but to turn Esherwood, the war-damaged stately home which has been in his family for generations, into flats... -
Counting Chimneys: A novel of love, heartbreak and romance in 1960s Brighton by Sandy Taylor
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBrighton 1969: Dottie Perks steps off the train and breathes in the sea air, the smell of fish and chips, and the precious childhood memories of a friend and place she’ll never forget. Dottie Perks has forged a new life for herself in London, a new job and sweet boyfriend Joe to keep her warm at night. She’s safe, happy and loved... -
-
The Liverpool Girls: A heartbreaking family saga with a tragic romance by Pam Howes
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWill tragedy tear them apart – once and for all? It’s 1966 and in Liverpool two sisters are about to have their lives turned upside down… Sisters Carol and Jackie haven’t had the easiest of childhoods, but as they grow up and begin their own lives both hope for happier times ahead... -
Elm Tree Road by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter being driven from home by their brutal father, the Willitt sisters, Mattie, Nell and Renie, find themselves facing greater heartache in the wider world. Nell has left home to be with her lover, Cliff, fearing what reprisals might come from marrying against her father’s wishes.After parting ways with Mattie the couple take youngest sister Renie and head for Lancashire... -
Return To Jarrow by Janet MacLeod Trotter
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCatherine (Kitty) McMullen, is seventeen, restless and rebellious. Resentful of her mother Kate's new husband, she yearns for stories of the father she never knew and when her gossipy aunt divulges that he was a wealthy gentleman, Catherine's discontent with grimy, impoverished Jarrow grows... -
The Seven Days of Christmas by Tess Thompson
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMerry Christmas from Emerson Pass in this surprise bonus novella full of holiday cheer, romance, and family.Flynn Barnes and his wife Shannon have had an idyllic marriage. Until she discovers the dangerous secret he kept from her. One that threatens to ruin their marriage and the stability of a happy home for their two little girls...Categorized as:
family epic industrial-era historical-fiction historical fiction western 20th-century -
Millie by AnneMarie Brear
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA brand new series from the author of the Kitty McKenzie series and The Slum Angel. The Great War is over, and Millie is ready to leave her loving family home and be a wife to Jeremy who is everything she had hoped for. Until… Not long after their wedding, Millie discovers Jeremy is affected by shell shock and moving into his late father’s cold dark estate escalates the problem... -
The Lady's Maid: A Novel by Dilly Court
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom internationally bestselling author Dilly Court comes a breathtaking historical saga about fate, friendship, and family Born on the same night in the summer of 1854, two infants are ripped away from their young mothers. Kate lives the life of a servant, penniless and shackled to her circumstances, while Josie grows up in the lap of luxury, given privilege and freedom she takes for granted... -
The Land Breakers (NYRB Classics) by John Ehle, Linda Spalding
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSet deep in the Appalachian wilderness between the years of 1779 and 1784, The Land Breakers is a saga like the Norse sagas or the book of Genesis, a story of first and last things, of the violence of birth and death, of inescapable sacrifice and the faltering emergence of community... -
Demelza by Winston Graham
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsDemelza, the miner's daughter that Poldark rescued from a fairground rabble, is now his wife. Demelza's efforts to adapt to the ways of the gentry bring her confusion and heartache, despite the joy in the birth of their first child. Additionally the seeds of dispute with Warleggan are sown... -
The Girls from See Saw Lane by Sandy Taylor
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBrighton 1963. Mary Pickles and I walked along the street with our arms linked, looking in shop windows. We were best friends and together we were invincible.Dottie and Mary forged a friendship over a bag of penny sweets when they were eight years old... -
The Brighton Guest House Girls by Lesley Eames
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA saga of immense charm and warmth, with three characters you won't forget. Thea, Anna and Daisy forge an unbreakable friendship through adversity. Thea's loathsome stepbrother is trying to trick her out of her inheritance of her parents' beautiful house in the seaside town of Brighton by means of a Will which Thea believes to be forged. He gives her three months in which to leave... -
-
Under the Mistletoe (The Liverpool Sisters) by Katie Flynn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsALL YOU NEED THIS CHRISTMAS: THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE HEART-WARMING NEW SERIES FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR KATIE FLYNN Liverpool, 1940 When war comes to Britain, Jessica Wilson and her friend Ruby seize the opportunity to leave behind the orphanage they grew up in and start new lives in the NAAFI... -
The Bobby Girls' Secrets: The Bobby Girls, Book Two by Johanna Bell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings***Book 2 in the gritty, uplifting Bobby Girls series - more information coming... -
When One Door Closes by Joan Jonker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt's May 1941 and Liverpool is taking a hammering from the German bombers. For young Mary Bradshaw and her widowed mother life is full of rationing, blackouts and the wail of the air-raid siren. Despite the gloom, Mary's heart is light as she counts her blessings - she's got her loving mother and Bob, her soldier boyfriend whom she adores and hopes to marry soon... -
Blackpool Lass by Maggie Mason
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe perfect read for fans of Mary Wood, Kitty Neale, Val Wood and Nadine Dorries Orphaned and destitute, will Grace find her own way in the world? When Grace's Ma passes away and her Da's ship sinks with all hands, Grace is utterly alone in the world. She's sent to an orphanage in Blackpool, but the master has an eye for a pretty young lass... -
Christmas with the Bobby Girls: Book Three in a gritty, uplifting WW1 series about the first ever female police officers by Johanna Bell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings1915. Patrolling is the last thing on the minds of Women's Police Service recruits Annie, Maggie and Poppy right now, because Annie and her fiancé Richard are about to get married. She's been waiting for this day her whole life, but when it finally comes it brings only heartache and Annie doesn't know if she can go on... -
Secrets and Promises by Kate Jackson, Rosie Hendry
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPreviously published as Secrets and Promises by Kate Jackson A poignant and unputdownable story of a woman who must finally acknowledge the secret she has hidden for a lifetime. But will it cost her all she holds dear?England, 1944: With deadly doodlebugs terrorising London, Bessie Rushbrook agrees to give shelter to eight-year-old evacuee, Marigold, in her Norfolk home...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.