Polly Pride's life is falling apart. Her husband has lost his job, there's no money coming in, and she has two young mouths to feed.

With the prospect of poverty looming over her, and her husband wallowing in apathy, Polly takes control. She sells everything they own and buys a rickety old handcart. Polly piles it high with second-hand rugs and spends hours hawking her wares around Manchester's cobbled streets.

But her determination to persevere will be tested to its limits, as she juggles her work, the pressures of her young family, and her husband's wounded pride. Will her life fall apart completely especially when tragedy strikes or can she keep it together?

A compelling story of a woman making her way in a man's world, perfect for fans of Sheila Riley, Maggie Ford and Rosie Harris.

Sunday Times bestselling author Freda Lightfoot was born in Lancashire. She was a teacher, a bookseller in the Lake District, then a smallholder and began her writing career publishing short stories and articles before finding her vocation as a novelist. She published over fifty novels, mostly sagas and historical fiction. She died in 2025 aged 83, leaving a legacy of books that continue to be enjoyed by thousands of readers.