The Second World War may be over, but the war in Polly Pride's home is only just beginning, and it will test her like never before.

Her son, Benny, never seems to be far from trouble, spending all his time with shady characters and winding up in the wrong places at the wrong times. Her daughter, Lucy, is seeing another man behind her husband's back and leaving her children to run riot. And Charlie, Polly's beloved husband, is battling ill health and doesn't want her interfering.

Polly refuses to go back to a life of poverty but managing a business, a family, and the trials of living in post-war Manchester might prove to be too much, even for her

An inspiring, gritty family drama set in the 1940s, perfect for fans of Ruth Hamilton, Emma Hornby and Kitty Neale.

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.