Threepenny Dreams

1863: Recently widowed, Hannah Firth is still young enough to dream of a new life, but her spiteful daughter-in-law wants to use her as an unpaid servant. When Hannah tries to leave, Patty’s malice puts her in a dreadful position, from which she can only escape by going back to act as a servant in her son’s household. It’s a miserable life and she’s determined to escape.

Nathaniel King’s life is ruined when his landlord’s son lays waste to his market garden for a prank. The shock kills his invalid wife and leaves him with a young son to raise. But the resulting feud puts not only Nathaniel’s livelihood at stake, but his home.

Eventually Hannah manages to escape, but has only a few coins and her dreams of a happier future to sustain her as she tramps the roads and tries to evade pursuit. When she meets Nathaniel, the attraction between them cannot be denied and they join forces. But their enemies have money and powerful allies on their side and will stop at nothing to get rid of them . . .

‘Threepenny Dreams’ is available for sale in all Commonwealth countries and if your local bookshop doesn’t stock it, you can ask them to order it for you. Indeed, all Anna Jacobs paperbacks are still in print and can be ordered.

Readers buying on line, or readers in the USA and other non-Commonwealth countries can order Anna’s books from Amazon.co.uk  or from The Book Depository which doesn't charge postage to most countries.

ANNA'S NOTES

I hadn't planned to write this story. Hannah only appeared in Chapter 1 of Twopenny Rainbows, the mother of the hero, and then the hero went to Australia. But I couldn't get Hannah out of my mind and in the end I had to write her story. She made a wonderful heroine, too.

I'd also wanted to show in a book how the towns of Lancashire refused to implement the terrible conditions of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 ie that the conditions inside the poorhouse/workhouse should be worse than the worst conditions outside, to act as a deterrent. Not only did towns refuse to implement it but the MP and rich millowner John Fielden led the opposition to the inhuman conditions of the act. This went on for decades. I'm so proud of these Lancastrians!