The Shop Girl's Soldier

**Don't miss Karen Dickson's brand new family saga The Dressmaker's Secret – out in paperback and eBook now** AS WAR APPROACHES, WILL HER LOVE GUIDE HIM HOME? ‘An exciting, fresh and talented new voice – a five-star read!’ CAROL RIVERS, author of Molly’s Christmas Orphans   Southampton, 1905.   Ellie-May and Jack have been inseparable since birth. They are best friends, having grown up together on the same street. But when Jack and his mother fall on hard times they are thrown into the workhouse, and he and Ellie-May are forced into a goodbye.   Four years later, now aged sixteen, Jack returns to Southampton and is reunited with Ellie-May. Quickly they both realise that their feelings for each other go beyond friendship, and with Jack home for good the pair are finally free to be together. But when WWII approaches, Jack’s duty to his country is hard to ignore and when he enlists to fight, they are once again torn apart.   Will Ellie-May and Jack find their way back to each other before it’s too late?   A brand new wartime family saga, perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Val Wood Praise for Karen Dickson: ‘A compelling saga that will hold you fast from the first page to the last. Loved it’ VAL WOOD, author of The Lonely Wife 'This rollercoaster of a novel draws you in from the first page. Expertly researched and a fabulous storyline with real heart… I devoured this in one sitting and look forward to more from this author. In short a gem of a read' FIONA FORD, author of Wartime at Liberty’s 'A delight to read... Lily Hayter is a wonderful heroine whose resilience and integrity shine through as she struggles to claim a life of her choosing and find a family. At the heart of the story is a warmth and humanity that makes it a truly uplifting read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sorry when I reached the end because I wanted to linger in Dickson’s world. I eagerly await more from Karen Dickson' VICKI BEEBY, author of The Ops Room Girls 'The characters in this novel are so believable that I cared deeply about them from the first chapter. A heartfelt, hopeful account of one young woman’s fight to keep her child safe when all the odds are against her. Atmospheric and beautifully written' JAN CASEY, author of The Women of Waterloo Bridge