Dear Reader,
I’m very excited to tell you about a new string to my writing bow. Having loved writing The Ivy Lane series and The Fabulous Forties Club series, I am super excited to step back in time with the gorgeous Irish Factory Girls series.
Set during WW2, the Irish Factory Girls series has become a passion project in which I hope to showcase the strength and resilience of women during the war. How, against the odds, they maintained and grew incredible bonds of friendship and sisterhood and how, together, they could overcome any hurdle.
Set in my beloved hometown of Derry/ Londonderry, Northern Ireland, a city that had shirt-making at its heart for generations, The Irish Factory Girls tells a story that shines a light on the women of Tillie and Henderson’s factory.
Be it their long hours at their sewing machines, their sing-songs and gossip in ‘the parlour’, their hopes, dreams and challenges – as their men at home struggled to find work during the darkest of times.
I can’t wait for you to meet Celine – a feisty single woman with a heart of gold, and Kathleen – a matriarch who is hiding a very dark secret at home. They are joined by a cast of unforgettable characters including the gorgeous Féilim, the powerhouse that is Nan, the grumpy Murphy and the incredibly generous Auntie Margaret.
These books remind us all of the strength of the women who came before us, and who paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today.
Freya Kennedy