This is a moving, well-researched historical novel set in the Welsh town with the very long name, shortened in this book to Llanfairpwll. It has themes of women’s suffrage, friendship and community.

The story takes place during the First World War and is narrated by three very different, distinct women. Angharad lives an isolated, downtrodden existence, afraid that her secrets will get out. Carys works on the family farm, while her brothers and her betrothed have gone to fight. Ffion has a life of privilege but her children are sent away to school and her husband is horrible. These women bond over the formation of the Women’s Institute and over time their characters strengthen, allowing them to take charge of their own destinies.

I enjoyed the novel, finding it educational as well as compelling. I was interested in the protagonists and I liked the setting, on the island of Anglesey. There was some Welsh in the text and I wouldn’t have a clue how to pronounce it! The book was perhaps a little too lengthy for me and there was some over-use of particular phrases, such as someone having a lot on their plate or exclaiming ‘goodness’. However, I’d recommend the book and I thought it superior to the others I’ve read by this author, Queenie of Norwich and The House of Many Lives.

Independently published in 2025.