The Orphan Sister's by Shirley Dickinson
A heartbreaking, unputdownable and utterly unforgettable story of two young sisters cruelly abandoned by their mother at an orphanage. Fans of Wives of War, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe will lose their hearts to this stunning World War Two novel.
1929: Four-year-old Etty and eight-year-old Dorothy are abandoned at Blakely Hall orphanage by their mother, never to see her again. With no other family to speak of, the sisters worship their beloved mam – and they are confused and heartbroken to be deserted by her when they need her the most.
1940: Etty and Dorothy are finally released from the confines of Blakely Hall – but their freedom comes when the country is in the grip of World War Two and its terrors. Amidst a devastating backdrop of screaming air-raid sirens and cold nights huddled in shelters, the sisters are desperate to put their broken childhoods behind them.
But trouble lies ahead. Dorothy must bid goodbye to her beloved husband when he’s sent to war and Etty must nurse a broken heart as she falls in love with the one man she can never be with.
Etty and Dorothy survived the orphanage with the help of one another and neither sister can forget the awful betrayal of their mother, which has haunted them their whole lives. But when a shocking secret about their painful childhood comes to light, will the sisters ever be the same again?
My review
The Orphan Sister's is the debut novel for Shirley Dickson and what a triumph it is. The story picked me up and transported me back to the 1940's and painted a vivid picture of North East life amidst World War II. I was hooked from the opening chapters and pulled into a familiar world with similar stories I have heard from family over the years.This is due to the fact that the story is set in my home town of South Shields and I felt drawn into the book on a deeper level as I could vividly picture every geographical description and felt comforted to read the Geordie dialect which added to the enjoyment of my reading experience.
The characters are created with such heart and soul and they all play their parts to perfection to portray England's unrelenting spirit during the trials and tribulations of war time. Dorothy and Etty's sisterly bond is for me the book's outstanding success. Their love and deep connection is woven beautifully throughout the story line like a heartbeat that keeps the plot moving to a joyous rhythm. I fell instantly in love with the pair and was right behind them and cheering them on to succeed in life and love and my what a life they lived. The emotional highs and lows of the story took my breath away but I loved every moment of my time spent in South Shields.
I can't speak highly enough of this heartfelt and moving story that will pull you in and take you on an emotional journey that you will never forget. The Orphan Sister's is a book that will stay with me for many years to come and I urge you all to grab your nearest copy and start reading immediately you will not be disappointed.
Amazon: http://geni.us/
About the author
Shirley Dickson lives under the big skies of Northumberland with her husband, family and lucky black cat.
She wrote her first short story at the age of ten for a magazine competition. She didn’t win but was hooked on writing for a lifetime. For many years she wrote poetry and short stories and got many rejection slips. Shirley decided to get serious about writing novels when she retired and signed with Bookouture in 2018 for a two-book deal. She has written two stirring World War Two historical novels.
Shirley says she is a prime example of ‘never give up on your dream.’
