Listen to a sample
Make Do and Mend on Petticoat Lane
- Author
- Patricia McBride
- Narrator
- Gemma Lawrence
- Publisher
- Boldwood Books
- Publish Date
- 30 May 2026
- Run Time
- 8 hours 54 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
What to expect
As the bombs fall, three women are forced to remake their lives…
When the uniform factory is reduced to rubble in a devastating air raid, Amanda, Maisie and Bethan are left without work, and without the sense of safety they once clung to.
Shocked by the devastation she sees around her, Amanda signs up as an ambulance driver, putting her life on the line to save those in the poorest areas of the East End. Meanwhile, Maisie and Bethan find work in the heart of Petticoat Lane, trying to scrape pennies together to put dinner on the table.
Yet beneath the lively market lies a darker underbelly, and the girls begin to realise that not everyone is playing fair – and that some threats are far closer to home. As the war rages on, it's never more important to know who you can trust...
An uplifting story of bravery, community and an East End that won't back down.
This can be read as a STANDALONE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I absolutely love this … rich with historical detail and despite being a serious matter the author manages to make you feel light and hope. Absolutely brilliant!!' Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Another brilliant book by this author … outstanding' Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Challenging, thought-provoking, and utterly believable' Reader Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I absolutely loved this! It’s one of those books that just feels comforting to read, even though it’s set during such a difficult time … Honestly, I didn’t want it to finish. If you like historical stories with heart and strong characters, this is definitely worth picking up.' Reader Review
Praise for Patricia McBride
'A compelling story of friendships and the hardships of war, with excellent sketches of the East End. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend.' Rosie Clarke
'If you like Dee Williams' books about Silvertown and Rotherhithe, you'll love Patricia's Library Girls series.' Lizzie Lane
'I was hooked from page one. Rich in historical detail and with characters you feel you know... Highly recommended!' Lynette Rees
'A brilliant read - the sort of book you can immerse yourself in completely ... You couldn’t read the story without it reaching your heart, or without wanting to know what will become of these women' Fran Smith
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Patricia McBride
- Narrator
- Gemma Lawrence
- Duration
- 8 hours 54 minutes
- Release Date
- 30 May 2026
- ISBN
- 9781836333180
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- Boldwood Books
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Generational sagas, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Fiction: general and literary, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Fiction: narrative themes, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Narrative theme: displacement, exile, migration, Narrative theme: Social issues
Synopsis
From the BESTSELLING author of the Library Girls comes a BRAND NEW heartwarming WWII saga set in London's East End. 🇬🇧 Perfect for fans of Nancy Revell, Elaine Everest and Lesley Eames! ✨‘A compelling story of friendships and the hardships of war… I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend.’ Rosie ClarkeAs the bombs fall, three women are forced to remake their lives…When the uniform factory is reduced to rubble in a devastating air raid, Amanda, Maisie and Bethan are left without work, and without the sense of safety they once clung to.Shocked by the devastation she sees around her, Amanda signs up as an ambulance driver, putting her life on the line to save those in the poorest areas of the East End. Meanwhile, Maisie and Bethan find work in the heart of Petticoat Lane, trying to scrape pennies together to put dinner on the table.Yet beneath the lively market lies a darker underbelly, and the girls begin to realise that not everyone is playing fair – and that some threats are far closer to home. As the war rages on, it's never more important to know who you can trust...An uplifting story of bravery, community and an East End that won't back down.This can be read as a STANDALONE⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I absolutely love this … rich with historical detail and despite being a serious matter the author manages to make you feel light and hope. Absolutely brilliant!!' Reader Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Another brilliant book by this author … outstanding' Reader Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Challenging, thought-provoking, and utterly believable' Reader Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I absolutely loved this! It’s one of those books that just feels comforting to read, even though it’s set during such a difficult time … Honestly, I didn’t want it to finish. If you like historical stories with heart and strong characters, this is definitely worth picking up.' Reader ReviewPraise for Patricia McBride'A compelling story of friendships and the hardships of war, with excellent sketches of the East End. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend.' Rosie Clarke'If you like Dee Williams' books about Silvertown and Rotherhithe, you'll love Patricia's Library Girls series.' Lizzie Lane'I was hooked from page one. Rich in historical detail and with characters you feel you know... Highly recommended!' Lynette Rees'A brilliant read - the sort of book you can immerse yourself in completely ... You couldn’t read the story without it reaching your heart, or without wanting to know what will become of these women' Fran Smith
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