Celebrations at the Toffee Factory

Glenda Young

OVER four years of war have finally ended and three friends, whose lives have been scarred by hardship, uncertainty and upheaval, hope for better days in the dramatic last chapter of a heartwarming trilogy from one of today’s most exciting saga writers.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of a toffee factory in Chester-le-Street in County Durham during the First World War, the Toffee Factory trilogy comes from Glenda Young (pictured below) who lives near Sunderland and has won an army of fans who have followed the fortunes of a group of likeable women encountering everything from romance and tragedy to secrets and lies.

The Great War might have ended but Jack’s toffee factory is struggling after years of sugar rations and its troubles are far from over. Fun, feisty Elsie longs for freedom and excitement. Hoping to meet the man of her dreams, she spurns the attention of dependable Stan. Will she realise that what she wants and what she needs are different things?

Efficient Anne takes control at the factory to change its fortunes after the war and creates a new line of toffee. However, an unwelcome blast from Mr Jack’s past could jeopardise the factory’s success. And Hetty is torn when her sweetheart Dirk prepares to leave for his home town in Belgium. 

At the same time, her old boyfriend Bob returns from the Front, determined to marry her. Who will Hetty choose? As the toffee factory girls celebrate the end of the war, they are more determined than ever to face the future with courage and hope.

Using her local knowledge and her eye for the ups and downs facing a small, close-knit community, Young creates an authentic and richly colourful portrait of life both in and immediately after the Great War. With drama at every turn and a cast of beautifully drawn characters, readers will love getting their teeth into this last date with the unforgettable toffee factory girls.
(Headline, paperback, £8.99)