MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW
The Bad Penny is a very clean romance enjoyable read with a lot of incidents that circle around friendships and various people particularly what is going on with the two characters Jared Johnson and Clarice Connaught. If you have already read the other book in the series "Ragged Orphan", this can be read as a standalone novel as well. Jared works for the Big Irishman Toby McGuire who lives in Ivy Lane and has no choice. I admired the relationship Jared shared with Toby and his wife Alice. Jared's mother had died of starvation and his sister had succumbed to sickness. Jared rules the notorious Mr McGuire's territory. In Bad Penny, the young man Jared who is the same age as Clarice saves her from a severe beating by her father along Erskine Street.
Clarice accuses her father of being a boozer and a nasty drunker who is incapable of raising her even though he has a job at the brickworks, he spends most of his wages boozing. At the same time, her father called her lazy but she disagreed with her father and was determined to stand on her feet. All Clarice wanted was someone to take care of her without trying to batter her to death. Clarice felt lonely and burdensome with the trauma by herself while facing her father's actions. The enormity of her situation made Clarice run away from her home and father.
Jared Johnson had an interest in her and liked her much in the beginning. But they part ways and things change for good and forever in their lives. Clarice knew Jared would take care of her as her handsome savior whereas Clarice wanted more; she wanted it all; trips to the theatre, dining out at posh venues, furs, jewelry, and money- lots of money. Jared had to forget Clarice's Connaught and get on with life. Clarice knew Jared was not in a position to provide all these things to her. As Clarice leaves her home, she meets Clifford. Clifford takes her to theatres and beautiful restaurants and spends on her food. He takes her to fancy places and gambling houses. All she wanted now was to play cards and win. She started earning money and becoming rich, and that's all she cared about. She could take care of herself. She was using Clifford to go to gambling clubs and play and it became her drug of choice and she knew she could never give up.
Later Clarice gets banned from gambling houses as the suspicion of cheating is rumored around. She sets fire to these gambling areas and gets arrested by the police for it. Meanwhile, Jared gets married to Rose and starts his new and happy life with her. Toby dies of an attack and Alice and her friends grieve losing him along the way.
With a captivating and exciting storyline, this novel is a wonderful and cozy read. I couldn't put the book down. I'm looking forward to more books from this author.
Thanks to Rachel Random Resources, Netgalley, and Boldwood Books Publishers for an advance copy for my honest review.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
If you're born with nothing you have to make your own luck.
When Jared Johnson first meets Clarice Connaught he saves her from the hands of her father, who is brutally beating her in the street. Never one to walk past someone in distress, Jared doesn’t hesitate to help. But who is this girl and what is her story?
Jared Johnson started with nothing. At just twelve-years-old he was orphaned and homeless, but eight years later, Jared is a success. Running McGuire’s Rag & Bone Yard and surrounded by friends, all Jared needs now is to find the perfect girl to settle down with.
Nothing has come easy for Clarice but still she has dreams of a grander life and the finer things. And if her father isn’t willing to provide them then Clarice will do anything to find someone who is.
Jared and Clarice have one thing in common – they are survivors – and in Queen Victoria’s Birmingham you need your wits about you to keep the wolf from the door. But Clarice isn’t everything she seems, and like a bad penny that always shows up, she brings more trouble for Jared and his friends than they could ever have imagined…
Lindsey Hutchinson, the top 10 bestseller, Queen of the Black Country Saga, is back with a page-turning and heart-warming story perfect fans of Katie Flynn, Val Wood and Lyn Andrews.
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/TheBadPennysocial
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lindsey Hutchinson is a bestselling saga author whose novels include The Workhouse Children. She was born and raised in Wednesbury, and was always destined to follow in the footsteps of her mother, the multi-million selling Meg Hutchinson.
Social Media Links –
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lindsey-Hutchinson/100031928935691/
Twitter https://twitter.com/LHutchAuthor
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