East London, in 1940: Prue Carmichael never dreamed that she’d end up working at a railway yard.
But when her reverend father is called up to Stepney, she and her family are uprooted from their country home for a new life in the turbulent city.
Determined to help with the war effort, Prue signs up for work and soon becomes intrigued by handsome train engineer Jack Quinn.
But as the spark between them grows apparent, so does his troubled past — a past that Prue’s mother would certainly not approve of.
In between cleaning train carriages and helping to shelter Jewish refugees, Prue manages to stay busy. But she has more than one admirer, and when Jack is recruited into Churchill’s secret army, a very different suitor begins to pursue her.
As air raid sirens sound overhead, Prue Carmichael is facing her own battle — the fight between her heart and her head.
Amidst the ruins of war, will Prue and Jack’s love find a way?
A Stepney Girl’s Secret by Jean Fullerton is published on 4 May, 2023.
You may also like Jean’s features, Sagas: they’re not all trouble at t’mill, “Put those Christmas lights out!” The Home Front during World War Two and Writing yourself into history: top tips for memoirs.
