
In Victorian Black Country, a baby abandoned on a doorstep changes everything. TOP TEN bestselling author Lindsey Hutchinson weaves a heart-wrenching tale of survival that's captivated readers worldwide. What desperate circumstances would force a mother to make such an unthinkable choice?
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The autumn wind whips through the Black Country, a harsh industrial landscape where survival demands both cunning and compassion. Against this unforgiving backdrop, Patty Harman discovers a bundle on her doorstep that will change everything-an abandoned infant whose very existence will pull her into a web of devastating secrets. The child's arrival forces Patty to confront impossible questions: What makes a family? How far would you go to protect a child who isn't yours by blood? In Victorian England, where over 25,000 children were abandoned in London alone, such discoveries weren't uncommon. Yet for Patty, this tiny life represents both heartbreak and possibility. The infant's presence immediately disrupts her carefully ordered world, challenging her deepest beliefs about responsibility and connection. As she cradles the child, feeling its fragile heartbeat against her own, Patty makes a decision that will set in motion events she could never have anticipated. The Black Country itself becomes a character in this tale-its coal-blackened buildings and narrow streets creating a labyrinth where secrets can hide for decades. This is a world where social class determines destiny, where women's choices are severely limited, and where the workhouse looms as a terrifying possibility for those who falter. Yet within these constraints, extraordinary acts of courage and kindness still flourish.
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