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Thursday, 13th April  at 6.30pm

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The Country Girl is Sally Tarpey’s debut novel, and is inspired by the true story of her grandfather’s first wife.

About the author

Sally was born in rural Hampshire and now lives close to the sea in Essex. She began writing short stories when she was a VSO volunteer in Cambodia and hasn’t stopped writing since. A retired teacher, she now volunteers with two community projects, her local community shop and an EAL support group. She is currently working on her second novel. When she’s not writing, she can be found enjoying time with her family, striding out in her walking books, battling with weeds on her allotment or planning her next adventure.

About the book

1912. Fifteen-year-old Kate Truscott waves goodbye to her family and leaves her small Hampshire village to become a nursemaid to five children she’s never met. Her heart full of hope, she looks forward to a new adventure.

Life in town with the wealthy Winton family is very different to anything this simple country girl has known before. Mr Winton is strict but his wife is kindly, and Kate soon settles in. She enjoys looking after her mischievous young charges, and becomes firm friends with Clara, the eldest daughter. At the same time, she can’t help but notice that eighteen-year-old Philip, the eldest son, is so very handsome.

Kate knows that society would never accept a match between a wealthy banker’s son and a lowly nursemaid. So when local gardener Archie asks her to walk out with him, Kate agrees — even though her heart belongs to Philip.

Then war breaks out. Both Philip and Archie enlist in the army and head to France, leaving Kate bereft.

When Kate discovers she’s pregnant, she has no one to turn to. Facing the horrors of the workhouse, Kate’s future looks bleak…