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Fallen Angels
After her dastardly husband Billy tries to sell her at a wife sale, Lily Fowler finds herself alone, frightened, and heavily pregnant on the streets of Hull. Her brave attempts to find work are futile, and when she is turned away from the workhouse and other such establishments for women in her "condition," Lily is forced to swallow her last iota of respectability and work in a brothel in Leadenhall Square. Unexpectedly, things begin to look up. Lily sees potential where others can only see destitution and ruin, and she soon forges strong relationships with the other women there. They are all good-hearted women who have fallen on hard times, and together, Lily and her "fallen angels" outwit the low-life brothel-keeper and work to turn the house in Leadenhall Square into something altogether more respectable. And before any of them know it, doors swing open, lost loves are recovered, and the happy endings none of them dared to dream of begin to materialize.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2007
61 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Wood
20Ìýbooks24ÌýfollowersVal Wood, formerly published as Valerie Wood is the award winning author of romantic historical novels set in and around Hull | City of Culture 2017
Val Wood
Val Wood
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 12, 2018
Wasn't sure I was going to like this book because of the subject matter but I loved it, a very well written and researched story.
The story centres on Lilly, a mother who at the start of the book was taken to Hull along with her daughter, Daisy where her husband sold her in the market. At the time she was pregnant and she soon prematurely gives birth, the baby does't survive and Lilly is left in a town she doesn't know with no money and no hope. I would recommend this book.
The story centres on Lilly, a mother who at the start of the book was taken to Hull along with her daughter, Daisy where her husband sold her in the market. At the time she was pregnant and she soon prematurely gives birth, the baby does't survive and Lilly is left in a town she doesn't know with no money and no hope. I would recommend this book.
January 18, 2014
May not be for sensitive readers.
More than anything about this read, I positively loathed the vernacular because translating the words took me out of the story (tek instead of take; mebbe instead of maybe; babby instead of baby¸ etc). That being said, when I was about 25% into the read it didn't bother me as much because I had gotten more invested in the story. Lily Fowler finds herself in dire straits when her husband Billy takes Lily and her daughter Daisy, out early one morning a couple of town's over and sells them for 10bob. (What the heck is a bob? Why would he hold his wife in such low esteem?) When the buyer finds out that Daisy is included and that Lily is pregnant, he tries to call off the deal but not before Billy scampers off with the money. When a drunken Billy arrives home, he tells Lily's son, Ted, that Lily & Daisy won't return since they have been sold. After a brief fight a frightened Ted leaves to find his missing family members. Meanwhile an exhausted Lily is unable to find honest work and finds herself accepting charity from a near stranger and she goes into labor. Lily loses the baby and the next day the woman of the house thinks Lily is actually a whore since she is so pretty and schemes to get her out of the house though she is willing to keep Daisy on as a maid. Still unable to find honest work, with no money, no home and no prospects Lily begins work as the manager of a bordello. But it's not just any bordello, it has a seedy address but offers a safe haven for the women and a place for their clients to wait and relax, before and after being serviced. But things of course don't exactly go the way they're planned though this is a major turning point in her life. Other aspects of Lily's past raise to bring more drama to the page making Lily also think she may have a skewed vision of the world. It's a daunting read and at times sad and difficult but in the end it is about perseverance and strength.
More than anything about this read, I positively loathed the vernacular because translating the words took me out of the story (tek instead of take; mebbe instead of maybe; babby instead of baby¸ etc). That being said, when I was about 25% into the read it didn't bother me as much because I had gotten more invested in the story. Lily Fowler finds herself in dire straits when her husband Billy takes Lily and her daughter Daisy, out early one morning a couple of town's over and sells them for 10bob. (What the heck is a bob? Why would he hold his wife in such low esteem?) When the buyer finds out that Daisy is included and that Lily is pregnant, he tries to call off the deal but not before Billy scampers off with the money. When a drunken Billy arrives home, he tells Lily's son, Ted, that Lily & Daisy won't return since they have been sold. After a brief fight a frightened Ted leaves to find his missing family members. Meanwhile an exhausted Lily is unable to find honest work and finds herself accepting charity from a near stranger and she goes into labor. Lily loses the baby and the next day the woman of the house thinks Lily is actually a whore since she is so pretty and schemes to get her out of the house though she is willing to keep Daisy on as a maid. Still unable to find honest work, with no money, no home and no prospects Lily begins work as the manager of a bordello. But it's not just any bordello, it has a seedy address but offers a safe haven for the women and a place for their clients to wait and relax, before and after being serviced. But things of course don't exactly go the way they're planned though this is a major turning point in her life. Other aspects of Lily's past raise to bring more drama to the page making Lily also think she may have a skewed vision of the world. It's a daunting read and at times sad and difficult but in the end it is about perseverance and strength.
June 22, 2018
Fallen Angels
An amazing book, a young girl married had two children, her husband went off to fight in the 1at world war , who ended up listed missing presumed dead. The woman gets remarried and that's where the story really begins. A life of shear hell faces the woman. An amazing read. First time I've read a booking Val Wood.
An amazing book, a young girl married had two children, her husband went off to fight in the 1at world war , who ended up listed missing presumed dead. The woman gets remarried and that's where the story really begins. A life of shear hell faces the woman. An amazing read. First time I've read a booking Val Wood.
February 17, 2018
Val Wood in her novel Fallen Angles, introduced Lilly’s situation with a horrifying start. Blood started to boil inside me at the very beginning, when Lily’s nasty husband Fowler sold her & her young daughter Daisy on the streets of Hull. Hidden strengths of Lily’s character then slowly surfaced, which made the rest of the book remarkable.
Hard-hitting reality faced by ladies living in brothel was described in the book as Lily struggled nonstop to make their lives better & more respectable. Luckily the ending was partly happy & dreamy which helped in masking the sadness & anger felt since the start.
Overall the novel succeeded in emphasizing on a notable personality trait through Lilly’s actions - ‘helping others selflessly, even if one is in deep despair�, which made the 500+ pages read pretty impressive.
Hard-hitting reality faced by ladies living in brothel was described in the book as Lily struggled nonstop to make their lives better & more respectable. Luckily the ending was partly happy & dreamy which helped in masking the sadness & anger felt since the start.
Overall the novel succeeded in emphasizing on a notable personality trait through Lilly’s actions - ‘helping others selflessly, even if one is in deep despair�, which made the 500+ pages read pretty impressive.
June 5, 2019
Fallen Angels, the name itself speaks a hundred emotions. The book is about a women Lilly, who is going through rough times. Billy Fowler, her second husband treated her badly and sold her on the streets of Hull. The journey starts from here, Lilly motivated other women, who have fallen on hard times to not lose their hopes of getting out of the hell they were living in.
Other characters are Betty, Lizzy, Alice, Cherie. All the characters are precisely described and the story line is quite interesting.
I used to get sad while reading this book, the excruciating pain they went through was expressed in a way that would melt stone-hearted people.
But the story has also motivated me to not give up at any condition and strive for better tomorrow, without compromising your pride.
Other characters are Betty, Lizzy, Alice, Cherie. All the characters are precisely described and the story line is quite interesting.
I used to get sad while reading this book, the excruciating pain they went through was expressed in a way that would melt stone-hearted people.
But the story has also motivated me to not give up at any condition and strive for better tomorrow, without compromising your pride.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2017
A sweet tale, if slightly naïve in its telling. Quite rushed towards the end, adding additional characters out of the blue that would have been easier to identify with earlier on. I felt as though the author realised she was running out of space and began to panic. I feel with more time spent on it, it could have been a really in-depth tale of poverty and consequence, but as it stands, it's just okay.
November 18, 2017
Angels
A truly entertaing book but it show just how strong a woman can be like Lilly knocked down but get back up again . Lizzie 'betty 'Cherie 'Alice ' fought long and hard with Lillies strength definitely worth 5 stars
A truly entertaing book but it show just how strong a woman can be like Lilly knocked down but get back up again . Lizzie 'betty 'Cherie 'Alice ' fought long and hard with Lillies strength definitely worth 5 stars
April 21, 2021
I quite liked this book! I’ve never read anything like it in relation to the dialogue and the accents, even the time setting was a completely new reading experience. Some of the horrible situations that Lily and the girls are put through are written in a way that they don’t really care; in a way they are totally impassive and under-reactive (if that’s even a word!) and I got a bit tired of that. I’m fully aware that this is a fictional book, but if this book was set in real life then the characters would not behave or react in these ways at all, and I think that’s what put me off the book a wee bit, but I still love this sweet book and the ending is to die for!
March 1, 2018
Loose women?
From a sad beginning Lily builds up a home for ladies of the night in a brothel. She is the Madam who has to pay to the pimp most of what the girls earn, but Lucy looks after the girls with a kind heart, and love. When Alice died of consumption and Jamie the pimp couldn't care less she sends the girls off to different places to get decent job,s. Lucy had already married a soldier, but was told he had died, remarried an awful man who sold her to Jamie for ten shillings, was how the story started
From a sad beginning Lily builds up a home for ladies of the night in a brothel. She is the Madam who has to pay to the pimp most of what the girls earn, but Lucy looks after the girls with a kind heart, and love. When Alice died of consumption and Jamie the pimp couldn't care less she sends the girls off to different places to get decent job,s. Lucy had already married a soldier, but was told he had died, remarried an awful man who sold her to Jamie for ten shillings, was how the story started
March 4, 2018
Beautiful
I loved lilys story. I was so touched my emotions throughout reading. a very courageous lady who always put her family first and as a runner of a brothel looking after her girls. Lily had no choice in her job with hardtimes in the past, just couldn't put it down. The author gave her readers plenty to keep you glued right through.
I loved lilys story. I was so touched my emotions throughout reading. a very courageous lady who always put her family first and as a runner of a brothel looking after her girls. Lily had no choice in her job with hardtimes in the past, just couldn't put it down. The author gave her readers plenty to keep you glued right through.
January 10, 2021
Another brilliant Val Wood story. Historical novel set in Hull, a young mother of two children whose first husband was missing in action and her second husband was a brute. As usual brilliant characterisation and descriptive writing; every word is essential to the story. An emotive but not harrowing storyline. I’d recommend if you’re looking for a great read to take your mind of the real world.
August 3, 2020
I borrowed this book from my mum. The first chapter, I really didn't think I was going to like it. However, as the story progressed there was lots of different events. I love how it brought history into the story of how women were treated. It gave you different emotions throughout.
April 20, 2018
This type of genre is not normally my first choice of reading matter, but my Mum recommended it and gave me the book. I absolutely loved it and feel it would make a fantastic movie.
October 8, 2018
Not my normal genre but it's set in hull and East riding where I now live so I found it interesting.
January 8, 2023
Fallen Angels
Another good read. Takes you into the story......can picture the characters and places. Can make you sad and happy and hopeful of a rosy future.
Another good read. Takes you into the story......can picture the characters and places. Can make you sad and happy and hopeful of a rosy future.
May 14, 2023
Loved this book so much was a great read, really wish I could give it more stars. Val Wood is such a good author can highly recommend any of her books.
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November 30, 2017great book. read it in one day
September 9, 2018
Best of this genre I've read in a long time. It had all the usual ingredients but Lily was such a strong woman I really rooted for her and didn't want anything nasty to happen to her. Hated Billy Fowler! Could smell the ale on him even. I had clear pictures in my mind of the hovels in Hull, and the women, degraded by only being able to survive by working the oldest profession.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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