The Jam Maker
Mary-Lou Stephens
This is a story that will stay with me for a long time to come, once I picked it up I didn’t want to put it down, it was a story so beautifully told about woman, who lived in times that were far from easy and how they made something with their lives, all be it some of them carrying a secret that must stay a secret forever more, this is the story of jam making in Tasmania and the man who came from poverty to become a millionaire all those years ago Henry Jones.
Tasmania 1874, Harriett Brown lived in the tenements along the Hobart Rivulet, coming from a large family surviving was hard and at the age at twelve she has her hair cut off, she dresses like a boy and starts a job as a label-paster at George Peacock & Sons Jam Factory, here she become Harry and on her first day she meets fellow new employee Henry Jones and they become the best of friends, Henry is ambitious and determined to move up in the factory and the world but after four years of being Harry, she wants to be Harriett again, this will change her life as she is forced to marry a man much older than her, who thinks she is an expert jam maker, John Sprott, is a backyard jam-maker, a very good one, with John’s help Harriett is soon making jam with her husband and they are moving along well together.
When there is a flood, Harriett meets Ruth a widow with three young children who is desperate for work Ruth helps clean up after the floods and soon they are the best of friends, but the happiness doesn’t last for too long when John is lost to Harriett and with the arrival of Nelly the three woman band together to ensure that Sprotts Jams continue, then things change again not for good this time and Harriett and Ruth have a dark secret that must be kept , plans are made to ensure the future is safe and secure for all.
Throughout the years Henry Jones keeps in touch with Harriett and after his marriage to Alice, she also becomes a good friend to Harriett, Henry has never given up on his aim to get to the top of everything in life and when the Boer War breaks out he gets Harriett to help with his jam making which helps them immensely. Henry is climbing the ladder of success and Harriett, Ruth and Nelly’s lives are moving forward as well. How will life turn out for them all?
This story starts in 1874 and goes through to 1926 it is a brilliant story, so well told by Mary-Lou Stephens, she has such a beautiful voice for telling stories that become fascinating tales of life in all forms from hardship to happiness and all that goes with it, I learnt so much from this one about the history of jam making in Tasmania, it had me turning the pages as I got to know the characters in this story, I have read and loved MS Stephens’s previous books and this one is another brilliant read, if you love a good historical tale filled with wonderful characters then this is one to read, a must read, one that I highly recommend. Thank you Mary-Lou Stephens for another keeper.
My thanks to Harlequin AU and Netgalley for my ARC to read and review.
Tasmania 1874, Harriett Brown lived in the tenements along the Hobart Rivulet, coming from a large family surviving was hard and at the age at twelve she has her hair cut off, she dresses like a boy and starts a job as a label-paster at George Peacock & Sons Jam Factory, here she become Harry and on her first day she meets fellow new employee Henry Jones and they become the best of friends, Henry is ambitious and determined to move up in the factory and the world but after four years of being Harry, she wants to be Harriett again, this will change her life as she is forced to marry a man much older than her, who thinks she is an expert jam maker, John Sprott, is a backyard jam-maker, a very good one, with John’s help Harriett is soon making jam with her husband and they are moving along well together.
When there is a flood, Harriett meets Ruth a widow with three young children who is desperate for work Ruth helps clean up after the floods and soon they are the best of friends, but the happiness doesn’t last for too long when John is lost to Harriett and with the arrival of Nelly the three woman band together to ensure that Sprotts Jams continue, then things change again not for good this time and Harriett and Ruth have a dark secret that must be kept , plans are made to ensure the future is safe and secure for all.
Throughout the years Henry Jones keeps in touch with Harriett and after his marriage to Alice, she also becomes a good friend to Harriett, Henry has never given up on his aim to get to the top of everything in life and when the Boer War breaks out he gets Harriett to help with his jam making which helps them immensely. Henry is climbing the ladder of success and Harriett, Ruth and Nelly’s lives are moving forward as well. How will life turn out for them all?
This story starts in 1874 and goes through to 1926 it is a brilliant story, so well told by Mary-Lou Stephens, she has such a beautiful voice for telling stories that become fascinating tales of life in all forms from hardship to happiness and all that goes with it, I learnt so much from this one about the history of jam making in Tasmania, it had me turning the pages as I got to know the characters in this story, I have read and loved MS Stephens’s previous books and this one is another brilliant read, if you love a good historical tale filled with wonderful characters then this is one to read, a must read, one that I highly recommend. Thank you Mary-Lou Stephens for another keeper.
My thanks to Harlequin AU and Netgalley for my ARC to read and review.
5 stars
January 29, 2025 by HQ Fiction
