The Mazzard Tree - The Hartford Manor Series 1
Formats: E-Book, Paperback, Hardback
Ages: 18+
The First Book in The Hartford Manor Series:
1880 North Devon, England
Annie Carter is a farm labourer’s daughter, and life is a continual struggle for survival. When her father dies of consumption, her mother, Sabina, is left with seven hungry mouths to feed and another child on the way. To save them from the workhouse or starvation, Annie steals vegetables from the Manor House garden, risking jail or transportation. Unknown to her, she is watched by Robert, the wealthy heir to the Hartford Estate, but far from turning her in, he befriends her.
Despite their different social backgrounds, Annie and Robert develop feelings they know can have no future. Harry Rudd, the village blacksmith, has long admired Annie, and when he proposes, her mother urges her to accept. She reminds Annie that as a kitchen-maid, she will never be allowed to marry Robert. Harry is a good man, and Annie is fond of him. Her head knows what she should do, but will her heart listen?
Set against the harsh background of the rough, class-divided society of Victorian England, this heart-warming and captivating novel portrays a young woman who uses her determination and willpower to defy the circumstances of her birth in her search for happiness.
Reviews
A plot for a BBC series The plot of this novel is amazing for all lovers of historical dramas. The love between young Annie Carter of a farm labourer family and wealthy heir, Robert, takes place in Victorian England. The characters are so vividly and emotionally written that I got involved in the story along with the characters. Will young lovers be able to overcome class differences and get their share of happiness? I empathized with the heroes, imagining how the world has changed over these 150 years. I highly recommend this novel for long cold evenings by the fireplace. A compelling read! The Mazzard Tree is set in 1880, in Devon, in a series of interwoven stories, it charts the goings-on in the Hartford Mansion and with the tenants of the adjoining village. At the centre of the plot is Annie, the daughter of Sabine, a family in terrible poverty, and her relationship with Robert, the second son of Lord Fellwood. The novel's portrayal of the brutality of the life of the poor is vivid and shows a marked contrast to that of the wealthy with their sense of entitlement. Despite the abject conditions the poor live in, Clayton manages to get across hope in their camaraderie and willingness to help each other. In her descriptions of the characters, the places and the environment, the writing is assured and compelling, and the tales unfold seamlessly and quickly. At times it is heart-rendering but sprinkled with optimism. I have enjoyed this historical romance, and look forward to the other books in the series. It is well-researched and a compelling read, and I would recommend it. A captivating story. This is a powerful novel about the harsh realities of life in the late 1800s if you are poor. The story is set around Annie Carter, a farm labourer's daughter. Like all poor families of that era, they struggle to make ends meet and, when her father dies, the situation becomes dire. Annie resorts to stealing vegetables from the nearby manor house and meets Robert, the second son of the owner. And so begins a beautiful, but possibly doomed love story. I love the author's style. Her description of life in those days completely captured me. I grew up in rural Northern Ireland in the 1960s and remember getting up on cold winter mornings to do the milking. I also remember rosehip seeds being put down my back! I loved this book and am looking forward to now reading the next one.
