Firstly I think this is a great intriguing title for a book! The book tells the story of Katherine and her process from the slums of Dublin to being the owner of a Boarding House in Liverpool (on a street nicknamed ‘Lonely Street’ due to the amount of husbands/fathers/brothers lost on the Titanic). The story is set from 1910-1914 and does give a thought-provoking account of conditions for poor people and the poverty suffered at that time.

I do really like and admire the character of Katherine - she is determined to succeed, no matter what hardships and setbacks stand in her way. She keeps trying and persevering, when others around her just give up and face defeat. She is a very caring person and takes time to help others, such as her friend Ceppi and the fellow tenants on Lonely Street. She also wins the loyalty and friendship of those she comes into contact with, such as the Boland family and in particular Maggie, and Mavis and Dotty at the match factory.

This is a good read - you feel involved in Katherine’s life and are willing her to succeed. And as well as describing the conditions of the time and following Katherine’s journey, there is also romance and murder. Plenty of good ingredients for a book!