Born into a loving, large, sprawling Irish Catholic family in Hull, East Yorkshire, Grace Brennan is the only daughter of 'Red' Jack Brennan, a local Labour politician with strong socialist principles.
And this is her fascinating story, filled with her hopes, attitudes and fears, as she grows up alongside her brothers to become an independent woman during the early part of the twentieth century, when Britain is very much a man's world.
Grace is clever, quick and eager to learn, but also naïve and unworldly. She shines at her convent school and makes a lifelong (and complicated) friendship with Kit Morrissey, the daughter of the local doctor.
When Grace meets the very charming but unreliable Xavier her world is turned upside down in more ways than one. Her teaching career provides her with the stability she needs - something Xavier can't give her - and, ironically, the second world war is one of her happiest periods, despite the chaos and devastation.
Post-war, Grace copes with work and motherhood, largely alone, but in her usual determined and inspirational way, she learns to cope and thrive amid the challenges and losses.
Packed with humour and plenty of emotional ups and downs, this rich and compelling family saga shines the spotlight on many social issues, including the influence of the Catholic Church, societal expectations, and the limitations placed on women's freedom to work and make their own choices.