A Locket Full of Hope
Set against the rugged backdrop of Victorian Devon, A Locketful of Hope is a deeply moving historical saga that charts a young girl’s resilience in the face of unimaginable loss and betrayal. Lily Fielding delivers a powerful, emotionally resonant tale steeped in hardship, courage, and the quiet strength of unlikely friendships.
The novel opens in the close-knit fishing village of St. Leonard’s Cove, where ten-year-old Rebecca Wheeler’s life is torn apart by a sudden storm that claims her father and brothers. Left destitute, Rebecca and her mother, Lydia, journey to Dartmouth in search of survival — but instead find themselves ensnared in a brothel run by the manipulative Mickey Fox. What follows is a harrowing yet ultimately hopeful story of survival, as Rebecca is forced to navigate a world that offers little protection for the vulnerable.
Fielding handles difficult subject matter with sensitivity and grace. Lydia’s entrapment, and the emotional toll of life within the brothel, are depicted with compassion and realism. Yet the novel is never bleak — its heart lies in the bond between women who, despite their circumstances, form a found family and fight back against the systems that bind them.
Rebecca’s transformation from frightened child to fiercely determined survivor is both believable and inspiring. Her escape from danger is paced with suspense, but the story’s emotional core remains strong: a search for belonging in a world that has taken everything from her.
Fans of Dilly Court, Maggie Hope, or Rosie Goodwin will find A Locketful of Hope an absorbing, heartfelt read. With richly drawn characters and a heroine who never gives up, this is a story about defying fate, choosing dignity over despair, and believing that even in the darkest of times, a better future can still be forged.
