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Never Look Back

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Never Look Back

By: Lesley Pearse
Narrated by: Holli Dempsey
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Never Look Back by Lesley Pearse, read by Holli Dempsey.

One good deed takes her into another world . . .

Sixteen-year-old Matilda is a poor Covent Garden flower girl until the day she saves the life of Tabitha, a minister's daughter. Welcomed into Tabitha's family, Matilda is offered the chance of a lifetime.
She leaves behind London's slums and enters the darkest corners of New York. From there she travels across the plains to the Wild West, where San Francisco is in the grip of the gold rush.

Streetwise and strong-willed, Matilda forges a new life for herself and Tabitha among pioneers like Captain James Russell - a man to whom she is deeply attracted. Yet a civil war will soon rip apart this new nation.

Can Matilda and those she loves brave separation and carry on, never looking back?

'With characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best'Daily Mail

'Heart-warming and evocative . . . a real delight to read' Sun

'Lose yourself in this epic saga' Bella

 Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Romance Women's Fiction Heartfelt

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Critic reviews

The courageous tale of a poor Victorian flower girl, who makes an epic journey from London across a vast and wild America . . .

As voted by readers as their favourite Lesley Pearse novel, Never Look Back is by the international NO.1 BESTSELLING author.
All stars
Most relevant
And boy it was a twisted road! This book had me laughing and crying. I feel in love with every character. Charming, beautiful, strong lead character. I love all these books but this one is my MOST favorite!

Don't read if you want a sappy love story. Its more than that. So much more than that.

I feel like I've been on a journey, an epic one

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The journey of this book was interesting from beginning to the end, loved all the characters of the story. The narrator reading made it more enjoyable for me.

A very good read

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If I could give this book 10 stars I would, one of the best I’ve listened to in a long time, and I listen to a lot. Narration was spot on too

Excellent

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This is one of my favourite reads, so to listen to it so beautifully narrated was a joy 🥲

Beautiful book

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This book would make a good film were it not for the explicit sexual description of what went on between James and Mattie. Just to say they made passionate love would suffice.Today’s authors could learn a thing or two from the Austin and Brontë books . Today’s authors will be forgotten soon after their last book. Except for ones like Catherine Cookson, Enid Blyton, Daphne Du Maurier and the like.
This rags to riches storyline is very emotional and I would imagine typical of the era. It describes the poverty of those struggling to survive while the unscrupulous rich show no mercy.
Mattie claws her way up from extreme poverty caring for others more than herself. She makes the treacherous 2000 mile journey with her very young stepdaughter.
When eventually she does become rich she uses her wealth to benefit others and never forgets her roots

Shame about sexual content

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