The Unmarried Mother by Sheila Tofield. Book review

Hello. I've been a lazy beggar this morning, missed most of the Sounds of the Sixties on the radio, to stay in bed and finish this book. I briefly got up to make a coffee and open the back door so the kitties could go out, then it was back into my pit for the last few chapters of The Unmarried Mother, by Sheila Tofield. Another random pic from the mobile library van. 

Sheila grew up in Rotherham, the daughter of an uncaring mother who made her believe she was useless, stupid, and unlovable. Born in February 1931, her unhappy childhood had the effect of destroying her self esteem, the only respite being a nine month stay in hospital under the care of the nursing staff. 

Her first boyfriend dumped her with no explanation, which made her vulnerable to the advances of someone who took advantage of her need to be loved. When she became pregnant by this cad of a boyfriend, he did a runner when she told him of her condition. In those days it was seen as a sin to have a child outside of wedlock and she became a 'fallen woman'. A place was found for her to go away and have the baby, and return as if nothing had happened. Her mother told her she would have to have it adopted, but on baby Pat's arrival, Sheila vowed to keep her no matter how impossible that might be.

The book is an interesting insight into how attitudes have changed throughout the past decades, though there is little difference between family dynamics of then and now, it's just they didn't have Jeremy Kyle then. Disputes were pushed under the carpet rather than being aired in public. I had a pregnancy scare when I was 19, the first time I had a proper boyfriend. Thankfully it was a false alarm and I never took that chance again. S'funny how things turn out, how one error of judgement can have such far reaching repercussions. Throughout my life I have listened to my head rather than my heart, ah yes, I have fallen hook line and sinker at times, there's been more than one instance when my heart was broken, but in the end my head has taken over when common sense kicked in.

I digress, no two lives should ever be compared, the book is a good read. The story drew me in, wanting to know what happened next. Here is a short synopsis, courtesy of the Daily Express.

Must go, things to do. Have a nice weekend
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