Bargain eBooks #300:

The Breadwinners by Jan Hurst-Nicholson

Genre: Family saga

Price: $0.99

Where to Get It:

Amazon.com (Kindle)
Amazon UK



When an ambitious young immigrant opens a bakery in competition with his vengeful former employer it is the beginning of a bitter rivalry that spans three generations of hatred, jealousy, passion and betrayal as the bakeries grow from small family businesses into large corporations.

It is New Year’s Eve 1924 and the fiery and volatile Charles McGill is devastated when Addy Brody, the woman he loves, announces her engagement to Lucas Connelly, his friend and co-worker. Charles drowns his sorrow in drink and seduces Hilde Richter, the unattractive daughter of a wealthy Durban businessman. When Hilde finds she is pregnant her father offers to set up the penniless Charles with his own bakery if he will marry her. Charles readily agrees and, unknown to Hilde, the two men draw up a contract. It is the beginning of a battle for supremacy between Charles, Lucas, and Miles Davenport, their former employer.

As the bakeries grow and prosper, acrimony begins within the families, pitting brother against brother, and Charles becomes increasingly dissatisfied, realising that success means nothing if he cannot have the woman he loves.

The story covers a period of sixty years and leads us through the fortunes, joys and sorrows, successes and failures of the three families as they survive the great depression, the war years and the isolation of South Africa.

It will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction set in exotic locations, and those who read authors such as Barbara Taylor Bradford, Catherine Gaskin and Belva Plain.

What they're saying about it:

“Characterization is one of this novel's strong points and each of the many characters is fully fleshed out. There are some excellent examples of imagery, concise descriptive detail and a strong emphasis on characterization through verbs not adjectives, or 'show not tell'.

“Ms. Nicholson also writes about the personal lives of each family and she has done a wonderful job describing each and every character and their traits and it makes you feel like you really know these characters. I haven't read such a well-written saga in a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed every single word written. Jan Hurst-Nicholson had to have spent a long time doing a lot of homework with the research to develop such a great historical fiction story. I love her style of writing and will read whatever she writes. Jan has found a new fan for sure. I am a indie author addicted reader and I have found a gem in Jan Hurst-Nicholson.”