Gilding the Lily by Rita Bradshaw

When everything seems lost, hope is all that remains...

Gilding the Lily is a heartrending tale of two sisters and their quest for a place to belong, from much-loved author Rita Bradshaw. Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Josephine Cox.
Lily and Sarah Brown's childhood is an unhappy one. Sarah escapes by marrying Ralph Turner, a Sunderland dock worker, but Lily doesn't trust Ralph - a dark volatile man with a hidden cruel streak. When he tries to seduce Lily on his wedding day, her worst fears are confirmed. Ralph's younger brother John is cut from a different cloth, though, and Lily is increasingly drawn to him. But just when Lily sees a future for them, a terrible incident destroys her happiness.
Heartbroken, Lily agrees to accompany the family she works for as a nursemaid to New York. As Lily boards RMS Titanic little does she realise that her decision will change the course of her life for ever...