Lesley Jefferies

Cardboard in My Boots Lesley Jefferies

Historical fiction at its finest, Cardboard in My Boots is a very real, moving, and gritty depiction of 1940s London. Connie and Bert meet and fall in love. Connie gets pregnant and the happy couple quickly get married. Over time, they are blessed with two sons, Sid and Bob, and a daughter, Sally. From the outside everything looks picture-perfect but Bert has a weak spot - Phyllis, his mistress. Bert, a London car dealer, tries his best to look after his family but what with the pressures of work, children, a wife and a mistress, something has to give. And it isn't long before Connie and Bert have one argument too many and end up parting ways. But fate plays a cruel card. Whilst Phyllis wins the man, she has her own problems to deal with - skeletons in the cupboard and personal struggles of her own. And to top it all off, she knows that deep down, Bert will always have a soft spot for the mother of his children. Things get more difficult for Connie as she tries to cope with her family being torn apart and life as a single mother. War breaks out, and the children are evacuated - with a terrifying experience for the boys in Wales - and life again, takes a sinister turn. As the children grow into adults, a whole new generation of problems start to emerge. Scarred from their unconventional upbringing and horrific experiences, life just gets more complicated for this fascinating family - there's a secret love child, an abortion, mental health struggles, suicide, secrets, death and tragedy. Cardboard in my Boots is a genuinely addictive read. It's thought-provoking, entertaining, and showcases real 1940s life without the rose-tinted glasses.