Maybe This Time - Anna King

In the East End of London, at the turn of the twentieth century, life – and love – has never been less straightforward

When Rory Flynn sees sister Jane being harassed by local bully Barney Hobbs, it isn’t long before the Lord’s Day is interrupted with a flash of his Irish temper. Barney and Rory have a rivalry that goes back many years – a mutual hatred inflamed by seductive Cathy Meadows, the girl who ended Rory’s relationship with the poor but pretty Josie Guntrip and then broke his heart by leaving him for the better-off Barney.

So Cathy’s return fills the Flynn family with dread – for having snagged herself a rich man, she can only be returning to the East End for one thing: trouble. With Rory besotted once more and with Barney using Jane to get at his arch-enemy, he hasn’t the time to give Josie a second thought. Which is a shame, because Josie never stopped loving him..