2.5 stars. A meandering plot which never really goes anywhere peppered with uninteresting characters (though this excludes Charlotte who is actually a strong and admirable protagonist). I usually love historical fictions set in this time period, and while this was clearly very well researched and did include some interesting observations, some of the persistent attempts to imitate the language of the time period irritated me (especially when it was used out of character dialogue). I found the plot moved very slowly and it didn't grab me at any point - I struggled through waiting to be caught up in the time period, the romance or the struggle the characters were enduring, and didn't feel massively connected with any of it. 
 With all that said, I thought Robson did a good job in representing the struggle to recover in England following WW1, and particularly the difficulty for women in the workplace. Her details were exact, and while some elements didn't necessarily add much to the plot they were entertaining enough for their historical relevance. Not really my cup of tea but I think others could enjoy this more.