Madelaine and Bronwen meet for the first time at their new office employment in London during the late 1930s. With Madelaine coming from a well-off background, her father 25 years older than her mother, and most of her life spent enjoying herself, often in the company of the kitchen staff or maids, she has little in common with Bronwen, a girl from a more down-to-earth, homely family. After initial dislike the two girls become friends and the self-assured Madelaine even secretly envies the rather dull family life of Bronwen.

Meanwhile Madelaine aims to get married, preferably to a rich man, and manages to trick her first husband into marriage, although she already has her doubts about the affair.

With the breakout of the Second World War Madelaine decides she might join the Women ’s Land Army and asks Bronwen, who is already a member, to tell her about the work. Bronwen invites her down for a weekend visit to the farm where she works; the outcome leaving Madelaine with a confirmed hatred of the countryside which will influence her for the rest of her life.

The story unfolds through the decades as Madelaine marries three more times and becomes recognised as a confirmed town girl, with her dislike of the countryside actually seriously affecting her life. How much is this down to that one experience back in the early 1940s, and will her life ever be truly contented?

Gwyneth Lambert

Born in 1917, the author was at first home educated and then became one of the Protestant pupils attending the Catholic Convent School in Putney; she went on to attend Wallington County School. Her working career started with the Prudential Assurance Company involved in health work.

She joined the Women’s Land Army in 1942, returning to her work in Torquay after the end of the Second World War in 1946. With the arrival of the new National Health Service she became a civil servant in Wallington for a year before being sent to the Canning Town office to help set up the new scheme. It was here she met her husband.

Throughout her life Gwyneth Lambert has always had a keen interest in writing and there is already a sequel written for Town Girl.