A sweeping family saga beginning in The Great Depression, Bessie tells the story of a struggling nation and ends with the heart-breaking personal sacrifices made during the Second World War. At its center is Bessie Barnes, a mother of two, determined to be seen as a woman of good standing within her rural community. Bessie’s personal world is suddenly upended when Edward, a young historian she met at a dance when she was only 19, turns up on the family’s doorstep penniless - only to discover that he’s her absent brother-in-law. While trying to be a perfect wife, perfect mother, and a perfect neighbour, Bessie, pushed to her breaking point, comes to realize that ultimately, all that is required of her is to be true to her own heart. Bessie is the first book in Cathi Bond’s trilogy, A Woman of Good Standing. A Woman of Good Standing trilogy takes us back to the last century, and follows the good and bad fortunes of three different women born from the same family: Bessie, Maddy, and Thea. Crossing three unique periods in history, we watch them, their struggles, become the best version of themselves, despite the turmoils and challenges shaping their eras.
