Bucket Full of Stars (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780692338957)

The year is 1856, and the Suds Bucket, a brothel, has seen better days. Despite busy evenings, the building is slowly growing more and more decrepit-and it won't be long before the Bucket goes out of business altogether.

Among the prostitutes are Sherie and Molly Kelly, a pair of sisters abandoned by their father and left in the care of his cruel and abusive cousin, Ed Smith. Sherie and Molly are desperate to keep the Bucket in their name, and since women aren't allowed to own property, Molly sets a plot in motion for Sherie to marry ex-convict Tom Burnes, who has earned a sizable fortune in the Victorian gold fields.

But when Sherie meets Kate Flanagan, Molly's master plan begins falling apart. The friendship between Sherie and Kate soon blossoms into an affection beyond measure, sparking a devastating conflict between head and heart.

A gritty portrait of colonial Australia, Bucket Full of Stars is an inspiring story of women struggling against societal expectations as they try to create a perfect life for themselves in an imperfect world.