At first glance, this didn't look like the kind of book I'd look forward to settling down with on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

"A poignant and mesmerising story of tragedy and triumph" said the press release. The rather twee cover picture of three young children knelt around a Christmas tree in their pyjamas, captivated by a toy railway set, didn't do anything for me either, I'm afraid.

It looked like the sort of book my grandma used to read. Old-fashioned romances and family sagas set over several generations in northern towns; tales of plucky young housemaids triumphing over adversity in the way only plucky young housemaids can; depressing childhood memoirs about little boys in bare feet left to bring up dozens of siblings when they suddenly become orphaned. You know the kind of thing.

With a sigh, I opened up Christmas Past and gave it a go.

The story opens with 16-year-old Mary O'Connor's parents reluctantly sending her away from their grimy pit town for her health.' Her mother, Mariah, is exhausted trying to make ends meet, driven to waiting at the pit gates for husband Mick on a Friday to get her hands on the housekeeping money before the nearest pub landlord does.

With "nothing paid off the doctor's bill since our Michael was born" they reluctantly agree that, after collapsing in church one Sunday, "our Mary" needs fresh air, nourishing food and "treatment for her TB glands." So off she's packed to stay with a stranger called Dr Rowland Roberts and his wife in a pretty village near Sheffield. Life, for Mary, will never be the same again.

She's initially employed as a maid (remember what I said about plucky young housemaids?) but soon becomes the daughter the couple never had and her future looks bright. Then war breaks out and Mary's fiance Tom is killed in action. Will she learn to love again? Will she find fulfilment setting up her own dressmaking business? And how will she cope when tragedy once more threatens to destroy all she cherishes?

It's not my kind of book, to be honest, but it's a nice enough read and a well-written depiction of pre and post-war working-class life.

Sheffield author Glenice Crossland, who took up novel-writing after retiring from her job in a leisure centre, has an engaging style that draws the reader in so before you know it you're wrapped up in the trials and joys of Mary's world.

Particularly impressive are the accounts of Mary working in the local steelworks, growing from a meek girl to an independent woman.

There's a festive theme weaving throughout; the title stems from Mary and Tom consummating their relationship during his Christmas war leave and the festive season brings joy and tragedy to Mary's family for generations afterwards.

"Oh it will be lovely next Christmas, with a new baby in the house."

"Aye. Better than the last, but looking back we've had some good Christmases."

"Like the ones when our Jacqueline was born and our Alan," Mary reflected. "Then our Alan met Avril and our Elizabeth was conceived at Christmas if I'm not mistaken." She sighed. "It seems all the best things in our lives took place at Christmas."

It's the ideal stocking filler if this is the kind of heart-warming Yorkshire saga that will put a smile on the face of your mum, auntie or gran this Christmas.

  • Christmas Past is published by Arrow Books, priced £5.99.