A Woman of Substance

Set in 1911 Yorkshire, A Woman of Substance charts the extraordinary rise of Emma Harte — born a poor maid — as she claws her way up through resilience, ruthless ambition and sheer will to become one of the world’s richest and most powerful women.

From selling fabrics to building a retail empire and dominating business circles, Emma shatters the glass ceilings of her time, refusing to accept the social constraints that seek to keep her in her ‘place’. As decades proceed, war, love, betrayal and societal change test her resolve — but Emma’s unshakeable determination, fierce intellect and unflinching drive define her path from servitude to grandeur.