'An epic tale of one woman's determination to follow her dreams' People's Friend Set in 1920s Scotland, this beautifully written and satisfying saga follows the fate of a shipyard owner's daughter as she is faced with an impossible decision . . . Perfect for fans of Diney Costeloe, Rita Bradshaw and Nadine Dorries. 5-star reader reviews for The Shipbuilder's Daughter 'Beautifully written with a great deal of empathy, very satisfying plot. Lovely mix of old Glasgow and the western Isles' 'A definite must-buy' 'A lovely read' 'Fabulous reading' Glasgow, 1928. Margaret Bannatyne lost both of her brothers in the Great War and is now the last remaining child of wealthy and powerful shipyard owner William Bannatyne. Without a male heir to carry on the family business, William expects his daughter to do her duty, marry well and provide him with a grandson to inherit his business. Margaret cares deeply for her father but she has ambitions of her own: after witnessing a horrific accident when she was sixteen, she's determined to become a doctor. Her father, convinced she will never practise medicine, permits Margaret to complete her training. But he doesn't count on her falling in love with Alasdair Morrison. Alasdair, a union man at the shipyard, has been a thorn in William's side for years, and he didn't become one of the richest men in Glasgow only for Alasdair to take it all away - even if it means destroying his only daughter's happiness by forcing her to make a heartbreaking and impossible choice . . .

Bram Deagan dreams of bringing his family from Ireland to join him in Australia, where he now runs a successful trading business. But when a typhus epidemic strikes Ireland, it leaves the Deagan family decimated. And, with other family members scattered round the world, it is left to Maura Deagan to look after her orphaned nieces and nephew. Forced to abandon her own ambitions, and unsure whether she is ready to become a mother to three young children, Maura makes a drastic decision: to join Bram in far-away Australia. They set sail on the SS Delta, anxious for their futures. It is only when a storm throws Maura and fellow passenger Hugh Beaufort together that she realises this journey may also give her a chance to pursue a dream she set aside long ago: to have a family of her own. That is, until someone from Hugh's past threatens to jeopardise everything . . . **************** What readers are saying about THE TRADER'S DREAM 'Anna Jacobs is the best storyteller bar none!' - 5 stars 'A wonderful book . . . Very engaging and engrossing' - 5 stars 'Another must-read' - 5 stars 'Yet again couldn't put this book down' - 5 stars 'Excellent read from start to finish, couldn't put it down' - 5 stars

Plucky Lucy Linden supports her widowed mother and younger brother, selling firewood and toffee apples on the streets of Liverpool. Her uncanny ability to be in the right place at the wrong time gets her noticed by a young policeman, Rob Jones. At first he is amused by her exploits, but upon learning how tough life is for Lucy, he decides to keep a watchful eye on her - much to her annoyance. When Lucy's bad-tempered uncle, with a tendency to lash out, returns from the war with some alarming connections to the IRA, her attitude to Rob changes dramatically... A moving saga on the ties which bind us together, Someone to Trust is a triumph, perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews

In the summer of 1930, fifteen-year-old Matthew Clayton's mother dies, leaving him alone in Vancouver. Using the Union Steamship ticket she gave him, he sets out in search of his father, who is logging somewhere on the rugged West Coast. Matt boards the SS 'Cardena' and begins an incredible voyage up the Inside Passage and through the isolated coastal communities the ship services. On board he befriends fellow passengers Monica James and the high rigger Will Cameron, both intent on finding a new life, and Emily Carr, a soon-to-be-famous painter searching for a new direction in her art. What each of them finds comes as a surprise as they journey aboard the legendary steamship 'Cardena'.

A stirring saga of a nurse who only wants to do her duty in World War Two - and who ends up having to make an agonising choice. Set in Ireland and Birmingham, this is the latest from emerging star of the genre Anne Bennett. Carmel Duffy is the eldest child of a brutal and abusive marriage, and she can't wait to leave home. She's equally determined to have no husband or children of her own - what she wants more than anything is to be a nurse. As soon as she turns eighteen, she heads for Birmingham and begins her training. With her beautiful auburn curls, she draws plenty of attention and her resolve to concentrate on her career is tested when Dr Paul Connolly comes onto her ward and into her life. Gradually he wins her heart, and they agree to marry, both certain that they want no children. They have valuable jobs to do - all the more so when World War Two looms. But those years will change everything: their relationship, their priorities, their very characters. Carmel will find that the future is very different to the one she thought she wanted for so long...

The heartbreaking new novel from the bestselling author of The Forget-me-not Child and If You Were the Only Girl. Angela McClusky is haunted by the young baby that she left on the steps of the workhouse. Born out of wedlock and the result of a traumatic assault, the child has grown up away from the loving arms of her mother and only has a locket to remind her of the family she never knew. Angela, meanwhile, has carried the guilt of her actions with her for almost a decade, now widowed and alone, she is courted by a new suitor, Eddie, who seems to offer her the happiness she craves. When Angela's teenage daughter, Constance, discovers that Eddie is not all he seems to be, it drives a wedge between mother and daughter. But her secrets won't stay hidden and now Angela must face up to her past...

Underneath, the tale explores the shambolic Italian political landscape as well as the escalating tensions and arrangements between the southern Italian and Nigerian mafia clans. The Trouble with Serpents is set predominantly in Italy, as well as outback NSW, Fiji, Afghanistan, Russia and Poland. Hiding in plain sight behind the hype of Carnevale in Venice, five mafia families meet to elect a new leader of their combined clans, the Capo di Tutti Capi. Nicholas Delarno has the right to lead, but until recently, everyone thought he was dead. The Commission members are curious and nervous. In a show of leadership Nicholas claims the coveted role, bringing with him a return to the old ways, values and traditions that have stood the family well for decades. Something most of the clan members are keen to embrace after the chaotic leadership of former boss Don Carlo Seta. And they are willing to sacrifice thier misgivings over the new Capo's missing years to satisfy their self serving needs for secrecy, stability and economic power.

Behind the grimy wharves of Londons dockland lies Conner Street, home to a close-knit community where women stand gossiping in doorways, small boys play marbles on the cobbles and the dockers pop down to the Eagle for a quick pint. Corner shops nestle beside the tiny terraced houses and two minutes away is the lively Tower Road market, where it is said, if you can't buy something then it's not made. Once World War Two breaks out, however, life in Conner Street changes dramatically - for ever...

A family conflict is set to make waves . . . After years of fast living and reckless excitement, Cameron Quinn is called home to help care for his adopted brother Seth, a troubled young boy not unlike Cameron once was. Dark, brooding and fiercely independent, Cameron's life changes overnight as he has to learn to live with his brothers again. Old rivalries and new resentments flare between the passionate Quinn boys as they try to set aside their differences. But when Seth's fate falls into the hands of Anna, a tough but beautiful social worker, the tide starts to turn. She alone has the power to bring the Quinns together - or tear them apart . . .

In her nostalgic and heart-warming saga, Sunday Times bestselling author Lyn Andrews evokes the ups and downs of life in the back streets of 1930s Liverpool 'An outstanding storyteller' Woman's Weekly Liverpool, 1935. Monica and Joan Copperfield are firm friends. Monica dreams of a better life as a hairdresser - though her parents are suspicious of such a glamorous profession. Joan has her eye on a job at Crawford's biscuit factory, with cheap chocolate biscuits as an irresistible perk. When Monica catches the eye of her boss's son, she's flattered. But could he ever be serious about a back-street girl? Meanwhile Glaswegian Jim is keen on Joan - but she's grown up around a bad marriage, and is suspicious of romance. Yet Jim's kindness and sense of humour are hard to resist . . . Shocking secrets, lifelong friendships and the unbreakable spirit of a working-class community facing war are woven irresistibly together in Lyn Andrews' evocative novel. Readers are loving The Girls From Mersey View 'What a delightful story' ***** 'I loved the characters and the setting. This is a story of hope and friendship and I highly recommend' ***** 'What a delight this book was to read ... an inspirational story' ***** 'I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone' *****

From the award-winning author of The Apothecary's Daughter comes the next book in the Spindrift Trilogy - a beautifully evocative, family drama, perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles. 1914 Spindrift House, Cornwall Edith Fairchild's good-for-nothing husband, Benedict, deserted her when their children were babies. Now the children are almost adult, Edith and Pascal, her faithful lover of two decades, are planning to leave their beloved Spindrift artists' community and finally be together. But an explosive encounter between Benedict and Pascal forces old secrets into the light, causing rifts in the happiness and security of the community. Then an assassin's bullet fired in faraway Sarajevo sets in motion a chain of events that changes everything. Under the shadow of war, the community struggles to eke out a living. The younger generation enlist or volunteer to support the war effort, facing dangers that seemed unimaginable in the golden summer of 1914. When it's all over, will the Spindrift community survive an unexpected threat? And will Edith and Pascal ever be able to fulfil their dream? Why do readers love Charlotte Betts? 'Romantic, engaging and hugely satisfying' Katie Fforde 'A highly-recommended novel of love, tragedy and the power of art' Daily Mail 'Beautifully written, engaging and heart-warming' Book Club Mumma 'A highly compelling, engrossing read' Discovering Diamonds 'Evocative, enthralling and enjoyable' Bookish Jottings 'Poignant, compelling and extensively researched . . . I cannot wait to find out what happens next to these characters' Sarah's Vignettes 'A delightful historical saga which is so beautifully woven together that from the very start I was enchanted' Jaffa Reads Too 'Rich in detail, full of passion this is a delightful and fascinating read' Book Literati

A brand new series from the bestselling author of A Christmas Promise. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn. For the ordinary people of Empire Street, life will never be the same again. Kitty Fisher has plenty on her plate to keep her busy. Since her mother died when she was just a child, she's cooked, cleaned and scraped to make ends meet for her drunken father and her headstrong brothers. Rita Kennedy, living with her husband under the roof of his spiteful mother-in-law, is desperate for their own home. Perhaps that will help them get their marriage back on the rails again? For the two women and others like them on Liverpool's dockside and across the whole country, the threatening clouds of war will bring heartache and tragedy. It will take courage and the bonds of family and friends to help them see this through.

Told from four different perspectives, At the Breakfast Table is a story of hidden histories and family secrets, from the author of The Silence of Scheherazade. Buyukada, Turkey, 2017. In the glow of a late summer morning, family gather for the 100th birthday of the famous artist Shirin Saka. It ought to be a time of fond reminiscence, looking back on a long and fruitful artistic career, on memories spanning almost a century. But the deep past is something Shirin has spent a lifetime trying to conceal. Her grandchildren, Nur and Fikret, and great-grandchild, Celine, do not know what she's hiding, though they are intimately aware of the secret's psychological consequences. The siblings invite family friend and investigative journalist Burak along to interview Shirin - in celebration of her centenary, and also in the hope of persuading her to open up. Eventually Shirin begins to express her pain the only way she knows how. She paints a story onto her dining room wall, revealing a history wiped from public consciousness and generations of her family's history. 'Fiercely intelligent, finely textured and achingly beautiful.' Elif Shafak

The brand-new instalment in Fenella J. Miller's bestselling Goodwill House series! September 1940 With harvest approaching, land girl Daphne is busier than ever as she ploughs the fields and tends to the animals with her friends Sal and Charlie. All three girls enjoy the relative peace of Goodwill House…but war is never far away. When a German plane crash lands in the grounds of Goodwill House, everyone is shocked, especially when the two German pilots are declared missing. Where could they be hiding? Tensions are high, and Daphne is dealt yet another shock, when she meets Corporal Robert Andrews – the man she was once engaged to marry! Goodwill House is the last place she expected to be reunited with Bob and although he looks dashing in his uniform, Daphne doesn’t think she can ever forgive him for breaking her heart. With the war getting closer every day, can these two finally be reunited for good or will their love be forever lost...? Don't miss the next heart-breaking instalment in Fenella J. Miller's beautiful Goodwill House series. Praise for Fenella J. Miller: 'Yet again, Fenella Miller has thrilled me with another of her historical stories in the Goodwill House saga series. She brings alive a variety of emotions and weaves in facts relating to the era, all of which keep me reading into the small hours.' Glynis Peters – Bestselling author of The Secret Orphan. 'Curl up in a chair with Fenella J Miller's characters and lose yourself in another time and another place.' Lizzie Lane 'Engaging characters and setting which whisks you back to the home front of wartime Britain. A fabulous series!' Jean Fullerton

Spend Christmas with the nurses of St Angelus Hospital. 'A heartwarming festive novel ... Must read' Daily Express. Christmas is coming, but will the doctors and nurses of St Angelus get a chance to enjoy it? Sister Emily Haycock and her husband are anxiously counting the days until the signing of final adoption papers for their precious baby Louis. But someone has got it in for them and Emily is about to get caught out in a dangerous lie. Nurse Victoria Baker is heavily pregnant. But as the snow begins to fall, has she made a big mistake about her dates and put the life of her unborn baby at risk? And who is the figure obsessively watching St Angelus from the shadows? Or the mystery woman who turns up one dark, windy evening, begging for a room? In Snow Angels only one thing is certain. Christmas will be anything but peaceful. Praise for the Lovely Lane series: 'As heart-warming as it is heartbreaking' Sunday Express. 'I adore the Lovely Lane series ... Some parts will bring a tear to the eye. Others will have you laughing' Rachel Bustin. 'A heartbreaking, poignant and emotional read which will stay in your heart for a very, very long time' The Writing Garnet. 'Fabulous characters ... Gorgeous sentences and sensational plotlines' With Love for Books. 'Moving, lovely historical fiction ... Absolutely beautiful' On My Bookshelf. 'Simply amazing. It will warm your heart and make you see the real angels in the world. Captivating, phenomenal and touching' 23 Review Street.

Beyond the Veil of Tears is an inspiring and heartfelt novel of a young woman's struggle to escape a life of exploitation and hardship, by Rita Bradshaw, author of Dancing in the Moonlight. An only child, fifteen-year-old Angeline Stewart is heartbroken when her beloved parents are killed in a coaching accident and she is given into the care of her uncle. Naive and innocent, Angeline is easy prey for the handsome and ruthless Oswald Golding who is looking for a rich heiress to solve the money troubles his gambling and womanizing has caused. On her wedding night, Angeline enters a nightmare from which there is no awakening. Oswald proves to be more sadistic and violent than she could ever have imagined. On learning she is expecting a child, Angeline makes plans to run away and take her chances fending for herself and her baby. But then tragedy takes over . . .

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'Flashy, funny ... Delicious ... A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that's a pure pleasure to read.' USA Today Nicholas Young's grandmother Su Yi is on her deathbed. While he rushes to be by her bedside, he's not the only one. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe to stake claim on their matriarch's massive fortune. With all parties vying to inherit a trophy estate in the heart of Singapore, Nicholas's childhood home turns into a hotbed of sabotage and scandal. Taking us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, Kevin Kwan's final installment in this irresistible trilogy reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia's most privileged families and their rich people problems.

The sensational "New York Times "bestseller "The Mill River Recluse" reminds us that friendship, family, and love can come from the most unexpected places. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy.
"Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader's Circle for author chats and more."
From the outside, Mill River looks like any sleepy little Vermont town where everyone knows everyone and people never need to lock their doors. There are newcomers for whom this appeals, from police officer Kyle Hansen and his daughter Rowen, who are starting over after heartache, to Claudia Simon, the schoolteacher who is determined to reinvent herself.
But on closer inspection, there are those in Mill River--including a stealthy arsonist, a covetous nurse, and a pilfering priest--who have things they wish to hide. None more than the widow Mary McAllister, who for the past sixty years has secluded herself in her marble mansion overlooking the town. Most of the residents have never even seen the peculiar woman. Only the priest, Father O'Brien, knows the deep secrets that keep Mary isolated--and that, once revealed, will forever change the community.
Praise for "The Mill River Recluse"
" Darcie] Chan's sweet novel displays her talent. . . . A comforting book about the random acts of kindness that hold communities together."--"Kirkus Reviews"
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"A heartwarming story."--"Examiner.com
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"A real page-turner.""--IndieReader"

Discover the addictive and gripping novel from the bestselling author of You'll Never See Me Again, Lesley Pearse 'A gripping novel' HELLO! Magazine _______________ London, 1960. The lives of teenage twins Maisy and Duncan change for ever the night their mother is sent away. Sent to live in the New Forest with their cold-hearted grandmother, Mrs Mitcham, they feel unloved and abandoned. And when one day Duncan doesn't come home from exploring in the forest, no one - least of all his grandmother - appears to care about his disappearance. The police, who've found the bodies of other missing boys, offer little hope of finding Duncan alive. Yet Maisy refuses to give up. Though she doesn't know the woods well, she knows someone who does. The strange old woman who lives at their heart . . . Dare Maisy enlist the help of the woman in the wood? And what will she find if she does? _______________ 'A real page-turner, a family story that is multi-layered just as you'd expect from Lesley Pearse, who is deservedly one of the world's favourite story tellers' My Weekly 'Characters it is impossible not to care about . . . this is storytelling at its very best' Daily Mail

From the internationally bestselling author of London and Sarum -- a magnificent epic about love and war, family life and political intrigue in Ireland over the course of seventeen centuries. Like the novels of James Michener, The Princes of Ireland brilliantly interweaves engrossing fiction and well-researched fact to capture the essence of a place.
Edward Rutherfurd has introduced millions of readers to the human dramas that are the lifeblood of history. From his first bestseller, Sarum, to the #1 bestseller London, he has captivated audiences with gripping narratives that follow the fortunes of several fictional families down through the ages. The Princes of Ireland, a sweeping panorama steeped in the tragedy and glory that is Ireland, epitomizes the power and richness of Rutherfurd's storytelling magic.
The saga begins in pre-Christian Ireland with a clever refashioning of the legend of Cuchulainn, and culminates in the dramatic founding of the Free Irish State in 1922. Through the interlocking stories of a wonderfully imagined cast of characters -- monks and noblemen, soldiers and rebels, craftswomen and writers -- Rutherfurd vividly conveys the personal passions and shared dreams that shaped the character of the country. He takes readers inside all the major events in Irish history: the reign of the fierce and mighty kings of Tara; the mission of Saint Patrick; the Viking invasion and the founding of Dublin; the trickery of Henry II, which gave England its foothold on the island in 1167; the plantations of the Tudors and the savagery of Cromwell; the flight of the "Wild Geese"; the failed rebellion of 1798; the Great Famine and the Easter Rebellion. With Rutherfurd's well-crafted storytelling, readers witness the rise of the Fenians in the late nineteenth century, the splendours of the Irish cultural renaissance, and the bloody battles for Irish independence, as though experiencing their momentous impact firsthand.
Tens of millions of North Americans claim Irish descent. Generations of people have been enchanted by Irish literature, and visitors flock to Dublin and its environs year after year. The Princes of Ireland will appeal to all of them -- and to anyone who relishes epic entertainment spun by a master.

"From the Hardcover edition."

Lizzie Larch is a twenty-year-old hatmaker in London's East End. She is happy and popular, but she carries a secret. Seven years ago she was viciously attacked and recovered in a private sanatorium where she miscarried a child. Lizzie has no memory of the night of the attack, but secrets cannot stay secret for long. When she starts courting her boss's nephew, shocking revelations surface, and threaten to destroy their new found happiness. Set in the East End of London at the dawn of World War II, Lizzie's Secret is about how ordinary people learn to survive - and triumph - through hardship and tragedy.