A powerful story about a woman's struggle in a loveless marriage, from the Sunday Times bestselling author Val Wood. 1850: Beatrix Fawcett is just eighteen when her father tells her she is to marry a stranger. Hesitantly, but with little choice, she agrees to the match - in the hope of a good husband in Charles, and a happy new life together in rural Yorkshire. As Beatrix sets about making their house a home, she falls in love with it and the surrounding countryside. But she does not fall in love with her husband... Charles has chosen her simply to meet the requirements of his inheritance and has little interest in his young wife. Soon, the only spark in Beatrix's lonely life is her beloved children. But when Charles threatens to take them away from her, Beatrix must find strength in desperate times. Can she fight against her circumstances and keep what is rightfully hers? Readers love Val Wood: 'Val Wood tells a brilliant tale.' 'Brilliant book. Brilliant author. Loved it.' 'Val Wood is a fantastic author . . . I love the detail in her books.' 'Cannot put these down once I start reading one.'

July 1947. Britain is still gripped by rationing, even as the excitement of Princess Elizabeth's engagement sweeps the nation. In the Woolworths' canteen, Freda is still dreaming of meeting her own Prince Charming. So far she's been unlucky in love. When she has an accident on her motorbike, knocking a cyclist off his bicycle, it seems bad luck is still following her around. Anthony is not only a fellow Woolworths employee but was an Olympic hopeful. Will his injured leg heal in time for him to compete? Can he ever forgive Freda? Sarah's idyllic family life is under threat with worries about her husband, Alan. Does he still love her? The friends must rally round to face some of the toughest challenges of their lives together. And although they experience loss, hardship and shocks along the way, love is on the horizon for the Woolworths girls . . . Wedding Bells for Woolworths is the fifth instalment in Elaine Everest's much-loved Woolworths series.

Panoramic and engrossing, this is the third book in the unforgettable and hugely successful 'Suttons of Yorkshire' series. Blackouts, munitions, kitbags and rations once again pepper daily life. Daisy Dwerryhouse, the spirited daughter of gamekeeper Tom and his wife, ex-sewing-maid Alice, finds herself apart from her true love, Keth Purvis. Joining-up fever is infectious. Daisy is now a Wren, based in perilous Liverpool; Keth involved in secret war work in America. Will their mutual passion survive such a divide, as well as the tribulations and untold dramas of a world at war? Britain fights with desperate stubbornness, as the stench of undignified death and the snarl of enemy fighters touch Rowangarth. For Daisy and Keth, and for all the Suttons, these are years of danger and change: a bewildering time when a nation cannot even begin to hope for an end to the conflict.

After the death of his grandfather, Noah's life is thrown into chaos as he faces a repressed past which threatens everything he believes to be true. In the course of trying to come to terms with his loss, Noah must also navigate a difficult relationship with his sister, Kelly, as they reflect on their turbulent childhood - when they were taken from London to live in the Kent countryside following the breakdown of their parents' marriage. Set between the 1970s and the more recent past, Adventures About To Begin chronicles a collapsing marriage as experienced by its children and reflects on how memory shapes our decisions at crucial junctures during our lives. It is both funny and touching, as well as a sensitive insight into British family life during a period of great social and cultural change.

Far from home, she never gave up hope... A heart-warming tale from the Queen of West Country Saga, Linda Finlay. The Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author Dilly Court says Linda Finlay is 'SURE TO DELIGHT'! AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW. London, 1910. A cruel twist of fate means Daisy must give up the job she loves painting for a theatre company and move to Devon. Only the silver bangle she wears on her wrist brings comfort, reminding her of a young man who once promised her his heart. In Devon, life is very different. Lodging with her uncle at his busy tavern, Daisy must scrub and serve for her keep. And when her uncle catches her sketching, he is furious and forbids her to draw. But a chance meeting with two travelling artists offers Daisy a different path, and steeling her courage, Daisy runs away with them to Lamorna, Cornwall, home to a famous group of bohemian artists... This heart-warming tale of love and triumph from Linda Finlay, the Queen of West Country saga, will enchant readers. Praise for Linda Finlay: 'Sure to delight her ever-growing legion of fans' Dilly Court 'Warm and atmospheric, you can practically taste the sea breeze' The Express 'Rich with carefully drawn characters who really come to life in the hands of this skilled writer' NorthernReader 'Evocative' Frost Magazine 'A treasure of a read with romance, rural history and a happy ending' Devon Life

Under a Wartime Sky is an enthralling historical novel by Liz Trenow, based on real-life events at a top-secret wartime research station. Telling the story of the heroes behind the discovery of radar, it's perfect for readers of Kate Furnivall and Rachel Hore. Bawdsey Manor holds a secret. 1936: the threat of war hangs over Europe. Churchill gathers the brightest minds in Britain at a grand house in Suffolk. Bound to complete secrecy, they work together on an invention that could mean victory for the Allies. Among them is Vic, a gifted but shy physicist who, for the first time, feels like he belongs. Local girl Kathleen wants to do more than serving tea and biscuits to 'do her bit'. So when the Bawdsey team begin to recruit women to operate their top secret system, she dedicates herself to this life-or-death work. Kath and Vic form an unlikely friendship as the skies over Britain fill with German bombers. Little does Kath know just whose life she will change forever, one fateful night . . . Based on the real history of Bawdsey Manor, Under a Wartime Sky is a novel about courage, belonging and hope. Praise for Liz Trenow: 'The characters shine . . . Fabulous' - Dinah Jefferies 'It was a wrench to put the book down after the last beautifully written page' - Gill Paul 'Trenow's exquisite novel puts a real focus on the characters' journeys' - Woman

'Happiness had never been something she'd looked for. A quiet day with no insults or wallops, that was the best she could imagine.' Kate Goss lives in a dark, freezing cold garret, despised and bullied by her aunt and cousins after the death of her mother. She dreams of being rescued by her handsome father, who she only dimly remembers. No one quite knows where he is, or what he is doing, just that he is sure to come back a rich man. By the time Kate is seventeen, she is tough and hardened. When her aunt throws her out on to the streets of south London, she answers an advert for a cleaner in the Bermondsey Bookshop and Reading Room, founded by a wealthy woman who dreams of bringing literature to the poor. Here she will find a world she never knew existed. But for Kate, trouble is never far away and long-held secrets are about to burst into the open and ensnare her in a web of lies and violence. Can she ever escape? And will the man she has begun to love still be there if she does?

The heartwrenching new novel from bestselling author Kitty Neale Can she put right the secrets of the past? London, 1939. Winnie Berry has been the landlady of the Battersea Tavern for nearly twenty-five years, and the pub is like home to her - a place of tears and laughter, full of customers that feel like family. A place where she's learned to avoid the quick fists of her husband, and where she's raised her beloved son, David. He's inherited his father's lazy streak and can't seem to hold down a job, but when war is declared Winnie is determined to keep her son safe. She's still haunted by the choice she made years ago as a desperate young woman, and she won't make the same mistake of letting her family be taken from her... But when a young woman crosses her path, the secrets of Winnie's past threaten to turn her world upside down. There's nothing stronger than a mother's love - but can it ever have a second chance? The first book in The Battersea Tavern series

When her loving but strict parents pass away, twenty-one-year-old Megan is left penniless and alone. However, for the first time in her life, she finally has the freedom to explore who she really is. She begins to come out of her shell, trying daring new things such as wearing makeup, buying modern clothes and going out dancing. Soon, she starts stepping out with a solid, dependable local man. And when she is taken under the wing of the wealthy Celia Bevington, she discovers that there is so much more to life than working as a paintress in the local pottery factory. But as she gets to know Nathan, a dashing American visitor, she starts to question whether she should be wanting more from life. On top of that, a mysterious silver hairbrush left to her by her late mother is about to lead to revelations that will turn her world upside down . . . When the chance comes to fulfil her every hope, will she find the courage to follow her heart? Readers are already being swept away by A DAUGHTER'S HOPE: 'The story will tug at your heartstrings . . . a page turner. Read it!' 'Margaret has a gift of captivating her readers' and holding their attention. Beautifully told with humour and sadness in equal measure. A brilliant read!' 'Beautifully written and captivating, I can highly recommend.' 'This is a beautifully told tale and there's a great feeling of time and place. Margaret Kaine has that storyteller's gift of grabbing the reader's attention and holding on.' 'Margaret Kaine writes with supreme skill. Thank you for a wonderful story, Margaret.' 'I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end' A Daughter's Hope was previously published as Song for a Butterfly

What is the difference between friendship and love? Gustav grows up in a small town in Switzerland, where the horrors of the Second World War seem a distant echo. But Gustav's father has mysteriously died, and his adored mother Emilie is strangely cold and indifferent to him. Gustav's life is a lonely one until he meets Anton. An intense lifelong friendship develops but Anton fails to understand how deeply and irrevocably his life and Gustav's are entwined until it is almost too late... 'A perfect novel about life's imperfection... Tremain is writing at the height of her inimitable powers...' Kate Kellaway, Observer 'Heartbreaking, unsentimental and beautifully written, and it reinforces my opinion that there are few writers out there with the dexterity or emotional intelligence to rival that of the great Rose Tremain.' John Boyne, The Irish Times

An emotional portrayal of the lives of four women as Valentine's day approaches, in 1941 wartime London 'Life brought enough problems and upsets for young hearts, especially young female hearts, without them having to carry the added burden of the war...' Tilly is passionately in love with the dashing American journalist, Drew. But he is harbouring a secret that threatens their burgeoning love. At the same time, Dulcie's brother Rick walks back into her life, the man who she longed for all those years ago... Agnes is comforted by the loving arms of her caring train driver fiance Ted. And Sally could not be happier with her talented surgeon boyfriend at her side, especially since he's risked his life to visit her at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. For Tilly's mother, Olive, the cold heart that had been frozen since her partner died, is beginning to thaw. But the man she pines for is betrothed to another. The net curtains on the well-to-do Article Row have been twitching, and prying eyes have seen the way she's been looking at Sergeant Dawson... When the clock strikes midnight at the Hammersmith Palais, three couples stare deeply into their lovers' eyes. The confident and stunningly beautiful East Ender, Dulcie, is left alone once more, abandoned by her boyfriend at this most precious of precious moments. But the women of No. 13 Article Row know that joy is short lived in the London of 1941. It's a treacherous place, especially for the tender-hearted. As Valentine's Day approaches, the perils of war threaten life as they know it and all matters of the heart.

A brand new wartime family saga, perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Val Wood Shaftesbury, 1936. Mansfield House Hotel has been a refuge for Emily ever since she was orphaned at the age of 16. Not only did they give her employment as a chambermaid, but it's also where she met her fiance Tom. When theatre agent Roland stays at the hotel and hears Emily singing, he is determined to take her away to Bristol and make her a star. But knowing she'd never leave her fiance, he hatches a plan to get Emily away from Tom. Six years later, Emily has made a name for herself as 'The Bristol Songbird'. Her love for Tom is still as strong as ever, but she's not heard from him since that fateful night so long ago. And with the world enveloped in a war, it seems unlikely the two will ever meet again. Will Emily and Tom ever find their way back to one another? Or will the war - and Roland - succeed in keeping them apart? Praise for Karen Dickson: 'A compelling saga that will hold you fast from the first page to the last. Loved it' VAL WOOD, author of The Lonely Wife 'This rollercoaster of a novel draws you in from the first page... I devoured this in one sitting and look forward to more from this author. In short a gem of a read' FIONA FORD, author of Wartime at Liberty's 'A delight to read... Lily Hayter is a wonderful heroine whose resilience and integrity shine through as she struggles to claim a life of her choosing and find a family. At the heart of the story is a warmth and humanity that makes it a truly uplifting read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sorry when I reached the end because I wanted to linger in Dickson's world. I eagerly await more from Karen Dickson' VICKI BEEBY, author of The Ops Room Girls 'An exciting, fresh and talented new voice - a five-star read!' CAROL RIVERS, author of Molly's Christmas Orphans 'The characters in this novel are so believable that I cared deeply about them from the first chapter. A heartfelt, hopeful account of one young woman's fight to keep her child safe when all the odds are against her. Atmospheric and beautifully written' JAN CASEY, author of The Women of Waterloo Bridge

Meg just wants to keep her family together. Her mother is desperately ill and her sister is still in school so it is up to her to support them. All Meg knows to do is bake and desperation leads her to Ted Lund, the miserly owner of a local bakery. In a moment of uncharacteristic kindness, he takes pity on Meg and offers her a job. But Ted's charity ends there. He'll save money at any costs, cutting corners by using sawdust in his bread, ignoring vermin in his flour, and paying Meg a pittance. But despite her mistreatment, Meg can see what the bakery might yet be. Using her baking skills, can she turn the shop around?

Power, passion and a devastating fight for the crown - discover the gripping story of Oliver Cromwell's youngest daughter. Perfect for fans of Anne O'Brien, Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory 'A powerful and superbly researched historical novel' Andrew Taylor, author of The Last Protector 1657. The youngest daughter of Oliver Cromwell, eighteen-year-old Frances is finding her place at England's new centre of power. Following the turmoil of Civil War, a fragile sense of stability has returned to the country. Her father has risen to the unprecedented position of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, and Frances has found herself transported from her humble childhood home to the sumptuous palaces of Hampton Court and Whitehall, where she dreams of romance. But after an assassination attempt on the Cromwell family, Frances realises the precarious danger of her position - and when her father is officially offered the crown, Frances' fate becomes a matter of diplomatic and dynastic importance. Trapped in the web of court intrigue, Frances must make a choice. Allow herself to be a political pawn, or use her new status to take control - of her own future, and of her country's... *** Readers are swept away by The Puritan Princess: 'There is much to enjoy in this evocation of a family whose lives are so upended by the convulsions of history' Antonia Senior, The Times 'Totally gripping... grab it now. There's a new Cromwell on the shelves!' Minoo Dinshaw, author of Outlandish Knight 'The Puritan Princess is a genuinely moving portrait of the tragedy of the Cromwells at the height of their power, and Miranda Malins handles the tumultuous drama of the last days of the Protectorate with incredible aplomb' S G MacLean, author of the Damian Seeker series 'A beautifully written and captivating true story of personal love and loss enacted against the backdrop of an England dominated by Frances' father, Oliver Cromwell. Deeply knowledgeable about the politics and desires and ideals of the time, Malins nevertheless inhabits her characters and brings them convincingly to life' James Evans, author of EMIGRANTS 'The extraordinary, revealing and moving relationship between Oliver Cromwell and his daughter Frances is brought to vivid life in this masterly historical novel' Paul Lay, author of Providence Lost 'Miranda Malins is a real and fresh new talent. This is beautifully written, exciting fiction from a writer in full command of the history' Suzannah Lipscomb 'A fine and compelling debut novel, giving a fresh slant on a period of British history still unfamiliar to many. Miranda Malins creates a cast of three-dimensional characters, vividly imagined against a deeply researched historical background. A joy to read' Rowan Williams 'This engaging novel brings one of the most momentous but least well known periods of English history vividly to life.' Carolyn Kirby, author of THE CONVICTION OF CORA BURNS 'Miranda Malins has offered us a thrilling debut novel, packed with expert scene-setting and juicy details, bringing to life her characters with aplomb and as a result allowing readers to revel in 17th century England's epicentre of power.' Prof Michael Scott, University of Warwick

From the award winning author of "Bound South" comes a powerful, moving novel of family loss and sisterly redemption.
For more than ten years, Naomi and Phil Harrison enjoyed a marriage of heady romance, tempered only by the needs of their children. But on a vacation alone, the couple perishes in a flight over the Grand Canyon. After the funeral, their daughters, Ruthie and Julia, are shocked by the provisions in their will...not the least of which is that they are to be separated.
Spanning nearly two decades, the sisters' journeys take them from their familiar home in Atlanta to sophisticated bohemian San Francisco, a mountain town in Virginia, the campus of Berkeley, and lofts in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As they heal from loss, search for love, and begin careers, their sisterhood, once an oasis, becomes complicated by resentment, anger, and jealousy. It seems as though the echoes of their parents' deaths will never stop reverberating--until another shocking accident changes everything once again.

A stunningly repackaged edition of this unforgettably stirring wartime tale of passion, heartbreak and tragedy from the bestselling author of A Scent of Lavender and The Willow Pool. From love springs tragedy, from tragedy comes hope... It is 1931 and Rowangarth, Yorkshire is a rural arcadia for sewing-maid Alice Hawthorn and young gamekeeper Tom Dwerryhouse. For Julia Sutton, daughter of Alice's employer, it is also a time of unfolding love for the handsome doctor, Andrew MacMalcolm. But with the outbreak of war their lives will be changed for ever... As Tom and Andrew volunteer to fight for King and Empire so too do Alice and Julia as VAD nurses on the Western Front. All find trials that will test them - and their love - to the limit as passion and hope are tempered by heartbreak and sorrow.

The BRAND NEW wartime saga from the much-loved author of THE TILBURY POPPIES. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Donna Douglas Will she sacrifice her dreams to care for her family? Essex, 1959. Keep the family together, that's what her old mum always said. Put up and shut up. And that's what everyone else did around there. Flo earns her money as a scrubber, cleaning the cruise ships and dreaming of a day when she might sail away from her life in the Dwellings, the squalid tenements of Tilbury docks. Then the Blundell family are evicted from their home. Fred, Flo's husband, finds work at Monday's, a utopian factory town. Suddenly, it seems like everything is on the up for Flo Blundell and her children. Even Jeanie, Flo's sulking teenage daughter, seems to be thawing a little in her shiny new surroundings. But when Fred starts drinking again, he jeopardises the family's chance to escape poverty for good. Flo is faced with a terrible decision. Must she fight to keep her family together? Or could she strive for the life of her dreams - the kind of life she could have when her ship comes in? A heart-warming story of love, loss and friendship, set against the backdrop of post-war England REAL READERS love Sue Wilsher's novels: 'Emotional, sweeping and unputdownable!' 'A superbly good read' 'A powerful, gripping saga' 'A beautiful read. I hope there will be many more novels to follow this one'

Two teenage girls from opposite sides of the tracks in 1960s Midlands England are forced into prostitution in this engrossing tale of loss, liberty, and love. Weep at the relationship between clever Janet and spoiled Priscilla, as their handsome, young English teacher, Mr Edwards - and his corrupting father - become embroiled in their tortuous journeys. But then a smart heroine Tara fatefully enters the fray on a secret detective mission. Dramatic and topical events include a city-slum killing, police malfeasance, newspaper-business bribery, emotional blackmail, destitute homelessness, and a mountaineering adventure. This saga combines a socio-political struggle by the under-privileged against repression, with both feminine and asexual insights into love, to produce a thought-provoking, yet stylishly old-fashioned, romantic rollercoaster.

"NEW YORK TIMES "BESTSELLER
Every woman makes choices. And no one has made more difficult choices than Olivia Grayson. The enormously successful businesswoman missed out on much of her children's lives while she built her legendary home-furnishings empire. In Danielle Steel's character-rich new novel, Olivia faces the past, tries to balance the present, and makes amends where due, while still running her vastly successful business.
THE SINS OF THE MOTHER
As a way of making up to them for time lost, Olivia spends months every year planning a lavish holiday that everyone in her family will enjoy. This summer she has arranged a dream trip in the Mediterranean on a luxurious yacht, which she hopes will be the most memorable vacation of all. Her lavish gesture every year expresses her love for them, and regret at all the important times she missed during her children's younger years. Her younger daughter, Cassie, a hip London music producer, refuses the invitation altogether, as she does every year. Her older daughter, Liz, lives in her mother's shadow, with a terror of failure as she tries to recapture her dream of being a writer. And her sons, John and Phillip, work for Olivia, for better or worse, with wives who wish they didn't. In the splendor of the Riviera, this should be a summer to remember, with Olivia's children, grandchildren, and daughters-in-law on board. But as with any family gathering, there are always surprises, and no matter how glamorous the setting things don't always turn out as ones hopes.
Family dynamics are complicated, old disappointments die hard, and as forgiveness and surprising revelations enter into it, new bonds are formed, and the future takes on a brighter hue. And one by one, with life's irony, Olivia's children find themselves committing the same "sins" for which they blamed their mother for so many years. It is a summer of compassion, important lessons, and truth.
"The Sins of the Mother" captures the many sides of family love: complex, challenging, funny, passionate, and hopefully enduring. Along the way, we are enthralled by an unforgettable heroine, a mother strong enough to take more than her fair share of the blame, wise enough to respect her children for who they really are, and forgiving enough to love them unconditionally.

"From the Hardcover edition."

A dramatic story of bitter rivalry and forbidden love, Pam Evans' London saga, LAMPLIGHT ON THE THAMES, is sure to appeal to fans of Kitty Neale, Katie Flynn and Kate Thompson. Since the end of the war, when Bob Brown had taken over the car workshop in London, Frank Bennett had been trying to get his hands on it. An East Ender made good, Frank was determined to get the prime site - whatever the cost. As children, Bob's daughter Bella and Frank's son Dezi became unlikely friends, though both families disapproved. Years later, their love blossomed, and it seemed that nothing, not even the feud between their fathers, could prevent their marriage. Until Bob's tragic death and his dying request to Bella . . .