Be careful what you kiss for...

Esme Posorsky is an enigma. She has long been part of community life in the quaint Cornish fishing village of Tremarnock, but does anyone really know her? When an old school friend turns up with a secret from the past, nothing will ever be the same again.

Meanwhile teenager Rosie is excited to find a bottle washed up on the beach with a message from a former German prisoner of war. But little does she know that her discovery will unleash a shocking chain of events that threatens to blow her family apart...

Stockport, 1944. Alice seems to have it all, but the truth is her marriage isn't as solid as it seems. Busy running her husband's family shop while he's at war, everything changes when she meets handsome Louis, fresh in from Guernsey with young evacuee twins Gabriela and Philip. Factory heir Sophie is thrilled to be getting married - if only her mother her mother didn't disapprove! She's marrying for love, but her mother is convinced Tony is marrying for money. Is there more to her concern than Sophie realises? Emily is tired of being pitied as the single friend. She's not averse to marriage but she's in no rush either! When she meets Italian prisoner-of-war Marco, she knows there can be no future. Her brother was killed in Dunkirk and her family would never accept an Italian. A heartwarming and absorbing WW2 saga set in Stockport for fans of Rosie Archer, Maisie Thomas and Nancy Revell.

An odyssey of loss and salvation ranging across four generations of fathers and sons, in the finest tradition of American storytelling. The year is 1966 and a young man named Vollie Frade, almost on a whim, enlists in the United States Marine Corps to fight in Vietnam. Breaking definitively from his rural Iowan parents, Vollie puts in motion a chain of events that sees him go to work for people with intentions he cannot yet grasp. From the Cambodian jungle, to a flophouse in Queens, to a commune in New Mexico, Vollie's path traces a secret history of life on the margins of America, culminating with an inevitable and terrible reckoning. Scibona's story of a restless soldier pressed into service for a clandestine branch of the US government unfolds against the backdrop of the seismic shifts in global politics of the second half of the twentieth century. Epic in scope but intimate in feeling, this is a deeply immersive read from a rising star of American fiction.

Will the coming war divide them . . . ? For as long as she can remember Peggy O'Shea has been expected to work at the family dairy, look after her younger siblings, and eventually marry cow-keeper Martin Gallagher. And that's the way it has predictably gone, apart from one glorious summer when, at the age of eight, she meets handsome Anthony Giardano. But there's bad blood between the Irish O'Sheas and the Italian Giardanos, so perhaps for the sake of both of their families, it's a good thing when Anthony suddenly disappears. Ten years later at the start of the war, Peggy bumps into Anthony again. But as they begin to rekindle their friendship, Italy joins forces with Germany and Liverpool turns on its Italian residents overnight, making any relationship between Peggy and Anthony impossible . . . A gritty World War Two historical saga from Elizabeth Morton the acclaimed author of Angel of Liverpool.

Gripping and tense...a work of literary art."
—Annie Proulx, from her afterword

This new edition of The Power of the Dog marks the return of one of the most powerful and distinctive voices in the literature of the American West.

Set in 1920s Montana, this compelling domestic drama tells the story of two brothers—and of the woman and young boy, mother and son, whose arrival on the brothers' ranch shatters an already tenuous peace. From the novel's startling first paragraph to its very last word, Thomas Savage's voice—and the intense passion and cruelty of his characters—holds readers in thrall.

A desperate young woman's bargain with a wealthy couple is not what it seems. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author and literary phenomenon V.C. Andrews-whose books are now major Lifetime TV movies (Flowers in the Attic, Heaven, Ruby)-comes a gothic tale of big city dreams gone wrong. The English countryside is beautiful, but for Emma Corey it cannot compare with the bright lights of New York City. Tired of performing only in pubs and at church, she announces she's moving to America-and her conservative father disowns her on the spot. Distraught but undeterred, Emma will become a Broadway star-or die trying. Leaving the comforts of her youth is a thrilling adventure. The largeness of the city, her new friends, the boundless opportunities make everything shine with promise. However, New York has a way of chipping away at a newcomer's resolve. First a robbery. Then a low-wage job. Then the realization that such a city attracts the young and the talented-competitors all. Just when it seems like Emma might have to admit defeat and return to the UK, she is introduced to a peculiar couple: a wife that cannot bear children of her own, and a husband who would pay Emma to solve that problem. Emma's father once told her, "Money is life." But when Emma trades one for the other and moves into the couple's remote estate to participate in an elaborate ruse, there's no telling what kind of life she'll have once she's taken the money.

Winner, National Indie Excellence Award 2021 Best Regional Fiction - Southwest Finalist, National Indie Excellence Award 2021 Literary Fiction Finalist, National Indie Excellence Award 2021 Best Fiction Cover Design Winner, Independent Press Award 2021 Literary Fiction Jacobo's Rainbow is an historical literary novel set primarily in the nineteen sixties during the convulsive period of the student protest movements and the Vietnam War. It focuses on the issue of being an outsider the 'other' an altogether common circumstance that resonates with readers in today's America. Written from a Jewish perspective, it speaks to universal truths that affect us all. On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of a transformative event in Jacobo's life the day he is sent to jail he writes about what happened behind the scenes of the Free Speech Movement which provides the backdrop for a riveting story centered on his emergence into a world he never could have imagined. His recording of those earlier events is the proximate cause of his being arrested. Jacobo is allowed to leave jail under the condition of being drafted, engages in gruesome fighting in Vietnam, and returns to continue his work of chronicling America in the throes of significant societal changes. Jacobo's Rainbow is a story of triumph over adversity (hypocrisy, loss, lies, murder, concealment, prejudice) that is told with vivid descriptions, perceptive insights, humor and sensitivity, which enables the reader to identify with the characters who come to life in a realistic fashion to illustrate who we are, how we behave, and what causes us to change. It can be read on three levels: (1) The story of what it was like to have lived through and been a participant in the Free Speech Movement and the Vietnam War ('The Sixties'); (2) A metaphor for what is going on college campuses today, in terms of the shutting down of speech and the rise of anti-Semitism; and (3) What life is like for the 'outsider.'

The East End of London, 1930. Work is scarce, food is in short supply and there is political unrest on the streets. But in the face of all this hardship, there's always friendship. Becky, Bernie and Rose - three best friends from very different backgrounds - are working hard to establish themselves in pre-war Spitalfields. Becky, the daughter of a Jewish tailor, wants to become a nurse, but her father has more traditional plans for her. Aching to leave the East End and travel the world, Bernie feels trapped by her vast family of poor Irish dock workers. And then there is Rose. Tiny and thin, she lives with her drunken mother and a revolving selection of surrogate fathers who exploit and brutalise them both. But at least the girls have each other and, as Europe begins to drift towards another war, their friendships become ever more crucial as each one of them fights for their place in an ever-changing, frightening, new world. One way or another, love will pull them through . . .

The #1 New York Times bestselling historical epic, the Century Trilogy, now in one deluxe boxed set. Ken Follett follows the fortunes of five international families-American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh-as they make their way through the 20th century. The boxed set includes all three volumes: Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, and Edge of Eternity. "[Follett] is a commanding storyteller who has taken on an impossibly large task and accomplished it with passion, intelligence, and skill." -The Washington Post "Follett is masterly in conveying so much drama and historical information so vividly . . . grippingly told." -The New York Times Book Review Look out for Ken's newest book, A Column of Fire, available now.

Can this orphan ever fulfil her nursing dreams...? After her mother's death, Dora is sent to live with her father and his other family. But Dora is mixed race and illegitimate, two facts that see her treated as little more than a servant by her step-mother and half siblings. This doesn't stop the son of the house abusing his position and Dora finds herself on the streets and pregnant... Sent to the local workhouse, Dora's future looks bleak but she still dreams of a better life where she can help others as her late mother did with her herbal remedies. But can a girl from a workhouse ever achieve anything, let alone become one of Florence Nightingale's nurses?

Two friends discover that life doesn't always turn out as one would expect in this absorbing family saga. It's not always easy living in a close-knit community where everyone knows everyone else's business. Growing up in a quiet West Country village, butcher's daughter Rebecca Peterson and her best friend Cindy Mason are keen to expand their horizons and see more of the world. On leaving school, Rebecca heads off to university in Cardiff, while Cindy gets a job at the new local supermarket - but dreams of becoming a model or actress. The two friends promise to keep in touch. But when tragedy strikes, rumours and suspicion engulf the village, and the longstanding friendship between the Peterson and Mason families looks set to be torn apart. Will Rebecca and Cindy's friendship survive? Will Rebecca ever see Cindy again?

Can happiness be found in a family ruled by duty?A new generation of the Pengarron family enter centre-stage with the departure of Lady Kerensa and Sir Oliver for London. Kelynen, their youngest daughter, is left resentful and upset by her father's treatment of her: though she had been looking forward to running the estate single-handedly, Sir Oliver has unexpectedly forbidden it, and instead ordered her brother Luke, the selfish son and heir, to forget his playwriting career and return to Pengarron. It seems at first that only Kane, the eldest of the siblings - and the only one to be adopted - is truly happy... Pengarron Rivalry is the fifth and final book in the sweeping Pengarron Sagas and an ideal read for fans of Janet Woods, Anna Jacobs or Poldark. The Pengarron Sagas Pengarron Land Pengarron Pride Pengarron's Children Pengarron Dynasty Pengarron Rivalry

1877, Durham. After a traumatic and harrowing incident at the hands of a stranger, a woman gives birth to a child. However, she is persuaded by her husband to give him up to a local couple. On the same dark and stormy night, a local pit owner turns his wife out onto the bleak moors, telling her son she is evil. The woman is never seen again. 1895, Durham. Twenty years later, these seemingly unrelated events have shaped the characters of two unloved boys, who have now grown to be men. They, in turn, are about to change the lives of two innocent young women as the past reaches out and casts a shadow over the present. Praise for Elizabeth Gill 'Original and evocative - a born storyteller' Trisha Ashley 'A wonderful book, full of passion, pain, sweetness, twists and turns. I couldn't put it down' Sheila Newberry 'Elizabeth Gill writes with a masterful grasp of conflicts and passions' Leah Fleming 'An enthralling and satisfying novel that will leave you wanting more' Catherine King 'If you love Catherine Cookson then you will love Elizabeth Gill' Northern Echo

In this, his fourth work of fiction, Bechard takes readers from nineteenth-century Prince Edward Island to modern-day Iraq, tracing the story of a North American family that is at once singular and emblematic, and exploring the cultural repercussions of war and violence. Reinventing themselves in often unexpected ways, the characters in this tapestry defy simplification. A pair of half-brothers come together and drift apart, one passive and risk-averse, the other driven by a passionate desire to understand their reclusive father. A student of Mesopotamian archaeology encounters a young Iraqi man and soon finds himself in Kurdistan, researching stolen artifacts along with mysteries in his father's past. An Irish-Acadian soldier carries his fiddle and folk song across the battlefields of the First World War. An orphan-turned-assassin pursues his target across the deserts of Mexico and Texas, using a novel as evidence for his location. Growing together and then apart, these and others chase their dreams and run from their nightmares, hungry for life and longing for purpose. Animated throughout by a striking beauty and ferocity, A Song from Faraway pieces together "stories we tell about ourselves," illuminating the human condition and our times.

For college student Emily Sheppard, the thought of spending a summer alone in New York is much more preferable than spending it in France with her parents. Just completing her freshman year at Callister University, Emily faces a quiet summer in the city slums, supporting herself by working at the campus library. During one of her jogs through the nearby cemetery while visiting her brother Bill's grave, Emily witnesses a brutal killing-and then she blacks out. When Emily regains consciousness, she realizes she's been kidnapped by a young crime boss and his gang. She is hurled into a secret underworld, wondering why she is still alive and for how long. Held captive in rural Vermont, she tries to make sense of her situation and what it means. While uncovering secrets about her brother and his untimely death, Emily falls in love with her very rich and very dangerous captor, twenty-six-year-old Cameron. She understands it's a forbidden love and one that won't allow her to return to her previous life. But love may not be enough to save Emily when no one even knows she is missing.

When everyone's deserted her, can she find the strength to go on? Reach for Tomorrow is a heart-warming saga of a young woman's indomitable spirit and determination to survive no matter what, from much-loved author Rita Bradshaw. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Rosie Goodwin. 'What an emotional rollercoaster ride of a book! It grabs your attention from page one and does not let go until the end' - Sunderland Echo Rosie Ferry is hardly more than a child when her father and brothers are lost in a pit disaster. She has to grow up fast when her mother falls apart, leaving Rosie in charge of her two sisters. It's Rosie who finds them lodgings, Rosie who tramps the streets looking for work. Without her friends Davey and Flora, Rosie doesn't know how she'd cope. Then Davey - the boy Rosie always thought she'd marry - abruptly leaves Sunderland, and to make matters worse her mother turns to drink. It's almost more than she can bear, but Rosie is tougher than she looks, and she's determined to keep the family together. What readers are saying about Reach for Tomorrow: 'I felt as though I was transported in time. I found the book very emotive in places and extremely easy to read' 'Another lovely story from this very talented writer. The characters are vivid and believable, the storyline keeps you guessing' 'Hard to put down and at times will make you cry and in the next minute heart-burstingly happy'

Quicksilver is the story of Daniel Waterhouse, fearless thinker and conflicted Puritan, pursuing knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of Baroque-era Europe, in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight.

It is a chronicle of the breathtaking exploits of "Half-Cocked Jack" Shaftoe -- London street urchin turned swashbuckling adventurer and legendary King of the Vagabonds -- risking life and limb for fortune and love while slowly maddening from the pox.

And it is the tale of Eliza, rescued by Jack from a Turkish harem to become spy, confidante, and pawn of royals in order to reinvent Europe through the newborn power of finance.

A gloriously rich, entertaining, and endlessly inventive novel that brings a remarkable age and its momentous events to vivid life, Quicksilver is an extraordinary achievement from one of the most original and important literary talents of our time.

And it's just the beginning ...