The third in a series of books featuring four young women whose lives will be forever changed by WWII. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn. As the daughter of the local cinema manager, Sally Brewer has always dreamed of stardom. When she gets offered a theatre job in London, any fancy notions she has are quickly dashed when faced with the reality of long hours with no prospect of a speaking part. But all of this goes out of Sally's mind once the nightly hail of German bombs start to rain down on London. She joins the newly-formed ENSA, the Entertainments National Service Association and is soon raising morale all over the bombed-out city - there is little time for love. One night, Sally discovers a valuable ring sewn into the lining of a cloak. Intrigued, she tracks down the owner - a Naval Officer called Jonathan - but they barely have time to get to know each other before he is recalled to sea. Then Sally gets the terrible news that his ship has been destroyed. With only the ring to remember him by, can Sally face the future without the man she loves?

'She brings the East End to life' Barbara Windsor It is 1970 when 20-year-old Cathy falls in love with Johnny Dean, and becomes pregnant. A young docker, Johnny offers to marry Cathy - but what she doesn't know is that his gambling has got out of hand. He owes favours to the wrong sort and to clear his debt gets involved in a serious theft at the docks... Though Cathy is supported financially by Johnny's family, looking after a baby as a single mother isn't easy, and she's beginning to get lonely. When she meets a handsome young antiques dealer, friendship might not be enough for either of them. But will she be able to stop Johnny finding out? A captivating romantic saga from Sally Worboyes, author of Banished from Bow and Jamaica Street.

A gripping romantic saga full of secrets and intrigue from the author of Time Will Tell and Jamaica Street. After being abandoned as a child in 19th-century London's East End, a ragged and terrified Harriet was eventually found and taken into Mary Dean's house in Bow. There it was decided she would be brought up as a sister to Mary and her younger brother Arthur. But seventeen years later, Harriet and Arthur have fallen in love, and Harriet is pregnant. Driven out of Bow by neighbours who spit at them, the pair are forced to seek refuge in Stepney where, for a time, they are happy. But it is not long before Harriet is forced to protect a dark secret once more. She has kept something she stole as a child: the diary of a criminal who committed terrible acts. Now the owner of the diary has returned to the East End in search of it, and will stop at nothing to get it back . . .

A romantic saga that will have you gripped, from the author of Time Will Tell and Banished From Bow. When Errol Turner, a handsome and determined young man from Jamaica, came to London's East End in the summer of 1955, his only assets were his father's old sewing machine, a few pounds in his pocket and a faith in the greatness of Britain. Four years later, in love with the charismatic Rita, he is making his mark as a tailor - but in the aftermath of the race riots, racial hatred still simmers throughout London, endangering all their hopes. Rita's best friend Maggie and her flamboyant great aunt Naomi try to ease the couple's fears. But far more sinister activities are going on under their own roof. When a woman is found murdered, vicious rumours and suspicions explode. It will take grit and cunning to bring the killer to light - and a true testing of friendship.

'She brings the East End to life' Barbara Windsor In the late summer of 1952, amidst the turmoil of people moving out of their war-damaged homes, Edie Birch and her only child Maggie must say a sad farewell to old friends and neighbours. A new start is always daunting but helped along by the enthusiasm of her flamboyant Aunt Naomi, new friendships are forged and a brighter life begins for Edie. She even meets a new man. Outside of her happy orbit, however, a dark secret threatens to destroy her world. Aunt Naomi and her not-so-law-abiding friends must join forces to shield Edie. But can they stop the cruel hand of fate from delivering a blow which could expose the shameful truth? A compelling and heartbreaking family for fans of Nadine Dorries, Kitty Neale and Katie Flynn.

As the only female cabinet maker in the valley in 1935, Frankie Redfern is unusual. She faces prejudice even from her own mother. But she's content working for her father, and is unwilling to give up her independence or the work she loves for marriage. When her husband falls gravely ill, Frankie's mother takes over, causing serious trouble for her daughter. And her cousin, an unscrupulous local builder, starts to help her for his own reasons. Jericho Harte has never met a woman he wanted to marry until he bumps into Frankie on the moors. When she comes to him the next day with an extraordinary suggestion, it seems a marriage of convenience might suit them both. Or could their relationship become more than that? But Frankie's problems worsen as her father goes missing from hospital. Is there more to his illness than met the eye? Can Frankie and Jericho help uncover the truth and put an end to the danger she's in before it's too late? Readers are loving the Birch End series! 'Amazing' - 5 STARS 'Thank you, Anna, for the pleasure you give in all your books' - 5 STARS 'Another brilliant, hard-to-put-down book' - 5 STARS 'Can't wait for the next instalment' - 5 STARS 'A real page turner, I can't wait to read the next one' - 5 STARS 'Another triumph for Anna Jacobs' - 5 STARS 'BRILLIANT READ' - 5 STARS

What price will she pay for following her heart? Eighteen-year-old domestic servant Kate Stacey is passionately in love with David Owen, the brother of Lady Helen Sherwood. They both know their romance would be a scandal but seeing a chance for them to spend more time together, David recommends Kate as nanny to his young nieces at Bramwood Hall. Their secret relationship is soon discovered and he is recalled to his father's industrial empire in the Welsh Valleys, while Kate is abruptly dismissed. Kate follows her heart, and David, to Wales. However, she is shocked by the poverty and squalid conditions on which the Owen fortune is built. As her sympathies increasingly lie with the workers, she finds herself dangerously caught up in their political cause. Her love for David endures, but is he strong enough to defy his father - and can Kate contemplate a future built on the proceeds of human misery? A heartwarming historical saga of love against the odds, perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Mollie Walton.

Distant Signs is an intimate portrait of two families spanning three generations amidst turbulent political change, behind and beyond the Berlin Wall. In 1960s East Germany, Margret, a professor's daughter from the city, meets and marries Hans, from a small village in the Thuringian forest. The couple struggle to contend with their different backgrounds, and the emotional scars they bear from childhood in the aftermath of war. As East German history gradually unravels, with collision of the personal and political, their two families' hidden truths are quietly revealed. An exquisitely written novel with strongly etched characters that stay with you long after the book is finished and an authentic portrayal of family life behind the iron curtain based on personal experience of the author who is East German and was 16 years old at the fall of the Berlin Wall.

When there's so much to be afraid of, can May help bring festive cheer to the Ops Room?After failing to help evacuee siblings whom she witnesses being separated, May wishes she'd had the confidence to speak up. When Jess suggests a pantomime to boost morale on the station, May is desperate to help - but is held back by her own insecurities. With her low self-esteem also affecting her relationship with Squadron Leader Peter Travis, May is fed up with being her own worst enemy and decides to take charge of her destiny. But the past she ran from, plus a crisis with one of the evacuees, throw May into the midst of a drama that will test all of her newfound confidence. May, Jess and Evie must work together once again to help each other through the challenges of war and of their own hearts. This heartwarming WAAF saga is perfect for fans of Daisy Styles, Kate Thompson and Rosie Clarke. Praise for Vicki Beeby'A fabulous tale of courage, comradeship and romance.' Glynis Peters, author of The Secret Orphan 'A lovely book. Vicki Beeby is a saga author to watch.' Margaret Dickinson, Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author 'Entertaining from beginning to end. I can't recommend it highly enough.' Gemma Jackson, bestselling author of the Ivy Rose series 'This is a wonderful story of hope, love and friendship during the Second World War.' Reader review 'Another wonderful book in this series, characters that come alive, and a storyline I enjoy following from book to book. Saga lovers this is a series for you.' Reader review 'This was the most charming, evocative and beautiful book. The friendship between May, Jess and Evie, the ops rooms girls, is joyously written and their characters lovingly drawn and expanded. This is a many layered book, it will leave you wanting more!' Reader review

A captivating Cornish saga set at the turn of the century, from the bestselling author of The Boy With No Boots and The Girl by the River Following a terrible storm, seven-year-old Lottie is rescued from a shipwreck by local Cornishman, Arnie Lanroska. Her clothing suggests she comes from a wealthy family, but Lottie's back bears the scars of a severe beating, and how she came to be on a cargo ship in the first place remains a mystery . . . Arnie and his wife already have two young children, Matt and Tom, but are desperate to keep Lottie. They decide to foster her, despite outcries from the local community, and though Matt appears hesitant to get close to Lottie, Tom quickly warms to the new sister in his life. But when tragedy strikes the very heart of the Lanroska family, the repercussions could change the lives of everyone close to them . . . A nostalgic and heart-warming family saga, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Margaret Dickinson

Set in the Yorkshire Dales during the 19th century, The Miner's Wife by Diane Allen is a sweeping historical saga novel. Nineteen-year-old Meg Oversby often dreams of a more exciting life than the dull existence she faces at her family's farm deep in the Yorkshire Dales. Growing up, she's always sensed her father's disappointment at not having a son to help with the farm work. So when Meg dances all night at the local market hall with Sam Alderson, a lead miner from Swaledale, a new light enters her life. Sam and his brother Jack show Meg a side to life she didn't know existed. But when her parents find out, she's forbidden from ever seeing them again. Although where there is love, there is often a way. When Meg's uncle offers her the chance of helping to run the small village shop, she leaps at the opportunity, seeing it as a way to escape the oppressive family farm and see more of her beloved Sam. But as love blossoms, a darker truth emerges and Meg realizes that Sam may not be the man she thought he was . . .

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, KATIE FLYNN 'Ellie's a true Flynn heroine with her compassion and bravery. A fine Mother's Day gift for fans' Peterborough Evening Telegraph 'Packed with romance and poignancy' Woman 'Romantic and poignant... Fans of historical fiction will love the details and warmth of Katie Flynn's wartime tale' Woman's Own ________________________________________ Liverpool, 1940: There comes a moment in every child's life when they must learn to stand on their own two feet. For fifteen-year-old Ellie Lancton, that time has come all too soon. The death of her mother and the increase in air raids leaves Ellie alone and in grave danger. It's not long before she is forced to leave her beloved Liverpool behind and cross the Mersey to seek refuge in the countryside. But as the war takes comforts away, so too does it bring new opportunities; for work, new friendships, and perhaps a little love... It will take all of Ellie's courage to find her way without her mother's guidance. But if Ellie can soldier on with grace and dignity, there might just be light at the end of the tunnel.

In the Four Streets, a dreadful murder has been committed and 14-year-old Kitty Doherty is pregnant with the dead man's child. This secret is so dangerous that it is decided Kitty must go to Ireland to await the baby's birth. But in Liverpool, the police aren't giving up their search for the truth. Somewhere, in this tight-knit Irish Catholic community, someone must know something. The streets are alive with gossip and rumour, and it isn't easy to keep a secret that big. Another stunning novel from the bestselling author of The Four Streets.

After twenty years, Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca, but instead of receiving the homecoming he had hoped for finds himself caught in an intense battle of wills with his faithful and long-suffering wife Penelope. When Penelope recognizes him under the guise of a beggar, she becomes furious with him for not trusting her enough to include her in his plans for ridding the palace of the Suitors. As a result, she plays her own game of fictions to make him suffer for this lack of faith, inspiring jealousy, self-doubt, and misgivings in her husband, the legendary Homeric hero. In this captivating retelling of the Odyssey, Penelope rises as a major force with whom to be reckoned. Shifting between first-person reflections, Ithaca Forever reveals the deeply personal and powerful perspectives of both wife and husband as they struggle for respect and supremacy within a marriage that has been on hold for twenty years. Translated by PEN award-winner Douglas Grant Heise, Luigi Malerba's novel gives us a remarkable version of this greatest work of western literature: Odysseus as a man full of doubts and Penelope as a woman of great depth and strength.

The final gripping instalment of the bestselling Four Streets trilogy which began with The Four Streets and continued in Hide Her Name. Christmas morning, 1963. Fifteen-year-old Kitty Doherty gives birth in a cold, unfriendly Irish convent. She knows her beautiful baby boy presents a huge danger to her family's Catholic community back in Liverpool's Four Streets. When her baby is adopted by a wealthy family in Chicago, Kitty considers the problem solved. But soon it's obvious the baby is very sick and only his birth mother can save him. In Liverpool, a charismatic new priest has arrived. As the Dohertys cope with the tragic consequences of Kitty's pregnancy, the police seem close to solving the double murder which rocked the Four Streets to the core. But now all that is about to be put at risk once again.

A passionate and heartwarming saga from the bestselling author of CUSTARD TARTS AND BROKEN HEARTS. January 1947. The war is over. But London is still a wasteland. After eight years in the ATS, Hattie Wright returns to a Bermondsey she doesn't recognise. With so few jobs, she reluctantly takes work at the Alaska fur factory - a place rife with petty rivalries that she vowed never to set foot in again. But while she was a rising star in the ATS, Hattie's work mates are unforgiving in her attempts to promote herself up from the factory floor. After journeying across the world to Australia to marry her beloved, Clara is betrayed and returns penniless, homeless and trying to raise a child in the face of prejudice. While war widow, Lou, has lost more than most in the war. Her daughter and parents were killed in an air raid bomb blast and her surviving son, Ronnie, is fending for himself and getting into all kinds of trouble. The lifelong friendship these women forge while working in the fur factory will help them overcome crippling grief and prejudice in post-war Britain and to find hope in tomorrow. PRAISE FOR HATTIE'S HOME: 'Mary transported me right into the heart of Bermondsey and the damage, heartache and devastation the war had left behind. The sights, smells, wreckage, the poverty, it was all so real. Yet even in such dark times friendship and the community shines through' Dash F, Netgalley reviewer. 'If you want a real taste of East London life before 1914, and the horrors and occasional laughs the times could bring - this is a must read' Mark Ryes, Amazon reviewer. 'This is an absolute joy from start to finish and it's clear that Mary Gibson has a passion for history and a good yarn! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the reality of life for women in the period leading up to the Great War without the safety net of the Welfare State to fall back on. It's one of the best historic fiction books I've read in a long time' History Geek, Amazon reviewer. 'Gritty, heart-felt and very real. Gibson really gives you a clear understanding of what life was like ... If you are a fan of Nadine Dorries you will love this' Rachel, Amazon reviewer. 'I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters, in my opinion certainly worth 5 stars!' Shelley, Amazon reviewer.

A sweeping historical tale of family, passion and love from bestselling novelist Claire Lorrimer. Until her father died, Adela Carstairs had lived in a secure and loving home. Then happiness was shattered when her mother remarries a cruel, hard-drinking man. With her younger brother and sister, Adela is forced to flee his drunken rages and they escape to London where they seek refuge in the squalor of the back streets. Addie's desperate hope is that her childhood companions, the Mallory twins, will find and rescue them. When all three find themselves caught up in the danger and terror of revolutionary France, the twins prove invaluable. It was to be an experience which would test their friendship, and love, to the limit.

A heartbreaking novel from the bestselling author of The Four Streets. Noleen Delaney is one of an army of night cleaners at St Angelus Hospital. Son Finn has done something unheard-of and passed his Eleven Plus exam. How on earth will they pay for his books, his grammar school uniform and shoes? Bronia Ryan has battled depression since her husband died and now one of her sons is in prison. Her youngest, Lorcan, wants no part of a life of crime, but how can he ever escape? Or protect his mother from her vicious eldest son? As usual, St Angelus is at the heart of things. Life and death, love and loss, jealousies, rivalries and betrayals are woven into a rich tapestry in Nadine's great series about poverty, sacrifice and community spirit in post-war Liverpool and the early days of the NHS. Can't wait for the next one? CHRISTMAS ANGELS is out now! What people are saying about THE MOTHERS OF LOVELY LANE: 'I have loved this series from the first book, and with each new book, I was never disappointed' 'So many powerful characters, especially the women' 'Good stories, believable characters that make you sad, happy and hopeful for them' 'Nadine Dorries has done it again - had me gripped from page one'

The new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Josephine Cox - the master storyteller. With her family's fate resting on her shoulders, Evie learns her lessons in life fast. It's going to take a woman's courage to find a new beginning... One night, after her father gambles everything away, Evie and her family are forced to do a moonlight flit. It's a fresh start in the South, where no-one knows their name, and Evie desperately misses all they've left behind. Yet Evie's troubles are just beginning. Her mother, worn down by life, deserts them for a new man, and with her grandmother's sight failing, Evie must carry the burden of earning their keep. Holding the family together becomes harder when tragedy strikes at its heart, but there is hope on the horizon . . . Evie Carter just needs the courage to change the fortunes of her family. Praise for Josephine Cox 'Cox's talent as storyteller never lets you escape the spell' Daily Mail 'Family secrets threaten to ruin everything in this beautiful tale of love and sadness' Woman's Own 'Another masterpiece' Best