When Mike Bennek's ailing grandfather asks him to take time off from work for a research holiday to the Ukraine, Mike eagerly accepts. He looks forward to connecting with his family's past; along with his brothers and a few friends, he embarks on the vacation of a lifetime.

From the moment they arrive, the group becomes enchanted with the different culture surrounding them. Exotic new foods, architectural wonders, and the language itself wrap them in the past. But Mike also realizes that, while the Ukrainian people have not forgotten their troubled past, today they are still being haunted by a harmful Russian influence. It is one more narrative he must add to his grandfather's story.

Mike finds his grandfather's birthplace with the help of the beautiful, strong-willed Natasha. He hears stories from long ago and learns more about his family and their culture than either he or his grandfather thought possible. From traditional Easter eggs and the peasants' disdain for the aristocracy to a benevolent nobleman who played a major role in his family's life, Mike comes to appreciate his grandfather-and his history-more than ever before.

With colorful details of the Ukraine and a dash of romance, "Old Country Surprises" speaks to the importance of family and the bonds of loyalty.

"A Blazing Gilded Age" is the epic story of a volatile nation burning with ambition, yet bleeding with injustice. It was a time of profound change; boldly transforming from an agrarian backwater into an industrial powerhouse. Center stage in this turbulent saga, are the Wozniaks; a poor coal mining family struggling to achieve the elusive American dream. Confronted by the evil ways of their ruthless and depraved boss, Archibald Desmond Huxley, the Wozniak family is thrust into utter turmoil, thus igniting a blazing journey of revenge and survival. During the Wozniaks' quest, the lavish lifestyle of Huxley and his fellow titans, including J.P. Morgan, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Teddy Roosevelt, Mark Twain and others, are woven into the story line, thus painting a broad and vivid canvas of 19th century America. Springing to life are legendary figures and historic events that accurately depict an era boiling with bravado, innovation and astounding progress, yet blistering with corporate greed, class warfare, and political corruption. After many unexpected twists of fate (some fortuitous and others heartbreaking), the Wozniaks emerge victorious, thus finally achieving the American dream, yet not without scars. Both powerful and poignant, "A Blazing Gilded Age" serves as an entertaining and enlightening read of how and why America has gone astray, and why it became a world leader. While on a personal level, it imparts the harrowing, yet triumphant, tale of a family's struggle to survive in an age that, in many ways, was as dark and rough as coal, and, at times, could be as blazing as Hell.

Young World War II veteran George Edwards needs a drink-all the time. Although it is a new year-1952-in New York City, George's life remains the same. As he centers his daily routine around a whiskey bottle, George begins to drive both himself and his devoted wife, Margie, straight into the depths of destitution. George is bitter. Once he was a star ballplayer with lofty goals, but his dreams have been shattered by the injuries he suffered while serving in North Africa. Now George entertains himself by insulting others, including Margie, a devoted Catholic who is torn between the demands of her faith and the need to escape the verbal abuse she endures daily. Desperate for love and attention, she somehow finds herself in bed with Doc Hayden. But even though George is a drunk, he is no fool. Now it appears that the only way George and Margie will ever survive is to go their separate ways. "I Really Wanna Go Home" is the compelling tale of a young couple's struggle to escape poverty and the effects of a debilitating disease destined to transport both on distinct journeys that soon meet in a catastrophic collision with destiny.

Secrets of the Jam Factory Girls is a moving saga novel of friendship set in the heart of pre-WWI London from bestselling author, Mary Wood. Elsie's worked her way up at Swift's Jam Factory from the shop floor to the top, and now it's her time to shine. But when she's involved in an incident involving her half-sister Millie's new husband, she is forced to keep it secret - the truth could threaten their sisterly bond. Dot is dogged by fear, coming to terms with her mother's rejection of her. She should be enjoying the happiness she craves with her beloved Cess; instead, she's trapped in an asylum, haunted by the horrifying cries of inmates. All she wants is to get married, but what chance is there for her if she's locked away? Millie is trying to build a life with her new husband. But the man she loves is not all he seems . . . Can the Jam Factory girls create the future they all deserve? This historical saga series begins with The Jam Factory Girls.

Marcellus Box is restless, and he does not know how to find what he is missing most in his life. He was raised-up in the deep woods of the "Big Thicket," which is northeast of Houston, Texas. In August of 1926, he receives a mysterious postcard from his cousin, Estella, begging him to come to Loma Linda, California, immediately.

Now, Estella has always held a special place in Marcellus's heart. They have always watched out for each other, and when she and her family left Texas for California, he was desolate He asks for time off from work and then begins his quest across the country as a hobo to join Estella, his Dulcinea. Marcellus's trip to California is also a quest to find the deeper meaning in his life, his destiny.

What drives Marcellus to look deeper into his understanding of life and search for true happiness? We follow him as he travels the rails through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and then into California. He meets fascinating people along the way who stretch his mind. He learns new concepts about the earth's origin; and he experiences a new energy inside himself; which lift s him up to a higher existence.

For readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Kate Furnivall comes a gritty tale of courage, betrayal and love in the most unlikely of places. (Also published as The German Midwife).

Germany, 1944. Taken from the camps to serve the Führer himself, Anke Hoff is assigned as midwife to one of Hitler’s inner circle. If she refuses, her family will die.

Torn between her duty as a caregiver and her hatred for the Nazi regime, Anke is swept into a life unlike anything she’s ever known – and she discovers that many of those at the Berghof are just as trapped as she is. And soon, she’s falling for a man who will make her world more complicated still…

Before long, the couple is faced with an impossible choice – and the consequences could be deadly. Can their forbidden love survive the horrors of war? And, more importantly, will they?

As a drought and the Great Depression continue to ravage Fremont County, Kansas, Deborah Nelson is attempting to raise seven boys, with the help of her neighbors and the spirit of her beloved friend, Grandfather Blue Sky. With her husband, Christian, missing for two years, Deborah has had no choice but to learn to rely on herself in uncertain and challenging times.

Even as black blizzards rage throughout the plains, Deborah is still determined not to return to Minnesota where life is sure to be easier. Thankfully, her bachelor neighbor, Victor Whitesong, has agreed to share parenting responsibilities, relieving some of her burden. Encouraged by the county agent, Deborah implements Roosevelt's conservation programs on her land. Tensions escalate as the KKK wreaks havoc on the community, forcing it to take action. Deborah and Victor fall in love. But they must keep their relationship secret, fearing the sheriff, who already abhors Deborah and suspects they caused harm to her husband, even though his body has never been found.

In this continuing historical saga, Deborah is about to discover the depths of racial prejudice when she opens her heart to her Indian friends and changes the dynamic of her family once again.

Don't miss the sixth and final book in the heartwarming six-part series from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author Dilly Court! Dolly's dreams could lead her astray . . . Dolly Blanchard dreams of a bigger life. She wants to make a mark on the world, not simply wait for a husband to come along. So when an impoverished actress offers her a lifeline, Dolly flees to London, determined to make it on the stage and prove to her family - and herself - that she can strike out alone. But the dark city streets are full of danger. With her dreams fading to dust, Dolly soon finds herself in peril. And with the family's future under threat at Rockwood Castle, and secrets tumbling out of the shadows, she faces a difficult choice. Will her heart call her home? Dilly's novel Sunday's Child hit #1 in the Sunday Times bestselling charts the w/e 25th June 2022.

A heady historical drama about a British family who open an upper-class hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the 'Roaring 20s'. Hotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting for its owner Bella Ainsworth. Her high-class guests are demanding and hard to please. And she's being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, who threatens to drag her into the red-hot cauldron of Mussolini's Italy. To make matters worse, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are still struggling to recover from the repercussions of the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her son Lucian, but events don't go to plan, which will have far reaching consequences for the whole family. Set in the breathtakingly beautiful Italian Riviera, Hotel Portofino is a story of personal awakening at a time of global upheaval and of the liberating influence of Italy's enchanting culture, climate and cuisine on British 'innocents abroad', perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and The Crown.

When they meet at a summer camp, two ten-year-old boys from opposite worlds become friends and begin an exciting series of exploits that will test their mettle and friendship. Court-ordered forced busing, for the sole purpose of integrating the school system, leads to tumultuous, chaotic times in a city suddenly torn apart by fear and prejudice.The two boys learn the meaning of courage when each must face the shadows of time that follow them from ghetto streets riddled with crime and hostility to unexpected dangers in the local mountains. When confronted with their most jeopardous adventure, DC and Henry meet their destiny.The time is the late 70's. The lives of our two young heroes become forever intertwined through circumstances no one could predict. Bravery is part of life, whether in the forests of Kentucky or in the 'jungles' of Los Angeles.Step into this fascinating, stirring epic of two boys swept up by turbulence and chaos. This is their story in the "Shadows of Time."

It is 1931 in Fremont County, Kansas, and Deborah Nelson's husband, Christian, disappeared months ago. But Deborah has no time to feel sorry for herself. Two children need her love, livestock require feeding, and farm crops must be tilled. Deborah is desperately trying to survive in a man's world-an especially challenging task for a woman believed to be an Indian.

Even after a drought begins to cause dire conditions, Deborah refuses to leave, for her soul is still connected with the land. She decides she must sell her cattle and stop planting wheat and then finds herself fighting a field fire that comes close to burning her farmstead and threatens the life of her old friend. Things go from bad to worse when she, her children, and the community experience the first horrifying dirt storm of the drought. Deborah partners with her closest neighbors to share labor and valuable resources, not realizing that very soon, one neighbor will leave her with five more mouths to feed and a promise he may not be able to keep.

The Marrow of Life continues the saga of one woman's determined journey through the hardships of the Depression and Dust Bowl era as she slowly comes to the realization that she must turn to others for help.

The fourth heartwarming instalment in the Cornish Girls series, coming soon - pre-order now! Can the bonds of motherhood give them the strength they'll need to get through the war? St Ives, Spring 1943. After having given up her baby at seventeen, Sonya is inspired by her work at an orphanage to discover what happened to her daughter twenty-five years ago. Reunited, they struggle to bond whilst braving the war together. Nurse Lily has returned to St Ives to finish training as a midwife. But when old flame Tristan is brought in wounded, she must put the past firmly to bed in order to care for him. And working at Tristan's convalescent home, Mary longs for the romance she reads of in her novels. But her overprotective mother is making that more difficult at every turn... In times of war, the Cornish Girls can rely on one another to make it through. But can they lean on the bonds of motherhood for support too? A heart-warming tale of motherhood in wartime, for fans of Nancy Revell and Donna Douglas. Readers have been swept away by the Cornish Girls: 'Romance...friendship...orphans...family...women helping in any way they can...Don't miss this book' Reader Review 'A lovely historical war story. Can't wait to read what happens next in this saga...' Reader Review 'How nice it was to catch up with [the Cornish Girls]. I so hope [they] continue with their antics...' Reader Review 'Plenty of twists and turns, well written, likeable characters and easy to follow. I'm already looking forward to the next in the series...' Reader Review 'A great read - highly recommended' Reader Review 'A lovely five star read! I look forward to the next one!' Reader Review 'Much loved characters that will stay with you, due to their courage, determination and patriotic spirit - five stars from me' Reader Review

The story opens with the main character, Roberto Alicante, a.k.a.

The Sweet family have run the local bakery for as long as anyone can remember.Twins Ruby and Mary Sweet help their widowed father out when they can. Mary loves baking and has no intention of leaving their small Gloucestershire village. while Ruby dreams of life in London. But as war threatens, there will be changes for all of the Sweet family, with brother Charlie off to serve and cousin Frances facing evacuation. But there will be opportunities, too, as the twins' baking talent catches the attention of the Ministry of Food.... The gripping first instalment in Lizzie Lane's bestselling heartfelt, gripping Sweet Sisters trilogy. Praise for Lizzie Lane: 'A gripping saga and a storyline that will keep you hooked' Rosie Goodwin 'The Tobacco Girls is another heartwarming tale of love and friendship and a must-read for all saga fans.' Jean Fullerton 'Lizzie Lane opens the door to a past of factory girls, redolent with life-affirming friendship, drama, and choices that are as relevant today as they were then.' Catrin Collier 'If you want an exciting, authentic historical saga then look no further than Lizzie Lane.' Fenella J Miller

Fall in love with beloved bestselling author Santa Montefiore's epic tale of romance, secrets, family and friendship. It is 1925 and the war is long over. But much has been lost and life will never truly be the same again. Castle Deverill, cherished home to the Deverill family in the west of Ireland for hundreds of years, has burned to the ground. But young and flighty Celia Deverill is determined to restore the sad ruin to its former glory. Celia married well and has the wealth to keep it in the family... and she cannot bear to see her beloved home stand neglected. But dark shadows are gathering once more, as the financial markets start to shake. And everything that felt so certain is thrown once again into doubt. The second novel in the beloved Deverill Chronicles, perfect for everyone who loves Jojo Moyes, Rosamund Pilcher and Victoria Hislop. ***What readers are saying about Santa Montefiore*** 'Nobody does epic romance like Santa Montefiore. Everything she writes, she writes from the heart' Jojo Moyes 'I have a tendresse for sweeping and epic romantic sagas set around huge houses and aristocratic families and Santa Montefiore hits the spot for me like few other writers... Lush, vivid storytelling' Sarra Manning 'An ideal summer read. Laced with secrets and forbidden liaisons, it is sure to keep you turning the pages' The Lady on The Beekeeper's Daughter 'One of our personal favourites and bestselling authors, sweeping stories of love and families spanning continents and decades' The Times

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