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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > Sagas
Discover the bestselling Mulberry Lane historical series by Rosie Clarke.London 1958 Life has moved on since the war and the youngsters of Mulberry Lane are growing up fast. Peggy's Ronaski's family is struggling with growing pains but she is always there, strong, reliable and ready to help whenever a crisis hits. Meanwhile, Maureen Hart has family problems of her own to contend with. Together they will work hard to conquer all of what life has to throw at them... Join Peggy and Maureen as their siblings embark on life's new adventures and try to forge a partnerships for success. What does the future hold for the families and friends of Mulberry Lane? Praise for the Mulberry Lane series: 'When it comes to writing sagas, Rosie Clarke is up there with some of the best in the business' Bookish Jottings. 'Full of drama, romance and secrets ... A perfect example of its genre' That Thing She Reads. 'This is wonderful historical fiction that is so character-driven you'll wish these women lived on your street' 'Absolutely loved this latest instalment and revisiting the ladies of the Lane. Another great story of love and heartache'
September 1953, London's East End. Edie Birch, who believes herself to be a war widow, has finally allowed herself to fall in love again. Engaged to be married, she is happily planning her wedding day. But fate has a blow in store - her 15-year-old daughter, Maggie, is pregnant. A plan has been hatched to stop her daughter from falling from grace. Hidden away above an Italian cafe in Islington until she is ready to give birth Maggie works long hours behind the scenes while her mother Edie feigns pregnancy. The charade works until the baby arrives and hard decisions are to be made. Can Maggie return home and cope with the pretense of her own child being her brother? And will the truth out once Edie's first husband turns up to demand his rights as grandfather?
Winner of the Prix Maison de la Presse An epic love story set against a backdrop of injustice, devastating secrets, and the painful price of independence. It's 1967 in the Chagos Archipelago-a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean-and life is peaceful and easy for hardworking Marie. Her fierce independence and love for her home are quickly apparent to Gabriel, the handsome and sophisticated Mauritian secretary to the archipelago's administrator; it's love at first sight. As these two lovers from neighboring islands welcome a new son, Josephin, a bright future seems possible. But Gabriel is hiding a terrible secret. The Mauritian government is negotiating independence from Britain, and this deal with the devil will mean evacuating the Chagos, without warning or mercy-a betrayal that will put their love to the test. Inspired by a shocking travesty of justice, the repercussions of which still reverberate more than fifty years later, bestselling Franco-Mauritian author Caroline Laurent paints a shimmering portrait of island life, a sensual paradise lost, and a gorgeous star-crossed love against all odds.
Her sister paid a terrible price. Can she avoid the same fate?A quest for revenge leads a young woman to a new friend, but also puts her in grave danger. Can love triumph over evil? Chester, 1907. Emma Griffiths' sister took her own life when she became pregnant out of wedlock to a man who refused to take responsibility. Now Emma is out to avenge her sister's death. Emma leaves her job as a maid, no longer willing to put up with unwanted attention from her employer. As poverty threatens to engulf her, she meets another young servant, Alice, who is struggling to escape her own unhappy past. Emma and Alice become close and it soon becomes apparent that the two girls' lives may be linked in more ways than one. Just as she finds love Emma's newfound happiness is threatened when she realises that she may not be the only one seeking revenge...
'Real sagas with female characters right at the heart' Jane Garvey, Woman's Hour If you love Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, you'll LOVE Glenda Young's 'amazing novels!' (ITV's This Morning presenter Sharon Marshall) 'In the world of historical saga writers, there's a brand new voice' My Weekly 'She's just a paper mill girl.' Seventeen-year-old Ruth Hardy works long hours at Grange Paper Works, with her younger sister Bea, and spends her free time caring for their ailing parents. Their meagre income barely covers their needs, so when Bea reveals that she is pregnant out of wedlock, Ruth knows even tougher times are ahead. Ruth's hard work at the mill does not go unnoticed and it looks as though her luck might turn when she's promoted. But when the arrival of Bea's baby girl ends in tragedy, Ruth is left with no choice but to bring up her niece herself. However, news of Ruth's plan brings a threatening menace close. Although Ruth's friendship with the girls at the mill, and the company of charming railway man, Mick Carson, sustain her, ultimately Ruth bears the responsibility for keeping her family safe. Will she ever find happiness of her own? What readers are saying about Glenda's heartwrenching sagas: 'Better than a Catherine Cookson' 5* reader review 'Wonderful read, full of rich characters, evocative description and a touch of romance' 5* reader review 'Just wanted it to go on forever and read more about the characters and their lives' 5* reader review Praise for Glenda Young: 'I really enjoyed Glenda's novel. It's well researched and well written and I found myself caring about her characters' Rosie Goodwin 'Will resonate with saga readers everywhere...a wonderful, uplifting story' Nancy Revell 'All the ingredients for a perfect saga and I loved Meg; she's such a strong and believable character. A fantastic debut' Emma Hornby 'Glenda has an exceptionally keen eye for domestic detail which brings this local community to vivid, colourful life and Meg is a likeable, loving heroine for whom the reader roots from start to finish' Jenny Holmes 'I found it difficult to believe that this was a debut novel, as "brilliant" was the word in my mind when I reached the end. I enjoyed it enormously, being totally absorbed from the first page. I found it extremely well written, and having always loved sagas, one of the best I've read' Margaret Kaine Look for Glenda's other compelling sagas, Belle of the Back Streets, The Tuppenny Child, Pearl of Pit Lane and The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon - out now!
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2022 A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORICAL NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2022 A TELEGRAPH BEST FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022 A WATERSTONES BEST HISTORICAL NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2022 AN EVENING STADARD MUST-READ NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2022 AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4 OPEN BOOK 'Accomplished, immersive and profoundly satisfying' Cathy Rentzenbrink 'Effortlessly resonant ... breathes rich imaginative colour in her characters' Daily Telegraph From the million-copy bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves comes an epic novel about the infamous, ill-fated Booth family. SIX BROTHERS AND SISTERS. ONE INJUSTICE THAT WILL SHATTER THEIR BOND FOREVER. Junius is the patriarch, a celebrated Shakespearean actor who fled bigamy charges in England, both a mesmerising talent and a man of terrifying instability. As his children grow up in a remote farmstead in 1830s rural Baltimore, the country draws ever closer to the boiling point of secession and civil war. Of the six Booth siblings who survive to adulthood, each has their own dreams they must fight to realise - but it is Johnny who makes the terrible decision that will change the course of history - the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Booth is a riveting novel focused on the very things that bind, and break, a family. 'In its stretch and imaginative depth, Booth has an utterly seductive authority' Guardian 'Karen Joy Fowler's novels are wildly inventive and deservedly popular' Daily Mail 'Booth is a triumph!' Ruth Ozeki 'Captures with enthralling vividness a country caught in the grip of fanatical populism, ripped apart by irreconcilable political differences and boiling with fury and rage ... An unalloyed triumph' Literary Review 'Brilliantly recounts the story of the American theatrical dynasty that produced Lincoln's assassin' Sunday Times Book of the Month 'Her finest, most beautiful novel to date' Neel Mukherjee
When John Barnesworth inherits unexpectedly, he abandons his solitude and returns to London to settle his brother's affairs, only to discover his estates are crumbling and he is now betrothed to his brother's unpleasant fiancee. Her dowry might save him from ruin, but at what cost? His only hope lies with the vivacious, charming Lady Charlotte Stirling, whose audacious solution to John's troubles might actually work. If only he can keep his feelings for her out of the equation . . . Lady Charlotte Stirling knows she can't fall for John. He's her brother's best friend, he's engaged to her mortal enemy, and he wants to return to America. Not to mention he'd never survive in her bustling social life. She can, however, try to solve his money problem. But the closer she gets to ensuring his freedom, the harder it is to let him go . . .
From the no.1 Sunday Times bestselling author comes the story of Marion Crawford, governess to the Queen - an ordinary woman living in an extraordinary time. 1932. Dunfermline, Scotland. Marion Crawford, a bright, ambitious young teacher, is ready to make her mark on the world. Until a twist of fate changes the course of her life forever... 1936. Windsor Castle. At first this ordinary woman is in a new world, working as the governess to two young princesses, in a household she calls home but where everyone is at a distance. As the course of history changes, she finds herself companion to the future Queen, and indispensable to the Crown. And slowly their needs become her needs. Their lives become hers. It's then she meets George, and falls in love for the first time. Now Marion faces an impossible choice: her sense of duty or the love of her life. Reader reviews for The Good Servant 'Such a tremendous read' 'This latest novel absolutely blew me away' 'This was my first read by Fern Britton but won't be my last!' 'Well-written and researched' 'Being an avid fan of Fern Britton and her Cornish novels I was not sure what to expect from this one BUT it is brilliant' 'Well written, with a riveting storyline and well developed characters that I loved' 'Absolutely loved this' 'I really loved Marian's story and knowing it was based on a true story made it extra special' 'A little different from her other reads, but no less brilliant' 'I was hooked from the beginning'
#1 New York Times Bestseller "Absorbing . . . impossible to resist." -The Washington Post As Europe erupts, can one young spy protect his queen? Ken Follett takes us deep into the treacherous world of powerful monarchs, intrigue, murder, and treason with his magnificent epic, A Column of Fire-the chronological latest in the Kingsbridge series, following The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and the prequel, The Evening and the Morning. In 1558, the ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn apart by religious conflict. As power in England shifts precariously between Catholics and Protestants, royalty and commoners clash, testing friendship, loyalty, and love. Ned Willard wants nothing more than to marry Margery Fitzgerald. But when the lovers find themselves on opposing sides of the religious conflict dividing the country, Ned goes to work for Princess Elizabeth. When she becomes queen, all Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country's first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions, and invasion plans. Over a turbulent half century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. Elizabeth clings to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents. The real enemies, then as now, are not the rival religions. The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else-no matter what the cost. Exciting and ambitious, and set during one of the most turbulent and revolutionary times in history, A Column of Fire will delight longtime fans of the Kingsbridge series and serve as the perfect introduction for readers new to Ken Follett.
'Oh my goodness this book is just gorgeous!!!!! I read it in an afternoon because I couldn't put it down!!... I'm so excited for other people to read this magnificent book.' NetGalley reviewer, A sun-baked terrace. The rustle of vines. And the clink of wine glasses as the first cork of the evening is popped... Welcome to Italy. A place that holds the answer to Zia-Lucia Costa Chalmers' many questions. Not least, how she ended up with such a mouthful of a name. When revelations close to home turn Zia's world upside down,she realises the time has come to search out the Italian family she's never known. But as she looks for answers, she can't help but notice Piero, the vineyard owner next door - a distraction who may prove difficult to ignore... This summer, join Zia as she sets out to uncover her past. But can she find the future she's always dreamed of along the way? The perfect summer read for fans of Katie Fforde and Carole Matthews. Readers love Under The Italian Sun! 'I was awake until 3.15am reading... Sizzling and heartwarming. I loved it.' NetGalley reviewer, 'HOLY COW! If you want a one-way ticket to Italy without ever leaving your couch, then this is the book for you... I could not get enough.' NetGalley reviewer, 'Absolute escapist joy... I felt completely transported to Italy.' NetGalley reviewer, 'Wonderful Italian escape!! Feel good brilliant read! Loved this book!!' NetGalley reviewer, 'Escapist perfection in a novel.' NetGalley reviewer, 'Fantastic staycation read, pure escapism.' NetGalley reviewer, 'A charming, heartwarming read. I loved it!' NetGalley reviewer, 'Climb into the pages and soak in the sunshine - this book is wonderful!' Milly Johnson 'Packed full of love, friendship, romance and sunshine... An addictive read.' NetGalley reviewer, 'Full of sunshine and secrets.' Heidi Swain 'Utterly captivating... A must read... I loved it.' NetGalley reviewer, 'Evocative, engaging and gloriously romantic.' Cathy Bramley 'I just could not put this story down... Bliss!' NetGalley reviewer,
On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there was once a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. In 1904, in a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles his fate with those of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. So begins a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond.
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
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.
April 1942. Enemy gunfire on Penzance beach brings the Cornish Girls rushing to the rescue... Yearning for adventure, Demelza dreams of one day joining the fire wardens. But before she can do so, gunfire during a trip to the beach provides her with an unexpected opportunity to get stuck in. On hand to help the wounded beachgoers, Lily draws admiration with her nursing skills and is offered an exciting new position in the hospital in Penzance. And swayed by her niece, Lily's Aunt Violet agrees to take in three evacuees rescued on the beach, though they turn out to be more of a handful than she bargained for. But even as the war rages around them, the biggest challenge facing each woman turns out to be one of the heart. Can the Cornish Girls help one another to open themselves up to love...? Readers are dazzled by Courage for 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 TULIP TEAROOMS is a heartwarming and poignant saga from Pam Evans, set in London just after the Second World War. Perfect for readers of Kitty Neale, Katie Flynn and Dilly Court. The Second World War is finally over when Lola Brown meets Harry Riggs at a dance. It is love at first sight but when Harry tells Lola that he is a policeman, her heart sinks. Lola's father is a petty criminal, and if Harry ever finds out and turns him in, it will destroy her family... Harry reluctantly accepts that Lola doesn't want to see him again, and eventually starts to find happiness without her. In the meantime, Lola encounters the eccentric Pickford sisters and sets about transforming their run-down tearooms in London's West End, only to find her own life transformed as well. Despite everything, Harry and Lola continue to feel drawn to each other, but the truth about Lola's family can't stay hidden for ever...
A sweeping, exotic historical saga for fans of Dinah Jefferies. One sultry evening in Kowloon, Dr Rowena Rossiter and Sister Alice Huntley are off-duty and in search of fun – little knowing that their world is on the brink of collapse. That night, Rowena will meet two men who will fight for her heart for the next four years. Connor O'Connor, the rebellious Irish soldier, who will woo and then lose her, and Kim Pheloung. Immensely rich and the most beautiful man Rowena has ever seen, he is also the most ruthless, with a sinister need to possess and control. When the Japanese invasion leaves this previously strong and independent woman raped and broken, who will succeed in claiming Rowena's body and soul? And will she ever learn to love the child born of that terrible Christmas Day?
KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE, AND YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER A Dragon and ten Barrani wouldn't be anyone's ideal roommates if a person wants peace and tranquility at home. The residue of three Draco-Barrani wars can make things pretty awkward--on a good day. Kaylin Neya has run out of good days. In the upheaval surrounding the Academia, the Tower in the fief of Candallar is now without its lord. The Towers were created to protect Elantra against Shadow. Dragon Bellusdeo wants to captain the Tower and continue a war she'll never be able to abandon. But Sedarias, leader of the Barrani cohort, wants the Tower for the cohort. And Barrani and Dragons don't negotiate, even when they're living under the same roof. If there were ever a time for Shadow to strike, it's now, when alliances are fractured and the Tower is vulnerable for the first time in centuries. More than ever, Kaylin needs her friends to work together if they're going to be able to stop the threat to Elantra.
Has this dissolute rogue... Finally met his match?
A heart-warming tale from the Queen of West Country Saga, LINDA FINLAY... The Girl with the Amber Comb, will she ever return home? Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author Dilly Court says Linda Finlay is 'sure to delight'! Orphaned at birth, Eliza lives with her beloved Grandparents in a waterlogged Somerset cottage surrounded by willow beds where she ekes out a living making laundry baskets and eel traps. Although poor she is content, until childhood friend Clem, regales her with tales of his adventures along the river and she begins to wonder what life is like beyond the Droves. When fate brings handsome, wealthy Theo to her workshop she is instantly attracted and a rosy future beyond the Droves beckons. Only things don't go to plan and naive Eliza finds herself in Lavender House where she is expected to care for gentlemen in a way she never imagined. Forced to flee for her life, she ends up in a woollen mill run by a corrupt foreman, working for crumbs and pennies with only her grandmother's comb in her pocket. Now she knows what matters in life - but is it too late? And will she ever be able to return home to those who love her? Set amongst the stunning wetlands of Somerset, this tale of triumph and tragedy will delight fans of Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court. Praise for The Girl with the Amber Comb: 'A treasure of a read with romance, rural history and a happy ending' Devon Life 'Evocative' Frost Magazine 'Rich with carefully drawn characters who really come to life in the hands of this skilled writer' NorthernReader 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
Heartbreaking and uplifting, the story of the workhouse orphan, Eliza, will touch your heart... Eliza was left as a small baby at the workhouse in Whitechapel, wrapped in her mother's shawl, which is all she has of the mother she never knew. At eleven years-old, she has survived sickness, near starvation and harsh beatings. Master Simpkins and his cruel daughter rule the workhouse with a rod of iron, but when Romany boy, Joe, arrives at the workhouse, his spirit and courage give Eliza hope that another life is waiting for her outside. When she is sold into service, Eliza is relieved to be out of the workhouse and hopes her fortunes are changing for the better, but cruelty and unkindness are everywhere and her salvation could become her ruin...
Will love be enough to overcome the odds? It is 1960 and Clare Hamilton is returning home to her beloved Armagh to marry Andrew, her childhood sweetheart. Full of the hope and possibilities of a newlywed couple, they plan to turn Andrew's ancestral home into a guesthouse. Their ambition is to use their income to buy back the land of the former family estate so that Andrew can quit his hated job as a solicitor and farm the land he had known as a boy. But the sixties are a time of change, and when political unrest increases bookings begin to decline... Can the pair save their beloved guesthouse and achieve their dreams for a better life? Prepare to be spirited away to rural Ireland in this stunning new saga from Anne Doughty. Previously published as Come Rain, Come Shine Readers LOVE Anne Doughty: 'I love all the books from this author' 'beautifully written' 'would recommend to everyone' 'Fabulous story, couldn't put it down!' 'Looking forward to the next one.'
Three women. One family curse. The summer of a lifetime. For generations, no second-born daughter in the Fontana family has married. Lucy desperately wants to find love, but for her cousin Emilia, their family curse is a blessing in disguise. But then their Great Aunt Poppy declares she'll reunite with her long-lost love on her eightieth birthday - and break the curse once and for all. And so the three women embark on a journey to Tuscany to fulfil Poppy's last wish. But the secrets they uncover there could change their family forever... *Published in the US as The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany* A gorgeous story about love, family, and finding yourself in the unlikeliest of places, for fans of The Spanish Promise by Karen Swan and The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy. |
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