The grand opening of the Manchester Ship Canal is set to be a day of unfettered festivity for Ruby and her younger sister and brother. Even Queen Victoria will be in attendance.But the glories of the ceremony fade into insignificance when their dying mother delivers them to the imposing oak doors of Ignatius House. Abandoned in the not-so-tender care of the nuns, the siblings are soon separated.So when the Board of Guardians force Ruby into a marriage that sends her to a new home upon the Salford waterways, she makes only one vow: to reunite her family whatever the cost. This is an enthralling story of romance and rebellion perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court. Praise for Ruby McBride ‘An inspiring novel about accepting change and bravely facing the future’ Bangor Chronicle‘Compelling and heart-wrenching’ Hull Daily Mail‘The kind of character-driven saga that delights the Catherine Cookson and Josephine Cox audience’ Peterborough Evening Telegraph‘This book deals with gritty, real-life situations and shows how the heroine’s strength of character triumphs through adversity’ 5* Reader review

    Melora had been ready to make a crucial decision about her life and her love - her thoughts were swirling with handsome Quent Seymour of Nob Hill.BUT FATE HAD ANOTHER PLAN. Amid the angry red flames of a crumbling city, exciting, impetuous Tony Ellis appeared - and suddenly Melora found herself plunged into a whirlpool of romantic conflict from which there was only one secret escape. That secret was locked in her heart...

     She is desperately excited to explore not only the foreign land with all its alien culture but also the role of a wife and all the pleasures that come with it… In no time at all Constance is shocked on both accounts. China stuns her with its barbaric and improper behaviour which, almost against her will, begins to tease her imagination. At the same time, Mr Henry Baird, despairing of his sinful desires, proves unable to indulge Constance’s wishes. The marriage, failing from the beginning, spirals further and further out of control as Constance, aided by her only ally Kate, inadvertently becomes a famous ‘Devil Woman’ throughout the region and faces an audience with the Empress herself. As her new life unfolds, Constance finds herself tortured by desire, teetering on the edge of love and caught up in a dangerous whirlwind of international politics. She ricochets between the Chinese extremes of complete intimacy and deadly violence as they head slowly into war. What does ‘The Crimson Pagoda’ promise? ‘The Crimson Pagoda’ is a gripping and engaging historical romance by a master of the genre. Praise for Christopher Nicole: ‘Well-researched…Evocative descriptions of scenery and edifices, and exact period dialogue’ – Historical Novels Society Christopher Nicole was born and brought up in British Guyana and the West Indies. His output of books has been prolific and many of his novels are historical with a Caribbean background.

    

    If yes, then congrats! You are their next target.

    Life for Sarah Willcox has not been easy since her father died. It’s the late 1920s and Sarah loves her work as an apprentice in the sheds at the Staffordshire-based pottery Frenshaws. She is able to escape her miserable home life where her hateful step-father Joe abuses her mother. But there’s no escaping it completely, as Joe also works at the pottery company. When Sarah’s talent is recognized by the master potter and owner, Daniel, she is sent to Design School where she meets wealthy Annabel and they quickly become friends. But Sarah’s life is far from settled. Beneath Daniel’s dedication to work lies a deep compassion and a long-standing interest in Sarah and her family. On her fifteenth birthday, a violent tragedy sends Sarah’s life spiraling into an entirely new direction. She escapes to live with her grandmother where she learns secrets about her past and a heritage that she never knew existed. A whole life she had never imagined opens up for her, but will it come at too high a price? The Tower Room is a thoroughly moving tale about secrets, deception and new beginnings.

    At 18, she had everything—fine luxuries, a prominent family, and an extravagant estate in Marseille. The one thing she didn’t have was her freedom. As the sole heir to the Fontaine fortune, her future was forged with a betrothal to a stranger from a foreign country, but when her family perishes at sea, Isabel sees this as a chance to hide her identity and change her fate.Taken in by poor, elderly farmers on the Spanish island of Menorca, Isabel is torn between the growing affection for a neighbor and the guilt of living a lie. The simplicity and genuine goodness of this life takes her on a journey she never believed was possible, yet, as time passes and the threat of her untruths face exposure, Isabel must make an agonizing choice.When that choice is taken from her prematurely and danger cultivates from an implausible guise, will Isabel accept the outcome, or fight to save those she loves?A historical fiction novel set in both Algiers, Algeria during French occupation and Menorca, Spain. Told in the perspective of four characters, Second Survivor is a twist on the tragic shipwreck . . . the General Chanzy in the Mediterranean Sea. 156 people aboard the barge lost their lives on the morning of 10 February 1910. There was only one survivor. This story shares the fate of a Second Survivor.

    Beaton—including The First Rebellion, Silken Bonds, and The Love Match. The First Rebellion (Book 1): The Earl of Tredair had had his fill of silly misses, and he despaired of finding anyone extraordinary—that is, until he met Miss Fanny Waverley. She and her two sisters had been raised to encourage poor females to stand up against the iniquities of the male sex! The beautiful and farouche Miss Fanny, however, found it hard to think of all men as cruel and lustful beasts—how could she, when now she found herself longing to kiss one of the most hated of his breed! Silken Bonds (Book 2): Frederica chafed at her restricted life as Mrs. Waverly’s adopted daughter, though she did agree with Mrs. Waverly’s philosophy. She knew that until men stopped preferring lisping dimwits over intellectual equals, Frederica would be better off without them. Still, the recent elopement of her sister sparked a fire in Frederica’s well-educated head. So it was that she was ripe for Lord Harry Danger’s charms, and he in turn was smitten from the moment he rescued her from a pack of drunken thugs. Now if he would only treat her as his equal—and stop his incessant flirting! The Love Match (Book 3): By day Felicity championed women’s rights, but by night she dreamed of romance. She was the secret author of a scandalous new novel—the tale of a lady “rake” and her passionate exploits. Yet one titled gentleman grew more and more intrigued with this headstrong young woman, and Felicity would soon learn that real life could be infinitely more interesting (and stranger) than fiction. About the Author M.C. Beaton is the pen name of bestselling novelist Marion Chesney. She is a prolific writer of historical romances and small village mysteries. Born in Scotland, the author began her writing career as a fiction buyer for a Glasgow bookstore and has worked as a theater critic, newspaper reporter, and editor. The author has written under various names, most notably as M.C. Beaton for her Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin series. She has also written under the names Sarah Chester, Helen Crampton, Ann Fairfax, Marion Gibbons, Jennie Tremaine, and Charlotte Ward. The author lived in the United States, but now splits her time between the Cotswolds, England, and Paris, France. About the Series Waverly women pursue their aspirations no matter what the obstacle. They may marry if the cause seems to suit the purpose, or they may flirt until their heart is content—or perhaps until the gentleman who has until then proven to be the most elusive of all is clearly within reach. No matter what the obstacle, none is too big for a Waverly woman. These are books of dreams, lessons, fanciful thoughts, and most of all, tales of girls grown now to women who won’t settle for anything less than their full dreams, impossible as they may seem at the outset.

    Fine story-telling." —Chicago TribunePequot Landing, Connecticut, is not the place—nor is this the time—for love. Yet Aurora Talcott and Sinjin Grimes are struck with it as if by a thunderbolt—only to be violently separated by their feuding elders and catapulted to opposite ends of the earth: she to aristocratic England, and he to the trading hongs of Macao and the pirate seas of China. And left behind at home, growing stronger from her own desperate struggle, is Georgiana, the hired girl whose secret story entwines the fates of them all....Selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club.

    Discover the legend of the noble Scottish clan called the MacLachlans whose destiny is entwined with the magic that rules these tempestuous Highlands. Savor four stories of breathtaking romance set in a land where love is the most powerful magic of all…Scottish MagicIn Stobie Piel’s Lily, a handsome laird’s passion will be put to the ultimate test in a battle between good and evil that can only be won by true love. Hannah Howell’s Isbel introduces an ethereal beauty whose sensual dream of a tall, black-haired warrior stepping off the battlefield into her life turns delightfully real. Destiny and desire become one in Faerie Princess, Elizabeth Ann Michaels’s tale of the cerulean-eyed Krista and an enigmatic prince who is about to learn that a woman’s capricious charm can hold a magic all its own. In Mandalyn Kaye’s Beneath the Midnight Sky, Stuart MacLachlan awakens from his enchanted one hundred year slumber to end the curse placed on his cherished love. But now he has only five days to solve the legendary faerie riddle… or surrender to the darkness forever.Enter a world that is magnificent and wild, where love rides on winds of fortune… and where passion knows no bounds…note: Hannah Howell's story, Isbel, was also published in the anthology Highland Hero .

     Devlin Morgan, the reclusive owner of Morgan’s Keep, coolly turns away her inquiries, and the villagers, who respect Devlin, refuse to cooperate, as well. Worse still is her own unwanted attraction to him. Especially once she begins to suspect he’s involved with her sister’s disappearance and the mysterious “Chiming Ghost.” In order to solve the mystery of her missing sister, she’ll also have to probe Devlin’s dark past, discover the truth about the “ghost.” and decide whether to trust the passion in her heart or play it safe and return to England. Whatever happens, she’ll never be the same when she leaves the island.

    Or, at least, that is the point Lady Alexandra is determined to prove. And she is more than ready to pose as a governess if it is to seduce the Marquess of her dreams.As a man that never wishes to wed, Simon Windsor, the Marquess of Pembley, accepts his horrifying reputation with gratitude. With very few people aware of his strange condition, he relishes the peace and quiet of the countryside.With the new governess for his hellion niece and nephew feeling disturbingly familiar to the masqued Lady he seduced at a ball, he fears that the worst side of his will be exposed. The one that should have remained hidden till his last drawing breath...

    There, Rachel is convinced her fate is sealed, but she has reckoned without the actions of handsome landowner Jared Lytton who comes to her rescue.Despite being vindicated, Rachel is forced to leave the village. Life is tough and she has to struggle to survive until she meets the widow Beulah Thomas and her son William. Working on their farm, she is treated with kindness and when William asks for her hand in marriage, she agrees - more out of gratitude than out of love. But Rachel cannot forget Jared Lytton, whose path seems destined to cross hers.

     What could be a better destination for the holidays than a peaceful inn tucked in the picturesque mountains of Vermont? But when a blizzard hits, three couples will be forced to deal not only with the weather but also with the reality of their relationships. Mary Michaels, competent innkeeper is very good at her job. And at hiding her growing attraction for the inn’s handyman, Joe Puletti. Friend of her late husband, Joe is a great catch, but with a five-year old son and complications from her past, Mary is not. Lila Benson needs to reinvent her life. What the quiet, second grade teacher doesn’t need is to run into a face from her past—Dan Hamilton, football star that she helped tutor in high school. And fell hopelessly in love with. Celia and Richard Davis have brought their children Kevin and Jenna for a family vacation. It will be their last since the divorce will be final soon. However, Kevin and Jenna have hopes that a little time together is all their parents need to heal their family. Can these relationships be saved? Anything’s possible at Christmas. Especially with the help of three children, a man with a white beard, the inn’s mysterious manager, and a reindeer.

    While the caring nursemaid is focusing on her role by teaching the Duke’s sister how to look after her infant, she is still dreaming of marrying a good man and having a household of her own. With the passing of time, her heart will start beating for the charming Duke, and she will realise that this encounter will prove to be the most fateful one in her life...Could Anna dare to fall for someone she knows she could never have?Matthew, Duke of Newcastle, is a stoic, scholarly man, who has set aside all of his dreams to bow to his duty. Prior to the loss of his brother-in-law and best friend, he was courting Lady Clara Whitman, but his family tragedy led him to an emotional withdrawal. Everything changes though as the enchanting nursemaid brings light not only in his shadowy estate, but also his broken heart... Will the kind hearted Duke find the loving wife he has always wanted and lead a fulfilling happy life or will the heartache continue?Needless to say that giving up on your dreams for the sake of duty threatens to throw you into a deep sorrow…Anna and Mathew soon find their hearts entrapped by the presence of each other. However, the combination of Lady Clara’s jealousy and society’s rules will jeopardize every chance at happiness they could possibly have. Will the two of them manage to go against the norms and defend what their hearts desire? Or will duty and manipulation make their love feel like an elusive dream?"The Nursemaid and the Stoic Duke" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.