Book picks similar to
A Storm Hits Valparaiso by David Gaughran
historical-fiction
fiction
ebook
history
Watching the Tree Limbs
Mary E. DeMuth - 2006
In the small world of 1979 Burl, Texas, all Mara really has are the tree limbs, a lumbering Aunt Elma, her boyfriend Officer Gus, the bully General, and her new best friend Camilla who rhymes maddening snatches of truth. Mara needs to escape General's advances and find out who her real parents are before those who would want to destroy her succeed. Will she recognize redemption through Zady the Jesus-loving housekeeper, Denim the clandestine town prophet, or Mr. Winningham her new guardian whose quiet rage masks even deeper secrets?
Hot Property
Susanne O'Leary - 2013
But the house is a wreck that requires a fortune to restore, and she decides to sell it. An easy choice, were it not for the discovery of an old family scandal and a budding love affair with both the beautiful landscape and a handsome Kerryman. Catapulted into country life and faced with the less romantic side of farming, she also has to deal with a conspiracy to make her leave.
The House
A. O'Connor - 2012
But its world is threatened when no heir is born. Anna could restore their fortunes, but it would mean the ultimate betrayal. Then the Great Famine grips the country. 1910s – Clara finds life as lady of the manor is not what she expected when she married Pierce Armstrong. As the First World War rages, she finds solace in artist Johnny Seymour’s decadent circle. Then the War of Independence erupts and Clara is caught between two men, deceit and revenge. Present Day – When Kate Fallon sees the house it is love at first sight. She and her tycoon husband Tony buy it and hire the last Armstrong owner, architect Nico, to oversee its restoration. As Kate’s fascination with the house grows, she and Nico begin to uncover its history and the fates of its occupants in centuries past. But then, as her husband's business empire faces ruin, Kate realises that they are in danger of losing everything. Betrayal, deceit, revenge, obsession – one house, one family, three generations Editorial Reviews “Skillful and original plotting kept me enthralled until the final page of the story” Rosemary McLoughlin author of Tyringham Park “Downton’ fans, you’ll love this big house, Engrossing and imaginative” - Irish Independent “An irresistible mix of history, drama and intrigue that entertained and enthralled me in equal measure!” - Bord Gáis Energy Book Club
A Corpse In A Teacup
Cassie Page - 2013
Granville) and The Darling Valley Mystery Series, pick up your Bonus Gift with this brand new cozy mystery series featuring female sleuth, tea leaf reader, Tuesday. Tuesday made her debut in Darling Valley. Now welcome her as she embarks on her own collection of cozy mysteries set among the celebrities, film starts, film grunts, talents, scoundrels and saints in La La land. Tuesday, tea leaf reader and female sleuth extraordinaire, believed she was leaving behind murder and mayhem when she said goodbye to Darling Valley and her beloved BFF, Olivia. But none of her readings prepared her for the murder and mayhem awaiting at home in LA, starting with her favorite client, actress Holley Wood, texting that someone has threatened to kill her if she doesn’t withdraw from a film project. Suspense, danger and romance heat up for Tuesday when the teacups of the Mulberry Mafia, her clients at the upscale Mulberry Cat Café, keep showing a corpse and an ominous M. As the body count piles up, there is no mystery about the identity of the corpses. But does the M stand for murder, movie, money? A new man? Or is the Mulberry Cat Café itself in jeopardy? As Tuesday crosses swords with leggy, savvy Detective Kanesha Jameson who looks like Beyoncé with a badge; thorny Natasha, owner of the Café; the brilliant but caustic Chef Marco; and the various men stalking beautiful, innocent Holley, Tuesday also has to solve the mystery of the disappearance of a dubious treasure; decide whether to accept a gift from the romance gods and welcome an unwanted surprise visit from her past. Lighthearted Tuesday of the extravagantly eccentric wardrobe and blithe, ever positive lover of life Holley find their lives taking a dark turn as they navigate troubled waters, the dark streets of LA in a shoot out, attempt to maintain their strong belief in the innate goodness of humanity, while always remaining ready for their close-ups.
For Renata
B. Robert Sharry - 2014
But the Portuguese beauty denies everything, leaving Mark to question whether anything his uncle wrote is true. Now he must connect past to present, and piece together a picture of what really happened decades before…and he must grapple with his own burgeoning infatuation with the now middle-aged, mysterious Renata.
Pirate Hunter
Tom Morrisey - 2009
From the blue waters of the Caribbean and the Florida Keys to the wind-swept wilds of the Outer Banks, this book combines the romantic popularity of a pirate tale with an inspirational story of modern-day treasure hunters.
Taffeta and Hotspur
Claudy Conn - 1981
Experience has taught him that love is found only in fairy tales and that very few women can be trusted—especially young and attractive ones.As for Taffy, she finds the rakehell cynical and arrogant—definitely not the hero, the man of principles and romance, her heart longs for. Besides, as one of the Rogues Three, she is more concerned with social injustice than a man who could use his influence to right wrongs but shows no interest in doing so.So why does Tarrant find himself enchanted by the beautiful and high-spirited Taffy? Why does Taffy’s sporadic gift of sight insist on showing her visions of Tarrant as a bold and passionate lover—her lover?When the prince of flirts catches the princess of thieves in a ‘Robin Hood’ encounter gone wrong, a secret is discovered, a promise is given, and two lives will be changed in ways neither could have dreamed.
Unlaced
Kristina Cook - 2004
Instead, she’s caught up in a whirlwind of balls, marriage proposals, and ton intrigues. Worse, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to her sponsors’ maddening neighbor, Henry Ashton, the Marquess of Mandeville. The handsome, arrogant, sometimes infuriating Mandeville stokes a passionate fire within her that won’t be denied, no matter the consequence.Deep, emotional scars secretly plague Henry, Lord Mandeville. As a result, he’s avoided romantic entanglements at all costs. Only, now he needs a wife—someone from a wealthy, powerful family to further his political aspirations. Instead, he finds himself all but obsessed with the beautiful but unconventional Lucy Abbington—a woman whose passions and wit stir desires he’d rather ignore. And yet…she might just be the one woman who can heal his wounded heart.Lucy and Henry’s heads say no, but their hearts say yes. Will they find themselves undone by love?
Becoming Lola
Harriet Steel - 2010
It brings to vibrant life the true story of Eliza Gilbert, the daughter of an obscure Ensign in the British Army and his cold Irish wife. When she grew up, Eliza changed her name to Lola Montez. She was a dancer, a courtesan, a bigamist, the mistress of a king and the nineteenth-century’s most notorious adventuress. Blazing like a female firecracker across the stages and courts of Europe and beyond, she was, for a while, second only to Queen Victoria in fame.
Ma Polinski's Pockets
Sara Sheridan - 1999
Setting off to discover why, she rocks her stable existence and uncovers secrets about her mother's experiences as a 5 year old in a concentration camp in WWII. What made Ma Polinski leave Rachel everything and will what she finds set her and her family free?
The Christmas Bargain,
Shanna Hatfield - 2012
Calling in a long overdue loan, Luke finds himself reluctantly accepting a bargain in lieu of payment from the shiftless farmer who barters his daughter to settle his debt.Philamena Booth is both mortified and relieved when her father sends her off with the banker as payment of his debt. Held captive on the farm by her father since the death of her mother more than a decade earlier, Philamena is grateful to leave. If only it had been someone other than the handsome and charismatic Luke Granger riding in to rescue her. Ready to uphold her end of the bargain as Luke’s cook and housekeeper, Philamena is prepared for the hard work ahead. What she isn’t prepared for is being forced to marry Luke as part of this crazy Christmas bargain.
The Sky Buries All Sorrow
Roger DeBlanck - 2013
After she instructs him to “grow up first,” he joins the Army Air Corps. Stationed at Hickam Field, the air base adjacent to Pearl Harbor, John survives the devastation of December 7. The aftermath of the attack only begins his odyssey through the South Pacific, four years that burden him with guilt and shame. Returning home a wearied man, John seeks to start a family with Nora, but the young couple confronts hardships intensified by the harrowing memories both carry from their pasts. Amid the unrest of the Cold War and John’s worries about the arms race, he and Nora find solace in raising their daughter, Cassie. But it is not until the impact of September 11 leaves John’s grandson, Johnny DeRosa, overrun with anguish and despair that John fully comprehends how the sacrifices of his generation will have a profound influence on the decisions his grandson makes.The Sky Buries All Sorrow is a riveting, momentous novel that bridges Pearl Harbor with 9/11 and examines how those two tragic events changed the world and shaped the lives of one family over three generations. From the pivotal battles in the Pacific to the homesteads outside of Pittsburgh, and from the beaches of Southern California to the desert terrain of the Nevada Test Site, it is an unforgettable family saga and an intimate story of personal struggle and the challenges of enduring love. In the same vivid fashion as his first novel, The Ramos Brothers Trust Castro and Kennedy, Roger DeBlanck’s second epic novel explores the lives of an array of fascinating characters. The narrative also brings back Juan and Alberto Ramos, as the brothers and their father, Florencio, make appearances in The Sky Buries All Sorrow.
Tuppenny Hat Detective
Brian Sellars - 2008
Their haste to close the case heightens Billy's suspicions and he and his pals decide to investigate. They turn detectives, unwittingly provoking a long hidden killer and unearthing secrets of wartime conspiracy and betrayal. Written for those teenage and adult readers who like a genuinely intriguing mystery, the story is set in Sheffield in 1951 as the bomb damaged steel city struggles to recover from World War Two. It's funny and nostalgic, but a genuine whodunit nonetheless – and with a surprise at the end.
The Snow Leopard
Daniel Leston - 2010
Cruelly betrayed while a mere boy by his brother’s vaulting ambition, he eventually overcomes bitter slavery far from his native land, achieving the status of a legendary warrior without peer among his adoptive people. Ultimately forced by tragic circumstances to choose between these two diverse cultures, he must finally decide where his true loyalties lay. About the Author:In his early years, Daniel Leston was known as a 'Story Teller' by his nephews and nieces, weaving wondrous tales for their young imaginations about heroes and heroines that strangely seems to carry the same monikers as the intended listeners. It was on this foundation that he decided to pen his first two books, primarily for the enjoyment of family and close friends.With the emergence of a remarkable tool called the 'e-reader', he decided to retrieve his novels from their long attic slumber, dust them off and offer them to the public in 2009.Blending his passion, as a former student of Art and History, Mr. Leston has drawn from his background to create two great tales steeped in history, adventure and human conquest. Opting to avoid the more chosen route of hiring a graphic artist for his first submissions to the literary world, he chose instead to complete the package, bringing his vision to life by painting his own covers.Daniel Leston is currently busy pounding the keyboard on his newest work... a continuing adventure for his beloved character from 'The Amun Chamber', Professor David Manning, scheduled for release in Fall 2012.
Scorpio Rising
Monique Domovitch - 2011
There is Alex Ivanov, the son of a Russian immigrant and part-time prostitute. He yearns to escape his sordid life and achieve fame and fortune. His dreams of becoming a world-class builder are met with countless obstacles, yet he perseveres in the hope of someday receiving the recognition he craves. Half a world away, Brigitte Dartois is an abused teenager who runs into the arms of a benefactor with an agenda all his own. When she finds out that her boss has an ulterior motive, she flees again, determined to earn her living through her art. This career brings her fame, but also the unwanted attention of her early abuser. Monique Domovitch's debut novel, Scorpio Rising, is a compelling tale filled with finely etched characters and a superb understanding of the power of ambition. Scorpio Rising promises to resonate with all who once had a dream.