Book picks similar to
The Life You Left Behind by Debbie Howells


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22february

If You Must Know


Jamie Beck - 2020
    Amanda follows the rules—at the school where she works; in her community; and as a picture-perfect daughter, wife, and mother-to-be. Erin follows her heart—in love and otherwise—living a bohemian lifestyle on a shoestring budget and honoring her late father’s memory with a passion for music and her fledgling bath-products business.The sisters are content leading separate but happy lives in their hometown of Potomac Point until everything is upended by lies that force them to confront unsettling truths about their family, themselves, and each other. For sisters as different as these two, building trust doesn’t come easily—especially with one secret still between them—but it may be the only way to save their family.

My Best Friend's Wedding


Tilly Tennant - 2021
    But she’s at the mercy of three bossy little flower girls and she’s not looking her best in an enormous fuchsia dress. Which is a shame, as it is the first time she’s going to see her ex Rufus. The man she was supposed to marry. The man who left her alone at the altar…As the dancing begins, and Libby does her best to avoid her ex, the snow outside falls faster and faster, making it impossible for the guests to leave. Snowed in at Lovage Hall, Libby is charmed by American Noah with his dark cropped hair and dimpled cheeks, and the two of them share their dreams and a very passionate kiss.But when the morning comes, and the snow melts, a shocking revelation about Noah comes to light and Rufus reveals the desperately sad reason he ended their relationship. As Rufus begs for another chance, Libby’s head tells her to trust the man she’s known for years, but her heart can’t quite let go of the spark she had with Noah. Will she make the right decision for her own happy ending?A gorgeous, romantic heart-warming read with characters that will find their way into your heart and stay there. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Shari Low and Jenny Colgan.

Sunrise Over Pebble Bay


Della Galton - 2021
    Talented, yet relatively unknown actress and celebration cake baker extraordinaire Olivia Lambert is running out of time.Approaching forty, she’s yet to land the role that will launch her television career and she’s desperate to be a mum.Her new man, Phil Grimshaw from the Bluebell Cliff Hotel, seems the perfect match, but seems to be in no rush to settle down.Having ditched her childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Tom Boyd, when he backtracked about being a dad, Olivia dreads making the same mistake again.Rocked by confessions from both her sister Ruby and Tom, Olivia knows it’s time to make some life changing decisions.Then a terrifying incident off Chesil Beach changes the course of her future and brings Olivia to question everything she values and loves.

The Spanish House


Cherry Radford
    One Spanish summer. One huge family secret.Juliana makes a modest living as an 'ethnic' TV/film extra – even though the only connections with her Spanish heritage are her cacti, Spanish classes, and some confused memories of a Spanish mother she hasn't seen since she was seven.When her beloved Uncle Arturo offers her the chance to discover her roots while housesitting his coastal home in a quiet corner of Andalusia, Juliana can't believe her luck. Especially when he reveals that the house will be hers if she fulfills ten life-enhancing 'Conditions' within 90 days.Redecoration of the house and a visit to the old film studio where her mother used to sew costumes seem ridiculously simple tasks for such a wonderful reward. But little does Juliana realize that there are family secrets and inherited rivalries awaiting her in sunny Spain, and the condition that she has to 'get on with the neighbors' – who include a ruggedly handsome but moody artist – may be harder than she thinks.The perfect escapist read for fans of Rosanna Ley, Jo Thomas, and Sue Moorcroft.

The Affair: Escape to Lake Como this summer


Hilary Boyd - 2021
    Forty years on they are the couple their whole village envies. Life isn't quite so rosy just now with Devan struggling to adjust to early retirement, but Connie hopes that getting away for a few weeks through her job as a European tour manager will help. But on one of her favourite tours, to Lake Como, it is clear one of her guests is falling for her. She resists, but Jared somehow gets under her skin, until she's intoxicated and doing the unthinkable: breaking the marriage vows she's always held so dear. But she tells herself the affair is not serious, it will end when the season does. And Devan will never find out. But when Connie returns home, Jared follows. He isn't going to give her up so easily. And as he grows ever more embroiled in her life, Connie begins to wonder if more than her marriage is in danger . . . Praise for Hilary Boyd 'Boyd is as canny as Joanna Trollope at observing family life - and better than Trollope at jokes' Daily Mail'Poignant, well observed and wonderfully written, this is a bit of a heart-string puller' Closer'I was ripping through this book . . . addictive' Evening Standard

Where We Fall


Rochelle B. Weinstein - 2016
    She’s the mother of a beautiful teenager and the wife of a beloved high school football coach. And all it took to achieve her charmed life was her greatest act of betrayal.Coach Ryan can coax his team to victory, but he can’t seem to make his wife, Abby, happy. Her struggles with depression have marred their marriage and taken a toll on their daughter, Juliana. Although this isn’t the life he’s dreamed of, he’s determined to heal the rifts in his family.Chasing waterfalls and documenting their beauty has led photographer Lauren Sheppard all around the world. Now it has brought her back home to the mountains of North Carolina—back to the scene of her devastating heartbreak.For the first time in seventeen years, a trio of once-inseparable friends find themselves confronting past loves, hurts, and the rapid rush of a current that still pulls them together…

My Name is Anton


Catherine Ryan Hyde - 2020
    Nearly a year after his brother died in a tragic accident, Anton is still wounded—physically and emotionally. Alone for the holidays, he catches a glimpse of his neighbor Edith across the street one evening and realizes that she’s in danger.Anton is determined to help Edith leave her abusive marriage. Frightened and fifteen years Anton’s senior, Edith is slow to trust. But when she needs a safe place to stay, she lets down her guard, and over the course of ten days an unlikely friendship grows. As Anton falls hopelessly and selflessly in love, Edith fears both her husband finding her and Anton getting hurt. She must disappear without telling anyone where she’s going—even Anton.If keeping Edith safe means letting her go, Anton will say goodbye forever. Or so he believes. What would happen, though, if one day their paths should cross again?

Make or Break at the Lighthouse B&B


Portia MacIntosh - 2020
    Can Will help mend Lola’s broken heart as well as her leg? Can she help Dean find love? As a wise man once said, sometimes the one for you is right under your nose, all along…

One Lucky Summer


Jenny Oliver - 2021
    Gazing at it now, decades later, the memories are flooding back, and not all of them are welcome…In a tumbledown cottage in Willoughby’s grounds, Dolly and Olive King lived with their eccentric explorer father. One of the last things he did was to lay a treasure hunt before he died, but when events took an unexpected turn, Dolly and Olive left Willoughby for good, never to complete it.But when Ruben uncovers a secret message, hidden for decades, he knows he needs Olive and Dolly’s help. Can the three of them solve the treasure hunt, and will piecing together the clues help them understand what happened to their families that summer, all those years ago?A glorious summer read with a delightful cast of characters from the bestselling author of The Summer We Ran Away.Praise for One Lucky Summer:‘A lovely read. A real journey, with wrong turns along the way and a delightful arrival at their destination. It's like a summer outing leaving you with a warm glow, and a smile your face’ Jo Thomas, author of Chasing the Italian Dream‘This is the perfect summer read. Full of fun, mystery and warmth. I loved everything about it!’ Bella Osborne, author of The Promise of Summer‘Fresh and original, haunting and evocative’ Jules Wake, author of The Spark‘A delicious ice-cream of a book. Loved it! Essential holiday reading’ Josie Lloyd, author of The Cancer Ladies' Running Club‘[A] must read’ Bella ‘A twisty, wistful novel perfect for long sunny afternoons’ New Praise for Jenny Oliver:‘You know you’re in for a treat when you open a Jenny Oliver book’ Debbie Johnson, bestselling author of Maybe One Day‘The perfect summer read’ Sarah Morgan, bestselling author of The Summer Seekers

The Banty House


Carolyn Brown - 2020
    For more than seventy-five years, Betsy, Connie, and Kate Carson have called their mama’s house a home. The three eccentric sisters get by just fine with their homemade jams and jellies, a little moonshine on the side, and big hearts always open to strangers. Like Ginger Andrews.An abandoned teen with a baby on the way and nowhere to go, she’s given a room to call her own for as long as she wants. The kind invitation is made all the sweeter when Ginger meets the sisters’ young handyman, Sloan Baker. But with a past as broken as Ginger’s, he’s vowed never to get close to anyone again. As a season of change unfolds, Ginger and Sloan might discover a warm haven to heal in the Banty House, a place to finally belong, where hope and dreams never fade.

The Lido


Libby Page - 2018
    When she’s assigned to write about the closing of the local lido (an outdoor pool and recreation center), she meets Rosemary, an eighty-six-year-old widow who has swum at the lido daily since it opened its doors when she was a child. It was here Rosemary fell in love with her husband, George; here that she’s found communion during her marriage and since George’s death. The lido has been a cornerstone in nearly every part of Rosemary’s life.But when a local developer attempts to buy the lido for a posh new apartment complex, Rosemary’s fond memories and sense of community are under threat.As Kate dives deeper into the lido’s history—with the help of a charming photographer—she pieces together a portrait of the pool, and a portrait of a singular woman, Rosemary. What begins as a simple local interest story for Kate soon blossoms into a beautiful friendship that provides sustenance to both women as they galvanize the community to fight the lido’s closure. Meanwhile, Rosemary slowly, finally, begins to open up to Kate, transforming them both in ways they never knew possible.In the tradition of Fredrik Backman, The Lido is a charming, feel-good novel that captures the heart and spirit of a community across generations—an irresistible tale of love, loss, aging, and friendship.

The Italian Island


Daniela Sacerdoti - 2022
    Now that my life is coming to an end, take your grandmother’s bracelet, unlock the secret of our family history, and discover who you are…Twenty-year-old Annie arrives on the Sicilian island of Galatea carrying nothing but grief for the father she just lost in her heart and the weight of the mystery she just inherited on her shoulders. All she knows about her grandmother is that she died in a concentration camp during World War Two. But when handsome local fisherman Salvo’s sea-blue eyes sparkle at the sight of the delicate gold band around her wrist, Annie knows she’s come to the right place.With Salvo as her guide – taking her hand along the twisting paths up to the cliffside villa her grandmother once called home – Annie doesn’t know if it’s his warm touch or the sun-kissed villa’s vine-covered splendour that takes her breath away. Inside, she finds a beautiful antique gramophone hidden beneath a dusty sheet. Setting the needle, she unlocks the secret of a sacred tradition known only to the women on the island, and with it, the story of her grandmother’s heart-shattering wartime sacrifice.With every day that passes, Annie is drawn deeper into the island’s rich and tragic history, and finally feels herself begin to heal. But as the past crashes into her present – and she realises the significance of the bracelet she wears and the devastating lengths her grandmother went to protect those she loved – will the truth about her grandmother’s identity have her running into Salvo’s strong arms, or getting on the next flight back to America?An absolutely heart-wrenching page-turner about how the catastrophic consequences of war can echo through generations, and the power that true love has to save us all. From the author of million-copy bestseller, Watch Over Me, and Amazon Number 1 bestseller, The Italian Villa, this is the perfect one-sitting read for anyone who adores Fiona Valpy, Victoria Hislop, or The Letter by Kathryn Hughes.What readers are saying about Daniela Sacerdoti:‘Mesmerising! I was totally hooked… absolutely perfect… I really can't praise this OUTSTANDING book enough!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars‘I fell in love with this book! It was beautiful and captivating from start to finish… Absolutely loved!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars‘I was hooked. This is a beautifully written story with characters that tug at your heartstrings… You can’t help but fall in love with them and the tiny village in Italy where it takes place… you feel as though you’re really there… I devoured this book in no time… you can’t wait to turn the page to find out what happens next… which is why I finished this book at 3 in the morning!… I was so enthralled from the very first page!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars‘I really loved it… makes you want to curl up in a chair with a warm drink… It's emotional and empowering and the characters fill your mind completely long after you have finished the story.’ Crossroad Reviews‘Truly amazing. The story had many heart-warming moments and a few heart-wrenching… I was completely charmed and transported… You will be as well if you choose to read it. So read it!’ One Page At A Time, 5 stars

Finding Home


Kate Field - 2021
    She’s jobless, homeless and living in her car… but with a history like hers she knows she has a huge amount to be grateful for.Meet Beatrice and William Howard: Bill and Bea to you. The heads of the Howard family and owners of Venhallow Hall, a sprawling seaside Devonshire estate… stranded in a layby five hours from home the night before their niece’s wedding.When fate brings the trio together, Mim doesn’t think twice before offering to drive the affable older couple home. It’s not like she has anywhere else to be. But as the car pulls into the picturesque village of Littlemead, Mim has no idea how her life is about to change…An uplifting story of found family and true love perfect for fans of Fern Britton and Veronica Henry.

The Orphan's Gift


Renita D'Silva - 2020
    She wraps the baby in her last gift: a hand-knitted cardigan, embroidered with a water lily pattern. ‘You’re better off without me,’ she whispers and although every step breaks her heart, she walks away. 1910, India. Young and curious Alice, with her spun-gold hair, grows up in her family’s sprawling compound with parents as remote as England, the cold country she has never seen. It is Raju, son of a servant, with whom she shares her secrets. Together, their love grows like roses – but leaves deep thorns. Because when they get too close, Alice’s father drags them apart, sending Raju far away and banishing Alice to England… 1944. Intelligent and kind Janaki is raised in an orphanage in India. The nuns love to tell the story: Janaki’s arrival stopped the independence riots outside the gates, as the men on both sides gazed at the starry-eyed little girl left in a beautiful hand-knitted cardigan. Janaki longs for her real mother, the woman who was forced to abandon her, wrapped in a precious gift… Now old enough to be a grandmother and living alone in India, Alice watches children play under the tamarind trees, haunted by the terrible mistake she made fifty years ago. It’s just an ordinary afternoon, until a young girl with familiar eyes appears with a photograph and Alice must make a choice. Will she spend the rest of her life consumed by dreams of the past, or can she admit her mistakes and choose love and light at last? A stunning and heartbreaking novel about how a forbidden love can echo through the generations. Readers who love Lucinda Riley, Kathryn Hughes and The Storyteller’s Secret will be captivated. Readers are falling in love with Renita D’Silva: ‘LOVE LOVE LOVED this fabulous novel… I couldn’t put it down… Stunning and beautifully written… Will transport you through time and across the world from England to India… Highly recommended.’ NetGalley Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘OMG… The story takes on an unexpected, shocking twist… Just amazing, a rollercoaster of emotions, a kaleidoscope of colours… Tears running down my cheeks… That ending (WOW!) will remain imprinted on my mind for many years… Simply fantastic!!... Highly recommended!!’ Relax and Read Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Wow… I am lost for words… Wonderful, beautiful… Very emotional story of passion, regret… You will fall in love… If I could give this book 100 stars I would.’ Goodreads Reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘My favourite book read this year… I cannot recommend this book highly enough… Taken me off to another world… Made me fall in love… You’re going to LOVE this one.

The Survivor's Guide to Family Happiness


Maddie Dawson - 2016
    She’s spent her life looking into strangers’ faces, fantasizing they’re related to her, and now, at thirty-five, she’s ready for answers.Meanwhile, the last thing Lindy McIntyre wants is someone like Nina bursting into her life, announcing that they’re sisters and campaigning to track down their mother. She’s too busy with her successful salon, three children, beautiful home, and…oh yes, some pesky little anxiety attacks.But Nina is determined to reassemble her birth family. Her search turns up Phoebe Mullen, a guarded, hard-talking woman convinced she has nothing to offer. Gradually sharing stories and secrets, the three women make for a messy, unpredictable family that looks nothing like Nina pictured…but may be exactly what she needs. Nina’s moving, ridiculous, tragic, and transcendent journey becomes a love story proving that real family has nothing to do with DNA.