Book picks similar to
The Promise by Sam Vickery


instafreebie
fiction
tbr-8
contemporary-books

Things We Never Said


Nick Alexander - 2017
    Every secret she never told. Catherine was the love of Sean’s life. But now she is gone. All that’s left is a box full of envelopes, each containing a snapshot and a cassette tape.Through a series of recordings, Catherine shares their long love story, but will Sean recognise the story she tells? Catherine’s words have been chosen with love, but are painfully honest—and sometimes simply painful. She reveals every unspoken thought and every secret she kept from her husband—revelations that will shake everything Sean thought he knew about their life together.But as disconcerting as the tapes turn out to be, Sean prays that they will ultimately confirm the one thing he never dared question. Does destiny exist? And were his and Catherine’s love and life together always meant to be? Revised edition: This edition of Things We Never Said includes editorial revisions.

The Child from the Ash Pits


Chrissie Walsh - 2019
    Can little Cally break free from poverty, and forge a successful life for herself? When Cally loses her beloved mum, she hopes her father will comfort and protect her. But instead she soon acquires a cruel and vengeful stepmother, and Cally begins to fear that she is on her own. Through uncomfortable years in service, to a terrifying brush with the streets, through hard work and determination, Cally finally finds a place for herself. She even trusts enough in the future to create her own family, despite being so cruelly abandoned by her own. At last in a place of peace and contentment, Cally has all she ever hoped for, but with World War 2 looming, how long can she hold on to the people she loves? Taking us from 1926 all the way to end of the Second World War, Chrissie Walsh has written a heart-breaking tale of love and survival, perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews.

Fat Chance


Nick Spalding - 2014
    Greg's rugby-playing days are well and truly behind him, thanks to countless pints of beer and chicken curry.When Elise, a radio DJ and Zoe's best friend, tells them about a new competition, it seems like the perfect opportunity to turn their lives around. Fat Chance will pit six hefty couples against one another to see who can collectively lose the most weight and walk away with a £50,000 prize.So begins six months of abject misery, tears, and frustration--that just might turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to them--in another laugh-out-loud look at the way we live now from bestselling author Nick Spalding.

The Chestnut Tree (A Short Story)


Jo Thomas - 2014
    Could the answer to his problems lie in the chestnut orchard at the bottom of the garden?Only Ellie can help Daniel unlock the delicious secret that will bring them the fresh starts they need. And as autumn approaches, romance will blossom amid the glowing embers of the chestnut fire...*Contains an exclusive extract from Jo's brand-new novel, THE OLIVE BRANCH, out February 2015*

The Whore's Tale: Sarah (A Jacobite Chronicles Story)


Julia Brannan - 2018
    This is a companion series and can be read independently of the Chronicles. The year is 1731 and in a small village in Cheshire, England, the Reverend Browne has determined the future of his young daughter Sarah. Her life will be dedicated to caring for him and his household affairs while he, acting as one of God’s chosen few, saves souls from the devil. Sarah dreams of a different future, one in which she will be happy and independent. As she grows older she starts to see glimpses of a tantalising world beyond her reach and longs one day to escape the drudgery of her life, to become part of it all and maybe even have her own business. However, a chance meeting leads first to joy and blossoming and then to the destruction of her whole world. It changes her life forever, forcing her down a path which is the very opposite of the glittering one she had hoped for, one for which she has to pay a terrible price to survive.

The Flower Girls


Dee Williams - 2012
    The twins are the apple of their parents' eye, and each other's best friend - they always know what the other is thinking. Feisty Rose has a more rebellious nature than her sister, but it's never before interfered with their closeness. However, Rose's secret dissatisfaction with her humdrum lifestyle reaches a head when she meets the rich and handsome Rodger. To the shock of the Flowers family, she elopes with him to Gretna Green. Once Rose has the money and glamour she's always craved, nothing will persuade her to contact her family again; not even her father's death. And then, in the wake of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, everything changes. With her charmed life in shreds and with no one left to turn to, Rose is determined to build bridges those she has hurt the most. But can forgiveness be sought so easily - and can she ever truly escape her troubled past?

Claus For Alarm


Gretchen Allen - 2019
     Charlotte Claus, not to be confused with the ever-popular Mrs. Claus, volunteers to house-sit for a friend of the family while he is out of the country on business. She arrives in Partridge Point on her own, as this time of year is a very big one for her husband, Kris, not to be confused with the even-more-popular, Santa Claus. Things heat up fast, when Charlotte finds herself in charge of the town’s prestigious cookie exchange. Baking one’s way into oblivion, while keeping track of all of the other cookie participants would set anyone in their right mind on edge. Anyone but Charlotte, that is. With the patience of a saint, she brings the Claus-doubting town of Partridge Point jingling its way right onto the nice list. Except, unfortunately, for her neighbor, Hannah, the mayor of Partridge Point, who is accused of murder. Refusing to let the sweet woman end up in jail, Charlotte promises to rein in the crowds of people that are positive that Hannah is a criminal. Partridge Point will never be the same, after Charlotte brings the joy and spirit of the season back to everyone’s hearts, even in the midst of the town’s largest scandal, and a murder that threatens to ruin the Christmas magic that she’s worked so hard to spread. Can Charlotte save the day and solve the crime of the season before the cookies burn, and goodwill goes up in smoke?

The Confessor's Wife


Kelly Evans - 2019
    Even the king’s mother, Emma of Normandy, detests her daughter-in-law and Edith is soon on the receiving end of her displeasure. Balancing her sense of family obligation with her duty to her husband, Edith must also prove herself to her detractors. Edward’s and Edith’s relationship is respectful and caring, but when Edith’s enemies engineer her family’s fall from grace, the king is forced to send her away. She vows to do anything to protect her family’s interests if she returns, at any cost. Can Edith navigate the dangerous path fate has set her, while still remaining loyal to both her husband and her family?

Bedlam & Breakfast at a Devon seaside guesthouse


Sharley Scott
    She is certain she and Jason have a strong and loving relationship that can weather any storm. Hooked by the beauty of Torringham with its quaint harbour and stunning coastline, they purchase Flotsam Guesthouse which needs more than a lick of paint to keep it afloat. Soon, Katie finds that renovating and running a guesthouse is taking its toll, especially when dealing with challenging guests and madcap neighbours, Shona and Kim. Katie comes to learn that trouble is afoot whenever Shona begs a favour. However, when her adored daughter moves back to their old hometown, she wonders if they’ve made a huge mistake, especially when cracks begin to show in her marriage. Her seaside idyll is crumbling along with her relationship. Should she let Flotsam Guesthouse founder while she salvages her marriage? Katie needs to decide where her priorities lie. The only issue is, she doesn’t know.

The Trouble with Rose


Amita Murray - 2019
    A broken heart.A whole lot of trouble…Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, The Trouble with Rose is an unforgettable story about a messy family, a big secret at its heart, and the unbreakable bond between sisters.Rilla is getting married. Except she isn't. She's running away – from her confused fiancé Simon, her big mad family, and the memories nipping at her heels.Her sister Rose would know what to do in such times of crisis.But the trouble is, Rose is the crisis. She disappeared years ago, and Rilla's heart went missing too.Where is Rose? And who is Rilla without Rose?If she's to rescue some happiness out of all this chaos, she needs to find out.

Chasing China: A Daughter's Quest for Truth


Kay Bratt - 2011
    She is grateful for her life, but now that she is on the precipice of total independence, she feels she is missing something. Determined to learn more of her past, Mia hops a plane to the country of her birth. As she follows the red thread back through her motherland, she is enamored by the history and culture of her heritage, strengthening her resolve to find the truth of her beginnings, even as Chinese officials struggle to keep it buried. With an unwavering spirit of determination, Mia battles the forces stacked against her and uncovers a truth that will change her life.

A Murder in Helvetica Bold


C. Rysa Walker - 2019
    Nine months later, she has a new hobby, good friends, and a potential new romance--but only two dozen subscribers to the weekly newspaper she's intent on reviving. What she needs is a good mystery...but nothing ever happens in sleepy little Thistlewood.Then Edith Morton is found dead at the bottom of her staircase. Her son and the sheriff both assume that the old woman jumped, but a shattered teacup and eerie passages from Edith's diary about a dark-haired boy lead Ruth to believe there's more to the story. Was Edith simply a victim of dementia, or did someone push her over the edge? Ruth is too curious not to keep digging, but her investigation is unearthing secrets someone spent decades trying to hide.Can Ruth find out who killed Edith Morton before she or someone she loves becomes the next obituary in the Thistlewood Star?(Previously published as Jessa Archer.)

Hungarian Dances


Jessica Duchen - 2008
    Instead, she's a teacher, a mum and wife to Julian, a very English husband. When disaster befalls her best friend, Karina feels forced to question the very foundations of her existence.

All That Is Left Of Us


Catherine Miller - 2016
    No matter how Archie came into her life, or the fact he's a little different from other children, he is precious and loved. He is hers, after all. Especially because she’s never told anyone who the father of her son is.So when Dawn’s twin brother David and his wife Rebekah are struggling to have their own child, Dawn agrees to become their surrogate, as it is the one thing she can do to help.However, creating the perfect family doesn’t always go to plan and when Dawn realises just how much her nephew needs his mother, she begins to wonder if the time has finally come to confront the past she has kept secret for so long.From the author of Waiting for You comes a story of friendship, motherhood and hope.What reviewers are saying about ‘All That is Left of Us’‘a truly mesmerising read’ - Vikbat‘A beautiful book jam packed with emotions.’ - Jessica (Goodreads)‘I can't use enough words to say how much I loved this book.’ - Sylvia (Goodreads)

The List


Michael Leese - 2022
    Your four-year-old daughter has been taken.There are no leads. Who would want to hurt her family?Martha realizes it’s time to ask herself some hard questions about her late father.He led the anti-corruption squad at Scotland Yard. It’s rumoured he kept a list of everyone who worked for him, from coppers to criminals. And just being on that list was a sure-fire way to lower your life expectancy.Her mother was killed by someone trying to get their hands on that list. Now time is running out for Martha to get her daughter back alive.