Book picks similar to
Sweet Songbird by Teresa Crane
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Till the Sun Shines Through
Anne Bennett - 2004
She can’t bear to let down her beloved parents – until a horrible act of violence gives her no option but to run away. She turns to the one person she can trust – big sister Mary, now settled with a family of her own in Birmingham.Life here couldn’t be more different, but slowly Bridie comes to see the good side of a busy city, and begins to regain her confidence. But fate has more trouble in store, as World War Two looms, threatening everything she’s fought so hard to win.
The Black Mountains
Janet Tanner - 1981
Charlotte, James and their seven children are independent spirits, united by strong family values.Living in a mining community is never easy, and when the shadow of impending war threatens, they must pull together to face the hardship to come. Can this close-knit family overcome whatever tragedy life throws at them?The Black Mountains, a moving saga of love, happiness and heartbreak, is perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Katie Flynn.
‘Sensitive and exceptionally polished’ Manchester Evening News
The Hillsbridge Sagas
The Black Mountains
The Emerald Valley
The Hills and the Valley
A Family Affair
Angels Watching Over Me / A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton / The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart / Together Is All We Need
Michael R. Phillips
Soon the plantation they have struggled to maintain becomes a beacon of hope to others in desperate need.
The Blackmailed Beauty
Ilene Withers - 2013
There, an unwanted encounter with the local viscount turns into an assault. Claire fights back and escapes with her virtue intact only to be blackmailed by his sister, Lady Regina, who witnessed the attack. Claire now faces ruin if she does not meet the terms of the blackmail – convince the Earl of Roydon to marry her, even though a long-standing arrangement has matched him with Lady Regina. Noel Mallory, the Duke of Lamborton, meets Claire and is immediately enamored by her. He becomes frustrated, however, when she alternately seems to welcome his attentions and spurn them. Worse, she seems to be seeking the attentions of his best friend, the Earl of Roydon. Noel sets out to win Claire’s love and discover the reason behind her confusing behavior.
Goodness and Mercy
Patti Hill - 2013
And sometimes, mercy comes at the worst possible moment. At least, Lucy thinks so.After the death of her parents, sixteen-year-old Lucy Richter struggles to keep a promise to her father--to save what remains of her family. Lucy fails tragically but won't allow her dwindling family to disappear. She shanghais her twin siblings, Goody and Mercy, from a Wisconsin orphanage to a Colorado peach ranch and an aunt who is a less-than-welcoming stranger. Lucy is prepared to keep the peace with her aunt, but will her sister's gifts draw unwanted attention and crush Lucy's dream of family?And World War II rages on. Absent men strain the running of Honey Sweet Ranch and force alliances of the most intriguing and unlikely kind, including German POWs. Within these relationships, Lucy is given the chance to discover an unfamiliar and healing faith.With her defining style, Patti Hill tells a story of love and loss with one of America's darkest times as a backdrop. Hill's characters resonate, and her descriptions draw the reader into a drama that is perfectly paced and infused with a wondrous hope.
The Scout
Harry Combs - 1995
a towering tale of dreams unfettered, of mustangs running free, and of young men riding hell-bent-for-leather into Indian country for no other reason than they were young, brave and wild.By 1900 the Old West was vanishing, but the man many called its fastest gun was still alive. By then Car Brules had shut himself and his secrets away in a cabin on Colorado's Lone Cone Peak. Only one person knew his real story, a boy of eleven who became his friend and heard his extraordinary tales in 1909. The Scout is that unforgettable story, just as young Steven Cartwright heard it, just as Brules told it: hard and gritty, wry with a cowboy's humor, and true to the spirits of all those who loved the west--and died for it--from Custer to Crazy Horse.Many hard, hurting things had driven Cat Brules to become the man he was. The death of his beloved Shoshone bride, Wild Rose, was one of them. Months after Brules lost her--brutally and far too soon--Wild Rose still came to him in his dreams. With a void in his heart and a reckless spirit, Brules signed on as a Scout for General George Crook, whose cavalry was headed into the Badlands. Then, the U.S. Army still didn't know that there were fifteen thousand Sioux and Cheyenne in those Wyoming foothills, and under chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, every one of them was willing to fight to the death to live free.Brules's account of the violence that ensued, told with eyewitness immediacy and chilling authenticity, is one of courage and shame as he rides the trail toward the Little Big Horn and the battles that followed. Seeing for himself the dying of a way of life, Brules tells a searing truth about America's history: the betrayal of Custer to the Sioux, the hunting of Geronimo, and the U.S. Army's cruel pursuit of Chief Joseph and his Nez Perce. And here too are the women who loved Brules: White Antelope, the gentle Indian maiden who wanted what Brules felt he could never give again--and Melisande, the saucy Mormon girl who might be too much for even Cat Brules to handle.Debunking the myths of the Old West and the romanticism of movies, renowned Western writer Harry Combs creates a vision at once more complex, magnificent and genuine--from the make of the rifle to the caliber of the bullet that cut Custer down. A novel unmatched in excitement and adventure, The Scout lets you smell the cordite, feel a man's hard need for a woman, and discover that the real flesh and blood inhabitants of those legendary days were tougher, bolder and more fascinating than we ever dared to imagine.
Farewell Bergerac: A World War II Thriller (World War II Adventure Series)
Fredrik Nath - 2012
Fredrik Nath is one of those few."- The Masked PersonaFrom the author of wartime adventure novel 'The Cyclist', the Historical Novels Society editor's choice February 2011.A reluctant hero in war-torn France...A teacher in St Cyprien, a small town in Aquitaine, France, descends into an alcoholic daze, after his son dies in the Spanish Civil War. His life seems meaningless and he moves to Bergerac where he survives by poaching and fishing. Isolating himself from the world, he ruminates over his hatred of the Fascists who killed his son. He is dragged back to reality when, after the occupation of France by the Nazis, he witnesses Security Police beating a young Jewish girl. He reacts by killing the Germans and hides Rachelle, the young teenager. She breathes life into the world in which he has hidden himself and gives him a reason to go on.Dufy begins a path of revenge on the occupying Germans. A sniper in the Great War, he uses his skills to devastating effect, always posing as the town drunk.Then the British drop supplies and a beautiful SOE agent whom Dufy falls in love with. But as the invaders hunt down the partisans in the deep, crisp woodland, nothing works out as Dufy had hoped.Farewell Bergerac is an unforgettable wartime tale of fragile love, loss and redemption.
The Asylum
Debra Meller - 2020
Her infant son, already dead, lies on her chest still clinging to his mother.On the morning that is Patty found, she is not expected to survive but is taken to hospital where she eventually recovers. But, severely emotionally disturbed, Patty soon finds herself a patient at Hillside Asylum. There, Patty’s condition deteriorates, and the staff and doctors perform unnecessary experimental procedures on their patient.But when someone from Patty’s past learns about her incarceration, they vow to get her out. And those responsible for the abuse will be made to suffer . . .
The Cortés Enigma
John Paul Davis - 2014
Twelve hours later it appeared again, this time much closer to the mainland…Who was on board or where they came from remained a mystery…No trace of the vessel was ever found…1904: In an old graveyard in a remote part of the Isles of Scilly, a distinguished academic makes a surprising discovery. The inscriptions on the gravestones are unlike any he has ever seen, at least in that part of the world. The clues point to an astounding possibility: a maritime legend and a priceless treasure. And a four-hundred-year-old cover-up!Present Day: History Lecturer Dr Ben Maloney is sitting in his office when the phone rings. A call from his cousin is rarely anything out of the ordinary, but today what he has to say is anything but normal. His great-great-grandfather’s ship has been discovered near a deserted island in the Isles of Scilly. Along with his murdered corpse!Dropping everything, Maloney’s decision to visit the site of his ancestor’s demise soon proves to be one fraught with danger. With nothing but a hundred-year-old diary and legends from the island’s past to guide him, Maloney’s only chance to solve the riddle of his ancestor’s death is to unravel the pieces of an altogether greater mystery. An unimaginable treasure remains unfound. And some will stop at nothing to find it…
Easter Carats
Erynn Mangum - 2011
So when her grandmother suggests changing up Easter tradition by inviting her neighbor's family - including her neighbor's sloppy grandson, Blake - and spending the weekend in a lake house in Texas, Emilie is anything but on board with the idea.Blake Sullivan is excited for the vacation, even though he'll have to put up with worrywart Emilie the whole time. He's got plans to just sit on the dock and fish the weekend away.But when the catfish aren't biting and the manicured golf course turns out to be a place for Frisbee golf, will Emilie and Blake find out that the one thing they have in common is the most important thing of all?
A Liverpool Lass
Katie Flynn - 1993
December, 1905. In the breaking dawn of a raw windswept morning, a new-born baby girl is left at the door of an orphange. So helpless and appealing is the foundling that young Nellie McDowell, the maid-of-all-work, decides there and then to adopt her as her own sister.In the years that follow, Nellie and Lilac become even closer than sisters in their shared struggle to survive the grinding poverty of their lot. But they cannot lean on each other for ever. Nellie delights in the promise of love - and tastes the bitterness of betrayal - just as the long finger of war stretches out to divide the girls and rob Liverpool of a whole generation of its young men ...Sure to please fans and newcomers alike, this is classic Katie Flynn saga writing at its best.
The Malice of Angels (Esme Quentin Mystery #3)
Wendy Percival - 2017
Esme, wary of Max's motives, declines to get involved.Meanwhile, Esme’s friend Ruth, prompted by WW2 anniversaries, wants to solve the mystery of Vivienne, her mother Bea's sister, a wartime nurse who never came home. Despite Bea’s disapproval, Ruth is convinced the truth will finally help Bea come to terms with her loss and asks Esme to investigate.Esme unpicks the threads of Vivienne's past and stumbles upon a disturbing connection, linking the old soldier’s murder to her own distressing past and her late husband's fate. As events unravel, Esme realises that to uncover the secrets behind Vivienne’s story, she must also confront the terrifying truth behind her own.
All the Fun of the Fair
Lynda Page - 2018
But when the fairgoers head home, the Grundys are left behind. Hours are long and the work back-breaking. But family and friends hold things together.Gemma married into the lifestyle, her reliable husband Solomon making the work worthwhile. Solly’s Dad Samson is still the boss, but his other son, known as Sonny, is getting a reputation...Times are changing. Can the family – and the fair – survive?
A saga with a twist, join the Grundy family in a gritty but heartwarming novel of love, friendship and secrets. Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Lyn Andrews and Rosie Goodwin.
Praise for All The Fun of the Fair'What a delightful read! I loved this story from beginning to end!' Lucy's Reading Record'An excellent book with a captivating storyline with lots of interesting and diverse characters, what more can you ask for?' Goodreads reviewer'I absolutely loved this book. From page one I was drawn into the lives of all the characters... A thoroughly enjoyable read.' Reader review'This book is full of secrets, romance, heartbreak and a couple of twists I never saw coming. I loved this book from beginning to end.' Reader review'This story has so much packed into it... the strength of friendship and the value of community. A great read and an author who I want to read more of.' Jo's Book Journey
A Flight of Golden Wings
Beryl Matthews - 2007
Britain is at war and Ruth Aspinall, a gifted pilot, is determined to join the Air Transport Auxiliary, an organisation of civilian pilots who ferry aircraft to wherever they're needed. Meanwhile over in America, siblings Jack and Lucy Nelson, both experienced pilots themselves, are keen to join too.After a perilous journey by sea, Jack is soon having his first experience of the London Blitz before being posted to White Waltham, where he quite literally bumps into Ruth and romance soon blossoms. On D-Day, Jack is sent to France to deliver a Spitfire, but he is declared missing in action after his plane fails to arrive. Heartbroken, Ruth must accept that the love of her life may never return . . .
London, Part 1 of 3
Edward Rutherfurd - 1998
He brings this vibrant city's long and noble history alive through the ever-shifting fortunes, fates, and intrigues of half-a-dozen families, from the age of Julius Caesar to the 20th century. Generation after generation, these families embody the passion, struggle, wealth, and verve of the greatest city in the world.