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Sisterhood Situation by Janette McCarthy Louard


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A Summerstoke Affair


Caroline Kington - 2019
     Juliet Peters – soap star, publicity junkie and all-round flirt – and Isabelle Garnett – ex-artist, neglected housewife and mother of two – seem to have nothing in common. But when both women try to build new lives in the country, they soon discover that in a small village there are no such things as secrets. Their husbands seem to be a collision course, too. One, the new MP returned to the rural vale where he grew up; the other the local paper editor ever on the lookout for scandal, and the story that could help him make it big. Add to the mix a wild-child teenager, a reformed rogue, a social-climbing couple who'll stop at nothing, and four old ladies with a manor house and an ear for gossip, and you've got a recipe for trouble. As the days grow colder, passions only grow warmer. Before the year is out Juliet, Isabelle, and their new neighbours must discover if their hearts really are in the country, and in the right hands. Packed with intrigue, humour and spirit, Caroline Kington's delightful novel serves up an affair to remember. A Summerstoke Affair is the second in the bestselling Summerstoke Trilogy.

Peggie


Lynda Page - 1994
    At last she can save her family from financial ruin. Ever since Cyrus Crabbe stole her father Septimus's brake and claimed it as his own vehicle, Sep has dreamed of the day he would run a bus service for the villagers of Leicester to put the Crabbes out of business once and for all. It now looks like that day is in sight. But Cyrus Crabbe is a dangerous man, determined to stop the Cartwrights from succeeding. A wicked remark from his acid tongue forces Septimus to abandon his beloved brood, and as Sep's absence stretches from weeks to months, Peggie watches her mother sink into a deep decline. Peggie's brothers and sisters are used to heartache but when Billy is beaten black and blue and Cyrus's son Reginald turns his attentions to young Letty it seems that none of the family is to be spared... Peggie knows it's up to her to keep the business afloat and spirits raised. For no matter what obstacles are thrown her way she is determined to fulfil her father's dream.

The Locket


Patricia Keyson - 2017
    The Locket charts stories across the five generations who come into contact with this beautiful piece of jewellery. Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes, Nicholas Sparks, Ruth Hogan, or Nick Alexander. What stories would your most treasured piece of jewellery tell if it could speak? Rachel finds the locket while rummaging round at a car boot sale. Inside it are two faded photos from when the locket was first given as a token of love. But how was the locket lost, and who are the couple in the photos? We follow the journey of the locket as it enters new hands over the generations, each time touching a different woman’s life. From forbidden love between a maid and an aristocrat in the 1880s, to the Second World War friendship and rivalry of Barbara and Doreen. From a young mother, Yvonne, in the tumultuous 1960s, and up to the present day story of Rachel, the locket connects the secrets, heartbreak and hopes of the women who come into its possession. Enclosed in it are stories of sacrifice and devotion, loss and love, and memories to treasure for eternity. You’ll love finding out the poignant stories contained within THE LOCKET. And you’ll discover its destiny is full of stunning twists.

The Giants Look Down


Sonja Price - 2016
    It is the late 1960s and the family enjoy an idyllic life in the Vale of Kashmir, despite the area being riddled with conflict and poverty. But after a devastating earthquake wipes out her entire family, Jaya is taken into the care of relatives in Delhi, who attempt to marry her off and keep secret from her the possibility that Tahir, her younger brother, has survived the earthquake. After escaping from the arranged marriage Jaya is put through medical training in Scotland, as she had always dreamed, and where she develops feelings for her foster family’s eldest son, Alastair, who is engaged to someone else. In the meantime, Tahir has been abducted by a band of Kashmiri freedom fighters, who have made him one of their own. Jaya finally returns to her troubled homeland to find him and come to terms with the loss of her family. Alastair, who arrives in Kashmir to announce his love for Jaya, is kidnapped by the freedom fighters, forcing her to risk everything to get him back.

Dancing on Deansgate


Freda Lightfoot - 2003
    But when the Blitz reaches Manchester, she is locked in the cellar by her feckless mother, Lizzie. As bombs rain down from a sky turned blood red with flame, Jess waits for Lizzie to return.But fortunes are fickle, and soon Jess finds herself packed off to live with her tyrant Uncle Bernie, a bullying black marketeer. Though he treats her like a servant, she seeks refuge in the Sally Army and her natural musical talent offers both an escape route and the chance for love.But Uncle Bernie never forgives his niece for refusing to join his illegal schemes and threatens to deprive Jess of her hard-won freedom once and for all. This is a sweeping saga of hope and resilience perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Rosie Goodwin. Praise for Dancing on Deansgate ‘A heart-wrenching story’ 5* Reader review‘It drew me in straight away’ 5* Reader review‘Another gem from a great writer’ 5* Reader review‘A compelling story of separation and hardship, and heartache overcome at last’ 5* Reader review

Making Arrangements


Ferris Robinson - 2016
    Reeling from shock, Lang realizes all of her perfect arrangements (from the caramel cake in the freezer for his first Christmas without her to love letters for his first anniversary alone) are in utter disarray. A mute stray dog posts itself on her front porch and a grammar-butchering fashion plate posts herself in Lang's kitchen, regularly revealing too much information. Lillian, Lang's long-lost mother, reappears for the funeral and is as obnoxious as ever. Her son, Teddy, has his own ideas of how she should manage her life, and they don't include cavorting about with a veterinarian who resembles Wimpy. Lang's granddaughter is a bright spot in her life, and Lang can't imagine life without her.With her historical family estate in jeopardy, Lang discovers her husband wasn't as perfect as she thought. Is she strong enough to keep her husband's secret from destroying her life?

Yesterday's Friends


Pamela Evans - 1996
    The brightest girl in her class, Ruth had planned to attend college but the realisation that she was pregnant forced her to abandon all hopes of a career. Now, five years later, she still lives in Shepherd's Bush with her parents, twin brothers and daughter, Jenny. Conscious of a need to make ends meet, Ruth works as a shop assistant at the local chemist while her mother looks after Jenny. Ruth's best friend Kitty bitterly resents what has happened, but never once does Ruth regret the outcome of that magical night. And the joy that Jenny brings is ample reward for the sacrifices she has made. Ruth meets someone new and tries to put the past behind her, but yesterday's friends have an uncanny way of catching up with her and when her father turns up unexpectedly, Ruth's world is thrown into confusion once again...

Stuck On You (Stoneworths Series, #1)


Michelle Stimpson - 2016
    Yet when they returned to school in the fall, Braxton made a decision that drove Tiffany to transfer schools and never look back.Now, nearly a decade later, they meet again as business experts vying for the same contract at a prestigious school. In addition to their professional competition, tensions mount as Braxton and Tiffany discover that they have two different versions of what happened to their romance so long ago. Can they overcome hard feelings and pick up where they left off? Tiffany’s father passed away a few months ago, just as she was founding her new project management firm. She wonders if her leap of faith was a good move, and her doubts only increase when she learns that someone from the firm she left is trying to undermine her independent efforts…not to mention her possibilities with Braxton.Braxton thought he might follow his father’s footsteps into ministry. His wild fraternity days caught up with him, however, causing Braxton to give up the idea of teaching anyone to follow the faith he so obviously neglected. Can he win back his own self-respect and the heart of the woman he never forgot?Stuck On You is the first book in The Stoneworth Series by bestselling Christian Fiction author Michelle Stimpson. The family history is briefly established, and then readers are off to experience the Stoneworth family's rich legacy of faith and integrity within the context of contemporary romance. Come fall in love with the family!

An Ocean Between Us


Ann O'Loughlin - 2020
    But then she is told that there was a woman in the car with him, a woman identified as his wife Amelia.Devastated, she flies to Dublin to try to make sense of Jack's secret life. As she grieves, she must learn to survive, and to do that she must find the truth. What else has he been keeping from her and how will she survive this betrayal...? A compelling and emotional novel of families and the secrets we keep... Praise for Ann's writing:'The Ludlow Ladies' Society brought me to a beautiful place and into a circle of friends that I didn't want to leave. Unputdownable' KATE KERRIGAN 'It's a heart-warming story ... but also an addictive page-turner with plenty of unexpected twists and reveals in store' READER'S DIGEST'A moving tale of loss, love and redemption' BELLA MAGAZINE'Deftly written, moving and courageous' THE SUNDAY TIMES'Slow-marching, romantic prose draws us into an old world that is rustic, genteel, quaint...[but] scandals lie in wait' IRISH INDEPENDENT'Highly engaging debut you will want to dive into' SUNDAY INDEPENDENT, IRELAND'A lovely story of two women with the courage to confront the injustices of the past, bringing light to a dark corner of Ireland s recent history' KATHLEEN MACMAHON, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THIS IS HOW IT ENDS

Bebe's By Golly Wow!


Yolanda Joe - 1998
    A big, strapping "steak-colored" man who is as strong as he is sensitive, Isaac is the man of Bebe's dreams. But he's also a father dealing with the challenges of raising a thirteen-year-old daughter on his own.Much to Bebe's surprise, Isaac's whip-smart daughter, Dashay, turns out to be the "other woman" who threatens to keep them apart. Meanwhile Sandy, Bebe's best friend, who is struggling in the workplace as she clashes with the new owners of the radio station, continues on her adventure in search of true love, refusing to give up. Set in Chicago and told in alternating voices, Bebe's By Golly Wow sparkles with Yolanda Joe's deft storytelling, in-your-face dialogue, and marvelous insight as she paints a sensitive and funny tale of modern romance, family transitions, and heartfelt friendships.

A Stuttering Mail Order Bride for the Hotheaded Cattle Wrangler (Benson Creek Mail Order Brides Book 5)


Emma Morgan - 2015
     Bound for the West as a Mail Order Bride, Nantucket Murray is carrying a secret that could end her chance for a new life in Benson Creek. Gilbert Snyder had sounded kind enough in his letter, but how kind will he feel when he discovers his new bride can barely speak without stammering? All too familiar with the sting of angry words, Nan has hoped for a gentle man with which to start her new life. One who will not mind her stammer. So when her first sight of her husband-to-be is him in a fight in the dusty street, she’s ready to turn around and run straight back East. But this volatile man also shows moments of great kindness, and she wonders if perhaps he can be trusted after all. Gilbert Snyder has finally gotten the ranch he’s always dreamed of, but his Mail Order Bride has left him confused and dismayed. He may be loud, but he’s not dangerous, yet she seems to shy away from his very words. If he’s not the man for her, then maybe he needs to let her go to find someone who is. Can Gil find a way to calm his temper, and can Nan summon the strength to help him? Find out in this fifth book in the Benson Creek Mail Order Bride series!

Diary of an Adorable Fat Girl: The Complete, Full-length Novel: For anyone who's ever been on a diet (yes - all of us!)


Bernice Bloom - 2017
    She's also about six stone overweight. When she realises she can't cross her legs, has trouble bending over to tie her shoelaces without wheezing like an elderly chain-smoker, and discovers that even her hands and feet look fat, it's time to take action. But what action? She's tried every diet under the sun. This is the hysterical story of what happens when Mary joins 'Fat Club' where she meets a cast of funny characters and one particular man who catches her eye. The story is laugh-out-loud funny and will resonate with anyone who has dieted, tried to keep up with any sort of exercise programme or spent 10 minutes in a changing room trying to extricate herself from a way too-small garment that she ambitiously tried on and is now completely stuck in. Bernice Bloom is the big, new name in comedy writing...this is the first full-length novel after her series of laugh-out-loud mini books.

Bear Creek Brides Books 5 - 8


Amelia Rose - 2021
    Demetri Roberts escapes to Bear Creek with his deaf sister, Sandy, in hopes of fleeing their troubled past and starting a safe and peaceful future.Assured that his sister is out of harm’s way, Demetri allows himself to fall for Emily and embark on a promising new romance. With her fitted jeans, her pistol and her sharp wit, Emily proves to be a tough lady who needs no protection.But when Demetri’s past catches up with him, putting his sister’s life back in danger, along with the rest of the community, their budding romance is put to the test.Will love and friendship be enough to save them? Will this fearless bride cure the troubled doctor’s heart?Deputy Tanner Williams wants nothing more than to find someone he can love. He finally summons up the courage to place an ad for a mail order bride, and is captivated by the woman with an irresistible combination of sharp wit and sweet nature.Bethany Duncan is determined to escape the life her controlling father has mapped out for her. The deputy’s mail order bride ad has given her a way out and she makes her way to Bear Creek to be with him.But trouble is brewing as chaos looms over the town, and Bethany’s father tries to stop his daughter’s plans.Are love and determination enough to secure a future of happiness for Bethany and Tanner, or is life determined to knock them down?Pastor Barthelme Munster and Samantha Freda weren’t expecting to find love when they moved to Bear Creek.Pastor Munster had planned to fully give himself to a community that needed him, while Samantha, together with her five sisters, had hoped to find a new place where she could put her difficult past behind her.Yet, they discover in each other a kindred spirit with whom they can share their dark pasts. Suddenly, these two lost souls are not alone… but can they accept their worth in time to give their blossoming love a chance?In the midst of the worst blizzard Bear Creek has ever seen, Peter Gibson and Shirley Freda find themselves stuck in the Jenkins’ ranch, growing ever closer as they work together to protect the ranch from the storm.Peter has already fallen for Shirley and longs for their budding relationship to grow, but Shirley is guarded, her heart frozen by the traumas of her past.Is his love true enough to thaw her heart and help her overcome the wounds that threaten to keep her from happiness?In Bear Creek Brides: Books 5-8, you’ll find four riveting stories of new beginnings and true love. Join Emily, Bethany, Samantha and Shirley as they face the demons of the past and fight for love and happiness.

Maeve Binchy: Three Great Novels (Scarlet Feather / Tara Road / Evening Class)


Maeve Binchy - 2002
    In Evening Class, she applies her signature warmth, wit and understanding to something new--a wickedly funny book for anyone who's checked into the hospital, headed for an operation or convalesced at home. Maeve Binchy can always be counted on to spin an involving tale about ordinary people that brings out the extraordinary in everyone. Here, she zooms in on the working-class of Dublin. Schoolteacher Aidan Dunne organises an evening class in Italian with the help of Nora O'Donoghue, an Irishwoman returning home after 26 years in Sicily. When the somewhat squashed-by-life denizens of the surrounding neighbourhood take the unexpected step of enrolling in the class, they find their lives transformed. Binchy tells her story from the viewpoints of eight different characters and rewards both them and her readers with happy endings after the requisite rocky road. Reading a novel by Maeve Binchy is like catching up with old friends--you know everything will turn out fine in the end, but you're still interested in how things get that way.

Heartbreak in the Valleys


Francesca Capaldi - 2020
    For young housemaid, Anwen Rhys, life is hard in the Welsh mining village of Dorcalon, deep in the Rhymney Valley. She cares for her ill mother and beloved younger sister Sara, all while shielding them from her father’s drunken, violent temper. Anwen comforts herself with her love for childhood sweetheart, Idris Hughes, away fighting in the Great War.Yet when Idris returns, he is a changed man; no longer the innocent boy she loved, he is harder, more distant, quickly breaking off their engagement. And when tragedy once again strikes her family, Anwen’s heart is completely broken.But when an explosion at the pit brings unimaginable heartache to Dorcalon, Anwen and Idris put their feelings aside to unite their mining community.In the midst of despair, can Anwen find hope again? And will she ever find the happiness she deserves?