Book picks similar to
Ups And Downs by Mary Jane Staples


paperback
family-saga
mary-jane-staples
s

The Apple Barrel


Susan Sallis - 2000
    Soon after they marry and move into an idyllic Gloucestershire village, Hope discovers she is pregnant. The glamorous Petersons, Henrik and Mandy, appear as new neighbours, and both couples become close. But appearances can be deceptive.

Stay as Sweet as You Are


Joan Jonker - 1999
    But¬† Lucy only knows cruelty from the woman who brought her into the world. Her father, Bob, is the one shining light in her life. He tries to protect her, but he is no match for the devious wife who gives him no peace of mind and has no love for his daughter. The walls of the house are thin and Ruby Mellor's angry attacks on Lucy can be heard by their neighbours. One day, Irene Pollard decides she must do something, and she takes the girl under her wing. And two doors up, Mrs Aggie and her seafaring son, Titch, enrich Lucy's life with their sense of fun. But¬†Lucy she still craves a mother's love...

Harvest Moon


Judith Saxton - 1995
    But when Lady Clifton dies soon after giving birth, Sir George hands the child over to be brought up on Beeswing Farm. John Hoverton and Laurie Clifton are raised as brothers.

Lily, My Lovely


Lena Kennedy - 1986
    His romantic ways make Lily go weak at the knees, and although she sticks by her husband, her heart belongs wholly to her flying Dutchman.Torn between his native homeland and his yearning for 'Lily, my lovely', Kasie sweeps in and out of her life throughout the post-war years and the swinging Sixties, always on a tide of storms and passion. Only when that tide finally recedes does an older and wiser Lily settle down among her adored grandchildren to remember fondly her adventurous life.

Killigrew Clay


Rowena Summers - 1987
    After all, he was the heir to the biggest clay works in all of Cornwall, and she was but the daughter of one of their workmen.For just as an unexpected passion began to blossom between Morwen Tremayne and Ben Killigrew, the fates seemed determined to stifle its growth. A long, bitter struggle between owner and workforce brought about Charles Killigrew’s sudden illness, and with it Ben’s summons to the head of the family firm.Morwen and Ben, innocent victims of other men’s antagonisms, find themselves party to a conflict not of their making, that threatens to cut them off not only from their families, but from each other…A touching, heartbreaking tale of a love that conquers all, Killigrew Clay is perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin, Lesley Pearse and Linda Finlay

Dream Sellers


Ruth Hamilton - 1998
    Edward Shawcross absented himself as much as possible and kept a red-haired mistress in Tintern Avenue. Alice, his wife, sought solace in chocolate and continually carped at Connie, her beautiful daughter. And Connie and Gilbert, their children, formed an uneasy alliance in the face of their parents' antipathy.Twenty years before, Edward Shawcross had been an impoverished millhand, born in a slum to feckless parents. Overnight his fortunes had changed. To everyone's surprise he had married the plain and awkward daughter of the wealthy Fishwick family. Almost at once the Fishwicks, owners of a lucrative mill and a grand house, went to live abroad leaving Edward in charge of all their business interests. No-one could understand why Edward had suddenly made this leap of fortune.But as the new generation began to grow up, so the truth behind old scandals began to emerge. Then, after many years, the Fishwicks returned and violence swiftly followed. Before Connie and Gilbert could throw off the legacies of the past and build their own lives, there were to be many shocking revelations.

Echo of Another Time


Audrey Howard - 1995
    Harper. By the age of 18 she has become a talented cook, but when she falls in love with a Latimer, all their lives change with frightening swiftness.

Pack Up Your Troubles


Anne Bennett - 2000
    Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Annie Groves.Maeve Brannigan is only eighteen when she leaves her rural home in County Donegal and moves to Birmingham, where she falls in love with handsome Brendan Hogan. But married life isn’t as idyllic as she’d imagined, and when Maeve falls pregnant with their first child, she soon realises that Brendan isn’t the man she thought he was.Saddled with a violent husband and with two young’uns needing her protection, Maeve bears her life as best she can. After a particularly vicious attack, she is forced to flee back to Ireland – but her presence is greeted with open hostility by the close-knit catholic community that she was once so eager to escape. Driven away to face her abusive husband, Maeve’s future looks bleak. Will she find the strength to break free and make the prospect of a better life a reality rather than a distant dream?

A Child's Voice Calling


Maggie Bennett - 2002
    With poverty never far from the door, the battle to stay respectable is finally lost when the family breaks up in tragic circumstances, and Mabel is thrown upon the dubious mercy of her grandmother, the sinister Mimi Court, who has her own dark secrets. But faithful Harry Drover of the Salvation Army, in love with Mabel, gets an opportunity to prove his devotion when Mimi falls foul of the law and Mabel has to fight for her own survival...

Lancashire Lass


Anna Jacobs - 2000
    Saul is sending Josiah as far away as he can and hopes never to see him again. Josiah's wife is ill and knows she can never return to England.What will these people make of their new lives? As it often does, migration causes other people to follow the group out to the Peel Region of Western Australia, bringing new complications in their lives. Some will die, some will succeed, and others will move on from Western Australia, either back to England or across to Victoria. For Liza and Benedict, the central characters, there will be cruel disappointments before they can win their way through to a happier life.

Black Hills Song


Kari Trumbo - 2020
    His aunt offers a way out, but is the cost too high? Her dying wish is to give them The Grand Opera House of Rapid City, but there’s one catch. All three brothers must wed first. When he chooses to marry the costume designer out of necessity, will a marriage of convenience ruin the crescendo building between them?Beloved DuetSam Wagner is the forgotten son. He will do whatever he must to take ownership of the Opera House, including send for a mail order bride. When his first plan falls flat, he seeks the hand of the woman who helped him along the way. Except, she’d rather have nothing to do with him or his hand. As time runs short, can he convince her he isn’t the man she believes him to be?Grand FinaleCaleb Wagner flees his home and his family to escape the pressure of finding a wife. He’s certain if he leaves, his aunt will relent and give his brothers their desires. While away, he meets an opera star in hiding. She convinces him to bring her back to Keystone, the perfect place to escape. Will she be the final piece the family needs or will Caleb’s delay mean silence for them all?If wives aren’t found before time runs out three brothers will lose their birthright. Don’t miss this sweet, historical romance with perfect pacing and a final curtain you won’t want to miss.

Goodbye Liverpool


Anne Baker - 2002
    But soon Josie realises she's made a mistake, and she and Suzy flee Liverpool and a man they now fear. But will they be safe from the past in Birkenhead?

Siena Summer


Teresa Crane - 1999
    When Poppy arrives, she finds a disturbing undercurrent in Isobel and husband Kit’s relationship, then accidentally uncovers a terrible secret.Against the backdrop of a verdant 1920s Tuscany, Poppy’s own journey into love is overshadowed by the insanity of a war long-ended, and a desire for revenge that, with tragic consequences, inevitably damages the innocent… Perfect for readers of Rosanna Ley and Lucinda Riley, and brimming with atmosphere, this is an enthralling and dramatic story of romance, war and jealousy. ‘A writer of great skill and vitality’ Sarah Harrison‘A moving, passionate and treacherous tale’ Essex Chronicle‘A wonderful storyteller’ Daily Mail

A Nurse at War


Maggie Holt - 2005
    So at twenty-one she escapes to London to train as a nurse, where she gathers many admirers - none more dashing than RAF officer Sandy Redfern, with whom she falls in love.But the coming of war, with the chaos of the Blitz, brings upheavals and unforeseen entanglements. On hearing of Sandy's reckless affair with a married woman, a heartbroken Lily throws herself into her work. Then further changes in circumstances bring her to a busy RAF hospital in Hampshire, where a faithful childhood sweetheart persuades her to become engaged to him.And then fate brings Sandy Redfern back into her life, physically scarred by burns and inwardly embittered. What of their once passionate love and her present commitment? Can the past ever be recaptured?

Looking For Love


Rosie Harris - 2003
    The youngest of three, she longs to be loved by her mother, but Ellen spends all her time with her eldest son, while Abbie and her brother, Sam, take refuge with their neighbours, Sandra Lewis and Peter Ryan. Although vibrant and attractive, Abbie pushes people away with her constant need for reassurance. Infatuated with Peter, she longs for the day when he tells her that he loves her. And Sam is courting Sandra. But Peter and Sandra have a secret - one that could destroy the friends' relationship should it become known. Will Abbie finally find the security and affection she has been searching for all her life, or will she always be looking for love...?