Book picks similar to
The Sound of her Laughter by Margaret Thornton
20th-century
adult
america
historical-fiction
The Cruel Romance: A Novel of Love and War
Marina Osipova - 2016
With only moments left together, she places a cross around her beloveds neck and reluctantly releases him into a cruel world where nothing is certain, especially whether she will ever see him again.Days later, Germans invade her village and take over her tiny house. Serafima and her mother must comply with orders, endure abuse, and stay put, or their village will be annihilated.As World War II intertwines Serafimas and Vityas life with that of a young German violinist and a Russian intellectual, their destinies are irrevocably altered. Can they rise to the challenge of agonizing moral choices and learn to forgive and love again?
Victoria's Walk
Christopher Nicole - 1986
Having spent six years in Africa with her English missionary husband, she knows that the desert is not as empty of water as most suppose, if one knows where to look. Thus she leads her party on an epic two hundred mile walk to gain the fertile grassland to the south. To achieve this, she must drive them ever onwards, quell two mutinies and watch some of her party die. Their lives are saved when they reach an oasis, but to gain true safety they must now face Arab slaver traders, bloodthirsty Ashanti warriors, and the all-consuming forest. Victoria's walk has hardly begun. Set at the turn of the 20th Century, when the British Empire was approaching its zenith, with a handful of administrators and soldiers endeavoring to rule vast areas and dominate peoples they did not understand, VICTORIA'S WALK is a tale of the human spirit at its highest and lowest, its most courageous and its most bestial, of one woman's unceasing fortitude, of the men who loved her, and the women who hated her.
A Respectable Woman
Susanna Bavin - 2018
Five years on, she is just another penny-pinching, back-street housewife. When she discovers Stan is leading a double-life, she runs away to make a fresh start elsewhere.Nell forges a new life for herself and her children in Manchester, working in a garment factory as a talented machinist. Her neighbours and colleagues believe she is a respectable widow – even her children think their father is dead – but when the past comes back to haunt her, Nell is faced with a court trial and will have to answer for her actions.‘A real page-turner that will tug at your heartstrings’ Anna Jacobs
Alpha Men: Books 4-6 (Alpha Men, #4-6)
Hope Ford - 2019
He was my everything. We knew he would be joining the service when we graduated. Just like his dad and grandfather did before him. So, no matter how much I wanted him to stay, he had to go. He had to leave me. My mom was once in the same situation and she waited her whole life for my dad to come back to us. I saw what she went through and how it destroyed her. I couldn’t do that to myself. So, I ended it with Tank. Tank Emily thinks I will never come back to her. But what she doesn’t realize is, I don’t have a choice. No matter what happens, no matter how far away I go, I’m coming back to her. Where I Belong (Alpha Men, 5) An Alpha Man and BBW, Steamy Sweet Romance Kim I fell for Rich in a picture. He is in my brother’s army unit and twelve years older than me. Although I dreamed about him all the time, I never imagined that we would ever meet… and he would live up to my fantasy. Rich My army brother asked me to check in on his sister. I told him I would and then he gave me her picture. I fell for her just by looking at her, and I knew the minute I saw her, I was where I belong. Do Over (Alpha Men, 6) An Alpha Man, and BBW, Steamy Sweet Romance Madison Jase and I were in love and going to be together FOREVER! And then he had to leave me. I spent the last five years dealing with a broken heart. I tried to move on, I met someone else and we had a baby together. But now, Jase is back and says he’s here to get what is his. Jase I had to leave her. At the time I didn’t think I had a choice. But I worked all this time to get back to her. She thinks since her body has changed and she has a little girl now that I don’t want her. She couldn’t be more wrong and I’m going to prove it to her. I’m going to get my second chance… my do-over. Note: This is a steamy, sweet, SHORT romance. It has a HEA with alpha male and a plus-size woman that makes him hers! If you love short romances with insta love, hot love scenes, and a sweet story, then this one is for you.
The Wine Widow (The Champagne Dynasty Family Saga Book 1)
Tessa Barclay - 1985
A compelling tale of one woman’s triumphs and tragedies which you will not be able to put down. Young peasant girl Nicole Berthois works hard to support her family in a wine-making village in Champagne. Her life changes forever when she falls in love with handsome aristocrat Philippe de Tramont. The young lovers marry despite his mother’s objections, and Nicole’s strength and determination help her husband to follow his dreams. But then tragedy strikes; Philippe is killed and Nicole must struggle to raise their two small children as a young widow. She faces many challenges as she tries to win her mother-in-law’s approval, and build her husband’s legacy into a great champagne dynasty. But will illicit passions, war and a shocking family secret destroy all she has worked to achieve? ‘Tessa Barclay always spins a fine yarn. Her novels are gripping and entertaining.’ Wendy Craig ‘Filled with fascinating historical detail and teeming with human passions.’ Marie Joseph ‘A red hot contender for the Romantic Novelist of the Year Award.’ Daily Mirror From the publishers of Hardacre and Hardacre’s Luck. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries, Margaret Dickinson, Lyn Andrews and Helen Forrester. Tessa Barclay is the author of many much-loved family sagas and historical romance novels, including the Wine Widow trilogy, the four-part Craigallan series, and the Corvill Weaving saga – all coming soon in new paperback editions and as ebooks for the very first time. Tessa began her writing career after being educated at the Miss Jean Brodie school, and has since written over 100 books.
One Night with Her Brooding Boss: Ruthless Boss, Dream Baby / Her Impossible Boss / The Secretary's Bossman Bargain (Mills & Boon M&B)
Susan Stephens - 2015
Marcos Allende finally had his secretary where he wanted her. Virginia would play the role of his lover while he conducted the deal of his life and then he’d make the pretence a reality. But he didn’t know she had a secret…
Eastbound from Flagstaff: A Novel
Annette Valentine - 2019
He abandons roots that are his foundational strength and hides behind his charm, living every moment as if life’s daring him to fail―again. He’s reckoning with his father’s God who could have delivered better outcomes but didn’t.This first installment in an epic trilogy that begins in the 1920’s, unique in its purposeful illumination of the human condition and its ideological indifference to God, asks the question: “Why was God silent when I needed him?” Simon’s return to the notion of forgiveness is the catalyst for a new beginning as it reunites Simon to the place he once thought was the impossible dream. The answer for Simon isn’t blowing in the backwinds of his dream chase; rather, it unfolds in the outstretched hand of a villain.
Vanished
Cheryl Gorman - 2015
Devlin Morgan, the reclusive owner of Morgan’s Keep, coolly turns away her inquiries, and the villagers, who respect Devlin, refuse to cooperate, as well. Worse still is her own unwanted attraction to him. Especially once she begins to suspect he’s involved with her sister’s disappearance and the mysterious “Chiming Ghost.” In order to solve the mystery of her missing sister, she’ll also have to probe Devlin’s dark past, discover the truth about the “ghost.” and decide whether to trust the passion in her heart or play it safe and return to England. Whatever happens, she’ll never be the same when she leaves the island.
Christmas at the Inn on Main Street
E. Ayers - 2016
The Authors of Main Street is a delightful gathering of talented writers who hope you enjoy reading this collection as much as they have taken pleasure in creating it for you! Happy Holidays from the Authors of Main Street! _________________________________________________________ Chelsea's Christmas by E. Ayers Leaving behind an unhealthy relationship, Chelsea Montgomery has come home to lick her wounds. Working in her father’s law firm gives her the perfect place to hide as she avoids men and relationships. Until she meets a charming man with a beautiful son. Keefe Assam is a successful attorney with a great life. Then, his ex-girlfriend suddenly drops off a toddler she claims belongs to him, and he is faced with the possibility, and the responsibility, of raising the boy alone. Christmas might just herald the start of something wonderful for Chelsea, except for one problem. Her ex-boyfriend has decided if he can’t her…nobody can. Waking Up for Christmas by Jill James Christmas is the time for wishes to come true. All Chase Thanos wants for the holidays is for his comatose wife to awaken. Darcy Bennett Thanos has been his life since they were in college. Now, twenty years later, their marriage and their lives have fallen apart and the only thing that can put it back together is Darcy coming out of her coma and remembering all they had and could have. Just as soon as she wakes up for Christmas. Christmas at the Granger Inn by Carol DeVaney Ten years after Cole and Sydney broke up, the ache in their hearts remains. Now, a Christmas reunion, complete with a mischievous ghost, offers the possibility that Sydney and Cole can rekindle the love they once shared. Will they risk facing what tore them apart to find a new place they can call home? Christmas at the Roses by Susan R. Hughes All Ellie wants for Christmas is to avoid it altogether. Reeling from her broken romance with Spencer, she plans to spend the holidays at the historic Roses Inn writing her novel. Spencer has a plan of his own—to rekindle both her love for him and her fondness for the holidays. To win back her stubborn heart, he might just need a little help from the inn’s resident ghost. Candi Cain Kisses by Nan O'Berry Jonathan Barlow needs a change of pace. When his beloved wife passes away, Jonathan finds himself wallowing in grief and determined to find a new start. Accepting a job with a law firm just a few weeks before the holidays, Jonathan and his young daughter make the move to Mistletoe, Texas. A rented room at an old Victorian Inn is just the place to begin again. Candi Cain inherited the old Victorian from family. It’s a place she can call home, a place where all the worries in the world can be forgotten over a cup of hot chocolate and a homemade pastry. When Felicia Barlow and her father come for a stay, she feels drawn the child—a sense of déjà view, for just like Jonathan’s daughter, she experienced the loss of a loved one as a child. Can the wonders of the season and a little girl’s wish to Santa awaken two lonely hearts? Things look promising this holiday season at the Candy Cane Inn. _______________ Christmas at the Inn on Main Street is a collection of five expertly-crafted clean romance books.
Embracing Destiny
Vivian Rose Lee - 2015
Life for Randa in the Brewster household was hard because of an uppity aunt and a pair of cousins who considered the young girl beneath their standing. They labeled her the shame of the elite black Brewster family, a dark mark on the good Brewster name, and made her life miserable because of it. Unwanted and unloved in a house filled with strangers, things looked bleak for Randa, but her circumstances took a sudden and dramatic change when her grandfather was made aware of her plight. Vowing to her that things would be different from here on out, her grandfather took a shy, introverted little girl under his wing and over time molded her into a strong, intelligent young woman. After the death of her beloved grandfather, the now wealthy Randa, thanks to a deathbed blessing, moved to Tullahassee, Oklahoma with the desire to locate the mother she was taken away from, but what she found instead was a life she never imagined she would ever have.
Moonlight on the Mersey
Anne Baker - 1996
When Jill's stoical stepgrandmother tells her the harrowing tale of her tragic past, Jill must learn the price of forgiveness and the power of love.
First Time Baby - A Billionaire Romance (Billionaire Baby Surprises Book 2)
Ana Sparks - 2021
The Promise
Benita Brown - 2009
The girls believe they have found a refuge when charming businessman Victor Bateman proposes to Marion and they move into his luxurious home. But Marion’s friend Daniel Brady is conducting his own investigation into Henry Brookfield’s death. He learns the journalist was closing in on the head of a child prostitution racket when he was killed. And now his precious daughters may not be so safe, after all...
Kit: Finding Freedom and Love
Katherine St. Clair - 2017
She’s had a bit of schoolin, and now she works at the local cannery. Her friend Letty dreams of marriage and a family of her own. Kit could choose that life, but she wants more. But it’s 1895 in North Carolina, and her options are limited. In the newspaper, she sees an advertisement calling for young women to go and work for the Harvey Company – a growing chain of restaurants - that serves hungry railway passengers traveling to the untamed west. But the interview is miles away in Raleigh…does she dare? Will she leave her family and the life she knows, and risk everything for independence and adventure? Yes, she will! But it’s not easy. Leaving home is only the first of many challenges for Kit, from facing her own doubts, to proving herself, and standing up to the judgment of others – including her closest new friend. With hard work and an instinctive knowledge of how to bring out the best in others, Kit progresses in her career, until she gets a message from home. Racing back across the country to the bedside of a loved one, Kit begins to question what will make her happy. When it looks like love will be a better choice, Kit is tempted to leave her life out west behind. Are fate, friendship, determination, and good advice enough to keep Kit on the right path? Can she have a successful career, and also the love and respect of a good man? Is there a man out there who is strong enough to value her, and give her wild heart a home? Read on to learn Kit’s fate, and discover the famous Harvey Girls, whose hard work and courage helped build a restaurant empire like no other.