Book picks similar to
The Gardener by Prue Leith
romance
england
gardening
fiction
The Hand That First Held Mine
Maggie O'Farrell - 2009
Hedged in by her parents' genteel country life, she plans her escape to London. There, she takes up with Innes Kent, a magazine editor who wears duck-egg blue ties and introduces her to the thrilling, underground world of bohemian, post-war Soho. She learns to be a reporter, to know art and artists, to embrace her life fully and with a deep love at the center of it. She creates many lives--all of them unconventional. And when she finds herself pregnant, she doesn't hesitate to have the baby on her own. Later, in present-day London, a young painter named Elina dizzily navigates the first weeks of motherhood. She doesn't recognize herself: she finds herself walking outside with no shoes; she goes to the restaurant for lunch at nine in the morning; she can't recall the small matter of giving birth. But for her boyfriend, Ted, fatherhood is calling up lost memories, with images he cannot place. As Ted's memories become more disconcerting and more frequent, it seems that something might connect these two stories-- these two women-- something that becomes all the more heartbreaking and beautiful as they all hurtle toward its revelation. Here Maggie O'Farrell brings us a spellbinding novel of two women connected across fifty years by art, love, betrayals, secrets, and motherhood. Like her acclaimed The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, it is a "breathtaking, heart-breaking creation." (The Washington Post Book World) and it is a gorgeous inquiry into the ways we make and unmake our lives, who we know ourselves to be, and how even our most accidental legacies connect us.
This Child Is Mine
Mildred Colvin - 2005
She rejoices until she sees the hospital has apparently made a mistake in recording Stevie’s blood type. A second test brings to light that Stevie cannot be her biological child. Where, then, is her baby?Jonathan McDuff, at first, doesn’t believe that his beloved baby, Lexie, isn’t his birth daughter. Then he determines to have both children in his home. Since Mrs. Carter won’t give Stevie up without a legal battle, he comes up with a plan. He’ll give her the care of both children as long as they all remain under his roof. An impossible situation, but with God’s help, healing and love may win over heartbreak and loss. Babies switched at birth.Contemporary Christian RomanceFormerly published by Barbour Publishing54,000 words
Gage
Tess Oliver - 2014
But his side business of breaking colts at the small Montana ranch he inherited from his grandfather doesn't earn him enough money. He has his mind set on running The Raven's Nest, a popular bar and restaurant near his ranch. The original owner has died and Gage is waiting for it to be put up for sale. But there is a five-foot-four, brown eyed, obstacle in his way, an obstacle with lips made for sin and a voice made for breaking hearts. And Summer Donovan is one road block Gage Barringer won't be able to find a way around.Gage is part of The Barringer Brothers series but can be read as a standalone.
A Summer Fling
Milly Johnson - 2007
But none of them could have predicted the fierce bond of friendship that her leadership would inspire...Anna, 39, is reeling from the loss of her fiance, who ran off with a much younger woman. Her pride in tatters, these days Anna finds it difficult to leave the house. So when a handsome, mysterious stranger takes an interest in her, she's not sure whether she can learn to trust again? Then there's Grace, in her fifties, trapped in a loveless marriage with a man she married because, unable to have children of her own, she fell in love with his motherless brood. Grace worries that Dawn is about to make the same mistake: orphaned as a child, engaged to love-rat Calum, is Dawn more interested in the security that comes with his tight-knit, boisterous family? When a sexy, footloose rock singer catches her eye, will Dawn have the courage to follow her heart? At 28, Raychel is the youngest member of their little gang. And with a loving husband, Ben, and a cosy little nest for two, she would seem to be the happiest. But what dark secrets are lurking behind this perfect facade, that make sweet, pretty Raychel so guarded and unwilling to open up? Under Christie's warm hand, the girls soon realise they have some difficult choices to make. Indeed, none of them quite realised how much they needed the sense of fun, laughter, and loyalty that abounds when five women become friends. It's one for all, and all for one!
Cocker Brothers 2nd Six Books Box Set
Faleena Hopkins - 2021
In exact series order.✨✨✨✨✨"I seldom give 5 stars and/or this long a review, but the series is that good." - Classy Lady• Honey Badger, Book 7:A Steamy, Edgy MC Holiday Romance to melt snow...In late December, a shiny black Harley Davidson takes an unexpected pitstop in the charming, Christmas-loving town of Nevada City, California - population 3057. The plan was to ride onward to San Francisco but when Antonio "Honey Badger" Martinez spots a shy redhead in Victorian costume who is in need of a hero, those plans change. Can two people find a Christmas miracle to call their own?• Hannah Cocker, Book 8:Welcome to the Next Generation!A Sizzling Coming of Age Romance where you'll meet the first of the 17 cousins, the Cocker Brothers now fathers.Our story begins with me, the only one who didn't know who her father was until I was five years old and a car accident took my mom away forever. The media won't let me forget, as if I ever could. And sometimes people don't realize I have a burned heart that has been looking for a way out. So when my cousin, Sofia Sol, offers a road trip to Florida on the back of her motorcycle, well...would you say no to an adventure?• Ethan Cocker, Book 9:A Billionaire Romance to drop your pencils for...I'm a computer genius who has patented security inventions so necessary to our future that I am now a very rich genius. But even though I may be well endowed, in the brains department, I can stick my foot where it doesn't belong sometimes. When I say 'foot' I mean something else. Just being a gentleman because you might be reading this in a public place. Am I making sense? No? Sorry about that. I’ve got a lot on my mind what with the hacker I'm unveiling, the stalker in my home, and the sexy boss I pissed off by assuming she'd be a man. But don't hate me. Come closer... I'll explain everything.• Gabriel Cocker, Book 10:A Rockstar Romance to make your heart sing on key...Someone has won a date with the insanely hot rockstar, Gabriel Cocker. But Paige is not exactly jazzed about her win since problems in her life make this the exact wrong time. Especially since Gabriel's cousin saw her first...• Emma Cocker, Book 11:A Billionaire Romance to make you slap a face...I am Jake's only daughter... daddy's 'Baby Love." But I don't need to be protected anymore. My boss has sharpened me, made me tough, with her verbally abusive ways. I am ready to handle this big chance to prove myself - a billionaire client from San Francisco looking for a mansion here in Atlanta to call his new home. I knew it wouldn't be easy with a man like him. Nothing good ever is. But when history comes knocking on this realtor's door, will I be the sweet doormat they all take me for or shake our foundation straight to its core?• Eric Cocker, Book 12:A Sports Romance to get your heart running a hundred yards...Eric's a star quarterback who gets all the ladies, gorgeous as he is. And kind. And funny. But when he flirts with a waitress at the sports bar his team frequents, she throws up a middle finger tattooed with birds that he can sit on...if he could fly. Even worse, she's taken. Will Eric have to sit this game out?FOUR 6-BOOK BOX SETS:1st Six Books Box Set2nd Six Books Box Set (This!)3rd Six Books Box Set4th Six Books Box Set✨✨✨✨✨Each features a different member of the same family, all intertwined in fun ways where one story pays off in another family member's book... a very fun read." - Fupping Magazine✨✨✨✨✨"...this series is a must read." - A Readers Review Site Blog
Horses and Heroin
Bev Pettersen - 2012
Her only ally is a recuperating PI who unfortunately is the owner's best friend. Soon she is caught between a blossoming romance and a far-reaching conspiracy...where misplaced trust can be deadly.
The Hidden Cottage
Erica James - 2012
But appearances can be deceptive...When the family gathers for her son's 30th birthday, he brings with him his latest girlfriend who, to their surprise, has a nine-year-old daughter. Then, before the birthday cake has even been cut, Mia's youngest daughter Daisy has seized the opportunity to drop a bombshell. It's an evening that marks a turning point in all their lives, when old resentments and regrets surface and the carefully ordered world Mia has created begins to unravel.
The Lake
AnnaLisa Grant - 2013
Having lost both her parents and grandparents, and with nowhere else to go, Layla is moving from Florida to a small town in North Carolina to live with the only family she has left: her estranged uncle and aunt.The last five years of Layla’s life were spent appeasing her less-than-loving grandmother, followed by being her grandfather’s caretaker. Growing old before her time, Layla lost her identity. Now she must learn how to allow herself to be the one cared for and loved.Life takes an unexpected turn when Layla meets Will Meyer. His breathtaking good looks are enough to catch her eye, but his sincerity and passion are everything she needs to find the strength and confidence she lost — and lead her into love.When tragedy once again strikes Layla’s life, her hope is all but completely crushed. Through it all, Layla learns what it means to truly love and be loved.
My Single Friend
Jane Costello - 2010
She's got a great job in PR, her boss loves her, and her best girlfriends Dominique and Erin think she's great. More important than anyone's opinion is that of her flatmate, and oldest friend in the world, Henry. For twenty years they've been inseparable: beauty and the geek. Henry thinks the world of Lucy. So why does she feel the need to lie outrageously on dates? From rock-climbing to Chekov: when it comes to prospective boyfriends, Lucy is compelled to embellish her C.V. with unlikely porkies that always backfire - with hilarious results. Henry can't understand it. Lucy is so loveable: why can't she just be herself? But when Lucy turns the spotlight on Henry, he wishes he'd never brought it up. With a penchant for jumpers and NHS-style specs, Lucy decides that Henry is in need of a makeover - big time. Enlisting the help of Dom and Erin, it's not long before the girls have Henry out of the flat, and into the Topman changing rooms. A new haircut, contact lenses, a flirting master-class from Dom ...poor Henry doesn't know what's hit him. But nothing can prepare them for the surprise results! Before long, Lucy realises that their lives will never be the same again
Unspoken Bond
Blake O'Connor - 2013
He’s been skipping school, getting into fights, his grades slip to barely passing, and he has broken up with his fiancée. After he rescues an abandoned dog on a lonely stretch of country back road, things start to look up–that is until he is blindsided by a crippling tragedy. Along his journey to recovery, a girl he met by chance keeps haunting his dreams and his thoughts. But there’s a problem–he doesn’t even know her name.Emma Mendoza is lamenting her turn in life: almost divorced, lousy job, no family, and no one to share her life with. She sits alone in her apartment thinking about her upcoming deployment, and about a boy she met. Who is he? Where is he? Why can’t she stop thinking about him? And so begins a story about the love of two people transcending time and tragedy, and about the love of a dog that will never be forgotten…“Smooth, fluid prose, with a strong emotional hook,” says a judge of a major metropolitan writing contest. Unspoken Bond is an award-winning, heart-warming story about how one unselfish act can have far reaching and lifelong consequences. It’s a celebration of the unspoken bond between a man and his dog, and the timeless bond between two people, held together by a whisper of a touch.
Janice Gentle Gets Sexy
Mavis Cheek - 1993
Unfortunately, her agent is hiding her healthy financial position.
Accidental Crush
Adrienne Torrisi - 2013
Ashley Taylor is just starting her freshman year of high school. She’s certain this year will be exactly like every other. She'll go unnoticed in the shadow of her older brother, Ryan, because he and his two best friends, Todd and Brian, are juniors as well as stars on the varsity football team. Everyone knows and loves them, while she is only a freshman; a nobody. Ashley has known both of her brother’s best friends her entire life, however, she's never really noticed Todd's clear, blue eyes and perfectly messy hair until now. Unfortunately, he still only sees her as Ryan's kid sister. Not to mention, he's also her best friend's older brother; so she needs to keep her true feelings a secret. As she navigates her own, difficult feelings, Ashley learns that she's not the only one keeping secrets, and if these other secrets get out, they could destroy friendships... maybe even lives.
Not a Word
Chautona Havig - 2013
Everyone would believe her. Why shouldn’t they? It’s probably the only lie she’s ever told in her life. Just happens to be the lie that ruined mine.Words have power. Add a solid reputation behind those words, and they have the power to destroy.It began with a lie.Mac’s life changed irrevocably with a false accusation. Blissfully unaware of the carnage she left behind when she moved from Brant’s Corners, Savannah Forrester is back and when Mac sees her at church–with a boy–he wants answers.For eight years he’s lived under the cloud of her accusations–without defending himself. He kept her secret. He endured the shame and the life-altering consequences.Savannah can set the record straight. Mac says no. The ultimate question remains: what is best for Rory.And who is Rory anyway?
The Silver Linings Playbook
Matthew Quick - 2008
Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him—the return of his estranged wife, Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!In this enchanting novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat's mind, showing us the world from his distorted yet endearing perspective. As the award-winning novelist Justin Cronin put it: "Tender, soulful, hilarious, and true, The Silver Linings Playbook is a wonderful debut."
Where We Belong
Shann McPherson - 2020
For years, Murph has been biding her time, waiting for Nash to come back for her.So when he strolls into Piece O’ Cake, Murph’s heart skips a beat—until he hands her an invitation to his wedding… There are painful secrets in both their pasts that only the two of them share, and Murph can’t bear the thought of Nash belonging to someone else.There’s only one thing Murph can think of to do: fake a relationship with local bar owner and old friend Harley Shaw to remind Nash of what he’s losing, and win him back for good.Nash is Murph’s best friend, a vivid reminder of her childhood and all the things she’s lost—but the more time Murph and Harley spend together, the more the lines between real and pretend begin to blur. Can Murph choose between the one who got away and the one who never left—and heal her aching heart?