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Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange: a feelgood, cosy autumn romance (The Mill Grange Series Book 2)
Jenny Kane - 2020
Supported by his friends, Sam is keen to help make beautiful Mill Grange a safe retreat for injured army personnel... but his crippling claustrophobia means Sam is living in a tent on the grounds! Enlisting the help of charming village stalwarts Bert and Mabel Hastings, Tina Martins is determined to find a way to help him conquer his fears. But why does she feel like he is keeping a secret?After discovering evidence of a Roman fortlet on the manor's grounds, Thea Thomas is thrilled at the chance to return to her archaeological roots and lead the excavation. She spent the summer with handsome celebrity archaeologist Shaun Cowlson – but now he's off filming his Landscape Treasures show in Cornwall, and Thea can't help but miss his company. Especially as someone else is vying for his attention...Welcome back to Mill Grange and the beautiful village of Upwich, full of larger-than-life characters you can't help but adore.
This Other Island
Steffanie Edward - 2021
So this was my strange new home…When Yvette receives a call to say her estranged father Joe has been attacked in a seemingly random act of violence, she rushes to his side.But when she arrives, she finds a man different to the larger-than-life father of her memories. Joe is broken, too scared to describe his attacker to the police, and seemingly haunted by memories of his past – memories he’s fought to suppress.About the boat journey that brought him and his wife Dolina to their new home in a hostile and unwelcoming Britain – as part of the Windrush Generation. About the secrets left behind in St Lucia… And about the darkest secret of all – the one that he has carried with him since stepping off the boat that cool, wet August day.As he fights for his life, he begs Yvette to find out what really happened on the last day of that crossing. Because, for forty years, Joe has believed that he killed a man. A man who had loved Dolina too. And who might hold the key to Yvette’s own story…What follows is a heart-stopping debut novel about family, identity, secrets, lies, and the journeys that define us. It will grip you, challenge you, and ultimately break you into a thousand pieces. Perfect for fans of Small Island and Girl, Woman, Other.
The Amsterdam Affair (A Romantic Escape, #4)
Kate Frost - 2020
Will Iris's new year be happy ever after? When Iris Greene's boyfriend surprises her with a romantic dinner at their favourite restaurant, she's expecting a proposal, not a move to another country. But Amsterdam proves to be the change she never knew she needed, and a surprise encounter with a local actor leads Iris to new friends and the rediscovery of a long lost passion. While Iris thrives in a city filled with festivity, her boyfriend struggles, and her heart is torn in two. As snow falls and secrets are revealed, Iris must decide her future. Will she be brave enough to start over and take a chance on love?
Eleven Lines to Somewhere
Alyson Rudd - 2020
Sometimes we just take our own route to find it. When Ryan spots a young woman on the tube on his commute, he can’t take his eyes off her. Instantly attracted and intrigued, he’s keen to find out more about his mysterious fellow passenger.Sylvie spends all day travelling the underground, unable to leave for reasons unbeknownst to Ryan. But Ryan hasn’t dated for nearly ten years, when he was at university and the love of his life tragically died.For some inexplicable reason, he just can’t shake the feeling he wants to help Sylvie. In a world of missed opportunities and what-ifs, a connection has been made.
This is a story of love and loss from the author of The First Time Lauren Pailing Died, perfect for fans of Anna Hope’s Expectation, David Nicholls’s Sweet Sorrow and Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life.
Christmas at the Farmhouse
Rebecca Boxall - 2020
A wonderful Christmas read." Victoria Connelly, bestselling author of The Rose Girls. As the anticipation of Christmas builds in the Nielsen family’s cosy farmhouse, Jo, Magnus and their grown-up children begin to congregate for a hybrid Danish-Jersey festive season, each with a surprise of their own – though the surprise that arrives over Christmas is the most life-changing of all. Fifty years earlier, in 1969, Susan Jones finds herself being pursued by Mr Jenners, her former English teacher, and at the age of seventeen is packed off to a Home for Unmarried Mothers in London by her uncompromising father. As Christmas approaches, all she can do is desperately hope to be rescued, but will anyone be able to reach her in time?The two timelines of this festive story gradually weave together in a tale that examines whether love and hope can eventually triumph over even the deepest sadness.Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse.
Hot Mess Love
Aria Hawthorne - 2019
I am totally the thirstiest single girl in all of Chicago for wanting to drink those dimples right off his beautiful, Euro-chiseled face the moment he walks up to my candy counter and says, “Cheers” with his posh British accent and deliciously devilish smirk. #EarlofStudlandiaHe’s offering me a one-night stand in his penthouse hotel suite and I’m the kind of habitual hot mess who’s willing to accept it, if I wasn’t already overcommitted. #MistressofMisbehavinYou see, I’ve been suckered into accepting this crazy second job. Despite the fact that I’ve never held a respectable, responsible job for more than a month in my life, I’m now the social media director of Boink, my favorite online store selling “intimate accessories” for single girls like me who not only want to have frivolous sex in the city, but who also don’t want to wait around for Prince Charming to magically swipe right, just so I can experience my nightly Mighty O’s. #MyPleasureChest #MyFemaleEmpowermentBut there’s just one problem—Boink’s old crotchety chief investor, who I’ve never met, is determined to force the business into bankruptcy, and the only way I can keep Boink afloat—and my new job as its Director of Cumbacks in play—is if I can convince my newest nemesis, Mr. Kit Crusty Balls, that I can turnaround his failing company faster than its JackRabbits can make me say, Ooh-ooh-ooh-OOH-LA-LA-LAAAAaaaaaaa.And hopefully, whenever he returns to Chicago, Earl of Studlandia and I will finally have our royally raunchy romp, despite the fact that our impromptu texting affair and unexpected emotional connection might be softening my noncommittal Snarky Brat heart into the fantasy of something more than just one night of whoreplay. After all, I’m now the respectable, responsible social media director of Boink. Maybe it’s time for a sexy international man candy of mystery to persuade me to find love within my own pleasure chest. #OnlyFoolsFallinLove #FirstTimeFanGirlofFoolishness
A Family Affair
Julie Houston - 2021
Having escaped Westenbury after suffering a shattered heart, it's time to take up her place on the family board. Piccione's Pickles and Preserves needs Frankie. Frankie knows she can make the business work. But with her brother Luca and the new, rather attractive, Cameron Mancini watching her every move, she's going to have to come up with something special to get them off her back and recognising she belongs on the board just as much as they do.With the help of her Aunt Pam and best friend, Daisy, Frankie is thriving with her new sense of purpose. Until someone from her past walks right back into it...Perfect for fans of Heidi Swain, Milly Johnson and Marian Keyes.
Summer Breeze – Part One The Windmill Café
Poppy Blake - 2018
The Windmill Café, with its peppermint green sails is a roaring success and has given Rosie a chance to escape the heartbreak of her busy life in London.But then disaster strikes when popstar Suki Richards is taken unexpectedly ill at the party. Now all eyes are on Rosie…have her famous raspberry cupcakes poisoned her most high-profile guest? Or is someone else trying to damage Suki’s chance of stardom?If Rosie wants to save her picture-perfect life, and the reputation of her beloved Windmill Café, she’s going to have to get to the bottom of the mystery…and fast!
Making Waves at Penvennan Cove: Escape to Cornwall with gorgeous feel-good and uplifing romance (The Penvennan Cove series Book 2)
Linn B. Halton - 2021
She has a fulfilling job helping small businesses in the local community, she is within a few minutes' walk of all the people she loves best, and most importantly, she has finally got together with her childhood sweetheart, Ross.It's not all plain sailing, though, because they have to keep their relationship a secret. The feud between their families still rages on, and Kerra doesn't want to pour fuel on its flame and risk losing everything.But Kerra should know better than anyone that secrets don't stay hidden for long in a community like Penvennan Cove...An uplifting and feel-good romance novel for fans of Lucy Coleman, Jessica Redland and Lisa Hobman.Book 2 in the series. Book 1: Coming Home to Penvennan Cove.
The Drowned Village
Norma Curtis - 2022
He’s not ready to let go.Sixty-five years ago. Pushing aside drooping hollyhocks, Elin Jenkins tosses back her dark hair and runs up the familiar path to the tiny village of Capel Celyn, past the mossy graveyard with its crumbling stones, towards the farm that’s been in her family for generations. Laughing, Al catches her around the waist, squeezing her tight. ‘Marry me,’ he whispers. ‘I’ll use my Navy liberty leave, we’ll go ask your parents. I don’t want this to end.’ Tears prick her eyes as she smiles up at him.Three days later, Al is on his ship back to Pennsylvania. And in the months that follow, Elin’s frantic telegrams to him go unanswered. Then she receives the wedding invitation. Scribbled on the back are three words: No hard feelings.Present day. Al Locke, retired Navy Captain, smooths his silver hair and finishes up with a spritz of aftershave. With a spring in his step he hasn’t had for decades, he sets off up the well-worn track through the valley. As he rounds the last bend, his heart begins to race. He has no doubt he will meet her in the village today. He will at last hear the horrible truth of what happened to Elin after he left, and he’ll confess why he couldn’t face coming back… until now.As Al crests the final, familiar hill, a startling brightness draws him in like a vision. Before him, a glittering lake fills the entire valley. The pretty stone village of Capel Celyn, and all trace of Elin, are gone…A beautiful and heartbreaking story about lost love, forgiveness and family secrets. Fans of Fiona Valpy, Kate Morton and Kathleen McGurl will love this book.
Invincible Summer
Alice Adams - 2016
Twenty years. One unexpected journey. Inseparable throughout college, Eva, Benedict, Sylvie, and Lucien graduate in 1997, into an exhilarating world on the brink of a new millennium. Hopelessly in love with playboy Lucien and eager to shrug off the socialist politics of her upbringing, Eva breaks away to work for a big bank. Benedict, a budding scientist who's pined for Eva for years, stays on to complete his PhD in physics, devoting his life to chasing particles as elusive as the object of his affection. Siblings Sylvie and Lucien, never much inclined toward mortgages or monogamy, pursue more bohemian existences-she as an aspiring artist and he as a club promoter and professional partyer. But as their twenties give way to their thirties, the group struggles to navigate their thwarted dreams. Scattered across Europe and no longer convinced they are truly the masters of their fates, the once close-knit friends find themselves filled with longing for their youth- and for one another. Broken hearts and broken careers draw the foursome together again, but in ways they never could have imagined. A dazzling depiction of the highs and lows of adulthood, Invincible Summer is a story about finding the courage to carry on in the wake of disappointment, and a powerful testament to love and friendship as the constants in an ever-changing world.
This Much Huxley Knows
Gail Aldwin - 2021
Trouble is, no one gets my jokes. And Breaks-it isn’t helping. Ha! You get it, don’t you? Brexit means everyone’s falling out and breaking up.Huxley is growing up in the suburbs of London at a time of community tensions. To make matters worse, a gang of youths is targeting isolated residents. When Leonard, an elderly newcomer chats with Huxley, his parents are suspicious. But Huxley is lonely and thinks Leonard is too. Can they become friends?Funny and compassionate, this contemporary novel for adults explores issues of belonging, friendship and what it means to trust.“Read this and feel young again” – Joe Siple, author of THE FIVE WISHES OF MR. MURRAY McBRIDE 'Moving and ultimately upbeat” – Christopher Wakling, author of WHAT I DID“A joy of a novel, with a wonderfully exuberant character in Huxley” – Sara Gethin, author of NOT THOMAS
Under a Starry Sky
Laura Kemp - 2020
I loved it!' MILLY JOHNSONon The Year of Surprising Acts of KindnessOne summer to change her life...Wanda Williams has always dreamed of leaving her wellies behind her and travelling the world! Yet every time she comes close to following her heart, life always seems to get in the way.So, when her mother ends up in hospital and her sister finds out she's pregnant with twins, Wanda knows that only she can save the crumbling campsite at the family farm.Together with her friends in the village, she sets about sprucing up the site, mowing the fields, replanting the allotment and baking homemade goodies for the campers.But when a long-lost face from her past turns up, Wanda's world is turned upside-down. And under a starry sky, anything can happen...Praise for Laura Kemp:'Warm, funny, sweet...what a fab read' LUCY DIAMOND'A truly wonderful and heart-warming read' HEIDI SWAIN'An absolute joy' ISABELLE BROOM'I loved it' CLARE MACKINTOSH'An adorable life-affirming book' ROWAN COLEMAN'Moments that will steal your heart' MIRANDA DICKINSON
The Lido
Libby Page - 2018
When she’s assigned to write about the closing of the local lido (an outdoor pool and recreation center), she meets Rosemary, an eighty-six-year-old widow who has swum at the lido daily since it opened its doors when she was a child. It was here Rosemary fell in love with her husband, George; here that she’s found communion during her marriage and since George’s death. The lido has been a cornerstone in nearly every part of Rosemary’s life.But when a local developer attempts to buy the lido for a posh new apartment complex, Rosemary’s fond memories and sense of community are under threat.As Kate dives deeper into the lido’s history—with the help of a charming photographer—she pieces together a portrait of the pool, and a portrait of a singular woman, Rosemary. What begins as a simple local interest story for Kate soon blossoms into a beautiful friendship that provides sustenance to both women as they galvanize the community to fight the lido’s closure. Meanwhile, Rosemary slowly, finally, begins to open up to Kate, transforming them both in ways they never knew possible.In the tradition of Fredrik Backman, The Lido is a charming, feel-good novel that captures the heart and spirit of a community across generations—an irresistible tale of love, loss, aging, and friendship.
His Virgin Payback
Virginia Sexton - 2017
But she’s even sweeter. She used to strut around my office, teasing me with her tight curves and long legs. Begging to be bent over my desk. I ached for her, but she was off-limits. Her father was my business partner, someone I called a friend. Until he betrayed me. Took everything from me. Now all I can think about is what I’m going to take from him. Her. Claiming her will ruin him. The fact that her luscious body will finally be mine is just a bonus. But Lily’s sweeter than I remember. Her innocence is chipping away at a part of my heart I thought had hardened forever. I had planned on enjoying my payback ... I just hadn't counted on her.