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The Road to Bittersweet
By Donna Everhart. 2018
Set in the Carolinas in the 1940s, The Road to Bittersweet is a beautifully written, evocative account of a young…
woman reckoning not just with the unforgiving landscape, but with the rocky emotional terrain that leads from innocence to wisdom. For fourteen-year-old Wallis Ann Stamper and her family, life in the Appalachian Mountains is simple and satisfying, though not for the tenderhearted. While her older sister, Laci—a mute, musically gifted savant—is constantly watched over and protected, Wallis Ann is as practical and sturdy as her name. When the Tuckasegee River bursts its banks, forcing them to flee in the middle of the night, those qualities save her life. But though her family is eventually reunited, the tragedy opens Wallis Ann&’s eyes to a world beyond the creek that&’s borne their name for generations. Carrying what&’s left of their possessions, the Stampers begin another perilous journey from their ruined home to the hill country of South Carolina. Wallis Ann&’s blossoming friendship with Clayton, a high diving performer for a traveling show, sparks a new opportunity, and the family joins as a singing group. But Clayton&’s attention to Laci drives a wedge between the two sisters. As jealousy and betrayal threaten to accomplish what hardship never could—divide the family for good—Wallis Ann makes a decision that will transform them all in unforeseeable ways . . .Strawberry Fields
By Katie Flynn. 1995
Liverpool: Christmas Day 1924. When twelve-year-old Sara Cordwainer, the unloved child of rich and fashionable parents, sees a ragged girl…
with a baby in her arms outside her church, she stops to talk to her, pressing her collection money into the girl's icy hand. But from this generous act comes a tragedy which will haunt her for years.When, years later, Sara meets Brogan, a young Irishman working in England, she feels she has found a friend at last. But Brogan has a secret which he dare tell no one, not even Sara.And in a Dublin slum, Brogan's little sister Polly is growing up. The only girl in a family of boys, she knows herself to be much loved, but it is not until Sara begins to work at the Salvation Army children's home, Strawberry Fields, that the two girls meet - and Brogan's secret is told at last...The Story of Us
By Felicity Everett. 2011
It is 1982 and Thatcher is in Downing Street, Human League is in the charts and Dallas is on the…
telly.But the girls of Albacore Street are too busy to notice. For Stella, Bridget, Vinnie, Maxine and Nell, life revolves around demos, parties and no-strings sex. Against a background of Greenham Common and the Miner's Strike, however, they are about to learn that life is not quite as simple as they thought.Twenty years on and they are juggling like mad, but dropping all the balls. Their partners are straying, their daughters want plastic surgery, and their careers have stalled. Living increasingly separate lives, the tie that binds them grows thinner, until tragedy brings them back together, giving them a chance to refocus themselves on their friendship, their misdirected lives, and their survival.The Stone House
By Marita Conlon-McKenna. 2004
Everything changes for Kate, Moya and Romy when they receive word that Maeve Dillon, their mother, is critically ill. It…
is time to return from Dublin, London and New York to Rossmore and the old stone house overlooking the Irish Sea where they grew up. But ancient jealousies surface as each sister confronts the past and the decisions they have made.For work-driven Kate it is time to take stock of her role as a high-flying ambitious lawyer and single parent; life is a battle between work and looking after Molly with little time for a proper relationship. Even Patrick, the man she once fell for, has ended up marrying her sister. Beautiful and intense Moya must take a hard look at her marriage to the charming but unfaithful Patrick and consider her own worth. For wild child Romy who has travelled the world and hasn't put a foot on Irish soil for years, it is time to finally stop running and find the courage to confront her family.A good and caring mother, Maeve Dillon has somehow over the years labelled each of her three daughters: Moya the beautiful, Kate the brains, and Romy, the bold and wild one. Now it is finally time for all three to break out of the box.Starry, Starry Night: The escapist, feel-good read about family secrets
By Marcia Willett. 2021
'We'll always be together, won't we?'Childhood friends and cousins Leo and Alice had imagined their whole lives playing out on…
their beloved Devon beach. But one night when they are teens, sitting on the sand beneath the stars, Alice tells Leo a secret that must never be shared with anybody else . . . then packs her bag and flees.Leo is left to build his own life - without Alice. He surrounds himself with other family and friends and on the whole is content and fulfilled. But he is left with a sense of what - or who - is missing. So decades later, when he receives a note from Alice asking if she can come home, he doesn't hesitate to agree.But as the stars align and their reunion draws near, Leo is left to consider their separation and what so many years apart means for a relationship solidified in youth and a secret which could affect the whole family.Praise for Marcia Willett:'A warm and engaging read.' Trisha Ashley, bestselling author of The Garden of Forgotten Wishes'A beautifully woven tale of families and their secrets...' Liz Fenwick, bestselling author of The Cornish House'Riveting, moving and utterly feel-good.' Daily Mail'Sweeping powers of description transport her readers to another time and place.' Rosanna Ley, author of The Orange GroveReaders love Starry, Starry Night:'Perfect comfort reading' *****'A very absorbing tale with lovely descriptions of the West Country' *****'Like meeting an old friend' ******** Don't miss Marcia's charming, festive novella, Christmas at the Keep - out now! ***Starring Tracy Beaker (Tracy Beaker #16)
By Jacqueline Wilson. 2007
"I said, 'It's my life and it hasn't been very special so far, has it, so why shouldn't I write…
any old rubbish?"Tracy Beaker is BACK . . . and she's just DESPERATE for a role in her school play.They're performing A Christmas Carol and for one extremely worrying moment, the irrepressible Tracy thinks she might not even get to play one of the unnamed street urchins.But then she is cast in the MAIN ROLE!Can she manage to act grumpy, difficult and sulky enough to play Ebenezer Scrooge? Well, she does have a bit of help on that front from Justine Pain-In-The-Bum Littlewood.As Tracy prepares for her big moment, Cam is the one helping her learn her lines. But all Tracy really wants to know is if her film-star mum will make it back from Hollywood in time to watch her in her starring role...A heartwarming story of one of the UK's favourite children's characters - Headteacher UpdateFans of Louise Douglas and Dinah Jeffries will love this wonderfully evocative and enthralling romantic saga by the million copy…
and Sunday Times bestselling author Charlotte Bingham. "Fabulous reading" -- ***** Reader review"Wonderfully clever and witty" -- ***** Reader review"Very enjoyable and hard to put down" -- ***** Reader review"Incredibly well written and engrossing" -- ***** Reader review**********************************************************************************************SHE'LL PLAY ANY PART TO GET WHAT SHE WANTSElizabeth Laurence is astoundingly beautiful. A star from the first minute she appears on celluloid, her future is certain, until she is cast opposite Jerome Didier in a hit play. As staggeringly handsome as she is beautiful - and tipped to become the leading actor of his generation - Jerome would appear to be made for Elizabeth.But Jerome has fallen in love with the tousle-haired and carefree Pippa Nicholls, who is neither conventionally beautiful nor an actress and, much to Elizabeth's fury, he marries her.They are set to live happily ever after - until the playwright Oscar Greene creates a part for Elizabeth which she intuitively recognizes is based on the character of Pippa, and Jerome is tragically deceived by the duplicity of his art...Star Of The Morning
By Pamela Jooste. 2007
'I knew then that there were some things not even Ruby could keep from me for ever and this was…
one of them. We were coloured girls in a white world that didn't want us.' Born on the wrong side of a racial divide in apartheid-torn Cape Town, young sisters Ruby and Rose exist in a world where they are not welcome. As part of the Cape Coloured community they are considered socially inferior, yet even within their own social group the sisters live down the poor end of town. Their father was killed when they were very small, so when their mother dies after a protracted illness Ruby and Rose's fate falls into the hands of Aunt Olive. Ruby knows without being told that their aunt's home will not be opened up to them - charity does not extend to the poor relations who would cast a smudge on such a respectable house. Aunt Olive condemns her nieces to the local orphanage, relieving her conscience with monthly invitations to Sunday lunch.In the orphanage the girls grow up sheltered from a divided world that they do not yet fully understand, but the day approaches when Ruby and Rose must forge their own paths in life and confront the lessons that apartheid enforces. Like the award-winning Dance with a Poor Man's Daughter, this beautifully observed novel of sisterly love once again displays Pamela Jooste's poignant understanding of human nature.The Stanford Lasses
By Glenice Crossland. 2013
They loved. They lost. They lived.In the small Yorkshire town of Cottenly - dominated by the steel works and surrounded…
by beautiful countryside - Isaac Stanford lives with his wife Emily and their three lovely daughters, known locally as the Stanford lasses. Alice, the eldest, lives only for her work as a secretary and chapel on Sunday. Fair and loving Lizzie is content with her job making umbrellas - until she falls in love with George Crossman and all she desires is to be a wife and mother. And headstrong Ruth, the merry one, is intent upon marrying handsome charmer, Walter Wray, despite warnings from friends and family. Already emotionally damaged by a traumatic childhood, Alice struggles to lead a normal life. Poor but happy with her ever increasing family, with the onset of war, Lizzie faces the threat of losing all she holds dear. And Ruth soon realises she has made a terrible mistake in her marriage as she becomes trapped in a life of poverty and violence. As the years pass each sister is forced to confront her greatest challenge ...A gripping and heart-warming saga set in Lancashire from The Sunday Times bestseller Ruth Hamilton, perfect for fans of Catherine…
Cookson. Guaranteed to keep you turning the page..."These are echoes of Cookson with its story of great homes where dark secrets lurk in the shadows." -- PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH"A thoroughly enjoyable book, rich in gossip and events." -- LIVERPOOL DAILY POST"Another compelling family saga lets you take Bolton with you to the beach!" -- BOLTON EVENING NEWS"[My mother is] loving every minute of reading this enchanting and spellbinding story..." -- ***** Reader review. "BRILLIANT BOOK AS ALWAYS READ ALL THE BOOK IN ONE GO" -- ***** Reader review. **************************ALL SHE EVER WANTED WAS THE CHANCE TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR HERSELF...Jennifer Crawley, eighteen, leads a strange and lonely life - her days in the spinning room of the cotton mill, her nights with possessive - and slightly mad - Aunt Mavis. When she's offered the chance to work as a servant at Skipton Hall, she sees this as a chance to better herself.Yet the household is as dangerous and weird as the one she left behind. Mrs Sloane, the terrifying housekeeper, takes pleasure in bullying and frightening the young maids; Henry Skipton is an embittered, solitary man who never takes the time to see his invalid wife, Eloise Skipton, who lays bed-ridden, feeding on hatred and plotting vengeance on the man she married.When she first sets eyes on young Jenny, she realizes she has found the perfect weapon for revenge...But Jenny and her friend, Maria Hesketh - her character as fiery as her hair - are determined that they will make something of their lives and succeed in spite of everything...Soulmates
By Miranda Glover. 2007
Emi and Polly Leto are identical twins with a shared life until Emi vanishes and Polly is left searching. Now…
one becomes two, and twindom becomes duplicity as myth and memory merge, forcing Emi and Polly to confront what they thought they knew about themselves, one another and the parents who made them. Behind the twins there is the creator of their souls, a woman called Sarah, a mother without whom there would be no story to be told.From the edgy heart of London to a remote idyll on the Stockholm archipelago, this is a journey into the power of love, the damage wreaked by emotional depression and the agony of sexual deceit. It is a story of the genetic impact of nature wrestling with the heady demands of nurture, of patterns of behaviour and the cruel turns of fate.If you like Catherine Cookson, Dilly Court and Katie Flynn, then this absorbing, moving and highly emotional saga from much…
loved author Jess Foley is perfect for you. A wonderful coming of age saga you'll want to revisit time and time again...'A jolly good read... Abbie is a great character, buffeted by fate but a powerful woman of her time' -- Susan Sallis'Jess has really captured the sense of a family united against great odds. Her heroine, Abbie, is strong but flawed as all good heroines should be and as we follow her triumphs and trials we see her change from a girl to a woman in the most dramatic and satisfying of ways' -- Iris Gower'Compulsive and well-paced' -- Wiltshire Times'Couldn't put it down' -- ***** Reader review'I have read this book over and over and never get tired of reading it.' -- ***** Reader review'Lovely read!' -- ***** Reader review*****************************************************************************LOVE, PASSION AND THE STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE...Growing up in a small Wiltshire village, Abbie Morris has always known what lies ahead of her - a dull and dismal life of drudgery. Matters get worse when Abbie is twelve and their emotional, spirited mother casts them into a crisis for which no one is prepared.Six years later, the Morris family have rebuilt their lives, and when Abbie and Beatie, Abbie's adored elder sister, set off for the county fair, the world seems a good place.But their new-found happiness is short-lived. A chance encounter with Louis, a personable, handsome stranger, has repercussions that threaten to destroy Abbie's peace of mind for ever.Abbie struggles to forget what happened that night and to get on with her life, and when she meets charming, honourable Arthur - and re-encounters Louis - it becomes clear that she might never recover from the night they stayed so long at the fair...Sleepovers
By Jacqueline Wilson. 2001
"Guess what!" said Amy. "It's my birthday next week and my mum says I can invite all my special friends…
for a sleepover party."You're invited to the ultimate sleepover!Amy, Bella, Chloe, Daisy and Emily are best friends at school, they even have their own Alphabet Club (just look at their initials!). Daisy is the newest member, she's desperate to fit in, even though Chloe is VERY unfriendly to her at times.And, when the girls start planning sleepovers for their birthdays, Daisy starts dreading her own.She doesn't know what her friends will make of her older sister . .From bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, Sleepovers is a funny but moving tale exploring bullying, disability and friendship. It is the perfect book to introduce young readers to the world of Jaqueline Wilson, one of the country's most beloved authors.Has all the Jacqueline Wilson hallmarks of humour, good sense and a profound realism - IndependentAnd now, discover the sequel to Sleepovers, THE BEST SLEEPOVER IN THE WORLD.Size Matters: a witty and warm-hearted comedy from bestselling author Judy Astley
By Judy Astley. 2009
Fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Milly Johnson will love this uplifting and upbeat comic novel from…
bestselling author Judy Astley. The perfect dose of escapism!'As irresistible as triple choc fudge cake - with extra cream' -- Mail on Sunday'A witty take on a modern dilemma' -- Woman and Home'You'll love this funny novel' -- Sun'Real wit...The story is so entertaining' -- Scottish Daily Record'A refreshingly good read' -- ***** Reader review'Good fun' -- ***** Reader review'I couldn't put the book down. Great read!' -- ***** Reader review****************************************************************************************Does losing weight make you a happier person?Jay has always envied her cousin Delphine. While Jay was brought up in a large, noisy and chaotic family, Delphine was indulged, perfectly dressed with a co-ordinated bedroom, an immaculate wardrobe, dancing lessons and monogrammed silver-backed hairbrushes.Now Jay lives happily with her architect husband and their three teenage children, running a successful cleaning company and trying to keep some kind of order on her disorderly household, while Delphine has long since disappeared to Australia with her second husband.But Jay does sometimes wonder whether she should be more like her cousin - utterly well-organised and with a seemingly perfect body.So Jay decides to diet. But what should it be? She tries a range, with a variety of successes and failures.But then Delphine reappears, with a third husband in prospect and the same old air of apparently effortless superiority. But Jay never considers that perhaps Delphine is the envious one...A Sixpenny Christmas
By Katie Flynn. 2012
A heart-tugging read - Yours Heartwarming - My Weekly You won't be able to put this down until you have…
read every word - No. 1 One of the country's most popular storytellers - Scottish Daily RecordA Sister's Secret: A heart-warming and uplifting Regency romance from bestseller Mary Jane Staples
By Mary Jane Staples. 2013
Perfect for fans of Georgette Heyer and Netflix hit Bridgerton, a dashing Regency romance from multi-million copy seller Mary Jane…
Staples. READERS ARE LOVING A SISTER'S SECRET! "Mary Jane Staples is a genius! The storyline was amazing. I could not put the book down. Her characterization was wonderful and her intertwining of her characters with some famous historical characters is nothing short of genius." - 5 STARS"Mary Janes Staples is one of my favourite authors - loved her Adams Family series. This is such a lovely book: emotional, serious and funny in all ways. Read this book in one night." - 5 STARS "Enjoyed this book from start to finish." - 5 STARS. "I couldn't put this down - it was brilliant." - 5 STARS.************************************WILL SHE PROTECT HER SISTER AND LEARN TO LOVE AGAIN?A disastrous marriage has left the young and beautiful Lady Caroline widowed and vowing never to marry again.When she sees her younger sister, Annabelle, falling for a man who is notoriously unfaithful, she determines to intervene and save Annabelle from a similar fate, hiring the handsome and witty adventurer Captain Burnside to distract her. But all does not go to plan...A Sister's Secret was previously published as A Professional Gentleman.A Sister’s Courage
By Audrey Reimann. 1992
Can Alice protect her siblings?Eldest child Alice Davenport has always helped to look after her younger brothers and sister when…
her Mama was unwell. But when her Mama dies suddenly and her Papa leaves to fight in the war, young Alice is left to care for her family alone.When her Papa returns home safe, Alice’s troubled days seem to be over. And when she meets the handsome Major Fredrick Blackshaw, a new life finally seems to be within reach. But when her Papa remarries, the jealously of their new stepmother leaves Alice fearing for the safety of her siblings. Will she sacrifice her own happiness to keep her family safe?A gritty, heart-warming family saga perfect for fans of Maggie Hope, Val Wood and Emma Hornby.The Single Mum's Wish List
By Charlene Allcott. 2018
--------------------------'One of the freshest, funniest, most exciting new voices I’ve read for a long time' JANE FALLON'Fresh and funny and…
REAL ... Martha really spoke to me. She will steal everyone's heart!' VERONICA HENRY'Beautifully written and emotionally intelligent. I rooted for Martha from the start.' Daily MailMeet Martha Ross. She dreams of being a singer, but she’s been working in a call centre for far too long. She’s separating from her husband, the father of her son. And she’s moving back home to her parents’ as a single mum, toddler in tow.Life has thrown her a few lemons . . . but Martha intends to make a gin and tonic. It’s time to become the woman she’s always wanted to be. And at least her mum’s on hand to provide childcare – and ample motherly judgement, of course.Soon Martha realises that in order to find lasting love and fulfilment, she needs to find herself first . . . But her attempts at reinvention – from writing a definitive wish list of everything she wants in a new man, to half-marathons, business plans and meditation retreats – tend to go awry in the most surprising of ways . . . A warm, vibrant and painfully funny novel for fans of Why Mummy Drinks, Fiona Gibson and Lucy Vine. *Also published as The Reinvention of Martha Ross*The Silk Merchant's Daughter
By Dinah Jefferies. 2016
THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER FROM THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE TEA PLANTER'S WIFEDiscover a stunning novel…
is a gripping, unforgettable tale of a woman torn between two worlds...1952, French Indochina. Since her mother's death, eighteen-year-old half-French, half-Vietnamese Nicole has been living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Sylvie. When Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business, Nicole is given an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. But the area is teeming with militant rebels who want to end French rule, by any means possible. For the first time, Nicole is awakened to the corruption of colonial rule - and her own family's involvement shocks her to the core...Tran, a notorious Vietnamese insurgent, seems to offer the perfect escape from her troubles, while Mark, a charming American trader, is the man she's always dreamed of. But who can she trust in this world where no one is what they seem? The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial era Vietnam.Silent Night
By Jack Sheffield. 2015
1984 - and it's an important time for the children of Ragley-on-the Forest school... Their school choir is to sing…
a carol in a church in York, and is actually going to be on television! Helping to keep his excited children, not to mention their parents, under control during these momentous events taxes Jack and his staff to the limit.And at the same time, Jack has his own problems to deal with...