Family saga / generational saga fiction

Book SynopsisRachel Norris wants to forge a new life and career. And she wants to forget her past.When Rachel qualifies as nurse, she does so because she wants to help others and make a difference. But she is also running from a past life that must stay hidden forever.Completing her training, Rachel moves to London but misses home desperately, so when she hears about an opportunity to train as a district nurse in a village near Rochdale, she seizes the opportunity, even though it will take her closer to the trouble she left behind. She knows nothing about Eastby End and she is shocked to find it a little more than a slum. It''s clear she will need to work hard and keep her wits about her to win the trust of the villagers.Joss Townley has been reluctantly working in his father''s factory but is dismayed at the conditions the workers endure. When his father dies, he sells up immediately to begin travelling but is called home by his mother in an emergency - in order t

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe second in a trilogy of World War Two sagas featuring Evie, a new teacher in a Devon primary school, and a supporting cast of characters destined to become as familiar as old friends.Trade ReviewDanton fields an engaging and charismatic cast of characters who are fast becoming as familiar as old friends. Whether it's Evie's colourful family or her band of friends, pupils and colleagues, there is never a dull moment in this entertaining, multi-faceted story of love and life in wartime. -- Pam Norfolk * LANCASHIRE EVENING POST *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third in the Evie's Dartmoor Chronicles series. A heart-warming, nostalgic trilogy of World War Two sagas.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third in the Evie's Dartmoor Chronicles series. A heart-warming, nostalgic trilogy of World War Two sagas.Trade ReviewDanton fields an engaging and charismatic cast of characters who are fast becoming as familiar as old friends. Whether it's Evie's colourful family or her band of friends, pupils and colleagues, there is never a dull moment in this entertaining, multi-faceted story of love and life in wartime. - LANCASHIRE EVENING POST

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen a Dublin family is torn apart, can a new start in Liverpool help heal the wounds? 1940s DublinHandsome widower Johnny Cassidy is out of work, broken-hearted and lost as to how to look after his four children. At his lowest ebb, he''s forced to realise that help sometimes comes from the strangest places. With Johnny''s family over the sea in Liverpool, it''s his wife''s spinster cousin Nora who comes to the rescue and has her life turned upside down by this brood of children. With Nora around, Ella Cassidy can be a teenager again rather than trying to raise her younger siblings, while older brother, Sean, finds that music might be his salvation. It seems that each member of the Cassidy family cherishes secret dreams, but will they bring them together or tear them apart?A warm and inviting story of family and friendship, duty and desire, perfect for fans of Maureen Lee and Lyn Andrews.Trade ReviewO'Neill's warmth and Binchyesque ability to make the reader care about her characters does indeed put her in the storytelling league of Queen Maeve - IRISH INDEPENDENTAbsolutely brilliant. I couldn't put it down. A real triumph - LYN ANDREWS

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gripping and poignant wartime saga following the highs and lows of the young, courageous members of the Women's Army, for fans of Daisy Styles and Ellie Dean.Trade ReviewPraise for THE SPARK GIRL - a heart-wrenching wartime saga (published as Fiona Ford):'A compelling first novel, which I promise you won't be able to put down'A fabulous debut from an immensely talented authorFord gets to the heart of what it was like to live through the dangerous war years in this warm, captivating, down-to-earth story which is brimming with engaging characters, adventure, romance and heartbreak.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA heartfelt wartime saga, following the highs and lows of the staff at Edwardes Hotel.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn a stirring new hardcover standalone, acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels compellingly blends powerful storytelling and suspense into one woman''s tale of self-reliance as she learns that her new life may not be all it appears . . .Anna Campbell is ready to take her first tentative steps back into the world after widowhood. On a singles cruise, she meets divorced professor Ryan Robertson, and the sparks between them are undeniable. Back home in West Texas, Anna and Ryan continue their romance, and Anna decides it''s time for their families to meet. Anna is delighted when her daughter, Christina, hits it off with Ryan''s daughter, Renée. The two girls are close in age and have lots in common. Ryan''s son, Patrick, is college-bound and somewhat aloof, but Anna feels sure they''ll grow closer in time. She happily accepts Ryan''s proposal, confident in the bond they''ve formed. But the idyllic relationships Anna is

Read more less

Book SynopsisSet in wartime London, the second novel in The Hooper Family series continues the story that began with A Corner of the Heart: the saga of an East End clan that knows both the Shadwell docklands and the world of books and broadcasting.The war everyone dreaded has begun at last, but for Susan Cahill it is more an adventure than a tragedy. Helped by a white lie about her marriage to Danny she has a new job as a producer''s assistant at the BBC and glamorous new friends, including one American war reporter who has made London his base and Susan his target. Danny is also working for the BBC, sharing a room in a freezing farmhouse in Evesham, working long hours monitoring German radio broadcasts - and worrying about Susan. Stuck in London when the blitz begins, Susan''s sister-in-law, Breda Hooper, faces up to the worst with a small son at home and a husband in the fire service. Then her Italian father, hiding out from both the authorities and his former

Read more less

Book SynopsisA VIEW ACROSS THE MERSEY by Anne Baker is a dramatic Liverpool family saga sure to appeal to fans of Katie Flynn, Annie Groves and Lyn Andrews.The youngest of five siblings, Lottie Mortimer has never felt like she belonged. Her mother died shortly after she was born, leaving her father and grandmother to raise the family and, despite their love and support, Lottie can''t help wondering if there is something they are not telling her... With the First World War over, the Mortimers'' ship-owning business is struggling to survive and Lottie, who works with her father, worries what the future will hold. Meanwhile, her elder sister Eunice is trapped in an unhappy marriage that causes concern for them all. Then Lottie discovers the shocking truth about her birth that turns her world upside down and the dramatic events that unfold affect them all...Trade ReviewPraise for Anne Baker's previous novels: 'Baker's understanding and compassion for very human dilemmas makes her one of romantic fiction's most popular authors' - Lancashire Evening PostA stirring tale of romance and passion, poverty and ambition - Liverpool EchoTruly compelling...rich in language and descriptive prose - Newcastle Upon Tyne Evening ChronicleA heartwarming saga - Woman's WeeklyWith characters who are strong, warm and sincere, this is a joy to read - Coventry Evening Telegraph

Read more less

Book SynopsisLyn Andrew''s warm-hearted novel of Liverpool during the Blitz is not to be missed by readers of Dilly Court and Kate Thompson. Molly and Bernie have been friends forever. As young girls they left Ireland seeking new beginnings in Liverpool. Now they are marrying their sweethearts and looking forward to enjoying the lives they''ve worked so hard to build. But as the Liverpool Blitz begins, it seems as if their dreams are about to be destroyed. Night after night, horrific bombing tears the city apart. As wives and mothers, both women know that they could face great tragedy. But they also know that their friendship, and their love for their husbands and sons, will give them the strength to find the happiness they deserve...

Read more less

Book SynopsisA BRIGHTER DAY TOMORROW is a heartwarming and poignant saga from Pam Evans, set in London during the Second World War. Perfect for readers of Kitty Neale, Katie Flynn and Dilly Court. Readers love Pam Evans'' books: ''A touching novel'' Daily ExpressDespite air raids and rationing in wartime London, sisters Liz and Dora Beck find time for fun and laughter at the local ice-rink. Then a handsome American serviceman catches their attention, and so begins heartache between the sisters. Dora is increasingly jealous of her sister''s blossoming romance with Victor. But when Victor is killed in a bomb attack, Liz makes a shocking discovery that upsets her whole family. Forced out of her home, Liz finds support where she least expects it. And, with almost nothing left to lose, she hopes for a brighter day tomorrow...Trade ReviewPraise for Pam Evans' well-loved family sagas: 'A touching novel' - Daily ExpressAn unforgettable tale of life during the war - Our TimeNostalgia, heartbreak, danger and war: all the ingredients of an engrossing novel - Bolton NewsThere's a special kind of warmth that shines through the characters - Lancashire Evening PostThis book touched me very, very much. It's lovely - North Wales Chronicle

Read more less

Book Synopsis A promise to the woman who saved her life holds Maddy back from following her heart... Lyn Andrews writes an unforgettable family saga in Love and a Promise, set in both Dublin and Liverpool. Perfect for fans of Maureen Lee and Katie Flynn. ''A page-turning and beautifully written novel. The loves and tragedies of the Kiernan siblings will keep you hooked until the very end'' - Irish WorldMaddy Kiernan knows her situation is desperate. With her parents dead, her brother Thomas is left as guardian to Maddy and her sister Carmel. But Thomas has plans that don''t include his sisters and his reckless ambition could put all their futures at risk. Sharp-witted and strong-willed, Maddy knows she must assume responsibility for the fragile young Carmel.When Thomas deserts Ireland for Liverpool, Maddy realises she has little option but to follow. Within days the girls are destitute, their precious savingsTrade ReviewPraise for Lyn Andrews: 'An outstanding storyteller' * Woman's Weekly *A vivid portrayal of life * Best *A compelling read * Woman's Own *Gutsy...a vivid picture of a hard-up, hard-working community...will keep the pages turning * Daily Express *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA sweeping East End saga from Sally Worboyes featuring familiar characters from Time Will Tell and Jamaica Street.Trade ReviewA vivid evocation of a way of life - East Anglian Daily TimesA rich, vivid, three-dimensional and gutsy narrative which has you turning the pages into the early hours - Eastern Daily PressUnbridled passions run riot - Daily MailSizzles with passion - GuardianShe brings the East End to life

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Second World War is over and the troops are coming home in this compelling family saga - but so much has changed . . . The war is over and the soldiers are coming back to the bomb-ravaged East End. Tom Smith is one of the thousands who are returning home. It''s been an eventful war, what with a spell of desertion, and Tom can''t wait to see his wife Jessie, their son Billy and the new baby daughter he hasn''t even laid eyes on.But life back home wasn''t easy either, especially when Jessie''s army pension was stopped. So when she was told to put Emma-Rose into a home for her own good, she thought it was best. But how will Tom take the news? There is worse to come, when Tom learns that Jessie''s old boyfriend has been helping her during the war.A compelling family saga set in the aftermath of the Second World War, from the author of Time Will Tell and Where Sparrows Nest.Trade ReviewShe brings the East End to life -- Barbara WindsorA rich, vivid, three-dimensional, gutsy and sexy narrative which has you turning the pages into the early hours * Eastern Daily Press on WILD HOPS *Unbridled passions run riot * Daily Mail *Sizzles with passion * Guardian on WILD HOPS *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Summer Queen is an evocative and grand historical novel from Margaret Pemberton, the bestselling author of A Season of Secrets and Beneath the Cypress Tree.August 1879, Osborne House. Queen Victoria has occupied the British throne for over forty years. Bringing together her extended family from across Europe offers a chance for old alliances to be strengthened and new unions to be forged.May Teck, daughter of a Duke and Princess, is constantly reminded that she lacks the pedigree to be a true royal. Considering herself an outsider, she finds comfort in meeting two kindred spirits at Osborne; creating a bond with them that she thinks will last forever.Alicky lives in the shadow of her older siblings and has never recovered from the death of her mother. Until she meets Nicky, heir to the Russian throne, who sweeps her off to his homeland where life will never be the same again.And then there is Willy, destined to be the future Kaiser of Germany. Suffering from a birth defect, he’s always kept his true feelings locked away and all the world sees is the bombastic persona he projects. As shifting forces of power send warning ripples across Europe, an unavoidable war looms on the horizon . . .Trade ReviewThis engrossing saga follows Victoria's grandchildren, including Kaiser Wilhelm II, the tsarina of Russia and the future Queen Mary, over 40 turbulent years before their dreams end in war and revolution * S Magazine *Margaret Pemberton is one of the best saga writers around, writing gritty, gutsy tales * The Bookseller *Praise for Never Leave Me: Margaret Pemberton’s compelling tale of love during wartime humanizes the enemy and shows that war affects everyone * Booklist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBorn in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, Margaret Dickinson moved to the coast at the age of seven and so began her love for the sea and the Lincolnshire landscape. Her ambition to be a writer began early and she had her first novel published at the age of twenty-five. This was followed by many further titles including Plough the Furrow, Sow the Seed and Reap the Harvest, which make up her Fleethaven trilogy. She is also the author of The Buffer Girls and its sequel Daughters of Courage. Margaret is a Sunday Times top ten bestseller.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNothing Ventured is the incredible and thrilling novel by the master storyteller and bestselling author of the Clifton Chronicles and Kane and Abel, Jeffrey Archer.This is not a detective story, this is a story about a detectiveWilliam Warwick has always wanted to be a detective, and decides, much to his father’s dismay, that rather than become a barrister like his father, Sir Julian Warwick QC, and his sister Grace, he will join London’s Metropolitan Police Force.After graduating from university, William begins a career that will define his life: from his early months on the beat under the watchful eye of his first mentor, Constable Fred Yates, to his first high-stakes case as a fledgling detective in Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques squad. Investigating the theft of a priceless Rembrandt painting from the Fitzmolean Museum, he meets Beth Rainsford, a research assistant at the gallery who he falls hopelessly in love with, even as Beth guards a secret of her own that she’s terrified will come to light.While William follows the trail of the missing masterpiece, he comes up against suave art collector Miles Faulkner and his brilliant lawyer, Booth Watson QC, who are willing to bend the law to breaking point to stay one step ahead of William. Meanwhile, Miles Faulkner’s wife, Christina, befriends William, but whose side is she really on?Nothing Ventured heralds the start of the William Warwick Novels, in the style of Jeffrey Archer’s number one Sunday Times bestselling The Clifton Chronicles: telling the story of the life of William Warwick – as a family man and a detective who will battle throughout his career against a powerful criminal nemesis. Through twists, triumph and tragedy, this series will show that William Warwick is destined to become one of Jeffrey Archer’s most enduring legacies.Continue the gripping series with Hidden in Plain Sight.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom rags to riches…?Since her father's death, Emma Beech has supported her family by selling paper flowers to the theatre crowds in the West End. But when Emma meets street musician Theodore Barrington, she dreams of finally leaving poverty behind. Previously known as the Great Theodore on the London stage, Barrington turns Emma's head with tales of his former glory. But as Emma is captivated and eager to become his new assistant, she must face her mother’s disapproval over their secret rehearsals. Forced to make a difficult decision between staying loyal to her family and her roots, or pursuing fame and fortune, will she follow her heart or her head?...A gripping East End saga, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Maggie Hope.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third book in the gripping and heartwarming new Jubilee Lake series, from multi-million-copy bestselling author Anna JacobsLancashire, 1895. Abigail Dawson has lived in fear of her father for thirty years. But when, after uprooting them to a grand new home in Ollerthwaite, he's found murdered in the street, her life is turned upside down.Alone and caught in a web of her father's secrets, Abigail needs someone to rely on - so when hardworking handyman Rufus promises her a new life, she's thrilled at the chance to have a family of her own. But as they grow closer, could it be more than a marriage of convenience? Meanwhile, the rebuilding of the Ollerton estate is bringing new life to the valley - but old grudges, and new threats, are disturbing the peace. With plans for the Diamond Jubilee approaching, can the whole village band together to protect their home?Readers love Anna Jacobs!'Amazing' - 5 STARS'Thank you, Anna, for the pleasure you give in all your books' - 5 STARS'Another brilliant, hard-to-put-down book' - 5 STARS'Can't wait for the next instalment' - 5 STARS'A real page turner, I can't wait to read the next one' - 5 STARS'Another triumph for Anna Jacobs' - 5 STARS'BRILLIANT READ' - 5 STARSBook 1 in the Jubilee Lake Saga, SILVER WISHES, is out now in hardback, eBook and audio***Have you discovered all of Anna Jacobs' wonderful series?For a story of romance, drama and family ties on Daisy Street, try the BACKSHAW MOSS series:A VALLEY DREAMA VALLEY SECRETA VALLEY WEDDINGFor a heartwarming and emotional saga set in a Lancashire valley, try the BIRCH END series:A DAUGHTER'S JOURNEYA WIDOW'S COURAGEA WOMAN'S PROMISE

Read more less

When Rosalind West leaves her native Durham for a job in London with the Doxbridge Motor Company she is determined to escape her background and build a new life. London is excitingly different and tantalisingly glamorous - especially when she meets the handsome and aristocratic Freddie Harlington, a rally driver, and the son of a once-wealthy Northumberland landowner. Against her friends' better judgement Freddie and Rosalind begin a relationship. But Freddie's family have plans for him which do not include marrying a Durham miner's daughter. Turning to a close companion for consolation, Rosalind suddenly finds herself torn between two men, both of strong passions, and fierce ambition.Note: this book was previously published under the title Home to the High Fells.Praise for Elizabeth Gill'Original and evocative - a born storyteller' Trisha Ashley 'A wonderful book, full of passion, pain, sweetness, twists and turns. I couldn't put it down' Sheila Newberry 'Elizabeth Gill writes with a masterful grasp of conflicts and passions' Leah Fleming 'An enthralling and satisfying novel that will leave you wanting more' Catherine King'If you love Catherine Cookson then you will love Elizabeth Gill' Northern Echo

Read more less

Book SynopsisLondon, 1940When tragedy strikes, Libby Gilbert is left homeless and destitute, fending for herself on the capital's most dangerous streets.Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Libby is on the cusp of making a decision that could jeopardise her future when a local boy saves her from ruin.The kindness of this stranger sets her on a different path, and Libby heads to Liverpool with a determined mind and hope in her heart.There, she reconnects with long lost family - but will she be able to uncover the truth that tore them apart all those years ago?WHY READERS LOVE KATIE FLYNN:'Takes you on a journey of heartbreak and joy''Hard to put down''Her characters are like old friends''Heartwarming romance'

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A brilliant and beautifully written book about capitalism and the patriarchy, about Dalit India and digital America, about power and family and love' Alex Preston, Observer, 'Fiction to look out for in 2022'Vauhini Vara's lyrical and thought-provoking debut novel begins in India in the 1950s, following a young man born into a Dalit family of coconut farmers in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh. King Rao, as he comes to be known, later moves to the US, where he studies in Seattle, meeting the love of his life and his business partner, the smart and self-assured Margie. King Rao ultimately rises up through Silicon Valley to become the most famous tech CEO in the world and the leader of a powerful, corporate-owned global government. Yet he ultimately ends up living on a remote island off the coast of Washington state, an exile from the world which he has helped build.There, in a beautiful home on an otherwise deserted island, he brings up his brilliant daughter, Athena. Shielded from the world's glances, in many ways she has an idyllic childhood, but she will be forced to reexamine her father's past and take steps to try to decide her own future. She is unlike other girls, and she will find the outside world much more hostile than her father did when he left the coconut grove he called home.A profound and moving novel about technology, consciousness and revolution, The Immortal King Rao asks how we build the worlds in which we live, and whether we ever have the power to leave them?Trade ReviewA monumental achievement: beautiful and brilliant, heartbreaking and wise, but also pitiless, which may be controversial to list among its virtues but is in fact essential to its success. Vara respects her reader and herself too much to yield to the temptation to console us. How rare these days as a reader - and how bracing, in the finest way - to encounter a novel that refuses to treat you like a child or a studio audience. If that were the only thing to love about Rao, it would probably be enough. But as I've said, there's also everything else. * New York Times Book Review *A brilliant and beautifully written book about capitalism and the patriarchy, about Dalit India and digital America, about power and family and love. -- Alex Preston * Observer, 'Fiction to look out for in 2022' *In this richly imagined saga spanning past, present, and future, Vara brings us a visionary who makes the world in his image, and the strong-willed daughter whose life could be his final legacy. Vara's brilliance is matched only by her heart, and this unforgettable debut will challenge what you think you know about genius, capitalism, consciousness, and what it means to be human. -- Anna North, New York Times bestselling author of OUTLAWEDA fully imagined world: propulsive, prophetic, dizzying. -- Jeet Thayil, author of NARCOPOLISUtterly, thrillingly brilliant. From the first unforgettable page to the last, The Immortal King Rao is a form-inventing, genre-exploding triumph. Vauhini Vara's bravura debut has reshaped my brain and expanded my heart. -- R.O. Kwon, author of THE INCENDIARIESVauhini Vara comes out the gate with a masterwork: a book that is three great novels in one: the tale of a thriving and chaotic Dalit clan in the first decades of independent India; an immigrant success story in '80s America; and a dystopian nightmare of the post-Trump future. -- Karan Mahajan, author of THE ASSOCIATION OF SMALL BOMBSAn astonishing debut. An amazing imagination. Vara's voice is thrilling, original, dynamic and ever-surprising as her characters move from world to world, from the real to the fantastic, examining the myriad contradictory shapes in which love can appear. -- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, author of THE LAST QUEENThe Immortal King Rao is an odyssey of the grandest scale, spanning over half a century and charting a Dalit immigrant's rise to world power. Vauhini Vara fuses intricate family lore with the history of tech solutionism and capitalist demagoguery, pointing forward to a dangerously likely future of corporate dominion; she writes with the meticulous clarity of a longform journalist, the explosive force of a Trident missile, and the ambition of her own brilliant protagonists. -- Tony Tulathimutte, author of PRIVATE CITIZENSVara's potent debut revolves around a global society run by a corporate board...This is not to be missed. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *

Read more less

Book SynopsisUnbound: A Tale of Love and Betrayal in Shanghai is the sweeping, multigenerational story of two women-a grandmother and granddaughter-who fight to carve out a place for themselves as women in Shanghai society. Mini Pao lives with her sister and two parents in the British-occupied Shanghai of the 1930s, renowned for its vibrant night life, stunning architecture, and repressive social mores. Mini's struggle to provide for herself and her family while grappling with her desire for romance and independence comes into sharp contrast with the life of her granddaughter, Ting, told in alternating chapters. Ting also resides in Shanghai, decades later in the 1980s, when the city has been transformed beyond recognition by the communist strictures of Chairman Mao. Ting's strict, sheltered upbringing only fuels her curiosity about her grandmother's glamorous past, and she is driven to uncover tragic secrets, grapple with painful truths, and face the hard reality of what the future holds for her if she remains in Shanghai.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Boundless Tale of Love. Replenishing the Sea of Galilee is a sweeping story of love, loss and the power of loyalty in the face of conflicting ideologies and religious beliefs. The story begins in 1940s Palestine where twins Rasheed and Rasheeda Dinar work in their family inns. Educated by a Jesuit priest about the essence of his own Muslim religion, relative to love and sex, Rasheed follows closely the teachings of his mentor and includes Rasheeda, so that she learns those teachings as well. When Rasheed falls in love with Natalia, a Jewish woman, he is able to apply what he learned from the priest to his budding relationship. However, it is the 1940s, and relations between Arabs and Jews are tense. Before long, those tensions come to a breaking point. Natalia mysteriously disappears, and Rasheed and Rasheeda are chased out of Palestine to Beirut, Lebanon. Years pass, and though Rasheed continues to miss his beloved Natalia, he gets word of a surprising visitor—someone he didn’t even know existed. Rasheed’s life is upended, but in the most wonderful way. As the Dinar family expands and enters the 1970s, their convictions are tested. In a dramatic final scene, the family reunites and proves once again that the thin line separating people because of their differences is powerless against the strength of family, love, and loyalty.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Mary's father, the miller, leaves his family and runs away with another woman, Mary and her siblings are left to weather the storm. But when their mother dies soon after, the children, alone and unwanted, are sent to the Foundling School for Girls to start a new life.When the miller learns of his wife's death and what has happened to his children, he tracks them down and brings them to be a part of his new family, safe at last. But the miller is desperate for a son, and when Mary's newest sibling turns out to be a girl, he begins to court a vulnerable and lonely young woman called Isabel.After Isabel gives birth to a boy, the miller believes that the son he has been waiting for is finally here. But when rumours abound that the miller may not be the father of Isabel's child, he begins to lose control. The miller will stop at nothing to keep his son.Will Isabel escape with her child, or will the miller's wrath destroy everyone in his life, including his daughter...?Trade ReviewOriginal and evocative - a born storyteller * Trisha Ashley *A wonderful book, full of passion, pain, sweetness, twists and turns. I couldn't put it down * Sheila Newberry *Elizabeth Gill writes with a masterful grasp of conflicts and passions * Leah Fleming *An enthralling and satisfying novel that will leave you wanting more * Catherine King *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third book in the Air Raid Girls series - a heart-warming new story of friendship, love and duty in wartime, perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Donna Douglas.Spring, 1942. Lizzie is making plans for her wedding with fiancé Bill. But preparations during wartime aren''t easy, and attacks on the Yorkshire port of Kelthorpe are only getting worse. Connie wants to be there for her sister, but she has troubles of her own - a secret that is driving a wedge between herself and those who love her.Meanwhile, Pamela faces new complications in her romance with Fred, and the arrival of two new RAF servicemen stirs up trouble.As bombs fall and friendships are tested, will the air raid girls keep their fighting spirit and find their happy endings? ---------------------------------------------Readers LOVE the Air Raid Girls series:''There wasn''t anything I did

Read more less

Book SynopsisLesley is an author of historical sagas. Having previously written sagas set around the time of the First World War, she ventured into the Second World War period with her fifth book, The Wartime Bookshop. Originally from the north west of England (Manchester), Lesley's home is now Hertfordshire where The Wartime Bookshop's fictional village of Churchwood is set. Lesley is thrilled to have enjoyed success in competitions as varied as crime writing to writing for children. She is particularly honoured to have won the Festival of Romance New Talent Award, the Romantic Novelists' Association's Elizabeth Goudge Cup and to have been twice shortlisted in the UK Romantic Novel Awards (RONAs).

Read more less

Book SynopsisCan both sisters find happiness, when one marries for love, and the other for money…Sisters Mary and Cathy Ward couldn’t be more different: Fiercely independent Mary is determined to leave the mean streets of Liverpool, whereas Cathy – quiet and well loved – is happy with the life she has.But when both girls fall for the same man conflict threatens to push them apart, and as they are caught up in their own troubles, Liverpool erupts in the Bloody Sunday riots.To Give and to Take, the second book in the captivating Liverpool Sagas, is perfect for fans of Catherine Cookson and Pam Howes.‘A family saga you won’t be able to put down’ Prima‘The whole-heartedness of Liverpool shines through in a refreshing tribute to Merseyside’ Liverpool Daily Post‘Hard to beat … A gripping family saga’ Manchester Evening News‘Elizabeth Murphy obviously delights in writing about a city she knows and loves, and her enthusiasm must rub off on the reader. She has a talent for characterisation, and by the end of the story, love ’em or hate ’em, you care about every person in the book.’ Hull Daily Mail‘A good long story set in Liverpool … The background has a good authentic feel to it.’ Northern EchoThe Liverpool Sagas The Land is Bright To Give and To Take There is a Season

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmidst the rugged beauty of eighteenth-century Cornwall, a sweeping novel of hope and heartbreak.Kerensa Trelynne is overjoyed to be marrying her childhood sweetheart, Clem Trenchard, even though it will be a wrench to leave the idyllic cove and tumbledown cottage she shares with her grandfather, Old Tom.But when local landowner Sir Oliver Pengarron sets his sights on their home, everything changes. Old Tom dashes all of Kerensa’s hopes when he agrees to sell Trelynne Cove on one fateful condition – Sir Oliver must marry his granddaughter.As her life is turned upside down and her future thrown into turmoil, Kerensa comes to realise that true love is far more complex than childhood romance.The first instalment of the Pengarron Sagas, perfect for fans of Poldark.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe tale of two Liverpool sisters and their search for happiness.When Kate and Rose Drew are orphaned, they are heartbroken to discover they are to be separated.Kate must go to Aunt Mildred, a hard woman who runs a Liverpool boarding house, who puts her to work at once. But Rose gets the wealthy widow Aunt Beattie, who lavishes her with gifts and attention.As one sister experiences hardship alongside friendship, while the other is spoilt and isolated, which will find happiness? For, eventually, it is not what Kate and Rose have in life that counts, but what they choose to make of it…A truly memorable saga that will charm readers of Helen Forrester, Katie Flynn and Pam Howes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA deeply moving saga based in 20th-century Liverpool.From a young age Laura Redmond resents the way her father speaks to her mother. She does not understand that despite his heated outbursts, John Redmond is a loyal and devoted husband.As Laura grows up her protective love for her mother, Anne, leads to a love/hate relationship between father and daughter. Many think this is because they are so alike – both uncompromising and determined. Only Laura’s great-grandmother recognises the truth.It takes many years filled with triumph and tragedy for the family, and the arrival of a special man in Laura’s life, before she can properly grasp the true nature of her father.An absolute triumph, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Helen Forrester and Lyn Andrews.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShe is determined to live the life she wants…Cassandra Trent does not like being told what to do. So when she is forced to leave behind her beloved Bardsley and join her aunt in London, she is furious. She wants nothing to do with polite society and useless noblemen.But Cassandra finds some comfort in the friendship she forms with her kind and gentle cousin, Susannah Berrinden. Despite being destined to marry Simeon Giffard, a charming and – more importantly – wealthy young man, Susannah has other ideas…And it seems Simeon does too. He has eyes only for Cassandra – but winning her over might prove to be a near impossible task.A heartwarming historical saga perfect for fans of Elisabeth McNeill, Rosie Goodwin and Gloria Cook.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShe must find the courage to accept her fate. At the age of eleven young Lizzie Mudie’s life changes forever. With the death of her mother in the most shocking disaster Dundee has ever seen, Lizzie is forced to grow up quickly. She discovers a strength beyond her years and when an unexpected legacy bestows her the dilapidated Green Tree Mill she is determined to turn things around. Lizzie becomes a formidable mistress, but is she prepared for the price she – and those she loves – will have to pay for her success?A page-turning saga of hope in the face of adversity for fans of Dilly Court and Tessa Barclay. Trade ReviewThere are currently no reviews for this title/product

Read more less

Book SynopsisA tragic death brings good fortune to an orphaned child – but at what cost?Liverpool, 1928. Fifteen-year-old Annie Anderson was adopted by Sylvia and Hugh after the death of their own daughter. Annie is told that her own mother died in childbirth and her father died before she was born.A chance encounter introduces Annie to local lad Andrew Fraser. Their friendship blossoms, but once Annie’s adoptive parents learn of it they forbid her from seeing him. When Annie asks why, it sets her on a path to discover more about her origins – but will what she learns bring heartache or joy?Don’t miss this rich and vivid saga by one of Liverpool’s best-known novelists, perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Katie Flynn.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo sisters. Only one can follow their heart.Swansea, 1941. When her home is bombed, Meryl Jones is evacuated to Carmarthen. Hating it there, she runs away.She is found by Michael, a half German farmer, and falls deeply in love with him – but he is already smitten with Meryl's beautiful older sister Hari.When the military police come for Michael, Meryl helps him escape, their relationship blossoming in the process. But with the end of the war in sight, Meryl knows that the man she loves must make a choice: between her and her sister…A heart-breaking saga of the Second World War, perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Katie Flynn and Lyn Andrews.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt all seemed too good to be true… The moment artist Riana Evans sees the dilapidated mansion in Wales, she determines to buy it, despite its unhappy past – twenty years ago, five maids died there in mysterious circumstances.The house’s 'ghosts' prove good for business – inspiring her paintings and providing atmosphere at a series of ghost-spotting weekends. Her romantic life begins to look up too in the form of handsome airman Tom Maybury.But the mystery of the girls’ deaths hangs over everything. Riana soon discovers that the house holds a secret, and there’s someone – or something – who’ll do anything to make sure she never discovers it.A heart-wrenching Welsh drama, perfect for fans of Pam Howes, Dilly Court and Linda Finlay.

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘If you’re looking for this century’s Ulysses, look no further … a stunningly lyrical novel’ Alex Preston, Observer‘Pitched – deliriously – between high modernism and folk magic, between gorgeous free-verse and hilarious Irish vernacular, Poguemahone is a stunning achievement … profoundly affecting’ David Keenan‘A blistering, brilliant ballad of mad tales from rural Ireland to London Town. The characters are electric, the narrative fuelled with a brilliant frenetic energy. McCabe is truly original’ Elaine FeeneyDan Fogarty, an Irishman living in England, is looking after his sister Una, now seventy and suffering from dementia in a care home in Margate. From Dan’s anarchic account, we gradually piece together the story of the Fogarty family. How the parents are exiled from a small Irish village and end up living the hard immigrant life in England. How Dots, the mother, becomes a call girl in 1950s Soho. How a young and overweight Una finds herself living in a hippie squat in Kilburn in the early 1970s. How the squat appears to be haunted by vindictive ghosts who eat away at the sanity of all who live there. And, finally, how all that survives now of those sex-and-drug-soaked times are Una’s unspooling memories as she sits outside in the Margate sunshine, and Dan himself, whose role in the story becomes stranger and more sinister. Poguemahone is a huge, shape-shifting epic from one of modern Ireland's greatest writers. It is a wild, free-verse monologue, steeped in music and folklore, crammed with characters, both real and imagined, on a scale Patrick McCabe has never attempted before. Trade Review ‘If you’re looking for this century’s Ulysses, look no further … a stunningly lyrical novel’ Alex Preston, Observer ‘Pitched – deliriously – between high modernism and folk magic, between gorgeous free-verse and hilarious Irish vernacular, Poguemahone is a stunning achievement … profoundly affecting’ David Keenan ‘A blistering, brilliant ballad of mad tales from rural Ireland to London Town. The characters are electric, the narrative fuelled with a brilliant frenetic energy. McCabe is truly original’ Elaine Feeney ‘A tremendous pitch-black multi-layered epic. This exhilarating ride of madness, hauntings, lost weekends and fractured memory is a lyrical poem, novel, ballad and drama all in one … one of the most original literary works in recent times. I bloody loved it’ Adelle Stripe 'A difficult reading experience, to be sure, but a rich one, too, with a skin-pricking ambience that’s both gritty and ethereal' Daily Mail 'McCabe draws the reader into a rambling web replete with Gaelic folklore, IRA agitation, and a soundtrack of glam and progressive rock. Lively and ambitious in form, this admirably extends the range of McCabe’s career-long examination of familial and childhood trauma’ Publishers Weekly, US 'Patrick McCabe's hippie satire is like Flann O'Brien on drugs' Sean O'Brien, The Telegraph 'Modernist and eager to push the boundaries of his own art and the art form of the novel, here is a novelist and novel to celebrate in all their ribald, audacious, outrageous, and compelling brilliance' Paul Perry, Irish Sunday Independent 'The vernacular, drunken verse format may be daunting at first, but after a few pages the narrative develops a hypnotic rhythm, as if one is sitting on a barstool listening to the narrator unspool his story over a pint (or three). At this point, the reader has merely to hang on and enjoy the ride. A moving saga of youth, age, and memory—by turns achingly poetic, knowingly philosophical, and bitterly funny' Kirkus Reviews 'McCabe may be right when he claims that Poguemahone is his best book: it is startlingly original, moving, funny, frightening and beautiful’ The Guardian '“Poguemahone,” living up to its author’s reputation, is daring, studded with brilliance, raucous and exhausting. It might overstay its welcome, but you’ll remember its visit’ The New York Times ‘Like listening to a friend confess their life story after one too many pints, Poguemahone is a rustic and irreverent atragedy of tormented souls and macabre humour’ Noah Katz, Hot Press ‘I warn you, like all good books, Poguemahone is a mind-altering drug’ BBC 4 Front Row 'There are plenty of outrageous stories, all delivered with unflagging flair, but prospective readers are advised to equip themselves like that cornered pub-goer: with a tall glass of whiskey at hand' Wall Street Journal 'Poguemahone is a stunning novel, one of those exceedingly rare books that deserve to be described as a masterpiece' Locus Magazine 'With few exceptions, the novel in verse doesn’t much appeal to today’s mainstream publishers, and this is not only because verse novels are often awful, but also because even the good ones rarely find a large audience. One can only hope Poguemahone attracts a readership beyond its crowdfunding backers on Unbound because, in its haunting strangeness and blazing originality, it deserves far more than a cult following' Times Literary Supplement

Read more less

Book SynopsisTold from four different perspectives, At the Breakfast Table is a story of hidden histories and family secrets, from the author of The Silence of Scheherazade. Buyukada, Turkey, 2017. In the glow of a late summer morning, family gather for the 100th birthday of the famous artist Shirin Saka. It ought to be a time of fond reminiscence, looking back on a long and fruitful artistic career, on memories spanning almost a century. But the deep past is something Shirin has spent a lifetime trying to conceal. Her grandchildren, Nur and Fikret, and great-grandchild, Celine, do not know what she's hiding, though they are intimately aware of the secret's psychological consequences. The siblings invite family friend and investigative journalist Burak along to interview Shirin – in celebration of her centenary, and also in the hope of persuading her to open up. Eventually Shirin begins to express her pain the only way she knows how. She paints a story onto her dining room wall, revealing a history wiped from public consciousness and generations of her family's history. 'Fiercely intelligent, finely textured and achingly beautiful.' Elif ShafakTrade ReviewIn At the Breakfast Table, Defne Suman, one of Turkey's most popular writers, writes about family secrets, people's inner problems, love and the losses through life. Suman builds on Eastern philosophy and yoga, among other things, when she is to shed light on the book's great secret -- Anne Buset Vassbotn (Norway)It is very easy for Greek readers to love Suman, to identify with her heroes, to look for their own ancestral memories among the memories of her heroes. But the most important thing about a novel is that it hides a beautiful story, and the author knows how to tell it -- Erika Athanasiou (Greece)The image of the Prinkipo island with its carriages, bicycles, the blue sea that surrounds it, its blooming flowers and purple bougainvillea, give a brilliant tone to the novel. The historical touch offers realism and mystery * Lefki Sarantinou (Greece) *At the Breakfast Table is an excellent novel in the footsteps of modern Turkish literature as defined by Livaneli and Pamuk. It is a well-written book which reminds us that history is not necessarily what we learn in school -- Angelos Koutsoukis (Greece)Suman listens and understands a wounded geography with an open heart – a trait that is rarely found among Turkish intellectuals. She challenges the common belief and narrates beautifully -- Derya Beyatli, Yeni Düzen Newspaper (Turkey)In At the Breakfast Table Suman continues to explore the themes and tropes that prevail in her previous novels, presenting them to the reader in new dimensions... Altogether, these premises establish a narrative network of signification, through which the philosophical core of Suman's work can be discerned' -- Ülker Gökberk, Reed CollegeDefne Suman brings lightness to the hearts of her readers as the characters of At the Breakfast Table reclaim their identity and freedom from the burden of family secrets and the false pretense of living as if no sin has been committed in this land -- Yaprak Çetinkaya, Pozitif Magazine (Turkey)Captivates readers with its plot but engages them on a deeper level with its historic and psychological detail * Asymtote Journal *A nuanced, beautifully paced novel, featuring an attentively drawn cast of characters and an immersive sense of place * The Age *Cleverly done... The story is set on a beautiful holiday island whose ambience is expertly conveyed * Historical Novel Society *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHome is where you hang your hat…When Patsy talks her way into a job on the Champion Street Market millinery stall, the Higginson sisters get more than they bargained for.Riddled with insecurities, Patsy’s impudence wins her new enemies as well as friends and her determination to solve the riddle of her own past starts to unravel secrets Annie and Clara would much rather keep hidden.Meanwhile, Molly Poulson hasn’t a care in the world until her two daughters both fall in love with the wrong man. But the more Molly interferes, the more danger looms.An enthralling saga of secrecy and sisterhood set around an elegant hat stall in 1950s Manchester, perfect for fans of Ellie Dean and Pam Howes.Praise for Fools Fall in Love 'You can’t put a price on Freda Lightfoot’s stories from Manchester’s 1950s Champion Street Market. They bubble with enough life and colour to brighten up the dreariest day and they have characters you can easily take to your heart’ Northern Echo‘As expected, another excellent book from Freda Lightfoot’ 5* Reader review‘Devoured every word of it’ 5* Reader review‘Did not want to put this book down’ 5* Reader review

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Oh, you're not crazy, Denise. I think this is probably the sanest you've ever been...'Two women. An open road. The trip of a lifetime.Thea is confident, sorted, determined to have fun, but there are sorrows beneath the surface of her life.Denise is struggling under the weight of her many commitments and in desperate need of some excitement.When these polar opposites meet, and unexpectedly become friends, they realise they're both looking to escape.So begins a road trip that leads them far from home and yet closer to their true selves.But they can't outrun their pasts forever and when things start to become complicated, both women have an important decision to make. Do they give up or keep going? Turn around or drive on?Trade ReviewSharply observed and empathetic, many women will see themselves in this excellent novel * Elizabeth Buchan *There is a raw realism to all of Caroline Bond's novels ... Redemptive and satisfying -- Carol Mason on 'The Legacy'Absolutely captures the challenges of being a certain age - the characters jump off the page! * Sam Blake *A beautifully crafted exploration of family resentments and vulnerability. Caroline Bond writes with a keen eye for human frailty, bringing her characters vividly to life, flaws and all. -- Charity Norman on 'The Legacy'Caroline Bond has a gift for weaving heart-rending tales of impossible decisions and The Forgotten Sister is no exception. A beautifully written story that will stay with me for quite some time. -- Amanda Brooke on 'The Forgotten Sister'A deftly written novel [and] a moving exploration of love between sisters and the tangled, often complex emotions that exist in families. -- Madeleine Reiss on 'The Forgotten Sister'Compassionate, wry and packed with acute observations on human behaviour. Like wrapping yourself in a warm shawl. -- Charity Norman

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this sweeping saga, Yvonne Harris tells the poignant stories of Robert and Alice, two young people who join the 1846 wagon train to cross North America on their way to the West Coast. Seeking a better life, thirteen-year-old Robert leaves his impoverished family in Iowa and accompanies the main group as it follows the well-established Oregon Trail to the Pacific Northwest. Alice, a lovely young widow, is forced to follow a husband she despises on the difficult trek even when he insists on taking the Hastings Cutoff with a small party from the wagon train who forego the longer route for a virtually unknown trail touted as a short cut to the West Coast. Alice''s husband''s hasty decisions dramatically alter the course of their lives; instead of reaching the green fields of California, the party finds themselves trapped on the wrong side of the snow and ice-capped Sierra Nevada with almost nothing left in the way of supplies. Both eventually make their way to Victoria and the BC Interior in search of gold. They encounter the American militia, intent on taking over the Fraser River from the tribes, and Chief Spintlum, who chooses peace over war and saves his people from a massacre. The story is based on the historical accounts of settlers traveling west on the Oregon Trail, the tragic account of the Donner Party and the search for gold on the Fraser River. In preparing to write this narrative, the author climbed the Donner Pass and traveled the Oregon Trail and the Fraser River attempting to recreate the passage across a virtually unknown land.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Gripping, hugely involving, and very satisfying" KATE MOSSE"A dramatic story of family intrigue, religious passions and riproaring romance" MICHELE ROBERTSTyphoon is set in Chiragpur, a Pakistani village warped in time, space and guilt, whose inhabitants are still traumatised by what happened some twenty years earlier in a courtroom (kacheri). With the arrival of a beautiful stranger from the city, the villagers are helplessly swept along by a typhoon-like series of events and become buried under the burden of their guilt.Closely guarding their small silk parcels containing a lock of a woman's hair, they all hope to return it to its rightful owner and beg her forgiveness. Typhoon is a tragic tale of three young women, each one demonised by their past: Naghmana - the glamorous stranger from the city; Chaudharani Kaniz - the village land baron, and Gulshan - the innocent wife. One is caught in the arms of another woman's husband in the middle of the night; another was raped in her youth; and the third woman's world fell apart as she lost her husband, before her eyes, to a total stranger and her mother vowed revenge. For all three there is no escape from what fate has in store.Trade Review'Gripping, hugely involving and very satisfying to read' - Kate Mosse'Gripping, involving and satisfying read' - Indie Magazine'You enter room after inner room in this book so full of vivid detail about the lives and loves, the duties and desires in Muslim family life living in Chiragpur, a village on the subcontinent. These are rooms and stories few people in the west know, care to enter or understand. They could begin that adventure with this novel' - Yasmin Alibhai-Brown'Qaisra Shahraz received wide critical praise for her first novel , The Holy Woman which became a best seller. Her second novel Typhoon... set in Chiragpur, a Pakistan village. With the arrival of a beautiful stranger from the city, the villagers are helplessly swept along by typhoon like series of events and become buried under the burden of their guilt' - Area News Today'Qaisra Shahraz made a mark with her first novel Holy Woman about a privileged young woman in Pakistan who following a family tragedy is bound to the Qu'ran and a life of celibacy to keep her family's fortune secure. Its follow up Typhoon goes to rural Pakistan to pick up the stories of the first book's minor characters' - Metro'Author of best selling novel The Holy Woman Qaisra Shahraz is back with her long awaited second work about love, jealousy, adultery and rape' - Asian News'A tale of love and deceit set in Pakistan' - The Kahleej Times Online'A stormy new second novel' - Chorlton, Whalley Range and Fallowfield'Typhoon is a tragic tale of three young women each one demonised by their past' - Desi'The book is a riveting family saga' - Bradford Telegraph & Argus

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Tito is a child, his grandmother teaches him how to weave magic around the ones you love in order to keep them close. She is the master and he is the pupil, exasperating Tito's put-upon mother who, although exhausted from working long hours, is usually the focus of their mischief. As Tito grows older and his grandmother's mind becomes less sound, their games take a dangerous turn. They both struggle with a particular spell, one that creates an illusion of illness to draw in love. But as the lines between magic and childish tales blur, so too do those between fantasy and reality. In this beautifully told drama of the bond between grandson and grandmother, JT Torres delicately explores the complexities of family bonds - in which love is need, and need becomes manipulation, along with the pain and difficulties of dementia and mental ill health.Trade Review'Torres's masterful prose, and his inspired confrontation with grief and alienation, will linger in my mind for a long time' —Amy Kurzweil, author of 'Flying Couch: a graphic memoir'; 'The exquisite writing of JT Torres is on full display in this deftly told and spellbinding tale... [He] has crafted a masterpiece amidst the sweat drenching heat of Florida to the chilling darkness found in the shadows of rugged Alaskan mountains' —Don Rearden author of 'The Raven's Gift'; 'JT Torres' story is a masterful work written in the style of magic realism that slowly peels apart the passing down of the "immigrant experience" from one generation to the next, even when younger generations do not directly experience immigration itself' —Jill Flanders Crosby, Professor of Theatre and Dance, University of Alaska Anchorage; 'Taking Flight is a not-to-be missed coming of age story that ranges from Miami to Orlando to Alaska as its hero learns to create his own galaxy, his own known world' —Karen Salyer McElmurray, author of 'Wanting Radiance'

Read more less

Book SynopsisMary has a secret that she mustn't tell. But in a care home, with her mind wandering, she's starting to slip up. Clearing out her grandmother's old room, Lucy finds something hidden that wasn't supposed to be found - a locket sheltering a shameful family secret. She can't tell her mother. Not with their father gone, one brother absent and another acting up. Her mother was struggling with her mental health just a few years ago. Lucy will have to make sense of it all herself. In a beautifully told drama of family secrets, Helen Stancey once again picks through the everyday of life to uncover poetry, pain and ultimately love.Trade Review'In the poised assurance of its writing...one has a sense of a writer gifted with an instinctive sense of how to tell a story' —The Spectator; 'Writing so accomplished...' The Tablet; 'Palpable excellence' —The Literary Review; 'A beautifully observed exploration of the power and pain of family secrets' —Emma Timpany, author of 'Travelling in the Dark'; 'Helen Stancey's style is beautifully immediate and natural, as if you were looking over the author's shoulder, watching and listening, rather than reading. In this gripping saga of family secrets, Helen displays the storyteller's gift of creating lively, sympathetic characters, and a plot that flows with a well-crafted rightness and inevitability. A highly relatable book' —Fiona Vigo Marshall, author of 'The House of Marvellous Books'; 'A tender, and uplifting exploration of the mysteries and meaning of family, for three generations of women striving to fulfil their destinies' —Rebecca Fraser, author of 'The Mayflower Generation' and journalist

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Times Book of the Month for readers of Golden Hill and Cloud Atlas. It is 1800, and the future of Chicago hangs in the balance, to be decided on the outcome of a game of chess. Win or lose, the result will reverberate through the next 100 years of history, and the players’ lives, the lives of their descendants, and the city itself will never be the same again … Trade Review‘A sprawling epic … An absorbing fictional chronicle of a city and its place in American history.’ -- Antonia Senior * The Times ‘Book of the Month’ *‘There is much of the panache of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas here: it is an epic story that sweeps the reader from a single log-house to a mass of steel-frame skyscrapers. It moves from bloody tragedy to financial skulduggery and farce, all through a subtle variety of narrative voices and perspectives. A notably rich, rewarding read.’ -- Fanny Blake * Daily Mail *‘Daring and unruly … Jonathan Carr ambitiously attempts a reconstruction of the development of Chicago … Often entertaining and very readable.’ -- Sean Hewitt * The Irish Times *‘A wondrous, bold and playful first novel. Seductively fascinating characters, real and imagined, populate this fiction with their interweaving and intergenerational stories. But the hero’s journey belongs to the city itself … An exhilarating ride.’ -- Linda Jaivin * The Saturday Paper *‘Carr's debut novel is an impressive literary experiment blending epistolary narratives, fragmented journal entries, and historical book chapters into a sprawling chronicle about the founding and development of Chicago in the 19th century … An ambitious literary debut that occupies a liminal space between alternative history and experimental literature.’ -- Joshua Finnell * Library Journal *‘Carr's kaleidoscope debut embroiders fact with fiction to tell an alternative history of Chicago's 19th Century in a symphony of voices. Using real-life historical figures, colorful stories and fictional journal entries, Carr traces Chicago's rise to an industrial titan and all-time great American city.’ -- Barbara VanDenburgh * USA TODAY *‘Make Me A City is a thrillingly ambitious and ingeniously accomplished first novel. This is a stunning debut by a new and instantly important literary voice.’ -- Robert Olen Butler, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction‘Jonathan Carr’s brilliant novel could not be more relevant to today’s world. Make Me A City explores the nature of history itself — both the official record and the suppressed stories that lie beneath. Covering a century, from mid-western wilderness to the bustling modern city of Chicago, it has a correspondingly large cast, but incidents and characters are interwoven to create not just a satisfying narrative but a working model of how civilisation comes into being, for better or worse. This novel itself is a city, one that contains the myriad hopes, ambitions, disappointments and loves of its citizens, as they work like coral insects to build the structure in which they live and die.’ -- Richard Francis, author of The Old Spring and Crane Pond‘These mini biographical sketches impart serious commentary on aspects of history such as racism, greed, and love.’ * Press Association *‘Carr’s prose is often amusing and heartfelt and pulls readers through the joys and pains of the people who made Chicago a city … if you are looking for a gritty, unapologetically unique “alternative” history of the Windy City, this is the place to start.’ -- Bryan Dumas * Historical Novel Society *‘Make Me A City is a multitude of novels all rolled into one — a wonderfully sprawling epic about Chicago’s founding fathers (and mothers), a searching exploration of colonialism in action, and a compelling collection of stories about people and places. But it is something else too, the one thing that is known to all of us, namely a single, tender map of the human heart. In Make Me A City Jonathan Carr draws on his considerable talent to tell the story of Chicago through the eyes of its many inhabitants, exploring life, death and what is left behind with admirable deftness and style. This is a bold, thrilling debut from a seriously good writer.' -- Francesca Rhydderch, author of The Rice Paper Diaries‘Absolutely magnificent. Carr grasps the complexity of a city’s history, the individuals who shape it, those who gain and those who suffer. The prose is graceful and vibrant, the gradual unfolding of the interrelated lives of these people is superbly done. This is an elegant, richly enjoyable book.’ -- Tricia Wastvedt, author of The River‘Make Me A City’s scope and scale is quite breathtaking. It digs deep into the history of Chicago to uncover hidden stories about the people who built it. Its clever way of dealing with competing historical narratives is very exciting. A real pleasure to read!’ -- Gerard Woodward, author of I’ll Go To Bed at Noon‘The rise of Chicago in the 19th century provides the frame for a trove of colorful stories and characters in this entertaining debut novel … Carr has a sure touch, and in many extended anecdotes, his narrative skills show exceptional detail, pacing, and tension. A solid storyteller enlivens a rich patch of American history.’ * Kirkus *‘An enticing debut ... a gritty and entertaining fictional history of a great American city.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘I've had the pleasure of reading this novel through its draft stages. An epic tale of the foundation of Chicago. A must-read for historical fiction fans!’ -- James Aitcheson, author of the Conquest series‘Carr’s intricately woven debut evokes the history of nineteenth-century Chicago while showcasing important but little-known historical figures and fictional people from different walks of life who contribute to its development. The chronologically arranged chapters vary in style, from straightforward narrative to spot-on pastiches of news articles and diaries to excerpts from a compiled ‘alternative history’ text whose contents are cleverly self-referential … Ambition, injustice, and opportunity all play roles as Chicago expands outward and upward. Over time, the disparate stories, which span the entire century, intersect in delightfully unexpected ways.’ -- Sarah Johnson * Booklist *

Read more less