Family saga / generational saga fiction

Book SynopsisThe new sun-drenched summer read from the bestselling author and TV presenter''Soak up the glamour'' PRIMAYou're invited to the most glamorous wedding of the yearThe guests are gathering under the Mediterranean sun, and as the champagne flows, so do the secretsThe childhood sweetheartsCarina is marrying the love of her life. But he isn't the person she thinks he is.The dazzling bridesmaidHollywood starlet Edie is hiding a secret that could destroy her best friend.The unexpected guestMother-of-the-bride Philippa is stunned by the arrival of a lover from her past.Are scandal and betrayal about to destroy their happy ever after?Readers love Secrets of the Villa Amore!''This book was a joy to read'' ????? Reader review''Couldn''t put it down'' ????? Reader review''It had me gripped from start to finish'' ????? Reader review''Another wonderful book very refreshing and engaging'' ????? Reader reviewCarol Kirkwood''s book ''Secrets of the Villa Amore'' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-Trade ReviewPraise for Carol Kirkwood:‘Soak up the glamour … A great summer read’ Prima ‘Expect plenty of glamour and dramas in this sunshine read’ – Choice ‘A real treat, wonderfully escapist with heart and drama – marvellous!’ Anton du Beke ‘An exquisite tale of love lost and found that’s full of intriguing characters and romantic locations. A Perfect summer read.’ Judy Murray ‘An absolute cracking read – it’s brilliant!’ Steph McGovern presenter of Packed Lunch ‘Sun-soaked, glamorous escapism.’ Cressida McLaughlin ‘A sizzling summer read. I couldn’t put it down.’ Alex Brown, bestselling author of The Secret of Orchard Cottage

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Book SynopsisSet in Scotland in the 1920s, this is the story of a girl who has to rebuild her life in the face of a scandal that could ruin her chances for happiness. 'In the tradition of Catherine Cookson.' Liverpool PostTrade ReviewIn the tradition of Catherine Cookson * Liverpool Post *'An unforgettable story of love and heartache.' * Dundee Courier on Lost Dreams *'An absorbing and entertaining read.' * Bolton Evening News, on For Better, For Worse *'If you enjoy Cookson you will love this.' * Bradford Telegraph & Argus on Legacy of Shame *'A stirring tale, rich in heartache and warmth with an unquenchable zest for life.' * Northern Echo on Gift of Love *'Everything a reader could possibly wish for. It's brilliant.' * Bangor Chronicle on For Better, for Worse *

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Book SynopsisGlorious and moving World War II saga following the battles, loves and struggles of four performers who put aside their careers to do their bit in the war against GermanyTrade Review'A compelling story' * Publishing News on WE'LL MEET AGAIN *'A gripping and touching novel.' * Good Book Guide on NEVER SAY GOODBYE *'Green's book is a delightful and heady mix of romantic ingredients - spies, high-kicking dancers, forbidden love and friendship in the face of death. Who could ask for anything more?' * Lancashire Evening Post *'An unforgettable saga of love and loss in wartime' * Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisChristine Summers is a pretty young teacher in a country school in the 1930s and the apple of more than one man''s eye .Christine has no intention of sacrificing her independence to marry anyone, least of all Charley Noonan, the rough-tongued young farmer who has been pursuing her for years. When she meets lonely widower Alan Kelso, however, Christine finds herself falling in love.Alan has also caught the eye of pony breeder Beatty McCall. Passionate, experienced and unscrupulous, Beatty wants is willing to offer him more, it seems, than Christine can ever hope to match. But sometimes all it takes to fall in love is dancing to the Paradise Waltz . . .Rich in tangled affections and intriguing characters, in THE PARADISE WALTZ Jessica Stirling captures all the pain and humour of life a small, gossip-ridden village in the time between two world wars when wireless and the cinema were changing everyone''s ideas about romance.Trade ReviewWell paced and a pleasant read. * Historical Novels Review *Jessica Stirling's high reputation is well deserved. * Manchester Evening News *She writes in bright colours with bold, confident strokes. * Glasgow Herald *Jessica Stirling is one of Scotland's most prolific and best-loved authors. * Scottish Daily Record *One of the best. * Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisAt the age of eighteen, Alice Ware is pretty, charming and impetuous. Back home in Yorkshire at the start of a new century, she is determined to seize any fresh opportunities and experiences that come her way. The arrival of a new neighbour, the elegant and scandalous Mrs Emma Cheevey, leads to visits from her two highly eligible soldier sons. Alice is instantly drawn to Matthew, the younger brother - and then Captain Steven Cheevey arrives home from South Africa, where he was part of the British expeditionary force at the Relief of Mafeking.Alice''s choice is made, her future secure . . . until a reckless decision throws the lives of three people into turmoil. Reluctant to return home, she seeks refuge in the one place where she knows she will find peace, perhaps for ever. It will take a visit from the man who loves her to persuade Alice to reconsider and dare to live again.Trade ReviewJessica Blair knows how to keep the reader enthralled for page after action-packed page * Yorkshire Post *Jessica Blair writes a fast moving plot and creates characters we care for * Northern Echo *Written with genuine affection and personal insight into the dangerous wartime years and the grim realities of frontline service, this is a stirring tale to stiffen the sinews and warm the heart * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisJanuary, 1920. Young Englishwoman Margaret Dalton is full of excitement as she arrives in Sydney to begin a new life in the warm, golden land of Australia. She leaves behind the horrors of WWI and can''t wait to see her husband, Frank, after two years of separation.But when Margaret''s ship docks, Frank isn''t there to greet her and Margaret is informed that he already has a wife . . .Devastated, Margaret must make a new life for herself in this strange city, but she soon falls in love with its vibrant harbour, sweeping ocean and clean sea breezes. A growing friendship with army sergeant Tom McBride gives her a steady person to rely on. But just as Margaret and Tom begin to grow closer, news arrives that Frank may not have abandoned her. Will Margaret''s life be thrown upside down once again? And where should her loyalties lie: with the old life or with the new?Inspired by the true stories of war wives who arrived in Australia, THE WAR BRIDE is a gorgeously Trade ReviewPamela Hart makes the details of daily life shimmer and pierces our hearts with a love story that carries the weight of sacrifice -- iBooks (Best Books of the Month)Deeply insightful into the lives of the women left behind in Sydney. We fell in love with the headstrong heroine Ruby. We can almost feel her longing, as well as the frustrating injustice she faces with the social pressures placed on a young woman moving into new times. Hart skilfully builds up suspense in this poignant novel and its dramatic conclusion is breathtaking * Better Reading *

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Book SynopsisLucy Bailey is not a girl to take no for an answer. When she asks her friend Billy Wellington to help her rescue a stray dog, she has no idea of the potential repercussions. A serious crime is committed while Billy is absent from the children''s home where he lives and, when suspicion falls on him, the police decide that the safest thing for everybody is to lock him away in a mental institution.Lucy refuses to believe that Billy has done anything wrong, and enlists her cool-headed teenage brother Arnold to help. DI Daniel Earnshawe, who has his own doubts about the police''s conclusions, turns out to be unexpectedly helpful, and Billy has someone else on his side too: Helen Durkin, a beautiful, damaged girl who has been seeking to make amends for her past. With so many daring and resourceful people battling on his behalf, it looks as though Billy''s freedom will soon be won - before an unexpected development sees Arnold too fall foul of the law. Refusing to give up hTrade ReviewA moving story and well told - Yorkshire Evening PressA staunchly powerful novel by a local author

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Book SynopsisA heartwarming saga about war, love and duty by the bestselling author of The Street and East End Angel.North London, 1916. When Olivia Bone and Lieutenant Lucas Black shared a passionate kiss one summer''s evening, it seemed as if their love might finally have a chance to bloom.But their brief happiness is cut short when Lucas is sent to fight on the front line, leaving Livvie uncertain if she''ll ever see him again. And after a chance encounter with one of Lucas''s old flames, Livvie is left doubting whether an ex-factory girl like her will ever fit into his world - and wondering if she would be better off protecting her heart.While her friends in London busy themselves with marriage plans and dreams of babies, Livvie returns to France, throwing herself into her work as a war nurse on the Western Front. But when two German prisoners are admitted at the hospital, the dangers of war suddenly feel

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Book SynopsisTogether they triumphed, but what does the future hold? 1950, the East End of London.With the war finally behind them, the Ten Bells Street girls are building new lives. Best friends from childhood, the three of them are there for each other through thick and thin, but the struggle isn''t over yet...Of the three best friends, Becky is the only one to remain in the East End. Even though the war is over, she still finds great purpose in her work as a nurse - despite her father''s longing for her to settle down and find a husband to support her.Now happily married, Rose has escaped the troubles of the city and lives with her husband and son in Essex, slowly building a happier life than the one she has previously known.And adventurous Bernie has travelled to Israel to join her long-term lover and continue her work as a photographer.But despite their separation, the girls

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Book SynopsisAfter fleeing her divided Dutch homeland, Jannekyn van der Hest comes to Colchester, Essex, looking to make a new life for herself. Though she seeks comfort and community, she finds herself at the mercy of her cruel uncle, who condemns her to a demeaning life as a kitchen maid.As she struggles to regain her independence and make a life for herself in the cloth trade, Jannekyn will need all the courage and resourcefulness she possesses - especially when she falls in love with an Englishman, whose arrival turns Jannekyn''s world upside down.Will this burgeoning romance reverse Jannekyn''s fortunes, or will she never quite be able to escape her past?

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Book SynopsisWhen Edward Price-Carpenter arrives in Wyford, Essex, he immediately catches Cassie Jordan''s eye. Handsome and persuasive, the young man has come to oversee work on his father''s racing yacht, and takes lodgings in the Falcon Inn where Cassie lives with her family.As romance blossoms between them, Cassie finds herself torn between the man she loves and Luke Turnbull, a childhood friend whom she is destined to marry. Though she raises a family with Luke and lives an outwardly happy life, inside Cassie is tormented by thoughts of her lost love Edward and longs for a way to be reunited with him.When tragedy strikes, will Cassie finally learn where her true affections lie?

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Book Synopsis'Extraordinary...Rich in irony and regret...[the] people and settings are vividly realized and his prose [is] compelling in its simplicity.'THE WALL STREET JOURNALAs the world slips into the throes of war in 1939, young Maciek's once closetted existence outside Warsaw is no more. When Warsaw falls, Maciek escapes with his aunt Tania. Together they endure the war, running, hiding, changing their names, forging documents to secure their temporary lives—as the insistent drum of the Nazi march moves ever closer to them and to their secret wartime lies.

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Book Synopsis#1 New York Times Bestseller“Absorbing . . . impossible to resist.” —The Washington PostAs Europe erupts, can one young spy protect his queen? Ken Follett takes us deep into the treacherous world of powerful monarchs, intrigue, murder, and treason with his magnificent epic, A Column of Fire—the chronological latest in the Kingsbridge series, following The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, and the prequel, The Evening and the Morning.In 1558, the ancient stones of Kingsbridge Cathedral look down on a city torn apart by religious conflict. As power in England shifts precariously between Catholics and Protestants, royalty and commoners clash, testing friendship, loyalty, and love.    Ned Willard wants nothing more than to marry Margery Fitzgerald. But when the lovers find themselves on opposing sides of the religious conflict dividing the country, Ned goes to work for Princess Elizabeth. When she becomes queen, all Europe turns against England. The shrewd, determined young monarch sets up the country’s first secret service to give her early warning of assassination plots, rebellions, and invasion plans. Over a turbulent half century, the love between Ned and Margery seems doomed as extremism sparks violence from Edinburgh to Geneva. Elizabeth clings to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents.   The real enemies, then as now, are not the rival religions. The true battle pitches those who believe in tolerance and compromise against the tyrants who would impose their ideas on everyone else—no matter what the cost.  Exciting and ambitious, and set during one of the most turbulent and revolutionary times in history, A Column of Fire will delight longtime fans of the Kingsbridge series and serve as the perfect introduction for readers new to Ken Follett.

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Book SynopsisA prequel to the best-selling The Pillars of the Earth follows the experiences of a young boatbuilder, a scholarly monk and a Norman noblewoman against a backdrop of the Viking attacks at the end of the 10th century in England. Maps.

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