Search results for ""Author Maggie Brookes""

A nation torn apart by war. One woman steps into the crossfire.'This amazing book has everything in it: love, war, history and relevance to today. Gripping.' Russell Kane'I insist you read this intelligent empathetic novel. You won't regret it.' Frost Magazine'Extraordinary events sensitively told.' Lucy Jago, A Net For Small Fishes'I couldn't put it down.' Gill Paul, The Collector's Daughter'A heartrending tale of love, courage and sacrifice.' Nikki Marmery, On Wilder Seas____________1936. Civil war in Spain. A world on the brink of chaos ...Twenty-one-year-old Lucy is frustrated with her constrained life in Hertfordshire, teaching and keeping house for her domineering father. But she is happy to be living next door to Tom and Jamie, two brothers she has known since childhood, and whom she loves equally.But her life is turned upside down when Tom decides he must travel to Spain to fight in the bloody Spanish Civil War. He is quickly followed by Jamie who, much to Lucy's despair, is supporting General Franco.To the dismay of her irascible father, Lucy decides that the only way to bring her boys back safely is to travel to Spain herself to persuade them to come home.Yet when she sees the horrific effects of the war, she quickly becomes immersed in the lifesaving work the Quakers are doing to help the civilian population, many of whom are refugees.As the war progresses and the situation becomes increasingly perilous, Lucy realises that the challenge going forward is not so much which brother she will end up with, but whether any of them will survive the carnage long enough to decide ...____________More praise for Acts of Love and War ...'Be prepared to lose your heart in the simmering heat of war-torn Spain.' Miranda Malins, The Puritan Princess'This is a marvellous book on any level, I thoroughly enjoyed it and could hardly put it down.' Deborahjs'Wide in scope and told with honesty, insight and tenderness, a moving and unputdownable story' Judith Allnatt, The Poet's Wife'Accomplished and expansive' Anne Morgan, Reading The World'Insightful and moving' Katherine Clements, The Crimson Ribbon'One of historical fiction's most lyrical and intelligent voices' Rachel McMillan, The London Restoration'Emotionally captivating and authentic ... an unforgettable story' Susan Meissner, The Nature of Fragile Things_______________Readers can't get enough of Acts of Love and War ...***** 'A tale of passion and passionate caring, and how that can manifest in very different ways.'***** 'A masterpiece.'***** 'Highly recommended if you enjoy historical fiction.'***** 'An amazing and compelling read.'***** 'An immersive and powerful story.'

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Maggie Brookes is an ex-journalist and BBC TV historical documentary producer, turned novelist and poet. She relishes uncovering stories about the strength of women and the power of friendship and love in the most terrible of circumstances. Acts of Love and War is about love and courage in the brutal Spanish civil war. The Prisoner's Wife - based on an extraordinary true story of WW2 - was published around the world in 2020. Maggie taught Creative Writing at Middlesex University for thirty years and has had six poetry collections published under the name Maggie Butt.

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'An absorbing and engaging tale of wartime bravery and endurance. Bill and Izabela are such tenderly drawn characters ... I loved it!' RACHEL HORE, author of Last Letter Home and The Memory Garden_______________________________Their love is a death sentence. But can it keep them alive?Czechoslovakia, 1944. In the dead of night, a farm girl and a British soldier creep through abandoned villages. Secretly married and on the run, Bill and Izabela are searching for Izabela's brother and father, who are fighting for the Czech resistance. They know their luck will not last. Captured by the German army, it seems they must be separated - but they have prepared for this moment. By cutting her hair and pretending to be mute, Izabela successfully disguises herself as a British soldier. Together, they face the terrible conditions of a POW camp, reliant on the help of their fellow POWs to maintain their fragile deception. Their situation is beyond dangerous. If Izabela is discovered, she and B

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'An absorbing and engaging tale of wartime bravery and endurance. Bill and Izabela are such tenderly drawn characters ... I loved it!' RACHEL HORE, author of Last Letter Home and The Memory Garden_______________________________Their love is a death sentence. But can it keep them alive?Czechoslovakia, 1944. In the dead of night, a farm girl and a British soldier creep through abandoned villages. Secretly married and on the run, Bill and Izabela are searching for Izabela's brother and father, who are fighting for the Czech resistance. They know their luck will not last.Captured by the German army, it seems they must be separated - but they have prepared for this moment. By cutting her hair and pretending to be mute, Izabela successfully disguises herself as a British soldier. Together, they face the terrible conditions of a POW camp, reliant on the help of their fellow POWs to maintain their fragile deception.Their situation is beyond dangerous. If Izabela is discovered, she and Bill - and all the men who helped them - will face lethal consequences._______________________________A novel set in war-torn Czechoslovakia amid the extreme privations of a prisoner of war camp, based on a true story of passion, heroism and a love that transcends overwhelming odds._______________________________'Deeply moving and compelling ... an epic journey not only across war-torn countries but deep into the heart of what it is to be human. A heart-rending story beautifully told.' JUDITH ALLNAT, author of The Poet's Wife and The Silk Factory'Heart-wrenching and heart-warming in equal measure, The Prisoner's Wife is an unputdownable novel ... finely crafted, atmospheric, often nail-biting.' BEN KANE, author of The Eagles of Rome series'A story of danger, fear, determination and the redemptive power of love in war-torn Europe. It is a story that Hemingway might have envied.' JULIET GARDINER, author of Wartime: Britain 1939 to 1945 and The Blitz: The British Under Attack.'A gripping novel that explores the question of how much the human body, and the human spirit, can endure for the sake of love. The wealth of authentic detail makes it feel like a memoir ... I feel enriched to have read it.' GILL PAUL, author of The Lost Daughter and The Secret Wife'The Prisoner's Wife seamlessly and skilfully breathes intense, fully realised life into the stark scenes it describes. I was by turns moved, outraged and humbled' DEBORAH KAY DAVIES, author of True Things About Me'A powerful page-turner' MARIE BENEDICT, New York Times bestselling author of Lady Clementine'You will be spellbound by this stellar novel. So richly imbued with sensory details you'll be feeling every anguished moment and every golden ray of hope.' SUSAN MEISSNER, bestselling author of The Last Year of the War'The most unique World War II story I've ever read... Romantic, perfectly observed, inspiring, and thrilling - The Prisoner's Wife is impossible to put down - and when I did, I was teary-eyed. A complete winner.' SARAH-JANE STRATFORD, author of Red Letter Days'Tremendous ... this is much more than a love story' GEORGINA CLARKE, author of Death and the Harlot'Engrossing, harrowing and heart-warming' ANN MORGAN, author of Reading The World'This is a beautiful book that will give any reader in dark times a reason to believe in the continuing goodness of people' NICOLA GRIFFITH, author of Hild

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