Search results for ""Author Rita Bradshaw""
Headline Publishing Group Gilding the Lily: A captivating saga of love, sisters and tragedy
When everything seems lost, hope is all that remains... Gilding the Lily is a heartrending tale of two sisters and their quest for a place to belong, from much-loved author Rita Bradshaw. Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Josephine Cox.Lily and Sarah Brown's childhood is an unhappy one. Sarah escapes by marrying Ralph Turner, a Sunderland dock worker, but Lily doesn't trust Ralph - a dark volatile man with a hidden cruel streak. When he tries to seduce Lily on his wedding day, her worst fears are confirmed. Ralph's younger brother John is cut from a different cloth, though, and Lily is increasingly drawn to him. But just when Lily sees a future for them, a terrible incident destroys her happiness.Heartbroken, Lily agrees to accompany the family she works for as a nursemaid to New York. As Lily boards RMS Titanic little does she realise that her decision will change the course of her life for ever... What readers are saying about Gilding the Lily: 'I enjoyed this novel. It held glimpses of an era long gone, well described and with a satisfying ending''I loved every minute of it''Five stars'
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Reach for Tomorrow: A captivating saga of fighting for those you love
When everyone's deserted her, can she find the strength to go on? Reach for Tomorrow is a heart-warming saga of a young woman's indomitable spirit and determination to survive no matter what, from much-loved author Rita Bradshaw. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Rosie Goodwin.'What an emotional rollercoaster ride of a book! It grabs your attention from page one and does not let go until the end' - Sunderland Echo Rosie Ferry is hardly more than a child when her father and brothers are lost in a pit disaster. She has to grow up fast when her mother falls apart, leaving Rosie in charge of her two sisters. It's Rosie who finds them lodgings, Rosie who tramps the streets looking for work. Without her friends Davey and Flora, Rosie doesn't know how she'd cope.Then Davey - the boy Rosie always thought she'd marry - abruptly leaves Sunderland, and to make matters worse her mother turns to drink. It's almost more than she can bear, but Rosie is tougher than she looks, and she's determined to keep the family together. What readers are saying about Reach for Tomorrow: 'I felt as though I was transported in time. I found the book very emotive in places and extremely easy to read''Another lovely story from this very talented writer. The characters are vivid and believable, the storyline keeps you guessing''Hard to put down and at times will make you cry and in the next minute heart-burstingly happy'
£10.99
Headline Publishing Group The Most Precious Thing: One night. A lifetime of consequences.
It's 1925 and when Renee McDarmount marries Walter Sutton, Carrie McDarmount is delighted, for the two families have always been close - the children are all similar in age and their fathers work together in the local pit. But an incident on the eve of the wedding leaves Carrie pregnant and desperately ashamed of the secret she now carries. When Harry Sutton, who has always loved Carrie, discovers her plight, he volunteers to marry her and bring up the baby as his own. But their secret will inevitably come out in the end and there is much heartache ahead before Carrie can finally be happy and content with the man she loves.
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group The Stony Path: A gripping saga of love, family secrets and tragedy
Growing up on a small, struggling farm on the outskirts of Sunderland in the early 1900s, Polly Farrow has a tough life, but she has gifts money can’t buy – a joyful disposition and a loving heart. And her heart belongs to her beloved cousin, Michael. Polly knows that one day they’ll be man and wife. But a terrible secret is to change everything: Michael is her half-brother, the fruit of an incestuous relationship between her father and his own sister – Michael’s mother. The lovers are rent apart and Polly is left to bear the responsibility of the farm alone – for her father kills himself, unable to live with his shame. Life is now a battle for survival, and Polly wonders if she will ever find happiness. But the answer to her prayers is closer than she thinks...
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Always I'll Remember: A gritty and touching Northern saga
Friendship gives one young woman the strength to face tragedy... and a devastating secret. In Rita Bradshaw's Always I'll Remember, one young woman faces jealousy, tragedy and a dark secret, yet love and friendship see her through the worst. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews.It's 1939 and Abigail Vickers, enjoying her promising new job in an office, is overjoyed when she meets James Benson there and they both fall completely in love. But life for Abby is a constant struggle against her dominant and selfish mother, Nora, who is jealous of Abby's beauty and success. When war breaks out, all their lives change forever. In the furore of patriotism that follows, James signs up and Abby swears to wait for him, joining the land army to do her bit. But when Abby's father is involved in a dreadful accident, a terrible secret that Nora has been carrying for years is revealed, tearing the family apart. After receiving heart breaking news of James, Abby begins to wonder if she will ever find happiness. Only time will tell if there are better days ahead... What readers are saying about Always I'll Remember: 'This book is one of the best reads ever, holds the attention and very hard to put down''Became engrossed, such interesting characters''[This book] describes the lives of three land girls, their friendship and families. The characters are real and very human and the plot throws up much that is unexpected'
£10.99
Headline Publishing Group Break of Dawn: Each day brings a new beginning...
Each day brings a new beginning...Her mother's death in childbirth leaves Sophy Hutton at the mercy of her cruel aunt and uncle, and her childhood is brutal. At sixteen, Sophy learns the shocking truth behind her birth and escapes to London to pursue a career as an actress, determined to put the past behind her. But life for women at the turn of the century is fraught with danger and Sophy soon discovers the darker side to London's glamorous theatres. Young and innocent, she doesn't recognise the man who really loves her when he appears; instead she is charmed into marrying handsome actor Toby Shawe, a flawed and amoral individual. Then the heartache really begins...
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group The Urchin's Song: Has she found the key to happiness?
The approach of the twentieth century means little to Josie Burns and her family; living in Sunderland's slum area, they battle dirt, cold and hunger on a daily basis. Josie's brothers and sisters are terrified of their violent alcoholic father, but Josie is not like the rest, for she has something that will enable her to rise out of the slums: a beautiful singing voice, with which even as a child she earns enough pennies to keep her father happy. When she discovers that her father is trying to put her younger sister, Gertie, on the game, Josie and Gertie flee the family home, taking refuge with a friend. By educating herself and taking singing lessons, Josie starts on the journey to success and security - but can she also find love?
£9.99
Pan Macmillan A Woman of Courage: A heart-warming historical novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author
Survival means fighting back.It's 1890, and Josie Gray is an innocent and beautiful fifteen-year old when Adam McGuigan, the youngest son of a dangerous and influential crime family spots her singing in a Sunderland public house. Adam is handsome and charismatic, sweeping Josie off her feet with his beguiling lies and promises. He charms her into marrying him on her sixteenth birthday, but on her wedding night the fairy tale ends.Josie finds herself trapped in a living nightmare and there's no one to help her. Events spiral out of control, and when her life is put in danger she escapes with her baby son. Fleeing to a different country, Josie fights to make a good life for her child and then love beckons again.But the McGuigan family's power is far reaching. When the day of reckoning comes, can Josie survive it?A Woman of Courage is a heartwarming saga by Rita Bradshaw, author of the bestselling Believing in Tomorrow.
£8.03
Headline Publishing Group Eve and her Sisters: An utterly compelling, dramatic and heart-breaking saga
She gave them everything and asked for nothing in return... Rita Bradshaw's heart-stopping saga, Eve and Her Sisters, is a captivating tale of poverty, family and unrequited love. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Kitty Neale.Following their father's death in a mining accident, sisters Eve, Mary and Nell journey to the Michaelmas fair at Gateshead to be put up for hire - it is that or face the workhouse. Eve, who has looked after her younger sisters since their mother's death, cannot bear the thought of them being separated so she is indebted to innkeeper, Caleb Travis, when he takes pity on her and agrees to hire them all. Over the years, Eve's gratitude towards him turns to love, but Caleb is blind to Eve's feelings as he is infatuated with Mary. It is to take many more years of heartache before he realises his mistake... What Amazon readers are saying about Eve and Her Sisters: 'Rita Bradshaw at her best. Fantastic story line and you get drawn into the book, I could not put it down. Very down to earth and one can empathise with situations the characters find themselves in. More, more, more from Rita''I couldn't put it down, it was moving, touching and almost as though it was real. Very believable, fully recommend''The author really brings the characters to life and you almost feel as though you are there. Brilliant!'
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Candles in the Storm: A powerful and evocative Northern saga
The storm that's raging when fisherman's daughter Daisy Appleby is born in a village just north of Sunderland could be taken as a warning of a turbulent life ahead. It's during another storm fifteen years later that her father and brothers are lost and Daisy rescues William, heir of a wealthy Southwick family, with whom she falls in love. Soon, as her reward for saving him, Daisy is working for William's irascible aunt, while local lad Alf continues to court her. Warned off by Daisy's grandmother, William denies his own feelings and so it will be many years later, after much hardship and turmoil, that Daisy finds the happiness she deserves, amidst the drama of the Great War.
£10.30
Headline Publishing Group Alone Beneath the Heaven: A gripping saga of escapism, love and belonging
A powerful and absorbing saga, moving from Sunderland to London in the 1940s, as Sarah Brown dreams of a better life.
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Forever Yours: It takes courage to follow your heart…
A heartbreaking saga of true love against all odds.A tragic house fire kills both her parents, but Constance Shelton escapes, rescued by her eight-year-old neighbour, Matt Heath. She is brought up by her grandparents, but the two children become inseparable and, as she enters her teens, these strong feelings turn into love. But Matt sees her only as a sister and Constance can do nothing when he proposes to another girl. When Constance discovers that the fire that killed her parents wasn't an accident, but in fact the actions of a jealous man, she finds herself in terrible danger and is forced to leave the village and everyone she knows. Although Constance makes a good life for herself elsewhere, her heart remains with the only man she has ever loved. But what will it take for Matt to realise his true feelings for her?
£9.99
Pan Macmillan Beneath a Frosty Moon
From the top-ten bestselling author of Snowflakes in the Wind comes a heart-breaking saga set in WWII Britain.In Rita Bradshaw's Beneath a Frosty Moon, it’s 1940 and Britain is at war with Germany. For Cora Stubbs and her younger siblings this means being evacuated to the safety of the English countryside. But, little does Cora know that Hitler’s bombs are nothing compared to the danger she will face in her new home, and she is forced to grow up fast.However, Cora is a fighter and she strives to carve a new life for herself and her siblings. Time passes, and in the midst of grief and loss she falls in love, but what other tragedies lie around the corner?As womanhood beckons, can Cora ever escape her troubled past and the lost love who continues to haunt her dreams and cast shadows over her days?
£9.04
Headline Publishing Group Born to Trouble: All she wanted was a better life…
All she wants is a better life...Born in Sunderland's filthy, crime-ridden East End, Pearl Croft's childhood is desperately troubled. When her violent, drunken father is killed in a fight and Pearl's elder brothers are sent to prison, she is left to care for her baby brothers. Then Pearl's mother brings a 'client' to the house who has a penchant for little girls. Terrified and hurt, Pearl runs away from home and is found, feverish and near death, by Romany gypsies. But this is far from the end of her struggles. Years pass and as Pearl reaches womanhood she wonders if she will ever find happiness?
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Above The Harvest Moon: Love can be found where you least expect it…
She's found friendship. Can she find love too? In Above the Harvest Moon, Rita Bradshaw once again enthrals her readers in her stunning saga of love, jealousy and survival. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Maggie Hope.It's 1926 and the Depression is claiming its victims every day. Hannah and her mother, Miriam, who have lived with Hannah's uncle and aunt since her father died, have never really been close. As Hannah develops into a beautiful girl, so Miriam's jealousy and resentment of her grows. At least Hannah can escape to spend time at her friend Naomi's, whose kind mother gives Hannah the affection she so lacks at home. And Hannah is not indifferent to Naomi's handsome, charming brother Adam. But when she is forced to flee her house and the unwanted attention of her uncle, it is the grave, taciturn Jake, Naomi's other brother, who shines through as Hannah's protector... What readers are saying about Above the Harvest Moon: 'Another captivating and compelling read. Rita Bradshaw has produced yet another page turner, steeped in social history''I really enjoyed this book. It has all the right elements: love, betrayal and loyalty. I could not put it down''[Rita Bradshaw] is marvellous. I felt I was actually transported back in time'
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Skylarks At Sunset: An unforgettable saga of love, family and hope
Does she dare to dream of a brighter future? Rita Bradshaw's Skylarks at Sunset is a heartrending story of one woman's struggle to keep her family safe during the dark days of the Depression and war. Perfect for fans of Pam Evans and Dilly Court. Hope's just a child when she's orphaned, and as she grows up her dream is always to have a family of her own. And so when she meets and falls in love with Daniel Fallow, son of a successful businessman, she's quick to accept his proposal of marriage. His family, though, are against the match, and so the young couple marry in secret. Grudging acceptance follows, and as the Depression worsens Daniel is persuaded to join the family business, unaware of his father's dodgy dealings. Tragedy is just around the corner, and worse is to come when war is declared in 1939: as Daniel leaves to fight and her children are evacuated, Hope wonders if she will ever have all her family around her again... What readers are saying about Skylarks at Sunset: 'Another wonderful story from Rita Bradshaw, a story that holds your attention from start to finish''Excellent from beginning to end. Couldn't put it down''Five stars'
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group Ragamuffin Angel: Old feuds threaten the happiness of one young couple
Connie Bell, newly orphaned, is just twelve when she's taken on at the laundry in Sunderland's grim workhouse. Although she's little more than a child the events of her past have forged a driving determination to rise above her beginnings. But when she applies for a job as a nurse Connie's turned down: her mother was forced by poverty to work the streets and the Bell name is tainted. Bitterly hurt but undaunted, Connie's soon assistant housekeeper at the Grand Hotel and saving hard for her own business. When her path crosses Dan Stewart's, though, everything Connie's ever dreamed of is threatened. There's a dark and terrible history between the Bells and the Stewarts, and Dan's mother Edith will do anything to keep Dan and Connie apart.
£9.99