Similar
* Good King Wenceslas
* Silent Night
* The First Noel
* O Come All Ye Faithful
* God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
* While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
* Deck the Hall
* Once in Royal David's City
* Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
* O Little Town of Bethlehem
* Angels We Have Heard on High
* We Wish You a Merry Christmas
This book can be used as a self-study book or as a text book for students of sign linguistics. Each chapter concludes with a summary, some test-yourself questions and assignments, as well as a list of recommended texts for further reading.
The book is accompanied by a website containing assignments, video clips and links to web resources.
* Good King Wenceslas
* Silent Night
* The First Noel
* O Come All Ye Faithful
* God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
* While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
* Deck the Hall
* Once in Royal David's City
* Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
* O Little Town of Bethlehem
* Angels We Have Heard on High
* We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Liverpool Gems is a dramatic and warm-hearted Liverpool saga from Anne Baker, which is sure to appeal to fans of Katie Flynn and Lyn Andrews.
It is 1935 and as Carrie Courtney watches her twin sister, Connie, marry the man of her dreams, Carrie longs to find a love of her own. Having lost their mother at an early age, the girls were brought up by their maiden aunts and, with Connie leaving home, Carrie is desperate to spread her wings.
Using her skills as a bookkeeper, Carrie gets an exciting new job but her stunning beauty soon attracts the wrong kind of attention. And romance is the last thing on her mind when her beloved father finds himself caught up in an illegal jewellery business that threatens to destroy them all...
What readers are saying about Liverpool Gems:
'Quite a page turner like most of Anne's books, she keeps the reader gripped from the first page, excellent writing'
'Anne Baker never fails to please her fans, loved this and highly recommend'
Set in Liverpool at the end of the Second World War, Anne Baker's saga, A Liverpool Legacy, will move you to tears of sadness and joy. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Dilly Court.
On a spring day in 1947, Millie and Pete Maynard take their daughter Sylvie on a boat trip that is to end in tragedy. Poor Sylvie blames herself for the accident and Millie needs all her strength to comfort her children and overcome her grief. Then Pete's will is read and further heartache lies in store...
Meanwhile, Pete's younger brother and his good-for-nothing sons try to take control of the family business, but they've underestimated Millie's indomitable spirit. She's worked in Maynard's perfume laboratory for eighteen years and is determined to protect her husband's legacy no matter what obstacles are thrown in her way...
What readers are saying about A Liverpool Legacy:
'Anne Baker is one of my favourite authors and I have read all her books. A Liverpool Legacy is up there amongst her best - a really well written, gripping story, with believable characters'
'Anne Baker never ceases to amaze me, another brilliant read'
Anne Baker writes a captivating saga in With a Little Luck, which follows a young woman as she unravels the secrets of past traumas, to shocking effect. Perfect for fans of Maureen Lee and Dilly Court.
Alice Luckett is only nine years old when her father, Len, commits suicide. Her mother disappeared several months before, so Alice goes to live with her grandparents, Edith and Monty. They love her dearly but are often too preoccupied to have time for poor Alice. Her only real pleasure comes from the hours she spends next door with Nell Ainslie and her handsome son Eric. Slowly but surely, Alice comes to terms with her loss. But when Uncle Frank gets involved in the bakery business where she works, a chilling memory from the night of Len's death comes back to haunt her. And a shocking revelation changes life for the whole family...
What readers are saying about With a Little Luck:
'I lost two days because I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. I have since read another of [Anne Baker's] books with the same results and I can't wait to read more'
'Five stars'
Anne Baker's gripping saga, A Liverpool Lullaby, follows a young girl's search for happiness, and for a sense of belonging. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Sheila Newberry.
'It is a truly compelling and sentimental story and rich in language and descriptive prose' - Newcastle-upon-Tyne Evening Chronicle
Young and pretty Evie Hobson spends her days serving behind the counter at her father's Chemist shop. Joseph Hobson is a bullying man and Evie isn't the only one who lives in fear of her father's violent temper. Then one day a bedraggled woman enters the shop and dies on the premises. Evie is shocked to discover she was in fact her mother, whom she had been told was dead. Why had her father lied to her? What secret was he trying to keep? One thing's for sure, Evie can't take much more from him and when she catches the eye of local lad Ned Collins they plan to run away to begin a new life together. But even when she has escaped and has started a family with Ned, Evie has a long way to go before her happiness is secured...
What readers are saying about A Liverpool Lullaby:
'Another brilliant read, Anne Baker never fails to deliver... whenever I read one of her books I am gripped from beginning to end'
'Very good - didn't want to put the book down'
An evocative and moving saga, So Many Children by much-loved writer Anne Baker, details a young woman's battles with divided loyalties and the issues of yesteryear. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lindsey Hutchinson.
Beth Hubble has grown up in extreme poverty in Dock Cottages and although she loves training to become a nurse, problems at home are never far from her mind. Doctors have told her mother that, after fourteen pregnancies, she is too frail to survive another, but they will do nothing more. Beth is determined to help, but, in 1920, birth control is a taboo subject, and her quest for knowledge is thwarted at every turn. Meanwhile Beth has fallen for Andrew Langford, a hospital lab technician, who she hopes will take her away from the tenements for good. But will Beth ever find the love and happiness that she deserves?
What readers are saying about So Many Children:
'Was disappointed when I got to the end of this book. It was so good that I wanted it to go on forever. Was glued to it from the first page. Absolutely loved it. Fabulous reading'
'An engaging story and a stark reminder of family life in the early 20th century. Got completely engrossed with the characters, definitely a can't-put-down book!'
In The Wild Child, Anne Baker writes a touching saga of two sisters overcoming their differences to face the future together. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Dilly Court.
Raising her daughters alone, widowed Flora Wilcox often feels out of her depth. There's no problem with mousy Hilary, but Isobel is a wayward beauty who can never forgive her plainer sister for stealing her boyfriend, and will be pregnant before she marries. Worse, the father of Isobel's baby isn't her new husband - and when the truth comes out, her marriage is likely to hit the rocks. Hilary's life seems to be moving along more calmly, until her husband is badly injured in an accident. And, as she takes charge of his business, Hilary also faces the discovery that her adored children are struggling at school. There's hope if the sisters can pull together at last - but can they ever put the past behind them?
What readers are saying about The Wild Child:
'Very good book, didn't want to put it down once started. This is the same with all books by Anne Baker... She keeps me riveted'
Anne Baker's thrilling saga, A Pocketful of Silver, follows a young woman growing up amidst clouds of secrets and intrigue, and her journey to discovery. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Cathy Sharp.
It's 1920, and Ellie Valentino is just like any other happy five-year-old growing up in Birkenhead. Although her father is dead, and her mother works hard, Ellie's grandmother, Bridie, is always there to provide a welcoming hug when the little girl returns from school. But, one tragic day, Ellie's secure world is suddenly torn apart with the mysterious death of her mother, and Ellie is forced to live with her uncle Mick, a man with a violent temper. As the years pass, Ellie's yearning to know the truth about her mother's death never fades - it even casts a shadow over her blossoming romance with childhood friend, Franco Baldini. For Franco knows more about that fateful day than he dares admit, especially to Ellie. Can their love survive when Ellie longs to uncover events that Franco is desperate to forget? And will Ellie ever find out what really happened to her mother?
What readers are saying about A Pocketful of Silver:
'Definitely recommend, these books are very well written and they're hard to put down once you've started'
'Brilliant book and a great story - a very enjoyable read'
Let the Bells Ring is an evocative wartime saga from much-loved author Anne Baker, as a family face battles in life and love. Perfect for fans of Sheila Newberry and Cathy Sharp.
Hannah and her mother Esme are lucky to escape when their home is destroyed during a bombing raid. Forced to move in with Esme's difficult sister-in-law, they make the best of things, and soon Hannah falls for the boy next door, Eric Goodwin. But Esme's worried; she's always been afraid of Eric's father Arnold, and she suspects that Eric is a chip off the old block, full of charm but up to no good. Is innocent Hannah being drawn into an unpredictable and dangerous world of crime?
What readers are saying about Let the Bells Ring:
'I have read 14 of Anne Baker's books and have enjoyed every one of them. The books are easy to read with fascinating storylines. I couldn't put Let the Bells Ring down and felt I was part of the plot. I found myself daydreaming about what I would do if I was a certain character in the book'
'This book kept me engrossed from the first to the last page'
Anne Baker writes a moving saga in Like Father Like Daughter, in which a young girl struggles for a brighter tomorrow for herself and the mother she loves. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Lyn Andrews.
Rebelling against the domineering man she believes to be her father, Elin Jones runs away from her Welsh home to find a job on Merseyside as a maid in the wealthy Oxley household. Seduced and left pregnant by the son of the family, she feels forced to marry the butler, but finds herself condemned to a life of abuse and poverty. Only her love for her daughter, Laura, keeps Elin going. Laura grows up with her natural father's intelligence and drive, as well as his talent for business, and when she seizes the chance to buy an ailing company, it is the start of a meteoric career. But Laura's personal life is less of a success, and it will take a twist of fate to enable Laura and her mother to find love and happiness.
What readers are saying about Like Father Like Daughter:
'Very moving story line. It was as though you were in the story with Elin and Laura - excellent book'
A father's happiness rests on the shoulders of his loving daughter, in this heart-warming saga, All That Glistens, by much-loved author Anne Baker. Perfect for fans of Sheila Newberry and Lindsey Hutchinson.
When jeweller Edwin Jardine gives a job to Hilda Thorpe, his daughter Jane suspects that he's been blinded to the attractive widow's flaws by her looks and her hard luck story (she's alone with a teenage daughter, Kitty). Jane's dismayed when Edwin and Hilda become romantically involved; she knows that her father deserves happiness again after the death of her mother, but must it be with Hilda? With the help of her new fiancé, Nick, Jane begins to unravel the shocking truth about Hilda's past - and soon she fears that Edwin may be about to take a step he will live to regret bitterly.
What readers are saying about All That Glistens:
'I liked this book - the characters were enjoyable, even the baddies. Written well, good storyline'
'Once I got into it I could not put it down - not the ending I was expecting'
Set in Liverpool during the Depression and the Blitz of the Second World War, Anne Baker's dramatic saga, Wartime Girls, brings a close-knit community vividly to life. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Nadine Dorries.
It is the day of the Grand National, 1933, when Susie Ingram's fiancé, Danny, is killed in a tragic accident. In a cruel twist of Fate, Susie discovers she is carrying Danny's child and, shunned by his parents, she turns to her mother for support. Louise Ingram, widowed during the First World War, knows how hard it is to bring up a family alone, but with the help of her eldest daughter, Martha, who lives next door, they manage to survive. When little Rosie is born there is no doubt that she is Danny's daughter, but it is destined to take many more years of heartache before the two families are united again...
What readers are saying about Wartime Girls:
'Definitely recommend this book. Excellent story - wouldn't hesitate to give five stars'
'Another excellent Anne Baker novel, and fans will not be disappointed. Characters come to life in this family war story'
Liverpool Love Song is a moving saga of family ties and true love, from much-loved author, Anne Baker. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews.
When Helen Redwood is tragically widowed, she and her daughter, Chloe, move to Liverpool to be closer to her family. But it is being in her beautiful garden with her handsome young gardener, Rex Kenwright, that saves Helen from grief. Rex is no stranger to bereavement himself but, while he finds comfort in Helen's company, it is seventeen-year-old Chloe who steals his heart.
It is the swinging sixties, however, and Chloe has dreams of her own. When she announces that she is moving in with her boyfriend, Adam Livingstone, and there's a baby on the way she has no idea of the devastating effect this will have on those she loves. Nor does she realise the rocky road to happiness that lies ahead...
What readers are saying about Liverpool Love Song:
'Lovely story, a comfy chair and a cup of tea for chill out time by yourself with this book. Anne Baker's books are books to get lost in, enjoyable read'
'Good book from the very first page to the very last'
Moonlight on the Mersey is an engrossing Liverpool saga which explores the complexities of family life, by much-loved author Anne Baker. Perfect for fans of Cathy Sharp and Nadine Dorries.
Jill Ridley's childhood was one of loneliness and fear, and returning to her family home in Merseyside to join her stepmother's medical practice she decides to uncover the truth behind such painful memories. The discovery of a photograph of her stepmother holding an unknown baby prompts Jill to ask questions. But no one seems willing to answer her. It is only when Jill's stoical step-grandmother, Victoria, tells the harrowing tale of her tragic past that the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place. Coming to terms with shocking revelations, Jill must also face the future. The surgery's prospects are bleak; Jill's father is buckling under work pressures; and Felix Kingsley, a young journalist, has started paying attention to Jill - but are his intentions honourable, or is he using Jill to probe for secrets that affect his own family...?
What readers are saying about Moonlight on the Mersey:
'Fantastic - a very good book'
'Five stars'
Love is Blind is a gripping wartime saga from much-loved author Anne Baker, which follows a family's path through heartache and war. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Sheila Newberry.
Patsy Rushton's brother Barney doesn't know the meaning of hard work, so when their father tragically dies, Patsy has no choice but to save the family's business. Meanwhile, Barney has got his girlfriend pregnant and, feeling trapped, he abandons her and leaves Merseyside altogether. But trouble follows Barney wherever he goes and when he learns of his sister's growing success, he can't help feeling resentful. Why is their mother, Beatrice, so quick to forgive him? Surely, she can't be blind to his faults? As Patsy is to discover, there's something else about Barney that is frightening her mother so much she has never dared to speak of it before.
What readers are saying about Love is Blind:
'Very good, easy read. The twists and turns in the plot kept the intrigue alive. I would recommend to anyone'
'Engaging characters and a gripping war time story. A good insight into life during the war. Can't wait to read another of Anne Baker's books'
Anne Baker's Echoes Across the Mersey is a thrilling saga of an impossible love, set under the storm clouds of war and class. Perfect for fans of Cathy Sharp and Katie Flynn.
'A heartwarming story, Echoes Across the Mersey is the type of distinctly English book best read when sitting in the garden' - Liverpool Echo
It's August 1914, and the threat of war weighs heavily on the people of Liverpool, but not on Sarah Hoxton. For Toby Percival, the son of her employer, is in love with her. Her mother fears they'll both lose their jobs when Toby's father finds out, but Sarah's prepared to risk everything for Toby's love. Maurice Percival is furious when he discovers his son is involved with a factory girl. Determined to defy his father, Toby joins the army. Sarah is left facing what seem to be insurmountable obstacles, but with the help of her friends, family and a strength she never knew she possessed, she discovers there is a light at the end of the tunnel, though it shines from a different direction to the one she expected.
What readers are saying about Echoes Across the Mersey:
'I could not put it down and read it within a couple of days... the author has a way of making you visualise everything from the people to the places, and is able to bring out so many emotions whilst you are reading.'
Mersey Maids by Anne Baker depicts a family's battle against poverty, and two sisters' struggles in life and love. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews.
When widower Henry Knell loses his glove-making business to the Dransfields his life is well and truly ruined. With his six young daughters, he moves into rented rooms in a Merseyside back street. Meanwhile, Hattie and Maggie, the eldest girls, are trying to hold the family together. Sophie Dransfield's husband, Daniel, takes pity on the poverty-stricken Knells and offers Maggie a job as a maid in the Dransfields' nursery. Maggie's beautiful blonde hair soon catches the eye of Sophie's brother Tom, whose dashing brother, Luke, is equally enchanted by Hattie when she joins the household as a lady's maid. But the fortunes of the two sisters do not run according to plan...
What readers are saying about Mersey Maids:
'One of her best!... An absolute blinder'
'I could not put the book down - it was just like you were there'
Anne Baker writes a compelling saga in Carousel of Secrets, detailing life for a young girl and her family as everything changes, although not necessarily for the better. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Lindsey Hutchinson.
It's 1931 and eighteen-year-old Greta is working in a laundry in Liverpool, where she lives with her widowed mother and thirteen-year-old brother Kenny. When a scruffy black and white collie follows Greta home one day, Kenny wants to keep the animal, but they can't afford to feed him. And so Greta tracks down the owner: Mungo Masters, a wealthy man who runs funfairs in three towns.
Mungo falls for Greta, though he's her mother's age, and doesn't bother to tell her that he's married already. When Mungo gives Greta and Kenny jobs at one of his fairs, it seems life is looking up. But Mungo is not good news...
What readers are saying about Carousel of Secrets:
'This book is an inspiring message of triumph over adversity and had me awake till early hours reading it'
'Great story. Could not put book down'
Legacy of Sins is an enthralling Merseyside saga from much-loved author Anne Baker, full of romance, family secrets and class struggles. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lindsey Hutchinson.
'Your mother was a naughty girl. She sinned.' Aunt Maud's cruel words shock Rosie Quest, but they also explain the hostility that surrounds her on the run-down Wirral farm: no wonder her aunt resents having had to take in an illegitimate child. It's quite a relief to escape to her job at Shearing's garment factory, even though Beatrice Shearing is a tough employer. But when Rosie catches the eye of Ben Shearing, Beatrice is having none of it: her son is too good for a factory girl. When she fails to halt the romance by conventional methods, Beatrice resolves to try more drastic tactics, even if that means uncovering secrets best left buried...
What readers are saying about Legacy of Sins:
'Anne has surpassed her usual standard... I had difficulty putting it down as I wanted to know what happened next'
'Keeps you guessing to the end'
Anne Baker writes a compelling saga in A Mersey Duet, in which two sisters learn that despite their differences, some bonds cannot be broken. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lindsey Hutchinson.
When Elsa Gripper dies in childbirth on Christmas Eve, 1912, her grief-stricken husband is unable to cope with his two new-born babies, Lucy and Patsy, so the twins are separated. Lucy is taken home with Elsa's parents, who run a successful business, Mersey Antiques, and she grows up spoiled and pampered with no interest in the family firm. Patsy has a more down-to-earth upbringing, living with their father and other grandmother above the Railway Arms. And through further tragedy she learns to be responsible from an early age. Then Patsy is invited to work for her grandfather at Mersey Antiques, which she hopes will bring her closer to Lucy. But it is to take a series of dramatic events for the twins to be drawn together.
What readers are saying about A Mersey Duet:
'This is a really good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would certainly recommend this book and author to everyone'
'I have now read quite a few of [Anne Baker's] books and I've been lost in each one. They are a great read, I definitely recommend them!'
Anne Baker writes a spellbinding saga in Through Rose-Coloured Glasses, in which a young woman's rash decision leads her into new dangers. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Nadine Dorries.
Dinah Radcliffe doesn't have much money to spend on the finer things in life, but she shares a contented existence with her mother, Sarah. They have seen their share of troubles since Dinah's father was killed in the Great War, but the Radcliffes have always made the best of things. When Dinah meets widowed businessman Richard Haldane at the races, her life changes beyond recognition. Richard sweeps Dinah off her feet, dazzling her with a glimpse of wealth and privilege beyond her wildest dreams, and they are married in a matter of weeks. But Richard is not the man Dinah thought he was. Soon, she's learning that money can't buy you happiness. And that she's married to a man who takes far more dangerous risks than just betting on his horses...
What readers are saying about Through Rose-Coloured Glasses:
'Now this book I really could not put down. It had everything that makes a good book. As well as a really good story there was mystery and twists and turns throughout. I empathised with the main character almost immediately but there were so many times when I wondered if my sympathies were with the right person. A really intriguing story from a first-rate author'
'I found this book absolutely brilliant and hard to put down! The plot was very well written and flowed well from the beginning, and I can honestly say there wasn't a part that I disliked ...I would recommend this book to all my friends!'
Anne Baker's compelling Liverpool saga, Goodbye Liverpool, is an unforgettable tale of escapism, love and hope. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Katie Flynn.
When Suzy Lunt's widowed mother Josie marries Luke Palmer, it's mainly to keep a roof over their heads. But soon Josie realises she's made a mistake, and she and Suzy flee Liverpool and a man they now fear. But will they be safe from the past in Birkenhead?
What readers are saying about Goodbye Liverpool:
'Brilliant - five stars'
Anne Baker writes a gripping saga of love, secrets and class struggles in Paradise Parade. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Sheila Newberry.
Living above her stepfather's fish and chip shop on Merseyside's Paradise Parade, Emily Barr is glad to escape to the relative peace of her job in Wythenshaw's jewellery factory. And when she is promoted to work for young Mr Giles, the son of the owner, she is the envy of all her workmates. What a catch he would be!
Much to her surprise, Emily finds the eligible Giles is trying to woo her, and when he proposes she willingly accepts. But Giles is not the suitable suitor he appears to be and Emily soon discovers that the marriage isn't quite what she'd hoped for...
What readers are saying about Paradise Parade:
'Anne Baker is a great novelist, every book I have read of hers is brilliant!'
'This book is an excellently researched book of the period. [You] really empathise with Emily and can almost smell the chip shop odours'
Nancy's War is a compelling wartime saga of family secrets, heartache and happy endings, from much-loved author Anne Baker. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Dilly Court.
When Nancy Seymour's RAF pilot husband, Charles, is killed, her life falls apart. Not only has she lost the man she loved, but she also loses her home and must find a way to support herself and their little girl, Caro, on her own. With the outbreak of World War Two, Nancy is grateful for the sanctuary offered by Charles's father in the form of a little cottage in the countryside. But his mother Henrietta has always disapproved of her son's wife and seems hell-bent on making her life a misery. Nancy has little idea, though, of the depths to which Henrietta is prepared to sink. With the danger of war ever-present, Nancy must find the strength to protect those she holds dear through years of hardship and peril. And, if she survives all this, perhaps she can still hope for a second chance at happiness...
What readers are saying about Nancy's War:
'I was absolutely gutted when I finished this book. I absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down. I finished it within 24 hours... The way this is written is great. So easy to read and flows beautifully'
'Another top class book from Anne Baker, this lady certainly knows how to keep you interested in a book. Funny, sad, and totally engrossing'
Anne Baker's A Labour of Love is a heart-warming saga of family ties, romance and finding true happiness. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Cathy Sharp.
It's 1980s Merseyside and teenage cousins Sophie and Charlie are at a turning point in each of their lives. Sophie, seventeen years old and stunning, falls in love with Darrell, the school caretaker, who has plans to make it big with his rock band. But when Sophie discovers that she's pregnant, her relationship with Darrell comes to an end. Though happiness is on the horizon for Sophie, it will take her time to realise who she is destined to be with. Charlie, eighteen and having struggled at school, is unhappy in his job as a chef. With Sophie's help, Charlie joins the family business with surprising results...
What readers are saying about A Labour of Love:
'This book... covers many dramatic, traumatic and unexpected events. I very much wanted to know what would happen next and how the characters would find their way ahead. It was a very thought-provoking read'
'As ever, Anne Baker's book A Labour of Love is a brilliant read... it is awe inspiring'
A heart-breaking saga of love, loss and tragedy, Daughters of the Mersey details the effects of war on a Liverpool family, from much-loved author Anne Baker. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Lyn Andrews.
When Steven Dransfield loses his fortune in the Depression, his wife Leonie is forced to save the family from ruin. But Steve resents the success of her dressmaking business and, trapped in a loveless marriage, Leonie is drawn into the arms of another man. Just as their children, Milo and June, begin to spread their wings, Leonie finds herself pregnant, but her duty lies with her family and when Amy is born she unites them all. Then with the outbreak of World War II and danger looming in Liverpool, Amy is evacuated to Wales, and, as the bombs start to drop, lives are lost and hearts are broken and the Dransfields must learn to support one another through the heartache that lies ahead...
What readers are saying about Daughters of the Mersey:
'One of the best books ever - I would definitely recommend this book to my friends... It was fantastic. I found the book a compelling read - I picked it up every time I had a spare minute'
'Could not put this book down, Anne Baker brings these characters to life, and you transform yourself back in time... Excellent!'
Anne Baker's Liverpool Lies covers the effects of the Second World War on two nurses, and the disruption of family secrets. Perfect for fans of Cathy Sharp and Lindsey Hutchinson.
It is 1941 and Connie and Lottie Brinsley are training to be nurses at Liverpool's Walton Hospital. When heavy bombing is followed by the news that their home has taken a direct hit and their parents and little brother are dead, the two sisters are utterly devastated. Later, they are shocked to discover that their uncle, Steve, is not who they thought he was, and the Brinsleys have been living a lie for years. And Steve's not the only one who's hiding the truth, for when Lottie meets and marries Waldo Padley, no one tells her that he's a liar and a cheat. But, no matter what life throws at them, the sisters find the strength to face the troubles ahead...
What readers are saying about Liverpool Lies:
'I found this book very enthralling and enjoyed it so much I have purchased several more books by Anne Baker'
'Excellent storytelling throughout. Could not wait to carry on reading where I left off. Good story and very well told'
Anne Baker writes a compelling saga in The Price of Love, detailing the trials of life and love. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Katie Flynn.
Kate McGlory longs to be loved. Her seven younger brothers are cherished by their doting mother Lena, but Kate tends to be forgotten. Then Kate catches the eye of Jack Courtney and at last she too is adored. But their courtship is not straightforward. Jack comes from a family of wealthy ship-owners in Merseyside, who may not approve of the match; Lena is terrified that history will repeat itself if her daughter falls in love with a man above her station; and, worst of all, Jack has not been entirely honest with Kate from the start...
What readers are saying about The Price of Love:
'Beautifully written, the characters come to life on the page as their story unfolds. I would highly recommend this book'
'The book is very hard to put down! Anne Baker is a superb writer and never fails to excite me'
A heart-warming and touching saga, Anne Baker's A Glimpse of the Mersey follows a young woman's eventful search for happiness and belonging. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Sheila Newberry.
Daisy Corkill has never known who her parents were - or why they left her to be brought up by the couple she calls 'Uncle' Ern and 'Aunt' Gladys. Daisy yearns for the love and security that a family of her own would give her, but she finds comfort in her relationship with Brenda, her older 'sister'. One day in 1919 Brenda arrives home flushed with excitement. She has agreed to marry businessman Gil Fox. Daisy is horrified, for she doesn't trust the handsome Gil. And soon after their wedding, Brenda realises that Gil isn't the man she thought he was. But Daisy's dreams are about to come true; a family of her own is finally within her reach. But will it be enough to get her through some stormy times?
What readers are saying about A Glimpse of the Mersey:
'[I] got through it so quickly; I couldn't put it down with its thrilling storyline and charm. Praise for Anne Baker as always'
'Great author, gets you right into the story and keeps you enthralled!'
Anne Baker's unforgettable saga, Keep the Home Fires Burning, is a tale of tragedy, courage and devastating jealousy. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews.
'With characters who are strong, warm and sincere, this novel is a joy to read' - Coventry Evening Telegraph
Lovely young Cathy is left pregnant with her first child when her husband is killed in the war. For a while she lives with her in-laws, but she leaps at the chance to return as a maid to the household where she worked before her marriage. With the birth of her daughter she is compelled to return to her parents-in-law, a less than ideal situation, particularly when in due course Cathy is being courted by a dear old friend. When Cathy marries again and sets up in the antiques business with her husband, it looks like at last she will find the happiness she deserves, but she has made an enemy who can't bear to see Cathy enjoying her life...
What readers are saying about Keep the Home Fires Burning:
'Very good - five stars'
A Mansion by the Mersey is an involving saga by much-loved author, Anne Baker, full of romance, mystery and family secrets. Perfect for fans of Lindsey Hutchinson and Katie Flynn.
It's July 1930 and Lorna Mathews couldn't be happier. She thought she was about to lose her job but instead the business's new owner, Mr Wyndham, wants to keep her on. Lorna's mother, though, is horrified by the news and finally confesses that Lorna was the result of an affair with Oliver Wyndham, whose family cast her out when Oliver died and the pregnancy was revealed. Shocked to the core to learn that the man she has always thought to be her beloved father simply adopted her at birth, Lorna resolves to find out everything she can about the past and especially about the tragic death of Oliver Wyndham. Working with the Wyndhams, she soon begins to stir up old secrets and the truth starts to emerge. But Lorna hasn't reckoned with falling in love with a member of the family she should hate...
What readers are saying about A Mansion by the Mersey:
'This is the first book I have read by Anne Baker and I can say with honesty that it won't be my last. She captured my attention from the first page and I just wanted to read and read and read. There was intrigue, romance, and a good story-line that held my interest to the very last page. Excellent'
'This book had me hooked from page one. Beautifully written with characters that come alive on the page'
'A thoroughly enjoyable saga, plenty of action along the way and a happy ending. Very satisfying'
Merseyside Girls is an evocative wartime saga from Anne Baker, which follows a family as they come to terms with the past... and the future. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Cathy Sharp.
Nancy, Amy and Katie Siddons are three of the prettiest nurses south of the Mersey. They've been brought up to respect their elders and uphold family honour at all times. Then sweet, naïve Katie falls pregnant, bringing shame upon the family's name. Alec Siddons, a local police constable, cannot and will not forgive his daughter for her immoral behaviour. But Katie isn't the only one with troubles ahead. Amy is in love with her cousin Paul, but owing to a family feud the mere mention of his name is forbidden in her father's presence; and Nancy is eager to wed her fiancé Stan before the Second World War takes him away. With the outbreak of war, the three sisters offer each other comfort and support. Their mother, meanwhile, is battling with painful memories of the past, and their father lives in dread that his own dark secrets will be revealed. As the war takes its toll on the Merseyside girls they learn that few things in life are more precious than honesty, love and forgiveness.
What readers are saying about Merseyside Girl:
'I've read several books by Anne Baker and they have all been enthralling! Cannot wait to get stuck into the next one'
'A great story'
Anne Baker writes an engrossing saga in Nobody's Child - a tale of family, love and finding a place to call home. Perfect for fans of Cathy Sharp and Lyn Andrews.
When Dorothy Mortimer finds herself pregnant, she is sent away to family friends, the Benders, to have the child. Dorothy wants nothing to do with her daughter Lizzie, so the Benders arrange for the child to be brought up by the O'Malley's, a feckless family living on the estate. Lizzie is unaware of her parentage but her brother Joey is suspicious of the attention she receives from the Benders... Eventually he takes Lizzie to Merseyside to claim what is rightfully hers. But Joey's obsession to provide Lizzie with the riches she deserves leads to the destruction of their love, and Lizzie finds herself drawn to the family she has never known...
What readers are saying about Nobody's Child:
'A rags-to-riches story, but with a good underlying tale of spite and greed. A little bit of everything and a gritty ending - I couldn't put it down'
'A really good read, a bit like a mini-series on TV. I especially liked the way it kept me guessing until the very end'
A thirteen-year-old Welsh boy enters a man’s world in the mining pits. . . . An American law student rejected in love finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson’s White House. . . . A housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with a German spy. . . . And two orphaned Russian brothers embark on radically different paths when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution.
From the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty, Fall of Giants takes us into the inextricably entangled fates of five families—and into a century that we thought we knew, but that now will never seem the same again. . . .
Look out for Ken's newest book, A Column of Fire, available now.
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
“[Picoult] offers a thought-provoking examination of racism in America today, both overt and subtle. Her many readers will find much to discuss in the pages of this topical, moving book.”—Booklist (starred review)
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?
Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy’s counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other’s trust, and come to see that what they’ve been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.
With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn’t offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.
Praise for Small Great Things
“Small Great Things is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever written. . . . It will challenge her readers . . . [and] expand our cultural conversation about race and prejudice.”—The Washington Post
“A novel that puts its finger on the very pulse of the nation that we live in today . . . a fantastic read from beginning to end, as can always be expected from Picoult, this novel maintains a steady, page-turning pace that makes it hard for readers to put down.”—San Francisco Book Review
“A gripping courtroom drama . . . Given the current political climate it is quite prescient and worthwhile. . . . This is a writer who understands her characters inside and out.”—Roxane Gay, The New York Times Book Review
“I couldn’t put it down. Her best yet!”—New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman
“A compelling, can’t-put-it-down drama with a trademark [Jodi] Picoult twist.”—Good Housekeeping
“It’s Jodi Picoult, the prime provider of literary soul food. This riveting drama is sure to be supremely satisfying and a bravely thought-provoking tale on the dangers of prejudice.”—Redbook
“Jodi Picoult is never afraid to take on hot topics, and in Small Great Things, she tackles race and discrimination in a way that will grab hold of you and refuse to let you go. . . . This page-turner is perfect for book clubs.”—Popsugar
After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.
Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.
Throughout her blockbuster career, Jodi Picoult has seamlessly blended nuanced characters, riveting plots, and rich prose, brilliantly creating stories that “not only provoke the mind but touch the flawed souls in all of us” (The Boston Globe). Now, in her highly anticipated new novel, she has delivered her most affecting work yet—a book unlike anything she’s written before.
For more than a decade, Jenna Metcalf has never stopped thinking about her mother, Alice, who mysteriously disappeared in the wake of a tragic accident. Refusing to believe she was abandoned, Jenna searches for her mother regularly online and pores over the pages of Alice’s old journals. A scientist who studied grief among elephants, Alice wrote mostly of her research among the animals she loved, yet Jenna hopes the entries will provide a clue to her mother’s whereabouts.
Desperate to find the truth, Jenna enlists two unlikely allies in her quest: Serenity Jones, a psychic who rose to fame finding missing persons, only to later doubt her gifts, and Virgil Stanhope, the jaded private detective who’d originally investigated Alice’s case along with the strange, possibly linked death of one of her colleagues. As the three work together to uncover what happened to Alice, they realize that in asking hard questions, they’ll have to face even harder answers.
As Jenna’s memories dovetail with the events in her mother’s journals, the story races to a mesmerizing finish. A deeply moving, gripping, and intelligent page-turner, Leaving Time is Jodi Picoult at the height of her powers.
Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.
Praise for Leaving Time
“Piercing and uplifting . . . a smart, accessible yarn with a suspenseful puzzle at its core.”—The Boston Globe
“Poignant . . . an entertaining tale about parental love, friendship, loss.”—The Washington Post
“A riveting drama.”—Us Weekly
“[A] moving tale.”—People
“A fast-paced, surprise-ending mystery.”—USA Today
“In Jenna, [Jodi] Picoult has created an unforgettable character who will easily endear herself to each and every reader. . . . Leaving Time may be her finest work yet.”—Bookreporter
“[A] captivating and emotional story.”—BookPage
“With plenty of twists and a surprising ending, [Leaving Time] explores the grieving process and what happens when we cannot move on.”—Woman’s Day
“A moving and emotional story.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“A truly engaging read . . . Full of the deep characters and multilayered story lines that have earned [Picoult] a spot in many readers’ hearts.”—Library Journal
“Delivers a powerhouse ending.”—Booklist
“Memorable and poignant.”—Publishers Weekly
From the Trade Paperback edition.
The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, caught in the tragic sweep of history, The Kite Runner transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and crucial moment of change and destruction. A powerful story of friendship, it is also about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
Since its publication in 2003 Kite Runner has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic of contemporary literature, touching millions of readers, and launching the career of one of America's most treasured writers.
Welcome back to Gansett Island!
Series favorite Tiffany Sturgil steals the spotlight in Longing for Love as her new boutique Naughty & Nice opens in downtown Gansett, right in time for the annual spring Race Week festivities. Finally divorced and ready for a new beginning, Tiffany wonders if sexy Police Chief Blaine Taylor thinks of her as often as she thinks of him since their explosive encounter last fall. Back then he directed her to call him the second she was officially divorced, but the opening of her store and her unconventional advertising "campaign" have put the island's lingerie queen at odds with the town's top cop. Despite their clashes, when these two finally get together after months of steamy build up, readers will need to keep a fire extinguisher close at hand!
Blaine has been burned in the past by love affairs gone wrong, and he's wary about risking too much too soon. But he quickly discovers that Tiffany's sarcastic rejoinders and bitter outer shell hide a badly wounded heart of gold. He also discovers she's a "sex-toy fraud" and convinces her she can't possibly sell the merchandise without trying it out first... While he finds himself thinking of her all the time, the mayor is after him to curb her sexy advertising and his mother worries that Blaine has taken on another "project" who will break his heart.
As Blaine and Tiffany fight for their happily ever after, readers' favorite characters from past books are back for more island adventures. Joe and Janey return to Gansett for the summer and discover the big secret his mother has been keeping. Evan learns that Grace hasn't told her parents about him. Stephanie's restaurant is ready to open in the renovated Sand & Surf Hotel. Dan keeps showing up to "visit" Kara at work, Mac is worried about Maddie's upcoming meeting with her deadbeat dad and a Race Week catastrophe reminds everyone what's really important.
The McCarthys of Gansett Island takes a decidely erotic turn in this seventh book! If hot, sexy men in uniform cavorting with hot, sexy women who sell sex toys for a living aren't your thing, this book might not be for you!
The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love (Mac & Maddie)
Book 2: Fool for Love (Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love (Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love (Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love (Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love (Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love (Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love (Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love (Daisy & David)
Book 10: Meant for Love (Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark (Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark (Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark (Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark (Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark (Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark (Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Episode 1: Victoria & Shannon
Book 18: Episode 2: Kevin & Chelsea
"With the McCarthy's of Gansett Island, Marie Force makes you believe in the power of true love and happily ever after. Over and over again." --Carly Phillips, NY Times Bestselling Author of the Serendipity series
"I always look forward to a Marie Force release. She manages to create lovable characters who can get a reader to fall in love with them in as little as five words (Hi, my name is...). There is something special about the group that lives on Gansett Island. It's always enjoyable to be able to reconnect with our friends from previous stories, drop in on their lives or meet new friends. They're a fun, friendly, loving group of people who make you want to go back to Gansett Island again and again." --Night Owl Reviews on SEASON FOR LOVE.
In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden "the first book," and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.
The masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence. Adapted for the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan introducing James Dean, and read by thousands as the book that brought Oprah’s Book Club back, East of Eden has remained vitally present in American culture for over half a century.
Owen Lawry is days away from leaving Gansett Island to attend the trial of his father, who is charged with assaulting his mother almost a year ago. He has spent his entire adult life trying to outrun his violent past, but the upcoming showdown with the father he hasn't seen in more than a decade has him spending far more time in the past than in the present. His biggest challenge is convincing his pregnant fiancée, Laura McCarthy, to sit out the trip. The last thing he wants is to expose the woman he loves to the pain of his past.
Laura is determined to stand by Owen's side throughout the trial and into the life they have planned together. The trial and her final divorce papers are the only things standing between them and the wedding they have looked forward to all year. Can she convince Owen to let her in and allow her to help him through this difficult time? And what will become of the man she loves if his father walks free?
As Owen and Laura prepare for the emotional battle with his father, his mother, Sarah, finally comes clean about her violent marriage with Charlie Grandchamp, the man who has been her friend and companion for months now. How will Charlie react to hearing Sarah's secrets, and will their relationship move forward now that he finally knows the truth about why she can't bear to let him touch her?
Catch up with all your favorite Gansett Island characters from the past ten and a half books and meet several new characters, including some McCarthy cousins on the island for Laura and Owen's wedding, who will be featured in future books.
While Gansett After Dark could be read as a standalone story, readers will enjoy it more if they have read the rest of the Gansett Island Series, particularly book 6, Season for Love.
The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love (Mac & Maddie)
Book 2: Fool for Love (Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love (Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love (Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love (Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love (Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love (Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love (Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love (Daisy & David)
Book 10: Meant for Love (Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark (Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark (Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark (Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark (Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark (Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark (Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Episode 1: Victoria & Shannon
Book 18: Episode 2: Kevin & Chelsea
Ginny Carter was once a rising star in TV news, married to a top anchorman, with a three-year-old son and a full and happy life in Beverly Hills—until her whole world dissolved in a single instant on the freeway two days before Christmas. In the aftermath, she pieces her life back together and tries to find meaning in her existence as a human rights worker in the worst areas around the globe.
Then, on the anniversary of the fateful accident—and wrestling with the lure of death herself—she meets a boy who will cause her life to change forever yet again. Thirteen-year-old Blue Williams has been living on the streets, abandoned by his family, rarely attending school, and utterly alone. Following her instincts, Ginny reaches out to him. Leery of everyone, he runs from her again and again. But he always returns, and each time, their friendship grows.
Blue glows with outsized spirit and an irresistible mix of innocence and wisdom beyond his years. Ginny offers him respect as they form an unusual bond and become the family they each lost. But just as Blue is truly beginning to trust her, she learns of a shocking betrayal that he has been hiding. Is it a wound too deep to heal, or will she be able to fight the battle that will make them both whole again?
Blue is #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel at her finest, a probing and emotionally gripping story of dark secrets revealed, second chances, and the power of love and courage to overcome life’s greatest challenges.
After five years, navy SEAL Brisbane Westmoreland is back home on his ranch and ready to reclaim the woman he left behind. But when he tracks her to Dallas, he's in for a shock.
Crystal Newsome isn't ready to forgive Bane for saying he loved her then vanishing from her life. Only now the beautiful chemist needs his protection. As their own irresistible chemistry takes over once again, can Bane keep Crystal safe and convince her they can have the second chance they both deserve?
Jo Marie Rose first arrives in Cedar Cove seeking a fresh start. A young widow coping with the death of her husband, she purchases a local bed-and-breakfast—the newly christened Rose Harbor Inn—ready to begin her life anew. Her first guest is Joshua Weaver, who has come home to care for his ailing stepfather. The two have never seen eye to eye, and Joshua has little hope that they can reconcile their differences. Jo Marie’s other guest is Abby Kincaid, who has returned to Cedar Cove to attend her brother’s wedding. Back for the first time in twenty years, she almost wishes she hadn’t come, the picturesque town harboring painful memories. And as Abby and Joshua try to heal from their pasts, and Jo Marie dreams of the possibilities before her, they all realize that life moves in only one direction—forward.
Praise for Debbie Macomber and The Inn at Rose Harbor
“No one tugs at readers’ heartstrings quite as effectively as [Debbie] Macomber.”—Chicago Tribune
“Debbie Macomber is the reigning queen of women’s fiction.”—The Sacramento Bee
“Charming . . . warm and serene . . . a wonderful novel.”—Bookreporter
BONUS: This edition includes a The Inn at Rose Harbor discussion guide, excerpts from Debbie Macomber’s Rose Harbor in Bloom and Last One Home, and the short story When First They Met.
Dr. David Lawrence has spent the last two years atoning for his sins and recovering from the devastating breakup with Gansett Island golden girl Janey McCarthy. As the island’s only doctor, he’s had ample opportunity to show his fellow island residents that there’s more to him than the guy who disappointed Janey so profoundly. Now if only he could find a way to forgive himself, he might be able to move on with his life without the woman he’d expected to love forever…
Daisy Babson, probationary director of housekeeping at McCarthy’s Gansett Island Inn, is in bad need of a fresh start after her relationship with Truck Henry took a violent turn, leaving her battered and broken—in more ways than one. As she recovers from her injuries, her days are made brighter by her visits with David Lawrence. The kind and caring doctor who tended to her after the attack has become much more than a friend to her in recent weeks.
Will these two wounded hearts take comfort from one another and move forward on a new path toward love together? Or will ghosts from the past derail them before they get the chance for their own happily ever after?
Catch up with many of your favorite characters from earlier books in the Gansett Island Series, and get set for another summer of love on Gansett!
The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love (Mac & Maddie)
Book 2: Fool for Love (Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love (Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love (Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love (Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love (Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love (Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love (Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love (Daisy & David)
Book 10: Meant for Love (Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark (Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark (Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark (Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark (Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark (Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark (Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Episode 1: Victoria & Shannon
Book 18: Episode 2: Kevin & Chelsea
All her life, Grace Ryan was the “fat girl.” Taunted and teased and ignored by her peers, she tried every diet ever invented to no avail. Desperate to change her life as her twenties slipped away, she decided it was time for drastic measures and had lap-band surgery. More than a year later, she's lost 130 pounds and is venturing into the dating world for the first time. During a boat trip to Gansett Island with the new guy in her life, Grace refuses to have sex with him and finds herself abandoned without a dollar to her name at McCarthy's Gansett Island Marina.
At home for the summer awaiting the launch of his debut CD, music star-in-the-making Evan McCarthy is performing at the Tiki Bar when he notices Grace looking lost in a sea of happy people. Evan comes to her aid and quickly finds himself smitten. But the last thing Grace needs after all she’s been through is a guy who “doesn't do relationships.” Will Evan change his ways to win Grace's heart?
The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love (Mac & Maddie)
Book 2: Fool for Love (Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love (Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love (Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love (Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love (Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love (Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love (Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love (Daisy & David)
Book 10: Meant for Love (Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark (Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark (Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark (Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark (Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark (Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark (Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Episode 1: Victoria & Shannon
Book 18: Episode 2: Kevin & Chelsea
"Another solid entry into the McCarthy’s of Gansett Island series. Marie Force continues to create characters that readers can identify with and make you want to visit fictional Gansett Island and its residents." —Night Owl Reviews p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
Here is the world-famous novel of Japan that is the earliest book in James Clavell’s masterly Asian saga. Set in the year 1600, it tells the story of a bold English pilot whose ship was blown ashore in Japan, where he encountered two people who were to change his life: a warlord with his own quest for power, and a beautiful interpreter torn between two ways of life and two ways of love.
The principal figures are John Blackthorne, whose dream it is to be the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, to wrest control of the trade between Japan and China from Portuguese, and to return home a man of wealth and position; Toranaga, the most powerful feudal lord in Japan, who strives and schemes to seize ultimate power by becoming Shogun—the Supreme Military Dictator—and to unite the warring samurai fiefdoms under his own masterly and farsighted leadership; and the Lady Mariko, a Catholic convert whose conflicting loyalties to the Church and her country are compounded when she falls in love with Blackthorne, the barbarian intruder.
In dramatizing how a Westerner, the representative man of his time, comes to be altered by his exposure to an alien culture, Mr. Clavell provides a spellbinding depiction of a nation seething with violence and intrigue as it moves from the medieval world to the modern.
Praise for Shogun
“I can’t remember when a novel has seized my mind like this one. . . . It’s not only something you read—you live it.”—New York Times Book Review
“Adventure and action, the suspense of danger, shocking touching human relationships . . . a climactic human story.”—Los Angeles Times
“A tale surging with action, intrigue and love . . . a huge cast . . . vast and dramatic . . . stunning . . . savage . . . beautiful . . . an extraordinary performance.”—Publishers Weekly
“Exciting, totally absorbing...be prepared for late nights, meals unlasting, buisness unattended.”—Philadelphia Inquirer
In this rich, involving novel from Danielle Steel, a woman’s life catapults from the old to the new, as she learns to seize the moment.
COUNTRY
Stephanie Adams is a devoted stay-at-home mother, married to a successful lawyer in northern California, in a dead marriage she’s stayed in for years for the sake of her children. Then, on a ski trip in Squaw Valley, her fifty-two-year-old husband dies suddenly and all bets are off.
Despite her children’s grief, and her own conflicting emotions and loneliness, Stephanie tries to move on, but struggles to find herself as an independent individual after years of giving up her life for everyone else. A spur-of-the-moment road trip and fork in the road lead her to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and a chance meeting—and her whole life changes forever.
She meets country music megastar Chase Taylor, who opens his whole world to her. Stephanie is no longer the same woman, and can’t be anymore. A new man. A new life. The excitement of Nashville. She discovers not only Chase, but herself. The music is bittersweet and the lyrics true in his dazzling, exotic, and honest world.
As it deftly explores the complex ties between spouses, children, lovers, and friends, and dances between the past and the future, Danielle Steel’s moving novel brilliantly captures the shock of sudden loss, and the freedom it can bring. Here America’s most beloved novelist shares the enduring power of seizing the day. Carpe diem.
The Gansett Island Series, Book 12
A New York Times & USA Today bestseller!
She’s avoided men all her life…
Growing up with an abusive father, Katie Lawry learned a thing or two about men and has made a conscious choice to stay far away from them. Until the day of her brother Owen’s wedding when she’s rescued from nearly drowning by Shane McCarthy. With everyone who matters to Katie assuring her that Shane is one of the good guys, she feels safe to give in to the attraction that simmers between them. Katie has waited a long time to take a chance on love, but is Shane the right guy for her?
He’s ready to move on…
More than two years after a painful divorce, Shane has a life on Gansett Island that makes sense to him. With his father, sister and beloved baby nephew living close by and a job that he enjoys, Shane is content if not entirely happy. One thing he knows for sure is he’s tired of living in the past. Spending time with sweet, sensitive, sexy Katie Lawry makes him feel hopeful, and he might be ready to risk his heart again.
Surrounded by the Gansett Island community, Shane and Katie take an important step forward together, but is their new relationship strong enough to withstand an unexpected challenge?
Enjoy Shane and Katie’s story while catching up with some of your Gansett Island favorites in this latest book in the New York Times bestselling McCarthys of Gansett Island Series! Start the series with Book 1, MAID FOR LOVE!, FREE everywhere ebooks are sold.
The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love (Mac & Maddie)
Book 2: Fool for Love (Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love (Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love (Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love (Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love (Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love (Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love (Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love (Daisy & David)
Book 10: Meant for Love (Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark (Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark (Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark (Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark (Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark (Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark (Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Episode 1: Victoria & Shannon
Book 18: Episode 2: Kevin & Chelsea
Joe Cantrell, owner of the Gansett Island Ferry Company, has been in love with Janey McCarthy for as long as he can remember. At the same time, Janey has been dating or engaged to doctor-in-training David Lawrence. When things go horribly wrong between David and Janey, she calls her "fifth brother" Joe, one of the few people in her close circle who lives on the mainland. Janey decides a few days with Joe is just what she needs before she goes home to the island to face her parents and family with the news of her broken engagement. It was bad enough for Joe loving Janey from afar, but having her in his house is pure torture. Will he take advantage of this opportunity to show her what they could have together? And what will Joe's best friend and Janey's protective older brother Mac have to say about it?
"Fool for Love was a treat to read with engaging characters and their deep love for one another. Marie Force writes wonderfully, romantic heroes that you just want to curl up next to!" --Joyfully Reviewed
The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love (Mac & Maddie)
Book 2: Fool for Love (Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love (Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love (Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love (Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love (Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love (Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love (Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love (Daisy & David)
Book 10: Meant for Love (Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark (Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark (Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark (Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark (Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark (Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark (Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Victoria & Shannon (Episode 1)
Book 18: Kevin & Chelsea (Episode 2)
Rule number one for Bailey Westmoreland: Never fall for a man who would take her away from her tight-knit family's Colorado home. So why is she following rancher Walker Rafferty all the way to Alaska? Bailey tells herself she owes the sexy loner an apology, and once she gets there, it's only right to stay and help him when he's injured…isn't it? Before long, Bailey realizes home might be where you make it—if Walker is ready to take all she has to offer.
Picking up where Fall of Giants, the first novel in the extraordinary Century Trilogy, left off, Winter of the World follows its five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—through a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the great dramas of World War II, and into the beginning of the long Cold War.
Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until daring to commit a deed of great courage and heartbreak . . . . American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific . . . . English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight Communism just as hard as Fascism . . . . Daisy Peshkov, a driven social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set until war transforms her life, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war but also the war to come.
Look out for Ken's newest book, A Column of Fire, available now.
In Fall of Giants and Winter of the World, Ken Follett followed the fortunes of five international families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they made their way through the twentieth century. Now they come to one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, from civil rights, assassinations, mass political movements, and Vietnam to the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution—and rock and roll.
East German teacher Rebecca Hoffmann discovers she’s been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act that will affect her family for the rest of their lives. . . . George Jakes, the child of a mixed-race couple, bypasses a corporate law career to join Robert F. Kennedy's Justice Department and finds himself in the middle of not only the seminal events of the civil rights battle but a much more personal battle of his own. . . . Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some official and unofficial espionage for a cause he believes in, only to discover that the world is a much more dangerous place than he'd imagined. . . . Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Nikita Khrushchev, becomes an agent both for good and for ill as the United States and the Soviet Union race to the brink of nuclear war, while his twin sister, Tanya, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsaw—and into history.
Look out for Ken's newest book, A Column of Fire, available now.
Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.
A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestseller!
Sometimes the best offense is a good rebound...
Adam McCarthy has had a really bad week. In addition to nearly losing his three brothers in a tragic boating accident, his now ex-girlfriend has double-crossed him right out of the successful computer company he founded in New York City. What he needs is a few days at home on Gansett Island to make sure his beloved brothers are safe and to get back in touch with what really matters—his family, his friends and the tiny island that soothes his battered soul. On the ferry ride home, he runs into an old family friend who's had her own share of heartache, and Adam helps her through some rough moments, sparking an unlikely alliance.
Abby Callahan has come home to Gansett, single once again after her relationship with Dr. Cal Maitland blows up in her face. After two epic failures in the game of love, she's decided this is going to be the summer she busts loose and finally has some fun—and she's shaking things up in a big way! The new Abby swears, drinks, gets a tattoo, sleeps around and generally does anything her kinder, gentler alter ego wouldn't have dreamed of doing.
Before too long, Adam has appointed himself her guardian and is determined that the only sleeping around she's doing is with him. That is… unless his brother Grant is willing to risk his newfound happiness with Stephanie to keep Adam from rebounding with his ex. And what happens when Adam and Abby realize their summer fling has taken a serious turn, especially when he gets the chance to return to New York and fight for the company that's rightfully his? Abby has already followed two men off the island. Does she have it in her to find out if the third time really is the charm?
Another wild summer on Gansett Island is under way, complete with new stories for many of your favorite couples from past books! You'll also see more of Dan and Kara, David and Daisy, and find out whether Carolina has made peace with her relationship with the much younger and very sexy Irishman, Seamus O'Grady. Ready? Set? Let's go back to Gansett Island!
Author's Note: While Waiting for Love is *more or less* intended to be a stand-alone story, you'll enjoy it so much more if you read the earlier books first:
The Gansett Island Series
Book 1: Maid for Love (Mac & Maddie)
Book 2: Fool for Love (Joe & Janey)
Book 3: Ready for Love (Luke & Sydney)
Book 4: Falling for Love (Grant & Stephanie)
Book 5: Hoping for Love (Evan & Grace)
Book 6: Season for Love (Owen & Laura)
Book 7: Longing for Love (Blaine & Tiffany)
Book 8: Waiting for Love (Adam & Abby)
Book 9: Time for Love (Daisy & David)
Book 10: Meant for Love (Jenny & Alex)
Book 10.5: Chance for Love, A Gansett Island Novella (Jared & Lizzie)
Book 11: Gansett After Dark (Owen & Laura)
Book 12: Kisses After Dark (Shane & Katie)
Book 13: Love After Dark (Paul & Hope)
Book 14: Celebration After Dark (Big Mac & Linda)
Book 15: Desire After Dark (Slim & Erin)
Book 16: Light After Dark (Mallory & Quinn)
Book 17: Episode 1: Victoria & Shannon
Book 18: Episode 2: Kevin & Chelseas
“I LOVE LOVE LOVE every single little thing about Longing For Love!!! It was simply PERFECT!! I think that it is definitely my favorite of the series so far!! I love Blaine and Tiffany and I love how Marie Force wrote their relationship with such a mixture of love and laughter. I was sucked in immediately and I never wanted to leave!! Blaine *sigh* I never wanted Longing For Love to end and I found myself trying to read slower to prolong the story. I wasn't ready to leave Gansett Island!! Just an awesome book filled with romance, love, laughter, tears, conflict, a little angst, HOT SEX, more laughter and more tears~everything that I have come to expect and love from Marie Force and this series." BEST OF THE BEST rating.” —Belle's Book Bag
No red-blooded man turns down the chance to escort gorgeous Trinity Matthews—and Adrian Westmoreland is definitely red-blooded. For her, he'll pretend to be her man. But keeping his hands to himself? That is impossible. A Westmoreland always keeps his word, but how long before Adrian turns this fake affair into something real?
Can't get enough of the sexy Westmoreland brothers? Find out what kind of trouble Adrian's twin, Aidan, gets himself into in The Secret Affair. Available December 2014 from Harlequin Desire!
Look for Bane, the latest sensual story in The Westmorelands by Brenda Jackson.
Twin boys grow up in the same family, in the same town. Dramatically different, they become bitter enemies, even as children. One good, one bad. One leaves his peaceful hometown, but when all else fails, the prodigal son returns, twenty years later. The reunion of brothers, sweet and healing at first, exposes shattering revelations of good and evil. #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel tells a brilliant, suspenseful story of suspicion, betrayal, and a life-and-death struggle for survival. Which twin is good and which is evil, as the tables turn again and again?
PRODIGAL SON
In a matter of days, Peter McDowell loses everything he has worked so hard for—his wealth, his property, his livelihood as a star investment banker. And then it gets worse. The stock market crash not only plunges Peter into joblessness, it causes a rift in his marriage that he cannot repair. Stripped of everything, he has only one place to retreat: a lakeside cottage he inherited from his parents, who left most of their modest estate to Peter’s twin. With no other choice, the prodigal son goes home.
A beloved small-town doctor, a devoted family man, and a pillar of his community, Michael McDowell serves others without regard to personal gain. Only Peter knows how Michael manipulated their parents when the boys were young, ultimately driving Peter away. At first, he dreads seeing Michael again. But, to his surprise, their reunion is tender and real. Only later, as Peter mulls over his late mother’s journals, does the truth begin to emerge, as realization and panic begin to set in. Who is his twin? Is the façade real, or does something terrifying lie beneath? Imagination or a reality too terrifying to believe?
In a race for time, Peter throws caution to the winds to find the truth. What he discovers will change their lives forever, the lives of their children, and an entire town.
Powerful, poignant, and filled with complex and layered characters, Prodigal Son is a riveting novel of secrets, salvation, and redemption from master storyteller Danielle Steel.
Praise for Prodigal Son
“Fraternal twins raised together [turn] out to be very different and very much in conflict. One twin leaves home, but when this prodigal son returns, is he the evil twin, or is his brother? Steel yourself.”—Library Journal
“Readers should be prepared for revelations of wickedness on a vast scale.”—Publishers Weekly