Daisy Bach, a therapist, has always been certain that she did not want to have children. Her childhood experiences with an overbearing and controlling mother, Verity, who tore the family apart, further cemented this decision. However, at the age of forty-five, Daisy finds herself reconsidering this choice.
Unfortunately, her decision to try and conceive is complicated by her mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. With strained family relationships, Daisy faces the daunting task of caring for her elderly parents while also attempting to conceive.
As she navigates this challenging time, Daisy is forced to confront her deep-seated resentment towards Verity. This journey leads her to re-evaluate her beliefs about motherhood, forgiveness, and the true meaning of a “happy” family. Will Daisy find a way to reconcile with her past and make peace with her present? Only time will tell.
This was an emotional, immersive tale about family told through the perspective of each family member.
It starts with the three now grown-up siblings, Daisy, Heather and Iris, as they come together to organise a birthday party for their father, Sol, and this provides the backdrop for their childhood differences and jealousies to return in force.
The author doesn’t shy away from the realities of the complex relationships within a family unit, covering such themes as caregiving for ailing parents, and jealousy between siblings.
By no means an easy read, Things We Do For Love covers tough subjects with respect and sensitivity, giving us a glimpse into the Bach family as they navigate difficult times in their lives, and stays with the reader long after the final page.
The author
Vered has lived in three different countries for the last six decades, so trying to trace her origins is a thrilling quest. Nowadays she lives in Tenerife on an off-the-grid finca creating a self-sustained life for her and her partner while writing her novels and scripts.
Her stories are character-driven dramas, giving voice to the untold stories of women and their triumphs in today’s society. Her mission? To illuminate the world with kindness and positivity, one story at a time.
Vered’s words have touched countless lives through her multiple books on motivation and relationships. Her book “Financial Independence for Women” sold over 50,000 copies.
In 2010 Vered was awarded the TIAW World of Difference Award, an award given to women whose efforts have advanced women’s economic empowerment locally, regionally or worldwide.
Antigua… the Caribbean at its most luscious, its most beautiful… silver sand, cobalt sky, warm turquoise sea… and a bunch of complete strangers, who only have one thing in common: they’re single. Some are looking for romance, some for something more. But they’ve all chosen to spend their holiday with people they have never met before. And pretty soon, some will become good friends, some enemies and some lovers. And many of them will experience things they never expected, including their tour manager Eve, who perhaps has the biggest shock of all.
A story that will make you laugh and make you cry with just the right number of twists to keep you turning the pages as you get to know all the members of the group as they, in turn, get to know each other.
I didn’t know that there was such a thing as a singles’ holiday, but after reading about this one, I’m kind of glad I haven’t been on one because they seem so much work.
That said, I did love the setting. The resort the group stay at sounded amazing, and I could picture the sun and the sea easily from the author’s vivid writing.
There is quite a large cast of characters, all very developed and genuine, some likeable and others not so much (which tends to be the case in real life anyway with a big group of people), though some of those not-so-likeable characters did improve as the book continued.
The story was fast-paced and had plenty of action and drama, and even some cliffhangers and a twist or two to keep things interesting.
The author
Elaine Spires is a novelist, playwright and actress. Extensive travelling and a background in education and tourism perfected Elaine’s keen eye for the quirky characteristics of people, captivating the humorous observations she now affectionately shares with the readers of her novels. Elaine’s Singles’ Series has its roots in her background as a tour manager for a UK tour operator.
Elaine also writes plays and her short film Only the Lonely was made by Dan Films and won the Groucho Club Best Short Film Award 2019 and two Silver Awards at WOFFF 2019.
Elaine is waiting for a film-maker with vision to turn the Singles Series into films or TV dramas.
They’re looking for answers. But will they find love?
Kate Brannon is delighted to be attending her first murder mystery weekend in a movie-worthy Victorian manor house. Still getting over being dumped, cracking the case would be a welcome boost to her flagging confidence. And the prize money wouldn’t hurt either.
But Kate’s dreams of victory become a nightmare with the arrival of Max Ravenscroft. Smart, enigmatic and annoyingly handsome, Max is Kate’s sleuthing nemesis.
When she and Max are forced to work together, Kate despairs. But, as the investigation brings them closer, she finds being his partner in solving crime isn’t all bad.
With growing suspicions that the game is rigged against them, can Kate and Max beat the odds to find the killer? And, as their partnership deepens, can they find romance too?
A sweet romantic comedy with a cosy mystery at its heart. Perfect for fans of Kathryn Freeman, Laura Jane Williams and Katie Fforde.
A fun, enjoyable read with a mystery at its heart reminiscent of an Agatha Christie puzzle.
The murder mystery weekend made a unique setting for the story, and the author does such a great job with the enemies to lovers trope while teasing a twisty case for the characters (and readers) to solve.
Reading the prior two novels in this series isn’t essential as Clues To You works very well as a standalone, but if you enjoy the book as much as I did, you’ll definitely want to read more by this author.
The author
Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children. She writes uplifting modern love stories about characters who are meant for each other but sometimes need a little help to realise it.
A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for over a hundred sweet treats at clairehuston.co.uk. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.
A surprise inheritance will open the doors to her future, and also the past…
When Aunt Meg leaves her cottage to Anna Redding in her will, Anna immediately packs up and heads to Polkerran, the Cornish fishing village where she was so happy as a child.
With ambitions to turn the cottage into a B&B, a job working for the enigmatic historian, Oliver Seymour, and the return of her childhood crush, Alex Tremayne, it seems the stars have all aligned for Anna.
But Aunt Meg left behind a mystery for her to solve, and a shock discovery reveals she may be living a dream that isn’t really hers to hold. Can Anna rescue the new life she’s made for herself? Who in Polkerran can she really count on in her time of need?
A charming and cosy romance for fans of Trisha Ashley, Cressida McLaughlin and Suzanne Snow.
Previously published as The Cottage in the Cornish Cove.
Praise for New Dreams at Polkerran Point:
‘What a fabulous start to a new series! A gorgeous setting, fantastic characters and a wonderfully romantic story’ Jessica Redland
‘A gorgeous read, infused with love, a true sense of community and delightful characters finding their way into the future as they come to terms with the past.’ Suzanne Snow
‘The perfect read to curl up with and escape to Cornwall. Cass’s descriptions of the county made me feel as if I were there, I could see Polkerran beautifully in my mind and hear the characters calling to each other as they made their way around the village.’ Kitty Wilson
Cass began her writing life in Regency England, enlisted Jane Austen’s help to time-travel between then and the present day and is now happily ensconced in 21st century Cornwall.
Well, in her imagination and soul; her heart and physical presence reside in northern England with her ever-patient husband and Tig and Tag, their cute but exceptionally demanding moggies.
A bit of a nomad, Cass has called three countries home, as well as six different English counties, but her aspiration is to one day reunite with her beloved West Country.
In the meantime, she writes feel-good contemporary romances set in Cornwall and, in doing so, manages to live there vicariously through her characters and settings.
In this epic and unforgettable love story, set in the wilds of Missouri and the glamour of high society Boston at the dawn of the Gilded Age, one woman’s life changes forever the day that a stranger turns up on her doorstep.
Missouri, February 1874: The last thing struggling homesteader Ginny needs is a scandal on her hands. But when a badly injured drifter arrives at Snow Farm in desperate need of medical attention, Ginny’s kind nature and good upbringing means she has no choice but to treat his wounds and care for him until he’s back on his feet, no matter the danger he might pose.
Ginny’s been running the farm and looking after her fourteen-year-old sister Mary-Lou since their papa died two years ago, each morning pulling on his old leather coat and pushing her feet into stout boots that come up to her knees, before heading out to tend to the cattle. She’s determined to hold onto the one thing that connects them to memories of their parents – whatever the cost. And when their uninvited guest – Lex – is well enough he offers his help, and she surprises herself by accepting it.
But not long after Lex moves on, Ginny realises that her heart has gone with him. And when the farm’s fortunes take a turn for the worse, she faces her hardest test yet. Can she save the only home she’s ever known, and everything she holds dear? And what if doing so means risking a chance at love and happiness she never expected to come her way?
An utterly spellbinding story perfect for fans of Amy Harmon, Olivia Hawker and Kristin Hannah. Readers will love this breathtaking and vivid historical novel of passion, destiny and divided family loyalties.
“Captivating…will leave an indelible mark on your heart.” Rachel Wesson
Intro: This is the second chapter. Mary Lou has brought an injured man to their isolated rural homestead. Ginny is concerned that her 14-year-old sister doesn’t understand the danger this man might bring them, given it is just the two of them who live there.
Snow Farm, Missouri—February 1874
They returned to the parlor to find the stranger asleep, breathing heavily. Mary Lou put Papa’s gun in the pocket of her pinafore and sat on the ladder-back chair in the corner. Ginny bit her lip and went over to touch the man’s arm. He raised his head and his eyes snapped open. There was something wolflike about his look, watchful of each move she made.
Ginny pulled back her hand. “I think I should try and see what’s wrong with that leg.”
“You a nurse?” His voice was low, rattling from a still-dry throat.
“Well, no—”
“So I don’t see how you can help.”
Ginny sprang upright and put her hands on her hips. “Maybe you don’t want any help at all and we can sling you straight back outside.”
The man screwed up his eyes. “I forgot my manners.” He removed his hat and dropped it to the wooden floor beside him. Like the jacket, it was hard to tell what color his hair was originally, it was so matted with dirt. “Ma’am, I am indeed grateful for your ministrations.”
Ginny didn’t care for his tone. “Apology accepted. Now. Where’s it hurt?”
“Bottom of the leg. All round the ankle.”
She pulled back the footstool and sat directly in front of him, her back warmed by the stove. She pushed up the black serge of his trouser leg and unbuckled his boot. Ignoring the mud caked around the heel, she firmly put her hand below and started to ease off the boot. The man gasped and gripped the arms of the chair.
“I’m afraid I’m gonna have to pull this harder.”
The man nodded and Ginny tugged the leather past the heel until the boot slid free. It dropped onto the hearth. Lifting his foot onto her skirt, Ginny rolled back the white jersey long johns and peeled off his sock. She could see swelling around the ankle.
“Well, for the good news, I can’t see no bone coming through.” She felt her way around the man’s foot, glancing up for reactions in his face. As her hands kneaded up to the ankle, he groaned.
“That’s not surprising. It’s where the swelling is. Can I see what movement you’ve got? Should tell us if anything’s broken.” Ginny met the man’s eyes, which were fixed intently on her. Her breathing hitched for a moment. The lines around his eyes were traced in dirt.
He made a slight grunt, which suggested he trusted her, and Ginny began to rotate the foot. The man took a sharp intake of breath; she paused and then carried on.
“Now a bit further up the leg.” Ginny ran her fingers over the Achilles tendon and then up the shin. “Nothing seems broken up here either.” She sat upright on the stool. “So, an injured ankle. Might be a broken bone in there, but I think it’s just a ripped tendon.”
“Just?”
Ginny glanced at him and thought she could see the faintest sparkle in the stranger’s eye.
“How d’you know all this?”
Ginny smiled. “As you say, I’m no nurse. I’m taking this from years of looking after livestock on the farm.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m being examined by a veterinarian?”
“We’re all built the same way. Bone, muscle, tendons. You get to know with animals which ones are gonna heal and which ain’t.”
“And which d’you think I am?”
“I think you’ll heal.”
The author
Imogen writes sweeping, historical fiction. Her first two novels are set in nineteenth century America.
As a teenager, she took the Greyhound bus from San Francisco to New York. Over those three days of staring out of the window at the majestic mountains and endless flat plains, stories wound themselves into her head: tales of brooding, charismatic men captivated by independent women.
Since then, she has worked in a coffee-shop in Piccadilly, a famous bookstore, and a children’s home. She has run festivals, and turned a derelict housing block on one of the poorest estates in the UK into an award-winning arts centre.
During 2020 Imogen was selected by Kate Nash Literary Agency as one of their BookCamp mentees, a mentorship programme designed to accelerate the careers of promising new writers.
Married with two children, Imogen divides her time between Wales and Sardinia.
She hopes her books will bring you the tingle of a new love affair whilst immersed in a different time and place.
Avoiding reality with books 
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