The Word is Love by Florence Keeling - #blogtour #bookexcerpt #bookextract

I am so excited to be bringing you an extract from this gorgeous looking book today. The Word is Love by author, Florence Keeling is a romantic comedy and looks like just my cup of tea.

The Blurb

Lucky in life but unlucky in love, Lucy Greenfield owns a successful carriage business along with her best friend Max, and they have never been busier since their shire horses gained fame from their roles in the hit movie A Little in Love.

Too busy for romance, Lucy is surprisingly swept off her feet when Spencer arrives seeking help with his horse, and something more from Lucy. As quickly as Lucy falls, she wonders if all is not as it seems. Max can prove it, but that means he will have to express his true feelings for Lucy.

Relationships are strained as secrets unravel, and Lucy needs to solve the riddle of words to best describe how she feels… For her best friend.

Together, they must overcome what’s keeping them apart before it’s too late, if they are going to realise that the word they are searching for is love.

The Extract

In this extract Lucy is starting to recognise that her feelings for Max might be more than friendly. She feels she might be losing him to him another girl and her world starts falling apart.

Luckily her work at the castle kept her busy all week preparing for the Halloween ball, but now it was really hitting home that Max might actually leave. What on earth would she do then? He was her best friend, her brother, and she didn’t know if she could run the yard without him.

‘Well, I’m mightily pissed off I can tell you.’ Johnny revved the engine as Lucy hooked the little trailer to the back of it. ‘I’m going out with Mollie tonight and I smell like I’ve been rolling in horse muck.’

Lucy laughed. ‘Just call it eau de manure.’ He laughed too, neither of them stayed mad at Max for very long and Lucy knew it was more worry than anger with both of them.

Johnny managed to get out almost on time for his date with Mollie and Lucy had settled her mum for the evening in front of the TV. She looked at the clock; it was already half past seven and still no sign of Max or Alex. She had his dinner warming in the oven and she went to the corner shop to purchase popcorn and sweets for their regular date in front of the television. They made a point every year to watch the Halloween special of their favourite dancing show, the final and, of course, the Christmas special.

The front door opened and closed and one pair of footsteps ran up the stairs. Lucy popped her head into the hallway and heard the shower being turned on. She waited for him to finish then when she heard his footsteps coming back down she took his dinner out of the oven and placed it on the table. Max needed her to be a friend now more than ever.

‘You look smart.’ He wore a navy-blue suit with a yellow shirt and navy tie.

‘I’m going out.’ He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and left the kitchen.

She followed him. ‘But it’s the Halloween special. We always watch it together.’

‘Can’t tonight.’ Max patted Parker on the head before going out the front door. Lucy heard his Land Rover start and pull away down the drive.

She scraped his dinner into the bin, washed up and then grabbed the popcorn, flicking on the TV to BBC One.

‘But we always watch the Halloween show together,’ she said to Parker as he was the only one in the room. It was in that moment Lucy suddenly realised that they did everything together, or used to, anyway. They were like a married couple in so many ways. She looked forward to seeing him each morning and missed him when he wasn’t around. Oh, dear God, her heart lurched. Was she in love with Max?

Book Details

ISBN: 979 8289380388

Publisher: Independently published

Formats: e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages: 259 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Florence was born in Coventry but now live in Nuneaton. She married the love of her life over 20 years ago and they have two almost grown up children. They share their lives with two mad dogs as well.

Writing is a great passion of Florence's, that one day she hopes to be able to turn into a career but until that day comes, she will continue working in accounts and payroll.

You can also find Florence at:

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(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(author photo courtesy of Simon & Schuster)

(all opinions are my own)

Reading Wrapup for August 2025

Another month has flown by and we are at the end of August already.

It has been a good month. The weather has been lovely and I've been able to meet with friends and family... and of course, I've read lots of good books.

Did you read anything good this month?

Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck

I really wanted to like this short book but I just could not get into it.

Wedding Bells for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride 

This delightful book starts and ends with a wedding. What could be lovelier?  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore

I loved this book. I haven't had a free slot in the blogging schedule to upload my review yet, but it is coming.

The Tour at School by Katie Clapham and Nadia Shireen

This is a delightful picture book, aimed at those about to start school or nursery, and also for those who may just be the tour guide themselves.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Herb Knot by Jane Loftus

A book which is largely set in 14th Century Winchester, along with a great plot - what could be better?   If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook by Tessa Barrie

This novel contained so many wonderful characters. I enjoyed becoming acquainted with them all.   If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Youngster by Bibi Berki

This was my favourite read this month.  It was a tense book to read, and it had me holding my breath at times.   If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

The Appletree Animal Agency by Katya Balen

A lovely book for younger readers.

Winter Wishes for the Home Front Nurses by Rachel Brimble

I really enjoyed this character-driven novel, and I really enjoyed meeting the three main characters, Veronica, Freda and Sylvia.   If you would like to read my review you can find it  here.

A Dark Death by Alice Fitzpatrick

This book is set on a Welsh island, there lives a small, tight-knit community. It is a place where everyone knows each other and what is going on.  If you would like to read my review you can find it here.

Clues to You by Claire Huston

I enjoyed this book very much. My review will be up on the 5th September as part of the blog tour.

Grave of the Fireflies by Akiyuki Nosaka

Look out for my review of this book coming very soon.

10 Ten New Releases in September 2025

 There are few things I find more exciting than putting together a 'new release' post, as there are so many great books to look forward to.

Here are just ten that have caught my eye.

 The Boy with the Jade by Charles Bush

A young aristocrat's quest for identity amid love, loss, and betrayal in 18th-century China

In the opulent world of 18th-century China, where wealth and power reign supreme, The Boy with the Jade unveils the poignant tale of Baoyu, heir to the illustrious Jia family. Born with a jade pendant in his mouth—a symbol of his destiny—Baoyu's life is one of luxury laced with darkness.

Amidst his family's splendor, Baoyu navigates complex relationships. He shares a deep, intellectual connection with his cousin Daiyu and engages in intense liaisons with Amber, his main maid. Yet, these bonds are marred by mistreatment, deception, and overwhelming societal pressures.

Baoyu's life spirals after a severe beating from his father, Amber's death, and Daiyu's illness. His spirit breaks, plunging him into despair and leading to the loss of his jade pendant. Fate deals another blow when he's duped into marrying Baochai on the day Daiyu dies. Seeking enlightenment, Baoyu turns to Taoist and Buddhist philosophies, finding guidance from mystical mentors who help him reclaim his jade and hope.

With expectations to excel at the Imperial Examination and continue his lineage, Baoyu is trapped by tradition. Craving freedom, he makes a bold escape, embarking on a transformative journey.

Preorder Link

 The Vanishing Act by Jo Jakeman

Life as a missing person is absolute murder...

When artist Eloise Ford hears that human remains found in an abandoned mine are believed to be those of long-missing teenager Elizabeth King, the shock sends her reeling.

It can't be true. Eloise knows this for a fact because... she is Elizabeth King.

Now, her carefully curated life in Cornwall is falling apart. Her husband is acting strangely, her children aren't speaking to her and she can't sell a painting for love nor money. But much more worrying are the signs that someone knows exactly who she is... and why she had to vanish thirty years ago.

Eloise needs answers. Is her son's ex-girlfriend just plain annoying... or does she know something? Will the detection skills of the online 'Truth Seekers' group prove more than amateurish? What's the real story behind those village newcomers?

And just how far would she go to keep her family, her friends, and her fraudulent life, safe?

Preorder Link

 The Great Western Railway Girls Do Their Bit by Jane Lark

1940 - As the Nazi invaders race across Europe, the women of the Great Western Railway works pull together like never before.

Catherine wrestles with self-pity after a machine-shop accident. With her fiancé and brothers on the front lines in France, she must find a new way to fight on the home front.

At her side are her steadfast GWR friends, among them Maggie, facing the loss of her father and family home, and Lily, desperate for news of her childhood sweetheart. All are determined to keep morale high and do their bit to win the war.

Amid blackout nights and rationed days, as the war creeps closer to home, these resilient women forge deeper bonds of sisterhood, confronting heartache and embracing joy. Standing up and volunteering to do even more, when hundreds of thousands of exhausted and wounded troops are rescued from Dunkirk and arrive in Dover. Britain’s ships and small boats saved them, now the trains must move them to safety and the women need to help to keep them alive...

An inspiring story of friendship, courage and women’s strength on the home front.

Preorder Link

  The Teacher Evacuees by Rose Warner

Canadian-born teacher Victoria McKaye takes up a new position at a London school, but soon finds herself coordinating its evacuation to a Norfolk village along with standoffish spinster Beatrice and quiet young Nell. Victoria has to adapt to life in the countryside, petty politics and local busybodies.

When she meets attractive naval officer Louis Grainger, romance blossoms. Victoria is drawn into a clandestine world and told that she is helping the British government, but after she catches Louis covertly meeting a suspicious stranger in nearby woods, she fears the worst – a traitor in their midst.

It’s a race against time for Victoria to discover the truth and keep the village – and the country – safe from invasion.

Preorder Link

 The Memoirs of Andre Trocme by Andre Trocme

André Trocmé is famous for his role in saving thousands of Jews from the Nazis as pastor of the village of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, France, a story celebrated in literature and film. But who was the man behind the legend, and the how did he become an international hero and uncompromising advocate of nonviolence resistance? Appearing in English for the first time, his private memoirs give a colorful and honest account of a person determined to stay true to his faith and convictions, who despite his quirks was ready to stand his ground when world history came knocking.

Written for his children in the 1950s and first published in French in 2020, these memoirs trace André Trocmé’s extraordinary life: a bourgeois childhood; teenage years as a World War I refugee; studies abroad in New York City, where he met his future wife, Magda, and tutored the Rockefeller children; military service in Algeria, which cemented his pacifist stance; postings as a pastor in depressed areas of France; resisting fascism and hiding Jews in Le Chambon; a brief imprisonment and a stint underground; and globetrotting leadership in the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. Trocmé also reveals the impact of personal tragedies: the untimely death of his mother in a car accident for which his father was responsible and, years later, his teenage son’s suicide.

This detailed first-person account from an eyewitness to pivotal moments in history will be of interest not just to scholars of the Holocaust, World War II, and domestic resistance to fascism, but also to those seeking to follow their conscience and the teachings of their faith in trying times.

Preorder Link

  The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand

Secrets, rumours, and dangerous liaisons - at an elite New England boarding school, they come with the territory.

It's move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news arrives: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It's a seventeen-spot jump - was there a typo? The dorms are dingy, the sports teams always come last and Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. But the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by a New York chef. And they do have lots of fun . . .

But as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, scandalous bulletins begin to appear on phones across campus, thanks to a new app called Zip Zap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, queen bee and international influencer, to Simone Bergeron, the young new history teacher; to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, it seems everyone has something to hide.

As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin's students and staff are changed forever.

Preorder Link

  Clues to You by Claire Huston

One murder mystery weekend. Two rival sleuths.

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?

Paperback Preorder Link

  The Children of the Roses by Warren Adler

Meet Josh and Evie Rose, heirs to the notorious legacy of Barbara and Jonathan. In The Children of the Roses, Adler delivers a darkly comic, razor-sharp sequel about love, family, and the havoc we inherit.

Josh’s marriage to Victoria seems destined to avoid the mistakes of the past. But when a harmless prank involving missing Milky Ways at their son’s elite private school spirals into all-out war, everything changes. Josh and Victoria find themselves caught in a whirlwind of emotional chaos, fueled by a depraved headmaster, hidden affairs, and a meddling mother-in-law with a vendetta against men.

Meanwhile, Josh’s sister Evie, ever loyal and always ready with a comforting meal, tries to hold the family together. As tensions rise, even the children, Michael and Emily, plot their own desperate plan to keep their family from falling apart.

Witty, biting, and unforgettable, The Children of the Roses explores how the ghosts of the past haunt the present and how even the most perfect facades can shatter in an instant.

Preorder Link

  A Taste of Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan

The Sugar and Spice bakery sparkles with holiday spirit as Jacob serves up more mouthwatering festive treats, and Christmas spirit Lara tries to sprinkle her magic over those finding the time of year difficult.

Ollie is at his wits’ end. A debt from years ago comes back to haunt him just as he and his girlfriend are buying their dream home.

Rose is dejected as her college sweetheart has dumped her now they’re in their final year. She’s not looking forward to Christmas alone, nor her twenty-first birthday on Christmas Eve.

Sacha has recently moved to Winstanton following the failure of his business. He’s too embarrassed to confide in his family, but can he find the friendship he so desperately needs and begin to trust again?

Diana tries to find her new normal after the unexpected death of her husband earlier this year. All her plans for retirement have been thrown out the window and she feels lost. She needs a renewed sense of purpose and to find her place in the world.

Can Lara provide the answer to a joy-filled Christmas?

A story of hope, love, friendship, community, and of course, Christmas spirit.

Preorder Link

   The Irish Midwife by Seána Tinley

Peggy Cassidy is a milly, working in the Belfast linen mills to just about get by. But Peggy also has another job - a secret one. She works as a handywoman - an illegal midwife, tending to the women of her community in their time of need.

When Peggy is offered the chance to leave Belfast to receive formal midwifery training in Dublin, it sets off a chain of events that will change her life forever.

But amongst her middle-class colleagues, Peggy must keep the truth about her past secret at all times. If the realities of her life in Belfast are revealed, she could lose everything she has worked for.

And when she meets a well-to-do doctor down in Dublin, she must make a decision: should she protect her family and her history? Or can she let herself fall in love?

Preorder Link

(Bookshop.org affiliated)

Love or Your Money Back by Suzy K. Quinn - #extract #excerpt #blogtour

I could not have been more delighted to be offered the opportunity to take part in this blog tour. I have previously read and reviewed Suzy's previous book, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, and I adored it. If you would like to read my review of that you can find it here.

Believe me, if my blogging diary had not been so full I would have loved to read this book. However, I am thrilled to have an extract of this book, Love or Your Money Back  by the talented Suzy K. Quinn on the blog today.

The Blurb

Is marriage about love or marketing?

Kat is 34, single and running out of time – she wants to get married before she turns 35, but her fiancé just ditched her for a 21-year-old life coach.

Freddy is a ruthless marketing guru who thinks love is just transactional. He’ll use his marketing genius to make Kat the most sought-after woman in London, if she lets him rebrand her struggling company.

With her 35th birthday looming and her love life a disaster, Kat agrees to become Project Marriage.

Can a rebrand king sell happily ever after? Or is love something even the best marketer can't package and promote?

A smart, funny romantic comedy for fans of Emile Henry (Funny Story), Lucy Score and Ali Hazelwood.

 The Extract

The Corporate Clash

This is the first explosive meeting between Freddy Stark, a ruthless marketing guru, and Kat Friedman, the no-nonsense CEO of a struggling indie publisher. Freddy expects to bulldoze his way through the company. Kat has other ideas.

‘Mr Stark.’ Kat crosses her arms. ‘Little Voice is a small, independent publisher. Our job isn’t to make money. It’s to win awards.’ 

‘Well, that changes right now.’ Freddy claps his hands, making a very satisfying, manly noise. ‘I have a few restructurings to make before we get onto the fun stuff. Anyone I let go will have a great remuneration package, a good reference –’ 

‘What are you talking about?’ Kat shouts. ‘You can’t lay off my staff.’

Despite himself, Freddy smiles. ‘I beg your pardon? Your staff?’

‘Yes, these are my staff.’ Kat gestures around the table. ‘My team. And don’t even think about raising your hand to cut me off.’

‘I wasn’t going to –’ 

‘Because the last person who did that ended up with oolong tea all over him.’

‘Kat.’ Freddy gives another charming smile, brown eyes twinkling. ‘Can I call you Kat?’

‘No.’

‘I just bought out T&C Media. Little Voice is part of the package –’ 

‘No, it isn’t,’ Kat interrupts. ‘T&C Media owns fifty percent of Little Voice. I own the other half.’

Freddy is a little wrong-footed, which is surprising considering how expensive his shoes are. 

‘I think you’ve made a mistake there, Kat. As far as I’m aware, it was a total buyout.’ Freddy whips out his brand-new, not-even-available-to-the-public-yet, iPhone and checks the T&C takeover contract. 

Little Voice, Little Voice…

Oh no. It’s right there in black and white: 50% share.

A 50% share won’t work. Not for the changes Freddy needs to make. And T&C Media is nothing without the literature angle. It’s the key to unlocking so many big deals. 

Freddy isn’t a partnership sort of person. He is a lone wolf. Lone wolves don’t compromise. They eat people. 

‘Well look at that, Kat.’ Freddy quickly regains his composure. ‘We’re co-owners. Half each. I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you two million to sell me your half.’

‘No.’

This response surprises Freddy. He’s never met anyone who turned down a ridiculous sum of money before. 

‘Maybe you didn’t hear me right.’ Freddy gives Kat a wink. ‘I said two million. Pounds. You can buy yourself an awful lot of new shoes. Or cardigans –’ 

‘Mr Stark,’ says Kat. ‘I am not motivated by money.’

Freddy stares at Kat, momentarily lost for words. This woman is crazy. But he should have known that by her outfit. Eventually, he asks: ‘So what are you motivated by?’ 

‘Looking after my team and creating books that give people a voice.’

Freddy feels no further need to ask questions. Kat Friedman has a screw loose. You can’t argue with crazy.

‘Okay then.’ Freddy glances at his redundancy list. ‘We’ll do things the hard way. As a co-owner, I can make changes –’ 

‘No, you can’t,’ says Kat. ‘Not without my permission. And I don’t give permission.’ 

‘But Kat, it’s in your interests to streamline staff,’ Freddy insists. ‘You’ll make more money, and your staff will find positions more suited to their skills. A real win-win.’ He’s about to wink at her again but thinks better of it. ‘Of course, your job is safe –’ 

‘I don’t have a job,’ Kat snaps. ‘I’m co-owner. You can’t fire me or anyone else. Not without my permission. And I don’t give permission. I take care of my staff.’

Freddy returns to the comfort of his trademark charm. He throws Kat a fabulous smile. ‘How about we talk business over dinner? You can tell me how you got those marks on your hand. I bet there’s a story there.’

‘They’re not marks. They’re scars.’ Kat holds Freddy in a steady death glare. ‘And I have no interest in spending time with a man who wants to get rid of my loyal employees.’

‘In my defence, I haven’t gotten rid of anyone yet,’ says Freddy. ‘But let’s start sorting the wheat from the chaff. Is there someone called Alan here?’

The oldest gay in the village starts crying. 

Kat’s face crumples. She puts an arm around Alan’s leather-clad shoulders, then gives Freddy a look that could strip paint. 

Freddy pushes a box of tissues towards Alan but feels unrepentant. Alan will get an excellent remuneration package. Enough to buy himself many more leather, studded caps. And frankly, given his attendance record, he’s unlikely to know the difference between working and not working. 

‘Alan, stop crying,’ says Kat. ‘Mr Stark isn’t getting rid of anyone. To make decisions about this company he has to go through me. And I say no. We’re a family.’ She turns to Freddy. ‘So, take your cheap smile and your expensive suit and throw your weight around somewhere else.’ 

Freddy is impressed. He almost wants to give Kat a round of applause. She is marvellous and very pretty. But she is also in his way. She’ll have to go, just like the rest of her badly dressed, lack-lustre team. 

Freddy wants Little Voice. It’s an untapped gold mine and also the key to some previously tightly locked tax advantages. And Freddy always gets what he wants. It’s just a matter of time. 

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1999866389

Publisher:  Book Club Ltd.

Formats:  e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  328 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Suzy K Quinn writes romantic comedy / rom com books / cozy mystery and has sold over 1 million books worldwide. She is a bestseller in the UK, US and Germany and has plans for total world domination with more feel-good books (bestsellers, obviously) in the near future.

Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband Demi and two daughters. She is a twin, an incompetent parent of two and now fully decaffeinated. Her twin sister, Cate Quinn, is also a bestseller author. When she's not writing, she is reading rom coms and cozy mysteries.

Suzy loves her readers and is ALWAYS happy to chat on social media 

You can also find Suzy at:

Author Website

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(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

Books I Want to Read in August 2025

 

I love it when a new month arrives as I know there are lots of books that I am looking forward to reading.

Here are just ten that I would like to read in August.

 The Hollywood Runaway by Alexandra Weston

Liverpool, September 1932.

Miner's daughter Olivia Swift believed her future was clear-cut: a steady husband, a home, and a family of her own one day. But when a shocking secret shatters her wedding plans, Olivia makes a desperate, irreversible choice. With a one-way ticket to America, she abandons everything familiar for a terrifying unknown.

Far from England and her family, Olivia is adrift in a strange new world, the promise of excitement overshadowed by a growing dread. Can this runaway forge a new life from the ashes of her old one, or will her American dream remain just out of reach?

A reckless journey of escape...or a chance to start living again?

 Ciao, Amore, Ciao by Sandro Martini

In the winter of 1942, an Italian army of young men vanishes in the icefields of the Eastern Front. In the summer of 1945, a massacre in Schio, northeastern Italy, where families grieve the dead, makes international headlines.

In present-day Veneto, an ordinary man is about to stumble onto a horrifying secret.

Alex Lago is a jaded journalist whose career is fading as fast as his marriage. When he discovers an aged World War II photo in his dying father’s home, and innocently posts it to a Facebook group, he gets an urgent message: Take it down. NOW.

Alex finds himself digging into a past that needs to stay hidden. What he's about to uncover is a secret that can topple a political dynasty buried under seventy years of rubble. Suddenly entangled in a deadly legacy, he encounters the one person who can offer him redemption, for an unimaginable price.

Told from three alternating points of view, Martini’s World War II tale of intrigue, war, and heartbreak pulls the Iron Curtain back to reveal a country nursing its wounds after horrific defeat, an army of boys forever frozen at the gates of Stalingrad, British spies scheming to reshape Italy’s future, and the stinging unsolved murder of a partisan hero.

 Daughters of Tarot by Clare Marchant

1644: Portia is living in London, having escaped an abusive man in Italy, with just baby Vittoria and the clothes on their backs. Making her living reading tarot cards, she starts to realise there are other women like her – who need help. As she delivers the Devil card to their door, each has the chance to escape… But to what future? Because Portia is a woman with secrets. And they are about to come back to haunt her.

Now: After her mother’s death and father’s hasty plans to remarry, Beatrice has left home to open a tarot shop in London. But when she’s unpacking, she finds a set of cards she’s never seen before, one that’s evidently been handed down through generations of her family. It’s a set that is missing a card though… the Devil’s Card. She begins to search for the lost card, but she also starts to hear rumours of that very card being linked to a series of murders of women in 17th century London…

Will she find the truth… or will she only see the illusions the cards are suggesting?

The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook by Tessa Barrie

The remote village of Didsbrook is thrown into turmoil after its best-known resident, the former actress turned best-selling novelist Jocelyn Robertshaw, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Villagers are appalled to learn that the charismatic Jocelyn died from Hemlock poisoning. Police claim she shot and ate a quail that had ingested hemlock. A theory disputed by all who knew her well. The animal-loving Jocelyn would never kill anything, but due to the lack of forensic evidence, police rule death by misadventure.

Jocelyn’s young protégée, Lucy Fothergill, determined to discover the truth about what happened to her mentor, discovers a hidden stash of Jocelyn’s notebooks, revealing jaw-dropping secrets from Jocelyn’s past. The impression Jocelyn gave the world that she lived a near-perfect life was an Academy Award-winning performance.

Believing the events from Jocelyn’s past may have led to her death forty-eight years later, Lucy begins to piece together the clues that lead to the truth.

The sleepy village of Didsbrook is about to wake up!

Wedding Bells for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride

The library girls are determined to keep their community’s spirits high.

With their beloved library damaged by bombing, they’ve found a temporary home in the local school, but they long to return to the place they love.

Mavis’s wedding should be a time of joy, but beneath the celebrations, she carries a secret. Determined to stay strong, she refuses to dampen the happiness of those around her.

Jane is finally stepping into the life she deserves. After years of self-doubt, she is beginning to find her confidence and – with the support of her two best friends – perhaps even an opportunity she never thought possible.

And for Cordelia, hope is also on the horizon. As the war winds down, her partner Robert may finally return from Africa. For the first time in a long time she is looking forward to a future filled with love and joy. But dare she dream of more wedding bells?

The Orphan's Promise by Lindsey Hutchinson

A legacy of lies, a promise of love...

Orphaned at a young age, Rose Hamilton can barely remember a mother’s warmth or a father’s protection. Instead, she has endured the cold, loveless rule of her embittered Aunt Win, a woman who seems to take pleasure in making Rose’s life as difficult as possible. The only comfort Rose has ever known comes from the loyal household staff—Jackson, the butler, Mary, the cook, and Katy, the housemaid—who have become the family she never had.

But as her twenty first birthday draws near, Aunt Win is determined to see Rose married off—to any man who will have her. Rose, spirited and independent, refuses to be bartered away like chattel and makes a promise to herself – she will only ever marry for love.

As Rose fights to take control of her own future, she stumbles upon a long-buried secret—a revelation so shocking it threatens to unravel everything she has ever believed about her past, her family, and even herself. And when a connection sparks with a man her aunt vehemently opposes, another promise takes root within Rose – to wait, no matter the cost, for the hand her heart truly desires.

Can Rose uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or will her aunt’s scheming change the course of her life forever?

 In Berlin by Eric Silberstein

Software engineer Anna Werner lives at a rapid clip, relishing her work and adopted city as much as her early morning runs. All comes undone on a sweaty August evening when, in the course of a 20-minute commute, Anna goes from worrying vaguely over a sore shoulder to staggering her way into an ambulance. She has suffered a spinal stroke. Over the coming months, her parents join the insurance man in telling her to get ready for life in a group home.

The only person who recognizes what Anna is still capable of is Batul al-Jaberi, a recent Syrian immigrant who meets Anna while doing her rounds as a janitor at the hospital. Batul is applying to medical school, where she hopes to regain control of a life hijacked by her family's flight from persecution in the early days of the Arab Spring.

At first the friendship is what Anna and Batul each need to regain mobility. But as their relationship deepens, Batul finds she must choose between her family and Anna-a choice that will force both women to rewrite their notions of loyalty.

In Berlin is a work of empathetic precision, exploring both the unpredictable nature by which geopolitics and scientific breakthroughs touch our lives, and the brave, bold, and sometimes quiet ways in which people reassert agency in the face of loss. Most of all, it taps a throughline of emotion that binds characters and readers alike across geographies, cultures, and ambitions.

  The Secret Librarian by Soraya M. Lane

New York, 1942: Avery is engaged to be married. Longing for adventure instead, she jumps at an unexpected offer to trade her library job for undercover intelligence-gathering in Portugal. But her new life in Lisbon, known as the Capital of Espionage, challenges everything she thought she knew about herself.

Local bookshop owner Camille, a French widow with access to the enemy newspapers and magazines Avery needs, befriends her. But are the rumours that swirl around Camille true—does she really have a Nazi boyfriend? And what secrets did she bring with her when she fled France? Avery must decide—fast—if she can fully trust Camille. Millions of lives depend on it.

As Avery discovers more about Camille’s world, she realises that living in a city of spies will take all her courage. With suspicions growing, they are both playing a terrifyingly dangerous game. And not everyone will live to tell their story. Can Avery and Camille stay far enough ahead of their enemies to survive?

Threaded through with daring, sacrifice and love, this is the inspirational story of two women prepared to risk everything to help others survive the horrors of World War II.

  All Mine by Pippa Nixon

Isabella Tucci is not looking for love. Leaving London and her cheating ex far behind to open her dream restaurant, she's promised herself: no men, and no distractions.

Chef Etienne runs his own place, right across the square. And he'd be more than happy to show the new girl in town around. After all, he's never met a woman he couldn't charm. But he's never met anyone quite like Isabella.

Between long days of renovations and late nights with new friends, Isabella tries to steer clear of her blue-eyed, strong-jawed neighbour. But it's a small town, and the more she gets to know Etienne, the more Isabella begins to wonder if some rules were made to be broken . . .

 The Herb Knot by Jane Loftus

Rafi Dubois is five years old when his mother is murdered after the Battle of Crecy in 1346. Alone and lost, Rafi is given a token by the dying Englishman who tried to save his mother’s life: a half-broken family seal which he urges Rafi to return one day to Winchester.

Years later, when Rafi saves a wealthy merchant’s wife from a brutal robbery, he is rewarded with the chance to travel to England, taking the seal with him.

But when he reaches Winchester, Rafi finds himself in a turbulent world full of long-held allegiances, secrets and treachery. His path is fraught with danger and with powerful enemies working against him, Rafi falls in love with Edith, a market apothecary. But in doing so, Rafi unleashes a deadly chain of events which threatens to overwhelm them both…