Showing results by narrator "Louise Williams" in All Categories

On paper, Gemma's life is just like any other successful, single thirtysomething. Her students adore her. She lives in a cute beachside cottage next door to the world's sweetest neighbor, Margie. And she's definitely caught the eye of Karim, the resident hot PE teacher at her school. But every day of her life, she can't get one thing out of her mind: the baby she gave up for adoption when Gemma was just sixteen years old. This is the year that Baby--the only name Gemma has for her little girl--will turn eighteen. And it might be the year she actually meets her daughter face-to-face.

Asher Todd comes to live with the mysterious Morwood family as a governess to their children. Asher knows little about being a governess but she is skilled in botany and herbcraft, and perhaps more than that. And she has secrets of her own, dark and terrible—and Morwood is a house that eats secrets. With a monstrous revenge in mind, Asher plans to make it choke. However, she becomes fond of her charges, of the people of the Tarn, and she begins to wonder if she will be able to execute her plan—and who will suffer most if she does.

Sixteen years ago in the middle of the night, Cleo Merrifield and her parents left her Aunt Clara’s house in Goldebury Bay. Cleo also left the two young men who loved her, Oliver Sutton and Thaddeus Beaumont. Now Cleo’s back, and she’s brought her best friend, Poppy. Long, hot days and sultry nights, gorgeous men and chilled champagne, seem the perfect summer cocktail for two 30-something girls intent on having fun. But Cleo knows not everything is as it seems in the picturesque seaside resort, including Aunt Clara. And secrets have a way of getting out.

Since being taken from his home by his mother in the middle of the night, fighting for survival is all Antonias Lambrianu has ever known. He soon learns that money is power and sets his sights on what he sees as a better future. When his past finally catches up with him, it unexpectedly opens up new opportunities, but new threats come hand in hand with them. Antonias is determined that he will emerge triumphant, but there’s jeopardy everywhere and the stakes are high. Everyone, it seems, is playing dangerous games...Antonias most of all.

Iris Woodmore is a journalist with a hot new story. For the first time in history, two women compete in a by-election to become the third woman elected to Parliament. Iris accompanies one of the candidates to a debate in the House of Commons. But it's a place that holds painful memories. In 1914, Iris' mother died there when she fell into the River Thames during a daring suffragette protest. In the shadow of Big Ben, a waterman tells Iris her mother didn't fall - she jumped.

When saying 'I do' to the love of her life, it didn't matter to Marie that Scott had been married before. But four years later, it's a different story. These days, Marie feels as though Scott sees more of his first wife and their children than he does of her and their energetic toddler. All she wants is for them to be a happy, blended family, but it's not so easy when his ex-wife refuses to let the two families meet. Well, Marie's had enough - there's only so much a woman can take! Now she's setting out to find his ex and prove that she's a decent person who can be trusted with the children.

London, 1873. Madeleine Brewster's marriage to Dr. Lucius Everley was meant to be the solution to her family's sullied reputation. After all, Lucius is a well-respected collector of natural curiosities. His 'Small Museum' of bones and specimens in jars is his pride and joy, although firmly kept under lock and key. His sister Grace's philanthropic work with fallen women is also highly laudable. However, Maddie soon finds herself unwelcome in what is meant to be her new home.

Work at Price's Candle Factory in Battersea is tedious for intelligent 17-year-old Hillie Hardwick, but she knows she is lucky to have a job at all. Her home life is no better, as she constantly battles with her exacting and bullying father in order to protect her mother and five younger siblings from his abuse. Her only solace is her loving relationship with the chaotic Parker family and her best friend, Gert Parker.

A third of the human population has been lost. In the 30 years that followed, humankind sought to rebuild itself within the walls of New Oxford. But society had become fractured - humans now live incongruously among Genetic Others, themselves a group of many subspecies. The most dangerous of them all: the vampires. Somehow, these groups have managed a peaceful coexistence under the controlling government influence of the Cabal. But that is all about to change....

Who took Lucia Blix? Lucia went home from school with her new friend Josie for a playdate. Later that evening, Lucia's mother, Elisa, dropped her overnight things round and kissed her little girl goodnight. That was the last time she saw her daughter. The next morning, when Lucia's dad arrived to pick her up, the house was empty. No furniture, no family, no Lucia. Have you seen Lucia?

Phoebe Harkness’ life has changed forever. Thirty years after a cataclysmic world war that eviscerated one third of the human population, a new sub-species of vampire-like drones has set its teeth to the survivors of humanity. They’re not the only ones: ‘Genetic Others’ such as vampires, werewolves and more roam the streets of New Oxford, trying to live peacefully amongst humankind. But that is all about to change. A spate of serial killings have occurred, rocking the city’s already fragile ecosystem.

Liv Travers never knew real friendship until she met fellow mums Beth and Binnie. The three women become inseparable as they muddle through early parenthood together. Then along comes Ange. Ambitious, wealthy and somehow able to do it all. Under Ange’s guiding presence, the group finds new vigour and fresh aspirations. But Liv can’t keep up and is increasingly edged out. When the four families take a three-week trip to a luxurious holiday resort, Liv seizes the opportunity to reclaim her place at the heart of the group, only to discover the true cost of a friendship with Ange.

With the demise of the Old King, there's a prophesy that a queen will ascend to the throne of the Black Hills. Bad news for the king's sons, who are prepared to defend their birthright against all comers. But for blacksmith Keeley Smythe, war is great for business. Until it looks like the chosen queen will be Beatrix, her younger sister. Now it's all Keeley can do to protect her family from the enraged royals.

You whispered goodnight to your daughter. You didn’t know that would be your last goodbye. You wake up in the middle of the night. Your five-year-old daughter is gone. Your husband is nowhere to be seen. Your family think he took her. The police believe he’s guilty. But he wouldn’t do that, would he? He’s a loving father. A loving husband. Isn’t he?

My name is Phoebe Harkness. When I’m not trying to cure the disease that killed the world, I’m working as an ambassador between the humans of New Oxford and the Genetic Others, all the things that go bump in the night. A new power has risen, and the boy who would be King is bringing his carnival to our streets. A vampire pride march in a city fuelled by prejudice: what could possibly go wrong? Indeed, somebody, or something wants to cancel the festivities and is picking off vampires one at a time. What kind of monster hunts monsters?

She's given up on love. But one little letter might change everything... Single mum Bonnie is a born romantic. But she's been seriously let down by love. Her good-for-nothing husband walked out on her and daughter Paige two years ago, and hasn't been heard from since. Between trying to make ends meet, managing teenage mood swings and the serious lack of eligible bachelors in her small town, Bonnie has all but given up on finding her happily ever after.

The brutal murder of Rose Parmiter seems, at first glance, to be a random and senseless act. Rose was the beloved cook at Evergreen House, a place of refuge for women and children, a place from which they can start their lives afresh. Proprietor Rebecca Harris, is profoundly shocked by the death of her dear friend and alarmed at the mysterious events which begin to unfold shortly afterwards. Could the past be casting a shadow on the present? The malign legacy of the Everley family who called Evergreen home, cannot be ignored.

Three journeys. One road. England, 1348. A gentlewoman flees an odious arranged marriage, a Scots proctor sets out for Avignon and a young ploughman in search of freedom is on his way to volunteer with a company of archers. All come together on the road to Calais. Coming in their direction from across the Channel is the Black Death, the plague that will wipe out half of the population of Northern Europe.

Gemma knows perfectly well how one moment can change your life forever. That's why, for two decades, she's lived life by the rulebook. But this year, everything is different. The beloved daughter she gave up for adoption all those years ago is about to turn 18—and that means, there's a chance of being found. For the first time in her life, Gemma can no longer run from her secrets. And she begins to realise that when everything is falling apart, love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

The almost daughter is almost normal, because she knows how to know and also not know. She knows and does not know, for instance, about the barracks by the athletics field, and about the lonely woman she visits each week. She knows—almost—about ghosts, and their ghosts, and she knows not to have questions about them. She knows to focus on being a woman: on training her body and dreaming only of escape. Then, the almost daughter meets Oksana. Oksana is not even almost normal, and the questions she has are not normal at all.