"A heart-wrenching tale of wartime spirit, love, loss and the courage of a young nurse during the Plymouth Blitz.
1941. The midst of the Blitz. Bombs are raining down on the city. In one terrifying moment, trainee nurse Pippa Luscombe’s life is turned upside-down when her hospital takes a direct hit.
As Pippa comes to terms with the full extent of the tragedy, she must pick up the pieces of her life. But the incident has left lasting scars. She determines to dedicate her life to her nursing career, and forget about finding love of her own.
Until one day she discovers she has an unexpected admirer. A patient hands her a piece of paper. A heartfelt note to his butterfly girl.
In this one moment, Pippa’s life is changed once more.
The war in Europe rages on. But for Pippa this unsolicited note brings a threat much closer to home. She must make some difficult decisions as she experiences both love and loss in search of her own happiness."
"1941. Bombs are falling all over Plymouth. Young Maisie O’Sullivan must make a choice that will change her life for ever.
Maisie yearns for a family of her own. Raised as a charity orphan in a Catholic convent in Ireland, she believed she was all alone in the world.
But when she is twelve, her world is turned upside down by a shocking revelation. She is uprooted from the only life she has ever known, and transplanted against her will to Plymouth, England.
Family might not be all it’s cracked up to be. But Maisie is resilient. She surrounds herself with a family of her own making. Lovely old Zeek, her grandfather-like neighbour. Feisty Kitty, her inseparable friend. Young fisherman Nick, her kind and patient boyfriend.
Then war breaks out across Europe and a horrific tragedy occurs during one of the worst nights of the Plymouth Blitz. Maisie makes a momentous decision that will take her life in a very unexpected direction . . . But will she be able to live with the consequences?
Fans of Nadine Dorries, Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court, Freda Lightfoot, Anna Jacobs, Rosie Clarke and Catherine Cookson will adore this compelling tale of secrets, betrayal and friendship spanning generations."
"A compelling tale of secrets and betrayal, friendship and trust, and the legacy of war.
Plymouth, 1954.
The future seems rosy for Plymouth schoolgirl Anna Millington, as she prepares for teacher training college.
But Anna's life is not what it seems. Her family is hiding a cruel secret that resulted from the worst night of the Plymouth Blitz.
Now, the devastating consequences are about to erupt again.
Fearing for her life, Anna leaves her dreams behind and flees to nearby Dartmoor.
It isn't long before Anna secures a position as a serving girl at Ashcroft Hall. It isn't the teaching career she longed for. The staff are rude and make no effort to befriend her. But she finds solace in loving Sir Gilbert, Lady Ashcroft's son, who calls her his ‘little smoky eyes'.
It soon becomes clear that Anna's not the only one with secrets.
Will she learn who she can really trust? And can she find the courage to seek out the happiness she truly deserves?
Fans of Nadine Dorries, Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court, Freda Lightfoot, Anna Jacobs, Rosie Clarke and Catherine Cookson will adore this compelling tale of secrets, betrayal and friendship set in the 1950s."
"Dartmoor, 1952.
When fifteen-year-old Lily Hayes loses her mother, she finds herself at a crossroads: go to a children's home or leave the bright lights of London to live with her estranged father in the wilds of Dartmoor.
Lily moves from London to Dartmoor determined and excited to find out the truth about her family.
Her dour father, Sidney, can be sullen and he has a temper on him. He seems to want nothing to do with her, but Lily vows to make the best of things. And there are some things she is grateful for — especially the handsome and charming Edwin Franfield.
As Sidney's gruff manner gradually thaws, Lily learns a little more about her family's history — and discovers that some secrets are better left untold.
Will Lily discover her true identity and find happiness among the dramatic wilderness of Dartmoor, or will the past drive her back to where she comes from?"
"Dartmoor, 1858.
Elizabeth Thornton has every reason to want to escape from home — a ramshackle farm in the middle of nowhere on the wilds of Dartmoor. Since her father's death, she's been trapped here, in the clutches of her lascivious uncle.
When a position opens up at Rosebank Hall, she jumps at the chance. She will be a domestic drudge at the beck and call of the house's cantankerous master.
It's hardly the career of her dreams. Elizabeth wants to be a doctor, but she'll do anything to be free of her uncle.
Then one night, the master's wayward son turns up, wounded in a conflict in a foreign country — damaged in every way a person can be.
But as Elizabeth nurses him back to life, the pair grow closer and everything changes.
But Elizabeth's uncle isn't ready to relinquish her yet . . .
Will she keep on fighting for her freedom? Even with her dark past nipping at her heels?
Fans of Nadine Dorries, Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court, Freda Lightfoot and Catherine Cookson will adore this emotional coming-of-age story."
"Devon, 1867.
Free-spirited Rebecca Westbrook recognizes her perfect match when she sees him. His name is Captain Adam Bradley.
She is the harbour master’s daughter.
He is smouldering and sophisticated — the most eligible captain ever to sail into the quay.
Anyone can see it’s meant to be. But Rebecca is anything but charmed. Her heart belongs to Tom Mason, a lowly cooper she’s known forever.
Her father doubts Tom's ability to provide securely for her. But Tom has a plan to prove him wrong. And until then, passionate Rebecca refuses to wait to be with him.
But fate has other plans.
Tragedy strikes, shattering the couple’s dreams of a life together. Vulnerable and alone, how will Rebecca survive without her soulmate?
With the threat of bringing shame on herself and her family nipping at her heels, Rebecca can see only one way out. Is she strong enough to take it?
Fans of Nadine Dorries, Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court, Freda Lightfoot and Catherine Cookson will adore this emotional coming-of-age story."
"August 1883. The future for Ling Southcott, a quarryman’s daughter, seems to be already mapped. Marriage to her childhood sweetheart, Barney, a cluster of children, a life contained to the hamlet of Foggintor Quarry. For Ling, with her sharp, enquiring mind and love of books, it is an accepted, if unwelcome fate.
But then the new Princetown Railway opens across Dartmoor, connecting her remote hamlet to the neighbouring town of Tavistock, and even Plymouth.
SUDDENLY THE WORLD IS AT HER FINGERTIPS
Then Ling is rescued from a fatal blow. Her rescuer is handsome young medical student Elliott Franfield.
Elliott, man of education, is so different from her unambitious Barney. Almost against her will, Ling feels her eyes open to what life could have in store.
WILL LING CHANGE HER DESTINY? OR WILL SHE LET OPPORTUNITY SLIP THROUGH HER FINGERS?
TANIA CROSSE weaves blissfully human stories with impeccable research, giving her characters all the complexity and colour of real life."
"Devon, 1887. Life has not been kind to dairymaid Tresca Ladycott. She can’t rely on her flighty farmhand father, Emmanuel, so she relies on herself.
Then comes a devastating blow. Tresca is sacked from the dairy and the pair lose their home. She and her father seek a new life in bustling Tavistock.
More hardship lies ahead. The only work to be found is hard labour on the London and South West Railway. Before long, Emmanual is out of work yet again and Tresca is faced with keeping them both in their tiny garret home.
But is her father to blame this time? Tresca can’t help but feel that dashing Irish foreman Connor O’Mahoney had a hand in her father’s dismissal.
TORN BETWEEN HER HEAD AND HER HEART
Even so, she finds herself drawn to this mysterious stranger. A battle ensues between her head and her heart, testing Tresca’s resolve like never before.
Will she keep fighting for her dreams — even when all hope seems lost?
TANIA CROSSE weaves blissfully human stories with impeccable research, giving her characters all the complexity and colour of real life. Tania is the winner of the Best Romantic Saga in the 60th annual RoNA Awards."
"Summer 1945. The nation rejoices as the Second World War comes to an end but Banbury Street matriarch Eva Parke foresees trouble ahead. Her daughter, Mildred, awaits the return of her fiancé from overseas duty, doubts begin to seep into her mind about how little she knows of the man she has promised to marry. Meanwhile new neighbour, dancer Cissie Cresswell, hides a terrible secret. Can the two young women unite to face the doubt and uncertainty of the future?"
"A compelling saga of love, loss and self-discovery set on Wild Dartmoor.
Dartmoor, 1875. Rose Maddiford, beautiful, vivacious and intelligent, could have her pick of men across Dartmoor. But she is in no hurry to marry unless it is for true love — and certainly not while she can help her father manage the Cherrybrook Gunpowder Mills. Then tragedy strikes. Rose’s father is injured by an explosion at the mill and the family is left teetering on the edge of poverty. Rose is left with just two options: accept arrogant, controlling Charles Chadwicks’s proposal and move to London or let her family perish. Rose must choose duty over love. As Rose dives into her new life, she turns her attention to the plight of prisoners held in Dartmoor Prison and discovers new passion and new injustice as she forges a friendship with a wrongly convicted man. Can Rose find justice? As the situation builds to a heart-rending climax, Rose soon discovers what terrible acts jealousy can spur.
The Gunpowder Girl brings together Cherrybrook Rose and A Bouquet of Thorns for the first time, revealing Rose’s full story just as the author intended.
TANIA CROSSE weaves blissfully human stories with impeccable research, giving her characters all the complexity and colour of real life. Fans of Nadine Dorries, Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court, Freda Lightfoot and Catherine Cookson will adore this emotional and inspiring family saga.
Tania Crosse is the winner of the Best Romantic Saga in the 60th annual RoNA Awards.
“This absorbing historical with its strong themes of romance and feminist equality.” Booklist
“Another gripping and heartbreaking tale . . . well-drawn characters, intelligent and fast-paced plotting..” Historical Novels Review
Originally published as Cherrybrook Rose and A Bouquet of Thorns."
"Thrown together by tragic circumstances some years previously, Meg and Clarrie's hard-won friendship eventually brought them both some sense of peace. But how deep do their feelings run, and how long can their happiness last? The outbreak of war brings a new set of concerns and emotions, especially with the arrival of the evacuees who come to share their home and lives. Can they unite to form a bond powerful enough to sustain them through the darkest days of war?"
"A poignant, sensitive and intensely moving account of one village's war and the endurance of those who wait at home for news of their loved ones.
Dartmoor, 1914. Grace Dannings is a farmer’s daughter but she dreams of making her mark as a London Suffragette. Too bad she’s stuck in Walkhampton, the sleepy village where she was born. As a child, she could escape to the wheelwright’s mill. Spellbound, she’d watch labourers hammer iron and timber into wheels. Now she’s a woman and nothing about the village feels like home. The men are brutish, the women afraid of change. Perhaps she could have married Martin, the mill owner’s son. But society says she’s not good enough. When World War One breaks out and the wheelwright’s men leave for the front, Grace volunteers to fill in. The move raises eyebrows. But Grace has her sights set on a fulfilling new vocation. And she’s not about to stop for anything — or anyone.
Tania Crosse weaves blissfully human stories with impeccable research, giving her characters all the complexity and colour of real life. Tania has been shortlisted for Best Romantic Saga in the 60th annual RoNA Awards."
