Showing results by author "Lynne Francis" in All Categories

Molly Dawson, now a respectable married woman, lives with her husband, head gardener Charlie, on the Woodchurch Manor estate, where they have brought up three delightful daughters. Her life appears idyllic...but she has suffered the torment of a secret since she was 18 years old. When George Smith - a young stranger fresh out of the Navy - appears at the estate's annual garden party, Molly's life is set to change again....

1813. Haunted by her father's death and tired of watching her mother struggle, Meg Marsh will do anything to keep a roof over her family's head. Even if that means getting involved in a dangerous smuggling operation. When Meg catches the eye of a dashing gentleman above her station, things start to look up, and she can't help but start dreaming of a life away from the shingle and boats of Castle Bay. Blinded by flattery and coin, Meg can't see the danger on the horizon - and the cost just might be her life.

Fearing for his life, Thomas Marsh has fled Castle Bay and found work as a mill hand, deep in the countryside. Here he comes across the unconventional Isabel Cavendish and is captivated by her beauty and wildness. But Isabel's father has ambitions for his daughter, and she is soon sent away to Ramsgate to learn how to be a lady. Struggling to understand society's obsession with dresses and balls, Isabel chafes against the restrictions of her new life. Then she meets Daniel Coates, in town for one night only, and the pair discover a strong mutual attraction.

Margate, 1786. Dairymaid Molly Goodchild dreams of a better life. Up at the crack of dawn to milk her uncle's cows, the one comfort of her day is her friendship with apprentice gardener Charlie. When dashing Naval Officer Nicholas arrives in town, Molly's head is turned by his flattering attentions and she casually spurns Charlie - believing this is her chance to escape a life of drudgery. Yet when Molly needs Nicholas most, he lets her down. With her hopes in tatters, Molly is forced to flee Margate for London, where she finds herself struggling to survive.

Sarah is lonely. Living in a small Yorkshire village with just her grandmother for company, she longs to be reunited with her mother and sisters in Manchester. When she meets the mysterious Joe Bancroft, she feels her luck might be changing. And, before long, Sarah's married with a baby on the way. But Sarah's hopes for a family home are dashed by Joe's work, which takes him away from her for months at a time. And when tragedy strikes, Sarah is left more alone than ever.

Now that Molly Dawson's family have grown up and left home, she has every reason to expect that her life on the Woodchurch Manor estate with her husband, head gardener Charlie, will settle into happy contentment. It seems, though, that her estranged half-sister, Harriet, has other ideas. When the secret Molly has kept for more than 25 years is revealed in front of her whole family, Molly's relationship with her son and her husband begins to crumble. And when she takes a trip away from home to allow things to settle, Harriet steps in - with devastating consequences.

1890. Alice is the sole bread-winner for her family, working at the local cotton mill. But when she suddenly begins to attract the wrong attention, her life begins to spiral out of control . . . 2018. For Ally, one bad decision after another has left her feeling that her life hasn't quite turned out the way it should have. But when her aunt is suddenly injured and in need of help baking and running her beloved café, Ally knows a trip to Yorkshire is just the escape she needs.

The truth is, Ella is hiding from a scandal. A scandal that drove her family out of their beloved Lane End Cottage in the tiny Yorkshire village they had lived in all their lives. A scandal that her sister Alice was blamed for. But Alice is no longer here. So it's up to Ella to pick up the pieces and do the best she can for the family she loves so dearly. Ella's luck finally changes when she gains work at Grange House, a gentleman's residence on the outskirts of York. But can she keep her position there? Or will she follow in her elder sister's footsteps?