Showing titles in 20th Century

Set in the midst of WW2, Soldier Girl follows a woman on her journey of courage, determination, loss, and resilience – the sequel to A Hopscotch Summer from Annie Murray. Read by Penelope Freeman (Her Wartime Secret) Molly Fox has grown up in the back streets of Birmingham at the mercy of her...

The legendary Emma Harte, heroine of A Woman of Substance, returns… The legendary Emma Harte, heroine of A Woman of Substance, returns… At the centre of this sweeping saga stands Paula O'Neill, beloved granddaughter of Emma and the guardian of her vast business empire. Paula believes that...

Sons and Lovers, Lawrence's third published novel, was written by the author at the height of his literary powers. The story of class differences (the relationship between a middle-class woman and a miner) in the tough world of coal mining brought a refreshing realism to literature. It remains a challenging text and is studied widely. It is particularly effective on audiobook in the hands of Nottinghamshire reader Paul Slack.

'I cried my eyes out' Reader review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1941, Nazi-occupied Paris: In the glamorous Ritz hotel there is a woman with a dangerous secret… As Coco Chanel’s assistant, Adèle lives side by side with German officers in the splendour of The Ritz hotel. But Adèle has a secret. She is...

The final installment in the breathtaking Kershaw Sisters series. She thought the worst was behind her . . . Life is tough in Lancashire in 1905 - and especially so for fifteen-year-old Mary Ann, who was born out of wedlock. When her new stepfather begins to abuse her, Mary Ann doesn't know how...

When a sudden reassignment gives Lily Baker only three days to report to mysterious Bletchley Park, she’s confused but excitedly answers duty’s call. Learning the reputed madhouse is actually the clandestine home of Allied codebreakers, Lily walks a fine line between guarding British secrets and protecting her heart. But when she overhears that a spy could be hidden among the eclectic mix of codebreakers, she is determined to uncover which of her new friends is the traitor.

When the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic leaves thirteen-year-old Olivia Davenport orphaned, she’s sent to live with her guardians, the Fairchilds, in their huge Jacobean mansion – Merriford Manor. But the Fairchilds have more to worry about than a grieving young girl – with war in Europe imminent and four sons to protect. Olivia feels alone and friendless. That is, until she hears a voice from behind the wall in her tower bedroom.

Postwar Paris is alive with optimism, but lavender keeper Luc Ravens and his love, Lisette, remain haunted by the horrors they have endured. Casting their fate to the winds, they set sail for Australia, hoping to rebuild their lives in a land that's full of promise. But trouble has a way of catching up with them.

In this emotional novel based on Greece's real history we follow three generations of one family, broken apart by secrets and war, as Olivia travels to the island of her mother's birth to piece together a century's worth of her family's past. On the Greek island of Castellorizo young Sofía must...

FROM THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE TEA PLANTER'S WIFE Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies, read by Eliza Parkes. Dinah Jefferies' stunning new novel is a gripping, unforgettable tale of a woman torn...

The second book in the brand new Backshaw Moss series from million-copy bestseller Anna Jacobs Lancashire, 1930s. When her mother dies, leaving her an old sewing box and a clue to her father's identity, 22-year-old Maisie Bassett is determined to make a fresh start. Changing her name and moving...

The Buffer Girls is an inspiring tale of love, heartache and ambition from bestselling author Margaret Dickinson. It is 1920 in the Derbyshire dales. The Ryan family are adjusting to life now that the war is over. Walter has returned home a broken man and so it falls to his son and daughter...

From the top-ten bestselling author of One Snowy Night, Rita Bradshaw, comes The Storm Child, a sweeping family saga set during the run up to WW2 in the north-east of England. It’s mid-winter, and in the throes of a fierce blizzard Elsie Redfern and her husband discover an unknown girl in...

From the author of the international bestsellers The Light Over London and The Whispers of War comes an enchanting novel that is “historical fiction at its very best” (Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author) as it follows five women living across three different times whose lives...

Heartbroken and hoping for a new start, Abi Howes takes a summer job in rural France at the Château Bellevue. The old château echoes with voices from the past, and soon Abi finds herself drawn to one remarkable woman’s story, a story that could change the course of her summer - and her life. In 1938, Eliane Martin tends beehives in the garden of the beautiful Château Bellevue. In its shadow she meets Mathieu Dubosq and falls in love for the first time, daring to hope that a happy future awaits.

Liverpool, 1955. With her abusive husband drinking all her wages, Alice faces a daily struggle to provide for her family. Her eldest daughter Cathy has always longed to be a nurse, but when poverty means she’s forced to leave school and get a job it looks like her dreams are over. But Cathy...

On the eve of a world war, a forbidden love will blossom in the garden of a stately home, where one young woman will make a choice that will change her life forever. As the storm clouds of war gather, Cordelia seeks refuge in the grounds of her family estate. Handsome landscaper Isaac has recently arrived to tend to the gardens, and the connection between him and Cordelia is as immediate as it is forbidden. Isaac begins to secretly teach her how to cultivate the gardens, so when he and all the young men are called away to war, Cordelia takes over.

Beautifully read by Indira Varma and poignantly told, Marking Time is the second novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard’s bestselling family saga The Cazalet Chronicles, set during the onset of World War II. 'Compelling, moving, unputdownable . . . Maybe my favourite books ever' - Marian Keyes...

Lake Geneva, 1951: Delphine looked up at Florian, her fingers grazing his cheek as she pressed her mouth to his, the sapphire tiara sparkling beside them. “Yes,” she whispered against his lips. “I will marry you. If you can find a way, then I promise you. I will marry you.” London, present day. Georgia holds the rare pink sapphire in her hands, watching it glitter in the morning light. It was left for her at Hope’s House, a home for unmarried mothers whose babies were adopted. But how is it connected to the secrets of her family’s complicated history?

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Workhouse Angel by Holly Green, read by Julie Maisey. Will she ever be reunited with her real father? Angelina was abandoned on the doorsteps of Brownlow Workhouse when she was just a baby – her only possession the rag doll she held in her arms...