Barbara Taylor Bradford – författare

A delightful novella from the internationally bestselling author of A Woman of Substance Jake and Maggie, each fleeing a failed marriage, meet and fall in love, but their pasts throw up obstacles. Jake Cantrell is suave, charming and a brilliant electrical engineer saddened by the failure of his marriage to Amy. Maggie Sorrell is a bright and elegant interior designer. She, too, has suffered a broken marriage.Jake and Maggie meet – but despite a blossoming relationship, some of the obstacles seem insurmountable: the fifteen-year difference in their ages, Amy’s sudden illness, her reluctance to divorce Jake, and Maggie’s own inner turmoil.But together they overcome the odds and find the ultimate: love in another town.

A delightful novella from the internationally bestselling author of A Woman of Substance Thirty-three-year-old Bill Fitzgerald is an acclaimed American television foreign correspondent. War-weary and exhausted after a long stint in Bosnia, he travels to Venice to meet an old friend and war correspondent.Whilst with his friend at the Gritti Palace Hotel on the Grand Canal, Bill is struck by the dark beauty of a young woman seated alone. The young woman is Vanessa Stewart: a glass designer from New York, visiting Murano.And that evening, full of warmth and comaraderie, the two begin an illicit, though fateful, love affair. A dramatic and inspiring page-turner that illuminates the power of love.

In the blockbuster storytelling tradition that is Barbara Taylor Bradford’s hallmark, here is an extraordinary novel about a remarkable young woman and the people whose lives she touches. At thirty-one Laura Valiant is a successful art historian who runs her own art advisory and acquisitions company. She and her husband Douglas Casson, a Wall Street lawyer, have a happy marriage marred only by the fact that they are still childless. But Laura’s life changes radically in 1997, when her best friend from childhood, Claire Benson, tells her she is dying. Claire, who is divorced, begs Laura to become her daughter Natasha’s guardian upon her death. Laura agrees and brings the fifteen-year-old girl to live with them in New York City after Claire dies. It is then that Laura’s troubles begin – with Natasha, with the girl’s father and grandmother, who suddenly reappear in her life, and with Douglas. Laura’s love and trust in her husband are shaken when she discovers he has a secret life apart from her. But it is her problems which force her to examine her own life, and this sets her on a path that inevitably leads her to a series of shattering truths. These revelations give Laura the chance to start a whole new life which promises to give her the happiness and fulfilment she craves.From the streets of Paris and London to the art galleries and art auctions of New York, A Sudden Change of Heart takes the reader on an unforgettable journey where secrets, survival, love and redemption mesmerize the reader from the first page to the last. This is Barbara Taylor Bradford’s fifteenth novel and it is told with the emotion and feeling readers have come to expect from one of the world’s most beloved authors.

Barbara Taylor Bradford delivers all the drama, suspense, and romance her readers expect in a riveting novel that begins with a murder in an old Connecticut barn… We first meet Katie Byrne at seventeen. A tall beauty with reddish-gold hair, she has always wanted to be an actress. Her two best friends share her passion for the theatre, and the three girls have spent much of their childhood rehearsing plays in an old barn in Connecticut. Leaving early one day to help her mother prepare dinner, Katie realizes she has left her schoolbooks at the barn and she and her older brother return to retrieve them. When they arrive, they find the barn, the setting of so many happy dreams, has become the scene of a nightmare: one of Katie's friends has been raped and murdered, and the other lies unconscious.Ten years later, Katie, a struggling actress in New York, is still haunted by the tragedy. Her friend Carly remains in a coma, and Katie desperately wants to achieve success and stardom not only for herself but also for her two old friends. Her big chance comes when she is discovered and wins a major role in a Broadway play. But Katie must face the demons of the past before she can embrace the possibilities of the future…

During three eventful weeks in Paris, four friends visit old haunts, rekindle ties, and awaken in each other the sense of wonder, adventure, and possibilities they had shared so long ago. As students at the prestigious Anya Sedgwick School of Decorative Arts in Paris, Alexandra Gordon, Kay Lenox, Jessica Pierce and Maria Franconi share the challenges and excitement of developing their artistic talents to the fullest under Sedgwick's caring and demanding guidance. But once best friends, they part enemies, and after graduation they go their separate ways, pursuing careers and establishing lives in different corners of the world.Alexandra, a set designer, becomes a leading figure in New York's theatre world. Kay, who marries and moves to Scotland, designs a successful line of clothing. Jessica, an interior designer, makes her home in California, while Maria returns to her native Italy, where she continues to work in her family's textile business.For each of them, the arrival of an invitation to Paris to celebrate Anya Sedgwick's eighty-fifth birthday stirs up complicated feelings: nostalgic memories are coloured by poignant regrets and the reluctance to revisit their own pasts mixes with curiosity about the other women. It is ultimately their desire to deal with unfinished business that convinces all of them to attend the party. During three eventful weeks in Paris, they visit their old haunts, rekindle ties, and awaken in each other the sense of wonder, adventure, and possibilities they had shared so long ago.

The Ravenscar Dynasty, introducing the house of DeRavenel, launches Barbara Taylor Bradford’s epic new series spanning a century.Ravenscar: A house, a legacy and a dynasty.On a bitterly cold day in 1904, the DeRavenel family's future changes for ever. When Cecily DeRavenel tells her 18-year-old son Edward of the death of his father, brother and cousins in a fire, a part of him dies as well.Edward is comforted by his cousin Neville Watkins, who is suspicious of the deaths. The two men vow to seek the truth, avenge the deaths and take control of the business empire usurped from Edward's great uncle sixty years before. And so begins an epic saga about an astonishing family, set in extraordinary times.Handsome, charismatic and a notorious womaniser, Edward battles his cousin, Henry Grant, for control of the family empire. Elizabeth Wyland, a young widow and a great beauty, stands by his side, and they are secretly married. She is power hungry, and ambitious. But Edward also has a mistress: Jane Shaw, a constant in his life. And as Elizabeth's jealousy damages their marriage, Edward's only solace is his work and Jane.Edward's position as the glamorous head of the DeRavenels is fatally rocked when betrayal comes from within. Soon, catastrophe threatens to destroy the family and the business…Power and money, passion and adultery, ambition and treachery – all illuminate a dramatic saga set against the backdrop of the Edwardian Era and the Belle Epoque, just before the First World War.

The dramatic new Ravenscar novel from the international bestselling author of Woman of Substance.As the First World War draws to a close, all seems golden for young Edward Deravenel, charismatic head of the family empire and master of Ravenscar.Yet beneath the surface lies discord. Elizabeth Deravenel, his beautiful wife, is jealous and her lies and gossip damage the family name. Worse still is Edward's brother George. His reckless behaviour and treachery lead to blackmail and betrayal.The fortunes of the house of Deravenel begin to suffer. It is up to Edward's daughter Bess, and her son Harry to secure the Ravenscar inheritance – whatever it takes…Ravenscar:A House. A Legacy. A Dynasty.

THE FINAL NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING RAVENSCAR TRILOGYElizabeth Turner, scion of the fabled Deravenel family, carries the red-gold hair and beautiful English complexion of her ancestors. And it is not just her colouring that she has inherited from Edward Deravenel. Astute and charismatic, she is also bold, daring and fiercely ambitious, with the same ruthless streak.Now, aged just twenty-five, she stands in the position she has dreamed of – inheriting the family business, Deravenels. Over eight hundred years old, the company is a bastion of male chauvinism and the challenge that lies ahead of Elizabeth is immense.Cecil Williams acts as Elizabeth's mentor while navigating the treacherous corridors of power with her. But her greatest ally is her childhood friend, handsome, charming Robert Dunley. Highly intelligent, he is her match in every way – and there is a spark between them that is impossible to resist. Yet Robert is already married. When they begin an affair it scandalises those around them. But far worse is to come…From the family seat perched high on the Yorkshire moors to the glamour of London as the twentieth century draws to a close, Elizabeth fights for her birthright and her inheritance. Passion, drama, betrayal and death stalk the pages of this gripping new blockbuster from the author of A Woman of Substance.

The next installment in the dramatic new Ravenscar series from the international bestselling author of Woman of Substance.As Edward Deravenel stands alone on the rocky Ravenscar beach he counts his blessings. The war to end all wars is over; he and his brothers have survived. Now he can build Deravenels, the family business empire, into all he has dreamed of.Yet there is a thorn in his side – his reckless younger brother, George. George's gambling and unpaid debts are beginning to cause rumours and unease.And Edward realises that his brother is capable of not just recklessness but blackmail and betrayal. The fortunes of the house of Deravenal suffer a terrible reversal as one disaster follows another, and tragedy strikes.RavenscarA House. A Legacy. A Dynasty.It is Edward's daughter Bess, his golden girl, who carries the family name forward, making an alliance that will secure the empire and the inheritance, and start a new dynasty.And it is Bess's son Harry who stands in his grandfather's shoes at a similar age and vows to rebuild Deravenels to greatness – as long as he can have the son and heir he longs for. Whatever it takes…

The Ravenscar Dynasty, introducing the house of DeRavenel, launches Barbara Taylor Bradford’s epic new series spanning a century.Ravenscar: A house, a legacy and a dynasty.On a bitterly cold day in 1904, the DeRavenel family's future changes for ever. When Cecily DeRavenel tells her 18-year-old son Edward of the death of his father, brother and cousins in a fire, a part of him dies as well.Edward is comforted by his cousin Neville Watkins, who is suspicious of the deaths. The two men vow to seek the truth, avenge the deaths and take control of the business empire usurped from Edward's great uncle sixty years before. And so begins an epic saga about an astonishing family, set in extraordinary times.Handsome, charismatic and a notorious womaniser, Edward battles his cousin, Henry Grant, for control of the family empire. Elizabeth Wyland, a young widow and a great beauty, stands by his side, and they are secretly married. She is power hungry, and ambitious. But Edward also has a mistress: Jane Shaw, a constant in his life. And as Elizabeth's jealousy damages their marriage, Edward's only solace is his work and Jane.Edward's position as the glamorous head of the DeRavenels is fatally rocked when betrayal comes from within. Soon, catastrophe threatens to destroy the family and the business…Power and money, passion and adultery, ambition and treachery – all illuminate a dramatic saga set against the backdrop of the Edwardian Era and the Belle Epoque, just before the First World War.

Ravenscar: a house, a legacy, a dynasty.Elizabeth Turner, scion of the fabled Deravenel family, carries the red-gold hair and beautiful English complexion of her ancestors. And it is not just her colouring that she has inherited from Edward Deravenel. Astute and charismatic, she is also bold, daring and fiercely ambitious, with the same ruthless streak.Now, aged just twenty-five, she stands in the position she has dreamed of - inheriting the family business, Deravenels. Over eight hundred years old, the company is a bastion of male chauvinism and the challenge that lies ahead of Elizabeth is immense.Her future is threatened also by the bitter enmity of her cousin, Mary, who believes herself the rightful heir.Cecil Williams acts as Elizabeth's mentor while navigating the treacherous corridors of power with her. But her greatest ally is her childhood friend, handsome, charming Robert Dunley. Highly intelligent, he is her match in every way – and there is a spark between them that is impossible to resist. Yet Robert is already married. When they begin an affair it scandalises those around them. But far worse is to come…From the family seat perched high on the Yorkshire moors to the glamour of London as the twentieth century draws to a close, Elizabeth fights for her birthright and her inheritance. Passion, drama, betrayal and death stalk the pages of this gripping new blockbuster from the author of A Woman of Substance.

The new blockbuster from one of the world’s greatest storytellers concludes the extraordinary tale of Emma Harte, the original Woman of Substance, and the powerful Harte clan…Linnet O’Neill, great-granddaughter of Emma Harte, finds herself following in the footsteps of the original woman of substance as she battles to save the family business. She and Emma’s other great-granddaughters are tested to the limit as the final chapter in the extraordinary story of the Harte family draws to a dramatic close…Returning from from her honeymoon full of fresh ideas for bringing the Harte empire into the new century Linnet and her mother, Paula, lock horns in a battle about the future. When Paula falls ill, Linnet finds herself alone at the helm, just as her great-grandmother once was. Will she become the new Emma Harte?Evan Hughes, the American great-granddaughter of Emma, is pregnant and planning her small family wedding. Life seems good until a harsh confrontation with her adopted sister puts Evan in hospital.Tessa Fairley, Paula’s daughter, is ready to start a new life after an acrimonious divorce. But having always believed herself to be her mother’s rightful heir, Tessa is reluctant to forego her chances of the top spot.India Standish, in the midst of planning her own glamorous summer wedding in Ireland, is thrown off balance when her fiancé Dusty’s daughter, Atlanta comes to live with them – closely followed by Dusty’s unstable ex-girlfriend, intent on trouble….However, it is Evan’s sister Angharad who makes the most ripples within the family, trying to infiltrate the quartet of young women and latching on to Jonathan Ainsley, deadly enemy of the Hartes, in the process, putting them all in danger.Then two beloved members of the Harte family unexpectedly die, causing grief and heartbreak. And Jonathan Ainsley seems ever closer to wreaking his revenge…

Forty years ago, the world was introduced to Emma Harte. Now meet M, a new woman of substance guaranteed to win our hearts all over again. A new era has begun… When those you love are threatened, there's nothing you won't do to protect them… you'll even resort to breaking the rules.Following a terrifying encounter in the quiet English countryside, a dark beauty flees to New York in search of a new life. Adopting the initial M as her name, she embarks on a journey that will lead her to the glamorous catwalks of Paris.When M meets charming and handsome actor Larry Vaughan they fall instantly in love and soon this couple become an international sensation, appearing on the front cover of every celebrity magazine. M delights in her successful career and perfect marriage and believes she has truly put the demons of her past to bed.But M's fortunes are about to take another dramatic turn when a dark figure from her past, someone who she thought she'd never see again, is back and determined to shatter M's world forever.

A glittering new novel of deeply-buried secrets, passionate love, obsession and redemption from the master storyteller.Thirty-year old Serena Stone is a talented war photographer who has followed in her famous father’s footsteps. But when he dies unexpectedly, she steps away from the war zone to reassess her life. At the same time, her former lover, Zachary North, comes out of Afghanistan a broken man in desperate need of a real friend.Serena and Zac inevitably rekindle their passion. But when Serena stumbles across one of her father’s old photographs, her whole world is turned upside down…In search of the truth about her father, her family and her own life, Serena begins a desperate quest to uncover a story from decades earlier.

Thirty years ago the world was introduced to Emma Harte. Now meet M, a new woman of substance guaranteed to win our hearts all over again. A new era has begun.When those you love are threatened, there’s nothing you won’t do to protect them… you’ll even resort to Breaking the Rules.Following a terrifying encounter in the quiet English countryside, a dark beauty flees to New York in search of a new life. Adopting the initial M as her name, she embarks on a journey that will lead her to the catwalks of Paris where she becomes the muse and star model to France’s iconic top designer Jean-Louis Tremont.When M meets charming and handsome actor Larry Vaughan they fall instantly in love with one another. Soon they become the most desired couple on the international scene, appearing on the front cover of every celebrity magazine, adored by millions. With a successful career and a perfect marriage, M believes she has truly put the demons of her past to bed.But M’s fortunes are about to take another dramatic turn when a dark figure from her past, someone who she thought she’d never see again, is back and determined to shatter M’s world forever.From the chic fashion capitals of London and Paris, to the exotic locations of Istanbul and Hong Kong, Breaking the Rules is an enthralling story of love and redemption, secrets and survival from the bestselling author of A Woman of Substance.

SCaptivating and evocative, Letter from Istanbul will take you on an unforgettable journey from idyllic Connecticut to exotic Istanbul to war-torn Berlin then back to the present day.When award-winning film maker Justine Nolan returns to her beautiful childhood home, she is intrigued by an envelope she finds in her absent mother’s post. But the letter inside contains a shocking revelation. If genuine, it will change everything she believes about her family’s recent history, her mother and her adored grandmother, Gabriele.With the support of her beloved twin brother, Richard, Justine resolves to uncover the truth. To do so she must travel to Istanbul – the teeming, beguiling city on the cusp of East and West. It is a place which holds its own secrets, leading her to a fascinating man who appears to know more than he is prepared to disclose.Yet even when her quest succeeds, Justine is faced with a further mystery: Gabriele’s background is not what it seems. Justine is given a book of memories in which the real story unfolds, taking her back to the darkest days of European history, with its suffering and astonishing acts of bravery. At the heart of it lie the final facts of Gabriele’s identity – and her own.The letter from a stranger has brought her not only to the truth about her family but also a chance to heal the wounds of past betrayals, to embrace a new love and a new life.

From the bestselling author of A Woman of Substance comes an explosive novel about one woman's journey to success.Seduction, passion and international intrigue. Playing the game has never been so thrilling.Good looking, successful Annette Remmington is a London art consultant and dealer at the top of her game. When a rare and long-lost Rembrandt finds its way into her hands, she becomes the most talked about dealer in the world as she auctions it for millions of pounds.Married to the dashing Marius Remmington, Annette owes her life to him for it was he who rescued her from a dark and troubled past. And now he wants to hand-pick the best journalist to write a profile on his talented wife.But Marius has unknowingly made a devastating mistake by bringing Jack Chalmers into their lives and soon Annette’s career and marriage are on the line. How could Marcus have known that Jack would uncover a secret that could destroy them all?

Multi-million copy bestseller Barbara Taylor Bradford’s glittering new novel of deeply-buried secrets, passionate love, obsession and redemption.Thirty-year old Serena Stone is a talented war photographer who has followed in her famous father’s footsteps. But when he dies unexpectedly, she steps away from the war zone to reassess her life. At the same time, her former lover, Zachary North, comes out of Afghanistan a broken man in desperate need of a real friend.Serena and Zac inevitably rekindle their passion. But when Serena stumbles across one of her father’s old photographs, her whole world is turned upside down…In search of the truth about her father, her family and her own life, Serena begins a desperate quest to uncover a story from decades earlier.

Now a major new Channel 4 series starring Brenda Blethyn (Vera) and Jessica Reynolds (Outlander) from OBE‑honoured, award‑winning author Barbara Taylor Bradford One girl. One secret. One unstoppable ascent. In 1905 a young kitchen maid leaves Fairley Hall. Emma Harte is sixteen, single and pregnant.By 1968 she is one of the richest women in the world, ruler of a business empire stretching from Yorkshire to the glittering cities of America and the rugged vastness of Australia.But what is the price she has paid? ‘Rivals meets Poldark, with a dash of Downton and Dynasty’ Guardian 'Still a story for our times' The Times ‘ [This] blockbuster 1979 period saga of female empowerment has been remade for a new generation' Daily Mail ‘An extravagant, absorbing novel of love, courage, ambition, war, death and passion’ New York Times ‘Few novelists are as consummate as Barbara Taylor Bradford at keeping the reader turning the page. She is one of the best at spinning yarns’ Guardian

The book the fans have been waiting for: the much-anticipated sequel to the phenomenally successful A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE.The legendary Emma Harte, the heroine of A Woman of Substance, returns in this sweeping saga of power, corruption, love and secrets…Paula O'Neill, beloved granddaughter of Emma Harte and the guardian of her vast business empire, believes all that Emma left to the family is secure. However, beneath the surface tension is mounting and sibling rivalry brewing.Into this volatile mix walks Evan Hughes, a young American fashion designer. Her grandmother's dying wish was that Evan find Emma Harte. But Emma has been dead for thirty years…Troubled by Evan's presence, and her uncanny resemblance to the family, Paula turns to Emma's war-time diaries.Emma Harte comes vividly back to life. It is London during the Blitz. As bombs drop, sirens wail and her sons go off to war, Emma's trademark resilience, will power and strength all come to the fore. And as the pages unfurl, Paula discovers the secret Emma took to the grave.

A riveting novel that begins with a murder in an old Connecticut barn and reaches its climax on Broadway.We first meet Katie Byrne at seventeen. A tall beauty with reddish-gold hair, she has always wanted to be an actress. Her two best friends share her passion for the theatre, and the three girls have spent much of their childhood rehearsing plays in an old barn in Connecticut. Leaving early one day to help her mother prepare dinner, Katie realizes she has left her schoolbooks at the barn and she and her older brother return to retrieve them. When they arrive, they find the barn, the setting of so many happy dreams, has become the scene of a nightmare: one of Katie's friends has been raped and murdered, and the other lies unconscious.Ten years later, Katie, a struggling actress in New York, is still haunted by the tragedy. Her friend Carly remains in a coma, and Katie desperately wants to achieve success and stardom not only for herself but also for her two old friends. Her big chance comes when she is discovered and wins a major role in a Broadway play. A promising love affair adds to the excitement of working on Broadway; but Katie must face the demons of the past before she can embrace the possibilities of the future.

The latest novel from the genuinely bestselling author of seventeen compelling novels, from A Woman of Substance to The Triumph of Katie Byrne.As students at the prestigious Anya Sedgwick School of Decorative Arts in Paris, Alexandra Gordon, Kay Lenox, Jessica Pierce and Maria Franconi share the challenges and excitement of developing their artistic talents to the fullest under Sedgwick's caring and demanding guidance. But once best friends, they part enemies, and after graduation they go their separate ways, pursuing careers and establishing lives in different corners of the world.Alexandra, a set designer, becomes a leading figure in New York's theatre world. Kay, who marries and moves to Scotland, designs a successful line of clothing. Jessica, an interior designer, makes her home in California, while Maria returns to her native Italy, where she continues to work in her family's textile business.For each of them, the arrival of an invitation to Paris to celebrate Anya Sedgwick's eighty-fifth birthday stirs up complicated feelings: nostalgic memories are coloured by poignant regrets and the reluctance to revisit their own pasts mixes with curiosity about the other women. It is ultimately their desire to deal with unfinished business that convinces all of them to attend the party. During three eventful weeks in Paris, they visit their old haunts, rekindle ties, and awaken in each other the sense of wonder, adventure, and possibilities they had shared so long ago.

The new blockbuster from one of the world’s greatest storytellers continues the legacy of A Woman of Substance.The great-grandaughters of Emma Harte, the heroine of A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE and EMMA'S SECRET, follow in her legendary footsteps…Evan Hughes, Emma's American great-grandaughter, is trying to integrate into the powerful Harte family. She is caught between her estranged parents, her new family, and new love. Meanwhile a dangerous enemy hovers in the background.Tessa Longden, Evan's cousin, is battling her husband for custody of their daughter, Adele. When Adele suddenly goes missing, Tessa seeks her sister Linnet's help.Linnet O'Neill, the most brilliant businesswoman of the four great-granddaughters, is the natural heir to her mother, Paula. But her glittering future at the helm of the vast Harte empire means many sacrifices.India Standish, the traditionalist in the family, falls in love with a famous British artist from a working-class background. Madly in love, India is determined to marry him.When Evan discovers letters from Emma Harte to her grandmother, the story is swept back to the 1950s. But it is the revelations in Emma's letters to her grandmother that give Evan a new perspective and help to set her free from her own past.This latest dramatic story in the on-going saga of an extraordinary family dynasty is full of love, passion and jealousy and is Barbara Taylor Bradford at her inimitable best.

A dramatic and inspiring page-turner that illuminates the power of love.Thirty-three-year-old Bill Fitzgerald is an acclaimed American television foreign correspondent. War-weary and exhausted after a long stint in Bosnia, he travels to Venice to meet Francis Xavier Peterson, and old friend and war correspondent for Time magazine.Vanessa Stewart is a twenty-seven-year-old glass designer from New York. She’s also in Venice , visiting the glass-blowing works in Murano.Whilst at the bar of the Gritti Palace Hotel on the Grand Canal with Frankie, Bill is struck by the dark beauty of a young woman seated alone. The young woman is Vanessa. The three expatriates meet and decide that, as Americans in Venice , they should celebrate Thanksgiving together. And that evening, full of warmth and comaraderie, begins an illicit though fateful love affair.

A compelling story of old loves and old secrets.Sebastian, the fifty-six-year-old patriarch of the Locke clan, is handsome, charismatic, a man of immense charm and intelligence. He heads up the philanthropic Locke Foundation, and travels the globe, personally giving away millions a year to the poor, the sick, and the victims of natural disasters and wars. And now, he is dead – murdered in mysterious circumstances that have the police at a loss. Who would want to kill the world’s greatest philanthropist? Could such an upstanding man have enemies?Vivienne Trent, a glamorous American journalist, met Locke as a child, married him, divorced him, but stayed close to him. Aware that there was another side to this enigmatic man, she sets out to find the truth about his death – and about Locke himself.

Absorbing and heartrendingly real tale of one woman’s life and feelings laid bare.Mallory Keswick is a woman with the world at her feet. Then out of the blue, that world is shattered by violent tragedy and she loses all that she holds dear.Torn by grief, Mal knows that she must rebuild her life. She flees to a village on the Yorkshire moors where she learns to draw on the deepest reserves of her spirit.Returning to Connecticut, Mal opens a cafe and shop selling gourmet food and kitchenware and turns it into a highly successful venture. But there remains in her life an aching void, a grief that no individual, nor her new-found business acumen, can assuage. Then she meets Richard Markson, and once more, Mal’s life has come to a crossroads. It is he who shows her that she has everything to gain – but only if she has the courage to take it.

A forgotten past hides the key to the future.Meredith Stratton, at forty-four the owner of six elegant international inns, is about to celebrate her daughter’s engagement. At this seemingly happy time in her life she begins to suffer from a strange illness that baffles everyone. Her doctor cannot find a physical cause for her debilitating symptoms, and, desperate for answers, she seeks the help of a psychiatrist. Through therapy Meredith peels back the layers of her life to discover the truth behind her most careful creation – herself. Determined to get well, Meredith traces her roots back to another country where she learns about childhood experiences that dramatically changed her life. What she discovers is not only the key to the past but to her future happiness and fulfilment as a woman.Moving from the Connecticut countryside, the busy streets and suites of London, Paris and New York, to the pastoral beauty of a château in the Loire, Her Own Rules is an exciting and suspenseful novel about secrets, survival, redemption and love.

The essential read for Spring – the story of a remarkable woman who discovers that her success, prestige and wealth cannot help when tragedy strikes.At forty-seven, Stephanie Jardine is at the apex of her career and her life, running the American branch of Jardine’s, the prestigious Crown Jewellers of London. Having fully come to terms with her long widowhood, Stevie now draws emotional strength and contentment from her work and her family. Then, one day, an unexpected act of violence committed by a stranger on the other side of the world plunges Stevie into turmoil and despair.In order to save her injured daughter’s life and ensure her future, Stevie must go back to her own past and confront a relationship which has only ever brought her heartbreak. As she battles to save her daughter, Stevie comes to understand how fragile life really is, and how it can be ineluctably changed by others when we least expect it.