Maggie Ford – författare

Will she ever be anything more than an East End girl?Cissy Farmer longs to escape her life in London's Docklands where times are hard and money is tight. And when she meets the debonair Langley Makepeace, her dream seems within reach. But the price of belonging in Langley's brittle, sophisticated world could be much higher than Cissy ever imagined. Torn between Langley and her gentle childhood sweetheart, Eddie Bennet, she is forced to gamble on her future chance of happiness, a decision that will change her life forever...From the author of A Girl in Wartime and A Soldier’s Girl

Will she ever be her soldier’s sweetheart?Jenny has been in love with the handsome and successful Matthew Ward since she was sixteen. Only she was too shy to make her feelings known.When Matthew joins the army Jenny is also determined to do her bit for the war effort and becomes a nurse. Her newfound skills give her fresh confidence. However, when they meet again will he be the same man she once loved?(note: previously published as For All the Bright Promise)

Torn between love and duty...Letty Bancroft longs to be married but her father has other ideas – he wants his daughter to stay at home and help run his East End shop.Heartbroken, Letty must remain unwed while her sweetheart goes off to fight in France. But her love affair has had consequences that will see her more determined than ever to be a soldier’s bride...

Can she escape the hardships of her past?Growing up in London’s tough East End, young Sara Porter has had to learn to take care of herself. Her mother resents her maternal responsibilities and has never shown her daughter the slightest bit of love.Starved of affection, Sara vows not to let anyone get close and focuses instead on getting out of the East End. But still she hopes that one day she’ll find a real family to call her own…(Note: previously published as The Angry Heart by Elizabeth Lord)

Eveline’s father believes a woman’s place is in the home...But when she is accidentally caught up in a suffragette march, it changes her life forever. She finds friendships, and even the possibility of love too in the form of the gentlemanly Laurence Jones-Fairbrook. But will she be forced to choose between her family and friends... between duty and love?(Note: previously published as Give Me Tomorrow by Elizabeth Lord)

Will she ever be anything more than an East End girl?Cissy Farmer longs to escape her life in London's Docklands where times are hard and money is tight. And when she meets the debonair Langley Makepeace, her dream seems within reach. But the price of belonging in Langley's brittle, sophisticated world could be much higher than Cissy ever imagined. Torn between Langley and her gentle childhood sweetheart, Eddie Bennet, she is forced to gamble on her future chance of happiness, a decision that will change her life forever...From the author of A Girl in Wartime and A Soldier’s Girl

Will she ever be her soldier’s sweetheart?Jenny has been in love with the handsome and successful Matthew Ward since she was sixteen. Only she was too shy to make her feelings known.When Matthew joins the army Jenny is also determined to do her bit for the war effort and becomes a nurse. Her newfound skills give her fresh confidence. However, when they meet again will he be the same man she once loved?(note: previously published as For All the Bright Promise)

In his absence, she will find her strength…After a childhood in poverty and leaving school to work at the age of thirteen, life is beginning to look up for Brenda Wilson. Freshly married to her handsome soldier husband, she finds her true vocation in hairdressing.However, Brenda is forced to give up her dreams of owning her own salon as Harry is called into service, leaving her to bring up their daughter all by herself...A warm-hearted and gripping saga, from the author of The Factory Girl and A Girl in Wartime

There’s no escape from the effects of war...It’s June 1914 and young Connie Lovell should be helping with the war effort. Instead, she applies for a job at the London Herald, where she meets the handsome editor Stephen Clayton.Nine years her senior, she knows her family won’t approve. She is helplessly drawn to him, and despite a past he won’t talk about, he is undeniably attracted to her. But as the war rages on, will Stephen be forced to enlist, and can their union survive the consequences?

Will Pam’s secret tear her family apart?After the market crash of 1929, the Bowmaker family in Leigh-on-Sea are struggling to make ends meet. In these harsh times they must support each other or they risk their tight-knit family falling apart. But Pamela Bowmaker has a secret. Her sweetheart is George Bryant, whose family has been feuding with the Bowmakers’ since before she was born. With a baby on the way, Pam will need her family’s help more than ever. Can their love heal old wounds for the sake of their baby, or are some grudges too deep to mend?A warm-hearted and gripping saga, from the author of The Factory Girl and A Girl in Wartime

From rags to riches...With the Armistice only a few months passed, times are hard for eighteen-year-old Geraldine Glover. A machinist at Rubins clothing factory in the East End, she dreams of a more glamorous life. When she meets Tony Hanford, the young and handsome proprietor of a small jeweller's shop in Bond Street, Geraldine is propelled into a new world – but it comes at a heavy price...

In the 1920s, nobody is safe from scandal...Amy Harrington leads a privileged life out in London society. Her maid, Alice Jordan, lives in the poverty-ridden East End. But when a disgraced Amy is disowned by her parents and fiancé, Alice is the only person she can turn to…Forced to give up her life of luxury, Amy lodges with Alice’s friendly working class family. But while Amy hatches a plan to get revenge on her former love who caused her downfall, Alice finds herself swept into the glittering society her mistress has just lost. And when Amy meets Alice’s handsome older brother Tom, they can only hope that love can conquer all… Will the two girls ever lead the lives they dream of?

What will she sacrifice for love? Growing up in London’s East End with six siblings, Nora Taylor has always been close to her younger sister Maggie. But when she meets Maggie’s fiancé Robert, they are immediately drawn to each other. Forced to choose between her family and her heart, Nora decides to marry the man she loves – even if it means losing her sister.When the First World War breaks out, Nora must fight to hold her family together through the challenges and tragedies to come. As her children grow up they embark on their own adventures, but another war will threaten all their hopes for the future. Can this broken family survive the dark days of wartime?A sweeping saga charting one family’s fortunes through the First and Second World War and beyond, perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Dilly Court.

From rags to riches…?Since her father's death, Emma Beech has supported her family by selling paper flowers to the theatre crowds in the West End. But when Emma meets street musician Theodore Barrington, she dreams of finally leaving poverty behind. Previously known as the Great Theodore on the London stage, Barrington turns Emma's head with tales of his former glory. But as Emma is captivated and eager to become his new assistant, she must face her mother’s disapproval over their secret rehearsals. Forced to make a difficult decision between staying loyal to her family and her roots, or pursuing fame and fortune, will she follow her heart or her head?...A gripping East End saga, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Maggie Hope.

Can this East End girl find a better life? Born in a tenement on the Isle of Dogs, Jessie has higher hopes for her future. When she manages to land a job at the Telephone Exchange, her earnings allow her to join the choir at the People's Palace. There, she catches the eye of the charming James Medway who sweeps her off her feet.But married life isn't a bed of roses, and when Jessie falls pregnant it quickly becomes clear that James is far from the doting husband she'd hoped for. Can Jessie find a way to stay strong for her baby?A heart-warming and gripping East End Saga, perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Maggie Hope.

What will she sacrifice for love? Growing up in London’s East End with six siblings, Nora Taylor has always been close to her younger sister Maggie. But when she meets Maggie’s fiancé Robert, they are immediately drawn to each other. Forced to choose between her family and her heart, Nora decides to marry the man she loves – even if it means losing her sister.When the First World War breaks out, Nora must fight to hold her family together through the challenges and tragedies to come. As her children grow up they embark on their own adventures, but another war will threaten all their hopes for the future. Can this broken family survive the dark days of wartime?A sweeping saga charting one family’s fortunes through the First and Second World War and beyond, perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Dilly Court.

Can this East End girl find a better life? Born in a tenement on the Isle of Dogs, Jessie has higher hopes for her future. When she manages to land a job at the Telephone Exchange, her earnings allow her to join the choir at the People's Palace. There, she catches the eye of the charming James Medway who sweeps her off her feet.But married life isn't a bed of roses, and when Jessie falls pregnant it quickly becomes clear that James is far from the doting husband she'd hoped for. Can Jessie find a way to stay strong for her baby?A heart-warming and gripping East End Saga, perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Maggie Hope.

From rags to riches...With the Armistice only a few months passed, times are hard for eighteen-year-old Geraldine Glover. A machinist at Rubins clothing factory in the East End, she dreams of a more glamorous life. When she meets Tony Hanford, the young and handsome proprietor of a small jeweller's shop in Bond Street, Geraldine is propelled into a new world – but it comes at a heavy price...

She must fight to save her family from ruin.Julia Longfield has a comfortable life. She lives on the fringes of the East End, in a prosperous and middle-class neighbourhood with her family, and is looking forward to the announcement of her engagement to Chester Morrison. But when Julia's father dies suddenly, the family are left in poverty and Julia is jilted by her fianc. It falls to Julia to look after her mother and younger siblings and find them new lodgings. Ambitious and determined to fight for her family, Julia seizes upon an opportunity when she meets Simon Layzell, the owner of a shop selling dress fabric. Together, they decide to go into business and a new partnership is formed, giving Julia the chance at a better future. An uplifting and engaging saga set in 1920s London, perfect for fans of Rosie Harris and Katie Flynn.

She has the chance for a new life, but will she take it?When their mother dies of pneumonia, Ellie and her younger sister Dora are left alone in the world. Their hard-drinking, womanising father has abandoned them, and they cannot afford the rent on their East End tenement alone. Ellie is proud but she cannot turn down an offer of help from Doctor Lowe, a kindly man who sees Ellie as the replacement for his own recently deceased daughter.Though Doctor Lowe's motives are misguided, his kindness offers Ellie and Dora an opportunity to escape the poverty of their background and make something of themselves. But will Ellie risk her chance at a new life for revenge on her father? An enthralling Victorian saga of family and female independence, perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Val Wood.

Cast out by her family, she must find a new pathMadeleine Wyndham returns home from her Swiss finishing school to a whirlwind of social engagements and parties and to Hamilton Bramwell, the wealthy young man her parents are determined she will marry. But Madeleine's eye is caught by a young milkman, Freddy and she dreams of running away with him. However, when she finds herself pregnant, Freddy refuses to marry her and Madeleine is forced to leave by her family.Madeleine arrives in London, friendless and homeless until a chance meeting offers her hope for the future. Madeleine is faced with a tough decision to make, one which will change her life forever.An engrossing saga set in London during World War One, perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Rosie Goodwin.

With three men vying for her attention, which will she choose?Mary Owen is forced to seek work in order to support her elderly aunt. Catching the eye of Will, a young waiter at Letts restaurant, she strikes it lucky: Will is desperate to meet her acquaintance and persuades the head chef to take Mary on in the kitchen.It is not only Will who takes an interest in Mary. After spending two years in the trenches, Henry Lett has taken on the running of the family's famous London restaurant since his father got sick. Henry is intrigued by Mary's mysterious beauty and promoted her to an office job. But before he can make a move, his younger brother enters the scene. Charming, irresponsible Geoffrey, with film-star looks and money to burn, seems to have everything a girl on the brink of womanhood could desire.An engaging saga set in 1920s London, perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Katie Flynn.

Can she have a second chance at happiness?Mary Lett has been struggling since the death of her baby daughter. Her husband Geoffrey cannot understand why she finds it so difficult to let go of the memory of their child and seeks solace elsewhere.In an effort to forget his own feelings for Mary, Geoffrey's brother, Henry, marries another woman. Meanwhile, Will considers marriage to be out of the question.When it becomes clear that Mary and Geoffrey have really hit the rocks, both Henry and Will are presented with another chance at happiness, but are either of them able to take it?An emotional saga of love and second chances, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Rosie Harris.

Old secrets will threaten everything they hold dear When Henry Lett dies, he leaves a restaurant that is far from thriving. His nephew, Edwin, is loath to see the once-famous Letts pass out of the family's hands, and he persuades his aunt to sell her shares and give him a chance to get the restaurant back on its feet. As Edwin prepares to marry Helen, the lovely young daughter of restaurant manager, William Goodridge, it seems everything has fallen into place. But the flame of attraction between Helen and Hugh, Edwin's cousin, simmers in the background. A fearful Will watches over the trio, waiting and wondering when to reveal a secret that will reopen old wounds.An absorbing saga of post-war London, perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Fiona Ford.