Margaret Thornton – författare

The death of her enigmatic great aunt takes a young woman on a journey that leads to family secrets, heartbreak and finally happiness in this absorbing family saga.1990, Blackpool. 33-year-old Helen Burnside is shocked when she learns that her beloved Great Aunt Alice has died of a sudden heart attack, and even more surprised when Alice's will reveals that she has bequeathed her Yorkshire cottage to Helen. Although Helen was close to her aunt, Alice was an enigmatic figure, estranged from most of her family. What led to the long-held animosity between Alice, her mother, Ada and her sister, Lizzie, and why did she leave Blackpool for Yorkshire all those years ago?Moving into Alice's cottage in the small Yorkshire village of Thornbeck, Helen uncovers a series of devastating family secrets dating back to the Second World War. But as Helen starts to piece together the truth about her aunty's life, it seems her own is about to travel in unexpected and life-changing directions.

This Advanced Introduction overviews the ongoing struggle for gender equality since the nineteenth century. It considers how women have looked to law as a means of facilitating entry into the public sphere, including in higher education, work and professional life.

The book examines the feminist assertation that ‘the personal is political’ and addresses issues in the private sphere that have long been on the reform agenda, including marriage, divorce, sexual assault and violence against women. It also considers the current fragmentation of feminism, or ‘postfeminism’; while critics argue the aims of feminism have been achieved, data on sexual harassment and violence against women by intimate partners reveals the continuing elusiveness of gender equality.

Key Features:

The Advanced Introduction to Feminist Perspectives on Law is highly beneficial to students and scholars of gender law, legal theory, legal philosophy and feminist history.

This provocative collection of essays by scholars from the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand explores the uneasy relationship between law and popular culture from a feminist perspective. The essays not only consider the representation of law in popular culture, including film, crime fiction and the media, but also the representation of popular culture in legal texts.

Romancing the Tomes shows that while popular culture is bewitched by law, particularly anything to do with sex and crime, law is anxious to resist the unruliness of popular culture. The collection is multidisciplinary, with contributors from a range of areas, including cultural studies, women''s studies and legal studies. The essays are complemented by the poems of prize-winning lawyer-poet, MTC Cronin. Romancing the Tomes will appeal to a wide cross-section of academic and general readers. It is suitable for inclusion on undergraduate reading lists for law, history, women''s studies, criminology and media studies, as well as any other course with an interest in cultural studies.

This provocative collection of essays by scholars from the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand explores the uneasy relationship between law and popular culture from a feminist perspective. The essays not only consider the representation of law in popular culture, including film, crime fiction and the media, but also the representation of popular culture in legal texts.

Romancing the Tomes shows that while popular culture is bewitched by law, particularly anything to do with sex and crime, law is anxious to resist the unruliness of popular culture. The collection is multidisciplinary, with contributors from a range of areas, including cultural studies, women''s studies and legal studies. The essays are complemented by the poems of prize-winning lawyer-poet, MTC Cronin. Romancing the Tomes will appeal to a wide cross-section of academic and general readers. It is suitable for inclusion on undergraduate reading lists for law, history, women''s studies, criminology and media studies, as well as any other course with an interest in cultural studies.

With the war providing escape, how long will their happiness last? Set during the advent of the Second World War, Margaret Thornton''s It''s a Lovely Day Tomorrow follows two sisters as they discover independence for the first time... as well as love. Perfect for fans of Pam Evans and Maureen Lee. ''Warm-hearted, evocative saga of life in Blackpool during World War II'' - British Book News Jenny Carter has always led a sheltered life, protected by those she loves. Leaving school at fourteen, she is faced with no alternative but to help her mother, Annie, run Pleasant View boarding house in Blackpool. To the holidaymakers it is a welcoming retreat, but to Jenny and her younger sister Violet, who struggle to keep up with their mother''s intolerable demands, it feels more like the workhouse. Then Jenny meets Tom Bradshaw, an idealistic young Yorkshire lad who not only stands up to Annie''s caustic remarks, but whisks Jenny straight off her feet and down the aisle.Happy though their marriage is and much as she loves their young daughter, Jenny feels she has slipped uncontrollably from dominated daughter into doting wife and mother, and there are times when she yearns for the independence she has been denied. Then Germany invades Poland, and Tom, eager for a slice of the action, joins up to fight in the Second World War.The ensuing war years provide Jenny and her sister with their first taste of freedom: Violet finds work in an aircraft factory, while Jenny takes in a little evacuee. And before long, both girls have begun to fall in love... What readers are saying about It''s a Lovely Day Tomorrow: ''If you like wartime stories, you will love this. Very down to earth about what went on behind the scenes, and very realistic''''A good family saga which I love and could read forever'' ''Five stars''

The path of true love rarely runs smoothly... In A Pair of Sparkling Eyes, Margaret Thornton writes a moving saga of two sisters, and their search for love. Perfect for fans of Maureen Lee and Sheila Newberry.Hetty - wild, impetuous and more vivacious than her sister - wastes no time in acquainting herself with the seaside town they now call home, and before long she is courting Albert, the sweet-natured lad next door, and singing in a Blackpool tavern. But when gypsies descend upon South Shore, and Hetty meets the darkly handsome Reuben, her attentions are diverted once again. Grace finds it harder to adjust to her new surroundings but a visit to Donnelly''s department store leads to an encounter with the owner''s son, so when Grace secures a job on the shop floor she looks forward to each day with mounting excitement. Although Edwin Donnelly is a Catholic and his parents want him to marry family friend Constance Whitehead, he ignores their wishes and embarks on an affair with the less suitable Grace. But the path of true love rarely runs smooth and each girl must face heartache and tragedy before her eventual happiness is secured. What readers are saying about A Pair of Sparkling Eyes: ''Storytelling at its best''''You somehow know all is going to turn out well, but there are enough twists and turns to keep you wanting to turn the pages''''Five stars'' Don''t miss the heart-stopping sequel: There''s a Silver Lining

Two sisters search for love... In Margaret Thornton''s How Happy We Shall Be, two sisters suffer heartache in the 1950s in a gripping saga that moves between the bustling streets of London and the windswept beaches of Blackpool. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Nadine Dorries. ''A smashing holiday read'' - Lancashire Evening Telegraph Rosie and Patsy Bradshaw became sisters during the Second World War when Rosie was adopted as an orphaned evacuee in Blackpool. Since then, they''ve been the best of friends - some would say, inseparable - but as the girls reach adulthood it is time for them to part.Rosie is determined to make the most of life and travels to art college in London. She is enchanted by Kensington in the fifties and falls madly in love with her tutor. Despite knowing the dangers of such an attachment, Rosie is unprepared for just how much hurt lies ahead. Meanwhile, Patsy can''t help feeling she doesn''t fit in, and only a chance encounter with Ronnie Sykes, a childhood friend from Blackpool, gives new meaning and hope to her days at college. But a jealous rival soon puts paid to their romance...So it is that both sisters have yet to succeed in their search for love, and reunited in Blackpool, they decide to make a new start and recapture the happiness shared in their youth. What readers are saying about How Happy We Shall Be: ''I loved this book as I felt the characters were so real and I could sympathise with their conflicts''''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down'' ''Five stars''

After a series of upheavals, Josie finds friendship in the unlikeliest of places... Margaret Thornton''s Forgive Our Foolish Ways is a powerful saga of grief, family and friendship during the stormy days of the Second World War. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Annie Murray.''A lovely book to read by the fireside on dark, long nights'' - Herald Express Struggling to come to terms with her mother''s tragic death, Josie Goodwin is distraught when she hears that her father is to remarry before the year is out. Bossy, buxom Iris Collier, who''s had her eye on Samuel Goodwin for quite some time, is to be Josie''s stepmother and it''s clear from the start they aren''t going to get on. A family holiday in Blackpool with her younger brother Bertie and sister Frances fills Josie with joy, but the growing intimacy between Iris and Frances soon dampens her spirits, making her feel isolated and unloved.After the holiday Josie finds that the situation at home doesn''t improve. Then the Second World War erupts and a series of events take place that will change her life forever. Moving to Blackpool to escape from the war''s painful memories, she gains a deeper understanding of her stepmother''s ways and slowly but surely they establish a bond of friendship that is to see them through the ups and downs of the coming years. What readers are saying about Forgive Our Foolish Ways: ''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down''''Brilliant''''Five stars''

Sometimes the past cannot be forgotten... Margaret Thornton writes a heartrending saga in A Stick of Blackpool Rock - the story of a young mother escaping the past, only to have it catch up with her again. Perfect for fans of Maureen Lee and Lyn Andrews.''A brilliant read'' - Woman''s Realm For several years Ellen Bamber has helped her mother run a sweet stall on Preston Market. But by night she has suffered the violence of her drunken husband, tolerating his abuse for the sake of their two young children, Rachel and George. Then, following an evening''s excessive drinking, William falls into the path of a hansom cab and dies, and Ellen can''t help feeling that her silent prayers have been answered.But a few days after William''s funeral Ellen discovers that her husband was not only violent but also unfaithful, and the knowledge of his illegitimate child tears her apart. Even when she moves her family to Blackpool and Ellen sets up in the rock-making industry and remarries, she still fears that one day the legacy of William''s misconduct will destroy the happiness she and her children have fought so hard to achieve... What readers are saying about A Stick of Blackpool Rock: ''Would recommend this book, got totally engrossed in it''''I loved it, didn''t want to put it down each night - It had a bit of everything''''Five stars''

A young woman forges an unlikely friendship with a plucky evacuee... Margaret Thornton''s Wish Upon a Star is a moving wartime saga of two lost souls finding comfort and friendship in one another under the storm clouds of war. Perfect for fans of Sheila Newberry and Lyn Andrews. ''A delightful book; full of humour and warmth against an authentic war-time Blackpool when Pablo''s sold ice-cream and troops from abroad drilled on the promenade'' - Lancashire Mag When Sally Bamber and her mother-in-law Ellen decide to take in two evacuees at the start of the Second World War neither of them can imagine that three young children will soon be living under their roof. One of them, in particular, stands out as the grubbiest, most ill-spoken child they have ever met, but with her warmth and friendliness, Gloria Mulligan soon wins a special place in Sally''s heart. Sally hasn''t been lucky enough to have children of her own and she sees in Gloria the daughter she''s always wished for. Meanwhile Gloria, who has been starved of genuine affection from her own large family, secretly wishes that she will never have to go home again. But life seldom works out as we would wish and when the horror of war begins to take its toll, Sally, Gloria and the entire Blackpool community must face the consequences... What readers are saying about Wish Upon a Star: ''An engaging tale - I found it hard to put the book down''''Will read this book all over again''''Five stars''

With two suitors battling for her affections, will Frances listen to her heart or her head? The Sound of Her Laughter is an engrossing saga from Margaret Thornton of a young teacher''s homecoming to Blackpool. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Dilly Court. It is with mixed with feelings that Frances Goodwin, a pretty young infant school teacher, returns to Blackpool from Yorkshire to look after her increasingly ailing mother, Iris. It''s not long before Frances is frustrated - not just with the severe lack of space at her mother''s small bungalow, but also with constantly having to give an account of her movements. Deciding to expand her horizons to compensate for this lack of freedom, she joins an operatic society where her love of singing and drama is rekindled. However, some real drama enters her life in the form of Adrian Glover, the new local Methodist minister, who visits her school regularly to take assemblies. Kindly, cheerful and completely dependable, Adrian falls in love with Frances and when he asks her to marry him she says yes without hesitation. But the engagement does not go as smoothly as she''d expected. Not only does her mother''s health drastically deteriorate but she also gets to know a new colleague: the distinguished, devilishly good-looking Marcus Avery... What readers are saying about Margaret Thornton: ''[Margaret Thornton is] one of those writers with a sure skill in creating characters who become real to the reader. Indeed, so much so that they seem to leap out of the pages and make the story of which they''re a part even more compelling''''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down'' ''Five stars''

In wartime Britain, can Abbie find the happiness she craves? Looking at the Moon is a powerful saga from Margaret Thornton that tells the story of a young woman blossoming during the dark days of war... and discovering love and happiness is within her grasp. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn. ''A fine romance'' - Belfast TelegraphHaving grown up with a critical, domineering mother and an ineffectual detached father, Abbie Winters, at nineteen years of age, lacks friends, confidence and self-worth. That is, until she meets Doreen, a vivacious girl who works in the local grocer''s. Doreen introduces Abbie to the joys of dancing at the Palace ballroom, and it''s here that she meets Peter Horsfall, a sensitive, kind young airman, who asks her for a date. Eva Winters is determined to prevent Abbie''s friendship developing, but although she unwittingly succeeds in destroying Abbie''s relationship with Peter, she cannot keep Doreen away. In 1942, together with Doreen, Abbie escapes by joining the Land Army where, with the freedom and the fresh air, she blossoms into a most desirable young woman. Fate seems to be smiling on Abbie when she meets Peter again, by chance, in Norfolk - and they fall passionately in love. Can they dare believe that, this time, their happiness will survive Eva Winters'' violent disapproval - and the risks and horrors of war? What readers are saying about Looking at the Moon: ''All I would have wanted and expected''''Well written and a very good story - enjoyed this book very much''''Five stars'' Don''t miss the heart-stopping sequel: All You Need is Love.

After tragedy, her life takes an unexpected turn. Can she ever hope for happiness? In Beyond the Sunset, Margaret Thornton writes a delightful historical saga set in Victorian Blackpool. Perfect for fans Sheila Newberry and Margaret Dickinson.''This flowing novel by a Blackpool-born author interlaces cruelty and great passion in the story of a gipsy''s curse'' - Coventy Evening Telegraph Before Molly Rimmer loses her parents in 1897, her future had seemed full of promise. Through her dream to own a shop in exclusive Jubilee Terrace in Blackpool and her budding relationship with charming gentleman, Joss, Molly hoped to raise herself above the poverty she was born into. But now Molly must take responsibility for her siblings and leave her ambitions, and, Joss, behind. She marries Hector Stubbins, leading light of the local Methodist church, searching for love and security. But Hector is not the man he first appears to be. Will Molly ever be able to find the happiness that once seemed to be within her grasp? What readers are saying about Margaret Thornton: ''[Margaret Thornton is] one of those writers with a sure skill in creating characters who become real to the reader. Indeed, so much so that they seem to leap out of the pages and make the story of which they''re a part even more compelling''''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down'' ''Five stars''

Tragedy changes their lives forever... In the sequel to Looking at the Moon, Margaret Thornton weaves a moving saga in All You Need is Love - a tale of music, family and tragedy set in the swinging sixties. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Nadine Dorries.''Her fans will love it, and it deserves to make fans of new readers'' - West Lancashire Evening Gazette It is the beginning of 1962, a time when four long-haired lads from Liverpool made anything seem possible. Abbie Horsfall returns to her childhood town of Blackpool with her two teenage children, hoping to start afresh following the death of her husband. But Abbie''s troubled daughter, Sandie, seems determined to waste her musical talent in a wild frenzy of party going and recklessness. When Sandie persuades her boyfriend, Greg, to ''borrow'' Abbie''s car the tragic outcome will change their lives forever. What readers are saying about All You Need is Love: ''[Margaret Thornton is] one of those writers with a sure skill in creating characters who become real to the reader. Indeed, so much so that they seem to leap out of the pages and make the story of which they''re a part even more compelling''''Simply put, it''s a wonderful story'' ''Five stars''

A devastating secret threatens the future happiness of Doreen''s family forever... Sunset View is an utterly compelling saga from Margaret Thornton that explores the lives of a Blackpool family in the swinging sixties... and the discovery of a secret that changes everything. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Sheila Newberry.''[A] compulsive page turner'' - Coventry Evening TelegraphIt''s 1965 and Doreen Jarvis and her family have moved from their old boarding house to a more up-market Blackpool hotel. As well as trying to make a success of the new business, Doreen has to deal with the problems faced by her five children, who are all growing up and looking for a life of their own. The eldest, Veronica, is desperately searching for her Mr Right, but is she looking too hard? After a series of disappointments, happiness seems set to elude her. Meanwhile her rebellious sister, Teresa, is determined to make the most of the liberal ''swinging sixties'' scene, but she finds herself out of her depth when her headstrong behaviour lands her in trouble. Then Doreen''s eldest son, Paul, reveals a secret that challenges all their values and threatens to tear the family apart. What readers are saying about Margaret Thornton: ''[Margaret Thornton is] one of those writers with a sure skill in creating characters who become real to the reader. Indeed, so much so that they seem to leap out of the pages and make the story of which they''re a part even more compelling''''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down'' ''Five stars''

A chance moment of passion changes more than one life... Don''t Sit Under the Apple Tree is a captivating wartime saga of new beginnings and an impossible love, from much-loved author Margaret Thornton. Perfect for fans of Pam Evans and Dilly Court.''Exquisite'' - North Wales ChronicleBlackpool, 1940. Although the War means uncertainty and anxiety for some, Eunice Morton is grateful for the opportunities it provides her with. She volunteers for the Women''s Land Army and is sent to help on a farm in Gloucestershire. Milking the cows and working in the fields are a far cry from the domestic routine that she is used to, but Eunice enjoys her work and her newfound independence. Meanwhile, her relationship with her childhood friend Ronnie looks set to turn into something more romantic, but Eunice still isn''t sure that Ronnie is the one for her. Then she befriends Heinrich Muller, a German POW sent to work on the farm, and an elicit moment of passion changes her life forever... What readers are saying about Don''t Sit Under the Apple Tree: ''Warm and believable (i.e. fallible) characters, and a great story line!''''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down'' ''Five stars''

Two young women face the consequences of the Great War... As the First World War draws to a close, the lives of two young women become entangled in love, ambition and trouble in Margaret Thornton''s engaging saga, There''s a Silver Lining, the sequel to A Pair of Sparkling Eyes. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Katie Flynn. It''s 1918, the war is finally over, and Sarah Donnelly and her cousin Nancy are filled with hope for the future. In particular, Sarah eagerly awaits the safe return of her cousin Zachary, whom she has adored since childhood. But when Zachary returns to Blackpool, shattered by the horrors of war, he can barely face his family let alone reciprocate Sarah''s affections. Refusing to be thwarted by rejection, Sarah throws herself into her job at Donnelly''s tea rooms, where her father, the owner of Blackpool''s most popular department store, has allowed her to work. Then Sarah spies a run-down building to let near North Shore, and decides to set up in business, running her own tea rooms. Meanwhile, Nancy, forever a dreamer, has chosen to follow in her mother''s footsteps onto the stage, but it is not long before her youthful naivety lands her in trouble... What readers are saying about Margaret Thornton: ''[Margaret Thornton is] one of those writers with a sure skill in creating characters who become real to the reader. Indeed, so much so that they seem to leap out of the pages and make the story of which they''re a part even more compelling''''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down'' ''Five stars''

A mother and daughter, separated by a generation, yet united in their search for love... Wednesday''s Child is a powerful saga from Margaret Thornton of the bond between mother and child, and the reminder that love can sometimes be found where you least expect it. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Nadine Dorries. When Rachel Watkins gives birth to her daughter on Ash Wednesday in 1953, she prays the old saying - Wednesday''s child is full of woe - won''t be proved true. She''s shed enough tears over her troubled marriage to Derek, and she hopes that Lorna will be the sunshine to light up their unhappy home. But Derek''s overnight ''business trips'' continue - until one day he announces he''s never coming back, and Rachel and Lorna must get by without him. As the 1960s beckon, Rachel marries again, but Lorna resents her new dad and half-brother, and soon the rebellious teenager is anxious to spread her wings and leave the nest. Rachel is worried about her daughter. Lorna''s looking for love, but in all the wrong places, and there''s a danger she''ll miss the happiness waiting for her, closer to home... What readers are saying about Wednesday''s Child: ''What a cracking story. I couldn''t put it down''''Margaret Thornton is a brilliant storyteller. Her books draw you in, so you feel you know the characters. Hard to put down''''Five stars''