AustLit

'1808

'When 14 year old Alexandra meets Patrick, her handsome and notorious step-brother, she is confused and resentful as he shakes the foundations of everything she has ever known. Driving a wedge between Alex and her brother Simon, he tears apart the fabric of her quiet world. Yet she is intrigued by the enigmatic Patrick and finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

'These are the years between childhood and womanhood, during which Alex begins to realise that her growing affection for Patrick owes nothing to sibling fondness.

'But these are turbulent times for England and Patrick and Simon, answering the call of adventure, join the fight against Napoleon with devastating consequences.

'In a family ravaged by war and deceit Alex finds herself betrayed in the worst possible way.

'This is the story of one woman's passionate struggle for love and hope against all the constraints of her time.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'1813

'Numb after the pain of an intolerable betrayal, 19 year old Alexandra Broughton turns to her only source of hope – an arranged marriage. Resolutely accepting this as her last chance to make a future for herself, she journeys to Scotland to face the unknown.

'Although Alex makes every effort to settle into her new life, she struggles to suppress the memories of her lost lover’s passionate yet faithless embrace, and remains haunted by a fleeting and impossible love affair.

'For Alex, this is a time of growing; a coming of age where she turns to her husband in a desperate effort to carve out a life with him, and just as it seems that contentment is within her grasp, disaster strikes. As the war against Napoleon reaches a crescendo, Alex discovers a web of deceit that slowly unravels long‐held secrets to reveal the true meaning of treachery.

'Trapped in a loveless, violent marriage, and with nothing left to lose, Alex embarks on a fight for survival. Battling the irresistible forces ranging against her, she remains bound to the one man she can never forgive –the one man above all others she can never forget.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Yorkshire 1941

'Bravery is another word for endurance; love is another word for sacrifice.

'A German fighter plane is shot down over rural Yorkshire; the pilot has vanished.

'In an old farmhouse on the outskirts of Leeds, war-widow Jessica is raising her children and running a small dairy. When she encounters the Luftwaffe pilot hiding in her barn, she realises the young captain is dangerously ill. Despite the consequences, Jessica commits to nursing him back to health.

'At first, prejudice and ignorance separate Jessica and Anton, but slowly these barriers are dismantled. From an unlikely friendship emerges a story of forbidden love that defies war and bigotry.

'A British government investigator is sent to hunt and capture the fugitive German. Harbouring the enemy is among the greatest of crimes, and when suspicion falls on Jessica, a series of terrifying events are triggered, threatening her freedom and the security of her children.

'In this world at war, there are no winners. It is a time of fear and uncertainty, where danger lurks behind every door and sometimes the greatest threats come from those you trust.'