Showing results by narrator "Nicolette" in All Categories

A young girl stands alone in the cobbled market place of a small Lincolnshire town, bedraggled, soaked through and very afraid. Who is she? Where has she come from and from whom is she running away? No one knows or cares. Only kindly farmer, Eddie Appleyard, recognises something in the girl that touches his heart. In a drunken haze and scarcely realising what he is doing, Eddie takes her home even though his wife is a tyrant, who will believe the worst.

It is 1914, and Eveleen Hardcastle, now in in her early thirties, has married Richard. As the First World War breaks out, Eveleen, a sophisticated young woman, is left to manage the factory while Richard goes off to fight for his country. Eveleen's mother Mary has found happiness at last in her marriage to Josh. Her young granddaughter, Bridie, still lives at home, and is beautiful, but has a spirited, strong will which her grandmother finds hard to control.

Charlotte is an only child, reared by a brutal father who cannot forgive her for not being the son he desires. Loved by most that she meets, Charlotte has a gift for friendship, and it is her work as a Sunday School teacher that gives her hope - and an escape from home. When Charlotte meets Miles Thornton, she is instantly drawn to him. He is new to the area and a widower, with three lovely young sons to look after but the one thing he has longed for is a daughter. As they grow to understand each other, it seems that Miles and Charlotte have more in common that meets the eye.…

When Florrie Maltby defies her father by refusing to marry Gervase Richards, she sets off a chain of events that will alter her life. Instead she goes to London and becomes involved with the suffragette movement. She's imprisoned for her militant actions, and goes on hunger strike. With her health deteriorating, there is one person who can save her - Gervase. After a brief stay in the countryside to recuperate, Florrie returns to London to continue her fight for women's rights. Only the outbreak of the Great War puts a halt to her activities....

It is 1945, and victory marches fill the streets of London. Brenda and her friends, happy that at long last the war is over, hope that they'll soon leave the days of rationing and worry behind. Before long Brenda's skills as a real life Mary Poppins are in demand again. Moving from house to house, Brenda never stays long, but just enough time to sprinkle a little magic. Word quickly spreads of this wonder nanny, who gets up to feed fretful babies in the middle of the night, who delivers quiet wisdom, and calmly restores order and happiness.

When Maggie and Bill’s eldest son Jake dies suddenly, they're swept away on a tide of grief that fractures their marriage. Maggie and the children are left clinging to the wreckage of their family. Enter Kate, housekeeper, companion, and shoulder to cry on. She's here to pick up the pieces and fix what isn't completely broken. But can Maggie trust Kate? And why is Kate so keen to help?

A house carved fine as a jewellery box, a painted garden, an angel in a palm tree. These are only some of the marvels of the Russian estate on which Nina Karsavina grows up, surrounded by her beautiful mother, her eccentric father, her elder sister Katya, and the housekeeper Darya who teaches her the old Russian folk tales and traditions. But when her father gradually loses his mind after the death of her mother, Nina takes the difficult decision to leave her homeland and marry a complete stranger.

When the news of the death of her ex-husband reaches Binnie, it seems that her tranquil life in the West Country must come to an end. He had left her the island in the beautiful archipelago off the coast of Cornwall where he had spent his childhood. Binnie has to take her family to the island, revisiting it for the first time in years, and work out what to do. Leaving behind the mysterious stranger who had turned up in the village only the day before, Binnie has to embark upon a whole new life.

Castroux, France, 1939. In a bare farmhouse above the village, Oriane lives in desperate poverty. When the Germans invade, her simple world crumbles. Passions erupt, moral boundaries break down , and rebellion is soon in the air. Castroux, France, 2000. In an idyllic gîte overlooking the river, Claudia sunbathes on the terrace. She’s pregnant, trapped, and terrified of the future. She confides only in a reclusive neighbour, Oriane, and discovers that she too carried a shameful secret.

1912, Henley-on-Thames. Twenty-Four-year-old Marianne Lefevre is alone in the world: her parents both dead and her brother in faraway India. She is pleased to be taken on as governess in the affluent Matlowe household and hopes the position will become permanent. But as Marianne grows closer to the young twin girls and to the rest of the staff, she becomes increasingly concerned. Why are the children forbidden to go near the boat house at the end of the garden?

'When had I a choice to be other than I was?' From childhood Alice Salisbury has learnt obedience in all things and at fourteen dutifully marries the man her father has chosen for her – at the cost of losing the love of her mother forever and the family she holds dear.

With the war over, Clare Wishart must make some decisions about what to do with Merle Place. Back in her care after use as a military hospital, it is in need of expensive renovation. Completely out of her depth, Clare tries to sell the house, hampered by her cousin, Donald, who has invited himself to stay indefinitely. Clare's one joy in life is writing, so she is delighted when she is asked to write a novel.

After Julius Caesar's murder, his mistress Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, fled to Alexandria where she gave birth to their son. Civil war broke out in Rome, and Mark Antony, Caesar's friend, was given control over the East. Summoned to his headquarters, Cleopatra made her entry at dusk on a scented, candle-lit barge: and so began one of the greatest love stories of all time.

When Sarah Murphy returns to Australia she desperately needs a break from her high-powered London life. And though mystified by her grandmother's dying wish for her ashes to be scattered under 'the wishing tree' on the banks of the Negallan River, she sets out to do just that. While searching for the wishing tree, Sarah stays in the small township of Negallan. It's there that she finally has some time to relax and unwind, there that she finds herself drawn to a handsome local farmer, and there that she discovers her enquiries about her grandmother are causing disquiet.

Kit Mercer smoothes down her skirt, preparing to face her boss the morning after spending the most amazing night of her life with him! Surely he can’t wait to sweep her into his arms again? Actually, Alex Hallam tells her what a mistake he’s made! It’s the right thing to do – after his ex-wife’s lies, is Hallam really ready for new love? But Kit has an even more unexpected secret…

Belinda’s fought to be surrogate mother to her late, beloved sister’s embryos. But Australian cowboy Flynn also has a claim on this precious life. This baby offers his only hope of redemption and he’ll do anything to win custody, even propose marriage! It's an extreme solution, and Belinda must admit her wannabe husband is inconveniently gorgeous. Yet Belinda refuses. Could two little miracles change her mind?

Following in the pioneering footsteps of the women who have gone before her, Ruby and her new husband James brave a long and treacherous journey to start their new life together. However, they soon discover that there are many more dangers than just those that meet the eye. When James is tempted away by the gold rush, Ruby must join forces with the Aborigine girl Kumali and learn to adapt.

Ada’s answer to most questions is: yes. Every night is an opportunity to be thrilled and every morning a chance to recount it to her friends, so when she falls for Sadie and Stuart at the same time, she sees no reason not to pursue them both. But as the realities of modern life begin to catch up with her, and everyone wants Ada to define herself in relation to them, she feels the weight of the questions: which version of yourself is most true? And do other people enhance your best self, or distort it?

Frances, a public servant, struggles to come to terms with the disappearance of her colleague. While piecing together spreadsheets and reports, she begins to discover clues that could help her solve the mystery of Eric's vanishing. As Frances uncovers a trail of corruption that leads to the highest levels of government, she must use her wits and resourcefulness to stay one step ahead of those who want to keep the truth hidden.

1921. In the sleepy village of Charlton Ambrose, eight ash trees stand as a timeless memorial to the men killed in the Great War. On a dark and chilly night, a ninth tree appears. Who planted it and why? And who was 'the unknown soldier' for whom it is marked? 2001. Eighty years later, the memorial is under threat from developers. Local reporter, Rachel Elliott, is determined to save it, and to solve the mystery of the ninth tree. The trail will take her into the dark heart of her own family history; to a tragic, love; and to a secret that has been kept since the war to end all wars.