Showing results by publisher "Orion" in Holidays

Pieta Martinelli's sister is getting married. Since she is a bridal designer it falls to her to make the wedding gown. But Pieta is distracted by a series of unanswered questions. Why is her father feuding with another Italian in the neighbourhood? Why is her mother so faded and sad? And could the man she's always held a torch for really be getting married to someone else? As Pieta stitches and beads her sister's wedding gown she uncovers the secrets that have made her family what it is and that stand between her and happiness.

When the Mayor of a picturesque Italian town launches a new scheme to rejuvenate the community, his advertisement is read with interest and excitement by many. Zara is in her thirties and desperate to get on the property ladder. Tim and Lynda are retiring and need a project. Some are looking for a peaceful bolthole. Others hope to make a profit, start a business, escape a dull life or an unhappy relationship. And there is someone who just might be hiding their true motivation...

Freya Abalone has a big, messy, wonderful family. She has an exciting career as a celebrity chef. She has a new home that makes her feel safe. But behind the happy front, Freya feels pulled in a hundred directions. Life has thrown Freya some lemons - and she's learned how to juggle! But she's keeping a secret from her family, and soon something is going to crashing down. All families have their struggles and strengths. So can Freya pull everyone - and herself - together when they need it most?

Everyone adores Christmas. Especially Lizzy Kingham. But this year, she is feeling unloved, and under-appreciated by her family. The present-buying, decorating, and food shopping have all been left to her. So she wonders what would happen if she ran away and left them to it. Lizzy heads to her favourite place: a beach hut on the golden sands of Everdene. There, she meets an unlikely collection of new friends, all running away from something. But the spirit of Christmas gets under Lizzy's skin: soon the fairy lights are twinkling and the scent of mulled wine mingles with the sea air.

A contemporary, emotional, but ultimately feel-good, festive up-lit novel for fans of Jenny Colgan, Debbie Johnson, and Holly Martin. Kate Potter used to love Christmas. A few years ago she would have been wrapping her presents in September and baking mince pies on Halloween, counting down to the countdown to Christmas. But a few years ago, everything was different. That was before Kate's husband went away with the army and didn't come home. Now she can hardly stand December at all. Kate's lonely.

Alice is turning 30 and is stuck in a rut. Her friends are all coupling up and settling down, while she's still working as a temp, trying (and failing) not to shag her terrible ex, getting thrown out of clubs, and accidentally sexting her boss.... She decides to throw caution to the wind and jets off on a round-the-world adventure to #FindTheFun and find herself. Of course, she's no more likely to find the answer to true happiness on the beach in Thailand than she is at the electric beach in Tooting, but at least in Thailand there's paddleboard yoga.

Dive into The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club - the irresistible, feel-good novel from Katherine May. Join Debs and Maisie and the high tide swimmers as they make waves in life, love and friendship. Only the truly devoted manage to swim every day at Whitstable, because the sea's only deep enough at high tide. So when Deb and Maisie keep meeting on Reeves Beach, they strike up an unlikely friendship based on their love of swimming and their recent divorces.

After 16 years apart, sisters Jessica and Emily are reunited. With the past now behind them, the warmth they once shared quickly returns, and before long Jess has moved into Emily's comfortable island home. Life couldn't be better. But when baby Daisy disappears while in Jess' care, the perfect life Emily has so carefully built starts to fall apart. Was Emily right to trust her sister after everything that happened before?

As soon as Jess Green arrives at her new home, 14 Christmas Street, she knows this will be no ordinary December. The residents of this little road have come together to create something extraordinary: a real-life advent calendar, where one house will open its door each day until Christmas for a festive celebration. Each day, that is, except Christmas Eve. It should be the loveliest moment of all, but no one can persuade the octogenarian Mr Winters at Number 24 to be involved.

During a violent snowstorm, the Royal Family gather at Balmoral Castle for a traditional Christmas. As per King Eric's wishes, almost all of the servants have been dismissed. The large castle is inhabited by only eight people—King Eric, his wife Princess Marjorie, his brother Prince David, his two daughters Princesses Emeline and Maud, Maud's husband Thomas Crockley, Maud's sons Princes Matthew and Martin, the royal chef Jonathan Alleyne, and head of security Tony Speck.

Claire Swift can't think of anything worse than another holiday with the Wellbeloved family. The last trip together was a complete disaster - yet somehow, despite Claire's best efforts, they're all off to the Cornish coast again this summer. So, this time she's coming prepared. But becoming a domestic goddess to keep up with perfect Honor Wellbeloved isn't easy - especially when Claire is known for being clumsy and burns every meal she makes. And it's not long before her carefully laid plans are going spectacularly wrong.

Maddy Hamilton is at sea with her life. Her world was turned upside down when she discovered a message on her boyfriend's phone from a woman who was definitely not her. Then, when she thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, her boss delivered a second blow - there were cutbacks at work and Maddy was one of the unlucky ones. Six weeks after the break up, Maddy moves into Maxwell House to live by herself for the first time in 36 years. Lonely, heartbroken, and in desperate need of something, she finds a very unruly, very unloved patch of garden.

The three Cadogan children, Jessica, Kirsty and Patrick, haven't spoken to each other for three years. An argument after their mother's death was the latest excuse to blame one another for their family's troubles in a long, unhappy series that's lasted almost a decade. When their father, Gerry, dies, they are given instructions as to where he wants his ashes to be scattered. But first they must together drive his old camper van up the country to the Scottish Isle of Islay.

Charlotte Bold is nothing like her name - she is shy and timid and just wants a quiet life. When her job doing the traffic news on the radio in London is relocated to Sunshine FM in Mumbles, she jumps at the chance for a new start in Wales. But when she arrives she discovers that she's not there to do the travel news - she's there to front the graveyard evening show. And she's not sure she can do it. Thrust into the limelight, she must find her voice and find a way to cope.