Showing results by author "Fiona Valpy" in All Categories

Morocco, 1941. With France having fallen to Nazi occupation, twelve-year-old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca, where they await safe passage to America. Life here is as intense as the sun, every sight, smell and sound overwhelming to the senses in a city filled with extraordinary characters. It’s a world away from the trouble back home—and Josie loves it. Seventy years later, another new arrival in the intoxicating port city, Zoe, is struggling—with her marriage, her baby daughter and her new life as an expat in an unfamiliar place.

Gina’s London life lies in tatters: she has lost her father, her steady job as a wine buyer and her suave but unfaithful boyfriend. When she also suffers the loss of her beloved aunt, a silver lining dawns in the shape of an unexpected legacy: Aunt Liz has left Gina her beautiful, if slightly ramshackle, house in the heart of Bordeaux wine country. With nothing left to lose, Gina takes a chance on a fresh start.

1927. Violet Mackenzie-Grant is embarking on her dream of studying at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women. She doesn’t yet know that it’s a journey that will take her to Kathmandu and beyond, deep into captivating landscapes and cultures that are worlds away from everything and everyone she’s left behind in Scotland.

Gina has lost her perfect job, her boyfriend, and her favorite aunt all within the space of a few months. So when she inherits her aunt's ramshackle French house, Gina decides to pack her bags for the Bordeaux countryside - swapping English weather for blue skies, sunshine, great wine, and a fresh start. What she hasn't factored in is a hole in the roof, the most embarrassing language faux pas, and discovering family secrets she was never supposed to know.

In 1937, seventeen-year-old Ella’s life changes forever when she is sent to spend the summer on the beautiful Île de Ré and meets the charismatic, creative Christophe. They spend the summer together, exploring the island’s sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, and, for the first time in her life, Ella feels truly free. But the outbreak of war casts everything in a new light. Ella is forced to return to Scotland, where she volunteers for the war effort alongside the dashing Angus. In this new world, Ella feels herself drifting further and further from who she was on the Île de Ré.

Heartbroken and hoping for a new start, Abi Howes takes a summer job in rural France at the Château Bellevue. The old château echoes with voices from the past, and soon Abi finds herself drawn to one remarkable woman’s story, a story that could change the course of her summer - and her life. In 1938, Eliane Martin tends beehives in the garden of the beautiful Château Bellevue. In its shadow she meets Mathieu Dubosq and falls in love for the first time, daring to hope that a happy future awaits.

Tuscany, 1943. Stranded in war-ravaged Italy, Beatrice’s dream of an escapist year teaching English is shattered. Granted shelter at the Villa delle Colombe, she seeks refuge in Francesca and Edoardo’s beautiful walled garden, hidden from the outside world, with an elaborate cypress maze at its heart. But Beatrice is not the only one seeking an escape here. Francesca has brought children to the safety of the house, as well as other adults, all of them seeking sanctuary on the estate with its mysterious maze.

Loch Ewe, 1940. When gamekeeper's daughter Flora's remote highland village finds itself the base for the Royal Navy's Arctic convoys, life in her close-knit community changes forever. In defiance of his disapproving father, the laird's son falls in love with Flora, and as tensions build in their disrupted home, any chance of their happiness seems doomed.

Evie’s running away: from her soon-to-be ex-husband’s shiny new life, from the devastating loss of her baby last year, from a memory-filled London and, most particularly, from Christmas. A remote cottage in the South of France seems like the perfect peaceful place to soothe her sorrows. But the countryside soon proves anything but quiet, from the rooster crowing at dawn to the barn owl hooting through the night—not to mention Evie’s handsome neighbour, doctor Didier, who works away in his garage at all hours.

From the best-selling author of The Beekeeper’s Promise comes a gripping story of three young women faced with impossible choices. How will history - and their families - judge them? Paris, 1940. With the city occupied by the Nazis, three young seamstresses go about their normal lives as best they can. But all three are hiding secrets. War-scarred Mireille is fighting with the Resistance; Claire has been seduced by a German officer; and Vivienne’s involvement is something she can’t reveal to either of them.

Once upon a time, in an ancient château nestled above a golden river among the vineyards of Bordeaux, Sara and Gavin opened a wedding venue where fairy tales come true…But when Sara discovers Gavin in the arms of a wedding guest, their own happiness crumbles to dust. Faced with five beaming couples yet to say ‘I do’, she realises it’s up to her to host the rest of their first make-or-break season alone. For the summer to go off without a hitch, Sara must bury her broken heart and her fear that she’ll soon be packing her bags for London, and lean on her local team of helpers.

De rust van een schitterend Frans eiland wordt ruw verstoord door het geweld van de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Ella voelt haar einde naderen en kijkt terug op een leven dat veel vreugde, verdriet en ingrijpende keuzes heeft gekend. Ze vraagt haar kleindochter Kendra of die haar levensverhaal wil opschrijven. In 1938 verandert het leven van de zeventienjarige Ella volledig als ze een zomer lang verblijft op het prachtige Franse eiland Île de Ré. Daar ontmoet ze de charismatische, creatieve Christophe en ze worden onafscheidelijk.

Philly Delaney risked everything during the war. From flying planes for the Air Transport Auxiliary corps, aka the ‘Attagirls’, to working with the Bletchley Park codebreakers, and life-or-death missions as an SOE agent in France, she and her colleagues pushed their courage—and their luck—to the limits. Joining biographer Kendra and her family on the stunning, sun-drenched Île de Ré, Philly is ready to reveal her extraordinary life story. But she has another reason for being there: she’s never given up searching for her beloved pilot husband, Ben.

La Toscana, 1943. Varada en una Italia devastada por la guerra, el sueño de Beatrice de pasar un año sabático en Italia dando clases de inglés se ha ido al traste. Por fortuna, le ofrecen refugio en la casa de Edoardo y Francesca, una preciosa villa con un jardín que guarda un laberinto en su interior. Sin embargo, ella no es la única que busca refugio en la villa, sino los propios hijos del matrimonio y otras personas. Y según la guerra se acerca… los residentes se verán obligados a ver y hacer lo impensable.

De Tweede Wereldoorlog gooit het leven van twee vrouwen volkomen overhoop, ook decennia later. Frankrijk, 1938. Eliane Martin is verantwoordelijk voor de bijenkorven op het landgoed van Château Bellevue. Als ze op een dag Mathieu Dubosq ontmoet, is het liefde op het eerste gezicht. Maar de Tweede Wereldoorlog staat op het punt van uitbreken en Frankrijks toekomst staat samen met die van heel Europa op een keerpunt. Gedurende de jaren die zullen komen, zal blijken wat de toekomst voor Eliane in petto heeft.

Paris, 1940. Tre unge pariserinder forsøger at klare den daglige tilværelse trods nazisternes besættelse. Hver især gemmer de på en hemmelighed, der kan bringe dem alle i alvorlig fare, og da sløret endelig løftes, tvinges de til at træffe et umuligt valg. Paris, i dag. To generationer senere forsøger Harriet at finde svar på fortidens gåder. Hun er rodløs og higer desperat efter at få mere at vide om sin families historie. Da hun følger i sin mormors fodspor til Rue Cardinale, åbenbares sandheden endelig for hende.

Nutid: På et øjeblik er Abi Howes’ tilværelse blevet knust. Hun må væk og beslutter sig for at rejse til Château Bellevue i Sydfrankrig. I takt med at hun lærer slottet og dets fortid at kende, er der særligt én kvinde, hvis historie kommer til at ændre Abis sommer - og liv. 1938: Eliane Martin forelsker sig hovedkulds i Mathieu Dubosq. Sammen drømmer de om en lykkelig fremtid, men skæbnen vil det anderledes. Mørke skyer trækker sig sammen over Frankrigs østlige grænse, og Eliane beslutter sig for at kæmpe for Frankrigs frihed. Men kan hun samtidig kæmpe for kærligheden?

Den ægte kærlighed glemmer man aldrig. Edinburgh, i dag. Da Kendra besøger sin mormor, Ella, for første gang i lang tid, har den aldrende Ella kun ét sidste ønske: at Kendra nedfælder hendes historie, før den forsvinder i glemslens tåger for altid... Frankrig, 1938. Da 17-årige Ella sendes af sted på sommerferie til den idylliske ø Île de Ré, ændres hendes liv for altid. Med den karismatiske Christophe udforsker hun øens vidunderlige sandstrande og krystalklare vand - og oplever også sin første kærlighed.

Loch Ewe, 1940. Flora Gordon lever en stilfærdig tilværelse i den lille havneby ved bredden af Loch Ewe. Men krigen ulmer i det fjerne, og da byen bliver flådebase for de arktiske konvojer, ændrer Floras liv sig dramatisk. Da hun tilmed forelsker sig i herremandens søn, lader hendes skæbne til at være beseglet.

Drie vriendinnen uit Parijs staan voor onmogelijke keuzes. Parijs, 1940. Terwijl de stad bezet wordt door de nazi's proberen drie jonge naaisters zo normaal mogelijk door te gaan met hun leven. Mireille raakt betrokken bij het verzet, Claire heeft zich laten verleiden door een Duitse officier en Vivienne heeft geheimen die ze aan geen van beiden kan onthullen. Als hun activiteiten aan het licht dreigen te komen, worden ze geconfronteerd met onmogelijke keuzes.