Showing results by narrator "Nicolette" in All Categories

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.

Eleanor…young, high-spirited, supremely intelligent, heiress to the vast Duchy of Aquitaine – at a time when a woman’s value was measured in terms of wealth. Her vivid leadership inspired and dazzled those about her. And yet, born to rule, she was continually repressed and threatened by the men who overshadowed her life. This is the story of a brilliant, medieval figure – of a princess who led her own knights to the Crusades, who was bride to two kings and mother of Richard the Lionheart.

Judith is suddenly all alone in the world. Her husband, Jack, has left her - why, she doesn't really know. Her two sons are in Australia, and both her mother and her best friend Naomi have recently died. Embarking on a journey to Exmoor to meet the famous artist Robert Haussman, with an oddly assorted group of fellow-enthusiasts, Judith finds herself a prey to all sorts of irrational fears. Chief amongst them is the increasing conviction that Jack is dead. Why did he leave her? Where has he gone? And why does Robert Haussman exert such a strange influence on her?

Brenda Ashford is 91 years old and spent 62 years working as a Norland Nanny. Brenda began training at the Norland Institute in 1939 at the age of 18, shortly before war was declared. Even as a nervous young trainee, Brenda was determined to give the children in her care a wonderful childhood. She worked with evacuees from the East End, as well as in the nurseries of smart Kensington homes. She frequently put her life at risk, dashing to air raid shelters with her charges clutched to her chest. But the war was also a time when people pulled together like never before or since.

A poignant, touching and epic tale of lost love, set against the drama and danger of World War Two. 1947. One wet and chilly November afternoon a woman stands at the edge of a lake forced into a heartbreaking choice between her past and her future. 2008. Police diver Martha makes an incredible discovery in a local lake of a package containing a series of lost mementoes which reveal a story of intrigue, betrayal and heartbreak. As the threads of the past and present are drawn together, Martha's world, and that of her family, is changed forever.

Western Australia, 1890. Fourteen-year-old Sarette Maitland is orphaned when her father dies of a snake bite on the goldfields. Left to fend for herself by her father’s villainous partner, she is rescued by a wealthy adventurer, John Kern, and takes the place in his heart of his own dead daughter.

Several years later, he reluctantly sends her back to England, to the manners society expects of a beautiful young woman.

New Zealand, 1921. Bright, feisty, and pretty, 16-year-old Lottie O’Brien lives with her troubled family in an impoverished part of Wellington. Life at home is hard for Lottie, her younger sister Bella and brother Jack – their father has returned from the war a mental and physical invalid, for whom their mother has neither sympathy nor affection. Ambitious Lottie dreams of a better life and is befriended by her class teacher, Madeleine Carson, who introduces Lottie to her affluent family.

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.

Suzanne is engaged to be married to the man of her dreams - except the lead up to her wedding is beginning to feel more like a nightmare. Can Suzanne uncover the truth about her fiancé ahead of her big day? Bella's life was on track until the day of the hen party when everything changed. Now she must find the strength to rebuild her future - and decide who she wants to spend it with. Mandy's grandmother has fallen in love, but her family don't approve. For her grandmother's dreams to come true, Mandy has a secret wedding to plan, and a very special dress to find.

The wedding of Alison Lennox to Dr. Keir Ainsley promises to be the event of the winter season in Herot's Hollow. (Well, apart from the first-ever 'lectric lighting of the Winter Solstice tree, that is.) Everyone in town is coming together for the big day, including Keir's sister Charlotte, the baker's new apprentice, who will be in charge of the wedding cakes.

Sabrina Marshall is an ambitious senior in high school was just after she just became a cheerleader and made honor roll for the first time. She's so excited for her life to begin until it all comes crashing down with a tragedy that changes the course of her life forever. When her responsibilities shift and her home is taken away from her, she now has to navigate how she's going to take care of herself and her two little siblings. She leaves that a physical house is not a home.

Rinka is done with the city. She's done with the job she's always hated, she's done with the never-ending rent increases, and most of all, she's done with her big dreams. Isn't it time for her to listen to her mother and settle for less? But when she packs up her life to join her friend Alison in the country, she's not the only one new in town. The king is coming, and he's bringing the entire court and a retinue of dwarven industrialists bent on turning Rinka and Alison's new home into the next great center of commerce. The only problem? Their town will be at the bottom of a lake.

Heather's haunting memories of Greg are suffocating her. She's convinced that he's seeking revenge, as he appears in her dreams and even manifests in real life, despite being imaginary. The situation takes a sinister turn with the arrival of a mysterious neighbor across the street, who seems to know everything about Heather. Rumors are swirling that he wants to harm her. Heather is torn between dismissing her fears as paranoia or facing the possibility of a real threat. The stakes are high, and the situation is too precarious to ignore.

The Longest Goodbye: The Strength of a Family's Love” is a heart-wrenching memoir by Karyn Banner and Nicolette Banner, a mother-daughter duo facing the challenges of caregiving for Karyn's mother, who is battling dementia. This poignant tale dives into the emotional rollercoaster of their journey, filled with struggles, hardships, and strength. With a raw and honest narrative, Karyn and Nicolette share their profound experiences, showcasing a family's love and dedication.

We are not crazy simply because we see images or hear voices in our mind. When our Logical Brain thinks about it, it cannot rationalize what is happening. Our Egoic Mind jumps into action, convincing us we couldn’t possibly be having these experiences and certainly shouldn’t tell people about them. Our Egoic Mind knows these things sound crazy, “whackadoo”, “woo-woo,” out there, or impossible.

Adventure and magic collide in Land of the Last Wildcat, Lui Sit's fast-paced debut children's novel about family, friendship and the beauty of our natural world. Illustrated throughout in black and white by David Dean. Puffin Lau has two problems: her beloved scientist mum barely speaks to her...

The follow-up to Tangled Threads, Margaret Dickinson's Twisted Strands follows the dramatic highs and lows of the Hardcastle family as they endure the upheaval caused by war. It is 1914, and Eveleen Hardcastle, now in in her early thirties, has married Richard. As the First World War breaks out...

When Lisa married Alex, she gave his life meaning. Alex, Lisa, and their young son Connor made a happy little universe. But then, Lisa dies in a train crash, and their universe is destroyed. Then, Alex meets four strangers. Two men and two women, who never met Lisa, but whose lives changed profoundly because she died. As Alex hears their stories, he begins to realize the world may not be as cruel and senseless as it seems. Perhaps, after all, the future is written in the stars....