Showing results by narrator "Melanie Crawley" in All Categories

Take a trip to a terrifying carnival and uncover the secrets within, solve a mysterious puzzle box and await your reward, join a travelling circus and witness the strangest ventriloquist act you've ever seen. In this follow-up to the bestselling Cursed: An Anthology, you'll unearth curses old and new. From a very different take on Snow White, to a new interpretation of The Red Shoes, the best in fantasy spin straw into gold, and invite you into the labyrinth.

Standing in my bathroom, the luxurious marble tiles cool under my feet, I stare at the test in my trembling hand. The second line is unmistakable: I’m pregnant. This is all my husband Theo and I have ever wanted, but I didn’t think it was possible. I should be excited, but all I can think about is telling my stepdaughter. Because Ellie’s always hated me, ever since she realised it was no longer just her and Theo. Now she’s seventeen, beautiful and smart–smart enough to see through me. And if Ellie decided to uncover my secrets, it wouldn’t be just my marriage at stake… it would be my life.

This is the book that guides you on your journey to becoming a successful self-help author. It gives you everything you need to write, publish, and promote a book that does justice to your ideas and expertise.

When 30-year-old Kate’s childhood sweetheart dumps her without a goodbye, she almost hits rock bottom. But she’s determined to have a fresh start and goes to Italy’s stunning capital city in search of healing. Hot sun, fresh coffee and white marble piazzas; here, Kate might be able to put herself back together. But when a glass (or three) more wine than is strictly necessary leads to questioning by a concerned policeman – a tall, Italian policeman, with wavy, black hair and cheekbones to die for – she knows she’s in trouble.

They were the Boleyns, once one of England's most powerful family. Anne Boleyn captured the hand of Henry VIII, and now we see the rise and fall of their family fortunes through the eyes of the eldest Boleyn daughter, Mary. Mary Boleyn is overshadowed in history by her sister, Anne, but it was she who first caught the eye of Henry VIII, setting the stage for her family's dramatic rise to power - and ultimate fall from grace. Although Henry set her aside as his mistress, Mary still navigated the dangerous waters of the Tudor court while forging ahead to find a life.

Running the family empire means Sebastian Pagonis must quit his playboy lifestyle. Cue the perfect detox: a week at sea, far from temptation. The hitch? Alluring crew member Bunny! Fortunately, she’s equally set on ignoring their chemistry...until an accident strips away Sebastian’s memory—and ice-cold persona! Suddenly Bunny’s employer barely resembles the arrogant Greek she first met, obliterating her last defense against their desire...yet passion indulged in paradise has real-world consequences—Bunny’s pregnant!

Burnt out and in need of retreat, Jenn Ashworth emerged from lockdown with a compulsive need to walk—and to walk away. Armed with little more than the knowledge imparted by a two-day orienteering course and a set of maps, she embarked on the most epic of English walks: Wainwright's Coast to Coast. Guided not just by Wainwright's writing but also by daily letters from her friend Clive—facing an epic journey of his own—Jenn's pilgrimage soon becomes more than just walking: a chance to reconnect and excavate, to re-engage with the act of caring for others and for oneself.

Kate is living the dream with her gorgeous boyfriend, Alessandro, in his native city, but the reality is sometimes a little less romantic than she’d hoped. Every day in her new home is a fight against leaking pipes, her cantankerous landlord and her less-than-perfect grasp of the Italian lingo. All around her there is talk of weddings, but when a secret from her past is thrust out into the open, Kate must fight to prove to Alessandro’s formidable family that she truly is Italian marriage material.

As a teenager, Penny Collins was brutally attacked as she lay in her bed. The assault, from a man she knew all too well, traumatised Penny. Worse still, after her family refused to believe her initial fears about being watched, Penny told nobody, afraid her family would be convinced she was making the whole thing up...Penny swore that day that she would have her revenge. That he would pay for his crimes...

While Jodey Whiting was stuck in hospital battling pneumonia over Christmas, a letter dropped on her doormat from the Department of Work and Pensions, asking her to attend an assessment. Despite her health problems, the powers-that-be callously halted benefit payments for the mum-of-nine. With no money coming in, Jodey killed herself, aged just 42. Another DWP letter pronouncing her "fit to work" was sent to her home three days after her tragic death. A Mother's Job is the story of how Jodey's mum Joy Dove, 67, took on the system—and won justice for her daughter.

April 1897: A young nanny arrives at Sandringham, ancestral estate of the Duke and Duchess of York. She is excited, exhausted - and about to meet royalty. So begins the unforgettable story of Charlotte Bill, who would care for a generation of royals as their parents never could. Neither Charlotte - LaLa, as her charges dub her - nor anyone else can predict that eldest sons David and Bertie will each one day be king. LaLa knows only that these children, and the four who swiftly follow, need her steadfast loyalty and unconditional affection.

Shy hotel maid Alana Davison is desperate to clear a family debt. So desperate that, when she discovers Greek tycoon Ares Sarris urgently needs a wife, she blurts out a scandalous suggestion: in exchange for his help, she’ll become his emergency bride! To fiercely controlled Ares, Alana is a convenient solution; their marriage allows him to secure the inheritance his illegitimacy denied him. What’s inconvenient is the chemistry blazing like a wildfire between them!

Gianni Renzetti wastes no time planning the restoration of his reputation, when the rumour mill threatens his position as CEO. Asking childhood friend Josephine Hamilton to be his convenient bride is his first task! Innocent Jo was always there for Gianni. That doesn’t mean she’s in any way prepared for his proposal. Yet, to save her family from bankruptcy, she must say yes! But when life as Mrs Renzetti feels passionately real, can she trust herself to remember their vows were just for show?

Sara is about to spend a week in a villa with people she barely knows. Sara’s daughter Liv, her boyfriend and his parents have invited Sara on their holiday. After what happened, she’ll jump at any chance to spend time with Liv. She tries to be the perfect guest, and while the Forrests seem like the perfect family, something isn’t right. By the end of the trip, someone will be dead. Lies will tie the rest of them together. But who can lie the best?

A woman who was sexually abused by her own father and later gave birth to his daughter is now running a support group which spans 30 countries and has tens of thousands of supporters. Stace Don, now 36, was taken into foster care as a baby after being neglected by her parents. For seven years, she lived an idyllic life, believing her foster parents were her real parents. But a chance encounter with her natural father, Nigel Taylor, shattered her happiness and she was later moved from her foster home, away from the family she loved.

Receptionist Cleo’s attraction to billionaire Ari Stefanos is a fiercely kept secret. Until one sizzling night it’s deliciously exposed! Still, she knows that their passion can’t — shouldn’t — last. If the past has taught her anything, it’s that you can’t make somebody love you.

Five authors have gathered at the idyllic Lakeside Cottage for a retreat, with the promise of peace and dedicated writing time. At least, that's the idea . . .As the collective word count grows, and their personal stories interweave, each woman finds herself drawn in unexpected and life-changing directions.

The Maid Married To The Billionaire: When Enzo stops to help a broken-down car, he’s shocked by his discovery. Skye is frightened, on the run and with tiny siblings in tow. Enzo’s honour dictates he offer them sanctuary and Skye a job. The Maid's Pregnancy Bombshell: Shy hotel maid Alana Davison is desperate to clear a family debt. So desperate that, when she discovers Greek tycoon Ares Sarris urgently needs a wife, she blurts out a scandalous suggestion: in exchange for his help, she’ll become his emergency bride!

When Enzo stops to help a broken-down car, he's shocked by his discovery. Skye is frightened, on the run and with tiny siblings in tow. Enzo's honour dictates he offer them sanctuary and Skye a job. But could their simmering attraction solve another problem - his need for a bride? Skye urgently needs a fresh start...and Enzo already makes her blood pound and her skin tingle. Yet can she marry a man she's only just met? Joining the enigmatic billionaire at the convenient altar will require the ultimate leap of faith!

DI Annie Delamere and her colleague DS Zoe Everett are off duty and enjoying a walk on the Peak District’s vast moorlands when they stumble across a mutilated corpse. The victim is unclothed and his tattoos indicate an affinity with the occult. While Annie is put in charge of the case her long-term partner, MP Sheena Pearson, is confronted by a group of far right extremists. Rather than back down Sheena chooses to stand her ground–and almost pays for it with her life.