Showing results by narrator "Katie Villa" in All Categories

Josie loves her new life in the country with Sam. But she has a secret that she doesn’t want anyone to know. Unfortunately, it’s hard to keep anything to yourself in a tiny village. Lizzie is adjusting to motherhood and finding it more demanding than she ever expected. Life has become a haze of sleep deprivation and dirty nappies, and it’s taking its toll on her relationship with Max. Emily has finally got the man of her dreams. However, life with Jack isn’t as straightforward as she expected. A certain ex-girlfriend and money worries wreak havoc on their relationship.

When I accepted a job working as a nanny for David and Julie and their young children, I was excited to be making my own way in the world. I bonded with baby Chloe instantly and would have done anything for her. She had David's thick, dark hair and smiling eyes. I fell in love with her and was excited for my future. But when a terrible mistake led to Chloe disappearing, I was instantly blamed. With no evidence, I was let go and I returned home to rebuild my life. Twenty years later and I am still haunted by what happened.

She wanted a new life and true love. But the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. All Polly has to her name is a string of failed relationships and a mountain of debt. She sees herself as a hopeless case and would do anything to change her luck. So when she’s given the opportunity to swap all she’s ever known for a life of luxury, Polly jumps at the chance. Soon, it’s all diamonds, spa days and celebrity parties. Now all that's missing from her life is a bit of romance.

Sukey Reynolds is delighted that summer has arrived. Her garden is in glorious form, and the long, warm days give her a chance to enjoy the countryside, and even play a bit of tennis. The only digging she plans to do is in her flowerbeds. But then Sukey is called to photograph the scene of what appears to be a tragic accident. Arthur Soames, a retired school teacher, fell to his death from the ornate iron staircase above his perfectly manicured lawn. But when the police notify his family, they are adamant that this is no accident.

When Sukey Reynolds receives news of a death at the elegant Mariners Hotel, she is intrigued. Who could possibly have wanted to hurt Dr. Whistler, a shy and retiring archaeology professor? The dusty documents he was carrying couldn’t possibly be of value, could they? You would never expect this sophisticated establishment to be home to murder. What secrets are hiding inside the charming Mariners Hotel?

When the ground shifts, where is one true thing to be found? Jane, in her twenties, is left parentless when her father dies suddenly; a second shock follows when his Will reveals the existence of a son no-one knew of. Now Wildings, the family home, must be sold. Spanning two generations, the novel tells the story of Bridget, Jane’s mother, trapped in an unhappy marriage on which her career depends, and of stone-carver Meg, who wants only independence but is enmeshed in conflicting loyalties and desires when Adam, a young artist, enters their lives, to devastating effect.

Claire is shocked when she receives a message out of the blue from Sophie, a beautiful young woman who tells Claire that she’s their father’s secret child. Having spent years nursing her sweet little daughter, Ella, through a life-threatening illness whilst dealing with the emotional fall-out of a devastating marriage breakdown, Claire feels tentatively excited to meet Sophie. Perhaps she might finally have someone in the family to lean on....

As fascists march across the cobbled piazzas and past the towered buildings of her beloved home city, 20-year-old Devora’s worst fears come true. Along with her Jewish parents and twin little brothers they are torn away from everything they love and sent to an internment camp huddled in the mountains. Her father promises this war will not last long....

Carefree, 30-something Mandy thought she’d be married to first love Danny forever. So when she discovers her heartthrob husband has had a fling, she realizes it’s time to make some big changes. But what will Mandy do now she’s single for the first time in her adult life? Determined to find her spark again, Mandy hops on a plane, ready for adventure and a second chance at happiness. Escaping to a sun-drenched Greek island, the glittering blue seas, golden beaches, and delicious cocktails are exactly what she needs.

1897. Rosamund bows her head and steps slowly down the aisle. The satin of her gown whispers against the stone floor and a single tear falls into the bunch of yellow roses twisted in her trembling hands. Despite rumours of his cruelty, Rosamund has no choice but to become this man’s second wife.

I wrap my arms around the tree trunk, pressing my cheek against it until the bark digs in and the missing poster is finally secured. I try not to look at the photograph on it. At the features so similar to mine. Perhaps this will be the year someone comes forward. Were crucial mistakes made by detectives from the very beginning? Could the pressure of living two lives have led my sister to run away - or even end it? Or did someone in her tight circle of friends and family have reason to want her gone? Someone out there must know something.

When Tara Fitzpatrick tells a string of lies during the world’s most informal job interview, she has no idea of the path she’s set herself on. Renovating the rundown bookshop with her new boss, James, turns out to be more fulfilling than she could ever have imagined. Soon, she finds herself falling in love with the quaint little shop. And with James. But Tara has never let herself dream of a happy ever after. Ever since she was a little girl, she knew she would never have children.

Emily only meant to spend a week in Hope Cove. But when the quirky locals involve her in various events, she happily extends her stay. She just wishes Jack was with her and not stuck working back in Oxford. For Lizzie, Emily’s visit is well-timed. She’s struggling to balance work and family life, and having her friend nearby is exactly the breath of fresh air she needs. Josie has everyone worried. She’s trying her best to stay upbeat, but after two failed pregnancies, she’s definitely lost some of her sparkle.

Trained as an agent of the women of the planet Home, brand new Space Girl Red must stop a war between flying monkeys, robot armies, and a nanotech powered God King. Born and raised on a planet where no boys are born, Red was always the fastest and strongest among her unit of Space Girls, Capricorn. Capricorn was legendary before entering the academy, but training rivalries turned deadly when Blue tries to one-up Red in the real galaxy.

Charlie's marriage is over - but that does not mean that her life is. It is just down to her besty Mercedes to convince her of that! Mercedes draws up the perfect bucket list and begins a one-woman mission to lift Charlie's spirits. Before long, Charlie is belly-dancing, bungee-jumping and much more...including rekindling her love life with handsome journalist Jake. But she is having so much fun as the bucket list grows - and has questions about Jake.

Scarlett Mercer dreams of starting her own publishing company. But with no way to finance university, she might be stuck working in her aunt’s café indefinitely. When a chance encounter leads her to an extreme solution, she’s desperate enough to go through with it. Even if it means marrying a guy she’s only just met. What she doesn’t factor into her plans is how easily she gets overwhelmed. Soon, she’s struggling to navigate university life while living with a guy she barely knows.

Following a whirlwind four-month romance, lawyer Claire and hotel entrepreneur Angus are engaged to be married. Happy and successful, and ready to start their new life together, Claire and Angus find what they believe to be the perfect home. But when Claire meets Mark, the man selling them the house, he looks eerily familiar. He looks exactly like the man she loved five years ago, the man she couldn’t bear to lose.

Suzanne's life changes forever the day she receives a visit from Rose Anderson, the woman who has been living with her estranged father, Don. Don is dead, but Rose wants Suzanne to have his possessions - including a series of intimate diaries and a mysterious collection of photographs of women. To Suzanne's shock, one of the photos is of her friend, Sophie, who died 10 years ago in an unexplained and devastating fire. But Don met Sophie only once, during an unsettling visit he paid Suzanne just days before Sophie's death.... So why did he have a picture of her?

All Emily wants for her wedding is a low-key celebration with family and friends. But with a best friend like Josie, it’s no surprise that there’s a touch of drama to the day. Meanwhile, Tara is dealing with problems of her own. In a bid to face up to her past, she sets out to make amends with her estranged father and reunite with her half siblings. Thankfully, she has James to support her when times get tough.

Germany, 1944. Gazing through the barbed wire, Antonia makes a vow: She will not let her family die in this camp. She will find a way for them to escape, even if it costs her own life. The Nazis have taken everything from her, but they can never take away her courage.... Would you go into a prison camp if there was a chance to save your family? When resistance fighter Antonia’s beloved sister and her children are taken by the Nazis, she knows what she must do. Only she is strong enough to save the family who have been her whole world since she was separated from her true love, Viktor