Echoes Across the Mersey


Book Description

With the Great War looming, one young woman also faces obstacles closer to home. Anne Baker's Echoes Across the Mersey is a thrilling saga of an impossible love, set under the storm clouds of war and class. Perfect for fans of Cathy Sharp and Katie Flynn. 'A heartwarming story, Echoes Across the Mersey is the type of distinctly English book best read when sitting in the garden' - Liverpool Echo It's August 1914, and the threat of war weighs heavily on the people of Liverpool, but not on Sarah Hoxton. For Toby Percival, the son of her employer, is in love with her. Her mother fears they'll both lose their jobs when Toby's father finds out, but Sarah's prepared to risk everything for Toby's love. Maurice Percival is furious when he discovers his son is involved with a factory girl. Determined to defy his father, Toby joins the army. Sarah is left facing what seem to be insurmountable obstacles, but with the help of her friends, family and a strength she never knew she possessed, she discovers there is a light at the end of the tunnel, though it shines from a different direction to the one she expected. What readers are saying about Echoes Across the Mersey: 'I could not put it down and read it within a couple of days... the author has a way of making you visualise everything from the people to the places, and is able to bring out so many emotions whilst you are reading.'




A View Across the Mersey


Book Description

A VIEW ACROSS THE MERSEY by Anne Baker is a dramatic Liverpool family saga sure to appeal to fans of Katie Flynn, Annie Groves and Lyn Andrews. The youngest of five siblings, Lottie Mortimer has never felt like she belonged. Her mother died shortly after she was born, leaving her father and grandmother to raise the family and, despite their love and support, Lottie can't help wondering if there is something they are not telling her... With the First World War over, the Mortimers' ship-owning business is struggling to survive and Lottie, who works with her father, worries what the future will hold. Meanwhile, her elder sister Eunice is trapped in an unhappy marriage that causes concern for them all. Then Lottie discovers the shocking truth about her birth that turns her world upside down and the dramatic events that unfold affect them all...




Daughters of the Mersey


Book Description

With the scars of World War I still fresh, the Dransfield family face further challenges... A heart-breaking saga of love, loss and tragedy, Daughters of the Mersey details the effects of war on a Liverpool family, from much-loved author Anne Baker. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Lyn Andrews. When Steven Dransfield loses his fortune in the Depression, his wife Leonie is forced to save the family from ruin. But Steve resents the success of her dressmaking business and, trapped in a loveless marriage, Leonie is drawn into the arms of another man. Just as their children, Milo and June, begin to spread their wings, Leonie finds herself pregnant, but her duty lies with her family and when Amy is born she unites them all. Then with the outbreak of World War II and danger looming in Liverpool, Amy is evacuated to Wales, and, as the bombs start to drop, lives are lost and hearts are broken and the Dransfields must learn to support one another through the heartache that lies ahead... What readers are saying about Daughters of the Mersey: 'One of the best books ever - I would definitely recommend this book to my friends... It was fantastic. I found the book a compelling read - I picked it up every time I had a spare minute' 'Could not put this book down, Anne Baker brings these characters to life, and you transform yourself back in time... Excellent!'




Legacy of Sins


Book Description

Shunned as a child, a young woman's pursuit of happiness is threatened by the story of her parentage. Legacy of Sins is an enthralling Merseyside saga from much-loved author Anne Baker, full of romance, family secrets and class struggles. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lindsey Hutchinson. 'Your mother was a naughty girl. She sinned.' Aunt Maud's cruel words shock Rosie Quest, but they also explain the hostility that surrounds her on the run-down Wirral farm: no wonder her aunt resents having had to take in an illegitimate child. It's quite a relief to escape to her job at Shearing's garment factory, even though Beatrice Shearing is a tough employer. But when Rosie catches the eye of Ben Shearing, Beatrice is having none of it: her son is too good for a factory girl. When she fails to halt the romance by conventional methods, Beatrice resolves to try more drastic tactics, even if that means uncovering secrets best left buried... What readers are saying about Legacy of Sins: 'Anne has surpassed her usual standard... I had difficulty putting it down as I wanted to know what happened next' 'Keeps you guessing to the end'




A Glimpse of the Mersey


Book Description

With the promise of happiness on the horizon, can a young woman help those she loves to achieve the same? A heart-warming and touching saga, Anne Baker's A Glimpse of the Mersey follows a young woman's eventful search for happiness and belonging. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Sheila Newberry. Daisy Corkill has never known who her parents were - or why they left her to be brought up by the couple she calls 'Uncle' Ern and 'Aunt' Gladys. Daisy yearns for the love and security that a family of her own would give her, but she finds comfort in her relationship with Brenda, her older 'sister'. One day in 1919 Brenda arrives home flushed with excitement. She has agreed to marry businessman Gil Fox. Daisy is horrified, for she doesn't trust the handsome Gil. And soon after their wedding, Brenda realises that Gil isn't the man she thought he was. But Daisy's dreams are about to come true; a family of her own is finally within her reach. But will it be enough to get her through some stormy times? What readers are saying about A Glimpse of the Mersey: '[I] got through it so quickly; I couldn't put it down with its thrilling storyline and charm. Praise for Anne Baker as always' 'Great author, gets you right into the story and keeps you enthralled!'




Echoes of the Merseyside Blitz


Book Description

Merseyside has a long and varied history, one which its sons and daughters are justifiably proud. It has come through many struggles, but perhaps its darkest hour was the air raids that were launched against it in 1940 and 1941. Around 4,000 people lost their lives and many prominent buildings and houses were destroyed or damaged beyond repair. All of this occurred in the space of just 18 months, a period which changed the face of the region irrevocably. Using a variety of new sources Echoes of the Merseyside Blitz draws together a timeline of the blitz for the whole region, showing at a glance what was happening on any given night during that period. Taking carefully selected photographs, Neil Holmes tells the story of Merseysides blitz through a series of ghost photographs, where historic wartime images are blended with their modern counterpart to create a fascinating window in to Merseysides past.




Twopence to Cross the Mersey


Book Description

This major best-selling memoir of a poverty-stricken childhood in Liverpool is one of the most harrowing but uplifting books you will ever read.




Goodbye Liverpool


Book Description

A touching portrayal of a mother and daughter bound by love and danger. Anne Baker's compelling Liverpool saga, Goodbye Liverpool, is an unforgettable tale of escapism, love and hope. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Katie Flynn. When Suzy Lunt's widowed mother Josie marries Luke Palmer, it's mainly to keep a roof over their heads. But soon Josie realises she's made a mistake, and she and Suzy flee Liverpool and a man they now fear. But will they be safe from the past in Birkenhead? What readers are saying about Goodbye Liverpool: 'Brilliant - five stars'




Mersey Maids


Book Description

The fate and happiness of a family rest on the shoulders of two young sisters... Mersey Maids by Anne Baker depicts a family's battle against poverty, and two sisters' struggles in life and love. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews. When widower Henry Knell loses his glove-making business to the Dransfields his life is well and truly ruined. With his six young daughters, he moves into rented rooms in a Merseyside back street. Meanwhile, Hattie and Maggie, the eldest girls, are trying to hold the family together. Sophie Dransfield's husband, Daniel, takes pity on the poverty-stricken Knells and offers Maggie a job as a maid in the Dransfields' nursery. Maggie's beautiful blonde hair soon catches the eye of Sophie's brother Tom, whose dashing brother, Luke, is equally enchanted by Hattie when she joins the household as a lady's maid. But the fortunes of the two sisters do not run according to plan... What readers are saying about Mersey Maids: 'One of her best!... An absolute blinder' 'I could not put the book down - it was just like you were there'




The Orphan's Gift


Book Description

When all seems lost, will her mother's legacy keep her safe? Praise for Anne Baker's Merseyside sagas: 'A stirring tale of romance and passion, poverty and ambition' Liverpool Echo Aimee Kendrick is no stranger to heartache. Having lost her father during the Great War and her mother, a famous French impressionist painter, in a tragic accident, Aimee is brought up by her troubled grandparents on the banks of the river Mersey. She works hard at her art lessons and is encouraged to believe she has inherited her mother's gift, but it is her childhood friend and fellow student Frankie Hopkins who shows greater talent. When Frankie joins the Kendrick's textile mill to work on new fabric designs, Aimee begs her grandfather to teach her how to run the business. Working together, Aimee and Frankie become much more than friends but then they find themselves involved in family problems and it is impossible to know what the future holds.