The Oceans Between Us: A gripping and heartwrenching novel of a mother's search for her lost child after WW2


Book Description

Inspired by heartrending true events, a mother fights to find her son and a child battles for survival in this riveting debut novel. 'A warm-hearted tale of love, loss and indefatigable human spirit' Kathryn Hughes 'A heartrending story' Jane Corry 'A mother's loss and a son's courage... A heartrending story that spans the world' Diney Costeloe For readers of Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, The Letter by Kathryn Hughes, and Remember Me by Lesley Pearse. A woman is found wandering injured in London after an air raid. She remembers nothing of who she is. Only that she has lost something very precious. As the little boy waits in the orphanage, he hopes his mother will return. But then he finds himself on board a ship bound for Australia, the promise of a golden life ahead, and wonders: how will she find him in a land across the oceans? In Perth, a lonely wife takes in the orphaned child. But then she discovers the secret of his past. Should she keep quiet? Or tell the truth and risk losing the boy who has become her life? This magnificent, moving novel, set in London and Australia, is testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love. Readers worldwide have fallen in love with The Oceans Between Us... 'A beautiful tale of a mother's love. A wonderful book. Full of emotion, heart, joy and sorrow' Emma's Bookish Corner 'Heart-wrenching debut novel. A story based on actual events which will have you glued to the pages' Waggy Tales 'It has opened my eyes to the injustice done to so many' Shaz's Book Blog 'I flew through this emotional book. I raged at just what some had to endure. But I also felt their bravery in finding justice for all children who suffered. Highly recommended' Between My Lines 'A story that will touch every reader's heart. An absolute must-read' By The Letter Book Reviews ** DON'T MISS THE ORPHANS ON THE TRAIN, COMING SOON FROM GILL THOMPSON **




Ransom Canyon


Book Description

From New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas comes the first book in a compelling, emotionally resonant series set in a remote west Texas town – where family can be made by blood or by choice Rancher Staten Kirkland, the last descendant of Ransom Canyon's founding father, is rugged and practical to the last. No one knows that when his troubling memories threaten to overwhelm him, he runs to lovely, reclusive Quinn O'Grady...or that she has her own secret that no one living knows. Young Lucas Reyes has his eye on the prize – college, and the chance to become something more than a ranch hand's son. But one night, one wrong decision, will set his life on a course even he hadn't imagined. Yancy Grey is running hard from his troubled past. He doesn't plan to stick around Ransom Canyon, just long enough to learn the town's weaknesses and how to use them for personal gain. Only Yancy, a common criminal since he was old enough to reach a car's pedals, isn't prepared for what he encounters. In this dramatic new series, the lives, loves and ambitions of four families will converge, set against a landscape that can be as unforgiving as it is beautiful, where passion, property and pride are worth fighting – and even dying – for.




Stolen from Her Mother: An Utterly Heartbreaking World War Two Page-turner Set Between Ireland and America


Book Description

With a broken heart, she sinks to the ground. Tears run down her face as the truth hits her. "You can't do this. She's my daughter, my flesh and blood. I'll never stop looking for her. Never. No matter what you say or do, I'll find her." Galway, Ireland. 1941: While war rages across the world, Kate struggles on her family farm by the wild Atlantic Ocean. Living off rations and looking after her sick father, she doesn't dare dream of falling in love. But when she meets American airman, Tony, whose blue eyes are as stormy as the sea, her life collides with the war in ways she never imagined... They fall madly in love, stealing kisses in the rolling fields, and Tony vows to make her his wife. Their time is cut short when Tony leaves for war, promising to come back for her. Only then does Kate learn she is carrying his child--but when her family find out, she is shunned and banished to a Magdalen Laundry. Imprisoned in the home for unmarried mothers, where the windows are covered in barbed wire, the girls survive on scraps and sleep in a crammed dormitory. Kate writes to Tony to tell him about their child, but she never hears back... Is he even still alive? And when she gives birth to baby Eva, Kate's worst nightmare comes true: her precious child is sold to a stranger. But she made a promise to her darling daughter, and she'll never stop looking for her. Can Kate escape, save her child and reunite her family before it's too late? A heartbreaking, tear-jerking and completely unputdownable World War Two page-turner about the power of a mother's love, and the devastating effects of the war. Fans of Before We Were Yours, Orphan Train and Diney Costeloe will be utterly glued to this unforgettable novel. Readers love Stolen from Her Mother: "Captivated right from the very start and gripped me in its pages until the very end. I couldn't put it down and read it in a few hours... It is so well written with great character development and a storyline that is intensely raw and deals with real situations and issues in a really sensitive way... I was brought to tears... I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. This is a truly heart-wrenching and emotionally destroying read. I loved it, I cannot wait to reread it." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "If I could give this book 10 stars, I would gladly do it. A beautiful story, tear jerking, breathlessly heartbreaking." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Dear moms! While the tears in my eyes are drying up, I am writing this letter to all women, especially to moms, because I want to recommend you a wonderful book about a young girl Kate. It is not just a love story or fiction book, it's a great work of art... After reading the book you will never be the same!... My heart was torn to pieces... Brilliant... I am sure that you will love this amazing book as I did." Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A heartbreaking, tear-jerking and completely unputdownable World War Two page-turner. Sheer escapism, beautifully written, I will now look for more of this author's work." NetGalley reviewer




The Oceans Between Us


Book Description

Inspired by heartrending real events, a mother fights to find her son and a child battles for survival in this riveting debut novel. For readers of Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, The Letter by Kathryn Hughes, and Remember Me by Lesley Pearse. 'A warm-hearted tale of love, loss and indefatigable human spirit' Kathryn Hughes A woman is found wandering injured in London after an air raid. She remembers nothing of who she is. Only that she has lost something very precious. As the little boy waits in the orphanage, he hopes his mother will return. But then he finds himself on board a ship bound for Australia, the promise of a golden life ahead, and wonders: how will she find him in a land across the oceans? In Perth, a lonely wife takes in the orphaned child. But then she discovers the secret of his past. Should she keep quiet? Or tell the truth and risk losing the boy who has become her life? This magnificent, moving novel, set in London and Australia, is testament to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love.




The Lighthouse Sisters


Book Description

'I loved this heart-in-your-mouth story of forbidden love, courage and hope. A heart-wrenching book about family bonds facing the toughest of trials during WW2' KERRY FISHER 'A stunning tale about sisters, courage, and sacrifice that will keep you enthralled until the very last page' ANDIE NEWTON 'Really brought a lump to my throat. It has stayed with me since finishing it' SUZANNE GOLDRING 'Heart-wrenching, immersive, beautifully researched. I thoroughly recommend, together with a tissue for this emotional read!' LOUISE FEIN 'They were there for each other during the war just like the lighthouse, a source of hope and protection over the years.' 1940: For sisters Alice and Jenny life is just beginning when the Nazis seize control of the island of Jersey, driving the girls down separate paths. While Alice is forced by the enemy to work in the German hospital, Jenny is attracted to the circle of islanders rising up to resist the occupiers. And as the war tightens its grip, it will cause each of the sisters to make an extraordinary choice, experience unimaginable heartbreak and emerge forever changed... 1996: The war may have ended decades earlier, but for the elegant woman sitting alone now, the images live on in her memory: her sister's carefree laughter, the inky black of a German soldier's boots, the little boats that never came back. And the one constant through it all: the lighthouse that always guided them back to the island... A gripping, heartbreaking story of two sisters in occupied Jersey during WWII - one a nurse, who is transported to Nazi Germany, the other, who volunteers for the island's resistance movement - from the author of The Child on Platform One. Perfect for readers of The Nightingale and The Midwife of Auschwitz. ______ FONT SIZE="+1"What real readers are saying about The Lighthouse Sisters: 'What an emotional read, I felt like I was actually living along the characters, I absolutely loved this book ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' 'I was gripped. I couldn't put it down. Heart-wrenching at times and so full of hope and resilience at others. I really enjoyed it ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' 'A real page-turner ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐' 'A wonderful read from the first page ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'




Unbroken


Book Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE • Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more. In boyhood, Louis Zamperini was an incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when World War II began, the athlete became an airman, embarking on a journey that led to a doomed flight on a May afternoon in 1943. When his Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, against all odds, Zamperini survived, adrift on a foundering life raft. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will. Appearing in paperback for the first time—with twenty arresting new photos and an extensive Q&A with the author—Unbroken is an unforgettable testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit, brought vividly to life by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand. Hailed as the top nonfiction book of the year by Time magazine • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography and the Indies Choice Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year award “Extraordinarily moving . . . a powerfully drawn survival epic.”—The Wall Street Journal “[A] one-in-a-billion story . . . designed to wrench from self-respecting critics all the blurby adjectives we normally try to avoid: It is amazing, unforgettable, gripping, harrowing, chilling, and inspiring.”—New York “Staggering . . . mesmerizing . . . Hillenbrand’s writing is so ferociously cinematic, the events she describes so incredible, you don’t dare take your eyes off the page.”—People “A meticulous, soaring and beautifully written account of an extraordinary life.”—The Washington Post “Ambitious and powerful . . . a startling narrative and an inspirational book.”—The New York Times Book Review “Magnificent . . . incredible . . . [Hillenbrand] has crafted another masterful blend of sports, history and overcoming terrific odds; this is biography taken to the nth degree, a chronicle of a remarkable life lived through extraordinary times.”—The Dallas Morning News “An astonishing testament to the superhuman power of tenacity.”—Entertainment Weekly “A tale of triumph and redemption . . . astonishingly detailed.”—O: The Oprah Magazine “[A] masterfully told true story . . . nothing less than a marvel.”—Washingtonian “[Hillenbrand tells this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter’s pace.”—Time “Hillenbrand [is] one of our best writers of narrative history. You don’t have to be a sports fan or a war-history buff to devour this book—you just have to love great storytelling.”—Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks




Salt to the Sea


Book Description

#1 New York Times bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal! "A superlative novel . . . masterfully crafted."--The Wall Street Journal Based on "the forgotten tragedy that was six times deadlier than the Titanic."--Time Winter 1945. WWII. Four refugees. Four stories. Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies, war. As thousands desperately flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom. But not all promises can be kept . . . This paperback edition includes book club questions and exclusive interviews with Wilhelm Gustloff survivors and experts.




The Wheelwright's Daughter


Book Description

Can she save herself from a witch's fate? Martha is a feisty and articulate young woman, the daughter of a wheelwright, living in a Herefordshire village in Elizabethan England. With no mother Martha's life is spent running her father's meagre household and helping out at the local school whilst longing to escape the confines and small-mindedness of a community driven by religious bigotry and poverty. As she is able to read and is well-versed in herbal remedies she is suspected of being a witch. When a landslip occurs - opening up a huge chasm in the centre of the village - she is blamed for it and pursued remorselessly by the villagers. **But can her own wits and the love of local stablehand Jacob save her from a witch's persecution and death... A brilliant and accomplished novel that perfectly captures the febrile atmosphere of Elizabethan village life in an age when suspicion and superstition were rife. Perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier. What readers are saying about The Wheelwright's Daughter: ** 'It's a gripping story and such accomplished writing. I really enjoyed every moment of working on it.' Yvonne Holland, editor of Philippa Gregory and Tracy Chevalier 'A brilliant debut novel' 'An interesting read and an impressive debut novel' 'A wonderfully written story' 'A skilfully crafted story of love, betrayal, superstition and fear in 16th century England.' 'This is a story of courage, trust, betrayal and love.' 'A great historical novel I loved.' 'Keeps you hooked til the end.' 'An excellent read, highly recommended.' 'Full of historical detail and atmosphere' 'I enjoyed this thoughtful and well-written story by Eleanor Porter.' 'Atmospheric and evocative'




When Time Stopped


Book Description

In this astonishing story that “reads like a thriller and is so, so timely” (BuzzFeed) Ariana Neumann dives into the secrets of her father’s past: “Like Anne Frank’s diary, it offers a story that needs to be told and heard” (Booklist, starred review). In 1941, the first Neumann family member was taken by the Nazis, arrested in German-occupied Czechoslovakia for bathing in a stretch of river forbidden to Jews. He was transported to Auschwitz. Eighteen days later his prisoner number was entered into the morgue book. Of thirty-four Neumann family members, twenty-five were murdered by the Nazis. One of the survivors was Hans Neumann, who, to escape the German death net, traveled to Berlin and hid in plain sight under the Gestapo’s eyes. What Hans experienced was so unspeakable that, when he built an industrial empire in Venezuela, he couldn’t bring himself to talk about it. All his daughter Ariana knew was that something terrible had happened. When Hans died, he left Ariana a small box filled with letters, diary entries, and other memorabilia. Ten years later Ariana finally summoned the courage to have the letters translated, and she began reading. What she discovered launched her on a worldwide search that would deliver indelible portraits of a family loving, finding meaning, and trying to survive amid the worst that can be imagined. A “beautifully told story of personal discovery” (John le Carré), When Time Stopped is an unputdownable detective story and an epic family memoir, spanning nearly ninety years and crossing oceans. Neumann brings each relative to vivid life, and this “gripping, expertly researched narrative will inspire those looking to uncover their own family histories” (Publishers Weekly).




What I Had Before I Had You


Book Description

A woman must face the truth about her past in this luminous, evocative novel of parents and children, guilt and forgiveness, memory and magical thinking. Olivia Reed was fifteen when she left her hometown of Ocean Vista on the Jersey Shore. Two decades later, divorced and unstrung, she returns with her teenage daughter, Carrie, and nine-year-old son, Daniel, recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Distracted by thoughts of the past, Olivia fails to notice when Daniel disappears from her side. Her frantic search for him sparks memories of the summer of 1987, when she exploded out of the cocoon of her mother’s fierce, smothering love and into a sudden, full-throttle adolescence, complete with dangerous new friends, first love, and a rebellion so intense that it utterly recharted the course of her life. Olivia’s mother, Myla, was a practicing psychic whose powers waxed and waned along with her mercurial moods. Myla raised Olivia to be a guarded child, and also to believe in the ever-present infant ghosts of her twin sisters, whom Myla took care of as if they were alive—diapers, baby food, an empty nursery kept like a shrine. At fifteen, Olivia saw her sisters for the first time, not as ghostly infants but as teenagers on the beach. But when Myla denied her vision, Olivia set out to learn the truth—a journey that led to shattering discoveries about herself and her family. Sarah Cornwell seamlessly weaves together the past and the present in this riveting debut novel, as she examines the relationships between mothers and daughters, and the powerful forces of loss, family history, and magical thinking.