Showing results by narrator "Sarah Coomes" in All Categories

The laughter of summer lawn parties fades for the men and women of Summerset Abbey, as the rumble of cannon-fire sweeps across Europe. In a changing world, they soon find that only one thing is certain: none of them will ever be the same. Rowena Buxton takes a dangerous mission transporting planes, and find herself tempted. Victoria Buxton lives on her own in London as a lady bachelor. And Prudence Tate crosses a line when her new husband elists in the war effort.

1913: In a sprawling manor on the outskirts of London, three young women seek to fulfill their destinies and desires amidst the unspoken rules of society and the distant rumblings of war.... Sir Philip Buxton raised three girls into beautiful and capable young women in a bohemian household that defied Edwardian tradition. Eldest sister Rowena was taught to value people, not wealth or status. But everything she believes will be tested when Sir Philip dies, and the girls must live under their uncle’s guardianship....

When Jonah Armstrong, the Earl of Haywood, returns to London after a three year absence, his plan is simple: reenter society, find a wealthy bride, and save the Haywood name from ruin. He has no time for distractions. Yet when he encounters Lady Cecelia Randolph, Jonah can’t resist a flirtation. After all, his feud with her brother, the Duke of Hadleigh, necessitated Jonah’s recent exile; he’s entitled to his revenge. But within seconds Jonah realizes he’s underestimated Cecelia.

Hannah Bartlett was tossed out of her home at the tender age of 15, when a man of the cloth stole her innocence. To survive the streets, Hannah entered into a life that she never imagined. Now, known as Madam Genevieve - the owner of London’s most infamous bordello - she dedicates her life to rescuing young girls from the streets and protecting them from a shameful fate. Vicar Rafe Waterford meets Hannah at one of his sister-in-law’s country gatherings…and immediately falls for the mysterious beauty. Despite his declarations of love, Hannah insists they cannot be together. But Rafe is like no other man…and he refuses to forget a love so passionate and consuming.

As the icy chill of winter, 1914, settles on the magnificent country estate of Summerset Abbey, three young women seek comfort and warmth in the smiles of friends, the fire in their hearts, and the promise of spring… Victoria Buxton - With her delicate constitution but strong, unflappable spirit, Victoria has never followed societal conventions, the rules of fashion, or the pursuit of a husband. Instead, she finds herself drawn into the controversial - and dangerous - fight for women’s suffrage.

For generations, Arienh’s people have feared the Viking raids. She knows all too well the terrible toll the Northmen have taken on the Celts, having lost most of her own family to their swords. So one stormy night when she encounters and wounds a Viking warrior, she has every right to want him dead. And yet she hesitates…. Ronan knows Arienh doesn’t recognize him. He was just a boy when his kinsmen raided her village and Ronan risked his own life to protect her. Now he has returned to claim the beautiful girl who captured his heart years before. But wooing a Celtic woman is no easy task.

In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for listeners to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

When their grandmother dies, Grace and Andrew Easton inherit her sprawling, book-filled London home, Dinmont House. Rather than sell it, the adult siblings move in together, splitting the numerous bedrooms and studies. The arrangement is unusual, but ideal for the affectionate pair - until the day Andrew brings home a new boyfriend. A devilishly handsome novelist, James Derain resembles Cary Grant, but his strident comments about Grace’s doctoral thesis soon puncture the house’s idyllic atmosphere. When he and Andrew witness their friend’s murder outside a London nightclub, James begins to unravel.

Çeda, the heroine of the novel Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, is the youngest pit fighter in the history of the great desert city of Sharakhai. In this prequel, she has already made her name in the arena as the fearsome, undefeated White Wolf; none but her closest friends and allies know her true identity. But this all changes when she crosses the path of Rümayesh, an ehrekh, a sadistic creature forged long ago by the god of chaos.

For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on "climbing boys" - orphans owned by chimney sweeps - to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless and brutally dangerous. Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived. With her wits and will, she's managed to beat the deadly odds time and again. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic - and not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature - a golem - made from ash and coal.

An epic new fantasy series of mystery, prophecy and death within the ancient walled city of the Twelve Kings.... In the cramped west end of Sharakhai, the Amber Jewel of the Desert, Çeda fights in the pits to scrape a living. She, like so many in the city, pray for the downfall of the cruel, immortal Kings of Sharakhai, but she's never been able to do anything about it. This all changes when she goes out on the night of Beht Zha'ir, the holy night when all are forbidden from walking the streets.

Jo Atkins' sixteenth year was disastrous: She lost her dad, was assaulted by a stranger, and then had her heart broken. For the last twenty-five years, she's believed that nothing could ever be as bad again. She was wrong.

Çeda's mission is partly complete...so now she must continue to uncover the riddles her mother has left - especially when those scattered clues are incomplete. The answers lie in the desert, where the few remaining members of the Thirteenth Tribe are hidden, and though they doubt she can make a stand against the Kings, they are prepared to help her in her quest. The remaining Kings, however, have not been idle. One of their own has been murdered, and the hunt is on to find the culprit.

Jeannette Boucher, a young French beauty from a family left penniless by the revolution, must marry against her will to save them all from ruin. But almost immediately after the vows are spoken, she learns that her old English husband is impotent - and in his desire for an heir, he plans to compromise her in the worst way. Determined to escape such a fate, she stows away on one of His Majesty’s frigates. But a woman alone is in constant danger.

Can classmate Julie protect the brothers from vanishing? With warmth and humor, Carnegie Medalist Frank Cottrell Boyce transports readers from the steppe of Mongolia to the streets of Liverpool in an immigration tale that is compelling, miraculous, and often laugh-out-loud funny.

Dad is building a pair of wings, eating flies, and feathering his nest. Auntie Doreen is getting cross and making dumplings. Mr. Poop is parading the streets, shouting LOUDER and LOUDER, and even Mr. Mint, the headmaster, is getting in a flap. And watching it all is Lizzie, missing her mam and looking after Dad and thinking how beautiful the birds are.

"No one wanted you. But I did." Kat's true identity is a secret, even from her. All she has ever known are Grace and Anna and their small village. Kat wants more - more than hours spent embroidering finery for wealthy ladies and more than Christian, the gentle young farmer courting her. But there are wolves outside, Grace warns. Waiting, with their eyes glowing in the dark... nd Grace has given Kat safety and a home when no one else would.

In the underbelly of Soho's organized crime ring, everyone knows that retired boxer Harry Woods is not one to mess with. And that goes double for his family. Harry has it all: the big house, the flashy cars, and an abundance of wealth. As much as money talks in his world, Harry knows deep down the only thing that really counts is family. Haunted by the sudden death of his wife, he'll do anything to protect his children, but truth is a heavy burden and hidden secrets can unravel even the strongest of bonds....

Ireland, 1790: In the midst of a violent storm, the small fishing village of Dromkeen comes under attack by Moorish pirates. Dromkeen is a poor settlement, but it is rich in what the pirates are hunting: slaves. Among those captured in the surprise raid is the young farmer Brannon Ryan, whose strength and fortitude make him a valuable commodity in the slave markets of North Africa. He is sold into servitude, forced to become a soldier of the sadistic sultan of Morocco. All the while, his heart remains in Ireland, where he can only hope that his beloved Orlaith has met a better fate.

When Mio sneaks the family's katana - a priceless ancestral sword - from her parents' attic, she just wants to spice up a costume. But the katana is much more than a dusty antique. Awakening the power within the sword unleashes a terrible, ancient evil onto the streets of unsuspecting modern-day London. But it also releases Shinobu, a fearless warrior boy, from the depths of time.