Showing results by narrator "Deryn Oliver" in All Categories

Leaving behind the rural charms of Finnshire, Miss Penelope Fairweather arrives in London with hope in her heart and a dream in her eye. The dowager, no less, has invited her for a season in London, where she will attempt to catch a husband. Thus begins our heroine’s tale as she attempts to tackle the London season with all her rustic finesse. Unfortunately her rustic finesse turns out to be as delicate as a fat bear trying to rip apart a honeycomb infested with buzzing bees.

As the Aurelia nears Athens, a new member of the crew is found dead in his cabin. Next to a gun and slumped over a suicide note, it appears tragic but unsuspicious. However, he’s the captain’s nephew Julian, onboard for only six days, and something about the suicide note makes Patricia’s nose twitch. With disobedient dog Anna, loyal butler Jermaine, and all her friends in support, your favorite amateur sleuth soon uncovers a web of lies and deceit in the bursary.

Everyday Kindness is a charity anthology of short fictional stories of kindness, edited by LJ Ross. These uplifting tales of hope and of small everyday kindnesses are intended to support wider positive mental-health goals and foster wellbeing through the act of listening to tales of goodwill inspired by others. Featuring authors across the spectrum of literature, some international best-selling and award-winning writers amongst them, this is a unique collection of words.

Kidnapped in seventh-century England and sold as a slave to a powerful mayor in France, Bathilde needs to adapt to survive. When the mayor’s beloved wife passes away, he looks to Bathilde for comfort. Fleeing his attentions, she is forced to live on the streets until she catches the king’s eye and everything changes. Now a queen, Bathilde must provide the king with heirs and continue the charitable and social work that has become her life, all while fighting her detractors. By the end of her days, Bathilde had changed the face of medieval France forever.

A princess falls into a deep sleep for a hundred years after being cursed by an evil fairy. But when a handsome prince discovers her asleep, he vows to find a way to save her.

Witches! Whether you know them from Shakespeare or from Wicked, there is no staple more beloved in folklore, fairy tale, or fantasy than these magical beings. Witches are everywhere, and at the heart of stories that resonate with many people around the world. This dazzling, otherworldly collection gathers new stories of witches from all walks of life, ensuring a Halloween readers will never forget. Whether they be maiden, mother, crone, or other; funny, fierce, light and airy, or dark and disturbing; witches are a vital part of some of the greatest stories we have, and new ones start here!

From the pen of award-winning erotica author Lucy Felthouse comes a collection of short stories and flash fiction sure to hit the spot. There’s something for everyone in this sexy anthology. From spanking to voyeurism, bondage to pegging, solo loving to ménage, with a sprinkling of femdom, maledom, and magic, fans of M/F erotic stories will soon discover why this book is described as multi-orgasmic. Enjoy 21 titillating tales with over 52,000 words of naughtiness packed into one steamy collection.

Daniel Hawthorn knew he was different from the day he was born, as he lay in his mother’s arms and gazed up deeply into her mysterious black eyes. But no one had prepared him for the horrors that he was about to experience, as he ventured deep into the world of witchcraft and wizardry.

In the aftermath of World War One, everyone in the small English town of Barton is trying to rebuild their lives. Ben is living alone in his father’s old narrowboat, the Sparrowhawk, avoiding the town constable, who is threatening to send him to the orphanage, and awaiting news of his older brother, Sam, who was injured in France and has been declared missing. Lotti’s horrible aunt and uncle want to send her away from her beloved home to boarding school - just when she has so successfully managed to get expelled from her last one.

Not everyone approves of Edward’s choice of bride. Even the king’s mother, Emma of Normandy, detests her daughter-in-law, and Edith is soon on the receiving end of her displeasure. Balancing her sense of family obligation with her duty to her husband, Edith must also prove herself to her detractors. Edward and Edith’s relationship is respectful and caring, but when Edith’s enemies engineer her family’s fall from grace, the king is forced to send her away. She vows to do anything to protect her family’s interests at any cost, if she returns.

The infamous rake, Lord Richard Hamilton, has finally chosen his bride - the very appropriate Miss Emma Grey. The ton approves, Lord Grey is pleased, Lady Grey delighted, and Emma is over the moon, but her uncle, (the blasted) Duke of Arden opposes the match, and Emma is ordered to move to the duke’s estate to think things over. Richard Hamilton refuses to take things lying down and concocts a plan. A plan that should have brought the lovers together and had them married within a month.

Miss Celine Fairweather’s life was bobbing along like a boat on a tranquil stream when a summons from her beloved sister, Penelope Radclyff, the duchess of Blackthorne, changed it all. Celine hurtles off to London to help the duchess run the Blackthorne Mansion and to discover the whereabouts of her lost love, Philbert Woodbead.

The gossip columns can talk of nothing else, and even the Regent is intrigued. The murder of Lord Beazley at Gopshall Manor has caused a sensation, and the fact that two sweet governesses could have done it has further tickled the nations bloodthirsty soul. Lucy Anne Trotter, who stands accused, steals a horse and hurtles off to convince the only man in the country who can save her bacon - the national hero and the most handsome man in England, Lord William Hartell Adair. With him by her side, she sets out to discover the Gopshall family’s secrets and the murderer.

The Fairweather sisters adore each other and always stand by one another. But when circumstances force Dorothy May Fairweather to marry Lord William Edmund Huxley - the man her best friend is in love with and the Duke’s arch enemy - things change. With her one foolish mistake, Dorothy manages to vex all those that mean the most to her.

French Indochina, 1945: Arielle, the daughter of a French father and Vietnamese mother, is working for the colonial government. Because of her native blood, she’s spared imprisonment when the Japanese storm Hanoi. Forced to work for the enemy, Arielle is contacted by a Viet Minh agent, who threatens to expose her dark secrets from 10 years before if she doesn’t help his cause. As Arielle is drawn deeper into the rebels’ dangerous world, will she ever escape the torment of her past? Or will she find love in the most unexpected of places?

Matthew was my biggest regret. For years he was my best friend, but I never told him how I really felt. That I loved him. When all the words should have been said, I said nothing at all. For fifteen years I kept him in my dreams, letting my life coast along and pass me by. Until he came back. But Matthew wasn't the man I remembered. Cold and aloof, his hatred of me burned little holes into my heart. We had just fifteen days to reconnect. Probably too short a time to bridge the gap to the past. Could we get back to who we used to be, when we were young?

Nina and her brother Wild are learners-at-large. They don't sit still for school -- they learn kinetically, by doing STEM experiments. But can science help when a precious pup plops into the backyard pool? PJ Time is Learning Time. Ditch the workbooks... and love science once again. Grab your littles, a pair of comfy pjs, a cup of decaf (who are we kidding? go big) and start learning through daily adventures. Finally, a picture book as pretty as a magazine that parents can enjoy reading more than once!

From Sapphic fun at the seaside to showing off by the pool, clearing out an old shed to getting the hots for musicians, and even a spot of voyeurism, this book has F/F goodness in spades. There’s something for everyone and will have you eager to hear more.

A murder and a theft have been committed at Rudhall Manor. A box of jewels has vanished and Lord Sedley, a lusty old aristocrat, has been stabbed six times in the chest. It is all very mysterious, and the Sedley family and the servants have decided that Miss Lucy Anne Trotter, a recently employed governess, is to blame for the unfortunate events. The legendary and wickedly handsome marquis, Lord William Adair, learns of the matter and decides to uncover the truth. Lucy, however, accompanied by two naughty pugs and a moody raven, decides to investigate and unmask the killer herself.

Today I Found a Unicorn has delighted both children and parents with it’s simple yet elegant tale of a young girl whose day is turned upside down when she discovers a unicorn on her lawn. Children will be delighted to hear how imagination and friendship can change an ordinary day into a magical adventure! It’s the perfect lighthearted book for little ones who love unicorns and imaginary play.