Victorian Orphan

Pip is an orphan, brought up in a village on the Essex marshes by his disagreeable sister and her husband Joe Gargery, the kind-hearted village blacksmith. Life is harsh and Pip has few prospects until he receives from an anonymous benefactor the chance of escaping the forge for a more promising life in London. But his expectations are fraught with difficulties as he is haunted by figures from his past such as the escaped convict Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Havisham, and her proud, beautiful ward, Estella.

Two orphaned sisters. Two callings. One unforgettable journey. When orphan twins Alice and Emily Jones lose their closest friend to the cruelty of the Manchester workhouse, they believe hope has abandoned them forever. Then, on a cold winter morning, a compassionate nun named Sister Constance offers them kindness. This becomes the thread that carries them through a decade of suffering. Years later, the twins leave the workhouse and enter a place foreign to them, seeking refuge and purpose. For Emily, the path ahead is clear. For Alice, it is far more complicated. When one of the twins meets...

Bess Hartley crafts haunting Victorian romances where courage, hardship, and slow-burning love collide beneath the smoke and shadows of nineteenth-century England. In the smoke-blackened streets of Victorian Manchester, survival is never freely given. Essie Breward was only seven years old when her father sold her and her brother into the brutal world of the chimney sweep’s yard. While her brother Joss climbed deadly flues thick with soot, Essie scrubbed pots in silence—until the day Joss never came home. The master sweep called it an accident. Essie heard the truth. Fleeing into the ...

Maeve Merritt chafes at the rigid rules at her London boarding school for “Upright Young Ladies.” When punishment forces her to sort through the trash, she finds a sardine tin that houses a foul-tempered djinni with no intention of submitting to a schoolgirl as his master. Soon an orphan boy from the charitable home next door, a mysterious tall man in ginger whiskers, a disgruntled school worker, and a take-no-prisoners business tycoon are in hot pursuit of Maeve and her magical discovery.

She wanted sanctuary... Helena Reynolds will do anything to escape her life in London, even if that means traveling to a remote cliffside estate on the North Devon coast and marrying a complete stranger. But Greyfriar's Abbey isn't the sort of refuge she imagined. And ex-army captain Justin Thornhill - though he may be tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome - is anything but a romantic hero. He needed redemption... Justin has spent the last two decades making his fortune, settling scores, and suffering a prolonged period of torture in an Indian prison.

A helpless baby is forsaken in a churchyard. This is how life begins for orphan Emma. Unwanted, cast aside, and thrown on the mercy of strangers, she grows up wondering why. And what are the mysterious gifts each year, placed where her cradle was once abandoned? Now blossomed to youthful beauty but shunned by society, the man she loves is forbidden to marry or court her.

Long ago in London Town, at a time when the muffin man's cries began the day and the lamplighter ushered in the night, two young orphans lived together in the bleak, cold shelter of a public workhouse.

Step into the world of Victorian England with "Great Expectations: Adapted for Modern Readers," where Charles Dickens' timeless tale of ambition and self-discovery is brought to life with refreshed language and clean formatting. This edition retains the original plot and themes but offers contemporary typography and lightly clarified language, making it more accessible without losing the charm and wit that Dickens is renowned for. Experience the rich tapestry of 19th-century society as you follow Pip's journey from humble beginnings to the complexities of wealth and personal growth. This ...

As a lady's companion, Clara Hartwright never receives much attention from anyone. And that's precisely how she likes it. With a stormy past, and an unconventional plan for her future, it's far safer to remain invisible. But when her new employer is invited to a monthlong holiday at a remote coastal abbey, Clara discovers that she may not be as invisible as she'd hoped. At least, not as far as one gentleman is concerned.

Step into the timeless world of "Jane Eyre," now adapted for modern readers. This refreshed edition retains Charlotte Brontë's captivating narrative while offering a more accessible reading experience with contemporary typography and lightly clarified language. The enduring tale of resilience and self-discovery is now easier to navigate, making it perfect for both first-time readers and those revisiting a classic with a modern twist. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century England, "Jane Eyre" explores themes of love, independence, and morality with emotional depth and intensity. Follow ...

A thief in the eyes of the law. A protector in the eyes of the children. Liverpool, 1852. Snow falls across the docklands as orphaned children huddle in freezing alleyways, praying to survive another night. Seventeen-year-old Ida Johnson has spent years protecting them the only way she knows how—through quick hands, sharp instincts, and desperate choices. But after she is caught stealing bread, Ida is condemned to Walton Gaol’s terrifying separate system, where prisoners live in crushing silence and isolation. As the days crawl by, Ida begins to fear the prison is destroying not only ...

What connects the foggy moral imagination of Charles Dickens with the magical world of Harry Potter? In Orphans, Shadows, and Secret Worlds: The Influence of Charles Dickens in Harry Potter, Cody Kirk explores the powerful Dickensian echoes that run through J. K. Rowling’s beloved fantasy series. From Harry’s life in the cupboard under the stairs to the corrupt machinery of the Ministry of Magic, this literary study reveals how the emotional structure of Harry Potter draws from a much older tradition of English storytelling. Dickens gave readers unforgettable orphan heroes, cruel ...

It's been three years since Laura Hayes' father died, leaving her and her invalid brother to subsist on the income from the family's failing perfume business. But time is swiftly running out. What she needs is a husband, and fast. A noble gentleman who can rescue them all from penury. When a mysterious stranger arrives in the village, he seems a perfect candidate. But Alex Archer is no hero. In fact, he just might be the opposite.

Discovery. Desire. Deception. A wondrously imagined tale of two female botanists, separated by more than a century, in a race to discover a life-saving flower . . . In Victorian England, headstrong adventuress Elizabeth takes up her late father's quest for a rare, miraculous plant. She faces a...

Solicitor Tom Finchley has spent his life using his devious intellect to solve the problems of others. As for his own problems, they're nothing that a bit of calculated vengeance can't remedy. But that's all over now. He's finally ready to put the past behind him and settle down to a quiet, uncomplicated life. Former lady's companion Jenny Holloway has just been given a modest independence. Now, all she wants is a bit of adventure. A chance to see the world and experience life far outside the restrictive limits of Victorian England.

Winner of the UK’s Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller Competition, this page-turning debut novel follows an orphan whose late, beloved best friend bequeaths her a treasure hunt that leads her all over Victorian England and finally to the one secret her friend never shared. It is 1831 when...

Nearly lost in the cold of night, a spark of hope shines a new light. In a freezing alley of London, a starving orphan, Fanny Bentley, is pulled back from the edge of death by a woman who refuses to look away. Years later, Fanny—now a young woman—finds herself at a quiet inn, where a kind-hearted innkeeper offers her something she’s never dared to dream of: a future. But the past is not so easily forgotten. When threats return and long-buried truths begin to surface, Fanny must face her greatest challenge yet. Can a heart once left to die learn to trust the warmth of love? Or will the...

Mary Beckwith is unwanted. After her mother's death, her father discards her at the orphanage, unwilling to care for her any longer. But several years later, as Christmas arrives, he is back, taking her home. Mary is overjoyed until she sees the man her once loving father has become. She's nothing more than a maid to him but accepts her fate, eventually becoming a maid at the Everly townhouse. Mary prays that her hard life is finally over. When she meets John at church, her dreams of a future with him bring a hint of light into the darkness of her heart. But that hope soon turns into ...

Mary Jekyll and the Athena Club foil a plot to unseat the Queen and race to save one of their own in this electrifying conclusion to the Locus Award winning trilogy that began with The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter. Life’s always an adventure for the Athena Club...especially when...

Unveil the untold saga of an orphan's destiny in the heart of Victorian England. The gripping prequel to "The Lost Girl's Beacon of Hope." In the midst of the great famine, Clare Byrne, widowed and heavily pregnant, flees Dublin on a treacherous 'coffin ship' to London. Tragedy strikes when the young mother dies giving birth. Just as hope seems lost for the bairn, a toothless old crone scoops up the newborn, hoping to profit from her find. Moments later, her prayers are answered as an elegant black carriage stops nearby, and a self-made gentleman steps out, purchasing the infant for a ...