MAY PUBLICATIONS:

Glenda Young: The Tuppenny Child
Saga set in 1919
Hardback, Audiobook and Ebook
May 2019

‘She’s not worth more than tuppence, that child!’ Those are the words that haunt Sadie Linthorpe.
She is the talk of Ryhope when she arrives there, aged seventeen, alone, seeking work and a home in the pit village. But Sadie is keeping a secret – she is searching for her baby girl who was taken from her at birth a year ago and cruelly sold by the child’s grandmother. All that Sadie knows about the family who took her daughter is that they live in Ryhope. And the only thing she knows about her daughter is that when the baby was born, she had a birthmark on one shoulder that resembled a tiny ladybird. But as Sadie’s quest begins, a visitor from her past appears – one who could jeopardise the life she’s beginning to build and ruin her chances of finding her beloved child forever… From the author of Belle of the Back Streets, a dramatically powerful saga of secrets, friendship, motherhood, love and betrayal,
perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin.

Jan Jones: An Unconventional Act
Regency Romance
Linford Romance Library
Large Print
May 2018

When Jenny Castle appears in Adam Prettyman’s theatre barn one evening saying she has come to sort out his finances and look after his children, he is unable to refuse. Full of self-blame after the death of his wife, he wants only to lose himself on stage, the one place where he knows he is not a failure. But Jenny needs to hide too, from a man without humanity or soul who could bring down destruction on them all. Secrets and subterfuge in Regency England!
The fourth in Jan Jones’s popular Newmarket Regency series.

Cara Cooper: Missing in Paradise
romantic suspense
Ulverscroft
traditionally published paperback
1 May 2019

On holiday in Cuba with her daughter Anna, Bryony Kemp is struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband. She is distraught when Anna disappears. Mark Greenstreet, an English policeman staying at their hotel, is keen to help. But as he and Bryony are drawn closer together, they discover that old secrets cast long shadows – and keeping them can be the ultimate betrayal of trust.

Wendy Clarke: What She Saw
Romantic Suspense (psychological thriller)
Bookouture
ebook, paperback, audio
May 1st 2019

How far would you go to keep your daughter safe?
Everyone knows Leona would do anything for her daughter, Beth: she moved to Church Langdon to send Beth to the best school, built a business to support them and found the perfect little cottage to call home.
They hike together, shop together, share their hopes and fears. It’s the relationship every mother dreams of. But Leona never talks about why they moved to the Lake District. She’s never told Beth anything about her father. She says Beth should never speak to strangers. She says Beth doesn’t need friends. She’s only trying to protect her daughter. But sometimes the person closest to you is the person you shouldn’t trust.

Elaine Everest: The Teashop Girls
Historical Saga
Pan Macmillan
Paperback, Ebook, Audio
2nd May 2019

It is early 1940 and World War Two has already taken a hold on the country.
Rose Neville works as a Lyon’s Teashop Nippy on the Kent coast alongside her childhood friends, the ambitious Lily and Katie, whose fiancé is about to be posted overseas in the navy. As war creates havoc in Europe, Rose relies on the close friendship of her friends and her family. When Capt. Benjamin Hargreaves enters the teashop one day, Rose is immediately drawn to him.
But as Lyon’s forbids courting between staff and customers, she tries to put the handsome officer out of her mind. In increasingly dark and dangerous times, Rose fears there may not be time to waste. But is the dashing captain what he seems?
Praise for Elaine Everest
‘Heartwarming . . . a must read’ – Woman’s Own
‘A warm, tender tale of friendship and love’ – Milly Johnson
‘A lovely read’ – Bella

Evelyn Orange: Mediterranean Mystery
Romantic suspense
D. C. Thomson

My Weekly Pocket Novel;

Paperback
2nd May 2019

Leda unexpectedly finds herself companion to her great aunt on a Mediterranean Cruise.
She’s expecting it to be pretty boring amongst a crowd of old people. But her horizons change as she explores the ports of call, and meets some unusual characters on board. Not only is there a handsome ship’s officer showing her interest, but there’s also intriguing fellow passenger Nick, who’s hiding something. Plus Aunt Ronnie turns out to be lively company. Add into the mix a mystery on the ship, and it becomes a voyage with unforeseen consequences.

Eve Devon: The Wedding Planner
Romance. Rom-Com
HarperImpulse
E-pub
3rd May 2019

Whispers Wood, Book 3
Wedding bells are ringing and gossip is spiralling in Whispers Wood…
Single mum Gloria Pavey has a bad habit of saying exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time. Determined to make a positive change she can’t say no when her best friend, Emma, asks her to take on the role of her wedding planner. The only problem? Gloria’s co-planner – best man Seth Knightley.
Gloria’s on a self-imposed man ban but pulling together the most beautiful wedding Whispers Wood has ever seen alongside gorgeous Seth is pushing her to her limits. As every interaction increases the tension between them Gloria finds herself wondering… could the happy ever after she never thought she’d have, be in her future after all?

LM Connolly: Racing Hearts
Contemporary Romance
Tule Publishing
Ebook, print
6th May 2019

Italian race car tycoon Ronan Miller is on the cusp of achieving his elaborate revenge when he meets flame-haired back-up driver Georgia Trent. Intrigued by the beautiful and risk-loving beauty, he thinks he can use her as an instrument of his revenge, but after a spontaneous night of passion, he has other plans until fate knocks them both on a different track.
Georgia Trent has doggedly pursued a goal that has nothing to do with Mr. Tall, Dark, Seductive and Handsome. But one night she indulges her sensual, passionate and impulsive nature, never dreaming the consequences will be so permanent. Wanting to do the right thing, Georgia tracks down the elusive Ronan who’s disappeared after a family emergency. Watching Georgia game her way into his office reminds him of all he’s been missing, but Ronan’s always been business before pleasure. But business won’t help him now. He is going to have to use all his seductive skills to woo Georgia back to his side, but has he waited too long?

Jeevani Charika: This Stolen Life
Women’s fiction / ‘book club’ fiction
Hera Publishing
Ebook, audio to follow
8th May 2019

Would you tell the truth, if it meant losing your one true love?
After moving from Sri Lanka to Yorkshire to become a nanny, Soma tries to settle into life in the U.K., even if every day presents her with a new challenge, from trying new food to getting to grips with the language. The one thing Soma never counted on was falling in love. When she meets Sahan, a wealthy student at the local university, the two feel an instant attraction.
Meeting in secret so that Sahan can teach Soma English, their friendship quickly blooms into something more. But their differing social status means they have to hide their love from the world.
But Soma is hiding another huge secret. As her lies come crashing down, Soma is faced with an impossible choice. Should she tell the truth – even if means losing Sahan?
Link: books2read.com/u/mYr6AV

Emma Davies: The House at Hope Corner
Contemporary romance
Bookouture
E-pub, PB
10th May

The view across the valley takes her breath away; everywhere she looks tiny patches of colour – ochre, chestnut, lime and purple. The farmhouse behind her glows pink in the morning sun. Finally, Flora has the home of her dreams… but is she about to lose it? Free-spirited Flora Dunbar is heartbroken at the news that she must close down her beloved little flower shop on the high-street. As she packs away her pretty pots and vases and locks the door for the very last time, the only spark of hope is an offer from Ned, a gorgeous farmer with an irresistible twinkle in his eye, to come and start a new life on his family farm. Arriving at Hope Corner, Flora’s heart sings as she takes in the stunning landscape that surrounds her new home. But it’s not long before she realises that her creative, romantic thinking has no place in a household built on tradition and strict routine. Pulling up her signature striped socks and throwing herself into her chores, little by little Flora blossoms as she learns to love the order and patterns of life on the land, feeding the chickens every morning and checking on the cows at night. But the more she understands about her new home, the more she suspects it’s under threat, and worse, that Ned is hiding something from her…But this time, Flora’s not going to run from her problems, especially not when she was just beginning to let herself believe that Ned could really be The One. Can she find a way to save her relationship AND the first house she’s ever truly called home? An absolutely gorgeous and utterly uplifting romance to sweep you off your feet! Perfect reading for fans of Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Debbie Johnson.

Sasha Greene: Something Like Happy
Contemporary Romance
eBook
13th May (paperback out 25th July)

Jade is just trying to get by. She doesn’t want to talk about it. She doesn’t want a fuss.
But one day she meets Nick and everything changes. Out of the most difficult of situations, Nick and Jade’s friendship grows into something both of them never knew they needed. Jade used to be sure that she was better off alone. But could it be that together, with Nick by her side, she can start to feel something like happy again? An emotional and thought-provoking novel about friendship, love and day-to-day struggles with mental health.

Carrie Elks: She’s Like The Wind
Contemporary Romance
Self Published
Ebook, Paperback
16th May

He’d be a fool to fall for his long-legged, barefoot employee. But bad decisions have never stopped him before…
Successful businessman and single father, Nate Crawford, doesn’t need any more complications. That’s why he’s moved his business – and his life – to a small beach town. He’s expecting sun, sea and tranquillity, but what he gets is a whirlwind in the form of town sweetheart, Ally Sutton.
Ally’s used to dealing with heartache. But losing the café she’s owned for years is the final straw.
Being offered a new job feels like a lifeline – that is until she meets her much-older and impossibly handsome new boss. In the space of a few weeks, everything changes. And when an accident forces them closer, Nate and Ally can’t ignore the fascination between them any longer. As the summer heats up, the question is when not if, they’ll give in to their explosive attraction.

Tracy Corbett: Secret Things and Highland Flings
Romantic comedy
Avon
Ebook
20/05/19

When Lexi’s ex runs off to Spain with his PA, she’s left to clean up the financial mess he leaves behind.
She’ll do anything to keep her beloved art gallery afloat, but then a surprise discovery makes things even more complicated…
On the surface, Olly seems to have it all: a carefree life, travelling the world. But he’s running from something in his past. And when his father dies, Olly’s life is turned upside down as he suddenly finds himself the Earl of Horsley and inherits his family’s crumbling estate in the Scottish Highlands. When their worlds collide, Lexi and Olly are instantly drawn to one another. But can love ever work if they both have secrets to hide?

Angela Britnell: One Summer in Little Penhaven
Contemporary romance
Choc Lit
Ebook and Audio
21 May 2019

Could one summer change your life?
When high-flying American lawyer Samantha Muir finds out she’s lost her partnership whilst on an assignment in London, she has a dramatic reaction. Rather than returning home, she resigns, leaves her business suits behind and jumps on the first train to Cornwall at the encouragement of a friendly stranger. The village of Little Penhaven, where Samantha eventually ends up, is a world away from her life in Knoxville, Tennessee – and local farmer Cadan Day is certainly a world away from any man she has met before. But could the Cornish village and Cadan play a part in Samantha’s summer of self-discovery?

Margaret Mounsdon: The Jade Turtle
Modern Romance
People’s Friend Pocket Novel
Paperback
30 May 2019

Jack Preston deserts Alice Fairfax to marry heiress Viv Hollingsworth and Alice is forced to ask his brother Mike for help, a man she vowed she would rather die than ever face again, but Jack has got Alice into deep trouble and she has no idea how to contact him. When a valuable oriental artefact also goes missing Alice is plunged into a worse peril then even she could have imagined especially as Mike seems determined to protect his brother’s reputation.

Heidi Swain: Poppy’s Recipe for Life
Commercial romantic fiction
Simon and Schuster
Paperback, E-book
May 30th

Things haven’t always been straightforward in Poppy’s life but her dreams are finally within her reach.
She’s moving into a cottage in beautiful Nightingale Square, close to the local community garden, where she can indulge her passion for making preserves and pickles. She may not have the best relationship with her family but she is surrounded by loving friends and feels sure that even her grumpy new neighbour, Jacob, has more to him than his steely exterior belies. But the unexpected arrival of Poppy’s troubled younger brother soon threatens her new-found happiness, and as the garden team works together to win community space of the year, Poppy must decide where her priorities lie, and what she is prepared to fight for …

Kim Nash: Amazing Grace
Romantic Comedy
Hera Books
10th April

She’s taking her life back, one step at a time…
Grace thought she had it all. Living in the beautiful village of Little Ollington, along with headteacher husband Mark and gorgeous son, Archie, she devoted herself to being the perfect mum and the perfect wife, her little family giving her everything she ever wanted. Until that fateful day when she walked in on Mark kissing his secretary – and her perfect life fell apart.
Now she’s a single mum to Archie, trying to find her way in life and keep things together for his sake. Saturday nights consist of a Chinese takeaway eaten in front of the TV clad in greying pyjamas, and she can’t remember the last time she had a kiss from anyone aside from her dog, Becks. Grace’s life needs a shake up – fast. So when gorgeous gardener Vinnie turns up, his twinkling eyes suggesting that he might be interested in more than just her conifers, she might just have found the answer to her prayers. But as Grace falls deeper for Vinnie, ten-year-old Archie fears that his mum finding love means she’ll never reconcile with the dad he loves. So when ex-husband Mark begs her for another chance, telling her he’s changed from the man that broke her heart, Grace finds herself with an impossible dilemma. Should she take back Mark and reunite the family that Archie loves? Or risk it all for a new chance of happiness?
A funny, feelgood romance about finding your own path and changing your life – readers of Cathy Bramley, Jill Mansell and Josie Silver will love this uplifting read.

Philippa Carey: Valerie Vincent
Contemporary Romance
Independent
ebook, paperback
25th February

Vincent is a male author of romance, pretending to be his twin sister Valerie.
He has to go alone to a convention run by his publisher, whose boss thinks men have no place in romantic fiction. His secret is discovered by Carmen as a result of yet another of her blunders. He wants to keep his secret, she wants to keep her job. (book includes a Costa Rican recipe)

Philippa Carey: The Missing Major
Historical Romance (WW1)
Independent
ebook, paperback
29th March

WW1 is over and James goes to a reunion after which he is mugged and left for dead. The Methodist minister’s daughter Margaret finds James and they look after him. When he wakes up, he’s lost his wallet and his memory. They fall in love, but when his memory comes back, he remembers his fiance. Then his doctor proposes marriage to Margaret too, so all may be lost.

Philippa Carey: The Captain and his Nurse
Historical Romance (WW1)
Independent
ebook, paperback
1st March

On the eve of the last big battle of 1918, Ben learns his whole family have died in the flu epidemic. With nothing to live for, he is reckless in the morning, is badly injured and sent back to a hospital in England. Laura learns her expected fiance has married someone else and then her guiding grandfather dies too. Plans destroyed, adrift and without purpose, she volunteers at the hospital, where she and Ben give each other a new reason to live.

Philippa Carey: The Best Gift for Christmas
Historical Romance (Regency)
Independent
ebook, paperback
4th March

Widowed Emma is travelling to London for Christmas.
Disabled widower James is also travelling to London with his two small daughters. They stop at the same small inn and in the night many of the carriage horses are stolen. The next day they agree to share horses and a carriage on their way south. (Book includes a nursery story too)

Philippa Carey: Kitty and the Viscount
Historical Romance (Regency)
Independent
ebook, paperback
14th March

Katherine is being forced into marriage with someone disgusting, who is also a crook.
She runs away and becomes a companion to a Dowager Countess. There she meets the Viscount grandson. He is sent by his grandmother to unmask the crook so that Katherine can come out of hiding.

New Releases are brought to you each month by author, Sheila Riley. Sheila has been a member of the RNA since 2004 and is represented by agent Felicity Trew of the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency.