ELAINE EVEREST
Christmas at Woolworths
Pan Macmillan
Paperback and E-book
2nd November 2017

Christmas at Woolworths is a heartwarming novel by bestselling author Elaine Everest.
Even though there was a war on, the Woolworths girls brought Christmas cheer to their customers.

Best friends Sarah, Maisie and Freda are brought together by their jobs at Woolworths. With their loved ones away on the front line, their bonds of friendship strengthen each day.

Betty Billington is the manager at Woolworths, and a rock for the girls, having given up on love… Until a mysterious stranger turns up one day – could he reignite a spark in Betty?

As the year draws to a close, and Christmas approaches, the girls must rely on each other to navigate the dark days that lie ahead…

With so much change, can their friendship survive the war?

CHARLOTTE BETTS
The Dressmaker’s Secret
Romantic Historical Fiction
Mass market paperback
Piatkus
9th November 2017

Italy, 1819. Emilia Barton and her mother Sarah live a nomadic existence, travelling from town to town as itinerant dressmakers to escape their past. When they settle in the idyllic coastal town of Pesaro, Emilia desperately hopes that, this time, they have found a permanent home. But when Sarah is brutally attacked by an unknown assailant, a deathbed confession turns Emilia’s world upside down.

Seeking refuge as a dressmaker in the eccentric household of Princess Caroline of Brunswick, Emilia experiences her first taste of love with the charming Alessandro. But her troubling history gnaws away at her. Might she, a humble dressmaker’s daughter, have a more aristocratic past than she could have imagined?

When the Princess sends her on an assignment to London, she grasps the opportunity to unravel the truth. Caught up in a web of treachery and deceit, Emilia is determined to discover who she really
is – even if she risks losing everything…

JILL BARRY
Love On Track
Tender Romance
Pocket Novel
The People’s Friend (D C Thomson)
5th October 2017

Flora’s new job as a train conductor involves her working a picturesque railway route in South West Wales. Amongst her many and varied regular passengers is young widower and single dad, Jack.

Their romance develops as they travel to and fro, while Flora has to cope with hold ups and challenges, including an amorous male train guard. Commuter Jack must  take his little daughter out of her comfort zone if he wishes to begin a new life with Flora but there are many stops and starts en route to Destination Happiness.

LINN B. HALTON
The Secrets of Villa Rosso
Cosy mystery
Paperback
Harper Impulse
5th October 2017
When Ellie Maddison is sent on a business trip to Southern Italy, she’s reminded why she loves her set amongst rolling vineyards and rich olive groves, the beautiful Villa Rosso is the perfect escape from her life back home. But what Ellie isn’t prepared for is the instant connection she feels to the estate’s director Max Johnson, or the secrets they share that are as intertwined as the rambling vines that cover Villa Rosso.
It’s not long before Ellie finds herself entangled in the history of the place, trying to understand the undeniable effect Max is having on her. As their relationship grows, what will Ellie discover about this idyllic villa and those who have walked through its doors? What started as a simple work trip will change Ellie’s life forever.

LINN B. HALTON
Christmas at Bay Tree Cottage
Romantic Comedy
Harper Impulse
ebook 27th October 2017
paperback 2th November 2017

‘The perfect Christmas read to touch the heart’ Bestselling author Christie Barlow
The countdown to Christmas is usually a magical time, but Elena James is fed up with living on a building site! The renovations on her beautiful cottage – like her heart – have been frozen in limbo ever since she was unexpectedly widowed. Elana calls in a professional, Luke Stevenson, to help finish the cottage, so her little girl can send letters to Santa up the newly-repaired chimney. Luke’s kind, capable and sexy – but he’s also ten years younger than Elana. So why has her heart decided it’s finally time for a thaw?

The perfect read to curl up by the fire with… for fans of Rebecca Boxall.

MAGGIE SULLIVAN
Christmas on Coronation Street
Saga
Hardback, paperback, ebook
HarperCollins
16th November 2017
The first of three Coronation Street prequels follows Elsie Tanner’s early life story.
Elsie Grimshaw, living in one of the worst streets in Weatherfield, is desperate to escape from her brutal father and the drudgery of the local mill. She emerges from the heartbreak of her first love and marries bad boy, Arnold Tanner while still only sixteen years old.

Now Mrs Elsie Tanner, she and Arnold move in to No.11 Coronation Street in 1939 as war breaks out. Her cheeky self-confidence immediately puts her at loggerheads with local busy-body Ena Sharples and Annie Walker, landlady of the Rovers Return. As Christmas approaches, the residents of Coronation Street must put their squabbles aside if they are to survive the worst that Hitler’s Luftwaffe can throw at them. As the Manchester Blitz grips Weatherfield, the residents must pull together to make this a Christmas to remember…

Relax and enjoy. Make this your festive season to remember.

EMMA DAVIES
Lucy’s Book Club For The Lost And Found
Contemporary Women’s Fiction
eBook, paperback, audio book
Bookouture
24th November 2017
Once upon a time, a woman called Lucy ran a little library with a big heart. It only took one look at the members of her book club for Lucy to see how she could make all their dreams come true…

Full-time carer Lia, dreams of learning to dance, but as her mother becomes more reliant on her, that wish may never come true.

Widower Oscar, is longing to find the daughter he put up for adoption as a young man, but does she even want to be found?

Single mum Hattie, is overweight and unhappy since her cheating ex-fiancé humiliated her at their engagement party.

Sensitive soul Callum, is a hopeless romantic and the black sheep of his family. Will he ever find the courage to fight for what he wants?

Lucy has a plan to give these four strangers the happy endings they deserve, and in doing so, she might just find one for herself…

A life-affirming, emotional page-turner that will bring tears to your eyes and a smile to your face.
Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan and Milly Johnson.

MANDY BAGGOT
One Christmas Kiss in Notting Hill
Christmas Romantic Comedy
Paperback and E-book
Ebury Press
16th  November 2017
Imagine the perfect Christmas kiss… His strong arms around her waist, her hands on his face, the snow slowly starts to fall… It’s enough to make Isla Winters cringe! While her sister can’t get enough of this – increasingly common – sight on the streets of London, Isla’s too busy trying to stop Hannah’s wheelchair from slipping on the ice, and making sure she’s not too late to her dream job at Breekers International. But
everything changes with the arrival of Chase Bryan, fresh from the New York office. He’s eager to learn everything about Isla’s beloved Notting Hill, but as the nights get colder, will cosying up to him come at a price?

E-BOOK RELEASES

KATHERINE GARBERA
The Devil You Know – A Gods Of War Novel
Romantic Suspense
ebook
Silverhart Publishing
4th November 2017
Social media darling, Ella Cassidy, has a secret from her past that she’s afraid will ruin all she’s worked for and reawaken the nightmares she thought she buried in the past. She has a new name, a new life and no one has come close to guessing her secret…
Ares Team covert operative Linc Garrison never thought to see Ella again. The name is new but the face is one that has haunted. She was one of the many girls he’d never been able to save. But now that the same threat from their childhood is back, he vows this time he won’t let her down.

Ella wants to see the man who tortured her dead and now that she knows his name she won’t stop until she puts a bullet in him. Linc shares her desire but knows that only by capturing and questioning the man can they found out who was the mastermind. Trusting no one is a lonely, perilous path. Linc must make a decision – trust his heart or his head…

But when Ella is taken, retribution is the only thing on his mind. Linc will not let her down again even if that means risking his own life.

KATHERINE GARBERA
Christmas At The Candied Apple Cafe
Contemporary Romance
ebook
HarperImpulse
10th November 2107

There’s nothing so magical as Christmas in New York… Santa is coming to New York!

Snow is falling, excitement is high and the delicious scent of chocolate drifts along Fifth Avenue – the Candied Apple Café is ready for Christmas! And no one is busier than publicist Iona Summerlin With so much to do, she doesn’t have time to think about men, dating, or the fact her last boyfriend ditched her for her brother… Relationships are off the menu!

Hotel boss Mads Eriksson is not looking forward to the first Christmas since losing his wife. His six-year-old daughter Sofia has lost her belief in Christmas magic along with her mother, and he has no idea what to do.

But an unusually festive business meeting at the Candied Apple – and meeting the beautiful Iona – starts to defrost Mads’ frozen heart, and suddenly life seems full of light and sparkle again.
If only they dare to believe, maybe all their Christmas dreams will come true!

SHEILA NORTON
The Pets at Primrose Cottage (Part 1 : A Place to Hide)
Cosy romance
Ebook
Ebury
23rd November 2017
Emma Nightingale needs a place to hide away. Pursued by the demons left by her ex-boyfriend, she takes refuge in quiet Crickleford, a sleepy town in Dartmoor, where she can lie low. Life in Crickleford is quiet and peaceful, but it won’t be for long if people discover the truth about Emma’s past. Not wanting to make too much of a fuss, she ends up lying about why she’s there – she’s looking after some cats, she says – then suddenly the town’s new ‘pet-sitter’ is in high demand!

While looking after an Alsatian, Emma finds all attention is on her, and the handsome young reporter from the local paper takes an interest in her story…

Note: this is part one of a four-part serialised novel. The full length paperback will be available in April 2018

RACHEL BRIMBLE
If I Want You
Romantic Suspense
ebook
The Wild Rose Press
8th November 2017
When local journalist, Tori Peterson, fails to prevent a child abduction outside her niece’s school, her horror and guilt sparks a vow to do whatever it takes to get little Abby Brady home to her parents.

While Tori battles the vile memories of her own kidnapping as a child, she accepts the help of widowed father, Mark Bolton.

As he and Tori join forces with the local police, their attraction and intimacy
grows…along with their fears for Abby.

Links are uncovered between Abby’s disappearance and Tori’s kidnapping, and Tori is forced to accept the monster who held her captive is back. But this time, Tori is all grown up, and there is no way she will let him hurt another little girl.

LIZ TAYLORSON
The Little Church by the Sea
Contemporary romance/Women’s fiction
Ebook and print on demand
Manatee Books
23rd November 2017
Isolated and unwelcome in the picturesque seaside village of Rawscar, Reverend Cass Fordyce has lost her faith and her home. Christmas is coming, and she isn’t looking forward to it.

Then she meets an attractive local man, Hal – twice divorced and with a reputation as a ladies’ man he’s everything a celibate vicar like Cass should avoid, especially as Hal is hiding secrets of his own, including his past with the mysterious Anna. Can Cass ever find her way in Rawscar? What secret does Hal have to hide? And is there ever such a thing as a truly fresh start?

A heartwarming tale of love, friendship and starting over.

RHODA BAXTER
Girl At Christmas
Contemporary Romance
Ebook
Independently published
6th November 2017

Tammy is normally at her happiest at Christmas when she has the flat to decorate and those perfect days between Christmas and New Year to relax. But when her long term partner dumps her, with no real explanation, her Christmas starts to look very bleak.

Lawrence usually spends Christmas watching DVDs and catching up on his paperwork. At thirty one, he’s already stuck in a rut. When Lawrence has a sudden heart attack, it is Tammy who comes to his rescue.

It turns out a happy Christmas can be made from the most unexpected ingredients.

LIZ FIELDING (Christine Flynn and Jennifer Faye)
A Fairytale Christmas (Mistleoe & the Lost Stiletto/A Holiday Prince Charming/A Princess by Christmas)
Romance
3-in-1 eBook edition
Harlequin Mills and Boon
1st November 2017
Lucy’s been plucked from secretarial obscurity and transformed like Cinderella into the fiancée of a slick businessman – but it’s all for a publicity stunt! Angrily rushing away from the frenzy, she bumps into delicious tycoon Nathaniel Hart and real sparks begin to fly!

NICOLE EVELINA
The Once and Future Queen: Guinevere in Arthurian Legend
Non-fiction
Paperback, ebook
Lawson Gartner Publishing
21st November 2017
Guinevere’s journey from literary sinner to feminist icon took over one thousand years…and it’s not over yet.

Literature tells us painfully little about Guinevere, mostly focusing on her sin and betrayal of Arthur and Camelot. As a result, she is often seen as a one-dimensional character. But there is more to her story. By examining popular works of more than 20 authors over the last one thousand years, The Once and Future Queen shows how Guinevere reflects attitudes toward women during the time in which her story was written, changing to suit the expectations of her audience.

Beginning in Celtic times and continuing through the present day, this book synthesizes academic criticism and popular opinion into a highly readable, approachable work that fills a gap in Arthurian material available to the general public.

LINDSAY TOWNSEND
One Yuletide Knight
Medieval Historical Romance
Ebook and Print
Prairie Rose Publications
3rd November 2017
Find a comfortable easy chair in front of the fire and grab your copy of ONE YULETIDE KNIGHT from the authors at Prairie Rose Publications! Travel back to medieval times to celebrate Yuletide with these dashing knights and their spirited ladies in a wonderfully romantic boxed set of stories – you won’t want to put down! Lose yourself in this collection of eight exciting stories of medieval days penned especially for this most joyful time of year.

With exciting tales by talented authors such as Deborah Macgillivray, Lindsay Townsend, Keena Kincaid, Cynthia Breeding, Angela Raines, Patti Sherry-Crews, Beverly Wells, and Dawn Thompson, you’ll find it hard to put this collection down until you’ve read to the very end!

Don’t miss these adventures of holiday romance spiced with medieval danger in ONE YULETIDE KNIGHT!

ROSEMARY MORRIS
Wednesday’s Child
Romantic Historical Fact Fiction
Ebook (Paperback coming out soon.)
BooksWeLove Inc.
25th October 2017
In 1816, Mrs Bettismore lies on her deathbed. Her twenty-year old granddaughter, Amelia is distraught by the imminent loss of her only relative, who has raised her in an atmosphere of seclusion and unyielding discipline. Amelia inherits her grandmother’s fortune, but after such a sheltered upbringing she finds herself lost and alone. Her emotional growth, stunted by Mrs Bettismore she is afraid to do or say anything of which her grandmother would disapprove. The heiress is unprepared for her introduction to Saunton, her guardian’s noisy household and his family of irrepressible sisters. Will this cause Amelia to retreat into herself even more, or will a home filled with love and high spirits change her outlook and encourage her to find love? Or do the long-hidden secrets of her birth threaten to spoil everything?

SHARON BOOTH
Saving Mr Scrooge
Romantic Comedy/Contemporary Romance
Ebook (paperback to follow)
Fabrian Books
14th November 2017
How do you show the meanest man in the village the error of his ways?

It’s the time of peace on earth and goodwill to all men, but at Carroll’s Confectionary, the meaning of Christmas seems to have been forgotten. New boss, Kit Carroll, is hardly winning friends with his high-handed attitude, his foolhardy approach to production, and his tight-fisted treatment of the factory’s employees.

Marley Jacobs, his self-styled PA, is determined to make him see the error of his ways, and return the festive spirit to Carroll’s Confectionary. Unfortunately, the little matter of their previous relationship, along with Kit’s callous treatment of her when they were teenage sweethearts, keeps getting in the way of her good intentions.

With encouragement from co-worker Don, romantic sister Olivia, and — astonishingly — the usually sceptical Great Uncle Charles, Marley decides to save this modern-day Mr Scrooge from himself, despite having no well-meaning ghosts to help her.

But revisiting the past doesn’t just stir things up for Kit. As Marley struggles to deal with bittersweet memories, present-day events take a surprising turn. Can the future be changed, after all? And is it only Kit who needs saving?

MW ARNOLD
The Season for Love
Romantic Fiction
Ebook
Passion in Print
Early December
Eighteen months after losing her husband Richard in a car crash, Chrissie Stewart still hasn’t been able to come to terms with her loss and, blaming herself for his death, she talks to his grave and writes down her anguish in a diary.

The Season for Love is about facing the past, through a veil of bereavement, struggling with emotional demons and having the courage to finally embrace an unexpected future.

The new releases list is compiled by Sheila Riley. Sheila joined the RNA in 2004 as a new writer. Since then she has written best-selling sagas as Annie Groves. She’s a member of the North West Chapter of the RNA and loves to catch up with writer friends at the regular Southport lunches. Her latest release, Winter on the Mersey, is listed above.