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The Winter Collection: Driving Home for Christmas, The Heart of Winter, The Wedding Weekend
by Emma HanniganIndulge in a festive treat this Christmas with this heartwarming collection of Emma Hannigan's bestselling novels featuring the beloved Craig family. Includes bonus short story The Wedding Weekend.Meet the Craig family in DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS . . . Christmas at Huntersbrook House has always been a family tradition, and this year the three grown-up Craig children are looking forward to the holidays more than ever. Pippa to escape her partying lifestyle and mounting debts in Dublin; Joey the demands of his gorgeous girlfriend who seems intent on coming between him and his family; and Lainey to forget about her controlling ex and his recent engagement to another woman. But this Christmas could be the Craig family's last at Huntersbrook. As the holiday season gets underway, the family need to come up with a way to save their home, and face the problems they've all been running away from.Return to glorious Huntersbrook in THE HEART OF WINTER . . . Huntersbrook House has been transformed into a magnificent countryside venue. And its first booking couldn't be more perfect - the Christmas wedding of a well-known film actress. Yet, behind the scenes, the Craig children are feeling the chill. Pippa is skating on thin ice with her reckless personal life; Joey, preoccupied with the business, is blind to his fiancé's struggles. And Lainey's future is dealt a cruel blow. As the wedding approaches, everyone hopes the house will weave its magic. But can the Craigs put their differences aside and pull together as a family once more? Can new love triumph over the past? Find out in this irresistible short story THE WEDDING WEEKEND . . . Tess can't quite believe her luck - she's marrying Marco, the man of her dreams, in an exquisite traditional Italian wedding, surrounded by her adoring family. But when she runs into an ex, Tess is instantly taken back to glorious Huntersbrook House and the warmth and joy of the Craig family. Memories she thought she had long-buried suddenly resurface at the worst possible moment. Tess is thrown into turmoil. Which man will win out?For love, laughter, tears and joy, read Emma Hannigan...
The Winter Elf
by Grace AnneThe Winter Elf speaks to familiar feelings from childhood, especially those of fear and grief, but also of love and security.It’s Christmas time, and Clara Rose is grieving the absence of her mother who is hospitalized. The resulting family stress leaves the child feeling lost and alone. In response, she keeps her worries and tears silent, trying hard to be a 'good little girl' and not call attention to herself.When an odd but proper English elf shows up in her yard one snowy night, the little girl sees her sacrifice of self in a new light as she learns the importance of embracing her pain and opening up with those who love her. Clara discovers that it is only through sharing her hurts and hopes that her heart can find healing.The Winter Elf revisits the nostalgic enchantment of wintertime and fairytales. Reading the tale aloud, families connect and bond in the cozy evening hours before bed and learn with Clara Rose the importance of sharing one’s heart, hurt, and hope.
The Winter Gardeners
by Dennis DenisoffIn the town of Lake Wachannabee, Ontario, lies the Winter Garden, home to matron Giggy Andrewes and her brood: her strung-out nephew Jem Waferly, his friend Cora, Chappy the whippet, two peacocks, and Jem's lover Rob, who lies convalescing after having
The Winter Gathering: A warm, life-affirming story of enduring friendship
by Deirdre PurcellTradition, friendship, and a little seasonal magic... Deirdre Purcell writes a spellbinding novel in The Winter Gathering, a compelling tale of friendship. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Edna O'Brien.'Spellbinding...fascinating and provocative... [Deirdre Purcell has] a new masterpiece on her hands' - Irish IndependentIt's ten years on from the first winter gathering, when four of Maggie Quinn's closest friends rushed in to spend Christmas with her after her husband walked out just days before. And at Christmas, it doesn't take long for an event to become a tradition.But this Christmas Day, for the first time, there's an addition to the party, in the form of a young, very handsome man. Only one of the women knows what he's doing there, and she's remaining tight-lipped.So begins a new chapter in the lives of the five friends. As the winter moves towards spring, each faces personal hurdles, from family difficulties to illness to the unexpected reappearance of Maggie's ex. Throughout, each proves that friends truly are the family you choose - and that, ultimately, the magic of Christmas can arrive at any time of year.What readers are saying about The Winter Gathering: 'Warm, insightful, funny and poignant''Purcell's prose flows and there are some very funny bits throughout''Five stars'
The Winter Gathering: A warm, life-affirming story of enduring friendship
by Deirdre PurcellTradition, friendship, and a little seasonal magic... Deirdre Purcell writes a spellbinding novel in The Winter Gathering, a compelling tale of friendship. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Edna O'Brien. 'Spellbinding...fascinating and provocative... [Deirdre Purcell has] a new masterpiece on her hands' - Irish Independent It's ten years on from the first winter gathering, when four of Maggie Quinn's closest friends rushed in to spend Christmas with her after her husband walked out just days before. And at Christmas, it doesn't take long for an event to become a tradition.But this Christmas Day, for the first time, there's an addition to the party, in the form of a young, very handsome man. Only one of the women knows what he's doing there, and she's remaining tight-lipped.So begins a new chapter in the lives of the five friends. As the winter moves towards spring, each faces personal hurdles, from family difficulties to illness to the unexpected reappearance of Maggie's ex. Throughout, each proves that friends truly are the family you choose - and that, ultimately, the magic of Christmas can arrive at any time of year. What readers are saying about The Winter Gathering: 'Warm, insightful, funny and poignant''Purcell's prose flows and there are some very funny bits throughout''Five stars'
The Winter Horses
by Philip KerrFrom Philip Kerr, the New York Times bestselling author of the Bernie Gunther novels, comes a breathtaking journey of survival in the dark days of WWII, perfect for fans of The Book Thief, Milkweed, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.It will soon be another cold winter in the Ukraine. But it's 1941, and things are different this year. Max, the devoted caretaker of an animal preserve, must learn to live with the Nazis who have overtaken this precious land. He must also learn to keep secrets--for there is a girl, Kalinka, who is hiding in the park.Kalinka has lost her home, her family, her belongings--everything but her life. Still, she has gained one small, precious gift: a relationship with the rare wild and wily Przewalski's horses that wander the preserve. Aside from Max, these endangered animals are her only friends--until a Nazi campaign of extermination nearly wipes them out for good.Now Kalinka must set out on a treacherous journey across the frozen Ukrainian forest to save the only two surviving horses--and herself.This sensitive, inspiring tale captures the power of sacrifice and the endurance of the human spirit. From the Hardcover edition.
The Winter House: A sweeping drama of love and friendship
by Judith LennoxThree women must find their way through a world changed by war... Set against a backdrop of London, Paris and the unchanging English countryside, The Winter House by Judith Lennox is a novel of rare warmth and beauty. Perfect for fans of Rachel Hore and Santa Montefiore.'A novel of passion and intrigue, this is an enjoyable read populated by believable characters' - Candis For three girls growing up in the Fens in the tumultuous years between the First and Second World Wars, the Winter House was a special place of refuge and friendship. Winter or summer, they would meet at the old wooden house by the waterside to confide all the secrets and heartaches of childhood and adolescence. There was Robin, idealistic and clever, destined for Cambridge; Maia, the most beautiful and ambitious of the three, looking for a rich husband; and quiet Helen, living under the seemingly benevolent tyranny of her widower father, the local vicar. Adulthood separates the three girls, and Robin, abandoning ideas of university, goes to London to work amongst the poor, meeting there her first great love, the handsome but brittle Francis. Maia's ideal marriage to a wealthy man ends in tragedy and Helen, meanwhile, kept in near-imprisonment by her obsessively protective father, has her very sanity threatened. Amid political and social upheaval, these three women must find their way in a world changed for ever. What readers are saying about The Winter House: 'She writes so beautifully and nostalgically... Judith Lennox is truly a great writer''[Judith Lennox's] characters are marvellously drawn, and their lives draw the reader totally into the story''Couldn't put it down'
The Winter House: A sweeping drama of love and friendship
by Judith LennoxFor three girls growing up in the Fens in the tumultuous years between the First and Second World Wars, the Winter House was a special place of refuge and friendship. Winter or summer, they would meet at the old wooden house by the waterside to confide all the secrets and heartaches of childhood and adolescence. There was Robin, idealistic and clever, destined for Cambridge; Maia, the most beautiful and ambitious of the three, looking for a rich husband; and quiet Helen, living under the seemingly benevolent tyranny of her widower father, the local vicar. Adulthood separates the three girls, and Robin, abandoning ideas of university, goes to London to work amongst the poor, meeting there her first great love, the handsome but brittle Francis. Maia's ideal marriage to a wealthy man ends in tragedy and Helen, meanwhile, kept in near-imprisonment by her obsessively protective father, has her very sanity threatened. Amid political and social upheaval, these three women must find their way in a world changed for ever.
The Winter Lodge (The Lakeshore Chronicles #2)
by Susan WiggsFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan WiggsSusan Wiggs’s Lakeshore Chronicles series has captivated thousands of readers with its relatable characters, warm humor and engaging stories. Return to the tranquil shores of Willow Lake with The Winter Lodge. On the longest night of the year, Jenny Majesky loses everything in a devastating house fire. But as she finds comfort in the predictability of running the family bakery, she’s surprised by the ongoing support of the Avalon community, especially local police chief Rourke McKnight. When she finds an unusual treasure among her grandfather’s belongings, she embarks on a search for the truth, and on a path she never imagined.The Winter Lodge, a remote cabin owned by her half-sister on the shores of Willow Lake, becomes a refuge for Jenny as she seeks the truth. In the peaceful quiet, she can focus on rebuilding her life — and pursue her dream of becoming a writer. But when a blizzard traps her there with Rourke, Jenny suddenly doesn’t feel so secure. Unlocking the secrets of the past might just mean walking away from her one chance at love.Previously published.Read the Lakeshore Chronicles Series by Susan Wiggs:Book One: Summer at Willow LakeBook Two: The Winter LodgeBook Three: DocksideBook Four: Snowfall at Willow LakeBook Five: FiresideBook Six: Lakeshore ChristmasBook Seven: The Summer HideawayBook Eight: Marrying Daisy BellamyBook Nine: Return to Willow LakeBook Ten: Candlelight ChristmasBook Eleven: Starlight on Willow Lake
The Winter Place
by Alexander YatesThere is a middle world between life and death, and Tess must navigate it to save her brother in this heart-wrenching story infused with the fractured and fantastical realms of Finnish mysticism.Axel and Tess are bewildered when a stranger shows up in their backyard accompanied by a giant brown bear, but before they can investigate the bizarre encounter, something more harrowing happens: their father is killed in a freak car accident. Now orphaned, Tess and Axel are shipped off to Finland to live with grandparents who they've never met, and are stunned to discover that the mysterious stranger with the bear has found them again. More stunning--they come to understand that this man isn't really a man...he's a keeper of souls. And the bear isn't really a bear...it's a ghost. Their mother's ghost. Wandering, endlessly, searching for their father. Then the Keeper invites Axel, who is fighting his symptoms of muscular dystrophy, to join the path of the dead--and when Axel disappears into the deep snow, Tess knows she must find a way to follow. There are mysteries connected to this peculiar man, this keeper, and if she can untangle them, she might not only save Axel, but also bring her parents peace.
The Winter Prince
by Elizabeth E. WeinStrong, brave, and daring, Medraut would be a fitting heir to the throne--but he can never be king Medraut is the eldest son of High King Artos, and would-be heir to the British throne--if not for an unfortunate circumstance of birth. Instead, his weak and unskilled half-brother, Lleu, is chosen as successor. Medraut cannot bear the thought of being ruled by the boy who has taken what he believes is rightfully his. Consumed by jealousy, he turns to Morgause, the high king's treacherous sister, who exploits Medraut's shame and plots to take over the throne. But when Medraut discovers Lleu's inner strength and goodness, he finds his battle is not just with the kingdom, but with the demons inside himself. Now he must choose where his allegiances truly lie.
The Winter Room (A\yearling Book Ser.)
by Gary PaulsenA Newbery Honor Book by the New York Times–bestselling author of Northwind. “A compelling description of farming in a bygone time.” —Publishers WeeklyALA/YALSA Best Book for Young AdultsALA Notable Book for ChildrenJudy Lopez Memorial Award for Children’s LiteratureFollowing the turn of the seasons, eleven-year-old Eldon traces the daily routines of his life on a farm and his relationship with his older brother Wayne. During the winter, with little work to be done on the farm, Eldon and Wayne spend the quiet hours with their family, listening to their Uncle David’s stories. But Eldon soon learns that, although he has lived on the same farm, in the same house with his uncle for eleven springs, summers, and winters, he hardly knows him.“It is the palpable awareness of place and character that is unforgettable. Paulsen, with a simple intensity, brings to consciousness the texture, the smells, the light and shadows of each distinct season. He has penned a mood poem in prose.” —School Library Journal“More a prose poem than a novel, this beautifully written evocation of a Minnesota farm perhaps 40 years ago consists of portraits of each of the four seasons, along with four brief stories told by old Uncle David.” —Kirkus Reviews
The Winter Runaway: The heartwarming historical romance from the Sunday Times bestselling author
by Katie FlynnDiscover the emotionally gripping new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling historical fiction and family saga author. Can you ever escape your past?Tammy and her mother, Grace, are desperate to escape Tammy’s violent bully of a father.When an unforeseen tragedy strikes, mother and daughter must flee Scotland in the dead of night, forced to leave behind everything they know and love – including one another.Under new identities, Tammy and Grace must start afresh. Tammy joins the services, where she meets a dashing officer who begins to break her guard down.But can the course of love ever run smooth with Tammy unable to reveal her true self?The Winter Runaway is the first instalment in the brand-new Runaway's trilogy from the beloved bestselling author.WHY READERS LOVE KATIE FLYNN: 'Takes you on a journey of heartbreak and joy''Hard to put down''Her characters are like old friends''Heartwarming romance'Katie Flynn, Sunday Times bestseller, March 2024
The Winter War
by Philip TeirOn the surface, the Paul family are living the liberal, middle-class Scandinavian dream. Max Paul is a renowned sociologist and his wife Katriina has a well-paid job in the public sector. They live in an airy apartment in the centre of Helsinki. But look closer and the cracks start to show.As he approaches his sixtieth birthday, the certainties of Max's life begin to dissolve. He hasn't produced any work of note for decades. His wife no longer loves him. His grown-up daughters — one in London, one in Helsinki — have problems of their own. So when a former student turned journalist shows up and offers him a seductive lifeline, Max starts down a dangerous path from which he may never find a way back.Funny, sharp, and brilliantly truthful, Teir's debut has the feel of a big, contemporary, humane American novel, but with a distinctly Scandinavian edge.
The Winter Wedding Plan: An unforgettable story of love, betrayal, and sisterhood (Misty Point #2)
by Olivia MilesAll she wants for Christmas is a second chance . . . Charlotte Daniels has made her share of mistakes, but now that she's a single mom, she vows to do better--and that starts with a new career. Working at her sister's event-planning company is just the fresh start she needs.Kate Daniels has finally forgiven Charlotte for her betrayal, but forgetting it is harder. But as the holidays approach and Kate has her own wedding to plan, she has no choice but to turn to Charlotte for help to throw a high-profile client the holiday party of the season.Charlotte leaps at the chance to redeem herself . . . until this irresistible client asks her to pretend to be his fiancée for the party. She knows their charade won't come without consequences--not just for her fresh start with Kate, but also for her own daughter.As Kate's wedding draws near and Charlotte's fake romance starts to feel more and more real, will she fall back into the mistakes of her past, or finally prove herself to Kate once and for all?In the vein of New York Times bestselling authors Susan Mallery, Robyn Carr, and Elin Hilderbrand, comes the second in a women's fiction series about the complicated ties of sisterhood that bind us together and sometimes tear us apart.
The Winter Wives
by Linden MacIntyreA thrilling new psychological drama from Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Linden MacIntrye, weaving threads of crime, disability and dementia together into a tale of unrequited love and delusion.Two old friends, who first met in university, get together for a weekend of golfing: Allan, a football hero, worldly and financially successful, and his quieter friend, nicknamed Byron, lame from a childhood injury, a smart fellow who became a lawyer but who has never left home, staying put so he could care for a mother with Alzheimer's. During a long night of drinking, the fault lines between them start to show. One of the biggest: the two men married sisters, though Allan was the one who walked down the aisle with Peggy, the sister both of them loved, and Byron had to settle for Annie. Out on the course the next morning, Allan suffers a stroke. In one traumatic moment, he loses control of his life, his wife and his business empire, which turns out to have been built on lies and the illegal drug trade. And Byron has to suddenly confront his own weaknesses and strengths, his tangled relationship with Allan and the Winter sisters--both the one he married and the one he thought was the love of his life. No one will anticipate the lengths to which Byron will go to make sense of his life.
The Winter of Our Disconnect
by Susan MaushartFor any parent who's ever IM-ed their child to the dinner table - or yanked the modem from its socket in a show of primal parental rage - this account of one family's self-imposed exile from the Information Age will leave you ROFLing with recognition. But it will also challenge you to take stock of your own family connections, to create a media ecology that encourages kids - and parents - to thrive. When journalist and commentator Susan Maushart first decided to pull the plug on all electronic media at home, she realised her children would have sooner volunteered to go without food, water or hair products. At ages 14, 15 and 18, her daughters and son didn't use media. They inhabited media. Just exactly as fish inhabit a pond. Gracefully. Unblinkingly. And utterly without consciousness or curiosity as to how they got there. Susan's experiment with her family was a major success and she found that having less to communicate with, her family is communicating more. At the simplest level, The Winter of Our Disconnect is the story of how one family survived six months of wandering through the desert, digitally speaking, and the lessons learned about themselves and technology along the way. At the same time, their story is a channel to a wider view - into the impact of new media on the lives of families, into the very heart of the meaning of home.
The Winterhouse Mysteries (Winterhouse #3)
by Ben GutersonDanger, intrigue, and the power of family combine in The Winterhouse Mysteries, the fast-paced conclusion to Ben Guterson and Chloe Bristol's illustrated, enchanting Winterhouse middle grade trilogy.It’s springtime at Winterhouse and Elizabeth is settling into the joyful chaos of her new home. But it isn’t long before she and Freddy are drawn into an ominous new mystery. Guests at the hotel start behaving oddly, and Elizabeth’s powers manifest in thrilling—sometimes frightening—new ways. As unnatural tremors shake the foundations of Winterhouse, Elizabeth hears cries for help from Gracella Winters, a villain she’d thought dead and gone for good. Elizabeth’s discovery of a rare book containing secrets of an ancient ritual leads to a tragic realization: someone at the hotel is trying to help Gracella rise again. Can Elizabeth and Freddy banish these threats and protect the future of Winterhouse once and for all?Christy Ottaviano Books
The Winterley Scandal: Unwrapping The Rancher's Secret The Queen's Christmas Summons The Winterley Scandal (A\year Of Scandal Ser. #5)
by Elizabeth BeaconIn this Regency romance, an Englishman finds himself falling for the daughter of his father’s mistress.As the daughter of wild Pamela Winterley, Eve has always lived in the shadow of scandal. Society watches her every move, waiting for Eve to prove she is just as wayward as her mother . . . Ever since his father’s scandalous affair, Colm Hancourt has lived life on his own terms. But then he comes face-to-face with Eve, the daughter of his father’s mistress! It may have begun with a kiss that set tongues wagging, but could the latest Winterley scandal be the start of something special?A Year of Scandal: a Gentleman For Every Season!
The Winters: A Novel
by Lisa Gabriele“From the brilliant first line to the shattering conclusion, The Winters will draw you in and leave you breathless. . . . A must read.” —Liv Constantine, author of The Last Mrs. ParrishInspired by Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, a spellbindingly suspenseful novel set in the moneyed world of the Hamptons, about secrets that refuse to remain buried and consequences that can’t be escaped After a whirlwind romance, a young woman returns to the opulent, secluded Long Island mansion of her new fiancé Max Winter—a wealthy politician and recent widower—and a life of luxury she’s never known. But all is not as it appears at the Asherley estate. The house is steeped in the memory of Max’s beautiful first wife Rebekah, who haunts the young woman’s imagination and feeds her uncertainties, while his very alive teenage daughter Dani makes her life a living hell. She soon realizes there is no clear place for her in this twisted little family: Max and Dani circle each other like cats, a dynamic that both repels and fascinates her, and he harbors political ambitions with which he will allow no woman—alive or dead—to interfere. As the soon-to-be second Mrs. Winter grows more in love with Max, and more afraid of Dani, she is drawn deeper into the family’s dark secrets—the kind of secrets that could kill her, too. The Winters is a riveting story about what happens when a family’s ghosts resurface and threaten to upend everything.
The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word
by Janet Sumner JohnsonIn this twisty middle grade mystery for fans of Knives Out, The Inheritance Game, and The Westing Game, thirteen-year-old twins Hope and Gordon enter a spelling bee in a last-ditch effort to save their family from financial ruin, only to find themselves in a cut-throat competition to uncover a fortune and dark secrets about the wealthy relations they&’ve never known.Hope Smith can&’t stand rich people—the dictionary magnate family the Wintertons most of all. Not since she and her twin brother, Gordon, learned that their dad was one. So when Gordon enters the family into the Winterton&’s charity spelling bee, Hope wants nothing to do with it. But with their mom losing her job and the family facing eviction from the motel where they live, they desperately need the money, and it looks like Hope doesn&’t have much of a choice.After winning the preliminary round, the Smiths are whisked to Winterton Chalet to compete in the official Winterton Bee against their long-lost relatives. Hope wants to get in and out, beat the snobbish family at their own game, and never see them again. But deceased matriarch Jane Winterton had other plans for this final family showdown. Before her death, she set up a clue hunt throughout the manor—an alternate way for Hope and Gordon to get the money that could change their lives.Still, others are on the trail, too. With tensions at an all-time high, a fortune at stake, and long-simmering family secrets about to boil to the surface, anything could happen.A tense, clever clue hunt unafraid to tackle the challenges and secrets often kept behind closed doors, Final Word is a gripping series starter sure to satisfy even the most voracious armchair detectives.
The Winterton Deception 2: Fault Lines
by Janet Sumner JohnsonA kidnapping, a clue hunt, lots of family tension, and a literary find for the ages weave together in the thrilling second book of the Winterton Deception. Perfect for fans of Knives Out, The Inheritance Games, and The Westing Game.After the incredible events of the last official Winterton Bee, Hope and Gordon Smith have discovered that having an extended family isn&’t so bad . . . and maybe their famous relatives&’ lives aren&’t so charmed. But Hope is still hiding a secret, and it&’s a big one.When Elizabeth Springer goes missing just before the Winterton&’s big Thanksgiving celebration—their first reunion since the spelling bee—Hope knows it&’s time to come clean. Her secret may be the only thing that can save Ms. Springer. But none of the Winterton clan want to hear it. Worse, they accuse Hope of making up the whole thing as an attention-grab.Poised to give up on her new-found family, Hope gets a cryptic coded letter with instructions on how to find James Winterton—her long-estranged grandfather. Whatsmore, the letter hints that the Wintertons had more secrets than just a hidden treasure. Now Hope and Gordon face the impossible task of convincing their family to follow a shifty clue to find the man they want to see least, in order to save the woman who&’s been lying to them for years.With even more family intrigue and peppered with delicious literary what-ifs, the second installment in the middle grade The Winterton Deception series delivers another twisty, electric puzzle mystery young sleuths will eagerly devour.
The Winthrop Agreement: A Novel
by Alice Sherman SimpsonA captivating historical novel set in Gilded Age New York City about an immigrant daughter’s ascent from a miserable tenement to the heights of haute couture, driven by an insatiable hunger for a place in society and secrets she must not betray.When Rivkah Milmanovitch arrives at Ellis Island, her husband is not waiting for her as promised. Alone and pregnant, she makes her way to the Lower East Side tenement of an old friend. Lottie Aarons, whose husband went out for a newspaper and never returned, takes Rivkah in and they work side-by-side in dispiriting sweatshops. Rivkah gives birth to a daughter, Mimi, determined that her child will have a better life in America.Frederick Winthrop, slum landlord, lives in one of Fifth Avenue‘s sumptuous mansions—and preys on young girls. When he serendipitously meets fifteen-year-old Mimi, who dreams of silks, satins and velvets, imagines costumes and ball gowns, she is easily seduced, and her life takes an unexpected turn. To avoid scandal, the Winthrop family offers Mimi a rare opportunity. While Lottie, now a bookkeeper in the employ of the Winthrops, wisely advises her, Mimi knows exactly what she wants. But as she rises to international fame, she must struggle with the secrets of her past and protect those she loves.Part history, part romance, with a twist of gothic, The Winthrop Agreement is a spellbinding tale of a determined heroine who will entrance Bridgerton and all historical fiction fans.
The Winthrop Covenant
by Louis AuchinclossSpanning three centuries, these nine stories share the conflicts of a wealthy New England family while portraying the rise and fall of the Puritan ethic.The Winthrop Heritage begins in the stern confines of the Massachusetts Bay Colony—Governor John Winthrop’s covenant with God versus Anne Hutchinson’s compulsion to martyrdom. The burden of conscience falls in varying ways to the Governor’s descendants. To his grandson, a judge in the Salem witch trials, it means dying in torment. To Rebecca Bayard, wife of a Hudson Valley patroon, it becomes an obsessive sense of duty leading to ironic consequences. It persuades an American diplomat, negotiating in Paris with the canny Talleyrand, to reject the easy gain of private power.On the eve of the Civil War, Winthrop Ward, pillar of rectitude in New York society, finds himself playing God at the price of his own humanity. At the century’s turn, there is Adam Winthrop, wealthy clubman and cultural arbiter, and his protégée Ada Guest—the passionate bluestocking novelist who opts to escape his stifling patronage. In a New England boarding school in the 1920s, the headmaster’s bedeviled Winthrop soul becomes a strange challenge to the chaplain. On the current scene, young and fashionable Natica Seligmann yearns for salvation from an empty life. And finally, there is John Winthrop Gardiner, staunch State Department hawk, whose son is an Army deserter—and whose alcoholic ex-wife perceives only too clearly the latter-day perversions of the Puritan spirit.A compassionate, searching, and wholly arresting view of a moral strain that, for better or worse, has marked our national character, The Winthrop Covenant is one of Louis Auchincloss’ highest fictional achievements.
The Wisdom House
by Rob ParsonsYou don't always have to learn the hard way. On the spur of the moment, the morning after the birth of one of his grandchildren, Rob Parsons wrote the baby a letter. And then Rob began to think about how he hoped he'd have the chance to talk with all his grandchildren as they grew. He imagined them coming into his study, settling into one of the two comfy armchairs in front of the fire and opening up about the challenges they were facing. Perhaps it would be when they were beginning their first job, buying their first house, getting married or starting a family. Or perhaps they'd talk long into the night, when their hearts were broken or friends had betrayed them. Perhaps he would have the chance to help them rebuild the dream that somebody had trodden on. 'Come on in, take a seat - tell me what's been going on...' Rob knew he wouldn't have all the answers. But maybe he could help - just a little.