Uplifting Women

Esther's life isn’t perfect (whose is?) - but she’s happy enough living in her little flat with her boyfriend, Josh. But that’s about to change. Bored at work, she wishes that something, anything, would happen to liven her life up. Unfortunately, her wish comes true: when Josh calls her from the airport to tell her he’s going to work in a bar in Spain and that she’s not invited, Esther is devastated, and her unhappiness is compounded when she discovers she can actually view the bar via a webcam link and watch him chatting up other girls.

After the devastating loss of her twin brother, Hope Goodwin packs up her things and moves across the country for a fresh start. Arriving in Oceanside, Hope finds solace walking on the beach and teaching history at the local high school. Until she meets Cade Lincoln and everything changes. Cade, like Hope's twin brother, is ex-military, and after suffering an injury in the line of duty he is discharged and left to deal with his problems alone. Despite their personal struggles, Hope and Cade grow close, and their friendship blossoms into a love neither could have ever expected.

The Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria is at the heart of St Jude's Hospital. Staffed by successive generations of dedicated volunteers, for over 50 years, the beloved cafeteria has been serving up a kind word and sympathetic ear along with tea and scones. Hilary, the stalwart manageress, has worked her way up through the ranks, Jo, the latest recruit, is driving Hilary mad by arriving late every day and 17-year-old Chloe, the daughter of two successful surgeons, is volunteering in the holidays and bemused by the older women.

The man of my dreams is still in love with my sister, his ex-fiancée. By 1894, he’d had enough time to forget about my older sister and start noticing me. He reminds me so much of Papa. A man with a strong faith in God. A horse trainer. All my efforts, like baking extra treats just for him, have yielded no results. A surprise encounter one evening gives him the opportunity to save my life. I sensed something change between us. Is it foolish to hope he might someday love me? Previously released under the title “Dory’s Desire.” Includes an excerpt from A Heart Renewed by Karen Baney

If Isla Pembroke could turn back time, she knows exactly which days of her life she would change. The day she started working in the local aquarium, not knowing that she'd still be stuck there seven years later. The day her sister, Morgan, ran away from home. And, most of all, the day that changed everything, when her mother's death cracked her family in two. So when she's given an impossible gift - a chance to go back and relive those life-changing moments - Isla realises that she might be able to save the people she loves.