Christmas Fiction Books

After failing to help evacuee siblings whom she witnesses being separated, May wishes she'd had the confidence to speak up.  When Jess suggests a pantomime to boost morale on the station, May is desperate to help - but is held back by her own insecurities. With her low self-esteem also affecting her relationship with Squadron Leader Peter Travis, May is fed up with being her own worst enemy and decides to take charge of her destiny. But the past she ran from plus a crisis with one of the evacuees throw May into the midst of a drama that will test all of her newfound confidence. May, Jess and Evie must work together once again to help each other through the challenges of war and of their own hearts. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781800320925 • Author: Vicki Beeby • Publisher: Canelo Saga • Format: Paperback • Pages: 336 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2cm

Will love bloom this winter? Freya Fuller is living her dream, working as a live-in gardener on a beautiful Suffolk estate. But when the owner dies, Freya finds herself forced out of her job and her home with nowhere to go. However, with luck on her side, she’s soon moving to Nightingale Square and helping to create a beautiful winter garden that will be open to the public in time for Christmas. There’s a warm welcome from all in Nightingale Square, except from local artist Finn. No matter how hard the pair try, they just can’t get along, and working together to bring the winter garden to life quickly becomes a struggle for them both. Will Freya and Finn be able to put their differences aside in time for Christmas? Or will the arrival of a face from Freya’s past send them all spiralling? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781398510975 • Author: Heidi Swain • Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 464 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 2.75 cm

Sunderland, 1943: As Christmas approaches in the shipyards, everyone is hoping for a little magic... Helen would love to find the courage to tell the dashing Dr Parker of her true feelings for him. But how can she when he clearly has eyes for someone else? More than a year has passed since Bel's wedding to sweetheart Joe. She knows she has much to feel thankful for and yet there is still one burning desire which she cannot ignore. And as Polly grows with child, she hopes against hope for a safe delivery - and that her husband Tommy can soon return from the front line to meet their new arrival. There will be storms to weather, but guided by their strength and friendship there is still hope for each of the shipyard girls that their Christmas wishes will come true. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787468535 • Author: Nancy Revell • Publisher: Arrow • Format: Paperback • Pages: 480 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 3.05 cm

Liverpool, 1940 When war comes to Britain, Jessica Wilson and her friend Ruby seize the opportunity to leave behind the orphanage they grew up in and start new lives in the NAAFI. With only forged papers as identification the girls expect to be turned away but are delighted with an offer of work. For the first time in their lives they experience real independence and it isn't long before they're spending their evenings enjoying the delights of Liverpool. When Jessica meets the handsome Tom, she feels as though her life is complete, but after a chance encounter with a friend, she soon learns that not everything is as it seems. As Jessica begins to uncover the truth, she unravels a web of lies, starting with the night of her birth, and she will need the support of her friends if she is to get her Christmas wish . . . Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787468566 • Author: Katie Flynn • Publisher: Arrow • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.81 x 12.9 x 2.54 cm

CHRISTMAS, 1918. August 1914, and a terrible war begins, one that will affect the lives of everyone in the village of Beckindale.  For Maggie Sugden, left to run Emmerdale Farm on her own while her husband, Joe, is at the front, it will bring grief and loss but also independence and the chance to find a place to belong - and perhaps even to love again. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781409185000 • Author: Pamela Bell • Publisher: Trapeze • Format: Paperback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 19.69 x 12.7 x 2.22 cm

Sunderland, 1942: Christmas is fast approaching, and with it comes a flurry of snow and surprises... Against all odds, Polly's fiancé has finally returned home from the front line. If they can keep things on an even keel, she might get the winter wedding she's always dreamed of. Meanwhile shipyard manager Helen is determined to move on after a turbulent year. Her sights are set on breaking the yard's production record and no one, not even the handsome Dr Parker, is going to get in her way. And head welder Rosie's little sister Charlotte has turned up unannounced. Why is she back and so set on staying? Join the shipyard girls as they navigate through life, love and war this Christmas. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787468559 • Author: Nancy Revell • Publisher: Arrow • Format: Paperback • Pages: 528 • Dimensions: 19.05 x 12.7 x 3.81 cm

1850. When Opal Sharp finds herself and her younger siblings suddenly orphaned and destitute, she thinks things can get no worse. But soon three of them - including Opal - are struck down with the illness that took their father, and her brother Charlie makes an impossible decision.  Unable to afford a doctor, he knows the younger children will not survive. So, unbeknownst to Opal, Charlie takes their younger siblings to the workhouse. When she finds out, Opal is heartbroken, and things go from bad to worse when Charlie is accused of stealing and transported on a convict ship to Australia. Homeless and alone, Opal doesn't know where to turn, but then she manages to secure a position as a lady's maid, working for the formidable but kind-hearted Mrs King. She thinks she has finally found some security in life, until she attracts the unwanted attention of her mistress's son . . . Desperately missing her family, Opal makes a promise to reunite them all one day. But will the Sharps ever find their way back to each other? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781838772994 • Author: Rosie Goodwin • Publisher: Zaffre • Format: Paperback • Pages:528 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 3.35 cm

It's Christmas in the Cornish coastal village of Mount Polbearne - a time for family, friends and feasting. Polly Waterford loves running the Little Beach Street Bakery. She's at her happiest when she's creating delicious treats and the festive season always inspires her to bake and knead something extra special for the village residents. In fact, the only thing she loves more than her bakery is curling up with her gorgeous boyfriend, Huckle. She's determined that this Christmas is going to be their best one yet, but life doesn't always work out as planned... Product Information: ISBN: 9780751564778 Author: Jenny Colgan Publisher: Little Brown Format: Paperback Pages: 362 Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 2.5cm

Paradise Row, London. December 1865. Snow is falling fast and Sally Suggs is working tirelessly to bring in enough money to keep bread on the table. Her father, a skilled rag-and-bone man, has fallen ill and now Sally has taken up his trade. But this is a man’s world and competition is fierce, and Sally’s rival Finn Kelly always seems to be one step ahead. Her family’s one valuable possession is their horse, Flower, yet with no one to protect them, London’s underbelly of black-market traders circle closer. Sally needs to find help in the most unexpected places if they are to survive… Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008287870 • Author: Dilly Court • Publisher: HarperCollins • Format: Paperback • Pages: 528 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 3.3 cm

As the snow begins to fall, the body count begins to climb… DI James Walker is ready for a quiet family Christmas in the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey. But when he opens an early Christmas present left on his doorstep, he soon realises it is no gift. Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a promise – twelve days, twelve murders. Not long after, the first body is found, half frozen in the snow. As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims to go, anyone could be next…. Can James stop the killer before they strike again? Product Information: • ISBN: 9780008402648 • Author: Alex Pine • Publisher: Avon • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.5 cm • First book in the series

A snowstorm. A stranger. A spark. It should be the perfect start to the perfect love story. But real life is far messier and more complicated than in the pages of the books in Megan Taylor's family bookshop – the last few years have left this young widow in no doubt of that. Moving back home to York should have been a fresh start, but all it did was allow her to retreat from the world. When prize-winning author Xander Stone rams his supermarket trolley into her ankles and then trashes her taste in books, Megan is abruptly awoken from her self-imposed hibernation. It's time to start living again, and she's going to start by putting this arrogant, superior – admittedly sexy – stranger in his place. Just as she is beginning to enjoy life again, the worst happens and Megan begins to wonder if she should have stayed hidden away. Because it turns out that falling in love again is about more than just meeting under the mistletoe... Product Information: • ISBN: 9781801100571 • Author: Rachel Burton • Publisher: Aria • Format: Paperback • Pages: 416

There's magic in the Cornish air this Christmas... When Rosie Anderson's boss suddenly assigns her to go incognito and save a tiny inn in Cornwall from being shut down, her dreams of a Christmas holiday with her son are shattered. And, for the life of her, Rosie has no idea why she's got to go. It's chaos from the start – after hours in the car, Rosie arrives at the inn to find that there are no rooms left. She isn't there for more than a minute before she's butting heads with the manager, Irishman Mitchell Fitzpatrick. He seems to dislike her on sight, so it's confusing that he seems to get on so well with Danny... But if he's as terrible as his reputation, Rosie will have to be the one to fire him. This really isn't the Christmas Rosie was dreaming of. But maybe, just maybe, it could be a whole lot more... Product Information: • ISBN: 9781800245969 • Author: Nancy Barone • Publisher: Aria • Format: Paperback • Pages: 320

How far would you go to be with the one you love at Christmas? The Isle of Skye is a magical place, especially at Christmas, and there's no place Zac Fallon would rather be. But whilst Zac has everything he needs on Skye, there's still something missing - and that something is a somebody called Ivy McFarlane. Ivy used to work with Zac but then spread her wings and moved to Glastonbury. He's missed her ever since. Now it's almost Christmas and Zac realises that the Ivy shaped hole in his life is too big to bear. So starts his festive mission to the mainland - but will he be back in time to spend Christmas in Skye? And, more importantly, will Ivy be with him? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781781894521 • Author: Kirsty Ferry • Publisher: Choc Lit • Format: Paperback • Pages: 224

The perfect set for fans of Giovanna Fletcher’s work. Titles in this collection: • Billy and Me • Always With Love • You’re the One That I Want • Dream a Little Dream • Some Kind of Wonderful Billy and Me Sophie May has a secret. One that she's successfully kept for years. It's meant that she's had to give up her dreams of going to university and travelling the world to stay in her little village, living with her mum and working in the local teashop. But then Sophie unexpectedly meets the gorgeous Billy Buskin - a famous actor with ambitions to make it to the top.  After years of shying away from attention, can Sophie handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? How much is she prepared to give up along the way? And is their love strong enough to keep them together against the odds Always With Love Sophie's got used to being the girlfriend of Billy Buskin, the biggest movie star in the world. Sort of. But when she and Billy take a trip to visit his family in Los Angeles, she quickly discovers she's totally unprepared for the chaos of Hollywood, the paparazzi and Billy's controlling mother. When Billy extends his stay in LA, leaving Sophie to fly home to Rosefont Hill alone, it seems there's more than just miles between them. Now Sophie must decide if they can overcome their differences for good. Because not every love story lasts the distance . . . You’re the One That I Want Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob - the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben - best man and the best friend any two people ever had. And that's the problem. Because if it wasn't Rob waiting for her at the altar, there's a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself. But if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? Maddy has a choice to make, but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it . . . Dream a Little Dream Sarah is doing just fine. Sure, she's been single for the last five years, and has to spend an uncomfortable amount of time around her ex-boyfriend, his perfect new girlfriend and all their mutual friends. Yes, her job as a PA to one of the most disgusting men in London is mind-numbingly tedious and her career is a constant disappointment to her mother. But it's really okay. She's happy (ish). So it's not surprising that when Sarah starts dreaming about a handsome stranger, she begins to look forward to falling asleep every night. That is until her dream-stranger makes an unexpected real-life appearance, leaving Sarah questioning everything she thought she wanted. Because no one ever really finds the person of their dreams . . . do they? Some Kind of Wonderful When the love of your life says you're not The One . . . what next? After celebrating a decade together, everyone thinks Lizzy and Ian are about to get engaged. Including Lizzy. That is, until a romantic escape to Dubai leaves Lizzy with no ring, no fiancé and no future. Lizzy is heartbroken - but through the tears, she sees an opportunity . . .To find out what she's been missing while playing Ian's 'better half'….To rediscover the girl she was before….And, in the meantime, to have a little fun . . . Product Information: • ISBN: 9780241553886 • Author: Giovanna Fletcher • Publisher: Penguin • Format: Box Set

Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she's feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie's residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market - with the promise she'll take a mini-bus full of pensioners along with her... Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a checklist of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich's rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer. Will Connie's wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so - with who? Product Information: • ISBN: 9780552179058 • Author: Jo Thomas • Publisher: Corgi • Format: Paperback • Pages: 352 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.7 x 2.3 cm

Everyone is getting into the festive spirit on Castle Street - snow is falling, fairy lights are glistening and Christmas shopping is underway. But for Tara Porter, owner of thriving cafe, The Chocolate Pot, this is the most difficult time of the year. From the outside, Tara is a successful businesswoman and pillar of the community. Behind closed doors, she is lonely. With a lifetime of secrets weighing on her shoulders, she has retreated from all friends, family and romance, and shut her real self away from the world. Afterall, if you don't let them in, they can't hurt you. She's learnt that the hard way. But as the weight of her past becomes heavier and an unexpected new neighbour moves onto the street - threatening the future of her cafe - Tara begins to realise that maybe it's time to finally let people back in and confront her history. It could just change her life forever... Product Information: • ISBN: 9781802802139 • Author: Jessica Redland • Publisher: Boldwood Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 342 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 1.98 cm

Christmas is coming, but crime never stops for the Women's Murder Club. Sergeant Lindsay Boxer is looking forward to spending time with her family over the holidays. But when she receives a tip-off that the biggest heist ever to hit San Francisco is being planned for Christmas Day, everything changes. The architect of the ambitious attack unleashes chaos across the city, laying traps and false alarms to distract Lindsay and the SFPD from his ultimate goal. As time runs out, will Lindsay be able to save the people of San Francisco from a Christmas they'd never forget? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781787468474 • Author: James Patterson • Publisher: Arrow • Format: Paperback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.7 x 2.5 cm

Christmas is approaching but the mood on Peppercorn Street is anything but jolly.  Claire is convinced her stalker ex will catch up with her and her young daughter, and Luke is finding that living with his estranged teenage daughter brings its own problems.  When a road accident brings them together, Luke impulsively offers them shelter in his home.  Will this Christmas give them the best present of all: a new family? Or will Claire's ex again cause trouble? Product Information: • ISBN: 9780749024734 • Author: Anna Jacobs • Publisher: Allison & Busby • Format: Paperback • Pages: 288 • Dimensions: 19.69 x 13.34 x 2.54 cm

Imogen Tolliman never knew her mother. And when an accident robs Immi of her father too, she goes to live with her grandfather, Tollie, in his picturesque lock-keeper’s cottage by the Aysbury marina. Tollie is the star of the Santa Ahoy Special each Christmas – a festive boat ride along the canal that enthralls both children and adults alike. And as Immi grows up, she starts to appreciate the magical community she is lucky enough to live in. When Immi meets Gray Adams, she instantly realises he’s someone special. And as their relationship gets serious, they start to plan for the Christmas to beat all Christmases. But as the day approaches, and the romantic snow showers turn into blizzards, their dream of a Christmas to remember, looks set to be one they’ll never forget - for all the wrong reasons. Can they salvage the festivities, or will old secrets that are finally uncovered turn Immi’s life upside down forever? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781802802122 • Author: Lucy Coleman • Publisher: Boldwood Books • Format: Paperback • Pages: 334 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 1.93 cm

Can the magic of Christmas and the community of Thorndale bring two lost souls together in love? Olivia doesn't have time for Christmas or for romance - she's got a demanding career and has been burned before when it comes to love. This year, she's spending the festive season in her dad's old house, packing it up now that he's moved out. Her dad failed to mention she wouldn't be spending her time there alone... The last thing Olivia expects is for her surprise guest to be the very man who literally ran from her after an evening of mutual flirtation. But Tom has nowhere else to go and Olivia is determined to forget the disappointment she felt at his abandonment and instead help him find his way again. As heavy snow keeps them inside the cottage, will their enforced confinement spark romance once again - or will it push them further apart? Product Information: • ISBN: 9781800325470 • Author: Suzanne Snow • Publisher: Canelo Escape • Format: Paperback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 1.9 cm