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Classic Romance Books

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Fall in love with romantic stories from the past with our collection of classic romance books here at The Works. Discover romance novels that will have you longing for a time gone by when chivalry was alive and well. Use the filters below to find some of the best-loved romance books and authors.

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Embark on a Scottish spring escape from bestselling author, Julie Shackman... Lexie Dunbar is a book lover. And her favourite place in the world is her local bookstore, Book Ends. So when she hears that it's going to be sold, Lexie decides she needs to do something to help. Lexie's plan to save the ailing shop is fully underway until gorgeous-but-grouchy artist Tobias Black arrives on the scene determined to turn the bookstore into an art gallery. Lexie is horrified, the last thing the quaint town of Bracken Way needs is a pretentious artist, even if he does seem to charm everyone but her. Tensions continue to rise until Tobias discovers a shocking secret that shows they might have more in common than they realise. As sparks fly, can Lexie and Tobias work together, or will opposing ideas get in the way of them finding their very own happy ever after… Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008614317 • Author:  Julie Shackman • Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  375 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 19.8 x 2.7 cm

3.9 ({1})
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On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found… For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008609214 • Author: Evie Woods  • Publisher:  One More Chapter • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  448 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 3.2 x 19.8 cm

3.9 ({1})
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Like half of all the young women living in the Scottish town Clydebank in early 1911, Ellen works at the sewing machine factory. So does her big sister, Bridget, Bridget's fiancé Malcolm, and her new friend Sadie, who has come to work at the factory after the death of her father... For Sadie, the factory is a way to make ends meet, but Ellen has sewing in her veins. She is even making Bridget's wedding dress on her beloved sewing machine. But after the excitement of the wedding dies down, everything changes. Ellen discovers that the work of the cabinet polishers - her job - is to be reorganised, and they will be doing more work for less pay. Ellen feels betrayed - the sewing factory is her family and they've let her down. Sadie is more pragmatic. But the women aren't going to give in without a fight. They've been reading about strikes and they've got an idea - much to the disgust of manager Malcolm. Meanwhile, Bridget, forced to choose between her husband and her sister, has made a new friend and is fighting her own battle, alongside the suffragettes. The events of the strike will throw Ellen, Bridget and Sadie's lives into turmoil but also bring these women closer to each other than they could ever have imagined. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781398718777 • Author:  Posy Lovell • Publisher:  Orion • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  352 • Dimensions: 12.8 x 2.4 x 19.6 cm

4.7 ({1})
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The second book in the gripping and heartwarming new Jubilee Lake series, from bestselling author Anna Jacobs! Lancashire, 1895. Lillian Hesketh has taken a new name, and a brave step towards a happier life. Suddenly widowed after an unhappy marriage, and pursued by her unscrupulous in-laws, Lillian finds a fresh start in the beautiful Ollindale valley. Thanks to the kindness of her new neighbours, Walter Crossley and his family, she finally has a home to call her own - but the threat of discovery by her husband's family still casts a shadow over her new life. Meanwhile, Edward Ollerton has returned to the valley to rebuild his ancestral home. Hoping to one day to marry and start a family, Edward finds himself drawn to the shy, attractive widow - but not everyone is happy to see him reclaim his estate... Will their dreams fade to dust, or can a golden future blossom on the shores of Jubilee Lake? Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781529351361 • Author:  Anna Jacobs • Publisher:  Hodder Paperbacks • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  336 • Dimensions: 13.03 x 2.54 x 20.02 cm

3.5 ({1})
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An unexpected inheritance is most people's dream, but not for Paula.  Having put bad times behind her, she is now happy and secure in Western Australia with her own business. This is a complete contrast to her rootless childhood, and she has little interest in the minor stately home in the English countryside of which she is now the owner.  Persuaded to visit the property in Wiltshire, Paula has to confront complications both romantic and financial that will test the old adage that home is where the heart is. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780749029661 • Author:  Anna Jacobs • Publisher:  Allison & Busby • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  320 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.5 x 19.8 cm

5 ({1})
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Blackpool, 1922: Martha and Trisha may have escaped poverty, but their fortunes have yet to turn. Blissfully happy on her wedding day, Trisha's new fairy-tale romance soon darkens as her husband, Walter, keeps her at arms length. Between his secrecy, and her mother-in-law's coldness , Trisha feels a stranger in her own home, and lonelier than ever... Meanwhile a spectre from Martha's past threatens the happiness she has found with Joshua and Bonnie. When she is called to help in her past love's hour of need, she must decide whether to risk exposing a secret that could cost her the trust of her daughter... With winter fast approaching, Martha and Trisha take warmth and comfort in the strength of their friendship. But will Martha's gift of foresight be enough to see them through? Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781408728161 • Author:  Maggie Mason  • Publisher:  Sphere • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  400 • Dimensions: 12.4 x 3.2 x 19.6 cm

5 ({1})
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An unforgettable marriage, an unexpected romance and an impossible choice... Five years ago, the bottom fell out of Eden's world when her firefighter husband died. Now, instead of the future she had planned with Andy, she has Lila - the daughter he never got the chance to meet. Instead of Andy, she has his family. Then an old friend comes back into Eden's life: someone who doesn't see her as a widow or a mother; someone who reminds her of how she used to be. Suddenly she's having fun again. But Andy's mother has other plans for Eden, who soon faces an impossible decision. One that could tear a family apart... Compassionate, irresistible and honest, What Eden Did Next is a sometimes heart-breaking, ultimately joyful, novel of love, loss - and finding your own way to happiness. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781472272713 • Author:  Sheila O'Flanagan • Publisher:  Orion Publishing • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  464 • Dimensions: 12.7 x 2.9 x 19.7 cm

3.5 ({1})
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She will keep her head held high, no matter what… Polly Pride's life is falling apart. Her husband has lost his job, there's no money coming in, and she has two young mouths to feed. With the prospect of poverty looming over her, and her husband wallowing in apathy, Polly takes control. She sells everything they own and buys a rickety old handcart. Polly piles it high with second-hand rugs and spends hours hawking her wares around Manchester's cobbled streets. But her determination to persevere will be tested to its limits, as she juggles her work, the pressures of her young family, and her husband's wounded pride. Will her life fall apart completely - especially when tragedy strikes - or can she keep it together? Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781804365526 • Author:  Freda Lightfoot • Publisher:  Canelo Saga • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  334 • Dimensions: 12.8 x 19.8 x 2.5 cm

4.9 ({1})
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Libby and Will spent a glorious honeymoon in this magical city.  They didn't have much money, but they had a whole lot of love and a bright future ahead of them. And Venice was where it all went wrong... Two kids and twenty-five years later, they are struggling with money problems but somehow Will manages to fulfil his promise to Libby to take her back to Venice for their anniversary.  This time, they are doing it in style and a masked ball awaits. But among the beautiful buildings and romantic canals, Libby learns that her husband has a secret that breaks her heart. The trust is broken and the marriage is over. But there are decades of love and two grown sons between them. Can they ever find their way back to each other or have they missed their chance forever? Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781804362273 • Author:  Helga Jensen • Publisher:  Canelo Hera • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 19.8 x 1.8 cm

3.5 ({1})
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Suffolk, 1924. After the death of her fiancé in the field hospitals of France, Angel becomes nurse to the MacDonald family in the small village of Uffasham.  Taking residence at the appropriately named Angel Inn, she is met by many new faces - and old ones, too. Edith, a fellow nurse from the war, while taking great interest in Angel's new life, refuses to let her forget her old one. As Angel grows closer to her employer, Robert, Edith threatens to expose a secret that could ruin everything...  Can Angel ever be free to move on with her new life and her new family, or will the secrets of her past finally be revealed? Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781804180969 • Author:  Sheila Newberry • Publisher:  Bonnier Publishing Fiction • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  334 • Dimensions: 12.8 x 19.8 x 2.2 cm

4.5 ({1})
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Will she marry below her station? Beatrice Dencey is constantly reminded by her aunt, the Dowager, that she must marry appropriately. And so must the Dowager's beloved granddaughter, Eleanor Graceover. Charged with finding Eleanor a suitable husband, Beatrice is sent to London with a list of pre-approved gentlemen. Once there, she quickly rules out every man on the list. All except the handsome and charming Justin Serle, who stirs a deep desire in Beatrice. Meanwhile, Eleanor has her own ideas about who she wants to marry. Both she and Beatrice have a big decision to make - marry for duty and live a life full of regret, or marry for love and risk angering the formidable Dowager. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781804367230 • Author:  Anna Jacobs • Publisher: Canelo   • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions:  12.9 x 19.7 x 2.2 cm

4.3 ({1})
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She is determined to live the life she wants… Cassandra Trent does not like being told what to do. So when she is forced to leave behind her beloved Bardsley and join her aunt in London, she is furious. She wants nothing to do with polite society and useless noblemen. But Cassandra finds some comfort in the friendship she forms with her kind and gentle cousin, Susannah Berrinden. Despite being destined to marry Simeon Giffard, a charming and – more importantly – wealthy young man, Susannah has other ideas… And it seems Simeon does too. He has eyes only for Cassandra – but winning her over might prove to be a near impossible task.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781804367216 • Author:  Anna Jacobs • Publisher:  Canelo  • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 1.8 x 19.8 cm

5 ({1})
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From the author of An Orphan's Wish comes a tale of love and destiny... When Thomas Grant - one of the most eligible young men in London - proposes to Annabel Seaton, she can't say she's surprised, but she is delighted. He's been her best friend since she was a child, and she can't imagine life without him. What shocks her, however, is the reaction of her mother and father. Annabel knows that her parents disapprove of her forthright opinions, but their displeasure is both unexpected and unaccountable. As they permit the engagement, however, she decides to put it out of her mind. But before she can be married, tragedy strikes, and only then does Annabel learn of the shocking secret that her parents have kept from her. Determined to learn more, she travels to Durham on a personal search that will change everything.... Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781529428025 • Author:  Elizabeth Gill • Publisher:  Quercus • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions: 12.7 x 1.91 x 19.69 cm

5 ({1})
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Will she lose everything she’s worked so hard for? The Second World War may be over, but the war in Polly Pride’s home is only just beginning, and it will test her like never before. Her son, Benny, never seems to be far from trouble, spending all his time with shady characters and winding up in the wrong places at the wrong times. Her daughter, Lucy, is seeing another man behind her husband’s back and leaving her children to run riot. And Charlie, Polly’s beloved husband, is battling ill health and doesn’t want her interfering. Polly refuses to go back to a life of poverty – but managing a business, a family, and the trials of living in post-war Manchester might prove to be too much, even for her… Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781804365564 • Author:  Freda Lightfoot  • Publisher:  Canelo • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  352 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.1 x 19.8 cm

3.1 ({1})
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For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule.  When assisting in her brother Victor's ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own. When her handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Her resurrected beau (named Will for the moment) has total amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins the investigation into his past, hoping it will bring them closer.  But when a second suitor emerges to aid their quest, Angelika wonders if she was too hasty inventing a solution. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way? And can he survive what was done to him in the name of science, and love?  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780349435060 • Author:  Sally Thorne • Publisher:  Piatkus • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  384 • Dimensions:  14.8 x 3 x 19.4 cm

4.3 ({1})
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Three sisters torn apart by war. Can fighting for peace bring them together again? December 1941: Evacuated from the threat of German bombs, sisters Amelie and Mireille have grown up under the storm clouds of war. Now they have joined the fight against Hitler, with Amelie training as a nurse to save wounded soldiers, and Mireille enlisted to help the Air Force wage war in the skies over Europe. But as each sister fights for peace, they are still haunted by the memory of their missing sister who was snatched away from them at the beginning of the war. As Mireille is recruited for a special forces role behind enemy lines in France, she puts her life on the line for the Allies. But could she also finally have a chance of reuniting her sisters, once the war is over?  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008538392 • Author:  Pam Weaver  • Publisher:  Avon • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  384 • Dimensions:  12.9 x 2.7 x 19.8 cm

5 ({1})
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1875 With their father missing and their mother suddenly passing, Esme and Gabriel are forced to track down their estranged grandfather in Lincolnshire.  Cold and unwelcoming, he is reluctant to take them in, but aware of his standing as the village vicar, he knows must protect his reputation, and allow the children to stay with him. Esme's relief at finding refuge soon turns to despair when Gabriel is sent to boarding school, leaving her alone in their grandfather's unhappy home.  But the house isn't as empty as it first appeared and Esme, with her unusual gift of being able to see spirits, begins to encounter the ghosts of young women in the abandoned rooms and dark corridors of the rectory. The women are trapped between this world and the next, seeking help from Esme and leaving her with a mystery to solve if she is to stand a chance of establishing a peaceful, happy life. Can Esme lay the ghosts to rest to save herself and find the life she deserves? Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781838773663 • Author:  Rosie Goodwin • Publisher:  Bonnier Publishing Fiction • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  368 • Dimensions:   12.8 x 19.6 x 2.4 cm

4.1 ({1})
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Whitby, 1845: Amber Ainsley works as a laundry maid for the wealthy Greenwood family, but when she falls pregnant with her employer's illegitimate child, she is cast out, left homeless and destitute. She flees to Whitby, but Barnaby Greenwood follows, offering to find a family to raise their daughter, to save her being sent to the workhouse. Broken-hearted but wanting the best for her child, Amber hands her daughter over. Meanwhile, Barnaby's wife, Louisa, is overjoyed when she gives birth to twins - but the babies are weak, and she is terrified they won't survive. Poverty-stricken, Amber soon has no choice but to return to work for the Greenwoods. There, one twin is flourishing while the other sickens. And when Amber notices a familiar birth mark on the infant girl's leg, her world is turned upside-down... Will Amber ever be able to have the family life she hopes for?  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781838773601 • Author:  Rosie Goodwin • Publisher:  Zaffre • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  464 • Dimensions:  12.9 x 2.79 x 19.81 cm

5 ({1})
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A spellbinding love story of two women separated by a century but united in their determination to fight for what they love most. France, 1916: Artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his young wife, Sophie, to fight at the front. When their small town falls to the Germans amid World War I, Edouard's portrait of Sophie draws the eye of the new Kommandant. As the officer's dangerous obsession deepens, Sophie will risk her family, reputation, and life to see her husband again. Almost a century later, Sophie's portrait is given to Liv Halston by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. A chance encounter reveals the painting's true worth, and a battle begins for who its legitimate owner putting Liv's belief in what is right to the ultimate test. Like Sarah Blake's The Postmistress and Tatiana de Rosnay's Sarah's Key, The Girl You Left Behind is a breathtaking story of love, loss, and sacrifice told with Moyes's signature ability to capture our hearts with every turn of the page. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781405969093 • Author:  Jojo Moyes  • Publisher:  Pamela Dorman Books • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  369 • Dimensions:  16 x 3.18 x 23.5 cm

4.5 ({1})
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Clinging tightly to the penny in her palm, Flora’s fortune was about to change… Flora is forever grateful for the day the Stewart family rescued her from her life of poverty on London’s streets. Adopted as one of their own, she shed her rags and was finally given a place to call home. When a twist of fate calls her back to the cobbles, Flora’s new life is torn apart. Flora must make her own way if she is ever to find where she truly belongs…  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008580872 • Author:  Dilly Court  • Publisher:  HarperCollins • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  480 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.9 x 19.8 cm

5 ({1})
£5.00 RRP £8.99 Save £3.99 (44% Off RRP)