Historical Sagas by Rita Bradshaw

Above the Harvest Moon  

It's 1926 and the Depression is claiming its victims every day. Hannah and her mother, Miriam, who have lived with Hannah's uncle and aunt since her father died, have never really been close. As Hannah develops into a beautiful girl, so Miriam's jealousy and resentment of her grows.

At least Hannah can escape to spend time at her friend Naomi's, whose kind mother gives Hannah the affection she so lacks at home. And Hannah is not indifferent to Naomi's handsome, charming brother Adam. But when she is forced to flee her house and the unwanted attention of her uncle, it is the grave, taciturn Jake, Naomi's other brother, who shines through as Hannah's protector...

Always I'll Remember  

It's 1939 and Abigail Vickers, enjoying her promising new job in an office, is overjoyed when she meets James Benson there and they both fall completely in love. But life for Abby is a constant struggle against her dominant and selfish mother, Nora, who is jealous of Abby's beauty and success. When war breaks out, all their lives change forever.

In the furore of patriotism that follows, James signs up and Abby swears to wait for him, joining the land army to do her bit. But when Abby's father is involved in a dreadful accident, a terrible secret that Nora has been carrying for years is revealed, tearing the family apart. After receiving heart breaking news of James, Abby begins to wonder if she will ever find happiness. Only time will tell if there are better days ahead...

Eve and Her Sisters

Following their father's death in a mining accident, sisters Eve, Mary and Nell journey to the Michaelmas fair at Gateshead to be put up for hire - it is that or face the workhouse. Eve, who has looked after her younger sisters since their mother's death, cannot bear the thought of them being separated so she is indebted to innkeeper, Caleb Travis, when he takes pity on her and agrees to hire them all.

Over the years, Eve's gratitude towards him turns to love, but Caleb is blind to Eve's feelings as he is infatuated with Mary. It is to take many more years of heartache before he realises his mistake...

Gilding the Lily

Lily and Sarah Brown's childhood is an unhappy one. Sarah escapes by marrying Ralph Turner, a Sunderland dock worker, but Lily doesn't trust Ralph - a dark volatile man with a hidden cruel streak. When he tries to seduce Lily on his wedding day, her worst fears are confirmed. Ralph's younger brother John is cut from a different cloth, though, and Lily is increasingly drawn to him. But just when Lily sees a future for them, a terrible incident destroys her happiness.

Heartbroken, Lily agrees to accompany the family she works for as a nursemaid to New York. As Lily boards RMS Titanic little does she realise that her decision will change the course of her life for ever...

Skylarks at Sunset

Hope's just a child when she's orphaned, and as she grows up her dream is always to have a family of her own. And so when she meets and falls in love with Daniel Fallow, son of a successful businessman, she's quick to accept his proposal of marriage. His family, though, are against the match, and so the young couple marry in secret.

Grudging acceptance follows, and as the Depression worsens Daniel is persuaded to join the family business, unaware of his father's dodgy dealings. Tragedy is just around the corner, and worse is to come when war is declared in 1939: as Daniel leaves to fight and her children are evacuated, Hope wonders if she will ever have all her family around her again...

• Author  -  Rita Bradshaw
• Series / Key Character  -  n/a
• Illustrated  -  No
• Age -  Adult
• ISBN  -  various
• Publisher  -  Headline
• Date  -  n/a
• Format  -  Paperback
• Weight  -  325g
• Size  -  20 x 13 cm
  
• Pages  -  n/a
• RRP  -  £9.99

Awards:  None