Showing results by publisher "Zaffre" in Clean & Wholesome

When Libby Nicholls arrives in London, broken-hearted and with her life in tatters, the first person she meets on the bus is elderly pensioner Frank. He tells her about the time in 1962 he met a girl on the number 88 bus with beautiful red hair just like her own. They made plans for a date, but Frank lost the ticket with her number written on it. For the past sixty years, he's ridden the same bus trying to find her. Libby is inspired by the story and, with the help of an unlikely companion, she makes it her mission to continue Frank's search.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never had a place to call home, and when she moves into the crumbling Shelley House, she thinks it will just be temporary. Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House for longer than anyone can remember, and if you believe the other tenants, she's as cantankerous as they come. When the building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home...and even less likely investigators when they suspect that foul play is coming from inside the house.

Effie has always loved her quiet life in Cornwall - sea swims, beach walks, reading, and knitting. After university in London, she returned home, craving the calm of the coast. But while her friends move forward, Effie feels stuck. So when she's offered the chance to open a bookshop in the seaside village of Polcarrow - with a flat above the shop - Effie leaps at the opportunity. A bookshop by the sea? It's the dream. Adjusting to life on her own is tough at first, but she soon finds friendship in Lola, the local café owner, and her warm circle of friends.

Nuneaton, 1914: War is just around the corner and for Annie Lilburn and her adopted family, life will never be the same. Annie, after a difficult childhood, has never felt like she fits in, but since Levi Lilburn, the local rag and bone man, took her under his wing and she became a business woman in her own right, things have been on the up. Soon that is set to change when World War I is declared and the men of the town enlist. And as more and more casualties come in, Annie needs to step up and do her bit for the war effort.

The Empire is not just a theatre. From music hall to vaudeville, from revue to grand musical spectacular, it holds a special place in the nation's heart. For its audience, for its actors and singers, for the stagehands, the front-of-house staff, for its backers and its debtors—and above all for its owners—it truly is a palace of dreams. And for young Jack Treadwell, struggling to adapt to civilian life after the horrors of the trenches, it's a lifeline. When he receives a letter out of the blue inviting him to work at The Empire, he leaps at the chance.

On the Greek island of Castellorizo, young Sofía must put her big dreams on hold to support her older sister Maria with her large family. But World War II is looming and while the idyllic island may seem far from harm at first, there are unspeakable dangers on the horizon—perils that will change the sisters' lives forever. Devastated by her divorce and the death of her dear mum, Olivia seeks solace on Castellorizo. Her Granny Sofía fled the beautiful Greek island during the war, but Olivia knows little else about her family's history.

Iris is good with numbers. In fact, she's great at numbers. Educated, cultured and career-driven, she's got it all. Well, nearly. The only thing missing from her perfectly calibrated life is a partner—and not for lack of trying. After almost 30 years of searching, Iris has tried it all. Now, she approaches disappointing dates like research, gathering statistical evidence and formulating hypothesis on why she just cannot seem to find 'the one'. But something still alludes her—that unquantifiable spark.

It's 1897, and young Annie Maguire and her parents are leaving their farm in County Down, Ireland. Driven away by poverty, they're looking for a place to start again. After moving to Comber and settling for a time, once again the Maguire family's lives are turned on their heads when Annie's mother dies and she and her father move on, this time to Cleator Moor, Cumberland, where Annie starts work in Ainsworth's Mill.

After a crushing breakup and the loss of her beloved grandmother Ruby, Lola escaped to the charming Cornish village of Polcarrow to start over with just her dreams of opening a café to keep her company. But Polcarrow has other plans. With the help of her spirited best friend Freya, a surrogate grandfather in Alf and a community that quickly feels like family, Lola finds herself drawn into village life - and straight into the path of Tristan, the disarmingly attractive local vicar. As sparks fly and Christmas magic fills the air, long-buried family secrets begin to surface.

Three years ago, when receptionist Millie Chandler had her heart broken in a very public way, she became a closed book, vowing to keep everything to herself - her feelings, her truths, even her dreams. It's safer that way. There's less chance of her getting hurt. But Millie does have an outlet: her draft emails. She never sends them. Never would. They live in her drafts, where nobody can read them and nobody gets hurt - especially, not her. But after a server outage at work, Millie wakes up on a normal-seeming Wednesday morning to find that all of her emails have been sent. Every. Single. One.

Nuneaton, 1880. Twenty year old Daisy Armstrong lives a happy life with her loving father, Jed. They have a special bond, particularly after losing her beloved Irish mother and younger brother. But when Jed falls in love with a local widow, everything is set to change for them both. With expensive tastes and a lavish lifestyle, moving into Daisy and Jed's humble forge is not what the widow or her spoiled son, Gilbert, expected - and they make that very clear. Worked to the bone trying to look after their busy home, Daisy is exhausted.

1926. Running a theatre may appear to be all about the showbiz, but times are hard at The Empire. Following a turbulent period Jack Treadwell, erstwhile proprietor, his mother Lillian, and his playwright wife Grace, know they need to get things back on track - and how better than with the annual pantomime, a new venture, and an all-singing all-dancing talent contest, showcasing the best performers around.