Showing results for "Melissa" in Historical Fiction

A slightly more immature Elizabeth Bennet meets Fitzwilliam Darcy London two years earlier than in canon. As a second son, Darcy has chosen the life of a barrister so there are fewer obstacles in their way, and they quickly fall in love. Using the fortune left to him upon his father's death, he invested with Gardiner to make his own fortune, making it easier for the two to wed, along with a legacy set aside for second sons by Darcy's grandfather, the late Earl of Matlock

The autumn of 1933 is the most beautiful Edie Mather can remember, although the Great War still casts its shadow over the fields and villages around her beloved home, Wych Farm. Constance FitzAllen arrives from London to document fading rural traditions and beliefs. For Edie, who must soon face the unsettling pressures of adulthood, the glamorous and worldly outsider appears to be a godsend. But there is more to the older woman than meets the eye. As harvest time approaches and pressures mount on the entire community, Edie must find a way to trust her instincts and save herself.

What if Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy spoke honestly to each other in Kent and clarified any misconceptions prior to his making his proposal? What would happen if Mr. Bennet made an ill-fated attempt to resolve the issue of the entail only to create a much bigger problem for his family and Mrs. Bennet were even more of a shrew than in canon? What if Mr. Bennet had a secret reason to encourage the couple to marry quickly and before returning home? Will they ever be able to overcome the resentment that results from Mr. Bennet's manipulations or from Mrs. Bennet's subsequent behaviors?

Orphaned and concealed by her neglectful family, Elizabeth's true identity and inheritance are squandered. Reconnecting with Fitzwilliam Darcy in adulthood, they navigate courtship amidst revelations of her heritage and his role as a trustee. Facing societal expectations and familial deceit, they confront manipulative family members and triumph over obstacles, ensuring justice and personal happiness.

After leaving Netherfield, Fitzwilliam Darcy hopes to escape the memory of Elizabeth Bennet. Yet, he cannot escape her in his dreams, where she angrily rejects his suit. As these dreams seem partially prophetic, Darcy begins to reconsider his actions in Hertfordshire. Unbeknownst to him, Elizabeth is experiencing similar dreams, seeing a different side of Darcy than the haughty demeanor he initially displayed. When they meet again in Kent, their reunion is unexpectedly amiable especially as they come to realize they shared a dream of the future.

When Jo Breen uses her divorce settlement to buy a neglected property in the Byron Bay hinterland, she is hoping for a tree change, and a blossoming connection to the land of her Aboriginal ancestors. What she discovers instead is sharp dissent from her teenage daughter, trouble brewing from unimpressed white neighbours and a looming Native Title war between the local Bundjalung families. When Jo unexpectedly finds love on one side of the Native Title divide she quickly learns that living on country is only part of the recipe for the Good Life.

Darcy is tired of fighting his feelings. His heart knows what it wants, and that is Elizabeth Bennet. When he learns that Mr. Bennet has passed away, he imagines riding in as the white knight, a savior come to rescue his beloved from a life of poverty. But when he reaches Hertfordshire, something is amiss and he finds that Elizabeth needs no rescuing, thank you very much.

Alison Quinn, Countess of Waxwold, is content with her bookish life - until she's summoned to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Tremontane's mother for six months. Even the prospect of access to the Royal Library doesn't seem enough to make up for her sacrifice, but Alison is prepared to do her service to the Crown. What she's not prepared for is Prince Anthony North, Queen Zara's playboy brother, who's accustomed to getting what he wants - including the Countess of Waxwold.

She was born with a secret. She swore to never reveal it. But will love test that oath? Gemma is a time spirit. She can travel through history in a blink. What if people knew her powers? Would they try to abuse her gift? Life as a high school loner isn't so bad. But will Harrison change all of that? He seems to like her and falling for him is impossible to resist, but can she keep her secret? Breaking her oath will have dire consequences.

Elinor is an Extraordinary and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over 100 years. As an Extraordinary she is respected and feared, but to her father she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry whom he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring.

In the Raverran Empire, magic is scarce, and those born with power are strictly controlled - taken as children and conscripted into the Falcon Army. Zaira has lived her life on the streets to avoid this fate, hiding her mage-mark and thieving to survive. But hers is a rare and dangerous magic, one that could threaten the entire empire.

It is 1938 in China, and the Japanese are advancing. A young mother, Meilin, is forced to flee her burning city with her four-year-old son, Renshu, and embark on an epic journey across China. For comfort, they turn to their most treasured possession - a beautifully illustrated hand scroll. Its ancient fables offer solace and wisdom as they travel through their ravaged country, seeking refuge. Years later, Renshu has settled in America as Henry Dao. His daughter is desperate to understand her heritage, but he refuses to talk about his childhood.

Ingrid Chastain readily agreed to accompany her father to deliver vaccines to a mining town in the Montana Territory. She never could have anticipated a terrible accident would leave her alone and badly injured in the wilderness. When rescue comes in the form of a mysterious mountain man who tends her injuries, she's hesitant to put her trust in this quiet man who seems to have his own wounds.

The emperor has plans for gladiatorial games on a scale no one has ever seen before. But the games don’t just happen. They must be made. And Marcus, the man in charge of creating them, has just lost everything he held dear when Pompeii disappeared under the searing wrath of Vesuvius. Now it will fall to Althea, the slave woman who serves as his scribe, to ensure the Colosseum is inaugurated on time - and that Marcus makes his way out of the darkness that calls to him.

A short, angst-free novella that occurs in the months after Hunsford. Darcy, realizing his mistakes, confesses his misdeeds to Bingley earlier, even before Elizabeth has the chance to visit Pemberley. As a result, Bingley returns to Hertfordshire in June, while Darcy retreats to Pemberley to reflect on his actions.

During the Great Depression, labor camps crop up in remote areas throughout the American South. Destitute workers live under terrible conditions. Trapped in these isolated locations, workers are entirely dependent on the often greedy, abusive camp owners who provide food and housing at grossly inflated prices. But for the most desperate among America's vast unemployed, these camps are often the last and only option.

Margaret Parker and Hattie LaCour never intended to turn outlaw. After being run off their ranch by a greedy cattleman, their family is left destitute. As women alone they have few choices: marriage, lying on their backs for money, or holding a gun. For Margaret and Hattie, the choice is simple. With their small makeshift family, the gang pulls off a series of heists across the West.

Across the border, the Witch Lords of Vaskandar are preparing for war. But before an invasion of Raverra can begin, all 17 Witch Lords must gather to agree a course of action. Lady Amalia Cornaro knows that this conclave might be her only chance to stifle the growing flames of war. Amalia and her warlock Zaira must go behind enemy lines, using every ounce of wit and cunning they have to avert the coming conflict. If they fail, it will all come down to swords and fire.

Wise-cracking Kerry Salter has spent her adulthood avoiding two things: her hometown and prison. A tough, generous, reckless woman accused of having too much lip, Kerry uses anger to fight the avalanche of bullshit the world spews. But now her Pop is dying and she's an inch away from the lockup, so she heads south on a stolen Harley for one last visit. She quickly discovers that Bundjalung country has a funny way of latching on to people—not to mention her chaotic family and the threat of a proposal to develop a prison on Granny Ava’s Island, the family’s spiritual home.

China, 1700s. Lady Qing has spent the past seven years languishing inside the high red walls of the Forbidden City. Classed as an honored lady, a lowly ranked concubine, Qing is neglected by the emperor, passed over for more ambitious women. But when a new concubine, Lady Ying, arrives, Qing’s world is turned upside down.