Rita Bradshaw

‘A poignant, emotional story’ – Sunderland EchoThey were meant to be together. Feeling the way they did, nothing could come between them . . . As her mother takes her final breath, young Lucy Fallow makes a heartfelt vow – to look after her father and siblings, and tend to the family home. Over the years she sees the shadow of the Depression darken their doorstep, making Lucy’s promise a tender but heavy burden. But when she finds solace and love in the gentle company of Jacob Crawford, it seems happiness is finally on the horizon. Their budding relationship grows, though it only provokes Jacob’s brother Tom, who will stop at nothing to win Lucy’s heart for himself. When Tom sees Lucy and Jacob dancing together one night, a chain of events is set in motion and Lucy is torn apart from her beau. But where there’s love, there’s always hope . . . Will Lucy and Jacob defy the odds and dance in the moonlight once again? Rita Bradshaw’s enchanting bestseller Dancing in the Moonlight is about the power of love, heartbreak and family devotion.

Set in England and Germany during the Second World War, Saffron Skies and New Beginnings is a beautiful story of overcoming betrayal and learning to love once more. From Rita Bradshaw, author of A Woman of Courage. Bella McFadyen has a privileged lifestyle but from a child she isn't afraid to kick against an upper-class society that is restrictive and narrow-minded, especially where the female sex is concerned. When a terrible family secret is revealed, tragedy follows. Bella loses everything and everyone she's ever known, including the man she loves. But there are more important things at stake than personal happiness - war is declared and Bella enlists in the WAAFs, eventually being posted abroad on top secret work. In the years that follow, Bella's strength of mind is tested to the limit and her journey is one of heartache and devastating pain. Will she ever find peace and happiness and be able to trust herself enough to embrace another chance of love when it comes her way?

Set during WW2, Saffron Skies and New Beginnings is a story of overcoming betrayal and learning to love once more. From Rita Bradshaw, author of A Woman of Courage. Bella McFadyen has led a privileged life but, from a young age, she has not been afraid to kick against the restrictive, narrow-minded upper-class society. Particularly where the female sex is concerned. When a terrible family secret is revealed, tragedy follows. Bella loses everything and everyone she has ever known, including the man she loves. But there are more important things at stake than personal happiness – war is declared, and Bella enlists in the WAAF. Eventually, she is posted abroad on top-secret work. In the years that follow, Bella's strength of mind is tested to the limit and her journey is one of heartache and devastating pain. Will she ever find peace and happiness – and will she be able to trust herself enough to embrace another chance at love?

Survival means fighting back. Set across Sunderland and New York in the late 19th century, A Woman of Courage is a heartwarming saga by Rita Bradshaw, author of the bestselling Believing in Tomorrow. It's 1890, and Josie Gray is an innocent and beautiful fifteen-year old when Adam McGuigan, the youngest son of a dangerous and influential crime family spots her singing in a Sunderland public house. Adam is handsome and charismatic, sweeping Josie off her feet with his beguiling lies and promises. He charms her into marrying him on her sixteenth birthday, but on her wedding night the fairy tale ends. Josie finds herself trapped in a living nightmare and there's no one to help her. Events spiral out of control, and when her life is put in danger she escapes with her baby son. Fleeing to a different country, Josie fights to make a good life for her child and then love beckons again. But the McGuigan family's power is far reaching. When the day of reckoning comes, can Josie survive it?

Survival means fighting back. Set across Sunderland and New York in the late 19th century, A Woman of Courage is a heartwarming saga by Rita Bradshaw, author of the bestselling Believing in Tomorrow. It's 1890, and Josie Gray is an innocent and beautiful fifteen-year old when Adam McGuigan, the youngest son of a dangerous and influential crime family spots her singing in a Sunderland public house. Adam is handsome and charismatic, sweeping Josie off her feet with his beguiling lies and promises. He charms her into marrying him on her sixteenth birthday, but on her wedding night the fairy tale ends. Josie finds herself trapped in a living nightmare and there's no one to help her. Events spiral out of control, and when her life is put in danger she escapes with her baby son. Fleeing to a different country, Josie fights to make a good life for her child and then love beckons again. But the McGuigan family's power is far reaching. When the day of reckoning comes, can Josie survive it?

Does she dare to dream of a brighter future? Rita Bradshaw's Skylarks at Sunset is a heartrending story of one woman's struggle to keep her family safe during the dark days of the Depression and war. Perfect for fans of Pam Evans and Dilly Court. 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... What readers are saying about Skylarks at Sunset: 'Another wonderful story from Rita Bradshaw, a story that holds your attention from start to finish''Excellent from beginning to end. Couldn't put it down''Five stars'

She gave them everything and asked for nothing in return... Rita Bradshaw's heart-stopping saga, Eve and Her Sisters, is a captivating tale of poverty, family and unrequited love. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Kitty Neale. 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... What Amazon readers are saying about Eve and Her Sisters: 'Rita Bradshaw at her best. Fantastic story line and you get drawn into the book, I could not put it down. Very down to earth and one can empathise with situations the characters find themselves in. More, more, more from Rita''I couldn't put it down, it was moving, touching and almost as though it was real. Very believable, fully recommend''The author really brings the characters to life and you almost feel as though you are there. Brilliant!'

She's found friendship. Can she find love too? In Above the Harvest Moon, Rita Bradshaw once again enthrals her readers in her stunning saga of love, jealousy and survival. Perfect for fans of Annie Murray and Maggie Hope. 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... What readers are saying about Above the Harvest Moon: 'Another captivating and compelling read. Rita Bradshaw has produced yet another page turner, steeped in social history''I really enjoyed this book. It has all the right elements: love, betrayal and loyalty. I could not put it down''[Rita Bradshaw] is marvellous. I felt I was actually transported back in time'

When everything seems lost, hope is all that remains... Gilding the Lily is a heartrending tale of two sisters and their quest for a place to belong, from much-loved author Rita Bradshaw. Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale and Josephine Cox. 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... What readers are saying about Gilding the Lily: 'I enjoyed this novel. It held glimpses of an era long gone, well described and with a satisfying ending''I loved every minute of it''Five stars'

Friendship gives one young woman the strength to face tragedy... and a devastating secret. In Rita Bradshaw's Always I'll Remember, one young woman faces jealousy, tragedy and a dark secret, yet love and friendship see her through the worst. Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Lyn Andrews. 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... What readers are saying about Always I'll Remember: 'This book is one of the best reads ever, holds the attention and very hard to put down''Became engrossed, such interesting characters''[This book] describes the lives of three land girls, their friendship and families. The characters are real and very human and the plot throws up much that is unexpected'

Set in the early 1900s in the Tyne and Wear countryside, Believing in Tomorrow is a powerful, heartfelt saga of determination in the face of hardship. From the top ten bestselling author of The Storm Child, Rita Bradshaw.'Tears will be shed and hearts broken and mended again' – Lancashire Evening PostMolly McKenzie is only eleven years old when her abusive father beats her to within an inch of her life. Escaping from the hovel she calls home, Molly is found by kind fisherfolk, sick and near death. With them she experiences the love of a family for the first time and, even though life is hard, she is content. Time passes and Molly’s looking ahead to a future with the boy she loves, but then a terrible tragedy rips her life apart. Once again she’s cast adrift in an uncaring world, but Molly is made of stern stuff and is determined to survive. In the male-dominated society of the early 1900s, Molly has to fight prejudice and hatred, and rejection comes from all sides. Can she hold fast and become the woman she is destined to be? A beautiful work of historical fiction, Believing in Tomorrow is perfect for fans of Catherine Cookson.

From the top-ten bestselling author of One Snowy Night, Rita Bradshaw, comes The Winter Rose, a sweeping family saga set in the north of England. It’s December 1902 and Rose O’Leary is looking forward to her baby girl’s first Christmas. But then tragedy strikes: her husband dies at the shipyard where he works and within days his friend, Nathaniel, makes it plain he’s determined to have her. Rose flees with her child, but soon finds the world is a cruel place for a beautiful woman with no protection. More tragedy ensues and yet, although she’s bruised and broken, Rose is a fighter. Then, when she least expects it, love enters her life again, but she cannot escape her past and now it threatens not only her happiness but her very life. Will she ever find a safe haven?

From the top-ten bestselling author of One Snowy Night, Rita Bradshaw, comes The Winter Rose, a sweeping family saga set in the north of England. It’s December 1902 and Rose O’Leary is looking forward to her baby girl’s first Christmas. But then tragedy strikes: her husband dies at the shipyard where he works and within days his friend, Nathaniel, makes it plain he’s determined to have her. Rose flees with her child, but soon finds the world is a cruel place for a beautiful woman with no protection. More tragedy ensues and yet, although she’s bruised and broken, Rose is a fighter. Then, when she least expects it, love enters her life again, but she cannot escape her past and now it threatens not only her happiness but her very life. Will she ever find a safe haven?

From the top-ten bestselling author of One Snowy Night, Rita Bradshaw, comes The Storm Child, a sweeping family saga set during the run up to WW2 in the north-east of England. It’s mid-winter, and in the throes of a fierce blizzard Elsie Redfern and her husband discover an unknown girl in their hay barn about to give birth. After the young mother dies, Elsie takes the infant in and raises her as her own daughter, her precious storm child. Gina grows into a beautiful little girl, but her safe haven turns out to be anything but. Torn away from her home and family, the child finds herself in a nightmare from which there’s no waking, but despite her misery and bewilderment, Gina’s determined to survive. Years pass. With womanhood comes the Second World War, along with more heartbreak, grief and betrayal. Then, a new but dangerous love beckons; can Gina ever escape the dark legacy of the storm child?

From the top-ten bestselling author of One Snowy Night, Rita Bradshaw, comes The Storm Child, a sweeping family saga set during the run up to WW2 in the north-east of England. It’s mid-winter, and in the throes of a fierce blizzard Elsie Redfern and her husband discover an unknown girl in their hay barn about to give birth. After the young mother dies, Elsie takes the infant in and raises her as her own daughter, her precious storm child. Gina grows into a beautiful little girl, but her safe haven turns out to be anything but. Torn away from her home and family, the child finds herself in a nightmare from which there’s no waking, but despite her misery and bewilderment, Gina’s determined to survive. Years pass. With womanhood comes the Second World War, along with more heartbreak, grief and betrayal. Then, a new but dangerous love beckons; can Gina ever escape the dark legacy of the storm child?

All she wants is a better life... Born in Sunderland's filthy, crime-ridden East End, Pearl Croft's childhood is desperately troubled. When her violent, drunken father is killed in a fight and Pearl's elder brothers are sent to prison, she is left to care for her baby brothers. Then Pearl's mother brings a 'client' to the house who has a penchant for little girls. Terrified and hurt, Pearl runs away from home and is found, feverish and near death, by Romany gypsies. But this is far from the end of her struggles. Years pass and as Pearl reaches womanhood she wonders if she will ever find happiness?