Cirrus@Austlit

'A romantic tale of historical fiction that poses the question: are appearances always deceiving?

'When Maggie moves with William to County Durham in the north of England, she hopes to leave the devastating events of last summer in London behind.

'But despite the challenges, hardship, and bitter prejudice she faced in Victorian London, Maggie yearns for the vibrancy of the capital and the sense she is making a difference. Overriding that is a more powerful undercurrent of unease in her relationship. William longs to marry and start a family. Maggie is terrified of losing herself and her independence.

'Her restlessness evaporates with the arrival of three unexpected faces in the small mining community – Maggie’s literary hero, her former nemesis, and the new owner of the beleaguered Stanley Pit, Matthew Drummond.

'All bring an expectation of renewal and change. But Maggie soon finds herself locked in a devastating battle to safeguard the future of her new home and her principles, learning there are few people who don’t wear a mask.

'Steamy, swoon worthy and shamelessly feminist, Maggie Almond and the Masked Woman is perfect for fans of Bridgerton and the books of Evie Dunmore.' (Publication summary)

'A feisty, free-thinking young woman, determined to make her mark in a man's world, discovers the high price of independence.

'When her dreams of breaking a major story are thwarted, journalist Maggie Almond accepts an offer to interview Claire Clairmont, sister of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley. At the same time she meets William Dodd, a fellow scribe. Their desire overrides their class difference and the views of 'respectable' society.

'Maggie's bold actions ignite scandal, bitterness and resentment. Long buried secrets are unearthed and her life veers along a treacherous path from which there is no turning back.

'Steamy, stirring and set in Victorian era London, Maggie Almond and the Scandalous Sister is perfect for fans of Bridgerton.' (Publication summary)

'Will a chance encounter change her life forever?

'Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Pearl Harbour and World War II, a young woman tastes power and passion in the world's highest office. Robbed of her home and job by the Great Depression, the future looks bleak for Iris Macintosh - until a chance encounter with America's spirited First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Propelled by Eleanor into the brilliant inner circle of the White House, Iris finds herself at the centre of momentous change ... and her heart torn between two men. But her loyalty lies with a third: the complicated and charismatic President Roosevelt, who will ultimately force her to question everything she believes in.

'While the world is in turmoil, one woman's life is transformed.

'A compelling story of politics and power, love and loss, set in one of the most exciting and cataclysmic periods of history.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When her partner of twenty-five years dies, Rebecca Collins discovers the secret life he had been living. Grieving, and with her sense of self in ruins, she embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about the man she loved, and to recreate the shattered image of herself.

'Rebecca is constantly challenged in her quest by visions of her dead partner. Is she going insane or is her current sorrow and anger beginning to mesh with the remnants of an earlier trauma, one she has long ago repressed?

'Seeking the help of a therapist, Rebecca is forced to travel the hidden recesses of her mind. Agonising memories begin to resurface, and she eventually uncovers the well-spring of a far more profound grief ...

'Set in Gerringong, London, Sydney and Geneva, Everything I Am follows the journey of a woman pursued by a past she thought she had abandoned two decades earlier.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Can a person ever be free of their past?

'Boston 1735: A young lawyer discovers justice is not blind after becoming frustrated and disheartened by the inequality and prejudice he witnesses each day. Overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness, he turns vigilante, meting out violent justice to wrongdoers. But when his rage pushes him over the edge, he is shown it is his own demons he must battle. 

'Cornwall 1707: Blessed with beauty and intelligence, a girl attempts to control her own destiny but is thwarted by her violent father and the constraints of her birth. When a handsome naval Lieutenant arrives in her small fishing village, she finds love and with it a chance of escape, but to a new life that is no less menacing than her old one. 

'Book three of The Dawnland Chronicles welcomes back old friends and introduces new faces. The Lark’s Call is a tale of love, justice, and a bond that reaches through time and across lives.' (Publication summary)

'At what stage does a search for justice become a mission for revenge?

'When Tabby Post, a fiercely independent and dedicated healer, confesses to cold-blooded murder, she must fight to save herself from the gallows. 

'After her father is condemned for a crime he did not commit – the murder of his brother – Tabby embarks on a search for the killer. Along the way she helps a young mother and is drawn into the chilling world of the woman’s husband, a heartless preacher whose congregation is bound by fear. 

'When tragedy strikes, Tabby is pushed to the brink of her morality. She must risk all that she believes in, in her pursuit of justice.

'During her journey, Tabby comes to know a wealthy businessman, a character we originally met in Book 1 - The Hummingbird and the Sea. She forms ties with his family, including his pregnant wife’s mystical sister, who senses an unfathomable connection with the healer.

'Always at the forefront of Tabby’s thoughts is Kirkcaldie, the handsome and enigmatic Governor’s Surveyor with whom she is romantically tied. 

'Set in Maine in 1725, The Falconer is a tale of sacrifice, loss and new beginnings.' (Publication summary)

'How far will a person go to gain freedom? Set in 1717, The Hummingbird and the Sea tells the story of four people whose lives are inexorably linked when an enigmatic Englishman seeks shelter in the small, Puritan enclave of Eastham, Massachusetts. His brief presence upsets the balance of the close-knit town and sets in motion a tragic series of events that overturns lives and forces even the most constant and devout to rebel against everything they held sacred. Loyalties are tested and families are divided as individuals battle to deliver themselves from hardship, prejudice and injustice. Based on a true story of Puritans and pirates, The Hummingbird and the Sea is a powerful tale of love, faith, hidden passions and the eternal search for freedom.' (Publication summary)