Category: Opening Lines Blog Page 1 of 20

Opening Lines with Jan Baynham: The Stolen Sister

On March 5, 2026

In Fiction, Historical fiction, Opening Lines Blog, Romance, saga

I’m welcoming the super lovely, and ultra-talented, Jan Baynham to my place today to share the #openinglines from her brand new novel: THE STOLEN SISTER

Thank you for inviting be back to your lovely blog, Jenny.

Introduction

The Stolen Sister is my sixth novel. It has all the features which readers are coming to expect of my books – a dual timeline, contrasting locations, family secrets and two love stories. In this novel, there is also the theme of grief, resilience, sibling relationships, romantic love, a search for identity and reconciliation. It’s set in beautiful Crete in 1963 and again twenty years later, as well as rural mid-Wales. The Stolen Sister is the story of Greta, a young Welsh painter who arrives in the fictional town of Fáros Limáni to join an art commune. In 1984, her daughter Zoë travels to Crete to carry out her mother’s dying wish to have her ashes scattered into the sea there even though she knows nothing of her mother’s connection with the island. Through my words, I hope I’ve been able to take the reader on a virtual trip to this stunning island, as seen through Zoë’s eyes as she returns to the place of her birth for the first time.

Matala caves

Blurb

Lost letters. A secret Greek love affair. A daughter’s search for the truth.

Crete, 1963. Young artist Greta Ellis arrives at the sun-soaked port of Fáros Limáni, ready to paint and explore the beautiful Greek island.

There she meets passionate local, Andreas Papadakis, and Greta is swept up in a world of colour, freedom and forbidden love. But when tragedy strikes, Greta is forced to make an impossible choice that will change the course of her life — and her heart — forever.

Wales, 1984. After the death of her beloved mother Greta, silversmith Zoë Carter receives a sealed letter that upends everything she thought she knew. Greta’s dying wish is for her ashes to be scattered in Crete, a place precious to her . . . but somewhere she had never spoken of.

Searching through her mother’s belongings, Zoë uncovers a series of letters. Written in Greek and dated the year before she was born, they reveal a passionate love affair. And a tragedy that tore it apart.

Determined to know the truth, Zoë travels to Crete to follow the trail left behind in her mother’s letters. Through the olive groves and whitewashed villages of Crete, she begins to piece together a story of love, betrayal and loss — and discovers that her family was never what it seemed.

Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton, Dinah Jefferies, Santa Montefiore, Fiona Valpy, Barbara Davis, Angela Petch, Karen Swan or Anita Chapman.

First 500 Words

Prologue

North West Crete, 1967

Greta forced herself to smile as she watched her handsome new husband join in with the traditional Greek dancers, his blue eyes sparkling as he swayed his hips and dipped in time with the others as they circled the dance floor. The haunting sound of the bouzouki music filled the busy taverna above the noise of the fun and laughter of the diners. Since arriving in Crete four years before as a naive art student, she’d heard the instrument played many times but tonight there was something unnerving about the music. It seemed dissonant to her. Something wasn’t right.

She quickly dismissed the feeling when her three-year-old daughter wriggled down from her lap.

‘Me dance, too.’ Even though she could hardly keep her eyes open, the little girl ran towards the dancers who stopped and clapped, welcoming a laughing Greta and her daughter to join John in the circle. They all sidestepped and dipped, then kicked each leg in time to the music.

The meal at the taverna, situated a few miles out of Fáros Limáni, was to celebrate John joining his wife and daughter to make a new life together and to thank their American friends, Bill and Nancy, who’d helped them settle. John had left his temporary teaching job in Heraklion for a permanent post close to where they were going to live.

Returning to sit down at the table, Greta pulled the little girl onto her lap, loving how she snuggled into her and fell asleep, safe in her mother’s arms. She always looks so like her father as she sleeps. The same long dark lashes, the same beautiful face.

She looked at a smiling John, sitting next to her. How she loved her new husband! She couldn’t believe how lucky she was that life was good again . . . so why did she have a niggle of foreboding?

‘Someone’s exhausted. Shall we go?’ John stood and held out his arms to take the little one from Greta. Bill and Nancy stood to go with them.

They took the coastal road back to the port. Relieved John was driving slowly round such sharp bends and that the road was deserted, Greta relaxed into the seat behind him.

‘Not far now, sweetheart.’ John glanced in the rear mirror at the little girl fast asleep between Greta and Nancy.

A wall of rock loomed in the headlights.

Greta screamed. ‘John!’

John yanked the steering wheel in order to try to take the hairpin bend he’d been distracted from. ‘Holy shit! Hold on!’ Searing pain shot through the whole of Greta’s body as the car crashed into the cliff. She heard the thud of John’s head slamming down onto the centre of the steering wheel. Unable to move, deafening noise engulfing her — screams, the horn blaring continuously, her daughter wailing, panic in voices.

‘Oh, God.’ Bill shook his friend. John didn’t respond even as Bill shook him harder. Choked, he said, ‘I’ll get Greta out first. You lift the…

Here are some of the amazing reviews for Jan’s incredible work.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The most compelling, evocative, heart-wrenching book I have ever read.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Captivating and emotional . . . A top, top, must-read.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘One of the best sagas I’ve read in a very long time.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A novel that will transport you to Greece, with its sensory delights of sights, sounds and flavours.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The vivid imagery used to paint Greece is stunning and made me feel as if I was there. If you enjoy a multi-layered novel brimming with secrets, you’ll adore this story.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Historical fiction at its best.’

You can buy The Stolen Sister from all good retailers, including:

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Sister-powerful-emotional-historical-ebook/dp/B0GN9Z34YH/ref

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Sister-powerful-emotional-historical-ebook/dp/B0GN9Z34YH/ref

BIO

Originally from mid-Wales, Jan lives in Radyr, on the outskirts of Cardiff. After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, she now writes historical fiction and sagas. Fascinated by family secrets and ‘skeletons lurking in cupboards’, Jan writes dual narrative, dual timeline historical novels that explore how decisions and actions made by family members from one generation impact on the lives of the next. Setting and a sense of place play an important part in all of Jan’s stories and as well as her native mid-Wales, there is always a contrasting location in sunnier climes. She is published by Joffe Books/Choc Lit. She enjoys meeting up with other writers, especially members of her local Cariad RNA Chapter as well as when attending talks and workshops.

X- @JanBaynham https://twitter.com/JanBaynham

Facebook – Jan Baynham Writer https://www.facebook.com/JanBayLit/?locale=en_GB

Instagram – janbaynham https://www.instagram.com/janbaynham/?hl=en-gb

Threads – https://www.threads.com/@janbaynham

Blog – Jan’s Journey into Writing https://janbaynham.blogspot.com

Amazon Page – Jan Baynham https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jan-Baynham/author/B085DC6BKR?ref

Many thanks for sharing your work with us today, Jan,

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

Opening Lines with Rachel Brimble: Shared Secrets from the Home Front Nurses

By Jenny Kane

On February 19, 2026

In Blog, Fiction, Historical fiction, Opening Lines Blog, saga

I’m delighted to be welcoming back a fabulous author, and dear friend, to my website.

Rachel Brimble’s latest #saga, Shared Secrets from the Home Front Nurses (from her #bestselling, World War II series), is published by Boldwood and is available from all good retailers.

It’s a pleasure to be able to share its #openinglines with you today.

BLURB:

1943: Becoming a Home Front nurse, meant Kathy Scott was finally able to escape the violence of her childhood. At long last, her life has taken a turn for the better. Particularly because, for the very first time, she’s made some wonderful friends–fellow nurses Sylvia, Freda and Veronica.

Kathy’s known for not being short of a word or two. So nobody’s more surprised than her when she finds herself tongue-tied around Freda’s handsome brother, James – who’s home from war with an unexplained injury.

Eventually they start to open up to each other… But can two people who have felt so broken by their experiences ever find a chance for happiness?

Don’t miss this powerful and unputdownable wartime saga about courage, healing and the power of friendship!

FIRST 500 WORDS:

Standing in line in the Upper Borough Hospital canteen, Nurse Kathy Scott resisted the urge to shiver, as the ghosts of her dead parents knocked their violent knuckles along her spine.

‘Just leave me be,’ she murmured, as she glared at the back of the nurse’s head in front of her.

The nurse turned and frowned. ‘Did you say something?’

Kathy sniffed. ‘Not to you.’

Their glares locked before the other nurse faced forwards again. Kathy defiantly lifted her chin as she fought against her guilt for being so rude. The simple fact was, the woman didn’t deserve her derision. Kathy scowled. Damn her parents for everything they had done to her when they were alive and how they continued to haunt her even after their deaths.

Tightening her fingers around her empty tray, Kathy cursed the unfairness of how easily her memories and treacherous feelings for her parents returned, over and over again, despite the beatings, the humiliation… the absence of basic humanity, that they had inflicted on her. How could it be that she still cared for them? She impatiently tapped her foot on the tiled floor as she waited in line, pitiful tears blurring her view as she stared at the taped bank of windows on the opposite side of the noisy room. Uniformed nurses chatted and laughed as they stood around in groups or sat at the long tables eating what meagre hot lunches the hospital had managed to cobble together for their hardworking staff on this damp and grey Wednesday afternoon.

An image of her parents’ body bags being wheeled past her on stretchers by the rescue workers who had found them amid the rubble of her destroyed home rose in Kathy’s mind and she swallowed the lump that dared to rise in her throat. Almost a year had passed since Bath had suffered the three days of German bombing that had killed her parents and reduced the house they’d all lived in together on Kingsmead Street to little more than bricks and ash, her mum and dad thankfully buried beneath the lot. Kathy clenched her jaw, refusing to acknowledge the single tear that slipped over her cheek. Good riddance to bad rubbish…

God, how she hated these moments of care for them that continued to catch her unawares. How could she still think of them? They beat her, berated her, treated her like dirt and the ultimate inconvenience, yet despite the testy, often unjustified and downright horrible attitude she enforced to protect herself from the rest of the world half the time, her parents still spitefully lingered in part of her heart.

‘What can I get you, love?’

Kathy started.

The grey-haired kitchen lady smiled kindly from behind the serving counter, ladle in hand. ‘We’ve got vegetable soup with a nice chunk of bread. Or maybe you fancy a bit of shepherd’s pie?’

Kathy leaned forward to inspect the contents inside the silver chafing dishes in front of her. She screwed up her nose, her…

You can buy this, the latest in the Home Front Nurses series from all good retailers, including: https://mybook.to/SharedSecrets

BIO

Rachel Brimble is the author of 35 novels and has been published by Harlequin Mills & Boon, Kensington Books, Harper Road Press and more. She now writes for Boldwood Books. Her latest Amazon bestselling WWII series, The Home Front Nurses is her most popular series to date with book four released in February 2026.

Her next series will be set in Castle Combe, The War Orphans will start in September 2026.

Rachel is also the owner of The Writer Printable Co, an Etsy shop offering printable and editable novel writing resources to help new authors on their journey to writing success.

Link: https://thewriterprintableco.etsy.com

To sign up for her publisher’s newsletter, click here: https://bit.ly/RachelBrimbleNews

Website: https://bit.ly/3wH7HQs

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3AQvK0A

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3i49GZ3

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3lTQZbF

BookBub: https://shorturl.at/nrxFJ

Many thanks for sharing your opening lines with us, Rachel.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Opening Lines: Manuscript Mysteries at The Robin Hood

By Jenny Kane

On January 15, 2026

In Contemporary fiction, cosy crime, crime, Fiction, Jennifer Ash, Opening Lines Blog

Today I’m sharing the #openinglines to Manuscript Mysteries at The Robin Hood.

BLURB

Welcome to the Robin Hood Club!

There’s great excitement when a previously undiscovered Robin Hood ballad manuscript, Robin Hood and the Carter, turns up in the same town as the Robin Hood Club’s latest fan convention.

But the Robin Hood Club’s special guest – Harriet, “Hari”, Danby, writer and creator of the hit TV series, Return to Sherwood – can’t help thinking the discovery is rather too coincidental.

With her best friend, Dot, at her side, Hari finds herself taken out of her quiet writing life and catapulted into a world of enthusiastic fans, actors egos, and jealous fellow authors.

As the Robin Hood Club event gets underway, speculation about the new ballad grows… and then Hari notices that one of the Robin Hood Club’s most devoted followers has gone missing…

Manuscript Mysteries at the Robin Hood Club

HERE ARE THE FIRST 500 WORDS

Prologue: April 28^th

Found: Previously undiscovered Robin Hood Ballad…

Dr Harriet Danby, known to her friends as Hari, hovered her hand over the computer mouse. Telling herself that the notification on the Medieval Scholars Facebook page was bound to be spam, Hari clicked on the post anyway. Mentally crossing her fingers, hoping she hadn’t just unleashed a social media virus upon her laptop, Hari’s jaw dropped as she read the press release that filled her screen.

Two minutes later she picked up the telephone. The call had barely connected before, not bothering with a hello, she blurted out, ‘Neil, have you seen…’

‘Harriet! I was about to call you.’

Detecting an edge of excitement in her former university professor’s voice, Hari said, ‘You’ve seen the report then?’

‘I have.’

‘A new Robin Hood ballad!’

Neil cleared his throat, just managing to keep his enthusiasm in check. ‘It would be nice if it was genuine, but if it does turn out to be a hoax, it’ll still give us something new to talk about at the Robin Hood Club convention. You are coming, aren’t you?’

The emailed invitation sat open on Hari’s laptop.

The Robin Hood Club: 28^th – 30^th May.

Dear Dr Harriet Danby,

You are invited (along with a guest of your choice), to this three-day event at the beautiful Harmen Hotel, Buxton, within the stunning Peak District, Derbyshire.

As the writer and creator of the hit television series – Return to Sherwood – we’d be delighted if you could join us for this fans’ convention to celebrate your amazing show. We would love it if you would agree to be interviewed by myself, Jeremiah Barnes, about your work and passion for all things Robin Hood.

I can confirm that your leading lady – Scarlett Hann – and your leading man – Lee Stoneman – have already agreed to attend.

You’ll find a rough outline of the convention timetable attached to this message. A more detailed running order of events will be available nearer the time.

Please email your response at your earliest convenience.

Yours,

Jeremiah Barnes

Hari opened the attachment and took a ragged breath as she found herself face to face with an invitation to a medieval banquet on the Saturday evening and (worse) a disco on the Sunday evening and (worse still) an interview before all the guests as the “Headline Event” on the Monday.

Why do they want me as the featured speaker when the stars of the show will be there?

Averting her gaze from the laptop screen, she picked up a framed photograph of herself, Scarlett Hann and Lee Stoneman – known to millions as Mathilda of Sherwood and Will Scathlock. It had been taken during the filming of the first episode of Return to Sherwood.

‘I suppose if you two are attending, it would be odd if I wasn’t there.’ She focused her gaze on her leading man’s grey eyes. ‘And who knows, Lee, you might even acknowledge my existence as a human being this time.’

Returning to the laptop,…

If the opening lines have whetted your appetite, you can buy your copy of the first #therobinhoodclub mysteries, here:

Amazon UK | Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Opening Lines: Christmas at the Castle

By Jenny Kane

On December 4, 2025

In Another Cup of..., Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog, Romance

It’s time for the final instalment in the Opening Lines blogs for my

Another Cup of…festive specials.

Today, I’m sharing the first 500 words from Christmas at the Castle.

Kit is off to Scotland!

BLURB

When hotshot businesswoman Alice Warren is asked to organise a literary festival at beautiful Crathes Castle in Scotland, her ‘work mode’ persona means she can’t say no – even though the person asking is her ex, Cameron Hunter.

Alice broke Cameron’s heart and feels she owes him one – but her best friend Charlie isn’t going to like it. Charlie – aka famous author Erin Spence – is happy to help Alice with the festival…until she finds out that Cameron’s involved! Charlie suffered a bad case of unrequited love for Cameron, and she can’t bear the thought of seeing him again.

Caught between her own insecurities and loyalty to her friend, Charlie gets fellow author Kit Lambert to take her place. Agreeing to leave her London comfort zone – and her favourite corner in Pickwicks Café – Kit steps in. She quickly finds herself not just helping out, but hosting a major literary event, while also trying to play fairy godmother – a task which quickly gets very complicated indeed…

Readers love Jenny Kane:
‘A wonderful short story to fill your heart with warmth and really put you in the mood for Christmas‘

‘A feel good festive read, with Jenny Kane’s trademark coffee, friendship and gentle humour’

‘This is the perfect book for curling up on the sofa with on a winter’s afternoon. Light-hearted and feel good fun’

FIRST 500 WORDS

Chapter One

Friday November 13^th

Poking her head around the door of the Gift Shop Café, Charlie gave a sigh of relief. She’d managed to arrive before Alice for once.

Selecting their usual table by the window, Charlie smiled. Just for once it was nice not to have Alice, already comfortably settled and looking perfect, watching serenely as she battled her scarf, which always managed to knot itself clumsily, and her hair, blown every which way by the wind.

Hoping this was a good omen for the discussion to come, Charlie waved a greeting to the waitress, Mel.

‘Hi, Erin, Alice isn’t here yet.’ Mel put down a large coffee on Charlie’s table, ‘I’ll bring that weird latte concoction she likes over when she arrives.’

About half of the people in Banchory knew Charlie as Erin. Ever since she’d had her first book published under the name of Erin Spencer five years ago, the local papers had made a feature of her work, and Charlie lived happily with her dual personality.

As she watched the world go by through the window, Charlie’s usual habit of filtering future plotlines through the back of her mind was replaced with wondering how to persuade Alice that they needed more people to help organise Crathes Castle’s first ever literary festival. So far it was just the two of them, and they were drowning in the number of tasks involved with making it a success rather than an embarrassing flop.

Charlie hadn’t finished rehearsing her pleas for more helpers in her head, when Alice arrived.

Waving to Mel that she needed a drink fast (the concoction that Charlie always thought of as pseudo-coffee, which consisted of a decaf coffee, soya milk, and low-sugar caramel latte syrup), Alice sat down regally and swung her long, slim, tight black denim-covered legs elegantly under the table, before pushing her designer glasses off her eyes and up into her hair, neatly pinning it away from her face. If Charlie had tried to do that without the aid of a mirror she knew there would have been tufts of her long bouncy red ringlets sticking out at all angles.

A businesswoman through and through, Alice got straight to the point. ‘Charlie, sweetie, I know you don’t like working with other people much, but if we don’t get some more help soon this festival is going to be the biggest disaster of my career.’ Without giving her stunned friend time to comment, Alice went on, ‘It’s November 13^th already. Our Christmas in the Castle Literary Festival is in exactly three weeks and we need another person to help us.’

Charlie was taken aback. Even when they’d been at university together Alice had been an expert at eliciting assistance from people without them even realising that she was getting them to do what she wanted. Never before had Charlie heard her admit she needed help. Studying her friend more carefully, Charlie noticed that there were dark shadows under Alice’s eyes, hinting that…

If you’d like to see what happens next, then you can buy Christmas at the Castle from all good e-retailers or you can find it in the Jenny Kane’s Christmas Collection.

mybook.to/ChristmasinCastle

mybook.to/JKChrisCollection

Happy reading everyone.

Jenny xx

Opening Lines: Christmas in the Cotswolds

By Jenny Kane

On November 27, 2025

In Another Cup of..., Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog, Romance

I’m continuing my Opening Lines series, with a peep at the first pages of Christmas in the Cotswolds – the second festive special in the Another Cup of… series.

Blurb

Izzie Spencer-Harris, owner of the Cotswold Art and Craft Centre, is due to host the prestigious Cotswold Choir’s annual Christmas carol concert in her beautiful converted church. Or at least she was, until a storm smashed a hole right through the chancel roof!

Days from Christmas, Izzie suddenly finds herself up to her neck in DIY, with her last dodgy workman having walked off the job. She does the only thing she can… calls in her best friend Megan to help.

Leaving Peggy and Scott to run Pickwicks Café in her absence, Megan heads to the Cotswolds for Christmas. Within minutes of her arrival, she finds herself hunting down anyone willing to take on extra work so close to Christmas. It seems the only person available to help is Joseph Parker – a carpenter who, while admittedly gorgeous, seems to have ulterior motives for everything he does…

With Izzie’s bossy mother, Lady Spencer-Harris, causing her problems at every turn, an accident at work causing yet more delays, and the date for the concert drawing ever nearer, it’s going to take a lot more than Mrs Vickers’ powerful mulled wine to make sure everything is all right on the night…

Readers love Jenny Kane:
‘This is a delightful short story with that lovely Christmas feel good feeling‘

‘An easy festive read that will make you smile‘

‘Very festive short story with lovely characters. . . Cosy, ideal reading for Christmas time’

‘Perfect for the Christmas season. Heartwarming, emotional and so true for today’s hectic, manic life. One to have, keep, and enjoy!!‘

FIRST 500 WORDS

Prologue

December 12^th

Izzie closed her eyes and counted to ten as the door of the Cotswold Arts Centre slammed shut.

There was no point in panicking. She simply didn’t have time for such luxuries if her converted church was going to be ready to host a Christmas carol concert by the renowned Cotswold Choir in nine days’ time.

Bored of being propositioned by men who weren’t remotely interested in her until they discovered she was a daughter of the gentry, Izzie had ejected the carpenter through her front door before he’d quite had time to work out just how insulting her rejection of his latest lurid suggestion was.

Now, her hasty tongue having deprived her of a desperately needed pair of tradesman’s hands, Izzie sat with a heavy thump onto the nearest pew. She knew she had to find fresh help, and fast. A task that wouldn’t be easy so close to Christmas.

‘Although,’ Izzie addressed the image of Noah, who smiled benevolently at her from his stained-glass window, as if grateful he hadn’t been smashed to pieces by the tree branch that had come through the top of the chancel and caused so much seasonal inconvenience, ‘I’m damn sure I’m not asking my mother to help out ever again!’

Reaching for the offending package of invitations that had arrived by courier first thing that morning, Izzie emptied it onto the table. The invitations were supposed to have been posted by now. As soon as she’d seen them, Izzie understood why her mother had left them to the last minute.

Unfussy, cost-effective, and with a medieval Christmas flavour in keeping with the spirit of the converted fourteenth-century church where the concert was to be held. That’s what she’d asked for. What she’d got was decadent Victorian-style gold-edged invitations which weighed so much, Izzie was sure that posting them alone would break the bank. And if that wasn’t bad enough, her mother had done the one thing that she had expressively forbidden. She’d put Izzie’s full name on the invitations.

Lady Perdita Spencer-Harris had been unable to comprehend why her daughter didn’t want to use the family name to help sales. She simply didn’t understand that Izzie wanted people to come to hear the choir for its own sake, or because they wanted to see what she’d done in her art centre; not because she was a young and single female member of the landed gentry.

Miss Isadora Spencer-Harris

cordially invites you to a magical festive evening at

The Cotswold Arts Centre, Chipping Swinton

to hear the renowned Cotswold Choir’s Christmas Carol Concert

Saturday 21^st December

7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. start

£25 per ticket

Refreshments provided

RSVP by 18^th December to Harris Park

Wrapping her stripy woollen scarf more tightly around her neck, Izzie breathed warm air over her cold fingers. Deciding it wasn’t cost effective to heat the church this late at night just for her, she gathered up the invitations, and with one last check that the…

If you’d like to find out what happens next, then Christmas in the Cotswolds is available from all good e-retailers as well as in the Jenny Kane Christmas Collection on Amazon.

mybook.to/ChristmasinCotswolds

mybook.to/JKChrisCollection

Many thanks for popping by today,

See you next time for 500 words from Christmas at the Castle.

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

Opening Lines: Another Cup of Christmas

By Jenny Kane

On November 20, 2025

In Another Cup of..., Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog, Romance

It’s that time again!

With the festive season almost upon us, let’s take a dip into my

‘Another Cup of….’ festive novellas.

I’m starting with the first 500 words from Another Cup of Christmas.

Blurb

Five years ago the staff of Pickwicks Cafe in Richmond were thrown into turmoil when their cook and part-owner, Scott, had a terrible accident. With help from his friends, his wife Peggy, and the staff at the local hospital, he made an amazing recovery. Now Pickwicks is preparing to host a special Christmas fundraiser for the hospital department that looked after Scott.

Pickwicks’ waitress Megan has been liaising with the ward’s administrator, Nick, as all the staff who helped Scott’s recovery are invited. As the problems of organising the fundraiser take up more and more of their busy lives, Megan and Nick contact each other more frequently, and their emails and phone calls start to develop from the practical into the flirty.

But can you actually fall for someone you’ve never met?

As the fundraiser draws closer, Megan is beginning to think that she had imagined all the virtual flirting between herself and Nick – he promised to arrange to meet her for real, but he hasn’t done so. Now he’s bringing someone with him to the fundraiser, and they’re just bound to be everything Megan feels she isn’t …

Join the characters of Jenny Kane’s wonderful debut Another Cup of Coffee once again for a heart-warming festive read!

Readers love Jenny Kane:
‘A lovely heart-warming tale set at Christmas and a perfect short read for in front of a blazing fire and a cup of coffee (or hot chocolate!)’

‘A great read in the run up to Christmas, highly recommended‘

FIRST 500 WORDS

Chapter One

December 4^th 2012

Having politely escaped her third ‘So what are you doing for Christmas?’ conversation of the day, Megan Johnson was retreating back to the counter when she spotted Pickwicks’ most regular customer sit up from her work and brush a stray red hair from her eyes.

Knowing it had been at least half an hour since Kit’s caffeine addiction had been attended to, the waitress swiped up the percolator jug and headed in her direction.

Without bothering to ask if it was required, Megan poured the steaming liquid with practised care, before taking advantage of the lull in Christmas shopping trade, and sitting down opposite her friend. ‘Going OK?’

Swivelling the laptop round to face Megan, Kit rubbed the back of her neck, ‘I’m sure I’ve missed something. What do you think?’

Pickwicks Festive Fundraiser!

Spoil Yourself With An Afternoon of Pickwicks’ Finest Festive Fare.

In Aid of the Royal Free Hospital’s Spinal Ward.

Saturday 22^nd December from 2pm.

Deluxe Buffet And Fundraising Fun!

Tickets are ONLY £25 per person

Don’t miss out!

Book your place at Pickwicks Coffee Shop, Richmond – NOW!!

Megan scanned the poster. ‘Oh, that’s fabulous! I thought you were writing your latest novel.’

‘To tell you the truth, that’s exactly what I should be doing, but Peggy asked me to do some publicity for the fundraiser and I thought I’d better get on with it. Time seems to be dissolving. It’ll be the 22nd before we know it.’

‘I know what you mean.’ Megan started to collect the dishes left by a couple who’d just vacated a nearby table. ‘The next three weeks are going to fly by.’

‘Two and a half weeks!’

‘Oh, hell! Really?’

‘That’s why I want to get these done; otherwise everyone will be too booked up with their own celebrations to have time to come.’ Gesturing towards the kitchen, Kit asked, ‘How’s Scott doing out there, or shouldn’t I ask?’

Megan’s permanent smile widened further across her lightly freckled face. ‘He’s amazing. I have no idea how he does it. The temperature in that kitchen is tropical, and yet Scott’s still beaming that massive toothy grin of his. I’m seriously beginning to think he is physically unable to stop cooking! Surely he must have pre-prepared as much as he can for the fundraiser by now?’

Kit nodded. ‘He probably has, but Peggy is getting paranoid there won’t be enough food.’ Glancing around, checking that Megan wasn’t needed by a customer for a moment, Kit pointed to a fresh pile of abandoned cups. ‘If I clear those, will you have a proper read of the poster? I’m sure I’ve missed something obvious but I can’t put my finger on it?’

Kit was already standing up and taking a tray from Megan’s hands before the waitress said, ‘On one condition.’

‘Which is?’

‘I can check my emails? I’m supposed to be liaising with the hospital about this for Peggy, but we’ve been so busy over the last few days I…’

If you’d like to read on, Another Cup of Christmas, is available from all good e-book retailers, and as part of the Jenny Kane’s Christmas Collection.

mybook.to/AnotherCupofChristmas

mybook.to/JKChrisCollection

(You don’t need to have read Another Cup of Coffee to enjoy my festive stories.)

You can her me read a little from Another Cup of Christmas here- https://www.facebook.com/coffeetimesessions/videos/381433993174274

Come back next week, for the first 500 words from Christmas in the Cotswolds.

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

Opening Lines: Secrets at the Ambrose Café by Carryl Church

By Jenny Kane

On November 13, 2025

In Blog, Historical fiction, Opening Lines Blog, Romance

I’m delighted to welcome fellow author, former student, and friend, Carryl Church, back to my blog today, to share the #openinglines from her fabulous second novel, Secrets at the Ambrose Café.

Blurb:

Two women. Two different worlds. One secret that could ruin them both.

Exeter, 1925. Della Wilde has set aside her dream of moving to Paris to study at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu, choosing instead to support her family torn apart by war. By day, she works at the prestigious Ambrose Café, serving the city’s elite — she feels utterly invisible. Until a chance encounter with rebellious Alice Winters, the daughter of a powerful MP, upends Della’s world.

Alice is a woman caught between duty and desire. She secretly yearns to be an artist but is expected to marry a respectable suitor and raise a family. Della, with her sharp wit and quiet strength, is unlike anyone she has ever known. She makes Alice feel alive.

So she draws Della into her orbit — first as a muse for her secret art, then as something infinitely more intimate. But in a world where reputations are easily shattered, their growing bond is a danger that threatens not only their futures, but those around them.

As Alice risks scandal and Della faces the consequences of following her heart, they must decide: will they allow others to choose their path, or dare to forge their own?

This historical tale of courage, forbidden love and self-discovery is perfect for fans of Sarah Waters, Cynthia Ellingsen, Fiona Valpy or Rhys Bowen.

Here are the first 500 words…

Exeter, 1925

Della stepped back to assess the birthday cake. The first cake Hastings trusted her to decorate without guidance. Three tiers of sponge encased in fondant icing stood regal on a glass stand. Embossed gold-leaf frescos circled the base, edible pearls tumbled over the layers and the top was crowned with wishes to the birthday girl in swirls of chocolate ganache. Twenty-one silver candles finished the decadent masterpiece.

Mrs Hastings came to her side, flour-dusted hands resting on generous hips. Della felt the weight of the Ambrose’s reputation heavy on her shoulders as her boss studied the cake, searching out imperfections.

Eventually she threw Della a smile. ‘You’ve the steadiest hand, Della Wilde. That lettering is flawless.’

William crashed through the double doors to the kitchen, leaving them swinging back and forth long after his arrival. He weaved his tray aloft and dumped it on the washing trolley. ‘It’s getting a bit rowdy in there.’ He cocked his head at the ballroom beyond the servery doors, where a birthday party was in full swing.

Anthony was next, spinning his empty tray like an acrobat. ‘Della, they’re ready for the cake.’ He stopped to inspect her work. ‘Blimey. It’s beautiful.’ He met her gaze, eyes wide with admiration.

A cheer from the other side of the doors snatched their attention. Anthony lit a match and set the candles ablaze.

‘Ready?’ He moved to take the trolley.

‘I’ll take it.’ William stepped in his path, leaving Anthony little choice but to acquiesce.

Della followed her cake on its journey to the servery doors, hoping it lived up to the occasion. She opened one side — Anthony took the other. As William entered the party, more cheering erupted. It was a rare opportunity to hear guests take pleasure in her work. She lingered to see the clientele in their finery. The birthday girl stood on the top table, adorned in a crimson bias-cut dress twinkling with sequins. Long necklaces of jet beads fell in layers across her taut body. A feather boa trailed her sinewy arms, and a headband sat regally on dark blonde hair cut in the daring Eton crop. A single artfully sculpted curl escaped from behind her ear, which dripped with diamanté earrings. She turned, exposing a smooth, bare back. Della followed the contours of her spine to the base.

Anthony shared in her voyeuristic activity. ‘I’ve never seen the like.’

‘Who is she?’ Della couldn’t drag her gaze from the spectacle. Silk stockings and silver heels pranced among the café’s finest china and cutglass coupes. The birthday girl held one aloft while she threw her head back in laughter, exposing the tight ribbing of her neck. A cigarette smouldered at the end of a silver holder in her free bejewelled hand. A tuxedoed man looked on with proprietorial eyes.

‘Alice Winters,’ Anthony replied.

Della shrugged.

‘You know, the MP Robert Winters. She’s his daughter — and a handful by the looks of things.’ He checked his watch and disappeared to…

***

If you want to find out what happens next, you can buy Secrets at the Ambrose Café from all good retailers, including:

Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/dIlEnja

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/secrets-at-the-ambrose-caf/carryl-church/9781781898857

Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Secrets-at-the-Ambrose-Cafe-Audiobook/B0F8W2K986?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

***

Bio:

Carryl writes historical fiction with a focus on the 20th Century. Her writing explores love in turbulent times, both romantic and familial. The people we’re given and those we choose for ourselves.

An early fascination with cinema led to a career as a Film and Photography Archivist. Years spent watching archive footage gave her a unique insight into how people lived in the early 20th century now brought vividly to life in her stories.

Originally from the Isle of Wight, Carryl now lives in Devon. The local landscape and locations are an inspiration for her novels. Carryl has a BA in Media and Literature and an MA in Film and Television Archiving. After working in Media Archives for seventeen years, including The Imperial War Museum and The BBC, she now writes full-time in the company of her cat, Ditsy.

Website: https://carrylchurch.co.uk/

Instagram: @CarrylChurch

Facebook: Carryl Church

***

Many thanks for sharing your #openinglines with us today.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

New smiles at The Potting Shed

By Jenny Kane

On September 30, 2025

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog, Romance, The Potting Shed

Following the adventures of Maddie, Ed, Sabi, Jo, Jem, Sara, and the team at The Potting Shed garden centre, Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed, (the third book in the series), saw the opening of a new café, some wonderful new characters, and a face from Ed’s past…

Blurb

Don’t miss out on this lovely book by #1 Kindle bestselling author Jenny Kane.

Welcome back to The Potting Shed! As Maddie and Sabi re-open the doors of their family-run garden centre. Business is booming, and it’s time to give back to the community that has kept The Potting Shed afloat, by opening the Forget-Me-Not dementia café.

But, as the doors to the café open, Sabi is offered the chance of a lifetime, that could take her away from The Potting Shed for weeks, café manager Jo’s frail, elderly mother is taken ill, and Maddie’s partner, Ed, takes a job in a faraway city just when Maddie needs him more than ever. A new member of staff is desperately required – who will join Sara, Jo and Ivan as the busy autumn season fast approaches?

Available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook and Waterstones as an ebook or paperback.

You can also buy an audiobook of this story: Amazon UK, Amazon US.

(Although Misty Mornings is the third book in this series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone read.)

Here is an extract from the story – welcome Belle, a new friend to The Potting Shed.

Belle swept a swathe of deep purple curls from her face and glared into the mirror that hung in the hallway of her little home.

Smudging some concealer under her eyes, she re-examined her complexion.

‘I don’t know why you’re trying to hide those spots, Mum.’ Niall bounded down the stairs, his long thin legs, out of proportion to his short body, as if only half of him was having a growth spurt at once. ‘They’ll go on their own soon – that’s what you tell me about mine.’

‘That’s because you’re a teenager. You’re supposed to have spots. I’m thirty-five! Spots just make me feel old.’

Niall stood next to his mum and stared into the mirror. ‘Your skin’s so dark, they’re hardly visible. Now, if you were white, it’d look like mini satellite dishes had landed on your face.’

‘Thank you for that vote of confidence – not!’ Belle couldn’t help but chuckle at her eldest son’s teasing expression.

‘I was being nice!’

‘By telling me that the spots on my chin, which I saw as annoying, but small, are actually huge.’

‘Why are you trying to hide them anyway?’

‘I’ve got an interview on Monday. I was practising looking nice.’ Belle wrinkled her nose. ‘I’m not sure anyone will hire me to work with food if I have three volcanos on my face!’

Niall gave his mum a hug. ‘You’ll ace it. Every café needs a woman with bright purple hair.’

‘Do you think I should wash out the dye?’ Belle tugged at her mass of curls. ‘Or I could dye it black, or…’

‘Mum! I was joking. It suits you. Just put on your best tie-dye dungarees and you’ll be perfect.’

‘I’ll be wearing a pair of trousers and a shirt and jacket.’

‘Boring.’

‘Sensible.’ Belle left out a pent-up breath. ‘I’m panicking aren’t I.’

‘Just a bit.’ Niall sat on the stairs and glanced up at his mum through a mess of black curls. ‘Are you okay? I mean, do you need this job or just want it?’

‘Both.’ Belle smiled, hoping her eldest child wouldn’t notice the worry that was always in her eyes these days.

‘If you get the job and have to be at work while we’re at home, me and Milo will be okay.’

‘Budge up.’ Belle perched onto the stair next to Niall. ‘It’s obvious that that’s what’s bothering me, huh?’

‘That you’re worried about Milo – or about not being there for him – yeah.’

‘I worry about you too.’ Belle put an arm around Niall’s shoulder.

‘I know.’

Always conscious of inadvertently laying more responsibility on her older child than she meant to, Belle thought of Milo. He’d always been more of a handful than his brother and had taken the defection of their father three years ago hard, whereas Niall had seen it as a sad inevitability.

‘If I get the job, I won’t be home until almost five every day.’

‘I know.’

‘But what if…’

Niall got up and looked down at his mum. ‘I’ll make sure Milo gets home from school and does his homework.’

‘But you shouldn’t have to. You have your own…’

‘I don’t mind, Mum. Honestly.’…

As with many of my novels, serious subjects are covered as the characters go along. From the challenges of having relatives with dementia, to the practical difficulties of long distance relationships, Maddie and the gang face every day head on – while being determined to give something back to the community that has supported them while The Potting Shed grew from a small nursery, to the much larger affair it has become.

Obviously, I don’t want to give away any spoilers here – but I can promise the dogs (Florrie and Sheba) will be as much fun at the end of the novel as they are at the beginning. As If I’d kill the dogs! (Readers do email me asking me not too!).

If you’ve not read Frost Falls at The Potting Shed and Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed, you can catch up on the friends previous dramas via eBook, audiobook or paperback from all good retailers.

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Opening Lines with Jan Baynham: The Silent Sister

By Jenny Kane

On August 12, 2025

In Blog, Historical fiction, Opening Lines Blog, Romance

I’m delighted to welcome fellow author and friend, Jan Baynham to my place today, to share the #openinglines of her brand new novel:

The Silent Sister.

Over to you, Jan…

The Silent Sister is my fifth novel. It has all the features which readers are coming to expect of my books – a dual timeline, contrasting locations, family secrets and two love stories. In this novel, there is also the theme of trauma, resilience, sibling relationships, identity and reconciliation. It’s set in beautiful Kefalonia at the time of the devastating 1953 earthquake and again twenty years later as well as rural mid Wales. The Silent Sister tells of three-year-old Eléni who is pulled, barely alive, from the rubble of an earthquake in Kefalonia when her parents and grandparents perished alongside her. Once physically healed, the traumatised little girl is raised by Cassia, who witnessed her rescue and who is faced with keeping a secret that must never be revealed. The book involved a lot of research, the highlight of which was a trip to Kefalonia itself. As a result, I been able to take the reader on a virtual visit to the stunning island, as seen through Eléni’s eyes as she returns to the place of her birth for the first time.

Blurb

A woman searching for somewhere to belong.
A child rescued from the rubble of a ruined island.
A secret buried in the heart of Kefalonia.

Greece, 1953. When a catastrophic earthquake reduces the beautiful island of Kefalonia to ruins, Cassia Makris risks everything to save a young girl buried beneath the rubble that was once her home.
In that moment, Cassia makes a life-changing decision that will bind their fates forever but force her to carry a devastating secret . . .

Wales, 1973. Eléni Davies has always felt there was something unspoken in her past — a silence at the heart of her childhood. When she discovers a hidden journal among her mother’s belongings, it unravels an untold story of love and loss on a faraway island.
Drawn to the place where her story really began, Eléni travels to the now-rebuilt Kefalonia. Among the lemon groves and sun-bleached chapels, she begins retracing her mother’s footsteps to piece together a story that was never meant to be told.
But in doing so, Eléni must decide whether some secrets are better left buried — or whether confronting them is the only way to finally heal.

This unforgettable dual-timeline historical page-turner will sweep you away to the olive groves and sapphire-blue seas of a sun-kissed Greek island. Perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy, Dinah Jefferies, Victoria Hislop, Santa Montefiore or Karen Swan.

FIRST 500 WORDS…

Kefalonia, 12 August 1953

The air was thick as Cassia walked back from the centre of Argostoli. The place was silent, wearing a cloak of fear, with a real sense of foreboding. The pewter-grey sky resembled one threatening a thunderstorm at dusk rather than one approaching midday when the sun was at its highest in the sky. Despite being drenched in perspiration, Cassia shivered. Something was very wrong. Glad to have reached her house, sitting halfway along the street leading out of Argostoli, Cassia dismissed the ominous feeling by making herself busy. First, she unpacked her shopping. She went to put the vegetables away in the small outhouse when the whole building shook. Crockery, pots and pans fell with a crash to the floor. The shaking and shuddering increased in intensity before there was an almighty deafening bang. A huge gaping crack tore from floor to ceiling down the opposite wall. Cassia screamed. The floor underneath her continued to move violently. She grabbed on to a kitchen chair that toppled over and took her with it. She tried to shield her head as another crack above dropped large chunks of masonry on top of her. She yelled out in pain. Coughing and spluttering, Cassia found it hard to breathe as the room filled with grey dust. She struggled to free herself but a wooden rafter crashed from the ceiling, pinning her to the floor. Excruciating pain shot through her whole body. She tried to push herself free. Outside she heard shouting, yelling, haunting cries. The sound of crumbling masonry, wood snapping. It was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

‘She’s in here. She’s alive. I need help to free her.’

There was urgency and panic in the voice. To Cassia, it seemed distant yet the man was close. Another person scrambled over the rubble blocking the doorway to join him. Together, they lifted the heavy wooden beam off her. Cassia tried to open her eyes and became aware of a stabbing pain in her lower leg. She cried out.

‘You’re safe, now.’ The older of the two men, neither of whom she’d seen before, smiled at her. ‘We’re going to lift you out. Is it just your leg that hurts?’

Cassia nodded. She looked down to the source of her pain and saw a wound encrusted with dried blood and grey dust.

Once outside, the two men placed Cassia to sit down on the ground. ‘It looks nasty, but I think it’s just superficial,’ the man said. ‘Are you all right if we leave you to go and help some of your neighbours? This street is one of the worst affected.’

‘Yes, please go! Efcharistó. Thank you to you both.’

Cassia had not been prepared for the devastation she saw in front of her. Not one of the houses stood unscathed. A gaping crack zig-zagged the length of the street. Some buildings were completely flattened while others had single walls intact. Some people wandered around aimlessly, while others held…

You can buy The Silent Sister from all good retailers, including:

The Silent Sister: Escape to Greece in this utterly captivating sun-drenched historical saga (Sun-Kissed Sagas) eBook : Baynham, Jan: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: The Silent Sister: Escape to Greece in this utterly captivating sun-drenched historical saga eBook : Baynham, Jan: Kindle Store

Bio

Originally from mid-Wales, Jan lives in Radyr, on the outskirts of Cardiff. We have three grown up children and five grandchildren. After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, she joined a small writing group in a local library where she wrote her first piece of fiction. Her first collection of stories was published by Black Pear Press. Fascinated by family secrets and ‘skeletons lurking in cupboards’, Jan writes dual narrative, dual timeline historical novels that explore how decisions and actions made by family members from one generation, usually in or just after WW2, impact on the lives of the next. Setting and a sense of place play an important part in all of Jan’s stories and as well as her native mid-Wales, there is always a contrasting location in sunnier climes. She is published by Joffe Books/Choc Lit. She enjoys meeting up with other writers, especially members of our local Cariad RNA Chapter as well as when attending talks and workshops. When not writing, her time is taken up with reading, family history, Pilates and looking after her grandchildren.

Social Media

X– @JanBaynham (https://twitter.com/JanBaynham)

Facebook – Jan Baynham Writer (https://www.facebook.com/JanBayLit/?locale=en_GB)

Instagram – janbaynham (https://www.instagram.com/janbaynham/?hl=en-gb)

Blog – Jan’s Journey into Writing (https://janbaynham.blogspot.com)

Amazon Page – Jan Baynham (https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jan-Baynham/author/B085DC6BKR?)

***

Here are just some of the amazing reviews, The Silent Sister has received so far:

‘I didn’t want this story to end . . . This is my first Jan Baynham book, but it won’t be my last.’ Veronica Leigh, author of The Keeper of Lost Daughters

‘If you enjoy Victoria Hislop, then give this one a go.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘You absolutely MUST read this story for the history, to fall in love with the characters, to enjoy the beautiful locations, to realise that humanity will repair itself no matter how deep the wounds.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Captivating and emotional . . . A top, top must-read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This breathtaking historical fiction novel is something readers will enjoy if you are looking for a story about healing, moving on, and reconnecting with family.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

***

Many thanks for sharing your opening lines with us, Jan.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Opening Lines: Winter Wishes for the Home Front Nurses by Rachel Brimble

By Jenny Kane

On August 7, 2025

In Fiction, Historical fiction, Opening Lines Blog, Romance, saga

I’m delighted to be able to share the #openinglines from the latest in the Home Front Nurses series with you today.

Written by good friend, and fabulous writer, Rachel Brimble; Winter Wishes for the Home Front Nurses follows the personal and professional lives of nurses, Freda, Sylvia and Veronica as they help Bath recover from Germany’s attack on the city in the previous April.

Blurb

An uplifting story of courage, friendship and love against the odds, perfect for fans of Lizzie Lane, Rosie Clarke, and Call the Midwife.

Winter, 1942.Secrets abound for the Home Front Nurses, but will one of them be able to tell the truth about her past before Christmas?

As the weather turns cold, and the war rages on, Veronica Campbell finds herself loving her job as a home front nurse more than ever. She’s spending time with her beloved best friends Sylvia and Freda, as well as assisting on life-saving operations with her fellow nurse Betty Wilson, and feeling valued and happy.

But at home, she wishes things were different. Because even cosied up by the fireside of her lovely little house, there’s a man who lives on her street. Someone she’d once thought she could trust, who – five years ago – had violently attacked her. His threats to her remain, but she’s been terrified into silence.

But everything changes when Betty needs somewhere to stay for Christmas, and Veronica impulsively suggests she move in with her. But can she trust Betty enough to let her guard down and tell her what happened that fateful day? Because if she doesn’t… will Betty be put at risk too?

Here are the first 500 words…

Chapter One: Veronica

Bath, August 1942

‘V! Wait for us! Have you heard the news?’

Startled from her worries, Veronica Campbell halted near the hospital entrance and spun around as her best friends and fellow nursing colleagues, Sylvia Roberts and Freda Parkes, hurried towards her, their faces stricken.

Tension immediately stiffened Veronica’s shoulders. What now? It sometimes felt, for the last three years of war, Europe had been battered with an endless stream of shock, horror and loss, even if Britain remained stalwart in its patriotic humour and tenacity.

Sylvia’s brown eyes were wide, and her bright auburn hair glowed beneath the rays of the lowering August sunshine as she came to a stop in front of Veronica. ‘The Duke of Kent is dead!’ she exclaimed. ‘Killed in a plane crash in Scotland.’

‘What?’ Veronica looked between her friends. ‘The King’s brother is dead? Was the duke in Scotland? I thought—’

‘No.’ Freda’s eyes were shadowed with sadness. ‘It would probably be easier to comprehend if he’d been killed in an air attack, but he was being flown to Iceland to visit the RAF stations. Offer moral support, I assume.’

Veronica frowned, her previous distraction of where she had to go and who she had to see in the next hour momentarily quieted. ‘That’s just awful.’

‘Well, it must be true,’ Sylvia said. ‘The press do not write about the Royal Family lightly.’

‘Apparently,’ Freda interrupted a second time, ‘the duke and the entire crew onboard were killed when the plane crashed into a hillside, which was off course from where they should have been headed. Goodness knows why. Anything could have happened, I suppose. Probably just a terrible accident.’

Sylvia blew out a heavy breath. ‘I’ll always remember when Queen Elizabeth said she felt she could look the East End in the face, after Buckingham Palace was bombed. God knows what she’ll say to the nation after losing her brother-in-law in such a horrible way.’

Veronica closed her eyes.

Here she was fretting about visiting Officer Matthews – one of the kindest men a girl could know – when the war continued to take more and more lives, day after day. What did it matter that she was visiting a man she suspected loved her… even if she didn’t love him, when people were dying every day? Whether royalty or pauper, Hitler gave no preferential treatment and the deaths of the duke and his entire crew would undoubtedly cheer the German leader up no end.

She opened her eyes and looked past her friends towards the hospital doors.

Eric Matthews had always been kind and considerate towards her, despite all he had been through and all he had done. And not just during the time he was serving, but from the day he had walked so unexpectedly – so anonymously – into her life.

Tears pricked her eyes and Veronica quickly blinked them away before Sylvia or Freda noticed. Yet the self-loathing evoked by the vile truth of what Eric knew about her would not deter…

***

You can buy the latest Home Front Nurses novel from all good retailers, including: https://mybook.to/winterwishes

Bio:

Rachel lives with her husband in a small town near Bath, England and they have two adult daughters.

She is the author of 35 novels and has been published by Harlequin Mills & Boon, Kensington Books, Harper Road Press and more. She now writes for Boldwood Books and books 1 and 2 of her latest series, The Home Front Nurses, have been Amazon bestsellers with book 3, Winter Wishes for the Home Front Nurses released in August 2025.

Rachel is also the owner of The Writer Printable Co, an Etsy shop offering printables to help new authors on their journeys to writing success.

Link: https://thewriterprintableco.etsy.com

To sign up for her publisher’s newsletter, click here: https://bit.ly/RachelBrimbleNews

Website: https://bit.ly/3wH7HQs

Twitter: https://bit.ly/3AQvK0A

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3i49GZ3

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3lTQZbF

BookBub: https://shorturl.at/nrxFJ

Many thanks for sharing your opening lines with us today, Rachel.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x