Jenny Kane: Coffee, cupcakes, chocolate and contemporary fiction / Jennifer Ash: Medieval crime with hints of Ellis Peters and Robin Hood

Category: Romance Page 1 of 38

Opening Lines: Secrets at the Ambrose Café by Carryl Church

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

 

Tiny Taster: Frost Falls at The Potting Shed

This week I’m sharing a ‘Tiny Taster’ of the first book in #thepottingshed #series:

 Frost Falls at The Potting Shed 

Frost Falls at The Potting Shed

Blurb

It has always been Maddie Willand’s dream to take over her father’s plant nursery. But after his sudden death, she is devastated to discover that she might lose The Potting Shed forever.

Maddie’s bossy older sister, Sabi, is joint owner of the nursery, and she’s convinced that the best thing for both of them would be to sell up.

Determined to keep the business going, Maddie can’t afford any distractions, but staying focused might be harder than she thinks. Especially when a major garden centre chain puts in an offer for the land – and her search for legal advice throws her into the path of attractive lawyer Ed…

As frost begins to fall over The Potting Shed, will Maddie find the strength to save her father’s legacy and open herself up to new beginnings?

Here’s a tiny taster from Frost Falls …

‘That’s settled then.’ Tony smiled as his younger daughter poured a fountain of tea into a row of mismatched china cups. ‘You’ll get the house and nursery Maddie, and Sabi, you’ll inherit your mum’s antique furniture and a portion of the profits from this place.’

Lifting their teacups as one, the Willand family clinked them together.

‘How about a custard cream to seal the deal?’ Maddie waved the regularly refilled biscuit tin towards her father. ‘One or two?’

‘Three.’ Tony laughed as he took a handful of biscuits before passing the tin on to his son-in-law. ‘Grab plenty Henry, or the girls will demolish the lot. I learnt that lesson a long time ago. I once witnessed them consume a packet of chocolate chip cookies in less than two minutes.’

‘A slight exaggeration.’ Maddie grinned at her brother-in-law. ‘We were helping clear The Potting Shed’s far polytunnel. Dad needed it done that day, I can’t remember why now, but there was no time for a lunch break and biscuits were the easiest option.’

‘And we were famished.’ Sabi put her palm up, refusing the offer of a biscuit as the tin continued around the table. ‘Are you sure you want to inherit all that hard work, Mads? I can’t help thinking I got the better deal with Mum’s furniture.’

‘Only because you’ve gone off gardening. Anyway, Mum’s things will look fabulous in your house.’ Maddie gave her sister a hug. ‘I can’t wait to help Dad upgrade The Potting Shed from a nursery to a garden centre.’

‘And I’m delighted to think the place will continue to flourish – or should I say blossom – long after I’ve gone.’ Tony’s habitual smile faded as he stared into his tea. ‘I can’t say discussing changes to my will is a fun way to spend a late Sunday afternoon, but once it’s done we can forget all about it and get on with living.’

‘When do you intend to start upgrading this place?’ Henry flicked through a pile of scrap paper and old envelopes on which Tony and Maddie had scribbled their plans for changing their business – which currently provided seedlings, vegetables, potted bulbs, flowers and herbs to the local shopkeepers and hotels, as well as, at weekends, the general public – into a small garden centre.

‘As soon as possible.’ Tony refilled his teacup. ‘It will take time to build up of course. But, if we are careful not to neglect our current customers, while expanding our range for sale on site, then I know we can do it. Might even have a café eventually.’

‘Sounds fabulous.’ Henry fished another biscuit from the tin.

Quiet for a moment, Tony turned to his daughters. ‘You are both completely sure you’re happy with these arrangements?’ …

You can buy this novel from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook, Waterstones and all good retailers as an ebook, paperback or audiobook

Happy reading!

Jenny x

New smiles at 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

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

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

Everyone loves a Cornish escape…

I’ve been a regular visitor to Cornwall all my life. It’s not surprising, then that I’ve written two novels based in the county: A Cornish Escape and its sequel, A Cornish Wedding

These two stories fall neatly into the #feelgood fiction range – with a leaning towards #romance and #friendship – without being in anyway twee!

Since these two stories were published, I have written 20 plus novels and novellas – some #romcom and some #crime – but none of which are set in #Cornwall.

Now, as I crack on with a #newseries, I’m back using Cornwall as my setting, with a whole new cast of characters.

I can’t tell you about them yet but, in the meantime, I can share a little of my original #Cornish #duology…

Blurb- A Cornish Escape

Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Phillipa Ashley and Cathy Bramley, this summer romance is sure to warm your heart.

Abi’s life is turned upside down when she is widowed before her thirtieth birthday. Determined to find something positive in the upheaval, Abi decides to make a fresh start somewhere new. With fond childhood memories of holidays in a Cornish cottage, could Cornwall be the place to start over?

With all her belongings in the boot of her car but no real plan, a chance meeting in a village pub brings new friends Beth and Max into her life. Max soon helps Abi track down the house of her dreams but things aren’t as simple as Abi hoped.

Can Abi leave her past behind and finally get her happy ending?

(Previously published as Abi’s House)

Here’s a ‘Tiny Taster’…

It was the muffins that had been the last straw. As Abi sat nursing a glass of wine, she thought back to the events of an hour earlier with an exasperated sigh.

Hurrying towards the church hall, Abi parked Luke’s unnecessarily large and ostentatious Porsche 4×4, and headed inside with a stack of Tupperware tubs in her arms. With her handbag slung over her shoulder and her key fob hanging from her teeth, Abi precariously balanced her load as she elbowed the hall door open.

Although she was twenty minutes early, Abi had still managed to be the last to arrive, earning her a silent ‘tut’ from some of the executive wives who were adding the finishing touches to the tables that surrounded three sides of the hall, and sympathetic grimaces from everyone else.

Acting as though she hadn’t noticed the air of disapproval, Abi made a beeline for the cake stall and plastered her best ‘this is for charity so be happy’ expression on her face. Polly Chester-Davies, an exquisitely dressed woman whom Abi always thought of as ‘Perfect Polly’, was adding doilies to plates, making the stall look as though it was stuck in a timewarp.

‘Ah, there you are, Mrs Carter, I’d given you up.’

Biting back the desire to tell Polly she’d been working, and was in fact early anyway, Abi began to unpack her wares, ‘Here you go, two dozen chocolate muffins without frosting, and two dozen with frosting, as requested.’

Polly said nothing, but her imperious stare moved rather pointedly from Abi’s face to the chocolate muffins already in position on the table, and back again.

Her disdainful expression made Abi mumble, ‘Are you expecting to sell lots of chocolate muffins today then?’

‘No, Mrs Carter, I am not. Which is precisely why you were instructed to make chococcino muffins.’

It had been that ‘instructed’ which did it. In that moment Abi felt an overwhelming hit of resentment for every one of the orders she had gracefully accepted from this Stepford harridan of the community.

For almost three years Abi had been doing what this woman asked of her, and never once had she said thank you, or commented on how nice Abi’s cooking was. Probably, Abi thought as she compared her own muffins with those provided by Perfect Polly herself, because mine don’t look like they could pull your fillings out. Nor had any reference ever been made to the fact that she would have to catch up on her own work in the evenings, after helping out with whichever good cause she’d been emotionally blackmailed into supporting this time. Not that Abi was against supporting a good cause, but this was different. These women didn’t raise funds for whichever charity was flavour of the month out of the goodness of their hearts. They did it because it was what they should be seen to be doing. It went hand in bespoke glove with being the wife of a successful man…

Available as a paperback or in eBook format, you can buy your copy of The Cornish Escape from all good book retailers, including

Amazon UK 

Amazon.com 

If you enjoy A Cornish Escape, Abi’s adventures continue in A Cornish Wedding.

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

 

Summer Wedding: Romancing Robin Hood

While I’m on my summer holiday , I thought I’d leave you a little something to read …

Romancing Robin Hood is a contemporary romance is based on the life of Dr Grace Harper, a medieval history lecturer with a major Robin Hood obsession. So much so, that instead of writing a textbook on medieval life, Grace is secretly writing a novella about a fourteenth century girl called Mathilda, who gets mixed up with a real outlaw family of the day, the Folvilles. (This story is shown as Grace writes it within the novel)

The problem is that Grace is so embroiled in her work and passion for outlaws, that real life is passing her by. A fact that the unexpected wedding announcement of her best friend Daisy, has thrown into sharp focus…

Blurb

Dr Grace Harper has loved the stories of Robin Hood ever since she first saw them on TV as a girl. Now, with her fortieth birthday just around the corner, she’s a successful academic in Medieval History, with a tenured position at a top university.

But Grace is in a bit of a rut. She’s supposed to be writing a textbook on a real-life medieval gang of high-class criminals – the Folvilles – but she keeps being drawn into the world of the novel she’s secretly writing – a novel which entwines the Folvilles with her long-time love of Robin Hood – and a feisty young girl named Mathilda, who is the key to a medieval mystery…

Meanwhile, Grace’s best friend Daisy – who’s as keen on animals as Grace is on the Merry Men – is unexpectedly getting married, and a reluctant Grace is press-ganged into being her bridesmaid. As Grace sees Daisy’s new-found happiness, she starts to re-evaluate her own life. Is her devotion to a man who may or may not have lived hundreds of years ago really a substitute for a real-life hero of her own? It doesn’t get any easier when she meets Dr Robert Franks – a rival academic who Grace is determined to dislike but finds herself being increasingly drawn to…

Here’s an extract from Romancing Robin Hood

…Daisy hadn’t grown up picturing herself floating down the aisle in an over-sequinned ivory frock, nor as a doting parent, looking after triplets and walking a black Labrador. So when, on an out-of-hours trip to the local vet’s surgery she’d met Marcus and discovered that love at first sight wasn’t a myth, it had knocked her for six.

She’d been on a late-night emergency dash to the surgery with an owl a neighbour had found injured in the road. Its wing had required a splint, and it was too big a job for only one pair of hands. Daisy had been more than a bit surprised when the locum vet had stirred some long-suppressed feeling of interest in her, and even more amazed when that feeling had been reciprocated.

It was all luck, sheer luck. Daisy had always believed that anyone meeting anybody was down to two people meeting at exactly the right place, at exactly the right time, while both feeling precisely the right amount of chemistry. The fact that any couples existed at all seemed to Daisy to be one of the greatest miracles of humanity.

She pictured Grace, tucked away in her mad little office only living in the twenty-first century on a part-time basis. Daisy had long since got used to the fact that her closest friend’s mind was more often than not placed firmly in the 1300s. Daisy wished Grace would finish her book. It had become such a part of her. Such an exclusive aim that nothing else seemed to matter very much. Even the job she used to love seemed to be a burden to her now, and Daisy sensed that Grace was beginning to resent the hours it took her away from her life’s work. Maybe if she could get her book over with – get it out of her system – then Grace would stop living in the wrong timeframe.

Daisy knew Grace appreciated that she never advised her to find a bloke, settle down, and live ‘happily ever after,’ and she was equally grateful Grace had never once suggested anything similar to her. Now she had Marcus, however, Daisy had begun to want the same contentment for her friend, and had to bite her tongue whenever they spoke on the phone; something that happened less and less these days.

Grace’s emails were getting shorter too. The long paragraphs detailing the woes of teaching students with an ever-decreasing intelligence had blunted down to, ‘You ok? I’m good. Writing sparse. See you soon. Bye G x’

The book. That in itself was a problem. Grace’s publishers and colleagues, Daisy knew, were expecting an academic tome. A textbook for future medievalists to ponder over in the university libraries of the world. And, in time, that was exactly what they were going to get, but not yet, for Grace had confided to Daisy that this wasn’t the only thing she was working on, and her textbook was coming a poor third place to work and the other book she couldn’t seem to stop herself from writing.

 

‘Why,’ Grace had forcefully expounded on their last meeting, ‘should I slog my guts out writing a book only a handful of bored students and obsessive freaks like myself will ever pick up, let alone read?’

As a result, Grace was writing a novel, ‘A semi-factual novel,’ she’d said, ‘a story which will tell any student what they need to know about the Folville family and their criminal activities – which bear a tremendous resemblance to the stories of a certain famous literary outlaw! – and hopefully promote interest in the subject for those who aren’t that into history without boring them to death.’

It sounded like a good idea to Daisy, but she also knew, as Grace did, that it was precisely the sort of book academics frowned upon, and she was worried about Grace’s determination to finish it. Daisy thought it would be more sensible to concentrate on one manuscript at a time, and get the dry epic that everyone was expecting out of the way first. Perhaps it would have been completed by now if Grace could focus on one project at a time, rather than it currently being a year in the preparation without a final result in sight. Daisy suspected Grace’s boss had no idea what she was really up to. After all, she was using the same lifetime of research for both manuscripts. She also had an underlying suspicion that subconsciously Grace didn’t want to finish either the textbook or the novel; that her friend was afraid to finish them. After all, what would she fill her hours with once they were done?

Daisy’s mobile began to play a tinny version of Nellie the Elephant. She hastily plopped a small black guinea pig, which she’d temporarily called Charcoal, into a run with his numerous friends, and fished her phone from her dungarees pocket.

‘Hi, Marcus.’

‘Hi honey, you OK?’

‘Just delivering the tribe to their outside quarters, then I’m off to face the horror that is dress shopping.’

Her future husband laughed, ‘You’ll be fine. You’re just a bit rusty, that’s all.’

‘Rusty! I haven’t owned a dress since I went to parties as a small child. Thirty-odd years ago!’

‘I don’t understand why you don’t go with Grace at the weekend. It would be easier together wouldn’t it?’

Daisy sighed, ‘I’d love to go with her, but I’ll never get her away from her work more than once this month, and I’ve yet to arrange a date for her to buy a bridesmaid outfit.’

‘Well, good luck, babe. I’m off to rob some bulls of their manhood.’

Daisy giggled, ‘Have fun. Oh, why did you call by the way?’

‘Just wanted to hear your voice, nothing else.’

‘Oh cute – ta.’

‘Idiot! Enjoy shopping.’

As she clicked her battered blue mobile shut and slid it back into her working clothes, Daisy thought of Grace again. Perhaps she should accidentally invite loads of single men to the wedding to tempt her friend with. The trouble was, unless they wore Lincoln Green, and carried a bow and quiver of arrows, Daisy very much doubted whether Grace would even notice they were there…

RH- RoS 2

Buy Links Romancing Robin Hood is available from all good paperback and e-retailers including…

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Meet Thea Thomas : Mill Grange

As the sun is shining high in the sky today, I thought I’d introduce you to the main protagonist of my #bestselling novel, Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grange – Thea Thomas.

Thea Thomas is an archaeologist and historian, who – when the story opens- is working as an assistant curator at the world famous Roman Baths in Bath. But, as the blurb below explains, she feels the time to leave her job has come. Not just because she feels stuck in a rut, but because she is being pestered by rather persistent ex-boyfriend, and is keen to disappear to somewhere he’ll never find her – preferably somewhere without Wi-Fi…

Blurb

A warm-hearted, feel-good romance from Jenny Kane, a Kindle #1 bestselling author.

Thea Thomas needs to get away from her old life… and the interfering ex who won’t leave her alone. When she lands a job heading up the restoration of Mill Grange, a stunning Victorian manor in Devon, it feels like the perfect opportunity to start afresh.

What Thea didn’t anticipate was how hostile the volunteer team, led by the formidable Mable Hastings, would be about accepting new leadership. And with the deadline looming before the grand opening, Thea is in desperate need of more volunteers.

A broadcast appeal on the local news attracts the interest of arrogant but undeniably attractive celebrity historian Shaun Cowlson, who wants to make a TV programme about the restoration. It’s hard enough adding one more big personality to the mix – but then her ex turns up as one of the volunteers! What seemed like a dream come true is fast becoming a total disaster! Can Thea find a way to save the manor?

***

Let’s take a look at Thea’s character profile

Age: 32

Appearance: Short brown hair, brown eyes, tomboy manner of dress. More likely to be seen in a chunky jumper and jeans than a skirt and blouse. Thea does not own high hells – I doubt she has ever picked up a lipstick in her life.

Education: Studied archaeology at Durham University

Best friend: Tina Martin.  Thea met Tina at university, where they were both archaeology students. Tina now works for the Exmoor Heritage Trust, which owns Mill Grange. It is Tina who tells Thea about the opening for a Renovation Co-ordinator and Manager at Mill Grange.

Idiosyncrasies: Thea has a habit of talking to a statue of the Goddess Minerva (the Roman goddess of wisdom), that sits in the corner of her museum based office. The goddess is often her first call for advice – even before Tina.

Personality: Rarely seen without a smile, Thea is professionally confident, but privately shy. Thea’s self esteem can easily be knocked – especially in pursuit of her quest to please everyone all the time. She dreads letting people down.

Favourite thing: Lemon cake. (Followed by cheese scones from Sybil’s Tea Rooms.)

Love life: Fairly non-existent since university – with the exception of a recent relationship with John Sommers. A relationship that she thought was just for fun – John however, had other ideas.

Three months after Thea had ended their year long relationship, John turns up, out-of-the-blue at her lunchtime coffee stop in Bath, and informs her he has every intention of persuading her that they should still be together.

Despite her polite but firm refusal, John can’t take no for an answer and begins a rather desperate, attention seeking campaign, which begins wear Thea down so much, that she decides to take the plunge and applies to work at Mill Grange – swapping her work as a Roman historian for the management of a Victorian manor that needs restoring in double quick time. For, after years of half hearted repair from a group of local volunteers, the Exmoor Trust have finally decided on a date for the house to be opened to the public.

As if having the house restored and safe for the public by that deadline wasn’t challenge enough, Thea has to deal with volunteers who heartily dislike her interfering with their work. Especially Mabel – who has an odd whiff of vinegar about her.

And then, just to make matters worse, a celebrity archaeologist – Shaun Cowlson- wants to join the restoration team- a man Thea has every reason to dislike…

 

Thea, I’m delighted to say, continues her association with Mill Grange, and can be found in all four novels.

If you’d like to buy any of the Mill Grange novels, they are available as ebooks, paperbacks and as audio stories from all good retailers, including…

Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grangemybook.to/MillGrangeOne
Autumn Leaves at Mill Grangemybook.to/MillGrangeTwo
Spring Blossoms at Mill Grangemybook.to/MillGrangeThree
Winter Fires at Mill Grange – mybook.to/MillGrangeFour

 

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Interview with Carryl Church: Secrets at the Ambrose Café

Today  I’m delighted to be interviewing author, Carryl Church, about her second historical novel, Secrets at the Ambrose Café.

Grab a cuppa and put your feet up for five minutes, and come and say hello.

What inspired you to write Secrets at the Ambrose Café?

The 1920s has held a fascination for me since my teenage years when two of my favourite television series were The House of Eliott and Jeeves and Wooster – I read the novels too! I relished the idea of setting a story in that period.

Inspiration for me often starts with a location. In the case of this book, it was Deller’s Café – a chain of beautiful catering establishments with branches in Exeter, Paignton and Taunton. The main Exeter branch in particular really captured my imagination. Built in the baroque style and with a decadent interior encompassing many architectural features – it was said to be one of the finest buildings in Exeter. In Agatha Christie’s novel The Sittaford Mystery, her characters visit Deller’s Café in a chapter bearing the cafe’s name. Sadly, Deller’s was damaged by an incendiary bomb in the Exeter Blitz of 1942 and demolished in the subsequent rehabilitation of the High Street – a loss still keenly felt.

I wanted the artistic freedom to make the location my own, so The Ambrose Café was born, but I named my character Della in a nod to the wonderful institution that inspired the story. As soon as I saw my book cover, I was delighted that it captured the sumptuous café of my imagination so well.

What type of research did you have to do for your book?

I started with the Exeter Memories website which is a great resource if you’re interested in the history of the city. I then found a website dedicated to Deller’s Café which included wonderful photographs of the interiors, staff, details of the menus and numerous banquets the café hosted.

For a more detailed look at the 1920s, my background as a Film and Photography Archivist was a great help. I searched the National Archives database and discovered a series they’d produced called ‘the roaring twenties’ which offered fantastic insight into the period gleaned from the 1921 census. For building an authentic picture of post WW1 society and the political and psychological impact of the war, I searched the Imperial War Museum database and listened to oral histories. I worked for the Imperial War Museum as an Archivist many years ago and had seen footage from the period to draw upon too. I also read widely around the subject and although Deller’s Café is no longer there, I visited the locations in Exeter.

Do you model any of your characters after people you know? If so, do these people see themselves in your characters?

I can honestly say I never consciously model my characters on people I know. I think if I did, I’d find it too restrictive. I figure out who my characters are by writing them. I always knew this book would be about two women. I could see Della in her apron working away in the kitchen and the rest grew from there.

Which Point of View do you prefer to write in and why?

Close third person comes naturally. I’ve written short stories in first person, but I prefer to stick with what works for me. However, I enjoy reading in a variety of POV.

Do you prefer to plot your story or just go with the flow?

A little of both. When I first started writing, I’d just see where the story took me which meant I often disappeared down a few blind alleys. Now I appreciate the benefit of having a framework and an idea of where the story is going but I like to leave room for my characters to surprise me. It makes them feel more alive on the page.

What is your writing regime?

I tend to write seven days a week and I’m not very good at taking breaks. I’m up early to get my son to school. I have a writing room in our attic, and I’m usually at my laptop by 7am where I’ll eat breakfast. If I’m in the midst of the story and its flowing or I’m editing, I’ll often get thirty to forty minutes done and find it quite a productive time before getting organised for the school run. Once I’m back, I’ll go for a walk then I’m at my desk for the rest of the morning. I have a back and neck injury, so I have to take regular breaks but sometimes I forget and pay for it later. In the afternoons I tend to focus on other things like admin or research. I usually have a second burst of writing in the evening followed by some yoga to try and undo the damage I’ve done sitting at my desk for too long! At weekends this is broken up by family time, but I still take the opportunity to slip away and write when I can. As soon as one book is finished, I’ll start on the next.

What excites you most about your book?

The characters. One in particular – Mr Gillespie. I won’t give any spoilers, but he almost wrote himself and at times I had to stop him stealing every scene! He brought me a lot of joy.

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. 

You can buy Secrets at the Ambrose Café from all good retailers, including Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/dIlEnja

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 joining us today Carryl.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny xx

Happy Birthday: Summer at Sea Glass Cove

Summer at Sea Glass Cove is a year old today!

Where on earth has the time gone!! I loved writing this novel – as it was to be my last romcom/feelgood read for a while, I wanted to combine all of the traits my readers have come to expect from a ‘Jenny Kane book’.

There are solid friendships, (I promise you will love the relationship between Lauren and Arthur), a love of history – shown via a fabulous little museum and a shipwreck – a gorgeous seaside setting – the mythical, Lymeton Cove, near Lyme Regis, – and a cup of coffee or three.

Blurb

Welcome to Sea Glass Cove!

Marine archaeologist Lauren Sunshine is used to life on the go. Her suitcase is always packed ready to explore the country’s underwater heritage so when a shipwreck is found off the Dorset coast, she is thrilled to be leading the excavation team.

Philippa Silver, ‘Phil’ to the folk of Sea Glass Cove, has devoted her life to the Museum by the Sea. But funding is tight, and despite subletting half of the museum to her best friend Jules’s sea glass shop, she fears for the museum’s future.

Phil hopes the wreck discovery could bring more visitors, but there’s a problem – the museum’s too small to house its treasures. Thankfully, new friend Lauren seems as determined as she is to save the museum.

But, when Phil’s brother Ollie catches Lauren’s eye, she begins to wonder if she has more than one reason to be interested in life at Sea Glass Cove….

I’ve always been an exploring type, and when I go to the seaside I like to collect shells, driftwood, and anything that catches my eye. In this case – sea glass. In my fictious location, Lymeton Cove (nicknamed Sea Glass Cove by the locals), sea glass flecks can be found twinkling in the sand. Consequently, the village of Lymeton plays host to a fabulous shop called All at Sea, where local craftsman, Jules, makes and sells sea-glass jewellery and all manner of things from driftwood that has washed into Lymeton and Lyne Regis’s shore lines.

As you will have seen, if you read the opening lines from Summer at Sea Glass Cove in an earlier blog, the novel opens when Lauren visits Jules’s shop for the very first time. Not only does she fall in love with his amazing craftsmanship, she also notices one or two things that really ought to be in a museum – the shelving units made out of old ship planks for a start…

You can buy your copy of Summer at Sea Glass Cove from all good retailers (ebook, audio, and paperback) from today, including:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Kobo

WHSmith

Waterstones

Happy birthday, Summer at Sea Glass Cove, you were a joy to write!

Jenny xx

 

 

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