Contemporary Romance

If you were in your favorite place in 2016, touched the handle on an old door and were instantly transported elsewhere...how would you handle it? (no pun intended)

Take a walk in Shelley Lindquist's sandals as she awakens inside a cold, silent castle in Scotland. Bewildered, confused, shivering, she attempts to discover where she is and meets Jakke, a large Irish wolfhound who covers her face in licks after knocking her down.

His master, Nicholas, isn't pleased and demands to know how she entered, accusing her of attempted theft. Cold and authoritative, he is the last of a long line of Scots from his 7th removed grandfather Edward Wodehause.

It soon becomes apparent Edward still lingers on the earthly plane, doing what he can to reclaim Wodehause castle after his devious brother falsely laid claim in 1781 while Edward was away at war in the colonies. Missing wills and history from more than two hundred years ago are needed to restore his rightful lineage and, if along the way, his grandson Nicholas learns to realize his need for someone besides himself, it's an added gift.

Will Shelley adjust to this bizarre interruption in her life? Will Nicholas pull himself out of his hopeless resignation and accept help to achieve his grandfather's wishes? More importantly, where does one search for documents over two-hundred years old?

When Tilly Thompson, a girl from the canal, is caught stealing a pie from the terrace of The Imperial Hotel, Athelstone, the intervention of Captain Charles Thackery, saves her from prison. Tilly soon finds out the real reason for the rescue.
With the Captain Tilly sees life away from the poverty and hardships of the Waterways but his favour stirs up jealousy and hatred among the hotel staff, especially Freddie, the stable boy who harbours desires of his own.
Freddie's pursuit leads Tilly into far greater danger than she could ever have imagined. Can she escape the prejudice, persecution and hypocrisy of Victorian Society, leave her past behind and find true happiness?This is a story of love and loss, lust and passion, injustice and ultimate redemption.
'A cross between Catherine Cookson and Barbara Bradford Taylor with echoes of Dilly Court.'
'A wonderful debut novel from a very talented writer'

When 18 year old Imogen from London meets Jules in the south of France she is painting a view of the river and finds he is an artist too. As a student he earns a little by restoring paintings at the nearby gallery. She extends her three day stay to a fortnight. She loves the warm sunshine and the old town with its Roman remains.

As she becomes increasingly attracted to Jules she is unwilling to return home, where her older boyfriend Luke employs her in his photography gallery, obsessed with furthering his own ambitions. She travels to the airport but then impulsively misses her flight.

Now she needs somewhere cheap to live, and a job. She finds a flat, works as a waitress and helps in the gallery. Jules encourages her to take lessons to develop her artistic talent. As they become close she does not regret her decision to stay even when the rain sets in at the beginning of autumn.

Luke arrives and tries to persuade her to return to London. She recognizes now that he is selfish, and she is falling in love with Jules. Luke returns without her.

As the tourist season ends there is a shortage of work and her position becomes less secure.
Jules family have made Imogen welcome. He lives with them in a cramped flat over his mother’s supermarket. He loves Imogen but cannot afford to support her. He proposes they frame their best paintings and try to sell them. Imogen is thrilled when the dealer buys one of her paintings, but the extra money will not last long.

Annabel Martin dreams of winning a Melbourne Cup—the highest honour for any jockey in Australia. When a top trainer offers her a ride on the stallion, Reckless Night, Annabel hesitates only because her friend, James McKenzie is the usual jockey. But not only is James’s leg broken, but the trainer offers her a sweetener: if she wins the race, she can ride the horse through the Spring Campaign and on to the Melbourne Cup. Chasing her dreams earns Annabel an enemy in Damon Black—the man second to James, and the jockey who should have been in line to ride Reckless Night.

As Annabel begins her new job, a shady trainer drags Annabel’s father into the middle of a horse swapping scam. Because of her connection to both horses, Annabel is implicated—just as Damon Black begins to become dangerous, and just as she and James become more than friends. A fire at the stables sends James to the hospital, where Annabel’s possible involvement in the scheme is laid out in front of him. Not only was his dream of the Melbourne Cup snatched from him, but the woman he loves may not be who she says she is.

As Annabel’s world implodes, she faces her father’s shady connections, a possible riding ban, and losing the man she loves. But Annabel’s a woman who has survived as a top jockey in a man’s world, and she has no intention of letting her dreams be lost—no matter how high the bets are against her.