The Cotton Lass And Other Stories

This collection of stand-alone short stories is a treat for new readers and dedicated fans alike. In each of these 17 stories, an ordinary person takes on an extraordinary journey to a new life, discovering facets and strengths they never knew they possessed. Across a variety of time periods and settings, these stories capture Anna Jacobs' unique style and showcase her mastery of emotional tales. The collection includes:The Cotton Lass: Widow Sarah is struggling to make ends meet as England suffers from the cotton famine brought on by war in the United States. Will the opportunity to move to Australia provide a new life for her?Sunshine and Parrots: Penny has moved to Perth, Australia to be closer to her brother. She finds herself attracted to her handsome new neighbour, Matt, but will a series of misunderstandings keep them apart?Going Out in Style: Mrs Kelly is widely acknowledged as uncooperative and a trouble maker in her nursing home, but forms a bond with Raelene, a young woman doing community service at the home. Their friendship will transform them both.

From the multi-million copy bestselling author ... Recently moved to the village of Essington St Mary, Rob Carswell discovers the plight of his new neighbour Ilsa who is battling illness as well as the bullying tactics of a local builder. It is proving to be a more dramatic corner of Wiltshire than the tranquil atmosphere would suggest. Nearby, Amy Hatherall is feeling adrift following the death of her mother, but a final handwritten letter leads her in an unexpected direction to a great-aunt she never knew she had. As the line of old hawthorn trees begin to blossom, they keep watch as romance and new beginnings bloom for the residents of the close.

Rosalind's husband forces her to move from Australia to England because of his job with a multi-national company. But he's called away to deal with a crisis in Singapore and she's left to settle into a new country on her own. One by one, her three grown-up children need help with major life problems and there's only her to help them, because as usual, Paul puts his job first. Then she finds out that her husband's been unfaithful for years, and it's the final blow to their marriage, especially as she's met another man she finds attractive and kind. Her confidence grows as she wins acclaim as an embroidery artist and then she comes into an inheritance. Will her loyalty keep her with her husband, as it has before, or will Paul get more than he'd bargained for with the new, independent Rosalind?

Chance brings together Nina Thomas and elderly Laura Chadwick just at the time when Laura is in need of a friend to help with an interfering family member. Their growing bond is one thing that Nina will be sorry to leave behind as she relocates from Australia to England, but they promise to stay in touch. It will prove to be a significant friendship. In England, Nina's path soon crosses with handsome Sean Reynolds and she finds herself taking on a project larger than she had ever expected: Lavender Lane. Apparently, the appealing group of properties was a convalescent home for officers from the armed forces, although it has been closed for a few years. Reopening the site will be quite a challenge. As Nina begins to put down roots, Lavender Lane has a number of surprises awaiting her, but will this corner of the Wiltshire countryside become the home she craves?

An unexpected inheritance is most people's dream, but not for Paula. Having put bad times behind her, she is now happy and secure in Western Australia with her own business. This is a complete contrast to her rootless childhood, and she has little interest in the minor stately home in the English countryside of which she is apparently now the owner. Persuaded to visit the property in Wiltshire, Paula has to confront complications both romantic and financial that will test the old adage that home is where the heart is.

In the quiet of the Wiltshire countryside, Maggie Hatherall, full of life despite her advancing years, is worried about what she is going to do with her two-hundred-year-old home. Newcomer Lucia Grey has escaped a bad marriage but her ex is reluctant to let her go. For architect Corin Drayton, an unexpected inheritance is the start of a complicated family wrangle but it does mean he stumbles upon Larch Tree Lane, hidden among the rolling hills. From the cottages and farms to the local shop, pub and old manor house, residents' lives are set to intertwine, relationships bloom and both romance and heartache lie ahead.

A stolen child. A family torn apart. When a new feature on Pete Newbury's popular TV programme shows his adult image digitally transformed to that of a young child, Beth is shocked to realize that he's her 'baby' brother, who vanished without trace thirty-eight years ago. Her mother has grieved ever since but bringing their family back together after so much heartache isn't going to be easy. Pete Newbury's is shocked to the core by the revelations the new segment brings to light. Has his whole life been a deception?

When the teenage girl who has been hanging around near the house knocks on the door and tells her she's her granddaughter, Cassandra Bennington is shocked rigid. There's only one way this can be true: if Evie is the daughter of the baby Cassie gave away for adoption when she was herself a troubled teenager. Is this a trick? Or is Evie's tale true? When she discovers why the girl has come to find her, it brings a tangle of other problems that she can't ignore. This was the last thing she expected to be dealing with as she moves into her new home in a leisure village in Wiltshire.

In Australia, Simone has been widowed for four years and is ready to make a more interesting life for herself. Her friends are driving her mad introducing her to eligible men; her busy daughters are just the opposite, wanting her available for babysitting. When she is offered a house swap with a couple in the UK, she takes it, though not without some trepidation. On the other side of the world, Russ has just taken possession of his new house and wants only peace and quiet after a serious injury and months of rehab. Can Simone and Russ help one another avoid meddling friends and relatives, and build new lives?

Christmas is fast approaching but for some people living at the top end of Peppercorn Street, the mood is far from festive. Luke Morgan is not getting on with his teenage daughter, who has recently returned to live with him. In a nearby village Claire Small is trying to avoid her sadistic ex who is stalking her. When Claire and Luke are thrown together by a car accident caused by her dog, it's obvious that she is in danger and he impulsively invites Claire, her delightful small daughter and their lovable dog to take refuge in his home. Can the presence of strangers help to rebuild the relationship between Luke and his own daughter? And will this Christmas give them the best present of all: a new family - or will Claire's ex again cause trouble?