Grace Thompson

Romantic saga. With a miserable, deprived life behind her, Daisie overcomes her many difficulties and, finally, in the winter of her life, finds love from an unexpected source.

Daisie's Ark

The outside world is coming to the Welsh valleys... The small South Wales village of Hen Carw Parc is a haven of rural peace, a gentle backwater where the rhythms of life flow at a time-honoured pace. But times are changing and, although Nelly Luke and the older villagers stick resolutely to tradition, the younger ones have caught tantalising glimpses of a world beyond their quiet valley. For ambitious Fay Cartwright the lure of a career strains her marriage to home-loving Johnny still further, while Amy, the happy-go-lucky shopkeeper, is saddened when her son is given Army leave but fails to return to his family home. And there are other, more serious intrusions, not least a spate of robberies whose ruthless perpetrator looks likely to be one of their own. But despite the trauma of change, the life of the village continues, fuelled as ever by the humour, kindness and surprising wisdom of, the incomparable Nelly. A vivid and warm-hearted portrait of a changing village community, The Changing Valley is the third of Grace Thompson’s Valley sagas. A delightful, charming read, it evokes a lost way of life which many will recall with enduring affection.The Valley Sagas A Welcome in the Valley Valley Affairs The Changing Valley Valley in Bloom

The Changing Valley

The fittingly poignant finale to the acclaimed and hugely popular series following the post-World War II ups and downs of life in a Welsh seaside village. Janet and Hywel Griffiths dream of seeing their son Frank happily married, but Mair, the daughter of the local police constable, does not seem to be the wisest choice. And anyway, she is far more interested in the secretive Carl Rees, who refuses to even be seen with her in public. Elsewhere in Pendragon Island, Jennie Francis has to rethink her life as she is forced to say goodbye to her business and her marriage. All she ever wanted was to run a successful shop, but now she will have to start again. How can she manage if she is completely alone? Lewis and Dora are finally reconciled, but when she finds a mysterious box of newspaper clippings in the attic, she can’t help but be suspicious. Her investigation will turn someone’s life upside down, but not quite who she expects . . . As the Pendragon Island novels draws to a dramatic close, will there be one last big secret for the town to absorb? Will true love win out or must tragedy strike again? The Pendragon Island Sagas Corner of a Small Town The Weston Girls Unlocking the Past Maisie’s Way A Shop in the High Street Sophie Street

Sophie Street

Family rivalries and bitter disputes set a once-peaceful town alight in the fifth book of the well-loved Pendragon Island sagas, following Maisie’s Way. Edward Jenkins has long dreamt of opening a sports shop in the small Welsh town of Pendragon Island. So, when Edward’s parents pass away, leaving the Montague Court Hotel to their two children, he glimpses the possibility of his ambitions being realized. His sister Margaret, however, has her own plans for their inheritance and the determination to see them through. Can Edward stand up to her for the very first time? Rhiannon and Charlie Bevan are keen to start a family, but her father Lewis is living with them, and he still refuses to accept that their marriage will be a happy one. If only they could find a way to reunite him with her mother Dora, they could finally have the home they’ve dreamed of . . . Meanwhile Megan—one of the scandalous Weston Girls—is pregnant, but has refused to marry the father, freeloading Terrence Jenkins. As she begins to help Terrence’s cousin Edward with the plans for his shop, all he can think of is their friendship growing into something more. But what could a girl like Megan ever see in him? As another year passes in this tiny coastal community, the happiness and heartaches of its inhabitants continue to prove as intriguing and captivating as ever. The Pendragon Island Sagas Corner of a Small Town The Weston Girls Unlocking the Past Maisie’s Way A Shop in the High Street Sophie Street

A Shop in the High Street

Experience the lives and loves of the inhabitants of a charming Welsh village in this captivating fourth novel in the Pendragon Island saga series. When Masie Vasey leaves her husband and brings her daughter to live on Pendragon Island, she causes unrest within more than one family. Underneath the happy surface of this Welsh seaside town, relationships can seem fragile and easily destroyed. When Maisie comes to work for Edward Jenkins at Montague Court, he soon makes his intentions clear, but she has very different ideas about where their friendship is heading. Lewis and his fiery wife Dora continue to row with each other, even though they both know that love still binds them together. But how will Maisie’s arrival affect the reconciliation they seek? Can their marriage survive? Set amidst an idyllic but scandal-filled community, Maisie’s Way is vintage Grace Thompson, a brilliant novel of romance and drama served with lashings of tantalizing period detail. The Pendragon Island Sagas Corner of a Small Town The Weston Girls Unlocking the Past Maisie’s Way A Shop in the High Street Sophie Street

Maisie's Way

Badgers Brook offers her the chance for a fresh start. As the Second World War ends, Sophie Daniels quits the WAAF with nowhere to go. She wanders around the country searching for a place where she can settle, living in bedsits, barns, and small guesthouses in the meantime. Eventually she finds Badgers Brook, where she meets and befriends nine-year-old Bertie, neglected and running wild. The neighbours warm to her, the place is welcoming, and Sophie knows she has found her home. Friendly local Ryan Treweather is a welcome distraction, and potentially more, if she can just trust him with one big guilty secret. But if Sophie grows closer to Ryan, what will it mean for poor young Bertie? The captivating third instalment of Grace Thompson’s hugely popular Badgers Brook saga series, perfect for fans of Maureen Lee and Ellie Dean.

A New Beginning

Beautiful, rich, and popular: the Weston Girls seem to have it all... until they fall in love with the wrong men The Weston family have always pinned their hopes for creating a dynasty on their glamorous granddaughters. But Joan and Megan – confident and eligible though they are – regularly set tongues wagging with their outrageous behaviour. Their grandmother Gladys decides she must organise a party to find them suitable husbands – and that’s when everything really goes wrong. Meanwhile, fortunes are shifting in Pendragon Island, and when it becomes clear that their sons-in-law Ryan and Islwyn are unable to save their failing family business, the Westons must swallow their pride and learn to rely on the socially ill-favoured Vivian Lewis. However, little do their grandparents know, the Weston girls intend to take things a bit further... The Weston Girls – the second in Grace Thompson’s acclaimed Pendragon Island series – is a charming saga which will transport you to the sunny shores of 1950s Wales.

The Weston Girls

Romance and mystery abound in this Welsh saga which focuses on Lydia Jones and her quest to uncover the truth behind the mystery of a female skeleton unearthed in the grounds of Swansea Castle.

The Homecoming

Every village has its secrets... the charming conclusion to the Valley sagas As 1954 draws to an end, the village of Hen Carw Parc is changing. The post-war boom brings a creeping lethargy as the villagers stay in watching their new TV sets, instead of going out to enjoy each other’s company. As usual, however, Nelly is busy keeping tabs on the villagers’ comings and goings. There’s Griff, whose thieving and dishonesty have long-lasting repercussions, Sheila, whose pregnancy sets tongues wagging, and George, whose helpfulness masks a deeper problem... In an effort to revive flagging community spirit, the villagers enter the Best Kept Village competition – but a cricket match between ‘The Council Houses’ and ‘The Village Proper’ threatens to splits them apart... Charming and bittersweet, Valley in Bloom is the final instalment in Grace Thompson’s Valley novels, a nostalgic depiction of life in post-war Wales sure to enthral readers of her Holidays at Home, Pendragon Island, and Badgers Brook saga series. The Valley Sagas A Welcome in the Valley Valley Affairs The Changing Valley Valley in Bloom

Valley in Bloom

In the first Pendragon Island saga, the much-loved Grace Thompson takes us on a nostalgic trip to a beautiful Welsh seaside town – then uncovers its darkest secrets. Pendragon Island is the perfect place for holidays, with a stretch of clean golden sand and a glorious funfair nearby. Yet for one local family, the happy holiday atmosphere risks becoming a cruel joke, as the unusually-named Lewis Lewis’s affair with close friend Nia Martin threatens to tear his marriage apart. The irritation of Lewis’s wife Dora is channeled towards their daughter, Rhiannon, who works at Nia’s sweet shop, Temptations. With his family at war and the gossip beginning to spread, it can only be a matter of time before Lewis’s misadventures catch up with him... From the bestselling author of the Holidays at Home and Badgers Brook sagas, Corner of a Small Town introduces new series characters: the troubled Lewis family, the haughty Weston dynasty and the mischievous Griffiths clan. It will charm and enthrall fans of Freda Lightfoot and Kitty Neale. The Pendragon Island Sagas Corner of a Small Town The Weston Girls Unlocking the Past Maisie's Way A Shop on the High Street Sophie Street

Corner of a Small Town

Unraveling the past comes at a price... Supporting her brother between his spells in prison costs Amanda Clifford more than money. She loses friends and always has to move. But he’s the only family she’s ever known. Until, that is, she’s told that a great aunt has left her a cottage. The only catch: her brother isn’t allowed to live there with her. Can she really leave him? When she befriends the cottage’s current occupier, her hopes grow. This is a place where she could be happy. And perhaps there is more family in the area. One thing is for certain: she wouldn’t mind spending more time with Rhys Falconbridge, the elusive and handsome nephew of her tenant... A wonderful standalone novel set in 1954, from the much loved Grace Thompson, The Tangled Web is must for fans of Kitty Neale, Lyn Andrews or Ellie Dean.

The Tangled Web

When war threatens, hope will keep them alive In 1939, with the war having been declared, evacuees arrive in the small Welsh seaside town of St David’s Wells. When Eirlys Price convinces her parents to take in three young children, she never imagined it could lead to shocking family revelations which threaten all her future plans. Amidst homesickness, local gossip and the challenges of wartime, the community must pull together and wait until summer, when the town will come alive in all its seasonal glory... ​Wait Till Summer is a classic wartime saga, filled with warmth, nostalgia and period detail, wonderful characters and finely-crafted plot. It is the first in the Holidays at Home series. Grace Thompson is an acclaimed author of saga and romance novels, and a mainstay of libraries throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. Born and raised in South Wales, she is the author of numerous series, including the Valley series, the Pendragon Island series, and the Badgers Brook series. She published her 42nd novel shortly after celebrating her 80th birthday, and continues to live in Swansea.

Wait Till Summer

The classic wartime sagas, now in a special omnibus edition Read Grace Thompson’s delightful Holidays at Home series, now in one volume! These heartwarming sagas follow the inhabitants of St David’s Wells, a small Welsh seaside town, charting the highs and lows they experience during the Second World War. From engagements to tragic accidents, ice-creams to utter deprivation, this bestselling series from the much-loved author Grace Thompson will enchant and enthral you. This omnibus edition contains all six books in the series. Holidays at Home Wait Till Summer Swingboats on the Sand Waiting for Yesterday Day Trippers Unwise Promises Street Parties

Read All 6 Books in the Classic Saga Series

Holidays at Home Omnibus

Even war won’t stop her chasing her dream Shirley Downs has always known she was no ordinary girl. But when she enters and wins a singing contest, she begins to realise that her talent is really something special. However, it is 1941, and a career on the stage comes second place to rationing and bomb threats. Nevertheless, Shirley is determined to succeed, and no-one will get in her way... Waiting for Yesterday is the third of the Holidays at Home books, a captivating series of wartime sagas from the much-loved author Grace Thompson. Grace Thompson is an acclaimed author of saga and romance novels, and a mainstay of libraries throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. Born and raised in South Wales, she is the author of numerous series, including the Valley series, the Pendragon Island series, and the Badgers Brook series. She published her 42nd novel shortly after celebrating her 80th birthday, and continues to live in Swansea.

Waiting for Yesterday

Stine Lindahl Jacobsen

This comprehensive book describes well-defined models of music therapy for working with families in different clinical areas, ranging from families with special needs children or dying family members through to families in psychiatric or paediatric hospital settings. International contributors explain the theoretical background and practice of their specific approach, including an overview of research and illustrative case examples. Particular emphasis is placed on connecting theory and clinical practice and on discussing the challenges and relevance of each model. This practical and theoretically anchored book will prove valuable for music therapists, students and researchers in the fast developing field of music therapy with families.

Therapeutic Approaches and Theoretical Perspectives

Music Therapy with Families

Badgers Brook: more than a home, a way of life. A timeless, emotional journey from a beloved writer, perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs and Freda Lightfoot. Marie Masters has been happily married for nine years, but she can’t help but feel her once-loving husband Ivor is no longer the man she married. He’s increasingly prone to drink and gambling, and has become strangely secretive. Worried that Ivor’s behaviour is putting their growing family at risk, Marie decides to follow her husband. Marie learns that Ivor is spending time at a run-down house called Badgers Brook, but that’s only the beginning of it. There’s a lot about Ivor that Marie doesn’t know, and her newfound discoveries will test her beyond anything she thought possible. As Ivor’s secrets are gradually uncovered, Marie must draw upon her love for her family and her belief in herself to survive. If you love Badgers Brook, don’t miss the second story in this classic series, A Girl Called Hope. Grace Thompson is an acclaimed author of saga and romance novels, and a mainstay of libraries throughout the United Kingdom and beyond. Born and raised in South Wales, she is the author of numerous series, including the Valley series, the Pendragon Island series, and the Badgers Brook series. She published her 42nd novel shortly after celebrating her 80th birthday, and continues to live in Swansea.

The House by the Brook

A captivating mystery from the bestselling and much-loved saga writer Grace Thompson On the last day of her holiday, Rosemary Roberts meets an intriguing American in the foyer of her London hotel. By some extraordinary slice of fortune, Larry Madison-Jones is due to visit the tiny Welsh village where Rosemary lives. But how much of a coincidence is it really? When Rosemary returns home, her life takes a sinister turn. As she gets closer to the enigmatic Larry, she is also drawn into a web of mysterious and suspicious happenings. Just what is Larry hiding? And does he really love her – or is he trying to drive her mad?

Search for a Shadow

A saga of friendship from an ever-popular author In their favourite café, a group of female friends meet regularly to discuss their troubles; but even friends can’t always tell each other the truth. Cynthia is happily married to her lifelong sweetheart, but not even their present wealth and security makes her willing to reveal the abuse and trauma they suffered as children. Meriel’s husband has abandoned her for another woman. And well meaning but snobbish Joanne can’t admit that behind her prosperous façade, she’s struggling for every penny. As new people enter their lives, these women must draw on all their resources to meet the challenges thrown at them. But can they learn to rely on each other, or will they stand alone? Friends and Secrets is a heartwarming contemporary tale from Grace Thompson, the much-loved author of saga series including the Valley series, the Pendragon Island series, and the Badgers Brook series.

Grace Thompson

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