Spanish House Secrets: an uplifting, heartwarming romance set in the 1920s by Susan Gray

 

Spanish House Secrets: an uplifting, heartwarming romance set in the 1920s

By Susan Gray

Publication Date: 20th February 2023

Publisher: UK Book Publishing;

Page Length: 337 Pages

Genre: Historical Romance / Dual Timeline

A sprinkle of mystery...a dash of romance...nuggets of hidden secrets combined with an unexpected inheritance and a lingering resentment, provide the ingredients for this engaging, heart warming story.

England 2019. Grace's childhood memories are stirred by the sound of a familiar melody. Her home in 1950's England was a Spanish house. An unusual house. A house with secrets. She begins to wonder...who built it and why?

England 1921. Loveable, likeable, Simon receives a letter on the eve of his twenty first birthday - a letter that will change the course of his life. News of an unexpected inheritance uncovers secrets surrounding his birth, which spark sibling jealousy. Viewing his property in Spain he is wowed by it's design and decides to build a replica in his hometown. As he embraces business life in two countries, he unwittingly becomes English Simon and Spanish Simon - spurred on by his love for two women.

Spain 1922. Elise has experienced many harsh blows in her young life. Returning to her home near Madrid she knows she must pick herself up and move on. Can she continue to live in this Spanish house? The arrival of a visitor creates a new dimension for her.

In 1920's England, dainty, demure Olivia has much to be thankful for: a beautiful house, a thriving business, a deep love...but a nagging doubt. In the last years of the Roaring Twenties this doubt is compounded by the discovery of a discarded item.

Spanning forty years, Spanish House Secrets is a tale of enduring love, painful loss and surprising secrets.

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Susan Gray

'Never to old to follow your dreams' has become Susan Gray's mantra since beginning to write novels after celebrating a significant birthday. Susan endeavours to entwine the genres of mystery and romance and sets her novels in the early Twentieth Century. She lives with her husband in northeast England, setting her books in this picturesque area. She has a son and daughter, both married, two granddaughters and a grand dog. When not writing she loves to spend time reading, puzzling, walking and catching up with friends over a coffee. She enjoys travelling and tries to include many of the places she has visited in her books. Her plots are inspired by 'life' and how her characters navigate the waters. She loves to 'people watch' and creates her characters based on the many strangers she has observed. She has written six novels. SPANISH HOUSE SECRETS was her debut novel and is now joined by another standalone novel BLOSSOMING OF TRUTH. 

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Heathcliff: The Missing Years by Sue Barnard

 

Heathcliff: The Missing Years

By Sue Barnard

Publication Date: 25th October 2024

Publisher: Bloodhound Books

Page Length: 200

Genre: Historical Fiction

It only takes a few words to change the course of a life…

“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now.” Cathy’s immortal words had far-reaching repercussions. At just seventeen years of age, heartbroken and penniless, Heathcliff left behind all he knew and headed into an unknown future.

Three years later, he returned – much improved in manners, appearance and wealth.

But what happened during those years? How did he make his fortune from nothing? And what fate turned him into literature’s most famous anti-hero?

For almost two centuries, these questions have remained unanswered. Until now…

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Sue Barnard

Sue Barnard is a British novelist, short-story writer, former editor (now retired) and award-winning poet. She was born in North Wales some time during the last millennium, but has spent most of her life in and around Manchester. After graduating from Durham University she had a variety of office jobs before becoming a full-time parent. If she had her way, the phrase “non-working mother” would be banned from the English language. 

Sue’s mind is so warped that she has appeared on BBC TV’s Only Connect quiz show, and she has also compiled questions for BBC Radio 4's fiendishly difficult Round Britain Quiz. This once caused one of her sons to describe her as “professionally weird”. The label has stuck. 

She speaks French like a Belgian, German like a schoolgirl, and Italian and Portuguese like an Englishwoman abroad. She is also very interested in family history. Her own background is far stranger than any work of fiction; she would write a book about it if she thought anybody would believe her. 

Sue lives in Cheshire with her extremely patient husband and a large collection of unfinished scribblings. 

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The Will of God by Julian de la Motte

The Will of God

By Julian de la Motte

Publication Date: May 13th, 2025
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 292
Genre: Historical Fiction

"Deus Lo Vult!"

Gilles is the natural son of the Earl Waltheof, executed by William the Conqueror for supposed treachery. Raised in Normandy by Queen Matilda of England, Gilles is a young servant of Robert, Duke of Normandy, when the first call for a Holy War against the infidel and for the liberation of Jerusalem is raised in Christendom. Along with thousands of others, inspired by a variety of motives, intense piety mixed with a sense of adventure and the prospects of richness, Gilles becomes a key and respected follower of the Duke of Normandy and travels through France and into Italy to the point of embarkation for Constantinople and the land of the Greeks.

In this epic first phase of a long and gruelling journey, Gilles begins to discover a sense of his own strengths and weaknesses, encounters for the first time the full might and strength of the Norman war machine and achieves his much coveted aim of knighthood, as well as a sense of responsibility to the men that he must now lead into battle.

The Will of God is the literal translation of the Latin phrase "Deus Lo Vult"; a ubiquitous war cry and a commonly offered explanation of all the horrors and iniquities unleashed by the First Crusade of 1096 to 1099, when thousands of Europeans made the dangerous and terrifying journey to the Holy Land and the liberation of Jerusalem. It is the first of two books on the subject.

Praise 

"De la Motte has superpowers as a writer of historical fiction; he's a warhorse of a writer bred to stun and trample the literary senses. You won't stop turning the pages of The Will of God."

 

Charles McNair, Pulitzer Prize nominee and author of Land O'Goshen

Excerpt

Gilles lay, legs crossed and arms behind his head which rested upon his saddle. He gazed up at the vast spectacle unfolded above him. His left side, facing the fire, roasted uncomfortably whilst his right side froze, one of the many vagaries of life on campaign. His mouth was sour and acrid from a combination of poorly cooked and very elderly mutton and local wine, thin, sour and acidic, unwilling gifts from the last village that he and his small command had visited.

In the jagged and flickering shadows on the other side of the fire his men also rested, seemingly oblivious to the splendour and majesty above them. Ralph, commonly known as 'the Contentious' was once more expressing his views and opinions to a largely uninterested audience. Ralph, a man from the badlands on the Normandy Brittany border, seemingly had a view and opinion on most things. Gilles allowed himself to listen for a while. Ralph had been on the lists of the Duke as long as Gilles could remember, as thickset and stocky as his master, he had been publicly whipped on a number of occasions for his views and the loose tongued manner in which he voiced them, particularly for those relating to dogma and religion. Currently he was treating his largely indifferent comrades to his views on the Holy Trinity. His almost casual remarks would have had a churchman apoplectic with rage and reaching for his bell and candle.

A flaring as a shrub of furze caught and crackled in the flames. Mixed with rosemary, it gave off a strong and aromatic scent amidst the brushwood, a further deterrent to the swarms of midges. Along with snakes, large black spiders with a life threatening bite and venomous toads that seemed to lurk under every rock, they appeared to be a speciality of the region. The sudden blaze illuminated the usually genial features of Ralph in stark chiaroscuro as he relentlessly continued to warm to his theme. Gilles surrendered his thoughts to the skies above him, a vast dome of black nothingness, blacker than anything else he could imagine and dotted with countless shining stars more numerous, it seemed, than grains of sand upon the beach. Despite the oppressive heat of the day, in this strange and alien country the nights were bitterly cold. Gilles shivered and pulled his riding cloak more tightly about him. The horses stood and fidgeted in the dark, tethered to a set of crude hitching posts hammered into the ground. Occasionally one or other of them stamped the ground or raised its ears in alarm. There were, after all, wolves in these high hills and they sensed their presence.

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The Will of God

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Julian de la Motte

Julian de la Motte is a Londoner. He graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in Medieval History. He was further awarded a Master of Arts qualification in Medieval English Art from the University of York. He studied and taught in Italy for nearly four years before returning to the U.K. and a career as a teacher, teacher trainer and materials designer before taking up a new role as a Director of Foreign Languages and of English as a Foreign Language.

 

Married and with two grown up children, He is now extensively involved in review writing and historical research, primarily on medieval history.

''The Will of God'' [the first of two books on the subject of the First Crusade] is his third novel.

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Under the Spell of the Holy Relics by Michael Stolle

 

Under the Spell of the Holy Relics
By Michael Stolle

Publication Date: 1st April 2025

Publisher: Independently Published

Page Length: 418

Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Thriller

A gripping historical thriller full of intrigue, hidden truths, and deadly secrets!

Rome, 17th Century – A conspiracy that could change the course of history...

When Pope Innocent X ascends the Holy See, he has no idea that dark forces within the Vatican are pursuing their own agenda. Three of Christianity’s holiest relics – the Holy Grail, the Crown of Thorns, and the Shroud – conceal a secret that could threaten power, faith, and life itself.

A secret Templar order is searching for the holy relics – at any cost.

Cardinals, spies, and assassins fight for control over the faith.

The truth is hidden in ancient writings – but not everyone wants it to be revealed.

When monk Brother Johannes stumbles upon a classified document, he is drawn into a deadly race against time. In his search for the truth and battling with his conscience, he becomes entangled in the power struggles of the Church, the intrigues of European noble houses, and the shadows of the past. Who can he trust? And will he uncover the truth about the relics – before it’s too late?

Perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Ken Follett, and Umberto Eco!

✔️ A fast-paced historical thriller

✔️ A dark conspiracy at the heart of the Church

✔️ Templars, secret brotherhoods & hidden relics

✔️ Intrigue, betrayal & a race against time

Step into a world of secrets, betrayal, and deadly power struggles!

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Under the Spell of the Holy Relics

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Michael Stolle

Michael Stolle, award-winning and best-selling author, was born and educated in Europe. His enduring passion for history has deeply enriched his understanding of the human experience. Through his exploration, he has arrived at a powerful insight: the core essence of humanity is timeless, remaining as relevant today as it was in the 17th century.

Stolle started his writing journey in 2012, and since then, he has enthralled readers worldwide, selling over 100,000 copies of his books. His compelling narratives offer an immersive experience that breathes life into the richness of history, inviting readers to engage with the past in an intimate and vivid way.

Agricola's Bane: A Daring Adventure in Roman Scotland (Celtic Fervour Series Book 4) by Nancy Jardine

 

Agricola's Bane: A Daring Adventure in Roman Scotland 
(Celtic Fervour Series Book 4)
By Nancy Jardine

Publication Date: 15th November 2018

Publisher: Nancy Jardine

Page Length: 328

Genre: Historical Fiction

A hollow triumph. A fruitless search. Complete fulfilment is too elusive.

AD 84 Caledonia. Seeking the spoils of war…

Enya searches for the young Garrigill warriors not seen since the battle between the Caledonian Allies and the mighty legions of Rome. Should Enya choose the trail that might lead northwards to her brother? Or should she seek definite proof that her cousin has been taken captive by the Romans?

Nith goes with Enya on her perilous mission. Along the way, what has always been a foster-brother concern turns to feelings much more profound, but does she love him…or another warrior?

General Agricola’s burning desire for a successful Roman Empire Invasion means conquering the whole island of Britannia. However, the valuable spoils of war, and a healthy slave count, are hard to come by. A deeply superstitious man, Agricola believes his goddess Fortuna has abandoned him –his emperor likewise.

Who gains success and satisfaction? Is it Agricola…or Enya and Nith?

The adventures of the Garrigill Clan continue…

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Agricola's Bane

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Nancy Jardine

Nancy Jardine lives in the spectacular ‘Castle Country’ of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Her main writing focus has, to date, been historical and time travel fiction set in Roman Britain, though she’s also published contemporary mystery novels with genealogy plots. If not writing, researching (an unending obsession), reading or gardening, her young grandchildren will probably be entertaining her, or she’ll be binge-watching historical films and series made for TV. 

She loves signing/ selling her novels at local events and gives author presentations locally across Aberdeenshire. These are generally about her novels or with a focus on Ancient Roman Scotland, presented to groups large and small. Zoom sessions have been an entertaining alternative to presenting face-to-face events during, and since, the Covid 19 pandemic restrictions.

Current memberships are with the Historical Novel Society; Scottish Association of Writers; Federation of Writers Scotland, Romantic Novelists Association and the Alliance of Independent Authors. She’s self-published with the author co-operative Ocelot Press.

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Hobbadehoy Rising by Max Willi Fischer

Hobbadehoy Rising

By Max Willi Fischer

Publication Date: 25th September 2023

Publisher: Historium Press

Page Length: 262 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

An orphaned teen in the notorious Five Points district of lower Manhattan in 1854, Pencil’s cursed to scavenge the unforgiving streets where trust is a stranger. Even as slavery has divided the nation, the good Pencil comes across is as rare as a precious gem buried in the manure-strewn streets of Gotham. The shady adults who surround him believe he’s a “hobbhadehoy,” a youth who hasn’t quite reached manhood. Despite years of neglect, he hasn’t lost his empathy for others and a fledgling sense of justice. As the lieutenant of a pack of street rats, he craves greater control of his life. His luck finally runs out when through someone’s treachery, he faces significant prison time.

Pencil’s grasps another opportunity when he’s shipped off to Ohio on one of the first “orphan trains.” Life on the farm proves to be a different challenge under the demanding, and occasionally drunken, thumb of his new guardian. Ultimately, he’s forced to flee, a much stronger physical specimen than when he arrived.

Pencil ends up in Cleveland, where a daguerreotypist takes him under her wing. She teaches him about capturing images on glass and copper while trying to impress upon him the importance of trust. Encounters with corpses, kidnappers, and grave robbers test his acceptance of the idea … and justice.

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Hobbadehoy Rising

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Max Willi Fischer

I sometimes wonder if my family's background had some unknown impact on my interest in history. I grew up in a bilingual household with German immigrant parents. My father followed his aunt and uncle to America to find work. Family get-togethers were small because the rest of our family remained in Germany. My father worked two jobs to improve our lives and put my brother and me through school. He will always be the most respected man I have known and the ultimate role model. 

 For nearly forty years, I was a classroom teacher at the elementary and middle school level. I taught most subjects in fifth and sixth grades as well as world history and American history at grades seven and eight.

 When I retired, I believed I could engage young adults in the rich history of our land. My first book of historical fiction, "The Corkscrew App" was published in 2016. In 2020, "American Brush-Off" debuted on Amazon and Kindle Select. 

Now, with both of our daughters out on their own, my wife and I enjoy home projects, travel and good movies.

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The Guest Star by Milan Zivic

 

The Guest Star
By Milan Zivic

Publication Date: 27th December 2023

Publisher: Independently Published

Page Length: 190

Genre: Historical Fiction

Two Alexandrian students, one ancient empire, and a sky full of mystery. Join Hero and Lucia as they chase a strange star across mountains, deserts, and ancient cities. The Guest Star is a thrilling journey packed with danger, heart, fascinating details, and the timeless excitement of discovery.

At the end of the second century, after a mysterious new and large star appears in the night sky of Aegyptus, two students of the Great Library of Alexandria embark on a search for an explanation following a clue inserted into a famous Ptolemy's manuscript of the geographical description of the Roman Empire. Along the way, they meet allies and enemies, love and betrayal, and discover a path that brings them closer to a better understanding of nature and the universe itself.

The Guest Star is also a historical adventure in which ancient Roman and Chinese cultures intertwined at the start of the Silk Road, several years before the first major civil war erupted following Emperor Commodus' assassination. The story is portrayed from a slightly different perspective and goes beyond the generally accepted clichés in the history of the Roman Empire.

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The Guest Star

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Milan Zivic

In short and hopefully conceptually sufficient, my name is Milan, and I am a web content writer and software developer. I write mostly on my public weblog site, Milan's Public Journal, where I publish reviews, travel stories, scientific and documentary articles, and fictional short and long stories within the framework of historical and science fiction. I have written numerous reviews, often focusing on the scientific or historical background of books. I have also published several science fiction short stories, graphic novels, flash fiction, and short films.

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