Fans of Rosamunde Pilcher, Maeve Binchy and Erica James will love this collection of stories to suit the reader's every mood - tender, funny, romantic, ironic, bitter-sweet, nostalgic - multi-million copy seller Elvi Rhodes has captured them all. Perfect to settle down with... READERS ARE LOVING SUMMER PROMISE AND OTHER STORIES! 'A very easy and enjoyable read' -- ***** Reader review 'Excellent' -- ***** Reader review 'Wonderful' -- ***** Reader review ************************************************************** These enchanting stories are guaranteed by turn to entertain, soothe, intrigue and touch you... The couple in Summer Promise are, at first glance, placed in an appalling situation, but nevertheless in the warmth of southern France, their relationship develops in an unexpected way. Be Your Age, Dear is a delightful tale of a generation gap which, in one family, seems non-existent - or has it gone into reverse? The Meeting describes the ten-yearly reunion of a group of friends which, for obvious reasons, dwindles each time. The two members most closely involved come to a decision that was, perhaps, inevitable. Model of Beauty is set in a painting class, where the temporary illness of the generously endowed model brings about surprising consequences. Summer Promise and Other Stories is a wonderful collection - the perfect dose of escapism and tonic to settle down with...

In 'Summer Promise', Linda, recently divorced and in need of a break, decides to take her two children on a fortnight's holiday in France, renting a house from a friend of a friend. However when she arrives at the house, she finds a man already there, claiming to be the owner. It emerges that this man, Graham, is the ex-husband of the woman who suggested the idea to Linda, and that she had forgotten to inform her that the situation had changed and that Graham now owns the house outright. He makes it clear to Linda that they can't possibly stay there as he is busy with work and it would be an inconvenience. But as Linda frantically tries to find a hotel, her youngest child James falls ill with chicken pox. Graham relents, and agrees to let them stay in the house, packing his bags to move out for two weeks. But as he is leaving, they both realise that perhaps this situation could work out for both of them after all... In 'A Gull Named Helen', when little Daniel clams up following the death of his grandmother, everyone thinks a school trip to the seaside will be just what he needs. In the lighthouse where they are staying, Daniel is offered the little room right at the very top of the tower, while the other children must sleep in the basement. Watching from his bedroom window, Daniel becomes mesmerised by the seagulls circling overhead. As he spends the next few days feeding them scraps of bread, he forms a bond with one bird in particular, who he decides is called Helen - the same name as his grandmother. But little does he know that what he learns from these birds could help him for years to come. In 'Children on the Shore', Claire Foster has been used to living her own life, her own way. Her daughter lives abroad with her own family. Claire was widowed years ago. So when she takes a temporary job as a secretary at a hospital, she is startled to find herself beginning a relationship with one of the doctors. Meanwhile, her daughter begins writing to her frequently, begging her to move closer to them so that she can be a part of her grandchildren's lives. And then she is offered a new job, working for an author, which would reduce her free time dramatically. Which path - if any - should she choose? Part of the Storycuts series, these three short stories were previously published in the collection 'Summer Promise and Other Stories'.

Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, this is an emotional and powerful story of a woman who has a dream, and who will do anything to achieve it by multi-million copy seller Elvi Rhodes. A real page-turner you won't be able to put down... READERS ARE LOVING OPAL! ***** "A feel good tale of rags to riches" ***** "One of the best books I have read for a long long time" ***** "I enjoy Elvi Rhodes books and this one is no exception" ***** "A page turner all the way through - a must read" ***** "I enjoyed every page" ***************************************************************************************************** ALL SHE WANTS IS A BETTER LIFE FOR HER FAMILY... When Edgar Carson returned from the First World War trenches, he found that the land fit for heroes didn't exist and the only positive thing in his life was Opal, the small, tough, Yorkshire beauty who married him. But by the time the 1920s come, things are far from rosy: Edgar, consumed by bitterness, is on the dole, and Opal is pregnant for the second time. Yet Opal is a fighter - and isn't going to let the times, the drudgery or the poverty destroy her or her family. She starts with a 'house shop', just sweets and cotton reels sold from the top of her sideboard, and carries on from there - for Opal's dream is her own department store and a grand life for all of them...

Fans of Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy will love this warm-hearted and moving novel from multi-million copy seller Elvi Rhodes. The perfect dose of escapism! READERS ARE LOVING MIXED BLESSINGS! "The twists and turns of the main characters keeping you entertained and wanting more" - 5 STARS "She really brings characters to life" - 5 STARS "Captivates you on every page" - 5 STARS ********************************************************** CAN OLD LIVES AND NEW LIVES EVER BE RECONCILED? For Venus Stanton, the attractive young vicar of Thurston, life could not be better. When she first came to this traditional parish, many people found it hard to accept a woman priest. After a tricky start, however, she is now accepted by most of her parishioners, even though some people still cannot and will not recognize her. But vicars have their personal lives as well, and to the delight and surprise of the parish Venus is to marry Nigel, the doctor from the local practice. Her eleven-year-old daughter Becky, after some misgivings, has accepted the idea and there is a joyous ceremony at the church, after which the happy pair set off for honeymoon in France. On their return, they try to settle down to their new life, but Venus soon finds that marriage, motherhood and her priestly duties do not always go together... Mixed Blessings continues the story started in A Blessing in Disguise...

A beautiful coming of age saga by multi-million copy seller Elvi Rhodes, perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin. READERS ARE LOVING MADELEINE! "Nostalgia at its best" - 5 STARS. "A gripping book and extremely well told." - 5 STARS. "Excellent page turner" - 5 STARS ******************************************************************* WILL ONE CHANCE ENCOUNTER CHANGE HER LIFE FOREVER? Madeleine Bates, daughter of a tyrannical and bigoted mill worker and housemaid to the rich Parkinson family, spends her life serving the spoilt and spiteful Sophia Parkinson, the daughter of the richest mill owner in Helsdon. But beneath her obedient and dutiful exterior lies a passionate, fiery and rebellious spirit. And when the dashing Leon Bonneau - son of a French wool baron - comes to stay with the Parkinsons at their house Mount Royd, he cannot help but be drawn to her. From that moment on, everything changes for everyone at Mount Royd... Madeleine's story continues in Elvi Rhodes's novel The House of Bonneau.

Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Rosie Goodwin and Dilly Court, this is a heartfelt novel of one woman's will to find her way in life by multi-million copy seller Elvi Rhodes. Perfect to settle down with! READERS ARE LOVING THE GOLDEN GIRLS! 'Brilliant book by a great author. Loved every bit of it' -- ***** Reader review 'Could not put it down' -- ***** Reader review 'I enjoyed every minute' -- ***** Reader review ******************************************************************************************************* ONE WOMAN'S DETERMINATION TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE FOR HER FAMILY. Widowed at twenty-three with three small daughters, Eleanor is reduced by poverty, hunger and worry to going to Akersfield market and asking market gardener Dick Fletcher for help - Dick who had loved her in the past, but who is now engaged to someone else. Dick takes her back home to her village in the Dales, gives her a job and helps her to gain her self-respect again. But she knows she must eventually stand on her own two feet - make a life for herself and her daughters without him, Will she find the courage and determination to build a better life...and ultimately pay back Dick for his ultimate act of kindness?

An emotional story of recollections and reminiscences, The Birthday Party sees multi-million copy seller Elvi Rhodes at her heart-warming best. Fans of Rosamunde Pilcher, Maeve Binchy and Erica James will not be disappointed. Readers are loving THE BIRTHDAY PARTY! 'I just couldn't put this book down' -- ***** Reader review 'Keeps you interested right up to the very last word' -- ***** Reader review 'Wonderful' -- ***** Reader review ************************************************************************************************** A LANDMARK BIRTHDAY BRINGS BACK MEMORIES - SOME HAPPIER THAN OTHERS Poppy's family is gathering to celebrate her eightieth birthday. Her children, grandchildren and even one great-grandchild are converging on her Sussex home. As she prepares to welcome them all, her mind goes back over her life - to her tough childhood in Yorkshire; to her mother - who scrimped and saved to bring her up decently; to her three husbands and to Alun, the great love of her life who was taken from her by the war. Yes, she has had a full life - a lot fuller than her family realises. As they toast their beloved matriarch, little do they know what an extraordinary and often shocking life she has led...

Grace has taken care of her widowed father her entire adult life and the ornery old goat has finally died. She has no job, no skills and very little money, and has heard her father's prediction that no decent man would ever want her so often she accepts it as fact. But she does have a big old house on Lawyers Row in Peacock, Tennessee. She opens a rooming house and quickly gathers a motley crew of tenants: Promise, Grace's best friend since kindergarten, who's fighting cancer; Maxie, an aging soap opera actress who hasn't lost her flair for the dramatic; Jonah, a sweet, gullible old man with a crush on Maxie. And Dillon, Grace's brother's best friend, who stood her up on the night of her senior prom and has regretted it ever since. Dillon rents Grace's guest house for the summer and hopes to make up for lost time and past hurts—but first, he'll have to convince Grace that she's worth loving... 88,000 words

Male-female relationships are at the center of this collection of thirteen stories. Roughly half the stories take place in the United States and half in Chile. A common thread runs through these keenly sensitive stories: the women take the initiative, and the men, willingly or unwillingly, follow their lead. At one end of the spectrum, Ari, 14 years old, is awakening to his sexuality, and at the other, Al, almost 70 and a former college professor, sees a potential affair with a young woman as his last opportunity to indulge his taste for sexual mischief. Along the way we also meet Dora, a free-spirited woman who, thirty years earlier, was in hot pursuit of Sergio, a married man, but who now holds a secret he is determined to uncover; Josh, home for the summer after having completed his freshman year in college, who is torn between family expectations and his attraction for Sofia, a Colombian immigrant; and a gallery of other unique characters.

Perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, this is the powerful sequel to Madeleine written by multi-million copy seller Elvi Rhodes. READERS ARE LOVING THE HOUSE OF BONNEAU! "Another brilliant family saga book. Read this in one sitting. Loved everything about it ... Based in Yorkshire." - 5 STARS "Loved this saga. Was drawn right into the story & the characters. Stayed up late and could not tear myself away from the story. Love this author's writing." - 5 STARS "I could not put it down - you really get wrapped up in the characters because she writes so brilliantly..." - 5 STARS. ***************************************************************** WILL SHE LOSE EVERYTHING SHE FOUGHT SO HARD TO GAIN? When Madeleine Bates - born into poverty as the daughter of a Yorkshire millhand - married Leon Bonneau - the French wool baron - she felt her life of turmoil was over. Whatever problems came their way, surely love would see them through? Yet trouble still dogs her and she feels she is alone: Leon's family resent her for taking him away from them and Hortense Murer - who assumed she would be Leon's wife - begrudges her. She also cannot help but dwell on the curse made by her old enemy Sophia Parkinson: that she would never bear a son. For it seems to be coming true...