The Truth About Cottages

The old cottages of Britain are amongst the country's best-loved treasures. Threatened on all sides - whether by the dilapidation of woodworm and dry-rot or the schemes of planners and developers - they are fiercely protected by all those who live in (or simply dream of living in) a country cottage. Yet few have any idea about what life in a cottage was really like both within and outside our living memory."The Truth About Cottages" is a small classic - in the words of the "Sunday Times", 'required reading for cottage addicts; true scholarship, engrossing history and a real eye-opener for romantics.' It tells the remarkable story of cottage life since the seventeenth century, often using the words of the people who built the cottages or lived in them. For example, there is the instance of the horse that shared a nineteenth-century, single-room cottage with its twelve human inhabitants, as well as the documented tribulations of rural labourers and barefoot urban dwellers alike, whose homes were as unsanitary and cold as they were picturesque. The book goes further, to provide an informative illustrated guide to the fifty main types of cottage, dating from the fifteenth century. It remains the ideal companion for explorers of these gems.

Old cottages in Britain have enduring fascination for visitors from all over the world. This book tells the story of cottage life since the 17th century, often in the words of the people who built them or lived in them. It also provides information on 50 main types of cottage, dating from the 15th century.

A USA TODAY bestseller! Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve and heal from her brother’s disappearance at sea. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . . The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange the respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community, a place that has always been a refuge for her and her family. She also plans to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder. Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy, and he agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina. Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other . . . and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden? Full length romantic suspense Part of the Hope Beach series, but can be read as a standalone: Book 1: Tidewater Inn Book 2: Rosemary Cottage Book 3: Seagrass Pier Includes discussion questions for book clubs

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER A critically acclaimed, intimate and no-holds-barred memoir by Canada’s top defence lawyer, Nothing But the Truth weaves Marie Henein’s personal story with her strongly held views on society’s most pressing issues. Marie Henein, arguably the most prominent lawyer in the country, has written a memoir that is at once raw, beautiful, and altogether unforgettable. Her story, as an immigrant from a tight-knit Egyptian-Lebanese family, demonstrates the value of strong role models—from her mother and grandmother, to her brilliant uncle Sami who died of AIDS. She learned the value of hard work, being true to herself and others, and unapologetically owning it all. Marie Henein shares here her unvarnished view on the ethical and practical implications of being a criminal lawyer, and how the job is misunderstood and even demonized. Ironically, her most successful cases made her a “lightning rod” in some circles, confirming her belief that much of the public’s understanding of democracy and the justice system is based on popular culture and social media, and decidedly not the rule of law. As she turns fifty and struggles with the corrosive effect becoming invisible has on women, Marie doubles down on being even more highly visible and opinionated as she deconstructs, among other things, the otherness of the immigrant experience (Where are you really from?), the pros and cons of being a household name in this country, opening her own boutique law firm, and the commoditization of women’s previously unpaid labour popularized by the likes of Martha Stewart. Nothing But the Truth is refreshingly unconstrained and surprising—an account by a woman at the top of her game in a male-dominated world.

'Beautifully written and both heartbreaking and heartwarming' Jessica Redland WINNER OF THE RNA CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC NOVEL AWARD 2023 Cottage Two, Bracken Ridge Farm sits at the end of a pitted track, with the glorious Yorkshire moors stretching behind it. Just a simple two up, two down, the cottage holds the promise of a new start for two very different women, but it is also full of secrets. Fifty years ago, newly-wed Stella is relishing making the little cottage a happy home. But for all the lovingly handmade curtains, and the hot dinners ready on the table for her husband, Stella’s dreams of married life jar painfully with the truth. Fifty years later, the cottage is a new beginning for Tamzin. Determined to get away from her previous life, she makes the move to the wild and vast Yorkshire countryside. When Tamzin finds a sepia photo of a woman, Stella, standing in the cottage’s garden, there’s a sadness in her eyes that Tamzin recognises. As the cottage reveals more of its secrets, Tamzin is desperate to find out whether Stella got her happy ending. And as she gradually makes new friends, and starts to win over her mysterious neighbour Euan, Tamzin dares to dream about her own happy ending too... Escape the rat race with this heart-warming, page-turning new novel from Jane Lovering. Perfect for fans of Julie Houston, Beth O’Leary and Kate Forster Praise for Jane Lovering: 'I adored the dual timeline aspect of this gorgeous story and discovering the secrets from the past. Beautifully written and both heartbreaking and heartwarming' Jessica Redland 'A funny, warm-hearted read, filled with characters you'll love.' Matt Dunn on A Country Escape What readers are saying about Jane Lovering: ‘Jane Lovering has that ability to choose exactly the right words and images to make you laugh, with a wonderful touch of the ridiculous, then moving seamlessly to a scene of such poignancy that it catches your breath.’ ‘It is very difficult to explain just how wonderful this book is. The power of her words and her descriptive prowess to put it bluntly is amazing... the emotional impact it has had on me will be long lasting.’ ‘Fall in love with reading all over again with this cracking tale from Jane Lovering. An excellent reminder, if one is needed, of the absolute pleasure of losing yourself in a good book.'