Margaret James

When nineteen-year-old munitions worker Cassie Taylor leaves Birmingham to become a land girl in Dorset, she assumes she will be in for a quiet and boring time.

Arriving at the Denham family’s farm, she meets Robert and Stephen Denham, army officer twins still convalescing after being wounded at Dunkirk. At first, Cassie is drawn to lively, friendly Stephen, but then she falls deeply in love with his brother, Robert.

Robert returns to active service, Cassie joins the ATS, and when she meets him again in Alexandria he asks her to marry him.

But then Robert is reported missing in action, and now Cassie finds that Stephen expects to take his brother’s place in her heart.

This is the paperback version of the original Robert Hale hardback edition, which has been substantially revised and expanded.

Synopsis  - can first love last forever?

It’s 1931, the year that changes everything for fifteen-year-old Daisy Denham. Her family has swapped a life of luxury in India for relative poverty in Dorset -  and here, Daisy uncovers an old secret and several old emnities.

She meets Ewan Fraser, a handsome dreamer and aspiring actor who wants to entertain the world, and for Daisy to play his leading lady.  As Ewan and Daisy grow closer, he gives her a golden chain and Daisy gives him a promise - she will always keep him in her heart.

But life on tour does not turn out as they’d hoped. Ewan is hugely ambitious, and Daisy is dazzled by the older, charismatic figure of Jesse Trent. She breaks Ewan’s heart and sets off for a life in London with Jesse. Only time will tell whether some promises are easier to make than keep.

A Thirties take on the Romeo and Juliet story,  The Golden Chain is a reworking of the hardback novel The Long Way Home, with more romance and more drama - and, since it’s a romantic comedy rather than a tragedy, nobody ends up dead in a family tomb.

Synopsis

If life is cheap, what price can you put on love?

It’s 1914 and eighteen-year-old Rose Courtenay has a decision to make. Please her wealthy parents by marrying the man of their choice - or play her part in the war effort? The chance to escape proves irresistible, and Rose becomes a VAD nurse. While working in France, she meets Lieutenant Alex Denham, a dark figure from her past. He’s the last man in the world she’d get involved with - especially now he’s married.

But in wartime nothing is as it seems. Alex’s marriage is a sham and Rose is the only woman he’s ever wanted. As he recovers from wounds, he sets out to win her trust. His gift of a silver locket is a far cry from the luxuries she’s left behind. What value will she put on his love?

Moving from rural Dorset to war-torn London and the horrors of the Western Front, The Silver Locket is a compelling story about different kinds of courage and the enduring power of love. It began its literary life in hardback as The Morning Promise, but has been revised and - I think - much improved!

A dramatic, moving and intensely romantic story - Trisha Ashley

This novel is also published as a Kindle download.  It will be available in audio format from Clipper in the autumn of 2011.

 Single Titles  said:

Congratulations Margaret!

THE SILVER LOCKET has won a coveted CataNetwork Reviewers' Choice award for
2010. CataNetwork reviewers have chosen your book as one of the best books that
they have reviewed for Single Titles this year. Thank you for sharing your
talent with all the readers as you entertain us with your stories.

The Romantic Novelists’ Association is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with the publication of an anthology of stories by members.  Edited by Katie Fforde and Sue Moorcroft, and featuring stories by many bestselling novelists, this gorgeously produced and satisfyingly chunky volume also includes Margaret’s own story, The Service Of My Lady.

Reviews

‘Witty and generous romance - Jilly Cooper for the grown-ups!’ — Independent on Katie Fforde

‘Joanna [Trollope] has held up a mirror to millions of women around the world, and they’ve seen themselves, their lives, their relationships and their desires staring back.’ — Good Housekeeping

Indulge your love for reading with this fabulous collection of original stories. With over 40 stories to choose from, this stunning collection has something for everyone. Celebrating women’s fiction in all its guises, take a look at the latest stories from the bestselling authors of today and discover the bestselling authors of tomorrow. The authors you’ll find in Loves Me, Loves Me Not include: Joanna Trollope; Katie Flynn; Rosie Harris; Anna Jacobs; Maureen Lee; Carole Matthews; Nicola Cornick; and, many, many more.

Synopsis

When nineteen-year-old munitions worker Cassie Taylor leaves Birmingham to become a land girl in Dorset, she assumes she will be in for a quiet and boring time. But when she arrives at the Denham family’s farm, she meets Robert and Stephen Denham, army officer twins still convalescing after being wounded at Dunkirk.

At first, Cassie is drawn to lively, friendly Stephen, but then she falls deeply in love with his brother, Robert. When Robert returns to active service, Cassie joins the ATS, and when she meets him again in Alexandria, he asks her to marry him. Robert is reported missing in action and now Cassie finds that Stephen expects to take his brother’s place in her heart. How will it all work out?

Synopsis

When fifteen-year-old Daisy Denham goes to live in the Dorset village of Charton, she finds herself the centre of attention for reasons she can’t understand. Missing India, where she grew up, Daisy then discovers her family is not all it seems.

Restless and longing to escape, she meets Ewan Fraser, an ambitious young actor, who encourages her to develop her own acting talent. They join a provincial theatre company and at first all goes well until Daisy meets the charismatic Jesse Trent. Now, she must choose between two men, two families and two completely different ways of life.

Reviews

‘The Long Way Home’ is a classic coming of age story. Daisy is an attractive character whose basic naivety is her greatest strength and weakness. The 1930s theatre scene is particularly well recreated… By the end all the main characters have grown and developed in heartwarming ways. The Historical Novels Review, Issue 40, May 2007

Synopsis

Rose Courtenay’s wealthy parents expect her to marry a neighbours son and then settle down in Dorset. But the outbreak of the Great War offers Rose an unlikely opportunity to escape. Longing for adventure, she trains to be a nurse and is sent to France where the stark reality of war forces her to grow up fast. And then she falls in love with a man she can never marry.

As the war ends, Rose must make the most difficult choice between her family, wealth and comfort, or the man she loves. Set in rural Dorset, the East End and on the Western Front, The Morning Promise explores the meaning of courage and the enduring power of love.

Reviews

A well written, well researched book which, in spite of the grim details, is a pleasure to read. Historical Novels Review November 2005

A powerful and riveting story of love, treachery and betrayal during the Great War. June Tate

A well-researched, gritty, heartwarming story of love and war with strong memorable characters. Kate Tremayne

Synopsis

Set in contemporary and Anglo-Saxon England, Elegy for a Queen is the story of Susannah Miller, who is haunted by a recent tragedy and echoes from the distant past.

The ghost of a Saxon queen, whose story unfolds with the discovery of documents in a cathedral library, brings Susannah close to madness and death. But the power of love can prove stronger than the most malevolent destiny, and when Susannah summons up the courage to face demons that have chased her and her alter ego down the centuries, she finds an unselfish love that was missing in her former life.

Reviews

A well written, intriguing and sensitive novel. Definitely recommended. Katie Fforde

A lively and enchanting heroine, and a story that skilfully interweaves the past and present. Trisha Ashley