July 1, 2016
In 1959, Maggie Gregory, 19, is on top of the world; she has a flourishing modeling career and a sexy sailor boyfriend. But soon this golden life is gone. With her career in shambles and her heart broken, she is completely distraught. Maggie doesn't know where her life is going, so she heads back home to Liverpool to try to figure it out. She feels restored by the comfort of being with her family, and then someone new walks into her life. Charming Tim Murphy is very hard to resist, but as things heat up between them, and Maggie's emotions run wild, she can't help but wonder whether she is jumping back in love too quickly. But maybe, just maybe, this relationship won't go painfully wrong. With a fascinating setting, a cast full of interesting characters, and a plot contrasting close family ties with dire secrets, Francis (Love Letters in the Sand, 2015) does it again in her latest romance, offering readers suspense, love, and, most of all, hope.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)
June 1, 2017
In early 1960s Liverpool, Lucia is a teenager with a lot of responsibility. Working at a local coffeehouse and helping take care of her siblings during the holidays, Lucia has grown up fast without enjoying much of her youth. Until one day, when she meets Tim, an ex-convict who befriends her. Lucia is instantly attracted to his dark past, but there is more than meets the eye with Tim. A widower and father, Tim has a soft side that captivates Lucia. After tragically losing her parents, Lucia finds this older man an intriguing comfort to be around. Their connection is strong, but the voice of concern from family members is as well, and Lucia is faced with deciding what she's willing to risk for what she wants. A tale of forbidden love, Walking Back to Happiness is an easy read that can be devoured in one sitting, and is ideal for fans of June Francis' signature historical-romance stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)