England, 1940: A tear-jerking wartime tale of an orphaned baby who needs a home, and the woman who risks everything to provide it. Fans of Before We Were Yours, Wives of War and Diney Costeloe will be utterly swept away by this heartbreaking - yet beautifully hopeful - World War Two page-turner. With the war raging, Lily has learned not to take life for granted. In a time of such tragedy, every day is a gift. Her husband is a soldier, fighting to save their country, and she prays that she will survive - to one day welcome him home. One sweltering July night, bombs rain down. Lily and her dear friend Ethel, who is nine months pregnant, seek refuge in a shelter. Miraculously, a baby girl is born to the sound of ear-splitting shrieks and explosions in the distance. Once the raid quietens, Lily races into the house to find the newborn a blanket. But then the unthinkable happens, planes thundering right over the rooftops... When Lily rouses, finding herself amongst broken glass and crumbled brick, she is devastated to discover that Ethel has been killed - leaving little Joy behind. With tears rolling down her face, Lily makes a split-second decision. To save the orphaned child, Lily must tell a heartbreaking lie, a secret that she holds close to her chest for years. But when the truth comes out, whose lives will be destroyed? And will she ever be forgiven? Readers absolutely love Shirley Dickson: 'I was gripped from the very first page... It was heartbreaking... I smiled through these happy times with them but also shed tears... I could not put it down... Will undoubtedly pull at your heartstrings. Just make sure you have a box of tissues ready!' Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Absolutely fabulous... Had me hooked from the very first page... Took me on a rollercoaster of emotions and had me in tears.' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I absolutely loved it!... An emotional, heart-wrenching story of love and loss amidst the horror of war... Will tug at your heartstrings... Will have you reaching for the tissues... Wonderful.' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A beautiful story! Had me in tears from the very beginning. I couldn't put this one down.' A Book With Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Make sure you have tissues handy... The story is heartbreaking... Worthy of 5* and more.' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Promises to keep you turning the pages as your heart attempts not to break. A book you will lose yourself in!' All the Good Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A beautifully written coming-of-age story... I didn't want to put down... Tugs at your heartstrings.' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

1929: Four-year-old Etty and eight-year-old Dorothy are abandoned at Blakely Hall orphanage by their mother, never to see her again. With no other family to speak of, the sisters worship their beloved mam - and they are confused and heartbroken to be deserted by her when they need her the most. 1940: Etty and Dorothy are finally released from the confines of Blakely Hall - but their freedom comes when the country is in the grip of World War Two and its terrors. Amidst a devastating backdrop of screaming air-raid sirens and cold nights huddled in shelters, the sisters are desperate to put their broken childhoods behind them. But trouble lies ahead. Dorothy must bid goodbye to her beloved husband when he's sent to war and Etty must nurse a broken heart as she falls in love with the one man she can never be with. Etty and Dorothy survived the orphanage with the help of one another and neither sister can forget the awful betrayal of their mother, which has haunted them their whole lives. But when a shocking secret about their painful childhood comes to light, will the sisters ever be the same again?

This USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller is a heartbreaking and unforgettable WWII story of two orphaned young sisters -- perfect for fans of Natasha Lester, Heather Morris, and Pam Jenoff. 1929: Four-year-old Etty and eight-year-old Dorothy are abandoned at Blakely Hall orphanage by their mother, never to see her again. With no other family to speak of, the sisters worship their beloved mother-and they are confused and heartbroken to be deserted by her when they need her the most. 1940: Etty and Dorothy are finally released from the confines of Blakely Hall-but their freedom comes when the country is in the grip of World War II and its terrors. Amid a devastating backdrop of screaming air-raid sirens and cold nights huddled in shelters, the sisters are desperate to put their broken childhoods behind them. But trouble lies ahead. Dorothy must bid good-bye to her devoted husband when he's sent to war, and Etty must nurse a broken heart as she falls in love with the one man she can never be with. Etty and Dorothy survived the orphanage with the help of each other and neither sister can forget the awful betrayal of their mother, which has haunted them their whole lives. But when a shocking secret about their painful childhood comes to light, will the sisters ever be the same again?

England, 1942: 'Will I ever find my mammy or daddy?' She looks up, her bright blue eyes full of unshed tears, and the kind nurse gently says, 'Sweetheart, if you can't remember your own name, I don't think you'll ever find them...' Waking up in a rickety hospital bed, the sweet ten-year-old girl with soft blonde hair and flushed cheeks is lucky to be alive. But all she can remember is the screech of the air raid siren. The nurses call her 'Rosie', and hope someone will save her. But no one does, and without a family, she is taken to Blakely Orphanage in Scotland under the supervision of the strict Miss Black. The only glimmer of hope is her new friend Alice, the two lost girls decide to become make-believe sisters. They help each other through the long, hard hours with Miss Black standing over them as they work in silence, wondering if they will ever escape. One day, Rosie watches a beautiful woman in a pretty dress and a tall, handsome man step through the gates. Her heart squeezes as she hopes they might be her mammy and daddy. But Rosie's heart shatters when they take the hand of a little boy and leave the orphanage. Slowly, Rosie begins to piece together the mystery of her past despite Alice telling her they don't need any adults. But if she does find her mammy and daddy, will she remember them? And will she ever have a happy family again - or is there more heartache to come? From the bestselling author of The Orphan Sisters comes a page-turning and unputdownable World War Two story of a little girl who loses everything and her journey to finding a place she can call home. Perfect for fans of Lisa Wingate, Nadine Dorries and Diney Costeloe. What readers are saying about Shirley Dickson: 'THIS. BOOK. WAS. AMAZING. It made me sob so bad... Beautiful... Everything was perfect.' The Confessions of a Music and Book Addict, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Right from the very first page this book had me sucked right in. I didn't want to stop reading it. I was hooked... Utterly fantastic story... Heartbreaking... I will admit to shedding tears. So tissues are a necessity when reading this absolutely awesome book.' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Completely captivated me... Completely heartwarming and uplifting... Managed to leave me with a smile on my face and a happy feeling in my heart... I was caught at the very first page and didn't put it down until I'd finished it!... You will absolutely love this!!... Such a wonderful read!!!' Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Oh, what a gorgeous book this is! Shirley Dickson is a master of historical fiction...Superb... An emotional rollercoaster that manages to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming, this epic novel will have you completely spellbound. I loved it.' SIBZZREADS,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The USA Today bestseller This is a stunning and memorable page-turner of love, loss and resilience for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz Don’t miss The Red Cross Orphans, the brand new historical novel from Glynis Peters coming in November 2021

From the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Orphan Sisters comes a poignant and heart-wrenching WWII story of family, secrets, and a love to survive the impossible -- for readers of Natasha Lester and Pam Jenoff! England, 1943: When twenty-five-year-old May Robinson's mother is tragically killed one foggy night, May is heartbroken and terrified. She isn't sure she has the strength to harbor the secret they have kept for so many years-the secret her mother devoted her life to hiding. The secret that would tear their broken family even further apart. Instead, May vows to make her mother proud by training to be a nurse at Edgemoor General Hospital in South Shields. Surrounded by wailing air-raid sirens and the eternal drone of enemy planes, May tends wounded, ashen-faced soldiers. Working tirelessly alongside her is kindhearted Richard Bentley. May is immediately drawn to his sparkling brown eyes and the way he makes her laugh. Among the death and despair, May and Richard become beacons of hope for each other-but May wonders why he isn't fighting in the war like the thousands of other brave young men. Yet May, longing to escape her past, has kept her own secret hidden from Richard. As the peril and uncertainty around them grows, she finds herself asking: How well do they really know each other? And with the war coming closer to home, May cannot keep her shocking truth from coming to light . . .

Can two orphans who only have each other survive a world at war when they discover the shocking truth of their past? England, 1943: Eight-year-old twins Molly and Jacob are no longer safe at home. Night after night wailing bombs and screeching planes skim the rooftops overhead. With no other choice, their mother, Martha, sends them to the safety of the countryside--but not without passing on a dangerous secret. Fearful of never seeing her children again, Martha gives Jacob a letter, telling him to only read it if they are in danger. In the country, Molly and Jacob struggle to adjust to life with strangers. But then the unimaginable happens. An explosion kills Martha, leaving the twins all alone in the world. Faced with the grim reality of life in an orphanage, the time has come for Jacob to honor his mother's last wish. But are its secrets enough to change the course of their tragic fate? Because Jacob believes that so long he and Molly are together, they can survive anything. And the letter may be what tears them apart.