Suddenly risen to power and influence, Samuel Fairbrother, manufacturer and retailer of boots, shoes and clogs, decided that his new station in life deserved a more imposing residence. Accordingly he bought himself a thirty-four-roomed mansion situated on the outskirts of Fellburn. With the house came the butler, Maitland, who at once made plain his belief that Samuel, far from the gentleman his predecessor had been, was no more than an upstart. So began a clash of wills between master and man, at which Samuel Fairbrother discovered he was at a distinct disadvantage, for Maitland was well skilled in the art of maintaining his indispensability. Fairbrother, for his part, was only too aware that he dare not dispence with Maitland's services. And so an uneasy truce was declared between them. As the years went by and the century turned, Samuel Fairbrother saw his children, one by one, leave the big house to make lives for their own--all except his eldest daughter Janet who, by means of a legacy, was enabled to shape the destiny of her father's scattered family and effect the reconciliation that he thought was impossible.

The Cobbler’s Daughter by Josanne Wilson In search of a better life, young travelers make the journey from Italy to America in the late 1800s. Not only do Guiseppe and Josephine find that better life – they also find each other. What begins as a few stolen glances on the ship soon becomes a clandestine affair. When Josephine realizes she’s pregnant, they both worry about how her abusive husband will react. Enjoy reading the story of how they each make a home in their new homeland, how each endure hardships but find prosperity through hope, love, and a belief in God. Understand that life is short and it’s important to follow your heart.

A New York Times Best Illustrated Book From highly acclaimed author Jenkins and Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator Blackall comes a fascinating picture book in which four families, in four different cities, over four centuries, make the same delicious dessert: blackberry fool. This richly detailed book ingeniously shows how food, technology, and even families have changed throughout American history. In 1710, a girl and her mother in Lyme, England, prepare a blackberry fool, picking wild blackberries and beating cream from their cow with a bundle of twigs. The same dessert is prepared by an enslaved girl and her mother in 1810 in Charleston, South Carolina; by a mother and daughter in 1910 in Boston; and finally by a boy and his father in present-day San Diego. Kids and parents alike will delight in discovering the differences in daily life over the course of four centuries. Includes a recipe for blackberry fool and notes from the author and illustrator about their research.

A poor cobbler and his three sons worry about having food for their Christmas feast, until a playful goblin king pays them a visit.

Dessert for Two takes well-loved desserts and scales them down to make only two servings! Who doesn't love towering three-layer cakes with mounds of fluffy buttercream? Who can resist four dozen cookies fresh from the oven? Wouldn't you love to stick your spoon into a big bowl of banana pudding? But what about the leftovers? Dessert recipes typically serve eight to ten people. Finding the willpower to resist extra slices of cake can be difficult; the battle between leftover cookies and a healthy breakfast is over before it starts. Until now. Dessert for Two takes well-loved desserts and scales them down to make only two servings. Cakes are baked in small pans and ramekins. Pies are baked in small pie pans or muffin cups. Cookie recipes are scaled down to make 1 dozen or fewer. Your favorite bars—brownies, blondies, and marshmallow–rice cereal treats—are baked in a loaf pan, which easily serves two when cut across the middle. Newly married couples and empty-nesters will be particularly enthralled with this miniature dessert guide. To everyone who lives alone: now you can have your own personal-sized cake and eat it, too.

Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, this is the powerful beginning of The Cordwainers, a series from bestselling author Iris Gower. READERS ARE LOVING THE CORDWAINERS! "I loved this book from start to finish..." - 5 STARS. "Seriously recommend..." - 5 STARS. "I have really enjoyed reading this whole series...I would recommend the reading of any of the books by this author." - 5 STARS "Loved these books [-] definitely recommend this series: once you start you will want to read them all" - 5 STARS "You finish one book and you just have to start the next one." - 5 STARS "A perfectly marvellous book!" - 5 STARS ******************************************************** WILL SHE LET MATTERS OF THE HEART CLOUD HER JUDGEMENT? When her father dies, Hari Morgan has no choice to but make a life for herself and her ailing mother and carry on the family shoemaking business. Her talent leads her to an unlikely friendship with Emily Grenfell, the daughter of one of the richest men in Swansea. But friendship is fickle. As their respective fortunes change and they both fall in love with Craig Grenfell, Emily's cousin, Hari must decide whether to follow her heart or her head... The Shoemaker's Daughter is the first title in Iris Gower's The Cordwainers series. The story continues in The Oyster Catchers.

The gripping new saga set in 1920's Liverpool from William Heinemann and Arrow's rising star Returning from the war, handsome Michael Quinn the cobbler is a changed man. He moves his family from their comfortable home to live over a shop in Liverpool's notorious Scotland Road - and though admired and liked by his customers, he is a tyrant at home, ruling his family with a rod of iron and fist of steel. When their mother dies, fourteen-year-old Vera is expected to keep house for him and her brothers Eddy and young Benny. And so begins a life of hardship and little joy for Vera, while Michael drinks away their money. The small wages Eddy and she manage to earn are barely enough to keep the small family going, but then one day Michael brings Di Deverill home and life becomes an even greater trial for Vera...Will she ever be saved from a life of drudgery?