Showing results by narrator "Maria Nicola Johnson" in All Categories

Eight-year-old Sharon Rowling has a lot to contend with. Her stunning mum, Maria, literally stops traffic with her beauty, much to the dismay of her dodgy dad, Ricky, who is under height and underemployed. Then there's her three excruciating siblings plus her unhinged Shetland pony, all of whom remain stubbornly oblivious to the fact that Sharon's deepest fear might soon become a reality.

It is 1535, and in the tumultuous years of King Henry VIII’s break from Rome, the religious houses of England are being seized by force. Twenty-year-old Catherine Havens is a foundling and the adopted daughter of the prioress of the Priory of Mount Grace in a small Yorkshire village.

East Berlin, 1982. When Greta Schneider meets Henry Henderson, she is instantly smitten. An engineer on a work visa from Britain, Henry offers Greta a taste of the world beyond the Iron Curtain, a world that she yearns to explore as a translator once she finishes university. For Henry, Greta is simply perfect—bold and beautiful, adding a vital spark to his everyday life.

After losing a hand at Waterloo and selling out of the military, Captain William Allen has little to live for. But when he encounters the clever and exquisite Margaret Blackburn, the necessity of extricating her from a moneylender's clutches gives him a new purpose in life. If Margaret is to remain in London long enough to realise her goal of becoming a published author, William must convince Margaret's mother that he is a suitor in earnest.

When Lady Jemima Fitzwater is dismissed from Princess Charlotte’s household, she discovers that her invalid mother at Cavendish Square has been running through money like water. Jemima tries to fend off the mounting debts, but an unfortunate indiscretion from her past threatens to destroy both her reputation and her resolve. The only person who might be able to help is her man of business, Mr. Talbot, but is telling him her secret too high a price to pay?

was in love with the romance and beauty of the dancing white horses of Spain and Portugal and the artistry of Baroque Classical riding. When my young Lusitano colt arrived from Portugal, his purity and intelligence deeply affected me. His joy and precociousness was captivating. Yet, if I was to turn him into a riding horse, how was I to achieve this without affecting all the connection and engagement I already felt with him? I was in a dilemma, and I began to realize I wanted more than the prescribed horsemanship offered for Unico within its lens of goals and competitiveness.

Sara Schönflies, a young Jewish woman from a line of gifted tailors and seamstresses, finds her world shattered by the rise of the Nazi regime. When Sara and her sisters are transferred to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, their talent becomes a lifeline. Their survival hinges on sewing beautiful dresses for the wives of SS officers and Nazi dignitaries. Amidst the horrors and suffering, Sara's determination, her sisters' unwavering courage, unyielding defiance, and the unexpected friendship with a member of the Sonderkommando become beacons of hope.

Cassandra Comfort's goal for the season is to make an eligible match that will elevate her family's fortunes. But when her luckless brother wagers a marker with her name on it, she must retrieve it before scandal destroys her chances. The only problem is that the politely precise Gerrold Tavinstock won't give the marker back, and every plan to force it from his grasp seems to go desperately awry....

Following the demise of the old rector, newly reformed Thomas Allen receives a position as vicar near Allen Abbey, his boyhood home. But memories of Thomas’ wild youth cause both the gentry and the country folk to doubt his sanctity and sincerity. Only Mary Bates, the daughter of the Abbey’s steward, seems willing to believe that the leopard has truly changed his spots.

When Felicity Comfort meets a mysterious artist by the Serpentine in Hyde Park, she has no idea just how moneyed, miserable, and notorious the gentleman actually is. But even when she discovers the truth about the Earl of Anderly, she cannot help feeling a mysterious urge to seek him out. Magnus Blackstone, the Earl of Anderly, has retreated from society ever since the horrific incident that destroyed his life five years ago.

Through a 4-week programme, this book encourages you to transform your life through 22 specially designed, tried-and-tested Power Moves. The Power Moves range from the deceptively simple, like waking up naturally and unfollowing someone toxic, to more challenging, scientifically proven boosts to physical and mental resilience, like nose-breathing breath work or getting rejected once a day.

I offer this book is up as another series of meditations. As before it is presented in small meditative vignettes that focus upon the relationship between horse and rider and the inner dialogue and consciousness between them. Through this relationship it explores the sacred and indivisible nature of all life, its connection and non-duality.

It’s midwinter in 1539, and Catherine Havens Overton has just given birth to her second child, a daughter. The convent in which she was raised is now part of the Overton lands, and Catherine’s husband William owns the properties that once belonged to her mother’s family. With a son, Robert, and her new daughter, Veronica, Catherine’s life as the mistress of a great household should be complete.

Gaslight flickers. Fog curls through forgotten streets. And in the shadows of great houses and haunted towns, something ancient stirs. In this series of standalone yet interconnected gothic tales, bestselling author Stephanie Marcum leads listeners deep into the heart of Victorian horror—where wealth and privilege mask curses, family legacies are written in blood, and the line between salvation and damnation grows perilously thin.

In a world invisible to human eyes, the enchanting Faery Realm exists. Entering a secret portal from the mundane to the magical begins Tansy WaterSprite's adventure of sparkling danger. Her evil guardian is stalking her with a different, dark agenda. Only "littles" who have been monitored since birth and passed secret tests are invited to attend the Faery Academy of QuillSnap, but not everyone gets to stay. Those who overcome the dangerous obstacles during the Night of the Purple Moon will determine who stays.

At just fifteen years old, Veronica Fancourt is already turning heads with her compelling stories, inspired by her vivid dreams. Her latest publication is a gripping tale of heists and cathedrals, entitled "The Countess's Keep." It's captured the imagination of everyone who chances to read it, including someone for whom it is no mere fantasy. Meanwhile, an employee of a coffee roaster in Trieste discovers her bosses are more than ordinary businessmen. She finds herself tied up in a dark warehouse as bait for a sister she insists she doesn't have.