Victorian Virtues

How can she 'keep the peace' when there's never been any to keep? England, 1850. Bookworm Irene Denton lives with a painful secret. To the citizens of Lindenfell, her mother is a kind, generous lady-but behind closed doors, she's a cruel and controlling tyrant. Stories have always been Irene's refuge, so when the possibility arises for Lindenfell to have a library of its own, Irene is hopeful she'll soon have a safe place to escape her mother's merciless grasp. Solomon Shaw enjoys helping his widowed father run Lindenfell's chemist shop. He wants nothing more than to make his father proud, and to find the courage to win Irene's affections. But the burdensome guilt of a shameful secret has convinced Solomon she can never be his. When the only other person who knows his secret arrives back in town, Solomon fears his hopes will be shattered-and his secret exposed. Amidst untold pressures, Irene and Solomon kindle mutual hope for a future together. Yet, meddling interlopers and long-buried truths soon signal the end of their story. But is the book entirely closed on the hope they once had? Or is a new chapter of peace and love still to be written?

Will God hear their cries and grant them a future together, or will deadly occurrences tear them apart forever? England, 1849. Beatrice Beckwith is an orphaned young lady living with her aunt. On the brink of her deepest wish coming true, her plans unexpectedly collapse. Then, a startling discovery and an outbreak of cholera set in motion a series of catastrophic events, plunging her into even bleaker darkness. Isaac Taylor is forced to leave Miss Beckwith just as he's arranged a meeting to propose. His deceased great-uncle's derelict house needs restoration. But dust is not his only enemy, and a web of secrets soon entangles him. Kept apart against their wills, Beatrice and Isaac must navigate deadly illness, family deception, and scheming neighbours, yearning for the time they'll be reunited. But as they each face their darkest moments, they'll endure more devastation than ever before. Can joy once again be found, or will dangerous circumstances extinguish its light-and their very lives? Brimming with faith and intrigue, this Christian Victorian romance from award-winning author Edwina Kiernan will encourage and delight you long after you turn the last page.

She wants a new life. He's in danger of losing his. Restless and ready for a change, Grace Stratton gladly accepts the opportunity to leave her remote parsonage home to serve as a wealthy spinster's companion in the idyllic country town of Lindenfell. Its warm atmosphere and friendly inhabitants sooth Grace's lonely heart. But when a mysterious stranger arrives, she soon discovers things aren't always what they seem. Convinced chloroform will revolutionise the medical world, Dr. David Carbury frequently administers it to his London patients - until one of them dies. Facing a grave trial to prove his innocence and defend a drug most people view as poisonous, he makes hasty plans to buy time to bolster his case. But he wasn't expecting to face an even deadlier challenge. As attraction sparks not long after they meet, Grace soon suspects he's hiding something, and David knows he can't run from the truth forever. But neither of them could imagine the sinister threat lurking just around the corner…