Mary Wood

Ruth dares to dream of another life - far away from the horrors within the walls of Bethnal Green's infamous orphanage. Luckily she has her friends, Amy and Ellen - but she can't keep them safe, and the suffering is only getting worse. Surely there must be a way out of here? But when Ruth breaks free from the shackles of confinement and sets out into East London, hoping to make a new life for herself, she finds that, for a girl with nowhere to turn,...

Life for Elsie is difficult as she struggles to cope with her alcoholic mother. Caring for her siblings and working long hours at Swift's Jam factory in London's Bermondsey is exhausting. Thankfully her lifelong friendship with Dot helps to smooth over life's rough edges. When Elsie and Dot meet Millie Swift, they are nervous to be in the presence of the bosses' daughter. Over time, they are surprised to feel so drawn to her, but should two East End...

When Sibbie and Marjie arrive at RAF Digby, they are about to take on roles of national importance. It's a cause of great excitement for everyone around them. Perhaps they will become code-breakers, spies even? Soon the pair embark on a rigorous training regime, but nothing can prepare them for what they're about to face. Amid the vineyards of rural France, Flora and Ella can't bear the thought of another war. But as the thunderclouds grow darker,...

A moving story of love and courage during the second world war. In 1941, Theresa Compton is left devastated after giving up her illegitimate child and joins the Special Operations Executive. In London, 1963, Theresa is haunted by her experiences - and her long-lost children are seeking answers. Will Theresa reconcile herself with the past before it is too late?

1916. Edith Mellor is one of the few female surgeons in Britain. Compelled to use her skills for the war effort, she travels to the Somme, where she is confronted with the horrors at the front. Yet amongst the bloodshed on the battlefield, there is a ray of light in the form of the working class Albert, a corporal from the East End of London. But as the brutality of war reveals itself to Albert, he makes a drastic decision that will change both Edith...

Molly lives with her repugnant father, who has betrayed her many times. From a young age, living on the streets of London's East End, she has seen the harsh realities of life. When she's kidnapped by a gang and forced into their underworld, her future seems bleak. Flo spent her early years in an orphanage and is about to turn her hand to teacher training. When a kindly teacher at her school approaches her about a job at Bletchley Park, it could turn...

Abandoned by her father for the second time, left scarred from the orphanage, Ellen finally finds happiness and hope - reunited with her long-lost gran. But it cannot compensate for being torn apart from her beloved friends Ruth and Amy. When a devastating encounter leaves Ellen broken and desperate, she is forced to fight her past demons. Ruth has found peace, building a new life as an actress surrounded by new friends. But still, she longs to be...

Can she heal the wounds of her past? Mags has never forgotten the friendship she forged with Flora and Ella, two fellow nurses she served with at the beginning of World War I. Haunted by what she experienced during that time, she fears a reunion with her friends would bring back the horror she's tried so desperately to suppress. Now, with her wedding on the horizon, this should be a joyful time for Mags. But the sudden loss of her mother and the constant...

The Earl, Lady Katrina and Ruth face a pivotal moment in their lives - one that will not only affect them, but generations to come.

Voluntary nurse Ella is haunted by the soldiers' cries she hears on the battlefields of Dieppe. But that's not the only thing that haunts her. When her dear friend Jim breaks her trust, Ella is left bruised and heartbroken. Over the years, her friendships have been pulled apart at the seams by the effects of war. Now, more than ever, she feels so alone. At a military hospital in France, Ella befriends Connie and Paddy. Slowly she begins to heal, and...