Books like 'A Shine that Defies the Dark'
Readers who enjoyed A Shine that Defies the Dark by Jodi Gallegos also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical 20th century angst suspense forbidden love mafia small town strong heroine competent heroine m-f
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Cloaked in Deception by Cara Devlin
When masked men storm a charity dinner for the Metropolitan and City Police Orphanage, Leonora Spencer and Detective Inspector Jasper Reid are among the many guests forced to witness the pandemonium—and a brutal murder... -
![Arch of Triumph by Erich Maria Remarque]()
Arch of Triumph by Erich Maria Remarque
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsIt is 1939. Despite a law banning him from performing surgery, Ravic – a German doctor and refugee living in Paris – has been treating some of the city’s most elite citizens for two years on the behalf of two less-than-skillful French physicians... -
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![The Dance Teacher of Paris by Suzanne Fortin]()
The Dance Teacher of Paris by Suzanne Fortin
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 26 ratings'But how will I look after them? Where can I hide them? ' She looked up at me and didn't try to stop the tears from falling. 'I'm begging you. Please, save our children. '. Paris, 1942. As the Germans occupy the city she calls home, Adele Basset is determined to keep her pupils' spirits up. Their dance class offers a moment of solace in the dark days of occupation... -
![Harpers Heroes by Rosie Clarke]()
Harpers Heroes by Rosie Clarke
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of the Welcome to Harpers Emporium and The Mulberry Lane Series. The Harpers Girls come face to face with the harsh reality of the cruelty of war. Oxford Street, London 1915. Sally Harper quietly battles to keep Harpers afloat in the difficult days of the war, whilst husband Ben is working all hours for the War Office... -
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![Love and Duty at Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke]()
Love and Duty at Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsCambridgeshire – 1942 As a new year begins and the war continues, young Artie Talbot feels trapped. In his heart he longs to fight, like his two brothers, for his king and country but is duty tied to Blackberry Farm. As feelings grow between Artie and Jeanie Salmons, Artie wonders if marriage will help him to finally accept his lot and settle down... -
![The German Daughter by Marius Gabriel]()
The German Daughter by Marius Gabriel
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsThe band new absolutely gripping and heartbreaking World War II historical novel from master storyteller Marius Gabriel. What readers are saying about Marius 'A must read for fans of WW2 books , it not only educates you. .. but also breaks your heart . .. . Five stars for this book. .. I loved it and cried at the end' Reader review, 5 stars'A wonderful, unputdownable book. . -
![Just Once: A Novel by Karen Kingsbury]()
Just Once: A Novel by Karen Kingsbury
The #1 New York Times bestselling author “known for her deeply heartfelt novels” ( Woman’s World ) writes a sweeping World War II love story about a young woman torn between two brothers. In 1941, beautiful Irvel Holland is too focused on her secret to take much notice of the war raging overseas... -
![The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon]()
The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of What the Wind Knows and From Sand and Ash comes a powerful love story about a musical duo who put everything on the line to be together. New York, 1960: For Benny Lament, music is his entire life. With his father’s deep ties to the mob, the Bronx piano man has learned that love and family can get you in trouble...Categorized as:
20th century forbidden love mafia historical length-long audiobook standalone standalone-first -
![For Your Love by Beverly Jenkins]()
For Your Love by Beverly Jenkins
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsNAACP nominee and bestselling author Beverly Jenkins returns to Henry Adams, Kansas—an unforgettable place that anyone would want to call home—with a story of family, friends, and the powerful forces from our past that can irrevocably shape our future...Categorized as:
suspense small town m-f contemporary historical multicultural black-mc african-american -
![A Storm of Infinite Beauty by Julianne MacLean]()
A Storm of Infinite Beauty by Julianne MacLean
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFrom the bestselling author of Beyond the Moonlit Sea comes an atmospheric tale of how one woman’s search for the truth uncovers long-hidden secrets and rocks the very foundation of her world. Scarlett Fontaine is a true Hollywood legend—a singer, actress, and beloved fashion icon. But Scarlett dies tragically at just thirty-six years old, leaving behind no children. Or so the story goes…... -
![Dark Warrior by Kathryn Le Veque]()
Dark Warrior by Kathryn Le Veque
Rated: 4.73 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIt’s the Dark Knight’s wild son, Cortland “Cort” de Russe in an adventure that could see him executed for treason. March Medieval Madness has arrived! 1518 A. D. – As a decorated knight for Henry VIII, Cort is sent to Ireland to assist the Earls of Kildare in ruling The Pale, the only strip of Ireland that the English ruled uncontested in the whole country... -
![Greek Island Escape by Patricia M Wilson]()
Greek Island Escape by Patricia M Wilson
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe new escapist novel from the author of Island of Secrets . Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore and Lucinda Riley. 'I am Sofia. I am searching for my daughter, born 1st November 1972 . Can you help me? '. On the beautiful beaches of Crete, an old woman is handing out scraps of paper. Sofia, eighty-five years old, unable to speak, is desperate to find a daughter she has never known... -
![The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester]()
The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHow did a young Parisienne mother, celebrated for her beauty and glamour, come to lead the largest spy network in France? A powerful, heartbreaking historical novel by the New York Times bestselling author. Morocco, 1928. Eighteen-year-old Frenchwoman Marie-Madeleine is not the kind of woman who goes through life sitting down, something her new husband can attest... -
![The Irish Midwife by Seána Tinley]()
The Irish Midwife by Seána Tinley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"I was engaged in every second I had with this book" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. "Wonderfully heartwarming tale about her journey to become a fully qualified midwife and to find her soulmate" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Don't miss this emotional and heartwarming historical novel, perfect for fans of Mandy Robotham and Anna Stuart...Categorized as:
20th century small town historical length-long audiobook first-in-series standalone-first -
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![Blitz Spirit at Harbour House: A BRAND NEW historical saga filled with family, forgiveness and survival from Fenella J. Miller by Fenella J Miller]()
Blitz Spirit at Harbour House: A BRAND NEW historical saga filled with family, forgiveness and survival from Fenella J. Miller by Fenella J Miller
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe brand new heart-wrenching WW2 saga from bestselling author Fenella J. Miller, set during the Blitz! Perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Lizzie Lane ❤️ Can love survive the scars of the past when war brings them back together? September 1940... -
![The Boy Who Granted Dreams by Luca Di Fulvio]()
The Boy Who Granted Dreams by Luca Di Fulvio
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 30 ratings1909. Ellis Island. Arriving off one of the many transatlantic freighters are Cetta Luminita and her illegitimate baby boy Natale, fleeing the poverty and violence of their Southern Italian hometown. Having sacrificed everything, and endured every possible shame, Cetta has but one wish: that her baby should be an American, and grow up with the freedom to decide his own destiny... -
![Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen]()
Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsA woman’s future is determined by fate and choice in a gripping WWII novel about danger, triumph, and second chances by the New York Times bestselling author of The Venice Sketchbook and The Tuscan Child. London, 1940. Bombs fall and Josie Banks’s world crumbles around her. Her overbearing husband, Stan, is unreachable, called to service. Her home, a ruin of rubble and ash... -
![Family Affairs at the Orchard Cottage Hospital by Lizzie Lane]()
Family Affairs at the Orchard Cottage Hospital by Lizzie Lane
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTimes are changing as secrets unfold…. Somerset, 1931. Doctor Frances Brakespeare continues to settle into her new life in rural Somerset at Orchard Cottage Hospital, striving to improve the medical treatments on offer to the community... -
![Finding Friends on Beamer Street by Sheila Riley]()
Finding Friends on Beamer Street by Sheila Riley
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe start of a brand new series from Sheila Riley, bestselling author of the Reckoner's Row saga series! Liverpool 1921. Pregnant, Mary Jane Starlings secret wedding to Paddy Redfern ends in disaster when her fiancé is murdered on the way to the church. Paddy’s wayward twin ‘Red’ intercepts Mary Jane and warns that they must flee Ireland for fear of reprisals from her family, never to return... -
![Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers]()
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsAn alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here. The great Dorothy L. Sayers is considered by many to be the premier detective novelist of the Golden Age, and her dashing sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey, one of mystery fiction’s most enduring and endearing protagonists... -
![Come Fly with Me by Camille Di Maio]()
Come Fly with Me by Camille Di Maio
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIt’s 1962, the dawn of the jet-set era. Hope takes flight for two Pan Am stewardesses navigating an adventurous new life in a novel about love, friendship, and escape by the bestselling author of The Memory of Us and Until We Meet. Welcome to a glamorous gateway to the jet age... -
![A Family Secret by Rosie Clarke]()
A Family Secret by Rosie Clarke
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe continuation of 'The Family Feud' series from Bestselling Author Rosie Clarke With the war finally over, the Searles family are left shell shocked and broken. 1946, Stretton Village – Cambridgeshire. Frances is finally about to see her dreams realized as Marcus finally returns from the war. But the threat of her father-in-law and a much-changed Marcus, leave Frances in a perilous situation... -
![Family Matters at Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke]()
Family Matters at Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe BRAND NEW instalment in Rosie Clarke's Blackberry Farm Series Praise for Rosie. 'Brilliant read. Wonderful characters that draw you into Harpers world. Thoroughly enjoyable. ' Kitty Neale. 'A thoroughly enjoyable read. ' Reader Review. 'Another cracking read from Rosie Clarke. .. I heartily recommend that you read her books. ' Reader Review... -
![Cocky Origins by Faleena Hopkins]()
Cocky Origins by Faleena Hopkins
Rated: 4.78 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA period-piece novel to charm the pants right off of you. .. New to the series? A prequel is a great place to start. Fan of the series? Oh boy, are you going to love this. Miss May Eloise Kearns meets for the very first time the young and oh-so-handsome Jerald Daniel Cocker, a submarine planesman for the Navy on special leave in Georgia, U. S. A. , at the end of World War II. True Love. . -
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![The Nanny Outside the Gates by Shari J. Ryan]()
The Nanny Outside the Gates by Shari J. Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAuschwitz, 1944. With trembling hands, Halina unfolds the letter hidden in the book her mother left her, then drops it with a strangled cry. The letter contains the answers she’s always searched for—and puts her in unimaginable danger…... -
![The Book of Lost Children by Jenny O'Brien]()
The Book of Lost Children by Jenny O'Brien
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA wartime nurse risks everything to protect mothers and babies in Nazi-occupied Guernsey. Decades later, a hidden record reveals a devastating family truth. Based on a remarkable true story of one woman’s extraordinary courage. Guernsey, 1943. As German forces tighten their grip on the Channel Islands, nurse Evelyn Nightingale guards a dangerous secret... -
![The Women of Fishers Wharf by Tracy Baines]()
The Women of Fishers Wharf by Tracy Baines
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsCan you leave the past behind and embrace the future? - A brand new series from Tracy Baines. Great Grimsby, 1912. Newlywed fisherman Alec Hardy decides to make a fresh start with his young wife Letty and move to the thriving fishing port of Grimsby in search of a brighter future... -
![The Country Bride by Dilly Court]()
The Country Bride by Dilly Court
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe third book in the dramatic new Village Secrets trilogy from the Sunday Times bestselling author. The time had come to leave Creek Manor. Their relationship was doomed from the start, he was the master of the house and she the servant…. Summer, Little Creek 1879. For most of her life, Judy Begg has been a loyal servant at Creek Manor and to Jack Fox, its future lord... -
![Courage for the Clarks Factory Girls: A BRAND NEW instalment in May Ellis' heartfelt wartime saga series for 2024 by May Ellis]()
Courage for the Clarks Factory Girls: A BRAND NEW instalment in May Ellis' heartfelt wartime saga series for 2024 by May Ellis
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 11 ratings1915: As war continues to rage across the Channel, the families of the Somerset village of Street can no longer avoid its long shadow. Workers in the Clarks shoe factory, at the heart of the village, have left for the army in droves, and news from the Front seems to grow darker by the day. When life-long friends Louisa, Jeannie and Kate receive the news they had been fearing, all hope seems lost... -
![The Girl from Vichy by Andie Newton]()
The Girl from Vichy by Andie Newton
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 25 ratings1942, occupied France. As the war in Europe rages on, Adèle Ambeh dreams of a France that is free from the clutches of the new regime. The date of her marriage to a ruthless man is drawing closer, and she only has one choice – she must run. With the help of her mother, Adèle flees to Lyon, seeking refuge at the Sisters of Notre Dame de la Compassion... -
![Before the King : by Heather Kaufman]()
Before the King : by Heather Kaufman
Rated: 4.86 of 5 stars · 7 ratings"Heather Kaufman is a truly fresh voice in biblical fiction. "--TESSA AFSHAR, bestselling author. Joanna's wealthy family aspires to Herod's inner circle, but when her father's esteemed position in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin is threatened, her family harbors a dark secret...Categorized as:
strong heroine suspense historical christian marriage of convenience length-medium audiobook -
![The Orphan Daughter by Sheila Riley]()
The Orphan Daughter by Sheila Riley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWinter, Liverpool 1947. Evie Kilgaren is a fighter. Abandoned by her mother and with her father long gone, she is left to raise her siblings in dockside Liverpool, as they battle against the coldest winter on record. But she is determined to make a life for herself and create a happy home for what's left of her family...Categorized as:
20th century suspense historical mystery length-medium first-in-series standalone-first -
![The Whisper Sister by Jennifer S. Brown]()
The Whisper Sister by Jennifer S. Brown
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe author of Modern Girls delivers an atmospheric coming-of-age story set in Prohibition-era New York, tracing one immigrant family’s fortunes and a young girl’s journey from the schoolyard to the speakeasy. The streets of New York in 1920 are most certainly not paved with gold, as Minnie Soffer learns when she arrives at Ellis Island... -
![The Butterfly Garden by Rachel Burton]()
The Butterfly Garden by Rachel Burton
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA gripping and beautiful tale of love, loss and secrets. Perfect for fans of Rachel Hore, Lorna Cook and Kathryn Hughes. 1963: When Clara Samuels buys Butterfly Cottage, she knows the scandal she’ll cause. A single woman buying property is not the ‘done thing’, especially not in a village like Carybrook... -
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![With Love From Ma Maguire by Ruth Hamilton]()
With Love From Ma Maguire by Ruth Hamilton
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the very first meeting of Philly Maguire and Richard Swainbank, a pattern of overpowering love, conflict, hatred, and secrecy was born. For although Philly and Richard were on opposite sides of the mill floor, they recognised - both of them - that they were equally matched in strength of character and the capacity for overwhelming sexual passion... -
![The Midnight Secret by Karen Swan]()
The Midnight Secret by Karen Swan
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIf there’s one thing Jayne Ferguson has learnt in her life, it’s that every blessing comes with a curse. She married the most handsome man on the isle of St Kilda - but he’s a bully. She inherited her mother’s gift of second sight - but only ever forsees her fellow islanders’ deaths. She has learnt to keep to herself, treading in the shadows and shirking the highs for fear of the lows... -
![The Marriage of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King]()
The Marriage of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsLaurie R. King takes readers way back in her bestselling series with this exclusive ebook short story, as Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes embark upon the riskiest adventure of their their wedding. Includes a special preview of the highly anticipated new mystery from Laurie R... -
![The Angel of Warsaw by Rebecca Scott]()
The Angel of Warsaw by Rebecca Scott
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsInspired by true events, blending white-knuckle suspense with wartime romance, a woman who would become known as the female Schindler, risks everything to smuggle children out of the ghetto and away from the grasp of the Gestapo…. Warsaw, 1939. The Nazi invasion shatters the city, as Nazi banners rise, hunger gnaws, and walls create a ghetto... -
![A Song in the Dark by Kimberley Woodhouse]()
A Song in the Dark by Kimberley Woodhouse
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAgainst the simmering backdrop of the impending WWII, blind virtuoso pianist Chaisley Frappier embarks on a concert tour through a rapidly changing Europe despite the dangers. When she learns that Hitler's escalating regime of injustice is targeting other disabled people, Chaisley realizes she is in a prime position to help those who are threatened reach safety... -
![Murder in Manhattan by Julie Mulhern]()
Murder in Manhattan by Julie Mulhern
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsInspired by one of the first real-life female columnists at the New Yorker, this enticing historical mystery follows Freddie Archer as she solves crimes while reporting on the glamorous world of the rich and famous in 1920s Manhattan. This writer just found her next scoop . . . and it’s deadly... -
![The Forgotten Wife: The most gripping, heartwrenching page-turner of summer 2019 by Lorna Cook]()
The Forgotten Wife: The most gripping, heartwrenching page-turner of summer 2019 by Lorna Cook
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA timeless story of love and sacrifice, perfect for fans of Martha Hall Kelly and Pam Jenoff and Gill Paul. 'I was so absorbed that I read it in a single day' KATE RIORDAN, author of The Girl in the Photograph. ‘A gripping tale of secrets and love… I loved it’ LIZ FENWICK, author of The Cornish House... -
![The Mersey Mothers by Sheila Riley]()
The Mersey Mothers by Sheila Riley
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLiverpool 1953. January sees the dawn of the Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation year as the mothers of Reckoners Row unite in preparation for the celebration of the new Queen. Meanwhile Evie Kilgaren is dreaming of her summer wedding to Danny Harris, but trouble looms for Skinner & Sons with a new rival trying to put them out of business, but no-one knows why. .. -
![A Valley Secret by Anna Jacobs]()
A Valley Secret by Anna Jacobs
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe second in the brand new Backshaw Moss series by beloved and acclaimed author Anna Jacobs - more information coming soon! Book 1, A VALLEY DREAM, is available now! Can't wait for more Anna Jacobs? Make sure you're not missing out with this list of first books in her other series:. A Daughter's Journey (Birch End Series). One Quiet Woman (Ellindale Series). Salem Street (Gibson Family Series)... -
![The Stolen Hours by Karen Swan]()
The Stolen Hours by Karen Swan
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratings‘A gripping new series . . . beautifully told by one of our most prolific and talented writers’ - Santa Montefiore on The Last Summer. A reluctant bride. A forbidden romance. An island full of secrets . . . It’s the summer of 1929 and Mhairi MacKinnon is in need of a husband. As the eldest girl among nine children, her father has made it clear he can’t support her past the coming winter...Categorized as:
small town 20th century suspense historical arranged marriage pregnancy length-long audiobook -
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![Gruppenführer's Mistress by Ellie Midwood]()
Gruppenführer's Mistress by Ellie Midwood
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratings"Gruppenführer’s Mistress" is book two in the series “The Girl from Berlin,” which continues to follow Annalise’s story... -
![A Daughter's Disgrace by Kitty Neale]()
A Daughter's Disgrace by Kitty Neale
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA heartrending story of family shame from Sunday Times bestseller, Kitty Neale. A gritty London tale, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Nadine Dorries and Maureen Lee. 1950s Battersea is no place for a shamed woman…. Fractured. Alison is the ugly duckling of her family and has always been treated with disdain by her mother... -
![Cave of Silence by Kostas Krommydas, Maria Christou]()
Cave of Silence by Kostas Krommydas, Maria Christou
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA Love So Strong, It Ripples Through The Ages. Dimitri, a young actor, is enjoying the lucky break of his life—a part in an international production shot on an idyllic Greek island and a romance with Anita, his beautiful co-star. When his uncle dies, he has one last wish: that Dimitri scatters his ashes on the island of his birthplace... -
![The Girl in the Picture by Kerry Barrett]()
The Girl in the Picture by Kerry Barrett
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsTwo women. One house. Centuries of secrets. East Sussex Coast, 1855. Violet Hargreaves is the lonely daughter of a widowed industrialist, and an aspiring Pre-Raphaelite painter. One day, the naïve eighteen-year-old meets Edwin; a mysterious and handsome man on the beach, who promises her a world beyond the small costal village she’s trapped in... -
![Touching the Wire by Rebecca Bryn]()
Touching the Wire by Rebecca Bryn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLibrarian note: alternate cover edition ASIN - B00MX5TRPY. Part One - In the Shadow of the Wolf. In a death camp in 1940’s Poland, a young doctor and one of his nurses struggle to save lives. As their relationship blossoms, amid the death and deprivation, they join the camp resistance and, despite the danger of betrayal, he steals damning evidence of war-crimes... -
![The Orphan House by Ann Bennett]()
The Orphan House by Ann Bennett
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsTwo women uncover the secrets of the past in this emotional and poignant story that’s perfect for fans of Lisa Wingate and Kristina McMorris. 1934: Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs in the English countryside...
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