Victorian House

Christmas is always magical for Emmy—a season filled with carols, charity parties at the church, and cherished moments with her mother, Alice. She shares these joys with Reggie, her best friend since childhood, and though they lived humbly in the tenements, her heart is full as long as he is near.

In the wake of losing both her parents, young Joanna believed Bernard Woods was the solution to all her problems. It’s only after her baby, Della, is born that Joanna discovers Bernard is a scoundrel and a drunkard, more interested in gambling than in caring for his little family. When Bernard’s past catches up to him and Joanna finds him dead, police suspect she was the one who drove the knife into his heart. She has no choice but to take her baby and flee into the perilous streets of Victorian London, where children are a commodity and women a convenience…

Daisy Parker’s life is imperfect, but it’s better than she could ever have imagined. Born in a Victorian workhouse, Daisy grew up knowing little other than discipline and desperate need. It is sweet and kind Bart Parker who changes her life by marrying her, giving her everything she holds most dear: a cozy home, a beautiful baby girl named Fannie, and a husband who truly loves her.

Sophia Morgan and Elsie Carter share a unique friendship that defies the rigid social classes of Victorian London. Sophia is a lady; Elsie, a maid; but they’re bound together by a hardship that overcomes all obstacles. Their two children, Quincy and Ada, are raised in the Morgan house together, and their friendship grows steadily into something more. Simon Morgan, Sophia’s husband, is cruel and heartless. When a tragic death renders Simon completely unreasonable, little Ada’s world is torn apart.

Tilly Barton can’t wait for Christmas - it’s her favorite time of the year. Her seafaring husband, Ray, is due home any moment now. Soon, she’ll be baking gingerbread and decorating the tree with her three young children. But, everything changes when Ray is tragically lost at sea. Tilly finds herself a widow with three little ones to think of in the brutality of a London winter. They’re cast into a turmoil of hardship, with Tilly struggling and scraping to keep her little family alive. Christmases come and go, bringing little joy with them.

Nine-year-old Flora didn’t ask to be born into a life of hardship and suffering. When her mother sells her to the owner of the Great Hotel as a scullery maid, Flora learns the value of her life: eight shillings. Life in the Great Hotel is unspeakable. For years, Flora works constantly, half starved and constantly driven by the cruel cook and malicious hotel owner. She would lose hope entirely, were it not for the sweet, gentle boy who visits the Great Hotel from time to time.

Abbie Hughes lives in a tiny, rundown tenement with her crippled father and younger sister. Her mother is long dead, and her brother has gone out to sea. Abbie and her sister, Gail, eke out a living by selling posies and broth on the street corners. It isn’t much, but at least they aren’t starving, and they have each other; in truth, their little tenement is filled with love.

Dinah Shaw has learned not to ask questions about what her mother, Ethel, does for a living. She spends her days trying to keep her younger brother, Ollie, entertained and safe in the tiny Whitechapel tenement where they live. There’s never enough food, and their ominous landlord threatens them continually with eviction. Ethel is gone for days on end - and Dinah’s life is one of hardship and loneliness. The only bright spot in her world is Benjamin Morris, the boy who lives in the tenement next door.

Cara Cooper’s third Christmas starts out as the best she’s ever known. As the daughter of a kitchen maid, she’s just old enough to be really excited. When a kind stranger appears and takes Cara to a beautiful house filled with toys and Christmas treats of every description, she is thrilled. Little does the toddler know that the kind stranger, Edna, has an ulterior motive. Now kidnapped, Cara’s life is set on a collision course with tragedy.

The last thing Lindy Cook wants to do is leave Yorkshire behind. The countryside is the only home she’s ever known, and its splendid landscapes lift her spirits even amidst trouble, so does Titus, the bright-eyed country boy who’s always been her dear friend. Lindy’s troubles are many. Papa has gone to London for work; Mama is quite unwell, and her two little brothers constantly need to be fed and cared for. With no resources, she has no choice but to pack her little family into a stifling railway carriage headed for a whole new world - a world she doesn’t understand.

The streets of Whitechapel are a savage place to grow up, especially during the terrible winter of 1895. Even before she was brought into the world, the odds were stacked against Effie Wilson. Born to two irresponsible, alcoholic parents, Effie is the eldest of five children - none of whom really stand a chance. Matters are made even worse when Effie’s parents disappear one day, never to return. Her only hope could rest in Willie Green, a sweet boy with bright hazel eyes who comes and goes from Effie’s life. If only she knew when he might appear again...

In the filth-ridden streets of East End in London, Young Elsie Griggs knows little more than grueling poverty and constant hunger. When Mama becomes ill, Elsie must get a job to support the family. But working as a personal maid in Whiston Manor proves a constant challenge for Elsie. The only good thing about the manor is Mrs. Whiston's grandson, the kind and charming Andrew - who is out of bounds to Elsie. She has no way of knowing a series of tragedies are barreling toward her that will rip her entire world apart, setting her on a new path. But will this new path include Andrew?

Fae Carter has been hiding all her life. First, her mother keeps her hidden away from the angry, violent man who owns their home. He calls Mama his favorite secret, but Fae knows he's not her father. Fae has to hide whenever he comes because he hates her so much that he hurts her if he finds her. Mama sends Fae to go and live with her grandparents in the country.

Bincy Hall was just seven years old when her mother abandoned her in a marketplace - a moment that will haunt Bincy forever. Discovered by the police, Bincy is taken to an orphanage, where she learns that Mama is not the only person who doesn't want her. In truth, nobody wants her, and Bincy is forced to cling to the orphanage bully Mae for comfort.

Lena Phillips has everything she could want: a father who adores her, a mother who spends hours reading to her, a nursery full of the most wonderful toys. Lena even has Sally Goodman, a doting governess. Lena is only four years old, and she's the happiest little girl in the whole wide world. As Christmas approaches, Lena grows more and more excited - unaware that a dark plot is brewing, and she will be caught in its tendrils.

The grandson of an unconventional marquis and son of a notorious woman, Elijah Watson, Marquis of Ridgefeld, has spent most of his life outside of London. His atypical upbringing has left him longing for roots and a traditional family life, and he's determined to live his life above reproach. When he meets Miss Samantha Pengarden, he believes he's found the woman he wants to marry - except she has other far more sensual ideas for him.

She’s crept back into the home she lost. He’s crept into her heart. Sophie Russell was once society’s darling. But after the disgrace and death of her father, she now finds all doors firmly shut to her - including those of her family home. To discover the secrets now hidden within its beloved walls, she’ll pose as a cook and spy on the estate’s new owner, a broodingly handsome viscount, who may have schemed against the Russells. Instead of dishing up the truth, the viscount tempts Sophie with delicacies of his own…

On a cold, lonely Christmas Eve, 15-year-old Dovie Ellis gives birth to a baby girl she names Christmas. Lost and afraid in the world, Dovie flees, abandoning her child that very same night.

With a longing for adventure, the last thing Phillipa Peppiwell wants is to marry. After a painful betrayal by a man she trusted, she is wary when she unwittingly catches the attention of roguishly handsome - and sinfully tempting - Lord Anthony Thornton. Forbidden desires she secretly yearns for threaten to crumble her icy facade and reveal a past scandal best kept buried.

After Tabetha Barkley’s mother passes away, she finds herself near destitute and without work experience. Out of options, Tabetha pays a visit to the duchess of Devon to call in an old favor owed to her mother. Thomas Kingston proudly serves the duke of Devon’s household, never dreaming of more, until Miss Tabetha Barkley shows up in the duchess’ drawing room. Tabetha and Thomas grow more fond of each other by the day. Before long, their hearts are engaged, but their circumstances demand they remain unattached.