I first saw her on the platform on my way home from work a few weeks ago. She had an aura about her that made people stop and stare. Then I saw her again. And again. Our twice weekly commute into London Waterloo in sync. She was always so poised, so pretty, so perfect. Everything I'm not. In my head, her name's Lucia, and she's a glamorous catwalk model from Milan who commutes from Winchester to attend casting calls in the city. But this morning she's late, barely making the train as the doors close. She doesnt take her usual seat, instead staying close to the doors. . . Then it hits me - she looks terrified. I feel compelled to help her, and against my better judgement I stand up and move towards her. It's then the illusion crumbles. Her name's not Lucia, but Allie. Not a model, but a woman in need of dire help. She tells me she's in danger, that she's done something dreadful and I don't know why I do it, but I promise to keep her safe. But I shouldn't make promises I know I can't keep. Because my life isn't as picture perfect as I like to pretend, and I can't stop wondering if maybe I'm not the only one pretending. . .

Mrs Mary Williams, a colonel's widow, arrives at Silchester Court with Miss Elizabeth Freemantle, who has been brought up as her sister. But Beth is actually the Duke of Silchester's cousin and he is her guardian. When the duke is called away to his estates in the North, Lord Aubrey, the duke's youngest brother, finds himself designated to oversee the London debut of both his sister, Lady Giselle, and his lively cousin, Beth. Mary is only four years older than Aubrey, but she is more worldly and well-travelled and worries that he might lead Beth astray. She and Aubrey become closer as they chaperone the young ladies, but Mary is not thinking of marrying a second time. She values her independence too much, and certainly not to a young gentleman like Lord Aubrey. Only when her reputation is lost, and marriage to Aubrey is impossible, does she understand that her feelings have changed. Will the duke allow her to be part of his prestigious family or is it too late for them to find happiness together?

Lady Madeline Sheldon and her cousin, Miss Elizabeth Freemantle, are given permission to visit Bath if they agree to take Lord Rushton's daughters with them. The two girls have been running wild in London and it is believed that a change of scene will be of benefit to them But Beau, the Duke of Silchester, soon comes to regret his decision to allow his youngest sister and cousin to leave home supervised only by his man of affairs.. Lord Rushton, a close friend of Beau's, is still mourning the loss of his beloved wife and has no intention of ever marrying again. But hen Beth's antics cause Madeline to compromise herself, Rushton steps in - as a gentleman must. Can a union without love make either of them happy?

Bristol, 1941. Coronation Close survives the brutal Bristol Blitz but with rationing, call up papers and new rules and regulations everyone's lives are changed forever. Resident do-gooder PC Percy Routledge's obsession with rules being upheld finds him spying on and reporting fellow neighbours for the slightest infraction whilst his poor brow-beaten wife Margaret can only watch on in shameful silence. It's whispered that one day he'll get his comeuppance. . . Times are hard for everyone and Thelma Dawson certainly has her fair share of upset. Devastating news arrives that her son Charlie's ship has been torpedoed and sank in the Atlantic, his whereabouts unknown. Will he ever return to his wife and their unborn child? Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old daughter Mary has had her head turned by a certain overseas soldier. But where will temptation lead them? Tough times it seems are here to stay and the woman of Coronation Close all have their own battles and problems to overcome. As friendships are nurtured and relationships are tested, tragedy strikes and some home truths need to be faced.

I have six weeks left of my sabbatical in LA before I go home to my family and our business. I've spent months traveling, surfing and working on my tan but I get bored easily and I needed more. So that's what led me to my temporary job at S&M gyms - and Violet West. The most hypnotically beautiful woman I've ever seen, whose killer curves and sharp tongue rock my world. But the clock is ticking and my return ticket is booked. I need to be careful I don't fall too hard. I need to keep my composure when she tempts me to take a leap of faith with her, when she gets me so hot and bothered I end up in the emergency room, and when she invites me into her home and convinces me to break my self-inflicted sex-ban. . . But the biggest risk? When she shows me what it feels like to be really loved, something I know nothing about. And now I don't want to leave. But I know good things never last. . . right?