In the turbulent 1640s English families and friends are divided by war, their loyalties fragmented.
Lysbeth comes to hate both factions.
Her first encounter with the realities of war is when she clashes with Sir James Howard, a Royalist
officer requisitioning sheep to feed the army.
Opposing her Royalist family she turns for reassurance to her childhood friend, Tom Bridges, who is a soldier for Parliament.
As the conflict grows she experiences Parliamentary atrocities, witnesses the bloody carnage of the
battle of Naseby and is threatened by the unbridled, battle-weary soldiers in its aftermath.
She has to resolve the turmoil of her own emotions, influenced by the two men who, in their different ways, have helped to shape her life.
Drusilla's family are urging her to accept an offer from another merchant's son
but she is reluctant, even more so when she meets the dashing Cavalier,
Sir Randal Thornton, and he aids Drusilla during the Parliamentary siege of Reading.
She realises how impossible it would be for her attraction to come to anything,
especially as her brother is fighting for Parliament and joined the protest
against the King's Ship Money tax.
Then the town of Reading and its inhabitants are in greater danger, and Drusilla
longs to go back to her home in Devizes.
Robert Hale 1981 ISBN 0709186940
Ulverscroft 1992 ISBN 0708925928
Cornwall is remote, but not therefore isolated from the war in the rest of England.
Kate, living in Saltash, is looking forward to marriage with Jonathan, and disappointed it has
to be delayed when he joins the King's army.
Then the arrogant Petroc Tremaine, owner of a ship which harasses Parliamentary vessels,
sweeps into her life and insists Jon is not the right man for her.
Kate longs to be safely married and away from his perturbing influence, especially when she
discovers his suspicions about Jon and Jon's dislike of Petroc.
As the war comes closer Kate and her mother go to stay with relatives in Fowey and she sees more of Petroc whose family live nearby.
Robert Hale 1977 ISBN 0709162502 Dales 1995 ISBN 1853895733
Lucy has been brought up with her cousins and never knew her parents, or even who her father was.
When she hears that her grandmother, living in a small village, is ill, she insists on going to care for her.
At first all is well but after the grandmother dies the villagers begin to treat Lucy with suspicion, claiming she is a witch.
When Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General arrives, Lucy is in great danger until there is unexpected relief from the reclusive Squire and his heir.
After the Battle of Naseby Sir John Emrey brings a dying Highland chieftain's heir to his home
and promises to restore his sword to his clan.
When his mother and sister Blanche are driven from their home in the north of England,
they plan to go to relatives in Ireland after delivering the sword, but are persuaded to
stay in Scotland where Blanche becomes a friend and companion to Fiona Macdonald, the new heir.
Sir John goes to fight with Montrose, while Fiona is beseiged with suitors eager to take control
of her inheritance. There are her cousins, and her neighbour the Black Campbell. And danger from her aunt and uncle, the next in line to rule the clan.
Robert Hale 1979 ISBN 0709172613
Ulverscroft 1991 ISBN 0708924115
Determined not to allow a band of roaming Cavaliers to enter her home, Caro threatens their leader with a pistol. When he ignores her challenge she shuts her eyes and fires.
Compelled to nurse him when her shot grazes his head, she gradually realises she must protect him from his enemies. But that is not enough. His enemies become hers, and to escape them she has to trust herself to his protection.
Previously published under the pseudonym Livvy West
Ulverscroft 2001 ISBN 0708997422
Based on Honor and Passion previously published under the pseudonym Vesta Hathaway Dime Store Novels ISBN 1563179970
Barbara's arranged marriage took place when she was still a child.
Her husband Ludovick was a supporter of King Charles I, fighting in his armies, and comes to claim her only to find Barbara has fallen in love with a neighbour and wants to have her marriage annulled.
Ludovick refuses to free her, and sets about wooing his bride.
Robert Hale 1977 ISBN 0709156316
Ulverscroft 1994 ISBN 0708931170
She is in love with her brother Gerard's former friend, Randolph, and meeting him secretly.
When she discovers he means to betray Gerard, who is working to help restore Charles II to the throne, he dare not leave her and abducts her, taking her on a fishing boat.
They are captured by Josselin, a French Privateer, who takes them to his chateau.
Randolph escapes, and fearing for Gerard they chase him to St Malo, and the wide bay with its rapidly retreating tide.
How can Gerard be saved and Randolph defeated?
Review of Sibylla and the Privateer ebook
Fantastic Read
In Sibylla And The Privateer, Marina Oliver brings us into a world of yesteryear: a world of
old-style courtesy, but also of swashbuckling heroism; of domineering parents and persistent
scoundrels, hot tempered young women and unexpected decency.
If a taste of the sea is what you are after, Ms. Oliver surely does not disappoint: from the
swarthy pirate searching hapless vessels for plunder, difficulties involving sailing, and the
requisite swordplay, it is all here! Surprisingly, though all things appropriately 'pirate'
appear, the plot is fresh and unpredictable, characters enjoyable, and all the action keeps you turning the pages. Do read.
- The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews, Barnes&Noble, December 2013
Miles Talbot, spy, is sent to England by the exiled Charles II in the mid-1650s to sound out what
support there is for a restoration.
He meets Cherry Weston, a beautiful and wealthy young widow who holds many entertainments for
Parliamentarians at the time of the Parliament of the Saints.
Among her frequent guests is Dare-to-be-Faithful-to-God Denham, a man who believes all enjoyment
is wicked but who is drawn to Cherry despite himself.
Miles is soon welcomed to Cherry's bed, but while he fails to learn anything from her he
suspects she is attempting to discover his secrets. She has at least two other lovers, young Parliamentarians.
He has to leave her while he travels the country on the pretence of purchasing a small
estate, but in reality to visit known Royalists and gauge what support there is for the King.
Robert Hale 1976 ISBN 0709153759
Ulverscroft 2002 ISBN 0708997759
Sanchia is stranded in Limoges when her father is killed and their money stolen.
She is working at an inn to earn money to travel to her uncle in Orleans when she encounters Royalist Sir John Morriss and the arrogant Comte de St Savin. Rejecting the demands of the Comte and the innkeeper she flees, and again meets Sir John who is working for the Restoration of Charles II.
Discovering her uncle has moved to Brussels she accepts Sir John's escort, and becomes involved in the plots surrounding the King as he awaits the call from England.
Robert Hale 1978 ISBN 0709169663
Ulverscroft 1992 ISBN 0708926797
While Isabella and her family were with King Charles II in exile she was jilted, and has set her mind against any marriage. Instead she wants the lovely Clare, her younger sister, to restore the family fortunes with a wealthy husband.
When they visit London for the coronation festivities she decides it is the ideal time for Clare to attract eligible suitors such as Jason Marlowe, but he appears to be destined for their cousin Frances.
Meanwhile men who are far from eligible have to be deterred.
Clare, however, is unwilling to be sacrificed, especially as she has her own ideas of who will be the best husband for her.
This brings Isabella into unexpected danger as she attempts to save Clare from an improvident move.
Robert Hale 1978 ISBN 0709166427 Chivers (MacMillan) 1994 ISBN 0745110932
Hugo, Earl of Winton, needs a wife and an heir if his weak cousin William, with his unpleasant
French wife Hortense and the son who might not be her husband's, is not to succeed him.
He decides Philippa Stannerly will be suitable. She is pretty and an heiress. Philippa, in love with Charles, is distraught.
Then her French cousin Sophie du Plessis comes to London and promises to help her. Their
mothers were twins and the girls are sufficiently alike to confuse people who do not know them well.
When Hugo sees Sophie on her own he offers her a lift home, intending to pursue his
suit in the belief she is Philippa. She maintains the deception, hoping to prove to her uncle that Hugo is not a fit husband for Philippa.
Her behaviour is, however, unlike Philippa's shy response and Hugo is intrigued.
Robert Hale 1980 ISBN 0709184115
Ulverscroft 1991 ISBN 0708971016
The Earl of Winton was a notorious rake at the Court of Charles II, but falls in love with Sophie when he abducts her in mistake for her cousin Philippa.
They plan their wedding, but Sophie and her parents must go home to France where her grandmother is ill.
Strange happenings follow them and they suspect Hugo's discarded mistress, Kate Trent, and Monsieur de Terville, a probable agent of King Louis XIV, both of whom wish them ill.
Robert Hale 1981 ISBN 0709191812 Ulverscroft 1993 ISBN 0708974597