Short Stories/Novellas

Striking, raven-haired Cecile produces the finest lemons on the Riviera. Her ice creams, pies, lemonades, sold on her stall at the internationally famous Cannes market, are as renowned as the Mediterranean city itself. Tourists travel from everywhere to meet her. But Cecile is a woman who no one draws close to, a woman with a secret. Cecile, when she was nineteen and a shy student, travelled south to a lemon festival on the borders of Italy and France. She was intending to let her hair down, to enjoy two crazy weeks of fun. She was not anticipating the enigmatic Italian who offered her a future beyond her wildest dreams. But at what cost? The Girl in Room Fourteen is a heartrending love story set on the warm shores of the Mediterranean. Carol Drinkwater is a multi-award winning actress who is best known for her portrayal of Helen Herriot in the BBC television series, All Creatures Great and Small. Carol is the author of twenty books, both fiction and non-fiction, and has achieved bestselling status, over a million copies sold worldwide, with her series of memoirs set on an Olive Farm in the south of France.

Genevieve Bowles is an award-winning songwriter who visits the south of France to attend the Cannes film festival. The day after the renowned festival's closing ceremony, Genevieve is invited to visit the newly-refurbished Hotel Paradise. Genevieve knows the hotel well – in fact, her past life there has haunted her for over a decade... Twelve years earlier, two travellers have met in Paris. Genevieve dreams of becoming a famous songwriter, while Paul is determined to be a professional photographer. Full of optimism, they hitch south to the Riviera where they answer an advertisement for live-in help at the Hotel Paradise, located on an island just off the French coast. There the young couple are seduced by the tranquility and magical beauty of the hotel and its setting. But the island has a darker side, with a history of bloodshed that fills Genevieve with foreboding. When a stranger arrives who threatens her future with Paul, Genevieve senses that events are about to spin out of control … Anglo-Irish actress Carol Drinkwater is still well-known for her award-winning portrayal of Helen Herriot in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small. A popular and acclaimed author and film-maker as well, Carol has published twenty books for both the adult and young adult markets. She is currently at work on her twenty-first title. When she purchased a rundown property overlooking the Bay of Cannes in France, she discovered almost seventy 400-year-old olive trees. Along with her French husband, Michel, Carol reclaimed the land and began producing top-quality olive oil. Her series of memoirs recounting their experiences on the farm (The Olive Farm, The Olive Season, The Olive Harvest and Return to the Olive Farm) have become international bestsellers, and the related travel books,The Olive Route and The Olive Tree, inspired the five-part documentary film series, The Olive Route. Carol's first Kindle Single, The Girl in Room Fourteen, reached the number one position in the Singles charts in both the United States and the UK.

After a devastating car accident, Carole escapes from an oppressive marriage in England to begin again in rural France. Yet she is haunted by the knowledge that Paul, her husband, has tracked her down before and will do his best to do it again… Afraid to share her fears with her new neighbours, Carole nonetheless finds herself drawn to a local farmer, who helps her start to create a new and independent life. But then she learns that Paul is on her trail and closing fast… A Simple Act of Kindness is a story of obsessive love and the damage it can do. A powerful tale from the bestselling author of The Olive Farm and The Girl in Room Fourteen. Anglo-Irish actress Carol Drinkwater is still well-known for her award-winning portrayal of Helen Herriot in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small. A popular and acclaimed author and film-maker as well, Carol has published twenty books for both the adult and young adult markets. She is currently at work on her twenty-first title. When she purchased a rundown property overlooking the Bay of Cannes in France, she discovered almost seventy 400-year-old olive trees. Along with her French husband, Michel, Carol reclaimed the land and began producing top-quality olive oil. Her series of memoirs recounting their experiences on the farm (The Olive Farm, The Olive Season, The Olive Harvest and Return to the Olive Farm) have become international bestsellers, and the related travel books,The Olive Route and The Olive Tree, inspired the five-part documentary film series, The Olive Route. Carol's first two Kindle Singles, The Girl in Room Fourteen and Hotel Paradise, both reached the number-one position in the Singles charts in both the United States and the UK.

Heartbroken and alone following the death of her partner, Justin, Susan Parks knows she needs to find a new life. Feeling too young for widowhood but too grief-stricken to love again, she leaves her life in England and moves to Cannes. On the train south from Paris, Susan encounters three Frenchmen who are travelling together, including the enigmatic Gustave. Not long after that, she runs into Gustave again in Cannes. He seems intrigued by Susan, and begins a tactful but determined campaign to win her over. His attentions are flattering, and unexpected, but Susan’s emotions are too raw for a new romance. As they get to know one another, however, Susan learns more about Gustave’s story—his ambitious plans for the stunning château he owns with friends, his own tragic loss. Susan can’t run from her growing feelings forever, but nor can she forget the devastating heartache that brought her to France—and Gustave. She has a choice to make: to hide in bittersweet memories of the past or to take a chance on love and life with a new man.