The Lifeboat Girls
The brand new heartwarming story of friendship, love and strength
Can their friendship help them weather the storm?
Young Julia Fowler’s life revolves around Poole Harbour and its lifeboat – her older brother Wilbur is a volunteer crew member, and every blast of the mortar fills her with fear for his safety.
When news of the Titanic disaster reaches the town, the close-knit seafaring community is rocked to its core. One of their own has been lost, and grief hangs over the harbour. But Julia and her friends – Kathy, Flora, and Betsy – are also discovering new opportunities for themselves, stepping up in a world that is slowly beginning to open doors to women.
Yet change is never easy. Opposition rises at home and in the community, and tensions grow as the country edges closer to war. Julia dreams of a better childhood for her younger siblings, even as the world around her becomes increasingly uncertain.
As the girls navigate heartbreak, responsibility, and the stirrings of romance, they must rely on their friendship to guide them through darkening times. Will it be enough to see them safely into the future?
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Releases 14 May 2026
Don’t miss this brand new story from five-star author Rachel Sweasey!
The Girl from Normandy
A heartfelt WW2 historical novel. Readers who enjoy Natasha Lester and Kelly Rimmer will be captivated by The Girl from Normandy.
Paris, 1940: Marie-Claire steps into the Gare de Lyon, not knowing it will be the last time she’ll see her husband and son. Fleeing occupied Paris, she travels into the countryside of Normandy, and stumbles upon a chateau near Caen and a growing resistance movement. Soon, Marie-Claire finds herself working in a cafe in the quiet village of Sainte-Mère-Église, where she tries to come to terms with all she has lost – but little does she realise that her presence in Normandy will change the course of history…
1998: Half a century later, Esther is returning to the Normandy village she visited as a teenager, seeking a break from her monotonous life. Back then, she’d fallen in love with a rustic farmhouse and the family that lived there – not least the charming eldest son, Jules Joubert. But now, when Esther discovers an old annotated cookbook in the family kitchen, she begins to realise that the place she holds so close to her heart may hide more secrets than even the Jouberts realise…
What stories does the area carry? And could this trip change Esther’s life for ever?
Praise for The Girl from Normandy
“Great read – superb author”
“Couldn’t put this down, I love the dual timeline books and you get so immersed in the characters and the storyline. This book gave me all the feels, sad, happy, tears and joy. Can’t wait for the next books in the new series. Bravo Rachel.”
The Island Girls
A moving story of love and courage that will captivate readers of Fiona Valpy, Lorna Cook and Hazel Gaynor.
1941: For the townspeople of Poole on the Dorset coast, the war feels like it’s right on their doorstep. And with more and more men leaving to fight, one fisherman’s daughter is determined to do whatever she can to help. Peggy volunteers to use her skills on the water to work with the flying boats alongside the RAF based in the harbour. But when she is asked to undertake a special mission, she will have to make a terrible choice – between her duty to her country and her only chance of happiness.
1998: Rebekah has travelled halfway around the world to take up a role on Brownsea Island. This tiny island off the coast of England is a treasure trove of natural wonder, but it still carries the scars of fighting. And when Rebekah discovers a lost letter from the war, hidden all this time, she becomes determined to deliver it, fifty years later.
But the idyllic Dorset harbour hides many more secrets, and Rebekah’s search for the truth will change her life in ways she never imagined possible…
Praise for The Island Girls
“Fantastic”
“A very interesting story about two different women who are connected.
I enjoyed the mystery of it all and found it intriguing wondering what would happen in the end. The research that went into the book was good and I learned new things about the War.”
The Last Boat Home
An epic story of love, loss and second chances, The Last Boat Home will captivate readers of Fiona Valpy, Lorna Cook and Hazel Gaynor.
1940: When Daisy, a paintress at the local pottery, looks out across Poole Harbour, waiting for the ‘little ships’ to bring the retreating soldiers home from Dunkirk, she prays her husband will be among them. But Alfie is declared missing, presumed dead, and Daisy must learn to live as a widow. Then a chance encounter with a French soldier throws Daisy’s life even further off course, with heartbreaking consequences that will span generations.
1996: Decades later, Felicity is just holding herself together after the sudden loss of her husband. Needing escape, she travels to a small seaside town in the South of France and is surprised to find a piece of home in the window of a small shop. How did a jug from her home-town’s pottery find its way to the Cote d’Azur? Seeking answers, she opens the door to the shop, and on the possibility of finding happiness after all hope seemed lost…
Praise for The Last Boat Home
“A heartbreaking story of love lived and lost in multiple generations”
“This is a debut novel by author Rachel Sweasey and is an excellent first effort that left me with tears at the corner of my eyes at many spots throughout the story. It is set in two time periods – the days of 1939 leading up to war and the months that followed and 1996…. How these stories intertwine and how loss affects both women, makes for a truly touching story filled with sadness and with joy.”
Rachel Sweasey 