Antonia Whillans

Asha lives in the foothills of the Himalayas. She misses her papa who works in the city. When he suddenly stops sending his wages, a ruthless moneylender ransacks their home. Asha makes a pact with her best friend, Jeevan, to find her father. But the journey is dangerous: they must cross the world's highest mountains and face hunger, tiredness - even snow leopards. Yet Asha has the unshakeable sense that the spirit bird of her grandmother - her nanijee - will be watching over her.

As a fussy baby, Anne was prescribed laudanum to quiet her and has been given the opium-heavy syrup ever since on account of her continuing ill health. While her mother is outraged when Darcy chooses not to marry Anne, as has been long planned, Anne can barely raise her head to acknowledge the fact.

But little by little, she comes to see that what she has always been told is an affliction of nature might in fact be one of nurture - and one, therefore, that she can beat. In a frenzy of desperation, she throws away her laudanum and seeks refuge at the London home of her cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Suddenly wide awake to the world but utterly unprepared, Anne must forge a new identity among those who have never seen the real her - including herself.

One stormy night, a group of villagers are struck by lightning. The only survivor is a baby - Mary Anning. From that moment on, a spark is lit within her. Growing up poor but proud on the windswept Dorset coast, Mary follows after her father, hunting for fossils uncovered by waves and landslips. Ignoring other people's taunts, Mary faces danger to bring back valuable treasures to help feed her family.

Mary must depend upon her unique courage and knowledge to fulfil her dream of becoming a scientist in a time when girls have no opportunities for such ambitions. What will happen when she makes her greatest discovery of all...?

With a factual section about Mary Anning, her life, and the discoveries she made.

Emily Wilkinson has lost everything. Literally. In a hair-straightener fire. Oh, and her boyfriend (and boss) has announced he's going back to his wife. So, she needs a new job, a new plan, and somewhere to live that isn't her childhood bedroom.

Charles Hunter is looking for a live-in PA to help run Bowford Manor and Emily thinks she's the perfect fit. Well, she's spent ten years propping up demanding men, so she can definitely handle some tricky characters - like Charles's eldest son and heir, who's got plans for the estate that might raise a few eyebrows.

No one's mentioned Jamie though. The stable hand - and youngest Hunter. Dashing, of course, but totally unsuitable. And Emily's not about to make that mistake again.