Books by Mary Christian Payne

Willow Grove Abbey is the first novel in the Somerville Trilogy, set in England, and spanning the years from 1935 to 1945. This fast-paced novel focuses upon the life of the primary character, Lady Sophia Somerville, who begins life as the daughter of the charismatic but unscrupulous Earl Nigel Somerville and his wife, the breathtaking, but rage-prone Countess Pamela Somerville. Sophia''s journey of growth begins with her attendance at The Ashwick Park School, followed by her much anticipated debutante season, both of which become watershed moments in her life. Written in the first person, this book is rich in historical detail about the fascinating era in which she lives, and the reader experiences those tumultuous times through Sophia''s eyes. Willow Grove Abbey is a love story which faces tremendous obstacles due to Sophia''s parent''s refusal to give their blessing to a marriage between their daughter and the man she adores, physician and RAF Group Captain, Spencer Stanton. It is also the story of her relationship with school mate and dearest friend, Edwina Phillips, which takes the reader from the joyous times of youth in the 1930''s to heartbreaking betrayal. The interaction between these two individuals forms the core of this character-driven book. Lastly, it is the story of a highly esteemed British family, which appears to be the epitome of grace, charm and dignity, when in reality, they are intensely flawed. Sophia struggles with her lifelong need for parental approval versus her emerging values and morals, while long held family secrets emerge and threaten to destroy the Somerville family. She is faced with an untenable decision... whether to hold fast to her values and accept permanent estrangement from her family, or continue to be the dependent, young girl her parents have always insisted that she be. As she grows, she is faced with the daunting challenge of attempting to comprehend, forgive, and unconditionally love her profoundly imperfect family.

The saga continues. In book number two of the Somerville trilogy, the period from 1945 to 1962 is covered. Where ''Willow Grove Abbey'' ended, ''St. James Road'' begins, drawing the reader back into the imperfect orbit of the Somerville family. Sophia has begun a new life. The war has ended, it is 1945, and England has begun the healing process, after five years of tumult. This second novel in the Somerville trilogy delves into the aftereffects of World War II, and focuses attention on those who are left to carry on, as England struggles to recover. The world is changing rapidly, and so is Sophia''s life. Leaving behind her beloved childhood home, Willow Grove Abbey, Sophia and her dearly beloved husband, Dr. Spencer Stanton set out on a new adventure, with a move to Tunbridge Wells, and a lovely old Victorian house on St. James Road, along with a new way of living. It doesn''t take long for Sophia to realize that just because the war has ended, the turmoil and heartache have not. She may not be living at Willow Grove Abbey any longer, but the mayhem and chaos persist. Her parents, the Earl and Countess Somerville, discover that not all woes can be erased with money and power; Sophia realizes that as she develops meaningful values of her own, manipulation and lies will cause her to fight to maintain her own identity. Sorrow and anguish abound, and as soon as one misery is behind, new distress appears. Edwina has moved to New York, but she has not disappeared from Sophia''s life. Nor has her son, Kippy. Sophia continues with her journey of growth, and Isabella has become an adult. Can Sophia save ''Willow Grove Abbey'' from the unscrupulous intentions of Edwina''s family? Old secrets once again come to the surface as Edwina casts her shadow upon Sophia''s existence. Written in the first person, the reader is led further down the road through more serendipitous happenings'', and the now familiar characters are stunned by the Fate that may lay in store for them. ''St. James Road'' is definitely a page-turner, and a must-read for anyone who loved Willow Grove Abbey. About the Author Mary Christian Payne is an accomplished business woman, who has held high ranking, management positions with Fortune 500 companies, in New York City, St. Louis, Missouri, Orlando, Florida, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is a recipient of the Mayor''s Pinnacle Award in Tulsa, for directing a highly successful program at The Women''s Resource Center at the University of Tulsa. All of these positions involved significant amounts of writing. She has also acted as a speech writer for high profile political figures, and for executives of major corporations. She is now a retired Career Psychologist. She was the founder and President of Transitions Counseling Center, in partnership with her father, the retired CEO of a four billion dollar retail organization. She has taught seminars throughout Oklahoma. Mary Christian is a world traveler, and has spent extensive time in England, thus creating an excellent foundation for writing novels set in Great Britain. The era of World War II has always held tremendous appeal for her, and she is a committed Anglophile. The daughter of an Army Major during World War II, she grew up hearing countless stories of that tumultuous and romantic time. She lives with her husband, Jim, who is a Pharmacist, and their two beloved Maltese Terriers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. She is also the mother of two, adult children, and three grandchildren. All three books in the trilogy are now available: Book 1: Willow Grove Abbey -- amazon.com/dp/B00GGLZIEU Book 2: St. James Road -- amazon.com/dp/B00HWG8S2C Book 3: Serendipity -- amazon.com/dp/B00IHK04II

In this last novel of the Somerville trilogy, the primary focus shifts to Kippy and Isabella. The story takes us from New York City, to Switzerland and back to Willow Grove Abbey, in England. An age-old mystery is finally solved and Sophia emerges as an unforgettable heroine as she completes her journey of growth. This novel is filled with love and hope, and concludes with a positive outlook for those who believe that there are no coincidences in life, and that Fate will show us the way.If you loved Willow Grove Abbey and St. James Road, you will love this thrilling conclusion to the series.All three books in the trilogy are now available:Book 1: Willow Grove Abbey -- amazon.com/dp/B00GGLZIEUBook 2: St. James Road -- amazon.com/dp/B00HWG8S2CBook 3: Serendipity -- amazon.com/dp/B00IHK04II

"War Can Ruin a Man, but Love Heals All Wounds"After Win returns from a German POW camp during the Great War, Josephine is shocked by how much he has changed. The joy they once shared together soon turns to loss and heartache. Josephine is crushed at the toll the war took on him-and their life together.When she learns that she is expecting a child, she begins to overcome the sadness she has endured. The little girl she has always prayed for is born in February of 1921, and Josephine names her Estelle.The household adores the precious child and life is once again filled with happiness until a frightening change overcomes Estelle, which no one is able to understand. From the time she is four years old until age eleven, Estelle creates havoc at Winthrop Manor.In desperation, she is sent to a boarding school named The Sanford Institute for Troubled Young Ladies, staffed by traditional instructors combined with experts in the new field of Psychology. Josephine is amazed at the change which overcomes her daughter, especially when she learns the truth about unthinkable incidents Estelle suffered as a child.This novel has a bit of everything-grief, loss, sorrow, an inordinate amount of abuse, family disarray and, at long last, love. Throughout the twists and turns of this engaging tale, fear about the beginning of World War II also faces Winthrop Manor.Dark Days at Winthrop Manor is a continuation of Mary Christian Payne''s recently released historical romance novel, Winthrop Manor. The reader will recognize many of the people who appear in the first novel, but new characters are also introduced.Readers of historical romance and war romance novels will enjoy this book.

This engaging historical novel introduces the reader to the viscount, Lord James Winthrop, known as ''Win'' to friends and family and the charming young lady he falls passionately in love with, Miss Josephine Chambers.Lord Winthrop''s parents, The Earl and Countess, are vehemently opposed to the relationship between their son, who is the heir to Winthrop Manor, and Josephine, who is not of the aristocracy. Win and Josephine solve their dilemma when England declares war against Germany by eloping to Gretna Green before Win enlists in the military.After surviving numerous battles and the horrific gassing by the Germans, Win eventually finds himself in a POW camp. Josephine gives birth to a cherished son, while praying for Win''s safe return. As she struggles with the heartache of a husband who is missing in action, her infant son, Andrew, disappears. Josephine strongly suspects that a vile member of the Winthrop family has concocted a scheme to kidnap the child.

The White Feather is a poignant, romantic, and sometimes tragic novel set in both the battlefields of World War I France, and in a small village named Claybourne-on-Coln. This engaging novel presents the reader with unforgettable characters, courageous and cowardly, generous and self-serving.Mary Christian Payne takes you to a quaint English village where Lord Christopher Claybourne lives with his new American wife, Eleanor, and his mother, the Dowager Lady Cynthia, in his opulent family estate. At the other end of the village lives Lily Barton in a charming cottage with her widowed mother, Elisabeth. Their worlds meet at the beginning of World War I.This first novel in the Claybourne Trilogy takes the reader on an adventurous journey, fraught with peril, both at home and abroad.A story of selfishness, devotion and loyalty, culminating in a perplexing mystery, The White Feather will leave you wanting more of the Claybourne family.This novel is a stand-alone book to be enjoyed by itself or followed up with books two and three in the trilogy.All three books in the trilogy are now available:Book 1: The White Feather -- amazon.com/dp/B00K1MNNQKBook 2: The White Butterfly -- amazon.com/dp/B00KLM7OJ2Book 3: White Cliffs of Dover -- amazon.com/dp/B00M8HL4TO

Despite being one of the loveliest women in her home village, Lady Anne Whitfield just can't seem to find true love. After her engagement to the handsome and charismatic Sloan Thornton comes to an end, Anne suffers a deep depression.Emerging from self-imposed exile, she moves to London and begins a career in the retail world. She enters into a relationship with a great footballer, Avery Banister, which does not end happily.Feeling confused and rejected, she marries on the rebound. While her husband, Frank DeLuca, a self-made man, appears to be a gentleman, she quickly learns that he is not what he seems.Mary Christian Payne takes the reader on a frightening journey inside the life of a woman who lives with a deranged abuser. With determination and mettle, Anne struggles to come to terms with her situation. This is an enthralling story of pleasure and pain, and the pitfalls of marrying in haste.

No Regrets is a captivating, straight from the heart historical novel set in England during World War II. This is a story for everyone who has ever wondered if there are truly soul mates.Sloan Thornton is the heir to Highcroft Hall, the family seat of the Earl of Wessex, in the quaint village of Thornton-on-Sea on the southeast coast of England. He has always dreamed of finding his soul mate. Just before he leaves to fight in World War II, as an RAF pilot, he proposes to his childhood sweetheart. There is no question how deep his devotion is to her, and how naturally they bring out the best in each other.One fateful afternoon overseas, Sloan encounters Elise in a rural farmhouse on a French country road. It is May, 1940, and the Dunkirk Beaches are being evacuated. Sloan is wounded when his plane is shot down by the Luftwaffe. After he meets, Elise, he can never forget her. He carries her memory with him throughout the war. In the meantime, Elise suffers terrifying misfortune. When they meet again for the first time in five years, the spark is still there. But, there is still Anne, who refuses to be left heartbroken and rejected. Sloan begins to question whether the life he's living is the one he's meant to live. Elise wonders the same thing.No Regrets is a powerful story about one woman at the crossroads of true love and real life.

This is the final book in the Claybourne Trilogy. Spanning the years from 1925 through 1945, Lily Claybourne, the Countess of Gloucester, forges her path following the post-World War I era.Despite difficulties with her marriage, her dreams remain intact, and she strives to make them a reality. She enters into a tumultuous time in her life, filled with great achievement and heartbreaking loss. Through it all, Lily continues to grow, and refuses to let misfortune block her way.This is an engaging finale to the much loved trilogy which began in 1914, at the beginning of the Great War. Lily moves through the 1930's and 40's with renewed purpose and strength. In the end, the reader learns what becomes of each character with whom they have become intimately acquainted in this engrossing chronicle of a British family's life in the first half of the Twentieth Century. All three books in the Claybourne Trilogy are now available:Book 1: The White Feather -- amazon.com/dp/B00K1MNNQKBook 2: The White Butterfly -- amazon.com/dp/B00KLM7OJ2Book 3: White Cliffs of Dover -- amazon.com/dp/B00M8HL4TO

Butterflies symbolize hope to Lady Lily Claybourne. They also symbolize transformation from an early stage of life to another, more beautiful one.The White Butterfly is a fast-paced romantic novel set in Post-World War I England. It is the story of one woman's struggle to find herself and to become self-fulfilled in a society that rarely recognizes women as equals to men. Lily Barton Claybourne has a deep-seated need to be the best she can be in every area of life. Her compassion and ability to forgive are strong components of her personality, but the aristocracy isn't interested in her dreams of a better society. She has married into a family where the old, tried and true traditions are held on to very tightly. Lily thinks she knows better. Her husband, Kit Claybourne, the Earl of Gloucester, is a wonderful man, but he too is mired in the past traditions of his heritage to support her dreams. He was raised by an iron-fisted mother, who appears on the surface to be a sweet and charming woman, but who still enforces the rules that are adhered to at Claybourne Court.Lily loves Kit, but it is very hard to live with him. In nearly every facet of their lives together there is a dichotomy. Over and over Lily is told that what she wants to do is not 'the done thing.' She feels she is nothing but an ornament on Kit's arm. After two very grave illnesses, Lily emerges as a different person. She is tired of being told that nothing she does is right.The primary concern in the Claybourne family is that nothing ever be done to mar the image of that great and ancient name. But Lily discovers that there was one significant mistake made in 1903 that has now returned to haunt them. With strength and determination, she makes the decision to let go of the ties that bind her to aristocracy's strict rules, and to follow her own path.With the support of a sixteen-year-old, she gathers her courage and makes a radical change in her life. This engaging novel presents the reader with characters who are real human beings facing the struggle that often comes after a war has torn the foundations from the world they once knew. All three books in the trilogy are now available:Book 1: The White Feather -- amazon.com/dp/B00K1MNNQKBook 2: The White Butterfly -- amazon.com/dp/B00KLM7OJ2Book 3: White Cliffs of Dover -- amazon.com/dp/B00M8HL4TO