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Clare Flynn

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A Greater World: A compelling 20th century saga of love, loss and a voyage into the unknown (Across the Seas Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Clare Flynn (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.2 3,161 ratings

Book 1 of 2: Across the Seas

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The journey is just the beginning…

Elizabeth Morton, born into a prosperous family, and Michael Winterbourne, a miner, come from different worlds but when they each suffer unspeakable and life-changing tragedy they’re set on a path that intertwines on the deck of the SS Historic, bound for Sydney, Australia.

Falling in love should have been the end to all their troubles. But fate and the mysterious Jack Kidd make sure it's only the beginning.

A sweeping tale of romance and new starts, perfect for fans of Gill Paul and Fiona Valpy.

Praise for A Greater World

‘A truly inspirational book of how two people from different backgrounds meet and share a joy together can they find what there really looking for a very gripping story that kept me totally captivated from beginning to end’ 5* Reader review

‘A great read which from the very first page has you enthralled. A real page turner’ 5* Reader review

‘A fabulous read that will keep you captivated’ 5* Reader review

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is an excellently written book, I enjoyed the characters and her rich vocabulary. Flynn is gifted at making the characters real and vivid. The connections between reader and characters were true, leaving the reader to grieve, cry, laugh and gasp throughout. This was one of those books that grab you from beginning to end! WordsAPlenty gives Clare Flynn's A Greater World, a 2015 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree, five stars." - Wordsaplenty.com

About the Author

A former global marketing director, Clare Flynn lives in west London and runs a successful strategic management company. Much of her time these days is taken up with writing. She is a fluent Italian speaker and loves spending time in Italy. In her spare time she likes to quilt, splash about with watercolours and travel as often and as widely as possible. Her first novel, A Greater World, is set in the Blue Mountains of Australia in the 1920s. A second book, Kurinji Flowers, set in colonial India on a tea plantation, will follow shortly. More information on her fiction can be found at www.clareflynn.co.uk

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07KD21RYX
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canelo Saga (January 10, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 10, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3368 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 398 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #317,286 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,428 in 20th Century Historical Romance (Books)
- #1,816 in Women's Historical Fiction
- #2,851 in Saga Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.2 3,161 ratings

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Clare Flynn

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Historical novelist Clare Flynn is a former global marketing director and business owner. She now lives in Eastbourne on the south coast of England and most of her time these days is spent writing her novels – when she's not gazing out of her windows at the sea.

Clare is the author of fourteen novels and a short story collection. Her books deal with displacement – her characters are wrenched away from their comfortable existences and forced to face new challenges – often in outposts of an empire which largely disappeared after WW2.

Her latest novel, Jasmine in París, is published on 30th November 2021. It is the fourth in her best-selling Penang series and follows the fortunes of Jasmine Barrington in Paris in 1949/50 and her friend Howard Baxter in Johore during the continuing Malayan Emergency.

Clare's novels often feature places she knows well and she does extensive research to build the period and geographic flavour of her books. A Greater World - 1920s Australia; Kurinji Flowers – pre-Independence India; Letters from a Patchwork Quilt – nineteenth century industrial England and the USA; The Green Ribbons – the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth century in rural England, The Chalky Sea - World War II England (and Canada) and its sequels The Alien Corn and The Frozen River - post WW2 Canada. She has also published a collection of short stories - both historical and contemporary, A Fine Pair of Shoes and Other Stories.

Fluent in Italian, she loves spending time in Italy. In her spare time she likes to quilt, paint and travel as often and as widely as possible. She is an active member of the Romantic Novelists Association, The Society of Authors, and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Get a free copy of Clare's exclusive short story collection, A Fine Pair of Shoes, at www.clareflynn.co.uk.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

3,161 global ratings

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C Woods

Amazing story

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2018

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What a great book!! What a great writer!!! I am so very thankful I chose this book to read.

The story of two people, a man and woman from very different stations in life, both leaving their homes in England to start anew in Australia in 1920. They meet during the crossing, both running from circumstances not their fault. The meeting is the beginning of an emotional journey that kept me glued to the pages.

The descriptions of characters is very well done as are geographic location. As both are new to Australia and not knowing what to expect, each harbors deep-seated feelings for each other, never diminishing over the years as they become separated early on upon arrival. I felt like gritting my teeth at times over situations beyond their control.

This is an emotional ride and a jam-packed story with loads of twists and turns.

Highly recommended to readers of historical fiction and romance novels. Superb!!

2 people found this helpful

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MaryM

Despite all Obstacles

Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2016

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I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Reading Deals in exchange for an honest review. This is a very entertaining read--largely due to the characters we come to care about as events tumble them onward in lives never under their own control. It is a love story, and also a story about living your life with integrity, even if that requires you set aside your own desires because you have obligations to others it would be wrong to ignore. The main characters, Elizabeth and Michael, are also surrounded by people who run the gamut of moral responsibility, from those who appear cold and rough because they have been badly hurt, to those who seem totally unfeeling and selfish, willing to do anything to get what they want. The story holds your attention well, but the editing leaves speed bumps and little aggravations throughout. For instance, scenes change without any break in the text, or any warning, just one line to the next, with a jarring effect that gets repeated over and over. A lot of sentences could have been cleaned up, sometimes seeming to want to go in two directions at once, again, a disturbance in the narrative flow. With those reservations, still a recommended read!

6 people found this helpful

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kolibrie

Dood series

Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2023

Good read

The storyline of this book encompasses love, loss

Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2015

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The storyline of this book encompasses love, loss, drama and vast sweeping landscapes; yet because the two main characters never seemed to come to life for me, their hardships and relationship problems did not move me at an emotional level. And there were so many convenient coincidences scattered throughout the story that it became totally unbelievable in the end. How frequently can two characters meet at just the perfect moment, or disappear from each others lives at just the perfect moment to carry the story along?
The ending was especially problematic for me employing the most contrived meeting in the entire story, to finish in the predictable conclusion I had been expecting since Chapter 1.
An easy read, fairly enjoyable, but a little too much in the style of a television soap opera for my liking.

One person found this helpful

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M. S. Martin

Could not put this down. Great Read!!!

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2016

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What an amazing story that kept me up reading at nights. Elizabeth's journey was an incredible adventure. You fell in love with the characters and hated some of the characters. I loved reading this book. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is it ended abruptly. It skipped too many years between Mr Kidd's death to Michael's return. We needed to know what happen to Elizabeth during that 10+ years and why they didn't get together sooner. Just one more chapter would have been so good. Other than that I would highly recommend this book. Still a great story and the final outcome was good.

5 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

I loved the storyline and the time frame it was written ...

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2015

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What a delightful surprise. I loved the storyline and the time frame it was written in. A time of dishevel and change for the world that was reflected in the characters lives. It took strength of character to live during the rebuilding of the world after the Great War and it tore families apart. The migration of people looking for better lives took them to different countries. I expected the usual blah, blah love story. Instead, I found the undercurrents of a family torn apart by tragedy and buried deep within each surviving member. The story is about the missed opportunity love of two people but deeper than that it is the story of a family and the tragedy that befell them. Yes, the editing could use a lot of work. It was distracting. But the storyline held true.

3 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Praise for a fantastic book. Truly life changing.

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2016

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I was very impressed with the story line. You showed how life is sometimes when everything goes against people trying to just find happiness and fulfillment. I especially took note of the importance of purpose in our journey. I could hardly put it down. The story inspired me. You are a gifted writer. After finishing the book, I keep rereading some parts. The final conversations between Elizabeth and Kidd still astounds me for the depth of compassion and acceptance of situations in our life. I will recommend this book to friends so I can discuss with them. There are many life lessons here worth learning.

6 people found this helpful

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Perry Martin

An epic tale of star-crossed lovers

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2017

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. With echoes of "The Thornbirds" and "Far and Away" and tragedy enough to rival "Legends of the Fall", it is an epic tale of star-crossed lovers set in Australia during the 1920s and 1930s. It's a well-written book, spoiled only by some sloppy proof reading (numerous instances of either repeated words or omitted words) and a glaring colloquial error - - the use of the word "wuss" which, by all research, was first used some time in the 1970s or 1980s depending on which dictionary you believe.

I have seen some reviewers take the author to task for the number of "unlikely coincidences" in the story, but I personally had no problem with that aspect, perhaps because my own life has had its share of remarkable coincidences. Overall an engrossing read with a satisfying, if rather abrupt, conclusion.

2 people found this helpful

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Mirren

A story that seemed it might be predictable

Reviewed in Australia on July 14, 2023

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While reading the opening chapters this seemed it might be a predictable end. My goodness you just never knew what the two main characters might have to go through in the lives until the end,

Paola B.

Dall'altra parte del mondo

Reviewed in Italy on October 8, 2015

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Elizabeth viene scagliata dall'altra parte del mondo, dall'Inghilterra all'Australia, a causa di due fatti che sconvolgono la sua esistenza.
Una sorpresa drammatica cambierà ancora la sua vita, costringendola ad una scelta obbligata e durissima. Questa donna forte e delicata non può non coinvolgere il lettore, dalla prima all'ultima pagina.

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Tamara

Eine schöne Auswanderungsgeschichte

Reviewed in Germany on November 8, 2014

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Man denkt an eine einfache Liebesgeschichte - die zwei treffen sich, dann kommt etwas dazwischen, dann sind sie doch zusammen. Im Endeefekt läuft es auch so ab, aber die Geschichte ist nicht so einfach gestrickt, nicht so gradlinig, gar nicht kitschig, sondern spannend.
Die Hauptpersonen müssen ziemlich oft mit vielen ofenen Möglichkeiten reagieren, das macht das Buch interessant. Die anderen Charaktere sind nicht einfach, nicht schwarz-weiss, sondern vielschichtig und genauso ist die Geschichte selber. Man will wissen, wie es weiter geht und liest und liest.
Ich habe das Buch als E-book gelesen und ein eindeutiger Nachteil waren die zu kleinen Buchstaben und viele Absätze.
Trotzdem ein schönes Buch.

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Anne

Clare Flynn rocks the historic broad canvas novel with a new voice

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 6, 2014

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I have a great fondness for broad canvas stories of passion, endeavour and triumph painted against a rigorously researched background of historic moment and geographic splendour. I have favourite authors who accomplish this with extraordinary skill. I love Catherine Cookson, Georgette Heyer and even Jack Jones (yes, the trade unionist). When a personal friend decides to compete in this arena I feel honour bound to read what she writes and all the while plan the gentle, diplomatic words I'll use to let her down easily. She is entering established and exhaulted circles...

Well Clare Flynn, take a load off. This book rocks.

In some ways it is a classic, extremely well-executed reflection of the genre and human triumph over adversity. It gives readers the familiar hooks of injustice, dishonour; the subverted morality and arrogance of social class and the mistimed and sometimes misconstrued components of human attraction and sexual tension. But she brings to these essential elements a new deftness and some additional twists and turns that keep the reader guessing and open the page on fresh emotions and experiences.

With the exception of the dastardly husband of the heroine's sister, the characters are not black and white. We are given a somewhat modern opportunity to see good where there is bad and vice versa. These truly are 'shades of grey'. Her characters evolve and grow with her plot, which takes us from the end of the Great War to the eve of the Second and from England to Australia; from coal to cocaine, from mean streets to wealthy drawing rooms and subtly callibrated stops along the way.

Michael, from doughty, mining stock is a classic hero. Elizabeth, our heroine, may have come from a more refined background but she toughens up admirably as the plot delivers its body blows. You crave a happy ending but the author is very clever in keeping you guessing and guessing and with enough plot shifts against type to keep the ultimate denouement diliciously uncertain. Move over Ms.Heyer, Ms.Cookson and our Jack, there's a new kid on the block.

4 people found this helpful

Brenda Ray

At first I quite enjoyed this book but half way though

Reviewed in Canada on February 22, 2016

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At first I quite enjoyed this book but half way though, I found that it started to drag. There was not enough intrigue to hold me captive and the story line took far too many twists and turns that seemed unnecessary and honestly....somewhat questionable. Couldn't wait to get to the end of the book and be done with it.

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A Greater World: A compelling 20th century saga of love, loss and a voyage into the unknown (Across the Seas Book 1) Kindle Edition

The journey is just the beginning…

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About the author

Clare Flynn

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