Megan Walker Boeken

Before Rosalind weds, she wants to experience ten things. Meeting Charlie wasn’t on her list.England, 1820Rosalind Newbury is counting down the days until her wedding to the Duke of Marlow, a man she has only met twice, and she knows exactly how she wants to spend her time. As a child, Ros created a list of ten things to do before her wedding day. So far, she has done none of them.She is determined to tackle each item, though she’ll have to accomplish them all in secret. After all, a soon-to-be-duchess is not usually allowed to bury treasure in the pasture, eat sweets all day, or learn how to swim. She enlists the help of her best friend, Liza, who brings along her cousin, Charlie, a prodigal son-turned-boxer who has come to the countryside to mend his reputation and learn how to be his father’s heir.Together, the three of them work to complete the list, and as each item is crossed off, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Ros and Charlie. The more time they spend together, the more Ros falls in love with this imperfect man and his good heart.With the wedding looming, Ros must decide to either admit her romantic feelings for Charlie and risk her family’s future, or keep her promise to marry the duke and start a new life as a noblewoman.

Place of publication taken from publisher's Facebook page.

Two inseparable best friends are pulled apart and forced inside by troubling world events. Through boundless creativity and enduring love, they learn that distance doesn’t put an end to friendship, and that there are lots of ways to give a hug. On opposite sides of a quiet street lived two friends. From morning to evening, they played. ‘‘You two are stuck together like glue!’’ their parents and teachers laughed. So it was a shock when, one day, they had to stop and go inside. Between them now was only space. Suddenly, outside was scary and felt very large. Their parents were full of whispers and frowns and the worry inside felt heavy. Where can you put friendship when friends are apart? Slowly, they learned. They found that, across the street and through windows, they could give each other a hug. They discovered that a smile is a hug. A wave is a hug. And funny faces, a phone call, a song. They discovered that when you're apart a friendship doesn’t leave. With time and effort it will grow and grow, until it is big, bigger than all fears. Inspired by real-world events, The Big Hug is a story of love’s resilience.