Generations of women shaped by healing, folklore, and the River Severn.
River Witch – Book one in The Wise Women series
Compelling historical fantasy with more than a touch of romance.
SPR Finalist 2022
The Wishing Shelf Awards Gold 2024
A forbidden love, a forced marriage. Left alone to face a world that would destroy her, a desperate Hester must summon the untamed magic of the river to survive.
A lush historical fantasy filled with longing, folklore, and slow-burn romance, River Witch is perfect for readers who love magical love stories, forbidden attraction, and heroines who refuse to surrender their hearts – or their power.
River Witch was inspired by the true story of a local woman, Ellen Hayward, tried for witchcraft – in 1906. She was acquitted, but her tale sparked in me a need to set down a version of this history, enriched by legends and myths which abound in the Forest of Dean.
What readers say:
“Be prepared for a full range of emotions.”
“A captivating story which had me hooked all the way through.”
“I found myself reading late into the night, as I could not put this book down. The characters are so well defined, I felt like I was there alongside them, and I was left thinking about Hester, long after I had closed the book.“
“This book goes right into the top 5 of the best witchy vibe books with feminist themes such as self reliance and empowerment that I have ever read.”
Available in paperback, kindle or Kindle Unlimited here. River Witch is also available locally from the Dean Heritage Centre in Soudley.
The Herbalist’s Daughters – Book Two in The Wise Women series
An unputdownable historical fantasy of loss, redemption, and the legacies which shape us.
An Amazon Top New Release and Best Seller in Australian Historical Fiction.
The standalone sequel to the award winning River Witch.
What if the key to your future lay hidden in the forgotten pages of your family’s past? When Mara Ash discovers a set of 19th-century journals filled with exquisite drawings and cryptic letters, she unravels a century-old mystery of love, guilt, and redemption. But as Mara pieces together Aaron and Hester’s fate, she must confront her own fractured life.
A haunting dual-timeline tale of strong women, often elusive men, and a river that remembers, The Herbalist’s Daughters is perfect for those who love hidden family secrets and a touch of magical realism.
What readers say:
“Compelling and beautiful.”
“The last chapters had me in tears and again at the end, as these characters had become so beloved and their stories so compelling.”
“Two love stories compete for your heart.”
“Keeps you reading into the night as a family’s well-hidden secrets are finally brought to light.”
Available in paperback, kindle or Kindle Unlimited here.
The Gift of Belonging – Book Three in The Wise Women series
An historical fiction tale of love, war, and finding your way.
A Top New Release in World War One Fiction
The standalone Book Three in the series.
When told the brutal truth of her birth, Rose’s brittle sense of belonging shatters. As the winds of the Great War change the world, she must decide who she is, and where she belongs.
A sweeping historical novel of courage, love, and self-discovery set against the backdrop of World War One, The Gift of Belonging is “perfect for readers who enjoy historical fiction with heart – where courage is found in small acts, love is as complex as it is enduring, and the search for belonging is as timeless as history itself.” Reader review
What readers say:
“A sweeping, emotional, gorgeously crafted tale about finding your place in a world determined to reshape itself.”
“The pace and pathos of this book flung me from page to page, as I yearned for Rose to have a happy ending.”
“A book that stays with you for a long time afterwards. (If you haven’t already done so, do read the first two novels as well.)”
“Rose, the protagonist, is beautifully portrayed. Her inner thoughts and emotions are conveyed so evocatively that the reader becomes fully immersed in her story, rooting for her all the way.”
Available in paperback, kindle or Kindle Unlimited here.
A Wise Women Series short story, available only in kindle (not in KU), telling of the early life of Mother Lovell, the old crone from River Witch.
Halbren is named after the river on whose banks she was found, wrapped in a water-washed red neckerchief. At 16, she is forced from her home, travelling south with the river in search of answers. And all the while the river nymphs call to her to swim with them, join with them ...
What readers say:
“The tug of the river versus the reality of a working woman’s life is beautifully captured. A little gem!”
“This is vintage Cheryl Burman writing – full of wonderful imagery and haunting scenes.”
“Cheryl writes SO beautifully. Each sentence is like a feast for the senses.”
Available here on Amazon kindle.