Love books, but can’t be tied down to a formal book discussion meeting? Join us for our Book of the Month selection. To join the party, read the book and add your thoughts in the comments. Don’t feel like reading that book? Need more than a month to finish? No worries, we’re not going anywhere… just use the Book of the Month link in the sidebar.
Editorial Reviews
Review
The story was deliciously romantic and the writing style matched the brooding, haunting tale very well. Definitely well worth reading! (Lynn Spencer All About Romance 20101108)
Kearsley’s novel is highly reminiscent of Barbara Erskine’s Lady of Hay and Mary Stewart’s works: evocative novels that lift readers straight into another time and place to smell the sea, feel the castle walls, see history and sense every emotion. These are marks of a fantastic storyteller. 4 1/2 Stars, Top Pick of the Month (RT Book Reviews 20101116)
The rich history and the historical aspect of this novel made it a book that was hard to put down. (The Romance Studio 20101123)
Skillful writing and research… Readers will not be disappointed in Sophia’s enthralling story. Highly recommended. (Historical Novels Review 20101201)
Reading this book was pure magic. (Queen of Happy Endings 20101201)
I loved The Winter Sea. It drew me in from the start and I found myself reading faster and faster just to find out what would happen next… (Starting Fresh 20101201)
A creative tour de force… Brilliant! (New York Journal of Books 20101201)
Scotland past and present comes vividly alive in this superior piece of historical fiction – the rugged countryside, salty sea air and rich heritage are the perfect setting for this tale of love, loss and destiny. (Thoughts From Lady Tess 20101202)
This is historical fiction at its best! (Library of Clean Reads 20101202)
Vivid… One of those books that you remember long after the last page has been turned. (Debbie’s Book Bag 20101206)
A perfect blend of romance, real history and what if… (At Home with a Good Book and the Cat 20101208)
A beautiful work of historical fiction . (Rundpinne 20101213)
The Winter Sea is a beautiful story… It will transport you to another time and place. (A Buckeye Girl Reads 20101220)
This book has everything: historical romance, contemporary romance, rebellion, tragedy. All the good stuff… A+ storytelling! (Readin’ and Dreamin’ 20101220)
From the moment I picked up this novel I was intoxicated by the idea of finding not just a muse but true love by pure accident.. A book not to be missed. (Pencil Pushers and Ink Splotches 20101221)
An excellent “time-travel” story with alternating chapters set in modern time and in the past. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love an epic story rich in historical detail. (In the Hammock 20101221)
A wonderful book to escape into for a couple of days with fabulous characters, and an engaging story. (In Spring it is the Dawn 20101221)
A well written, engaging historical novel with a dash of romance… it’s a page turner. (A Work in Progress 20101222)
Beautiful, clear writing, a believable storyline, adventure and romance. (Bookfoolery and Babble 20101227)
A breathtaking novel… Kearsley’s writing style beautifully spells out the mood for this novel. (Luxury Reading 20101227)
One of the most enchanting romance novels of the decade, The Winter Sea will find a home on everyone’s bookshelf. (Romance Fiction on Suite101.com 20101227)
Each page I devoured only made me want to read the next one and the next one… highly engaging. (The Royal Reviews 20101227)
Absolutely phenomenal… A stunning, gorgeous and heart-wrenching tale. (Psychotic State 20101228)
The Winter Sea was an emotionally poignant, gripping tale of adventure both in the past and the present with characters full of life, and conflicts that tug at the heart strings. A definite read! (History Undressed 20101229)
If you are a fan of Mary Stewart and Barbara Erskine, this is a must for your bookcase. (Celtic Lady’s Reviews 20110105)
What a gifted writer Ms. Kearsley is! This is one book that I wish had gone on… (Books by the Willow Tree 20110110)
This book had it all: romance, intrigue, mystery, historical fiction, kick-ass location, and a storyline that made me not want to put the book down. (Life in the Thumb 20110117)
A beautiful and engrossing story… The Winter Sea will appeal in spades to fans of Mary Stewart and Diana Gabaldon. (Angieville 20110127)
I loved how the author wove the past and the present together as Carrie dreamed of the Jacobite invasion, finding inspiration for her novel, and then in her research discovered that her dreams were more than just dreams. (Let Them Read Books )
Marvelous and flawless… (Read All Over Reviews )
Beautifully written… A book to be read carefully and savored. (DearAuthor.com )
Product Description
“Powerful, atmospheric, enthralling, and simply mesmerizing, [The Winter Sea] is one of the best books you’ll read this year!”
-Singletitles.com
“Susanna Kearsley’s obvious love of history is infectious… The Winter Sea is an acknowledgement that so many of us are haunted by the deeds of our ancestors, perhaps literally…”
-Gail Anderson-Dargatz, international bestselling author of A Recipe for Bees
History has all but forgotten…
In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.
Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.
But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her…
What readers say:
“Kearsley weaves an airtight spell that alternates and mingles the past with the present… Kudos go to her ending that, believe it or not, had this jaded reader blinking back both tears and smiles of surprise and approval. Well done.”
“A perfect concoction of history and romance. Susanna Kearsley has to be one of my all-time favorite authors-she captures the audience’s attention from the start.”
“The book is so beautifully written the reader will feel they are right there on the northeast coast of Scotland; one can almost taste the salt-laced wind…”
(20100202)
