The Winter Sea

This is one of those rather rare books that you know you will feel sad when it is ends . . . I have not finished it yet and am already missing the characters/friends who are so real that the setting just wrap around you and enfolds you in cozy warmth or wintry sea air. Beautifully and sensitively written . . . don't miss it. It's a story within a story and very thought-provoking as to the origins of the creative process. Very sweet and wonderfully narrated audiobook. Rosalyn Landor does a fabulous job creating the characters and moods. I can hardly put it down. I wish I could listen non-stop -- very engaging story(s). Some mighty strong and attractive male characters here and brainy women.

I've given this book a rating of four stars because I enjoyed it overall. If you like Diana Gabaldon (who's book, "Outlander", I would give five stars+) you may like this book. I have read one other book by this author called "The Shadowy Horses". I think I prefer "The Winter Sea". Though both books are enjoyable, this one was far more interesting as to its historical content. Kearsley gives a concise history of the Jacobites and the House of Stuart. If you are at all interested in Scottish history, give it a listen. It is also quite sad in some parts. I am not an overly-emotional person, but found myself crying at one point. In order to avoid spoilers, all I can say is: stick it out to the end. I thought she did a good job of tying things up, but I would have liked a little more......oh well, I guess I just hate to end a good read. It's kind of like losing a friend!

I was transported to another place and time with the beauty of this story and the superb narration by Rosalyn Landor. One of the two main characters is a contemporary American writer, Carrie, as she writes a novel set in early 17th century Scotland about the return of exiled King James to the Scottish throne during the reign of England's Queen Anne. The second narrator is the 17th century heroine, a young Scottish woman named Sophia, who takes the reader back to this time of intrigue, deception and danger, and two satisfying love stories. The two timelines are seamlessly interwoven and the narrator's skill at changing accents makes it easy to follow the two narrators, Carrie and Sophia, as the novel shifts back and forth between them. For those who enjoy historical fiction with detail, a sense of place and time, and romance you might find this as completely satisfying as I did.

This book was captivating - very well written and excellently narrated. I highly recommend it. The characters were engaging and full of life. The story line was intriguing and moved seamlessly between two time periods. I couldn't wait to see how it would end, yet didn't want it to be over. I look forward to more books by this author and will be looking to see what other stories this narrator has read. Well done!

I completely enjoyed listening to this one! Nothing too deep but just fun to listen to at the beach or while knitting my afgan for next winter. I think the narrator did a good job and certainly pulled off the Scots. I hope Audible will be able to provide more from this author. I know she has other work published. If you enjoy Scotland, a bit of mystery,some romance and a step back in time this is the audible listen for you!

I absolutely LOVED this book!!!!!! I love Diana Gabaldons Outlander series and although this is not directly related. it was just as perfectly written and narrarated!! Wonderful book-- two books for the price of one in this audo book! Must buy to understand! :-)

I very highly recommend The Winter Sea to any reader, especially romance and historical fiction lovers.

Is Carrie McClelland writing another best seller, or telling Sophie's (Carrie's ancestor) stunning story of courage, heartbreak and love? You will fall in love with Sophie & John Moray as Susanna Kearsley tells a story that will stay with you and make you want to revisit often.

I liked all and loved some of the "Outlander" books. This is as good as the best of Outlander. I was truly captivated.



The Winter Sea will not disappoint.

It's hard to believe that this was the first book by this author. I have listened to it twice because it made me laugh, cry and even sometimes holler at it. But I can't wait for her next book, This one should get 10 stars jd

I was recommended this book when I'd said I enjoyed Historical Romances. I must say I wasn't disappointed. It does grab your attention and keep you wanting to read more and not miss even a small detail. The narrator Rosalyn also does a wonderful job with the different voices and puts quiet a bit of emotion into her readings.
If you are looking for heady mind boggling sex then this is not the book for you.
It was full of romance and very subtly done so you can listen to the book even with toddlers in the back while on a long drive. I was so taken by Susanna Kearsley that I went ahead and bought the rest of her books on audible and listened to them too. All of which have proved to be just as entertaining.

I got this on impulse when the promo suggested it was like Gabaldon. I was seeking something simple, easy and light that would be pleasant to listen to and require little concentration. This fit the bill perfectly. The Scottish settings, accents and characters, the mysterious and tantalizing knowledge of the author's ancestor's life, and the story-line about the Jacobites was very nice, indeed. There was no time-travel, and no iconic male like Jamie, but it was a nice enough listen. I didn't care for the tones of voice the narrator selected for the characters but the overall effect wasn't bad enough to be distracting.