• The Winter Bride

  • Chance Sisters Romance, Book 2
  • By: Anne Gracie
  • Narrated by: Alison Larkin
  • Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (685 ratings)

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The Winter Bride  By  cover art

The Winter Bride

By: Anne Gracie
Narrated by: Alison Larkin
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Publisher's summary

Damaris Chance's unhappy past has turned her off the idea of marriage forever. But her guardian, Lady Beatrice Davenham, convinces her to make her coming out anyway - and have a season of carefree, uncomplicated fun.

When Damaris finds herself trapped in a compromising situation with the handsome rake Freddy Monkton-Coombes, she has no choice but to agree to wed him - as long as it's in name only. Her new husband seems to accept her terms, but Freddy has a plan of his own: To seduce his reluctant winter bride.

Will Damaris' secrets destroy her chance at true happiness? Or can Freddy help her cast off the shackles of the past, and yield to delicious temptation?

©2014 Anne Gracie (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Gracie charms and entices with this launch of the Regency-era Chance Sisters series.... A deep, rich story that will leave [listeners] starry-eyed." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Winter Bride

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    429
  • 4 Stars
    202
  • 3 Stars
    41
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    421
  • 4 Stars
    153
  • 3 Stars
    50
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    421
  • 4 Stars
    168
  • 3 Stars
    37
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story... except

This was a really good story. I laughed out loud so many times. The story was engaging, humerous, serious at times and generally really enjoyable. The story itself I would give 5 stars, except that the romantic episodes were too long and descriptive. It took away from the story. I fast forwarded them. I really hate it when the story is so good, but the romantic episodes are too much because i feel i can't in good conscience recommend it. The people who ask me for recommendations don't prefer that.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Great! Great! Read.

What did you love best about The Winter Bride?
The story was great. It was very funny, but also very sad in places. I came away very satisfied. Book 1, The Autumn Bride was funny, but since you got more Freddie in Winter Bride, "It was the bomb".

What did you like best about this story?
In the time between writing the first and second book, Anne Gracie learned how to write a proper love scene. I was unhappy with Autumn Bride's badly written only one love scene.But, she got it right in Winter Bride. "Well done!"

Which character – as performed by Alison Larkin – was your favorite?
It was a toss up between Lady Bea and Freddie. But, Freddie had the bigger role. They got the best lines, but Flynn wasn't far behind. I thinking his story will be next.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I laughed throughout the story, but cried for both Demaris and Freddie, when their tragic pasts were revealed. I cheered when they came to each other defense. I was very happy to find an even happier ending in the Epilogue. I won't spoil it for you.

Any additional comments?
I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I only hope it doesn't take as long as between Book 1 and Book 2. #tagsgiving #sweepstakes #Funny #Tearjerker #HappyEnding

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Dreadful Narration Pairing With Story

What would have made The Winter Bride better?

A narrator who could have brought a degree of gravitas to the story. This narrator's voice was light and childlike, very precious.

Would you ever listen to anything by Anne Gracie again?

No.

How could the performance have been better?

A different narrator, capable of a serious voice and able to perform male voices. This narrator made the story seem quite absurd and frivolous.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • SB
  • 12-14-16

Much better than book 1!

Any additional comments?

Story: much better than book 1. Great characters, good development of the relationship, romantic, good dialogues, humor, and cute story. Good Development of the series.

Narration: not the best, distracts from the story because the main male character, and other male really sound like old men.

Story: 3.5-4 stars
Relationship/heat: 3.5 stars , slow simmer and a few nicely written and loving hot scenes.
Performance: 2.5 stars, not the best, distracts from the story

Overall: 3 stars, worth the listening time.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

4 ½ stars. I enjoy the author’s choices & dialogue

Like the first book in the series, this is not great writing, but I felt good while reading it. The happiness flowed into my other life. And that makes it 5 stars for me.

I wish more regency romances were like this. Too many authors use inaccurate assumptions and secrets for excessive drama and suspense. Gracie does not. I’m not talking about Damaris keeping a secret about her past. That was reasonable. Here’s an example of something I liked. After sex, Damaris makes an assumption that is wrong. Another author would have Damaris leave the guy and not say why. But Gracie has the guy sense something wrong, ask her about it, and not give up until she tells him. So she tells him, and then he explains why the assumption is wrong. I was pleased because I am used to other authors who would draw that out for extended conflict. Sometimes I don’t mind drawing it out, but many times I do.

I loved the character Freddy. He was entertaining. He fears and avoids muffins (irritating females chasing him for marriage). Aunt Bea mistakenly thinks he likes to eat baked muffins. He does not correct her. So she frequently serves him muffins, and then he has to think of ways to avoid eating them, like throwing one in the fire, but then he worries there might be a smell.

HEROINE WAS RAPED IN THE PAST.
Some readers might want to know this. The rapes were not shown in detail, but they were mentioned. The f-word was used regarding this.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
I really enjoyed the narrator Alison Larkin. I frequently complain when a female narrator uses a weird voice for the hero, and Larkin used a weird voice for Freddy. He did not sound sexy at all. He almost sounded comical. But this narrator is so wonderful with emotional interpretations - I loved it, weird Freddy and all. I loved the way she interpreted Mrs. Jenkins (a very minor character) who was Damaris’ boss at the pottery shop. I plan to look for more books that she narrates. However, one of my friends was disappointed with the narrator, so it’s a personal preference.

Genre: regency romance

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great continuation of series

Couldn't wait for this one to come out, as I loved the first one in this series. This did not disappoint. Freddy, what can you say, you have to love him, the class clown with much deeper aspects to his personality than he ever lets on. So much fun in this book, and the chinese experimental swimming pigs, they just add to the enjoyment. I only hope the third installment doesn't take as long.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great series

It’s a great series they should make a movie about this stories . Can’t wait for the next book ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

💜 I LOVED this!

This was absolutely a sweet and hilarious book. I love series books because we get to visit the old characters, and see the stories of the secondary characters develop. The characters have SO much personality and it's easy to put yourself right into the story. I love how Damaris and Freddy interact throughout the entire book. I love soooo much when a book doesn't spend so much time on the angst of the H&H relationship and all the conflict along the way until at the very end we finally can relax with a happily ever after. Well this book is really just about the story of these two and their journey in the relationship. There are always the bad guys, and there are a couple you get to dislike, but it doesn't interfere with Damaris and Freddy's relationship.

I read a lot about the narrator. Now, we are used to most narrators who read us a story. A few get into character a bit when we're lucky. But Alison Larkin really gets into character, and it's not characters we're used to. They're flamboyant and have a lot of color and that's the way Alison reads the story. At first, it takes a little getting adjusted to, but trust me, you'll never ever accept Freddy any other way. Or any of the other characters for that matter.

I bought this book on sale for $3.45 and it was one billion percent worth it!! Would it have been worth a whole credit? Well I very very very rarely spend a credit on one book. I most always get them on a 2/1 sale unless it's something specific I'm after. So I wouldn't have ever gotten this book if it hadn't been on sale. That being said, IF I had used a whole credit for it, I wouldn't have been the least bit disappointed!!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Series

Not just this one, the ENTIRE series has been extremely enjoyable, even enchanting. The 4 girls are courageous, loyal, and strong. You find yourself cheering them on, hating those who hurt them and hoping they get help. Love and help come from unexpected places, sometimes in spite of the girls. Great supporting characters whom you love as much as the girls, these are wonderful men, and women, old and young who grace their lives. Start with the first book for the full story, enjoy the journey through the seasons. Each book is has its own humor, regret, affection, sexual love, fear, and triumph. I haven’t been moved by a story like this one in a long time - for this is one story in 4 volumes. The Chance Sisters Romance, well written Anne Gracie and well done narrator Alison Larkin!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

OK

The story was ok and had some fairly humorous moments in it. It was different in most other books with the female character's back story.

The main complaint I had about it was the male character's voice by the narrator. He sounded like the flamboyant peacock types who are subcharacters in most of the other regency type books I've listened to. His voice was too lilty or song like or something, even during the love scenes. I just couldn't get into him.

if you liked the first book in this series, I'd still recommend listening to this one, though..

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