Winter Cottage

By: Mary Ellen Taylor

Narrated by: Shannon McManus

An Amazon Charts bestseller.

A gripping novel about family secrets...and coming home for the first time.

Still grieving the loss of her wandering, free-spirited mother, Lucy Kincaid leaves Nashville for the faded town of Cape Hudson, Virginia. She goes to see the house she’s inherited—one she never knew existed, bequeathed to her by a woman she’s never even met. At the heart of this mystery is the hope that maybe—just maybe—this “Winter Cottage” will answer the endless questions about her mother’s past...including the identity of her birth father.

Rather than the quaint Virginian bungalow Lucy expected, Winter Cottage is a grand old estate of many shadows—big enough to hold a century of secrets, passions, and betrayals. It also comes with a handsome and enigmatic stranger, a man next in line to claim Lucy’s inheritance.

Now, as Lucy sifts through the past, uncovering the legacy of secrets that Winter Cottage holds, she’ll come to discover as much about her family history as she does about herself. In searching, she could finally find the one thing she’s never really had: a home.

©2018 Mary Burton (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Offering a look into bygone days of the gentrified from the early 1900s up until the present time, mystery and romance are included along with a multifaceted tale that is sure to please.” (The New York Journal of Books)

w Wonderful Author.

The narrator was excellent. The story kept me intrigued and the ending was pleasant.

Drama filled

I had to listen to it twice because i was getting lost. Clunky transitions between time periods. But, the story line was captivating and I was hooked to know what happened next!

Performance was meh!

The story itself is classic Mary Ellen Taylor, rich in family history, layered with mystery, and emotionally resonant. I appreciated the unfolding of past and present, and the way secrets were revealed with care. However, the audiobook performance was a major drawback. The narrator’s voice shifts—especially when switching characters, were jarring and often distracting. Some guttural tones used for certain characters felt forced and unpleasant, pulling me out of the story. I’ll give Spring House a try with the same performer, but if the narration style doesn’t improve, I’ll likely DNF it. Great story, unfortunate delivery.

Great read

I absolutely loved this book from the start and right through to the end. Author is gifted and narration was done to perfection. Bonus gift….recipes at the end. Thank you!

Excellent Story

I immediately fell in love with Lucy and Claire. The history and the intertwined fates of the women in this story were amazing. I couldn't stop listening to it.