Review: Kathleen Woodiwiss’ A ROSE IN WINTER – A Great 18th Century Romance from a Great Author

Kathleen Woodiwiss has written some truly great romances. She was a great storyteller. This one at well over 500 pages is no exception. A rose in winter...a flower blooming out of time...a sign of true love to come. Ah yes...how we love it.

Set in late 18th century England, this is the story of the Sexton noble family. They were so envied, their lord and his eldest son were killed for their wealth and lands. Now the young lord, who succeeded his father, has died in a fire purposely set to end his life, the same fire that burned a wing of their mansion.

Years later, a wealthy Yankee merchant seaman, Christopher Seton, has come to seek a place to live in the village and makes inquiries about the old Saxton Hall, still vacant after the death of the young lord. Living in the same village is Erienne, a beauty whose only value to her father (the Mayor) is to be sold to the highest bidder who will pay the old man's debts. At the sale, the highest bidder is an agent for a mysterious "Lord Saxton," supposedly the very same lord who was thought burned in the fire. He wears a mask to hide his deformed face and walks with a deep limp. Erienne initially fears the man she is forced to wed though he is kind and generous to her. Slowly, she comes to respect and care for him, but alongside this growing feeling for her husband is a growing attraction to the Yankee rake Seton.

Woodiwiss deals us a fast moving hand as the players hide their true motives and character from each other. As we follow along, we are not disappointed. Like her other romances, she weaves a complex tale and provides a rich tapestry of characters. If you're a Woodiwiss fan, you'll like this one.

Buy on Amazon