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The Winter Sea (Slains #1)

by Susanna Kearsley (Goodreads Author)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 18,624 ratings · 2,966 reviews

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....more

Hardcover, 527 pages

Published 2010 by Allison & Busby (first published January 1st 2008)

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Community Reviews

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Feb 22, 2013 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Mary Stewart and Daphne duMaurier

Recommended to Hannah by: Myself

Shelves: 2010-reads, historicals, romances, 2013-reads, re-read

Re-read 2/22/13
Just as excellent the second time around.
Now to dive into The Firebird :D

Original Review
From the onset of Susanna Kearsley's, The Winter Sea, fate clearly plays a large part in the destiny of writer Carrie McClelland, as well as the novel she is researching on the unsuccessful Jacobite uprising of 1708. A detour to Slains Castle on the rugged west coast of Scotland solidifies Carrie's desire to move her base of operations there. After meeting with her agent and good friend, Jane,...more

24 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2012 Lisa Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-audible-dot-com, timewarp-parallel-past-present, animal-dog-in-story, theme-pregnancy, setting-scotland, genre-historical-fact-101, 2012-in-2012-group-challenge, buddy-read-rlftci, amazing-secondary-characters, genre-bittersweet, challenge-chunkster, setting-france, theme-fish-out-of-water, reviewed-by-me, theme-secret-baby, season-winter, vocation-writer, xyzcover-sea-lake-water, authors-s, authors-k

Update: 5/17/12
Rosalyn Landor has been nominated for the Audie Awards 2012 “Solo Narration-Female” category for her narration of The Winter Sea.

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Slains Castle as it was in all its glory...
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Slains Castle now...
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★★★★☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I love to listen to the talented Rosalyn Landor read a book. Her elegant narration is perfect for this lyrical, atmospheric book. Ms. Landor does the accents nicely, especially the Scottish. She does a great job of the male and female voices in thi...more

42 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2011 Emery Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

8/15/11 - Addendum to original review. I did not rate this book after reading it because I was so upset about the ending, but in retrospect I have to allow that it was one of the best books (and perhaps THE BEST) I have read this year. While I am VERY stingy about 5 star ratings and this is NOT the HEA I would have chosen, I confess that the author's meticulous research, beautiful prose, and riveting parallel storyline has won me over in the end. I've decided to give it the 5 stars after all.

WHE...more 8/15/11 - Addendum to original review. I did not rate this book after reading it because I was so upset about the ending, but in retrospect I have to allow that it was one of the best books (and perhaps THE BEST) I have read this year. While I am VERY stingy about 5 star ratings and this is NOT the HEA I would have chosen, I confess that the author's meticulous research, beautiful prose, and riveting parallel storyline has won me over in the end. I've decided to give it the 5 stars after all.

WHERE OH WHERE DO I POSSIBLY BEGIN?????
OK. With the beginning- I was in LOVE with this book. Absolutely enthralled with it - the writing style, the dual plot lines, the historical accuracy - truly enamored. I found it so easy to relate to Carrie in her methodical and thorough research for her historical novel and her deisre to get the tiniest details right. I enjoyed the beginnings of romance with the Keith brothers, and I immediately sympathized with the characters in Carrie's novel.

As it turns out, I am one of probably very few people who already had a very thorough knowledge of the Franco-Scottish plans in 1708 and the subsequent Jacobite risings and can say that the author was spot on with historical accuracy. I admire and respect how she was able to work so many true characters and events into the story in such an engaging fashion...

HOWEVER...

About 80% into the book, things take a bad turn and there is a particular detail of this that spoiled the entire book for me. Although there is a rather contrived HEA (one that I actually saw coming) the female protagonist does something that caused me to become completely alienated from her emotinally and I found I could never feel sympathy or respect for her from that moment on. Since I do not believe in "plot-spoiling" reviews, but try very hard to just give my thoughts on a book, I won't reveal what that "moment" was. Suffice to say, however, I felt the action was so far out of character that I had a hard time believing in the ultimate HEA. It was also so far removed from my own nature that I could not relate to it. I then found myself reading the rest of the book with an uncharacteristic detachment and just flipping pages to see how it would all be resolved.

This should have been/could have been a 5 star review but I am so conflicted about the resolution that I refuse to rate it.(less)

27 likes · like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Katrina Passick Lumsden rated it 5 of 5 stars

The five stars I've given this book reflects the high I'm still coming down from after having finished it. I think I might be in love with Susanna Kearsley. I read The Rose Garden earlier this year, and being a huge fan of time travel, devoured that shit like it was going out of style. Granted, it took me a little while to get into it because I found the pacing in the beginning to be kind of slow, but after getting over that bump in the road, there was no turning back.

The Winter Sea was a whole...more The five stars I've given this book reflects the high I'm still coming down from after having finished it. I think I might be in love with Susanna Kearsley. I read The Rose Garden earlier this year, and being a huge fan of time travel, devoured that shit like it was going out of style. Granted, it took me a little while to get into it because I found the pacing in the beginning to be kind of slow, but after getting over that bump in the road, there was no turning back.

The Winter Sea was a whole different beast for me. This one grabbed onto my imagination much sooner and I found I really couldn't put it down. I read until I could no longer keep my eyes open, allowed myself four and a half hours of sleep, then woke and picked it right back up to finish it. I then experienced something I don't experience often; as anxious as I was to get to the end and find out what happened, I kept putting it down and waiting. It sounds insane, but I wasn't looking forward to the ending. Not because I feared it would be bad, but because I didn't want it to end at all. I wanted to just keep reading about Sophia and John and Carrie and Graham, and when it was finally over, I wanted to cry. There, again, was another complicated mess, as the ending left me feeling both happy and sad.

The way Kearsley weaves her tales together is absolutely captivating to me, and I will forever be jealous of her ability to craft a compelling tale. I don't want to give anything away in this review, so I will just say that it was refreshing to see a hero from the past being selfish and claiming the woman he loves (who also loves him) instead of trying to "spare" her by keeping away. That path always leads to trouble in a story, so I've come to recognize it as a lazy and tired device.

I might be a bit biased regarding this book considering my own genealogy traces back to several prominent Scottish families, but even those who have no Scottish in them at all should be able to appreciate the compelling, history-rich atmospheres Kearsley is capable of creating. The character voices are real and rich with emotion, the intrigue is well done, and Kearsley put in so many historical facts that this wonderful fiction also acts as a sort of history lesson. Let's face it, the conflicts between England and Scotland (especially those regarding the Stuart kings) are not easy to navigate, but Kearsley managed it with aplomb, giving life to these too-oft faceless historical figures so that it became a real story, not just dry facts from a history book. She will forever have my gratitude for helping to make sense of it all.

If you like romance, I think you'll like this book. If you like history, I think you'll like this book. If you're into political intrigue, there might be something here for you. If you're a genealogist, this will speak to you. If you're a genealogist with ties to Scotland, you'll definitely like this. And if, like me, you're all of the above? Sit back, enjoy, and be prepared to want to read it again as soon as you're finished.(less)

30 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2013 Christina White rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, love-stories, literary-fiction

This is the story about an author named Carrie, who writes historical fiction novels. She travels to Scotland to research Slains Castle for her newest novel and to spend some time with her editor who lives there. While she is there the characters of her book come alive in her memory. She is actually remembering the life of her ancestor, Sophie Paterson and her marriage to John Murray. While writing her book she meets a man named Graham and a romance starts. "The Winter Sea" jumps back and forth...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, kindle

This is yet another book which I probably would not have read had it not been for reviews on Goodreads and recommendations from several GR friends which prompted me to read another novel by Kearsley, Every Secret Thing. I liked Every Secret Thing enough to want to read more of Kearsley’s work.

This novel has dual time lines. There is a contemporary narrative, told in the first person. The narrator is an author writing a historical novel about a failed Jacobite rebellion which took place in 1708...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Neide Parafitas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, leituras-2012

"O Segredo de Sophia" é um romance histórico belíssimo e que conta com personagens adoráveis e capazes de nos transmitir muita emoção!!

Confesso que fiquei com uma lágrima no canto do olho algumas vezes!

Adorei e aguardo ansiosamente pelo próximo livro da autora: "Mariana"!! :))

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 03, 2013 Carol Kerry-green rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-suspense, romantic-suspense, 2013

This is the second Susanna Kearsley novel that I've read and I can see her becoming a favourite author. The Winter Sea (or Sophia's Secret) is set in Scotland in and around Slains Castle near Aberdeen. Carrie McLelland an historical novelist is writing a novel about the 1708 Jacobite rebellion, but is finding it hard to get started, until on a visit to a friend she sees Slains Caslte, immediately she knows that she has been using the wrong background (trying to write the book set in the court of...more This is the second Susanna Kearsley novel that I've read and I can see her becoming a favourite author. The Winter Sea (or Sophia's Secret) is set in Scotland in and around Slains Castle near Aberdeen. Carrie McLelland an historical novelist is writing a novel about the 1708 Jacobite rebellion, but is finding it hard to get started, until on a visit to a friend she sees Slains Caslte, immediately she knows that she has been using the wrong background (trying to write the book set in the court of Saint Germaine) and hires a cottage in the village of Cruden Bay to write her novel. One story in this book is about Carrie's voyage of discovery as she writes her book, the other story is Sophia's, born in the late 1690s, she arrives at Slain's Castle by invitate of Countess Erroll to make the place her hom in 1707, the scene is set.

To Carrie, Sophia is just another fictional character there to tell the story of what happened in 1708; at least to start with. As the novel progresses and as Carrie writes she realises that the story is a part of her, Sophia Paterson, she'd chosen that name because one of her ancestors was called that and she was from Scotland, if from the West coast (Kircudbright) not the East Coast, but hey, she was only a fictional character. Except, research starts to through up references to characters in Carrie's novel, she comes across a letter that mentions a Mistress Sophia Paterson travelling to Slains to take up a place in the Countess of Erroll's household; other instances like this finally tell Carrie that what she is writing is what really happened to her ancestor and that she is writing from memory, genetic memory.

The novel (both of them) works really well, both stories are engaging and both involve a love story. The 1708 uprising never happened, King James set sail from France, but circumstances conspired against him and he didn't land then. The historical side of this novel is well researched and presented, as Carrie is portrayed as a historical novelist, you get a sense of how Susanna Kearsley as a novelist whose books are often set in both the modern world and a historical one researches herself.

A thoroughly enjoyable novel, one I'm sure I'll reread in the future

Re-read Nov 2011 Still cried at the end even though I knew what was coming.

Reread Mar 2013
(less)

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Aug 07, 2008 LJ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1700s, contemporary_post_1945, female_author, jacobian_1603-1714, novel, scotland, multiple_periods

THE WINTER SEA (Dual-period novel/Romance-Carrie McClelland-Scotland-Cont/1708) - Ex
Kearsley, Susanna – Standalone
Allison & Busby, Ltd., 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780749080976

First Sentence: It wasn’t chance.

Bestselling author Carrie McClelland comes from France, where she is working on a book related to the 1708 attempted return of James Stewart to regain his throne. On the way to the christening of her friend and agent’s baby, she takes a side road and is drawn to Slains Castle.

Decid...more THE WINTER SEA (Dual-period novel/Romance-Carrie McClelland-Scotland-Cont/1708) - Ex
Kearsley, Susanna – Standalone
Allison & Busby, Ltd., 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780749080976

First Sentence: It wasn’t chance.

Bestselling author Carrie McClelland comes from France, where she is working on a book related to the 1708 attempted return of James Stewart to regain his throne. On the way to the christening of her friend and agent’s baby, she takes a side road and is drawn to Slains Castle.

Deciding to move from France to Scotland, she rents a cottage new Slain and finds her connection to the old castle is closer even than her ancestor who once lived there.

This is not a gothic, time travel or a torrid romance. It is a flawlessly crafted novel set in two time periods with a romantic relationship in each. From the first page, I was immersed in the story. Kearsley’s sense of place is evocative; I was with the characters in sight, sound and even smell.

Her characters became real to me. In the present day, Carrie is a wonderful protagonist; smart and independent, as is Sophie in the past. Surrounded by a strong group of supporting characters, I felt I could sit down and have a chat with any of them. The plot is so well done and flows beautifully between the two time periods.

Kearsley is an excellent writer. There is a lot of factual information in the story, but it is incorporated as part of the story and through dialogue; thus never taking you out of the story or causing you to question her facts. After the end of the story, she very clear about what liberties she did take, and those were few. The explanation used for the link from the present to the past was fascinating and one with which I was unfamiliar.

At the same time, there was nothing dry about this book; I did laugh, I did cry, at times, my heart beat a bit faster from suspense and romance and I absolutely loved the endings. Not normally one to do comparisons but I believe fans of Diana Gabaldon, and Mary Stewart, and others, would enjoy this book; not to mention Ms. Kearsley’s existing fans. I wish her books were more frequent but, for another of Ms. Kearsley’s books, I’m willing to wait.
(less)

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Mar 10, 2013 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

For some reason this one was hard for me to get into. However, as the book progressed I enjoyed the storyline more. I love historical fiction, but this felt like I had a history lesson that wasn't any too interesting jammed down my throat. I like it pureed into a smoothie so I barely know I'm learning anything nutritious. Yum. Smoothie. Sweet story but not the best I've read.

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 21, 2013 Lauren Fidler rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: close-your-eyes-do-it-for-england, clunky, convoluted-plot, convoluted-love-triangle, ghosties, heavyhanded, makes-me-wish-i-had-a-map, misplaced-hero, not-good-for-mothers-of-daughters, poorly-named-characters, protag-is-total-slut, riddle-me-this, sappy-tacky-sentimental-pap, subtle-like-a-rock, unplanned-pregnancy

i have what can only be described as a love-hate relationship with this book. i found so much of it to feel incredibly stupid and yet i couldn't put it down. explain that one to me!'

warning: here there be spoilers.

10 Things I Hate About You:
1. the employment of a frame story - i'm pretty sure the conversation with her editor went something like this:
sk: it's going to be two books in one! one story will be set in modern day and the other will be her "historical" novel!
editor: oh, you mean, like...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction

Historical fiction is not usually my genre. I picked up this book because I thought it would also contain a paranormal element. Well, it does not - or very slightly so -, but I loved it nonetheless.
Whoever compared it to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander in their reviews is seriously misleading readers, because this book has basically very little to do with it and it does not deal with time travel at all.

The narrative technique was very good. The story is told by a writer, Carrie McClelland, who trave...more Historical fiction is not usually my genre. I picked up this book because I thought it would also contain a paranormal element. Well, it does not - or very slightly so -, but I loved it nonetheless.
Whoever compared it to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander in their reviews is seriously misleading readers, because this book has basically very little to do with it and it does not deal with time travel at all.

The narrative technique was very good. The story is told by a writer, Carrie McClelland, who travels to Cruden Bay, Scotland, to do some research for her upcoming novel. There, while she writes, she starts experiencing flashbacks that she thinks are part of her writing process and therefore figments of her imagination, but that in fact turn out to be the real happenings of the period. The theory presented for the explanation of such phenomenon is what the author calls a genetic memory. Sophia is in reality Carrie's ancestor and the narration switches back and forth between present and past, creating two plots that come woven together in the end.

The story is a compelling, lyrical and heartbreaking love story. It is a bit heavy on the historical references but they're fundamental to the economy of the story and it might help if you're interested in that particular period. I was always fascinated by Scottish history and got my good dose of it with the above mentioned and neverending Outlander series but, being this a previous rising, I got to fill in the gaps of what came before.
As I said i am not a big fan of historical fiction but this book got me hooked till the last bittersweet page.

I was a bit conflicted about the ending though and I'd like to have somebody else's opinion about it: (view spoiler)

All in all a great and satisfying read I'd strongly recommend for those interested in this genre.
I will, without a doubt, read other books by this author in the future.(less)

15 likes · like · see review

Jun 11, 2013 Suzanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, suzanne-s-2013-reading-challenge

This was a lovely book! A little slow to start, but it didn't take long before I was thoroughly engrossed in the story. And what a wonderful story it was too. It was full of history, and even though I'm not really a big fan of history lessons, the history background in this book was so interesting. It just fit like a glove.

And she made me feel like I was there in Scotland on the coast. Even in the bad weather, she still made it sound like someplace to want to be. If only so I could stay in Carr...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: canadian, 2013-tbr-pile-challenge, read-in-2013, wanderlust, scotland, historic-fiction, swoonworthy-guy

This review was originally posted on my blog, Ramblings of a Daydreamer. You can find it, and many more reviews at the blog.

4.5

Susanna Kearsley’s The Winter Sea has single-handedly rekindled my love of historic fiction. This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It skillfully weaves the past and present into a story of intrigue, romance, and danger, and will keep you guessing and hoping, while falling in love with the characters.

The story starts off with Carrie, an author of historic fiction,...more This review was originally posted on my blog, Ramblings of a Daydreamer. You can find it, and many more reviews at the blog.

4.5

Susanna Kearsley’s The Winter Sea has single-handedly rekindled my love of historic fiction. This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It skillfully weaves the past and present into a story of intrigue, romance, and danger, and will keep you guessing and hoping, while falling in love with the characters.

The story starts off with Carrie, an author of historic fiction, who had been in France attempting to write her next novel. When she visits Scotland, she’s drawn to Slains Castle, and decides to stay in Scotland and work on her story because it just wasn’t happening in France. When she realizes the story needs to be told from a woman’s perspective, she decides to create a fictional life for her ancestor, Sophia Paterson. The story comes with such ease, and in such a vivid manner, Carrie wonders if Sophia’s story is fact rather than fiction, and if her memories have somehow been awakened in Carrie.

What follows is a story so rich in detail and so intricately woven, it nearly took my breath away. Set against a harsh winter background on the Scottish seaside, the story goes back and forth between Carrie in the present day and Sophia in the early 1700s. In a time of political and religious turmoil, Sophia’s life at Slains is surrounded by clandestine meetings, spies, and plans to bring James Stewart back to Scotland from France to take the throne. Things are further complicated when Sophia falls in love with a man marked with a price on his head.

This novel is full of wonderful, three-dimensional characters. Every character has a purpose, and I found myself getting very attached to them. I related easily to both Carrie and Sophia, and was eager to see where their stories led. At times it felt like Carrie’s side of the story was simply there to move things along, and there was less development on her end, and while I enjoyed it very much, I was always eager to get back to Sophia’s story.

Quite possibly my favourite part of each woman’s story was the romance. Neither love story came easily, and it was especially hard to believe Sophia would get a happily ever after, but with the swoonworthy Scots Kearsley created, I think it would be hard not to fall in love with them. I was especially enamored of Sophia and John’s romance. John had this quiet, understated way about him, and he didn’t say much but when he did, he made his words count. I just wish we’d seen more of him throughout the story!

I wasn’t familiar with the history of the Franco-Scottish plans of 1708, so I found the history aspect of it fascinating (even though it was a bit hard to keep up with at times). It was clearly well-researched, and laid out in a way that was both interesting and entertaining. While the overall pacing of the book was a bit slow at times, I never lost interest.

The Winter Sea is a beautiful, gripping story about fate and the power of enduring love. I was so invested in the story that towards the end, even though I had a feeling I knew what was coming, I was on the edge of my seat, turning pages as fast as possible with tears building in my eyes. I was so enthralled with it, I didn’t want it to end. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me certain that this will be the first of many books by Susanna Kearsley I will read.(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Annalisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club, literary, historical-fiction

3.5 stars

I've been on a historical fiction kick lately and although this is a little cheesy and chick lit-y, it filled my craving for it. I love learning about times in history I don't know much about (and especially loved the tidbits of Scottish), but I do have strict standards about what is altered to fiction, most importantly the events and life of real people, and for that, the ending was not my favorite. (view spoiler)...more 3.5 stars

I've been on a historical fiction kick lately and although this is a little cheesy and chick lit-y, it filled my craving for it. I love learning about times in history I don't know much about (and especially loved the tidbits of Scottish), but I do have strict standards about what is altered to fiction, most importantly the events and life of real people, and for that, the ending was not my favorite. (view spoiler)

In the beginning, I enjoyed Carrie's story, but as time progressed, I definitely enjoyed Sophia's more. I felt the connection and growth of her relationship (view spoiler). I thought Kearsley tried to piggyback too much of Carrie's rushed relationship to Sophia's to give it strength and sometimes grew tired of her pointing out once again how they paralleled. In the end, I found the story a little too tidy for my taste, but probably right on for those who love happily ever after endings. (view spoiler)

I was a little leery of the ancestral memory aspect of the story, but I think Kearsley made it believable enough that I could suspend my disbelief (view spoiler) Overall, I was into the story and setting and couldn't wait to get back to it. It's a good, solid, clean read that I would recommend to most of my friends.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 01, 2011 mstan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, british, src-winter-2011-12, kindle

*edited to a 3-star read on hindsight

This was a pleasurable and fun read - probably closer to 3.5 stars than 4, though, with the possibility of a long-term 3. It's definitely better than Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution, and I liked the historical parts and political intrigue quite a bit. After reading this and compounding the atmospheric Scottish effect with The Game of Kings, I'm sure I'll be planning a trip to Scotland in the near future...

Carrie is a writer who specialises in...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Winter Sea is my first book from author Susanna Kearsley. It was highly recommended, looked like something I would enjoy, and had a historical context that I was somewhat unfamiliar with. Having finished it now, I can also highly recommend it.
Carrie McClelland (sp) is a successful historical fiction author who settles in Scotland via Paris to research her current manuscript. She has a unique perspective for her new story however, when she becomes suspicious of how accurate her imagination is...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 03, 2011 Blair rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-on-kindle, past-and-present

I've mentioned in previous reviews that there are certain fictional attributes - most things that would be considered 'gothic', old country houses or castles, solitary narrators who may or may not be obsessed with books - that I'm a complete sucker for, and the presence of any of these elements in a story is likely to skew my opinion in a positive direction. With this book, I have realised that 'lonely seaside towns in winter' can be added to that list. You can't go far wrong with those, and The...more I've mentioned in previous reviews that there are certain fictional attributes - most things that would be considered 'gothic', old country houses or castles, solitary narrators who may or may not be obsessed with books - that I'm a complete sucker for, and the presence of any of these elements in a story is likely to skew my opinion in a positive direction. With this book, I have realised that 'lonely seaside towns in winter' can be added to that list. You can't go far wrong with those, and The Winter Sea's setting of a Scottish coastal village overlooked by a ruined castle is just perfect.

The story starts with Carrie, a historical novelist, driving along the Scottish coast en route to the christening of her publisher's baby. She sees the aforementioned castle, Slains, on the horizon and is instantly drawn to it. Having previously suffered writer's block with the book she's attempting to write about the Jacobite invasion of 1708, she finds herself so inspired by Slains that she impulsively decides to relocate to the neighbouring town, Cruden Bay, to work on the book. However, as she does more research into the background of her story, she starts to realise that what she is writing (much of it drawn from extraordinarily vivid dreams) appears to be historically accurate down to the last detail. The chapters alternate between Carrie's present-day life and her historical story, which centres on a young girl called Sophia who visits Slains in the early 18th century.

When I started reading this, I was a bit sceptical because of the amount of readers who have categorised it as a romance book. And, yes, romance is a strong element of the story - if you completely detest it (rather than simply being generally dubious, like me) it's likely you will scoff at a lot of the content. The incidences of 'love at first sight', and the speed at which relationships progress, are markedly unrealistic. However, if you can cope with a certain degree of syrupy romance, you'll find the book has more than enough charm and intelligence to make up for it. The historical detail is interesting and feels authentic, and I love the way it's been woven into the story through Carrie's conversations with the residents of Cruden Bay. The stuff about 'genetic memory' is silly but fantastically enjoyable and compelling. On top of this, I don't think there was a single character I didn't like or believe in, the result being that I was heartened and cheered up by the happy ending(s) rather than seeing them as corny.

What you have here is a book that is more than the sum of its parts because of the author's skill in binding it all together. It's light as a feather, but a cut above chick lit and generic whodunnits, and I'd definitely recommend it as a holiday, plane or beach read. From the synopses I've read, it sounds as though the author's other books are very similar plot-wise, but I would certainly read another for some light relief. I would put them on the same shelf as the books of Kate Morton (Kearsley's not quite as good as Morton, though) and Carol Goodman - unlikely to win any top literary awards, but smart, involving and rather delightful to read.

(NB: I know this was published as Sophia's Secret in the UK and I shouldn't be using the US title... but I much prefer this title (why on earth did they change it? What part of 'The Winter Sea' did they think us Brits wouldn't understand?!) and also, the cover of the UK version is absolutely AWFUL.)(less)

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Jan 12, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-stand-alones, historical-fiction, worth-rereading

Almost, almost - THE perfect book!

Almost - because of one tiny detail at the very end that female readers are just not going to be able to ignore. This is SO unfortunate because the entire book was so absolutely beautiful & romantic. The problem is that this one detail causes the reader a slight twinge of disappointment in the characters. Characters that all this time you feel you know so well, have spent your time rooting on, and crying for. This ONE stupid thing is a bit of a let down. Ma...more Almost, almost - THE perfect book!

Almost - because of one tiny detail at the very end that female readers are just not going to be able to ignore. This is SO unfortunate because the entire book was so absolutely beautiful & romantic. The problem is that this one detail causes the reader a slight twinge of disappointment in the characters. Characters that all this time you feel you know so well, have spent your time rooting on, and crying for. This ONE stupid thing is a bit of a let down. Maybe I misunderstand - maybe these are things that are 'done' 300 years ago & we just cannot comprehend the times they lived in.

PLEASE NOTE! In NO way, does that tiny end part ruin the entire book. THIS BOOK IS GOLD AND WORTH EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR TIME! The only reason it stands out so largely is because the rest of the book is so entrancing and you really come to care and love the people in it.

The setting is Scotland, to which I've never been, but - the author is so colorful with her descriptions, I was able to contrive a decent image of what it must be like there.

For an added treat, we actually get two stories in one. The story is...A writer is doing her research for a book, having made the move to the area the setting would be taking place (for inspiration purposes). So, we get her own experiences and then we get to read the story she's writing as she is writing it.

The narrative is but beautiful. I can imagine there are some wonderful quotes listed from this book on it's goodreads page(gotta go check that out!). I love it when the Scot men carry that old, really coarse Scot accent. Many of the male characters have that awesome accent - I love it! The characters are all amazing - you really want to root for them (or, against them...there is a good villan, too).

This was a book that I could NOT put down and one that I have yet been thinking of since I finished it a few days ago. The romanticism of the setting, the characters, the time, the words...it's just unbelievably awesome! (less)

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Oct 03, 2011 Clare Cannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adults

The first irresistible thing about this book is that it is set in Scotland and some of the characters speak with Scottish accents. In addition, it is a story about a writer, switching between an account of her own life and the historical story she is writing, both set in the same Scottish coastal town.

It is a relaxed and pleasant read, and would be perfect except for the introduction of adult themes, though thankfully there is very little description. There are two relationships: one in the pres...more

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Jan 16, 2009 Cathie rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Winter Sea is wonderful. It is exactly the kind of historical fiction that I love reading. The story is about a writer in the present time who travels to Scotland and stays at a cottage in Cruden Bay (between Aberdeen and Edinburgh) near Slain Castle to research materials for her novel about the Jacobite uprising of 1708. (King James (Catholic) was exiled from the English throne to France when Mary and William became King and Queen (Mary was James' daughter) at the request of the English peo...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Paulo Pires rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog

Carrie McClelland, um escritora de romances históricos que se debate com um bloqueio criativo, viaja até à Escócia para o baptizado da sua afilhada, e fica envolvida pelas paisagens idílicas, pelo Castelo de Slain em ruínas, que a chamam e a atraem para aquele sitio.

Na verdade, não é uma história!!!, mas sim duas histórias, que emergem deste livro, que se envolvem e se encontram em perfeita simbiose. O que aparentemente começa por ser mais uma história, torna-se algo mais profundo e misterioso.
É...more

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May 15, 2012 The Lit Bitch rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This mystical novel snuck up on me. I like that the story toggles through a modern setting back to the Jacobite setting with the two storied intertwining and mirroring each other.

But at the beginning most of the story was set in the modern world and the historic piece was a little slow going, but then as the story went on, the historic pieces were more frequent which helped move the pace of the novel along and hooked me. See my full review here

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Nov 19, 2012 Lacey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! One of my top two favorite books I've read this year. Loved the history, the romance, and it was so well written. It was seriously great! :)

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Mar 15, 2011 Eggletina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Atmospheric dual time novel, written in a smooth and clean style that is easy to sink into and forget the world around you. Present day PoV is an author writing an historical novel; past PoV is her ancestor who falls in love with a Jacobite assisting in the 1708 rebellion. Author realizes that she's remembering the life of her ancestor as she writes her book. I had two minor quibbles, in spite of feeling swept away by the story. I felt the two love stories could have been fleshed out more. Just...more

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Jun 09, 2013 kingshearte rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, cdn-books-worth-reading, fiction, romance

I don't have a lot to say about this one. So far, I've pretty much enjoyed everything of hers that I've read, and this was no exception. The fact that this one is set in Scotland and thus features a strong, silent, Scottish type of love interest? Let's just say it doesn't hurt anything.

One thing I do want to discuss though, is the writing in books within books. I think I've talked about it before, in that it's almost always terrible. Books that feature this particular device will almost invariab...more I don't have a lot to say about this one. So far, I've pretty much enjoyed everything of hers that I've read, and this was no exception. The fact that this one is set in Scotland and thus features a strong, silent, Scottish type of love interest? Let's just say it doesn't hurt anything.

One thing I do want to discuss though, is the writing in books within books. I think I've talked about it before, in that it's almost always terrible. Books that feature this particular device will almost invariable have at least one character raving about how amazing the book inside the book is, which just makes it all that much more maddening when it's so awful. Kearsley manages to not fall into that trap, and I have a few theories as to why that is.

First, there's the fact that telling two seemingly unrelated but somehow connected stories is kind of her MO, so declaring one of the stories as being written by a character in the other is for her just another way of doing what she's already good at. So that helps.

But secondly, I think she avoids doing what many authors who have their characters write books do, which is give that character her own authorial voice. As an author, especially an established one, you have a certain voice, a certain way that you tell your stories. And if you're successful, obviously that voice works for you. But most of the time when you read a book like this, these authors seem to go out of their way to find a different voice for the author characters, and this never works. It always feels self-conscious and stilted, it never flows right, and it leaves you completely baffled about what the fuss is all about (There's always fuss. As I mentioned above, there's always at least one person who thinks the writing is brilliant.). And I get that, to a certain extent. You want to make sure it's clear which story any given moment is part of (especially because there's usually at least some paralleling going on), so you need a way to make it obvious. I love the way Kearsley chose to do this. There's no real difference in the writing style between the two except person. The main story is in the first person; the book she's writing is in the second. It's instantly obvious where you are, but it feels more cohesive, and you're still getting the writing style that you like, or you wouldn't have picked this author. Brilliant.

And thirdly is the fact that in most of these cases, you don't get the whole book within a book; just the key points that reveal something critical or that most closely parallel the main story, or whatever it is the author is trying to do with the inner book. But when they do that, the authors are taking away all the context, all the little, seemingly irrelevant moments that fill out a story and make you actually get invested in it. In this book, you get the whole book. In fact, in some ways, the inner book is really the main story, with the present-day part serving as a frame for it. But the point is, you get enough of those little moments in both the outer and inner stories that both feel whole and compelling.

So to me, this book is proof that the book within a book device actually can be done well. So authors, if you're feeling like this is a thing you want to do, feel free to use this one as an example of how it can be done well. And if you can't do it this well, please spare us and come up with a different way of telling your story.

Apparently I had somewhat more to say than I thought.(less)

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May 27, 2013 Sílvia Afonso rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fiquei extremamente curiosa a respeito deste livro, a partir do momento em que li a sua sinopse. Deste modo, quando o comecei a ler, estava com grandes expectativas e em nada saí desiludida.

É um livro encantador, repleto de personagens muito simpáticas, pelas quais sentimos imediatamente uma imensa empatia. Muito mais que um simples romance histórico, este livro é amoroso e está escrito de uma forma muito inteligente.

O cenário escolhido é deslumbrante. A sua descrição permite-nos criar as imagen...more

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May 06, 2013 Alyson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Alyson by: Jessica Madsen, Sofie Skapski

Shelves: 2013, book-club, fiction

This was not my favorite Susanna Kearsley. First of all, I'm not interested even a little bit in the history that forms its backbone. I'm sure the author tried to include only what was necessary to make the story roll forward—at least, I hope so; I hope she didn't just sprinkle it with details because she knew them and found them interesting herself. But in any case, I had a whopping case of who gives a darn, and that made some of the historical chapters quite a slog. I was glad for the way it t...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Michelle by: Angie

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, historical-fiction, la-la-loved, own

As a best-selling historical fiction author, Carrie McClelland is accustomed to her characters speaking to her. And once again, that same fire and inspiration is beginning to flood her dreams as she embarks on her latest project: a novel set during the attempt to restore Jacobite James Stuart to the Scottish throne in 1708. Embracing historical accuracy to a fault, Carrie decides to relocate to a small cottage within shouting distance of the ruined Slains Castle where much of her story takes pla...more As a best-selling historical fiction author, Carrie McClelland is accustomed to her characters speaking to her. And once again, that same fire and inspiration is beginning to flood her dreams as she embarks on her latest project: a novel set during the attempt to restore Jacobite James Stuart to the Scottish throne in 1708. Embracing historical accuracy to a fault, Carrie decides to relocate to a small cottage within shouting distance of the ruined Slains Castle where much of her story takes place. And in a move seemingly decided by fate decides to use the name of her own ancestor, Sophia Paterson, as her heroine.

While staying at Cruden Bay, Sophia's story begins to flow with an ease previously inexperienced by Carrie. Aided by the amiable locals and her friendly landlord (not to mention his two very charming sons) Carrie slowly realizes that every insignificant detail, every plot twist, even the layout of the castle she has been spot on in writing about -- even before she learned the historical facts. As the line between history and fiction continues to blur for Carrie, she finds herself drawn to her ancestor Sophia who faced heartbreak beyond compare and joy without measure. All of which lead her to question, what if we could tap into the memories stored in our very genes?

When I first heard about The Winter Sea as a sort of time-travel romance I was intrigued. The only book like that I had previously read was Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, which while fun, didn't ultimately do much for me. So happily unawares at what I was getting myself into, I started The Winter Sea expecting such similar tepid fare. How utterly wrong I was. The Winter Sea is like Outlander's more mature, more experienced, intelligent older sister saturated with honest, real emotions and historical treasures like the descriptions of the French court at Saint-Germain and Sophia's stay at Slains Castle. Yet despite the profusion of history described, The Winter Sea is never once plodding or boring. Quite the opposite, in fact. The two stories of Carrie and Sophia were woven seamlessly together. I was always anxious to find out how Carrie would fare in Cruden Bay with her two very different, yet, similar suitors but I quickly became desperate to discover how the bright Sophia would fare in such turbulent times. Because Susanna Kearsley did not let that woman travel the easy road in no way, shape, or form. But thankfully, she did surround Sophia with people who loved her and watched out for her, including the brilliant Countess of Erroll who gave this piece of piercingly accurate advice after Sophia went through some truly heartbreaking events.

'I do promise that you will survive this. Faith, my own heart is so scattered round the country now, I marvel that it has the strength each day to keep me standing. But it does,' she said, and drawing in a steady breath she pulled back just enough to raise a hand to wipe Sophia's tears. 'It does. And so will yours.'
'How can you be so sure?'
'Because it is a heart, and knows no better.'

"It knows no better." That very line right there got struck right in my heart. The sensitivity and depth of emotion in these chapters did not just induce minor sniffling on my part, but full-out shoulders-shaking, tears-streaming crying. And all because Ms. Kearsley's characters had sunk their lovely hooks deep into my heart and refused to let go. But never fear, because despite my extreme worry that Ms. Kearsley would not be able to give these people I had fallen quite in love with the happily ever after they deserved (you can't change history after all), she somehow pulled it off. Beautifully. To me, this story is all about the power of hope and love and learning to never give up. A truly beautiful book that I would recommend to anyone.(less)

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Mar 19, 2013 Dolors rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

My first book by Kearsley which, I'm sure, won't be the last.
The book has everything to engage: a mysterious setting (who can resist an imposing Scottish castle hanging over the wild sea?), not one but two heroines, both of strong and independent will, historical facts mixed up with fiction, and, of course, with two women, there's two romances, elegantly and consistently developed.

The plot: a writer, Carrie, who moves to Scotland to capture the essence of the character of her next novel, who i...more

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About Susanna Kearsley

Aka Emma Cole.

Susanna Kearsley studied politics and international development at university, and has worked as a museum curator.

Her first novel Mariana won the prestigious Catherine Cookson Literary Prize and launched her writing career. Susanna continued her mix of the historical and paranormal in novels The Splendour Falls, Named of the Dragon, Shadowy Horses and Season of Storms.

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Quotes from The Winter Sea

“But life, if nothing else, had taught her promises weren't always to be counted on, and what appeared at first a shining chance might end in bitter disappointment.” — 44 people liked it

“..the fields might fall to fallow and the birds might stop their song awhile; the growing things might die and lie in silence under snow, while through it all the cold sea wore its face of storms and death and sunken hopes...and yet unseen beneath the waves a warmer current ran that, in its time, would bring the spring.” — 39 people liked it

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The Winter Sea (Slains #1)

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