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Winter Secrets
Who knew Advent calendars could be so much fun? It was going to be an interesting Christmas season anyways, as Molly Barrett looked forward to showing her housemate what Christmas in Carter's Cove was like. Especially since the CrossCat had never celebrated Christmas before. But when her ex-boyfriend returns unexpectedly, and Molly starts getting mysterious cards with Christmas carols from someone calling themself "SA," the season takes a turn she never expected.
166 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 12, 2016
I want to live in Carter's Cove. And I want to work in Cross-Winds Books bookstore. The former is the setting of Winter Secrets, and the latter is the place of employment of the main character. Let me be clear - I am not a romantic novel kinda guy; this book was way outside my typical wheelhouse. That being said, this was not a gushy romance book; it is a clever love story centered around the concept of courtship at Christmas.
Carter’s Cove is some sort of mystical place that holds magical people, objects, occupations and infrastructure. The entire town is portrayed as a Thomas Kincaid painting come to life, with the kind of small-town beauty that can only be found in a wifi dead zone. This is a town full of people who actually seek each others’ company out, spend time talking and having a good time, seemingly disconnected from the hustle-bustle that drags us normal folks down with our daily grind. In other words, it’s the idyllic spot for a Christmastime love story.
The story is such a simple concept, I can't believe I haven't run into it before. (Again, not a romance story kinda guy) The basic concept for this story is that Molly, the most eligible single woman in Carter’s Cove, has a secret admirer, who leaves her a note and a song each of the days in December leading up to Christmas. It’s an advent courtship calendar! Brilliant!
The suspense builds with each day’s anticipation of the next piece of the puzzle, as Molly struggles to figure out who is her secret admirer. Along the way, we readers get a little extra inside information, which helps us cheer Molly on when she needs cheering, and stand firmly at her side when she needs support.
Obviously (hopefully?), Carter’s Cove is a fictional place, and the author uses my favorite kind of world-building, where the special parts of the place are slowly revealed through small hints and one-off casual descriptions that gradually provide the context for the story. The reader is so casually exposed to the uniqueness of Carter’s Cove that it feels both at-home and familiar.
This is a very cute story of courtship and love, with a lighthearted feel to it that makes it easy to read. It also makes me want to move to Maine and hole up in a cabin in the winter with a warm fireplace and 500 books.
Carter’s Cove is some sort of mystical place that holds magical people, objects, occupations and infrastructure. The entire town is portrayed as a Thomas Kincaid painting come to life, with the kind of small-town beauty that can only be found in a wifi dead zone. This is a town full of people who actually seek each others’ company out, spend time talking and having a good time, seemingly disconnected from the hustle-bustle that drags us normal folks down with our daily grind. In other words, it’s the idyllic spot for a Christmastime love story.
The story is such a simple concept, I can't believe I haven't run into it before. (Again, not a romance story kinda guy) The basic concept for this story is that Molly, the most eligible single woman in Carter’s Cove, has a secret admirer, who leaves her a note and a song each of the days in December leading up to Christmas. It’s an advent courtship calendar! Brilliant!
The suspense builds with each day’s anticipation of the next piece of the puzzle, as Molly struggles to figure out who is her secret admirer. Along the way, we readers get a little extra inside information, which helps us cheer Molly on when she needs cheering, and stand firmly at her side when she needs support.
Obviously (hopefully?), Carter’s Cove is a fictional place, and the author uses my favorite kind of world-building, where the special parts of the place are slowly revealed through small hints and one-off casual descriptions that gradually provide the context for the story. The reader is so casually exposed to the uniqueness of Carter’s Cove that it feels both at-home and familiar.
This is a very cute story of courtship and love, with a lighthearted feel to it that makes it easy to read. It also makes me want to move to Maine and hole up in a cabin in the winter with a warm fireplace and 500 books.
December 5, 2016
wonderful story my family never used Advent calendars but it's some point as a kid I saw one at a friend's house and I thought it was a really cool idea. this book is a wonderful story that can be used as an advent calendar or consumed all at once. probably what I love about the book the most is anticipation of continuing the story one day at a time and the excitement you know you will get with every piece of the puzzle.
December 13, 2016
Clever idea - a Christmas story that can also be an advent "calendar." Each chapter has a date, starting with December 1 and the story finishes on Christmas Day. Each chapter is also named for a Christmas song - and I must agree with Val that Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" is one of the all-time greats. The story has magical characters (a talking catlike being, elves, etc.) and a mystery to solve (who is the Secret Admirer?). A fun read for the holiday season and I hope to read more about Carter's Cove in the future. Maybe the next book can include a few of Molly's recipes - gingerbread tea cakes sound scrumptious.
December 3, 2016
If you like tea and magic and lovable holiday stories, then this one if for you! Val's knocks the Christmas Advent genre out of the park.
December 19, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I'm 100% intrigued with Carter's Cove, and this book was both a great introduction to it and a tease making me want to know more. The characters were a lot of fun, and the mystery was one I had a fun time trying to solve. I'm pleased to say I was a few steps ahead of the protagonist, at least, although it took me longer than I like to admit to figure out a key piece of the puzzle.
The book was just the right length for the story it was telling. Not too short, not too drawn out. I will definitely come back to this author!
The book was just the right length for the story it was telling. Not too short, not too drawn out. I will definitely come back to this author!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews