A beautiful cover containing a great story. My first by this author and I'm excited to say that I have another of hers on my shelf.

Family drama never looked so good. Definitely worth the read.

I loved the three timelines. The past and the present are always intertwined and Mary Ellen Taylor showed this perfectly. The fact that the past had videotapes of the actual person telling her history just enriched the story. I loved how Mrs. B. told her story while not really giving away the whole story. As a high school student recording the history of an old woman for a school project, it was evident that she didn’t really know the treasure that she was receiving. It was amazing that Mrs. B. saved those tapes, almost hoping that someone, someone who would understand the important meaning of them.

Usually, I pick a time that I connect with more, a story I enjoy more but with this one I loved all three times. The 1916’s are an amazing time, things were so different, yet it was proven that some things never change, such as teen pregnancy and true love. 1988 is a time that I lived in. I can relate to the ways of that time, I know how life was yet the life of Beth was not a life that I was familiar with. The rebellious young girl who had the world at her fingertips took a path that was tough and made it into a life for her and for Lucy. Of course, the present time was where the stories all come together. Lucy learns of her family, makes a life that she wants to live, and finds friends that she never knew she was missing.

Pick up Winter Cottage. Meet these wonderful characters and learn of their amazing lives

My first read under the name Mary Ellen Taylor and a delightful book it was. I am so used to reading this author as Mary Burton that it took me by surprise how gentle and interesting it was. Lucy has come to bring her Mother's ashes back to her small hometown, not wanting to stay as she loves her life in Nashville, but there is a hero called Hank and things go on from there. I particularly liked the time shift, going backwards to Claire's story and retold to Beth, Lucy's Mum, by Mrs Buchanan who had her own love story to tell. All in all, different but well worth a read.
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I don't usually read this type of romance book. I really enjoyed it though. Her writing style made it more enjoyable. There is a lot going on but I never felt lost. I would definitely read another book by this Author and recommend if you like this genre

Lucy Kincaid's mother, Beth, has recently lost her life to cancer. Beth's last wishes were to have her ashes buried in the family plot in Cape Hudson, Virginia. Not only that, but Lucy finds out that she has inherited Winter Cottage, also in Cape Hudson. Lucy knows nothing about Beth’s earlier life as it has always been just the 2 of them. When she arrives in Cape Hudson, she finds out that Winter Cottage is not the intimate cottage she expected, but a huge, rambling mansion. While looking around the house, Lucy discovers videos that her mother Beth made of Mrs Catherine, giving her insight into Beth's prior life as well as the life of the woman who left her house to people who were not family. Above all else, Lucy is hoping to find out who her father is.

The story has three separate timelines and it seems two separate stories. I enjoyed each of the storylines and was not sure how they would all fit together, but I had an inkling. The story was full of secrets, regrets, class structure and expectations as well as family situations and difficulties. I loved the characters of Lucy and Natasha. Natasha was a young teen who latched onto Lucy when her father ended up in jail once again. They developed a bond that was fun to read about and endearing as well. Hank, was the voice of reason throughout the book. He is the local lawyer, but he is also the man who wants Winter Cottage and is hoping that Lucy will sell to him. As the story unfolds, I felt bad for both Lucy and her mother Beth. Lucy did not know anything about her family, which wasn't her fault. She never knew where she belonged or where she would go next. Beth left her home to protect her unborn child and because she also did not believe she fit in. The characters from the past also shared sad stories. The class structures that were in place in the early to mid 1900 guided families to make decisions we would not make today. There were a few twists at the end that pulled the various stories together and wrapped the story up nicely. The story lagged a bit in the middle but overall this was a well-paced story.

sorry for the delayed review, i finished this book quite a long time ago, i did really enjoy this book and thank you for the opportunity to read it. I enjoyed the story line and the mystery elements of the story. Lucy lost her mother and inherits her home back in Virginia, the story goes back and forth between present day and the past to tell the story of Lucy's and her mother's past.
i would definitely read more books by Mary Ellen Taylor

Lucy Kincaid has lost her mother Beth to Cancer, she finds out she has inherited Winter Cottage and that her mother’s last wishes were for her ashes to be taken home to Cape Hudson, Virginia. Lucy knows nothing about Beth’s earlier life as it has always been just the 2 of them.

At Winter Cottage she discovers videos that her mother Beth made of Mrs Catherine,who tells her all about her family. Why did she leave Beth the cottage rather than her own family?

Told over 3 timelines, the story flows beautifully and is very easy to follow. It is a very intriguing book full of family secrets that will keep you enthralled until the end. Characters are strong and you can emphasis with their decisions, sympathise with their heartache and want them to have a happy ending.

A must read book that will capture the heart and make you think how you’re ancestors decisions can impact you’re own lives years later.

I love books that focus on generations of a family and throw in some romance, you have me hooked!!

Would really like a sequel to Winter Cottage please!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

Great story! Different from the other books that she has written, but still a wonderful read. The characters are well developed and the story keeps your attention till the very end.

I enjoyed this read, it took me a while longer to get through than my usual books. It’s a contemporary romance/mystery that throws a twist at the end that left me questioning what really happened to some of the characters. Unless there is a follow up book I’ll never know. I do recommend this book to readers who like contemporary romance. I would also recommend it to mystery readers.

** I received an advanced readers copy from Montlake Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

This is a first for me by this author... but certainly not the last. I loved her writing style and the way the dual timeline weaved back and forth was outstanding.

I enjoyed reading about Clare and Jimmy and how their story related to Lucy's story and Winter Cottage. I enjoy stories that have two stories woven into one. This was a great story.

I put this book off for many months, as with fall approaching I had a million and one activities pop up for my family and things became a bit chaotic. So I was slowly easing back into blogging, but this book never really neared the top until just lately.

It's a good book. The writing is high quality and the author is very talented. But for me I had this nagging feeling as I was reading that I had read something similar before...similar characters...similar storyline...similar ending. And that's all well and good, because this book had plenty of unique aspects, but it never grabbed my attention. Different time periods with different characters never really end up being my thing, so that could add to my indifference toward Winter Cottage.

So although this one wasn't for me, I will definitely look for future publications by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for my review based on my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book by Mary Ellen Taylor, who is also known as Mary Burton. I have read many of her books as it turned out and love them.

When Lucy’s mother, Beth, is dying; she asked her to do two things, to look after her dog dolly to take her ashes to Virginia to be interred; she tells her to go find herself; Lucy doesn’t realize what this means until she reads the letter her mother tells her about and that leads her to the small town of Cape Hudson. Lucy had always thought that her mother was born in Nashville and her whole life was in Nashville, she was also told she had no family and did not know who her father was; now she’s in Cape Hudson and has discovered so much more about her self and is bequeathed a Home winter cottage from a woman she doesn’t even know. The story centres on the winter cottage and people who lived in it and how they are all brought together. It was a wonderful story and the characters are all amazing I loved it

I was immediately hooked on this book, I loved all of the main characters, I loved Beth’s story, I loved Claire’s story and Lucy’s story; I loved how all of the stories were united in the end and it had a lovely ending. The winter cottage was more than just a hunting cottage, it was a refuge, a family home and a legacy.

A Great stormy winter day read, I was curled up in my chair with no power, just my Kobo to keep me company as I was transported in time to the Winter cottage.

Winter Cottage by Mary Ellen Taylor is a mixed read that had some surprising outcomes.
Review copy received from Montlake via Netgalley

Mary Ellen Taylor has a wonderful ability to draw readers in with relatable situations and endearing characters. I've read many of her previous novels and always find myself completely immersed in the story. Highly recommended for readers who like books with multiple timelines and family secrets.

Loved, koved, loved this!! Winter Cottage is the very first Mary Ellen Taylor story i've read. I was not disappointed, and you won't be either. I will be looking for more from Mary Ellen Taylor. OK so you know how you can get sucked imto a story and really "feel" the characters? Well this is one of those stories. Mary is very brilliant, she can make her characters come alive, they feel real.....if i could meet someone out of this book it would have to be Mrs. B (amazing women) and Jimmy (equally amazing man). I loved all of the characters, but those two are the ones that "touched" me.
Ok so Winter Cottage starts out with Beth dying, yes, she is a very important character, but you will here her story through the Mrs. B tapes. Lucy, beths daughter is taking her mothers ashes back to her home town where she grew up, Lucy is also willed this huge house. Lucy knows nothing about who or why anyone left this house to her....so in this story you will learn Claire and Jimmy's story from the 1916's, then you here Beths story from the 1980's then Lucys story from the present. Mary is very good at what she does...

I was excited to read the Winter Cottage knowing it was by Mary Ellen Taylor, aka Mary Burton. I was not disappointed. The story is told in past and present of wonderful characters that you grow to love. The small town of Cape Hudson, VA, where everyone knows everyone that helps Lucy feel at home. Slowly the mysteries of Lucy's mothers past, finding her father, and finding love all come together in this fast read story. I can see Winter Cottage being made in to a Hallmark Channel Movie. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of Winter Cottage and this is my honest review.

Winter Cottage by Mary Ellen Taylor
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars

Winter Cottage is one of those books I find myself mad at myself for leaving it on my TBR for so long. What was I thinking?? I could have read this awesomeness weeks ago . . . .

Thanks to her mother’s dying wish, Lucy Kincaid finds herself and her dog, Dolly the proud owners of a hilariously named cottage in Cape Hudson, Virginia. Winter Cottage is, in fact, a virtual mansion with three stories, a large attic, a basement, and a waterfront view. What’s more, there is land to spare and the house is something of a legend in the sleepy Virginia town. Unfortunately, Lucy and her mother are also something of a legend. Trouble is, Lucy has no idea why she’s a bit of a legend.

Twenty-four hours into her stay, Lucy has been advised all her newfound wealth is tied to Winter Cottage and as long as she’s willing to stay, maintain and/or improve the site and lands, she is welcome and will find the help she needs among the locals. Thanks to her mother’s wanderlust, Lucy isn’t accustomed to staying in one place for long, but she is determined to stick it out until she finds the answers she’s long searched for. Until the last days of her mother’s life, Lucy knew nothing of Virginia, Winter Cottage, or even the name of her father.

As it turns out, no one in town, including the local historian has beyond the bare bones related to Lucy and her mother. Furthermore, other than local gossip spreading over decades, there’s really nothing and no one who can tell Lucy much about Winter Cottage and how it came to be in her possession. With nothing but time on her hands, a local librarian who enjoys digging into the archives, and stack of VHS tapes, Lucy sets out on a path that will not only change her life, but the lives of many in Cape Hudson.

In short order, Lucy makes her mark on Cape Hudson! She begins uncovering long buried truths, bones are found on her property, she finds herself a hot a totally capable boyfriend, she takes in a young girl desperate for safety and stability, and finally uncovers the truth about her lineage. To be sure, none of those accomplishments come without issues, some worse than others, but in the end, the truth sets so many free.

The Bottom Line: Y’all know I love a good past meets present book, and often it is the past part of the book I am most drawn to. In the case of Winter Cottage, I found the opposite to be true. While I certainly enjoyed the chapters related to the past, it was the present that held my interest the most and that has everything to do with Lucy. Lucy is such a strong character with a honed sense of right and wrong that guides her every action. She doesn’t play games, she doesn’t beat around the bush, she lives her life out loud and as honestly as possible. Through Lucy’s discoveries, the reader gets a bit of everything: drama, violence, love, secrets, loyalty, friendships, betrayals, and bounties. Winter Cottage has it all and I sincerely hope this finely written read finds its way to being just the first in a series.

EXCERPT: "Was it love at first sight?"

Mrs Buchanan is silent for a long moment. The drumbeat of secrets grows louder. "Yes. But that love wasn't for my husband, Robert."

Blue eyes are calculating like the fox's were when he sniffed fresh fish in the trap.

"Who?"

"See you on Friday."

ABOUT THIS BOOK: 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.

MY THOUGHTS: The opening chapter of Winter Cottage by Mary Ellen Taylor drew me in, but then I felt that the book lost its way for a time, before finally getting back on track and reaching a satisfying conclusion. It all became a little confusing with the story split over two timelines and quite a large cast of characters. Each story has merit, and each could easily have stood on its own. But, in the end, the tying of the two stories together worked for me.

We have all been guilty, at one time or another, of saying nothing when we ought to have spoken up, whether it was a matter of principal or something more personal. And it is the unsaid things in family relationships that are at the centre of this mystery. That, and settling for second best.

Taylor has a lovely turn of phrase. 'Old pains bob like distant buoys.' and 'the drumbeat of secrets grows louder' are two examples that stuck in my mind.

Lucy’s character struck a chord with me, as did that of Natasha, but I thought Hank too good to be true! The plot is not predictable, in fact mostly entirely the opposite. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested.

While not entirely enthralled by Winter Cottage, it intrigued me enough that I would read more by this author, and I intend to check out the books this author has written under the name of Mary Burton.

😊😊😊.5

THE AUTHOR: Mary Ellen Taylor grew up in a southern family that embraced stories of all kinds, from a well-told anecdote to a good yarn or a tall tale. It may have been inevitable that Taylor would take her storytelling heritage to new heights, moving beyond the oral tradition to become a published author.

Taylor, who finds cooking and baking to be important creative outlets, explores some of the challenges and comforts of those pursuits in her Alexandria set novels THE UNION STREET BAKERY, SWEET EXPECTATIONS, AT THE CORNER OF KING STREET and THE VIEW FROM PRINCE STREET. The novels, which explore themes of family, adoption, belonging and personal history, are influenced by her life and family. Both her grandmother and her daughter were adopted, as is Daisy McCrae, the protagonist in her first novel written as Mary Ellen Taylor, THE UNION STREET BAKERY.

Taylor was born and has spent most of her life in Richmond, but also lived in Alexandria for four years. She received her degree in English from Virginia’s Hollins University, and worked in marketing and sales before she became convinced she could write and sell one of the many stories swirling in her head. Today, twenty-eight of her romance and suspense novels and five novellas written as Mary Burton have been published, earning praise from readers and reviewers and have made her a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. THE UNION STREET BAKERY was her first novel as Mary Ellen Taylor.

When not writing or appearing at conferences and book signings, Taylor continues her culinary pursuits. She's been a kitchen assistant for more than fifty culinary classes over the past seven years at Sur la Table and earned her Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate from the University of Richmond's Culinary Arts program. In addition to spending time with her family and her three miniature dachshunds, Buddy, Bella and Tiki, Mary Ellen enjoys walking and honing her culinary skills.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Montlake Romance via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Winter Cottage by Mary Ellen Taylor for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

Lucy Kincaid has just lost her mother Beth, to cancer. She is surprised when her mother’s last request is for Lucy to take her ashes back home to Cape Hudson, Virginia. As far as Lucy knew, home was Nashville; Beth had never mentioned Cape Hudson in much the same way she’d never told Lucy who her birth father was. Lucy also learns that she’ll inherit some property there, a home on the lake called Winter Cottage. With nothing keeping her in Nashville and her mother’s last request to fulfill, she bravely makes the trip in hopes of getting some answers.

Once Lucy arrives she learns just how small the town is. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows who she is due to her resemblance to her mother. She meets with Hank Garrison, the attorney handling the estate of Catherine Buchanan, but he has no idea why Mrs. Buchannan left her home to Lucy.

As Lucy meets people in the town, people who knew her mom, she starts to form a picture of her mother as a young girl. She asks questions and reads old newspaper clippings, and when she finds a box of vhs tapes in Winter Cottage and begins to watch them, she learns so much more than she bargained for.

In 1988, when Beth is just 16, she visits Mrs. Catherine Buchanan and asks to interview her for a history project. Mrs. Buchanan agrees and begins to tell the story of a young woman named Claire Hedrick who was a lady’s made to Victoria Buchanan in 1904. As Mrs. “B” tells her story, we meet an interesting cast of characters, and witness how lies and secrets affect those who come after them.

This story is so much more than just a romance. There is mystery and intrigue as the author weaves a tale that pulls you in. We meet three women from three different time periods who are somehow connected by something that happened in the past. I was completely enthralled as I read, trying to figure out just what had happened to get us to where this story begins. I literally began to create a family tree as characters were introduced because I love to try to solve the mystery before the author chooses to reveal everything.

This is a story of strong women, who persevere in spite of the hand they are dealt. Who had to make difficult decisions to protect the people they loved and who suffered the consequences of those choices. It’s a love story, the truest, deepest kind, the kind that is just meant to be, but is never realized for reasons beyond anyones control. And its the story of a woman who years later was able to right a wrong and give a home to the people who really needed it.

I really enjoyed how this story unfolds. It’s layered brilliantly, hints are revealed subtly, allowing the reader to form conclusions and fall in love along with Claire. It is deep and sad, and you’ll feel angry too, because life is just so unfair sometimes. In the end, though, I felt some satisfaction by all that is revealed and was pleased to see the choices Lucy makes.