Two people searching for a home, a place to belong
Kate has always lived in Winterset, a manor her father was renting, but when she lost her father in a duel protecting her honor, she was forced to hide from the man who wants to claim her. Oliver watched as his brother turned away from him growing distant. Then he watched as his brother married his best friend, the girl he planned on marrying. He ran to the continent, hiding from it all. Leaving his inherited manor house, Winterset, in the hands of a steward. Now he is returning to take up the manor he has been investing in, sending money regularly to his steward for upkeep and improvements. When he arrives, it is immediately apparent the steward was a thief. He finds disrepair, damage, only two servants, and a ghost in residence. Or at least that is what he is to believe. The ghost, in reality, is Kate still in hiding fearing to casually wander the grounds, hiding in priest holes and the attic to keep her existence secret. Oliver is pleased to discover that the ghost is Kate and offers her his protection. However, Kate’s enemy is devious and he soon discovers she is alive. Now Oliver needs to reconcile with his brother to have any chance to keep Kate safe. All while trying to untangle his growing feelings for Kate. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

Winterset will capture your attention with historical facts, romance and gothic adventure. Oliver and Kate the journey is so tenderhearted and absolutely beautiful! A must read!!

Oh my word, what a ride! I read Summerhaven this spring and was highly anticipating Oliver’s story—it was more than I could have imagined. This is a beautiful story of tearing down walls, personal growth, and what it means to sacrifice for those you love. There is so much depth to Kate and Oliver’s story with plenty of humor and a brilliant helping of romantic tension sprinkled all along the way. I cried, I laughed, I held my breath in suspense, and I stayed up way too late reading because I just couldn’t put this book down.

*You do not have to read Summerhaven first, but it definitely adds to the experience.

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TW: Mildly Suspenseful Situations, Past Assault, Past Loss of Parents, Past Abusive Parent (All mild descriptions)

Thanks to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for the preview. All opinions are my own.

Oh this was absolutely wonderful! Even better than Summerhaven! And if you remember Oliver from that book, then I’m so happy to report he’s the MMC here and gets some wonderful character development and growth.

We start in a fairly gothic manner (and manor) with a deteriorating house and a woman in hiding from an horrible man that killed her father. Enter Oliver, and Kate is determined to drive him off from his home/her sanctuary. I loved all the secret passages and priest holes in Winterset that helped Kate sneak around. We get some ghostly hauntings, but it turns out so sweet when Oliver and Kate finally meet. I absolutely loved them together; how she comes to trust him and wants to help him with the house, and how fiercely protective he is of her.

I really loved the return to Summerhaven too. Hannah and Damon are so lovely to Kate, and having Oliver and Damon reconcile was beautiful. The threat to Kate keeps the stakes high for the book, and it’s certainly a climactic and dramatic finale. But I devoured every word.

I highly recommend for anyone looking for a no spice Regency romance!

I was looking forward to Oliver's story and I am very happy with it! ❤️

In the first book Oliver broke Hannah's heart and maybe we were all angry with him and his selfish attitudes, but with this story it is possible to understand and love him.
I loved every moment of this story, the secret passages and the appearance of the Summerhaven characters.
Honestly I cried a lot while reading... Kate's situation, Oliver's emotional wounds, Damon's letters 😭

After two years traveling in Europe, Oliver Jennings returns to Winterset, the estate he inherited, to settle there.
Estranged from his family and childhood home, he now seeks a place to belong and feel valued.
Of course, he didn't expect to find his property almost in ruins and worse, haunted with a ghost who wants him out.
Katherine Lockwood has lived in Winterset all her life and knows every hiding place and passageway of this old mansion.
It is her home and her refuge from the danger that haunts her.
After tragic events she has been hiding in that house for two years and plans to stay for good, but her plans are ruined when Winterset's owner shows up there.
Kate can't allow this, so the only option is to scare Mr. Jennings away with pranks, mischief and maybe... pretending to be a ghost.
Will they both achieve what they seek in these strange circumstances?
And will they be able to escape the impending dangers?

You will find:
👻 Dual POV
👻 Gothic Vibes
👻 Forced Proximity
👻 Redemption
👻 Teasing
👻 Danger and Mystery
👻 Emotional Healing and Reconciliation
👻 Sweet Ending

If you haven't read Summerhaven yet you need to do so and then you can read this beautiful story next.

Release Date: October 7, 2025

Thanks to the author and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the advance copy through NetGalley.
All opinions are my own.

💐For reviews with book aesthetics and more content follow me on Instagram: @sina.venus.booklover

#winterset #tiffanyodekirk #regencyromance

This is an enjoyable and well-written historical romance. It has an exciting plot, great atmosphere (lots of historical details about priest hides), and wonderful characters. I appreciated the way Damon and Oliver developed as characters, the strong emphasis on familial love, and Oliver and Kate's shared determination. Bexley and Mrs. Owensby (and Charlie too!) are delightful and I wish I could be their friend in real life. Also, if you read this, Tiffany Odekirk, I hope Charlie's story is next ;)

This was very close to being a five-star read for me, but the romance was a bit too fast/instalove-y for my taste, and the villain was a bit too mustache-twirling-evil.

It is still a fabulous read and I recommend it to others who enjoy historical romance without spice.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain and NetGalley for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.

This review will be cross-posted to Goodreads, and will be posted to Amazon and Instagram within one week of the book's publication.

Content notes:
Language: Some swears including "Lud" and "devil"
Peril and violence: peril, mentions of death, and allusions to suicide; grief and mentions of an emotionally abusive parent; on-page injury including on-page stitching
Romance: longing, brief kissing, physical attraction mentioned
Ghosts are mentioned, but not actually in the story