Come Winter

Lady Caterina Tabor’s life changes, when en route to England she is kidnapped and held captive in Dermouth Castle. Here she is forced to work as a kitchen maid, but this is only the beginning of her troubled life, going from frying pan to fire, Cat will battle abuse, captivity and accusations of witchcraft. Through it all, she tries to maintain her belief taht she will one day be free again

I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book about a strong woman facing trials and tribulations in 1800's Great Britain. I have not read anything by this author yet, but she knows how to weave a tale of suspense, humor, romance, and mystery. I would definitely recommend this book!

This is a sweeping saga of the life of Lady Caterina Tabor. It takes place in a period of time when Kings and Kingdoms come and go because of the feuding over lands, people and wealth. Caterina's mother is Italian by heritage and a "healer" by gifting. She is able to produce medicines from herbs that are helpful in the healing of man and beast. Unfortunately during this period of history a woman with this gift was often thought of as a "witch," especially in France. The penalty was death by burning at the stake.

Lord Tabor was a professional soldier who served the King or Queen of England. He was Catholic. But at this time the Queens of England (there are two vying for the throne) are different, one a Catholic the other a Protestant. Even though Lord Tabor serves well if the wrong Queen is on the throne he will not find favor in her court.

Lord Tabor takes his family with him when he goes off to war, thus Caterina sees the devastation of war up close, learns healing techniques and also learns battle tactics from her parents.

Our story starts with her being sent back to England to get her out of danger. She is captured by a Scottish Lord and taken to Scotland where she will begin the first of three "Era's" in her life. She is a tenacious woman, one that is not borne to bend under the strong hand of any man. She is also a woman who is born to be "as a queen" in both her temperament and upbringing.

The story will go from Scotland to England to Italy. It will involve several Kings and Kingdoms as well as plenty of war and intrigue that brings changes to a families life often.

The story will also deal greatly with the sickness and healing that must take place during this time. Sickness takes many without regard to station in life or age. The devastation to a family can be terrible.

This is a Saga because it takes long to develop, covers Lady Caterina's full life and covers at least three different Kingdoms that rise and fall. It is not a "gripping" novel that has plenty of action. Instead it is a "thoughtful" novel that deals with reality and with the emotions and personalities of the people involved. It is a great study in the character of people.

Once started you will be drawn into the story and be anxious to see how it ends, that is what will keep you reading. It is long, it is a bit slow at times, but it is well worth the read and thoughtful contemplation.

There is also a "readers guide" at the end of the book to allow book clubs to have some time to think, meditate and then discuss the many themes developed in the book.

Enjoy!

Review Ever so often, and not nearly as often as my longing heart would desire, I stumble across a true diamond amongst the many crystals and gemstones that make their way to my desk. When I read the synopsis for Come Winter, it sounded intriguing. Once I opened the book and began to fall into the spell of the first lines of the story, I realized that this was going to be something more than just another historical novel. Within pages I knew I had found a master of the written word. The words seemed to have slid off her pen and onto the written page with a magic all their own. They wove their own tapestry and came off the page in such imagery that my mind’s eye was a rolling screen throughout the story.
Clare demonstrated a great appreciation for the plight of noble women during the early mid ages when they were but chattel of their lords and kings, to be traded and passed on as part and parcel of the holdings. Though this subject has been demonstrated in many a novel, I have never seen it set as the central theme, nor presented so passionately through the eyes of a woman of noble birth as it was in Come Winter. Katy, the heroine of the book, was a woman of strength, a lady of great passion and one who had the capability to love deeply. She was a unique lady of her time, having received a well rounded education, speaking several languages, reading and writing in the same, a healer, and a leader. But because she was a woman, she was but an item to be owned, to be traded and bartered by parent, captor, until she finally obtained the highest position that a woman could obtain, Queen. Even when she reach this vaulted position, she found she was still but a possession, a captive, and at the pleasure of her lord and master, the king. She would never be free.
Clare took the time to develop her characters to give them the breath of life and to allow the reader to see what it was to live, through their eyes. We learned to feel their pain and despair as well as their joys and ecstacies. The POV was not limited to that of Katy, but also that of the men who were a part of her adult life through the years. It added an additional dimension to the characters, giving them well rounded perspectives and allowing the narrative to provide a complete picture of the story as it moved ever forward through the years, first from France to Scotland, then to Spain and finally to Italy. After finishing Come Winter, out of curiosity, I looked up to see how many books Clare Gutierrez has written and only found one addition book published in 2012. I believe Clare has the talent to become a writing force to contend with. Her ability to write a believable historical novel, not so much one that was based on factual events, but one that nailed it, on living conditions of the time. Her style is much that of Michelle Moran, or Phillipa Gregory. It is rich in imagery and full bodied prose that throws the reader into the Age of the setting without actually forcing them to try to deal with terms and language they do not know or understand. Most of all she leaves you wanting more. You cannot ask for better than that. This is a must read book for any historical, romance, adult fiction, woman’s fiction fan. FIVE STARS

I enjoyed this story of Caty, the educated, courageous, gentle, but spirited young lady who is kidnapped on her way to England. This story chronicles her life and her marriages as she tries to survive and become the voice for others less fortunate. This is an epic tale with many ups and downs and many characters. I would have been satisfied with a few less pages and a few less characters, but overall the book was well written. I would recommend this book. I really enjoyed it!