Unfinished Story

by Jade Winters

When the past refuses to stay buried, two women must decide what they're willing to believe – and who they're willing to trust.

Historian Mia Winters has spent years uncovering the forgotten story of Eliza Beckett, a trailblazing Victorian woman who designed and ran her own hotel. But when Mia arrives at the crumbling Evermore Hotel for a podcast interview, she discovers that Eliza's story is far from over – and some secrets were never meant to stay hidden.

Gabby Pearson has built her career as a fiercely sceptical podcaster, exposing paranormal frauds and so-called mediums. She doesn’t believe in ghosts, unfinished business, or stories that refuse to end. Her reason for being at Evermore is expose the infamous medium Lena Alberta.

But as the weekend unfolds, the lines begin to blur.

Strange occurrences ripple through the hotel, fragments of the past pushing insistently into the present. As Mia uncovers the story of two women whose love was never allowed to fully exist, she finds herself increasingly pulled toward Gabby – a connection that feels as unsettling as it is undeniable.

Caught between scepticism and belief, past and present, Mia and Gabby must decide what they’re willing to accept – about the hotel, about history, and about the quiet, growing attraction neither of them planned for.

Because some love stories don’t end.
They wait.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 2026

About the author

While Jade Winters has been putting words together since she was a child, it wasn’t until 2010 that she became a serious writer. Today, as a full-time author, she has published four novels in the lesbian fiction genre as well as several short stories. Jade was born and educated in London where she studied journalism for three years at a London University. She is the youngest of 6 children born to a Nigerian father and English mother and blames her love of spicy food on her African heritage. Jade now makes her home in Dorset in the South of England with her partner and furry companions Zorro, Buttons and Zeus.

Reviews

[Siddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia is a writer, just having had her first book ‘The Forgotten Legacy’ hit No. 1 bestseller. It’s a book about Evermore Hotel in England which was designed, built and run by Eliza Beckett in the nineteenth century - very unusual for a woman. The hotel is now owned by her descendant Olivia, who believes that Eliza’s spirit is still there. The building needs a lot of money to pay for urgent work to ensure its survival. Mia was invited by Olivia to write the book to help raise awareness of the hotel to fund the restoration.

Gabby is a podcaster with a successful career debunking supernatural stories. Because of a tragedy earlier in her life she has closed herself off to even a slight possibility of anything supernatural, having a very logical and scientific approach to everything.
When Olivia invites Gabby to livestream from the hotel for a conversation with her and Mia, Gabby is surprised Mia invites Lena, a medium and, in Gabby’s opinion, a total charlatan. This doesn’t go well, as Lena has an ulterior motive and wants to ride on the back of Mia’s literary success, and to discredit Gabby.

Lena is a typical smooth talking fraud, being excellent at cold reading people and making people believe in her. She also does her homework, and has obviously read Mia’s book in great detail, and listened to many of Gabby’s podcasts.

Mia initially seems on the fence about ghosts and the supernatural, having a belief in love living on, but not really fully believing. Gabby is extremely cynical, often being a bit too clinical and unfeeling in her podcasts, but she has a seemingly loyal group of followers - until they turn on her.

As an interesting side note, I did notice that the character Mia has the same last name as the author. Presumably there is some reason for this choice?
I found one minor plot hole here: Mia knows Kathryn’s name before seeing it on the letter. But that’s not a big problem.
I also found the secret room scene a bit rushed and weak, lacking the tension and deep writing of the rest of the book. It feels more like an afterthought put in to explain how the hotel is funded going forward.
Erin, Gabby’s former best friend is central to the story for Gabby, but her characterisation seems a bit of an afterthought, and not very well filled out, as though in the original plan she was always meant to be an off-screen character.

A beautiful, epic story, spanning two centuries, with an almost timeless romance between Mia and Gabby. This stops short of stating that the women are reincarnations of Eliza and Kathryn, but that is implied strongly at times, especially by Mia. Even though there are other similar stories I have read (I can think of at least two other sapphic books with a similar premise off the top of my head), this is very well written. Both Gabby and Mia are exceptionally deep and thoughtful characters; I loved their dynamic, and the trust between them, even when a miscommunication could have happened to set them back.
Even with the relatively minor issues, I loved the feel of the whole story - something it’s hard to put a finger on, but the whole thing does feel timeless and somehow sweet, like a big warm hug 🤗

[Eva Reddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book: well-written, with an engaging storyline and dynamic character building.
I thoroughly enjoyed the witty dialogue, the Laverne-and-Shirley-style friendship of the roomies, and the slow-burn, colleagues-under-duress to lovers tropes.
Good enough to be added to my "Read Again" list.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start, doesn’t hang about. The people are interesting and I want to know more.
I also love plot! I’m not really in to paranormal, neither believer nor non, but I like the way this is done. If the narrator is reliable we know something is true, and someone is not.
I love that the benefit of the doubt is given rather than the misunderstanding plot bump often used.
I really enjoyed this whole book. It held my interest, both in the romance and other plot.
Personal point, don't have main or secondary characters with similar first names, for a big part of the book I had to wait on a scene to find if it was main or second level character in a scene. Just could not remember Gabby or Grace and which backstory. (Totes my issue!)

[Stacy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate headlines

I really enjoyed this book. I read reviews before I read it and I always go to the 3 stars, so I wasn’t hopeful but I took a chance and read it anyway and I’m glad I did because I thought it was sweet. I loved Eliza and Katherine’s story it was bitter sweet but story’s in that century between two women always were. I really want to read the book wrote about them but what else could be said that wasn’t already said. If you are into ghost and spirits you will enjoy this, so take a chance it’s worth it

[Christine Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a phenomenal story, I loved the main characters they were described with so much depth making you feel apart of their life's . The connection shined throughout their journey was incredible, I couldn't put it down definitely must read congratulations