Ghosts of Winter

by Rebecca S. Buck

Can Ros Wynne, who has lost everything she thought defined her, find her true life—and her true love—surrounded by the lingering history of the once-grand Winter Manor?

When Ros unexpectedly inherits Winter Manor on the condition that she oversee the restoration of the remote and dilapidated house, it seems the perfect place for her to retreat from her recently failed relationship, the death of her mother, and the loss of her job. But Winter Manor is not entirely at rest. The echoes of its past reach forward into the present, and Ros’s life is perceptibly shaped by the lives—and loves—of the people who inhabited those rooms and corridors in the centuries before her.

Then Anna arrives. The architect—with her designer clothes, hot car, and air of supreme professionalism—is at first an unwelcome, if necessary, intrusion. But as Ros learns Anna’s truths, she finds solace from her past losses in their developing intimacy. And when their love is threatened, Ros must decide whether her own ghosts will forever define her, or if she can embrace her life for what it is—past, present, and future.

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, LGBT, Historical Fiction, Lesbian Fiction, Lesbian Romance, Fantasy

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2011

About the author

Born in Nottingham, England, Rebecca’s life has taken a few twists and turns, including a spell working as a private tutor in eastern Slovenia, but now she is back in her homeland again and working in the education sector of the museum and heritage industry. She returned to England in 2010, around the time her first novel was published. Her second novel, Ghosts of Winter, was shortlisted for a Lambda Literary Award. History is her passion and she has several historical works currently in progress.
Rebecca lives just outside of Nottingham, with her partner.

Reviews

[Cab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve not read anything by Rebecca in the past, and I’ll say upfront that I am not normally drawn to historical stories. Having said that I don’t know if this actually qualifies as that type of story, but the author managed to mix in a sense of that without making me feel like I was bored. The occasional side trip to the past was interspersed in a way that gave the reader appropriate context for the current storyline.


Ros has had a tough year, her Mom dies, she gives up her job, and breaks up her long term relationship. Then Ros inherits Winter Manor, from an old family friend “Aunt Edie”, with the stipulation that she restore it to it’s past glory. Fortunately for Ros, Aunt Edie left enough money to get the job done, as well as having already started the planning process and engaging an architect: Anna.


Anna is calm, efficient, professional, and all buttoned but Ros sees past that exterior. From the beginning she gets glimpses of something that draws her to Anna.


The reader gets to watch this relationship unfold and see the mental gyrations that Ros goes through as she tries to get a handle on her own emotions and the turmoil of rediscovering who she is and what she wants from life. This was a very good book, now I need to find out if Rebecca has any others out there.

[Vic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather liked this book though I wasn't sure what kind of story I was in for when I began reading. It unfolded just right, following a journey from the fringes of possible depression to the clarity of hope and renewal. Though Ros could get a bit overly introspective at times it was realistic considering what she'd just been through. Her thoughts and stuttered progress were understandable, though I'm glad the author didn't plunge the character too far past that line. It never got too much, or too heavy for me.

Anna was rather harder to understand due to the fact the book was written in first person from Ros' perspective, but that handily added to the confusion Ros had about her; it definitely worked within the context of the book. Anna was thoroughly intriguing and I would have liked to know more about her. More time with them spent together might have helped, or a bit more length to the book. A small quibble.

I've read reviews that insist the book was too descriptive in nature but I never felt that the description infringed on the story, it only enhanced it. It was in all the right places for the right reasons, and never struck me as superfluous. Rather than distract me from the story (as some overzealous description can) it only drew me further in. The same can be said of the flashes back in time. Rather than pull me too far away from the main story, the snippets served to add a little extra to the book without demanding too much attention. I also liked the way the snippets of the past were presented in little mini stories, rather than having the reader flash back and forth between them and the present. It might have become tedious if I'd been jerked around in time too much, but it was done well.

Overall this was a nice romance, with depth in the right places, and added extras that were enjoyable interludes. My favourite scene would probably have to be the mistletoe scene; it was perfectly done. In fact all of the intimate scenes were pretty spot on. And I love that sex was called sex, and desire wasn't shied away from and turned into/hidden behind something too mushy. I get tired of all the 'lovemaking' mush of American novels sometimes. It's nice to have characters express their desire with realism and words that leave no doubt what they want from each other.

Another thing I enjoyed was the fact it was set in my neck of the woods. Durham is definitely a lovely city and it was great to be able to visualise exactly what I was reading.

I'll probably read this again as there were many scenes in the story that I'd like to revisit, though I would have loved for the book to be lengthier, with more insight and time spent with the characters. Definitely a 4 to 4.5 book for me.

[D. Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a historic romance about a threesome. Ros has just inherited a crumbling old mansion and enough money to restore it. Anna is the architect of the mansion's restoration. And the third main character is Winter Manor, the aging mansion that acts as somewhat of a time machine for the reader, transporting them back to meet people who have lived in there in past years, while helping the modern-day characters, Ros and Anna, as they work to overcome their own pasts and find love together. When I finished the story, I felt like I knew Winter Manor as well as I knew the characters. I have to confess that I sometimes found myself skimming in a few spots when Ros tended to go on too long with her self-flagellation, but that's probably due to my own affliction of being an impatient reader, too impatient sometimes. This is a lovely, artful story with well-developed characters that I really enjoyed. I also loved that this book, set in England, left the British spellings of some words intact. It added real flavor to the story.

[Angie Engles · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I finished Ghosts Of Winter I wanted to roll my eyes at all the romance and angsty feelings inside it, but I couldn't...even if it is ridiculous to want something two characters share in a book, movie or tv show, even if most romance is just a fairy tale.

I know it's ridiculous, but I also know what is real and what is not and that, for the time I'm reading a book, I borrow the love.

The funny thing is, though, what the two people share in this story seems totally feasible to me. They face emotional warts, worries, battles and love and it feels real, so real. As Rebecca S. Book explains, she sees the "importance of fiction for representing the human experience."

At the heart of Ros and Anna's situation is the uncertainty of whether two emotionally insecure people (one obviously so and the other hiding her fears behind extreme detachment) can make a go of it. Ros thinks about Anna:

I’m awful at making it clear how I feel, so perhaps it was my fault that she’d not understood me.

Not too long after that, Anna confesses:

"Because you handle life so well. I don’t really know why you think I have anything for you. It’s not about what you can give me, Ros. It’s just about you. You’re beautiful, you’re witty, you’re perceptive and sensitive, you’re brave, and you’re a bloody good kisser."

Ghosts Of Winter is one of the best love stories I've read in ages because it rings more real than most from its genre do and because the two women are so likable, if in need of some enlightenment about each other.

Another terrific thing about the book is how every so often there are chapters featuring other lovelorn couples who have lived in Winter Manor throughout the centuries. These couples aren't so lucky in love, though, with one from the 1920s especially doomed to silently love each other instead of getting together and living happily ever after:

"Do you know, Edith, I think love can exist, even when it’s not acted upon,” Evadne said, daring to express what lay in her heart.

I don't know why, exactly, but that's my favorite line in the book.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another off the top 100 Lesbian Romance list and the first by this author for me. It ticks a few genre boxes as it follows the current owner of the Winter estate in Durham and flashes back to previous tenants in its long history. Funny how there are hundreds of years of same sex relationships that pepper it’s history. The current owner, Ros, is a bit broken by her life and comes to Winter to heal and find herself. She ends up finding an outwardly cool architect Anna, who is inwardly just as hurt. I found this a nice, solid, story with interesting characters that draw you into the story. Will look for more stories by this author.

[Yazmín · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was atrocious. 13% into the book and nothing had happened, except agonizingly long descriptions of the Manor involved. I just couldn't go on.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really nice read. I enjoyed the mystery right away and was sucked into the potential paths. I enjoyed the flashbacks a lot but really enjoyed the present story a lot more. I could sort of see where the story was heading when I realized that all the flashbacks had a certain frustrating similarity (two true loves never being able to abide in happiness at winter). There was a lot of dithering, some necessary and some not. And the fashion choices were super outdated which made me wonder if this was actually written in 1995 or something but the story as a whole was a wonderful adventure and I loved pretty much all of it! There were times when Ros really frustrated me. As a protagonist she was very self involved in a way that's kind of obnoxious. She wasn't like a caricature at all, she was very human. I just don't love when people can't see the pain they're causing others so reading things from Ros's perspective, at times, drove me up the wall, especially when Anna clearly had more going on than we will probably never know about.

Personally I would really love a sequel to this book. Maybe even a sequel with actual ghosts? Mostly I just want to know more about Anna and I wanted to see the process of these two actually learning one another instead of them just saying "i see you i see you i see you" over and over. I want Ros to meet Anna's family and her brother and most definitely HER HORRIBLE EX! I just would really love a more Anna-centric book. And it'd be nice to see some more backstory with Ros and her ex because her ex must've really loved her and that was a really sad way to open a book. Oy.

Oh and also the descriptions were lovely!

[Bridget A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good but missing something.

This was a nice read but the story flipped back and forth from the present to the past. I didn’t feel the story pulled everything together.

[Ayse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally a good book -- the flashbacks were really the best part, and I wish they had been longer and more frequent. My biggest complaint is actually with the storyline in the present. Ros is such an annoying character -- she is so wracked by doubts as to be unlikable. The contrast between her insecurities and what is actually happening is really jarring. Everything will be fine and she will have passed a corner in feeling more secure, then it is as if none of the interactions in the previous scenes had occurred. On the flip side, Anna is too mysterious. The book definitely suffers from only having Ros as the narrator without any real insight into Anna or her motivations. I really did not feel their connection or anything about their relationship. I was much more invested in the relationships in the flashbacks, which in only a few scenes really captured both character and interaction, and really made me want to follow the relationships further. The story in the present just made me annoyed, hoping it would go quickly and wishing for more of the past.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

decent book. wouldn't re-read.

compellingly set up love interest, but about 100 pages in, it started to feel like the author was hitting me over the head with the fact that she was just so ~compelling. could've used some solid editing to trim out some ultimately pointless tidbits (anna seems unavailable due to a mysterious wedding ring, ros falls for her anyway, but this set up culminates in one fairly anticlimactic and awkward conversation).

the characters were immature and hard to empathize with... ros has a lot of issues -- fine if frustrating to read. anna decides to retaliate through a petty display aimed at drawing out jealousy -- convenient plot device, but also frustrating to read.

one thing i did appreciate was the fact that we didn't get into a time travelly ghosts-of-the-previous-owners-influencing-current-owner's-life situation. but that did make all of the flashbacks feel pointless to read.

ultimately there was a lot that this book tried to do, but none of the payoffs felt satisfying.

[Baxter Clare Trautman · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a satisfying romance, I kept waiting for Ghosts of Winter to turn into a good, old-fashioned ghost story. Ros inherits a rundown English mansion (see, spooky right there!) and sets about restoring it while she also restores her broken heart, both with the help of cool but comely architect Anna. In short chapters Buck gives us glimpses of Winter Manor’s prior occupants but she never develops their relationship with the present occupants. Given Ros’ penchant for crystals and sage smudging, she’d have been a natural for the spirits of Winter Manor to have a supernatural relationship with. Alas, that never develops beyond Ros thinking about the prior inhabitants, who I found the more interesting characters in the story. Nonetheless, Buck’s writing is solid, and if you want a good, old-fashioned lesbian romance, Ghosts of Winter is for you.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book.

The timeshifting was interesting, but I feel that just as you got to know the characters (particularly the 2 earliest encounters) they were gone again.

Nice of the author to demonstrate the parallels and clearly set-up an appreciation for how far and how fast things have moved with regards to public acceptance of "inverts".

The romantic element I felt could have been extended, with the desire and flirtation carried through much more of the book as the sudden appearance and seduction felt too early in the book.

Enjoyed the setting, appreciated the characters, loved the incidental details (Tabac Blond - wow! can anyone let me know of a high street shop or high end retailer that has this perfume) and the hot scenes were lovely and steamy.

Off to read "Truths".

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Buck has brought the history and people of Winter Manor to life. When Ros shows up to Winter Manor after inheriting it from an honorary Aunt, she is astounded by the amount of work that needs to be done as well as it's charm and beauty. Winter Manor is haunted, not in the traditional sense, but by heartbreak and atrophied from lack of care - as is Ros. Interspersed within the tale of Ros are vignettes of the people who lived in Winter Manor previously and their own joys and suffering. I wish there had been more of the vignettes. I liked Ros and her sister a lot, but I wasn't too fond of Anna. She seemed too cold and then had a seemingly "sudden" revelation and change. Still, Ghosts of Winter is a sweet tale of hope.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I definitely didn't like this book, but I didn't exactly hate it. There is a massive amount of description about the manor itself, its architecture, etc. I skipped a majority of these passages, as well as the repetitive inner monologues of the main character wondering what's wrong with her, whether she was correct in taking on her renovation, etc. I wish more actually HAPPENED in terms of the story. I went in hoping for a haunting or ghost story, but there was none. There are a few random flashbacks to the manor's previous owners, but none of which went anywhere or were germane to the story. I wish this book had tighter editing and a stronger central story. Sigh. Oh well.

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I completely agree with the previous reviewer who says that Winter Manor is a third main character is this story. It really is and I would love to visit there. I also agree that I was expecting a ghost or two to pop up in the story, but with the unique way the history of the manor was revealed, it felt like the spirits of those who came before did live on in its rooms and influence the present day characters whether they realized it or not. Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable book.

[Jaie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Winter mansion features so heavily in this book, it's nearly its own character. I enjoyed the modern story interspersed with other queer love stories at the Winter mansion. I was very drawn to Anna as a character. And honestly a bit off by Ros for no good reason. But it was a compelling read.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, especially for its vision of hidden LGBT history. 3.5 stars. My review here: http://lesbrary.wordpress.com/2011/07...

[LVLMLeah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

Kindle edition

My review here:

http://bi-curious-romancenovel-chat.b...