So many great books are being released this week, just in time for holiday gift-giving. Rising above the fray is Julie Klassen’s A Winter by the Sea. It is the second novel in the On Devonshire Shores series and continues the story of the Summers sisters who we were introduced to in the first novel, The Sisters of Sea View. This time it is sister Emily’s turn to be the heroine of her own story.

An interesting aspect of the plot is the arrival at Sidmouth of the Duke and Duchess of Kent along with their entourage, including their young daughter Princess Victoria who would later become Queen of England. This is based on true events which Klassen has woven into her story. The Summer sisters and the family’s seaside boarding house are involved in housing some of the duke’s staff sparking new friendships which will have a lasting impact on their lives.

Klassen is a skilled writer who knows how to spin a story involving multiple characters. I enjoyed the hidden secrets and romantic possibilities of the guests at the family's boarding house, and most of all, Emily's story - her aspiration and struggles to become a published author, her spirited nature, and her romance.

If you have not read the first book in the series, not to worry. A Winter by the Sea is a standalone story that can be read separately.

A Winter by the Sea is a delightful continuation of the Summers family story that will delight Klassen's many fans and earn many new ones as well.

Fans of Julie Klassen will not be disappointed with A Winter by the Sea, this second installment in the On Devon’s Shores series. After suffering financial difficulties, Emily Summers, her mother, and her sisters run a guest house in Sidmouth on the Devon Shore. When the Duke and Duchess of Kent and their daughter, the future Queen Victoria, come to stay in Sidmouth, Emily’s family hosts some of the extra staff. Desiring to be a published writer, Emily agrees to write a local guidebook so that the publisher will consider printing her novel. With the help of the Duke of Kent’s private secretary, Emily works on the novel and meets with mystery and difficulty along the way. Besides that, an old flame visits Sidmouth and Emily faces confusion on all fronts.

The novel offers a delightful, light-hearted read. The coastal setting with sea-bathing and smuggling offers a background of beauty comingled with suspense. Enjoyable, frustrating, and interesting characters keep readers interested, and there’s just enough of a mystery to keep readers guessing. I highly recommend this book and any of Julie Klassen’s, actually, as she’s a favorite author of mine, for sure!

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.

In the midst of a busy season, I enjoyed escaping to Sea View once again. It's always fun when royals show up to visit and throw everything into chaos. It was interesting learning about the particular care different staff members needed to take to perform their jobs for the royal family.

I enjoyed Chef Bernardi's cooking and baking. It made me hungry and left me wanting to go someplace fancy to eat. I liked James and his kind way of treating everyone. I enjoyed his interactions with Emily.

Learning about the medical practices of the day made me thankful to live now. It was horrific reading of how the doctors were treating the severely ill.

It's always nice seeing characters from a prior book thriving. I liked seeing the Huttons again and look forward to the next book in the series to see where that takes other family members. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Another enchanting installment in the On Devonshire Shores series! A Winter by the Sea takes the reader to the beautiful coastal town of Sidmouth to revisit the inhabitants of Sea View, a local guest house run by the Summers sisters and their mother.

After the marriage of her twin sister Viola, Emily Summers felt more than ever the changes in her family circumstances that took her from her beloved Finderlay.

But the arrival of the royal Duke of Kent and his entourage to the village brings new prospects, adventure, and a chance to move on from the past.

I love the landscapes, the cooking, the sense of friendship and family, and obviously the romance.

I can’t wait to hear which sister will be next. My heart breaks for Sarah, and I so much want to know what happened to Claire.

Every Julie Klassen book is a treat.

Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

I have long adored Julie Klassen's books. I'll never forget reading her first, Lady of Milkweed Manor, and realizing I loved the Jane Austen timeperiod after all. Since then I think I've read most of her books, and look forward to diving into the worlds she creates.

While her early books were stand alones that independently told stories of the time, this series is simiar to her most recent Tales from Ivy Hill. and On Devonshire Shores. These are sweeping series that focus on one town and family. With A Winter by the Sea, Julie Klassen has created a new set of characters that are rich and will pull you in. The sisters are delightful and the interchange between them is engaging and real. These are cardboard cutout dolls, but people I could imagine in my mind's eye. Over the course of the rich 429 pages of plot, there are so many lovely forays into characters, history, journeys, and more. It's so engaging, sweet, and vibrant. I felt swept away each time I opened the pages.

If you enjoy historicals, and adore the Jane Austen timeperiod, then I can highly recommend A Winter by the Sea. 

I loved it and think you will, too.

A lovely, meandering story focused on Emily's three loves- two different men and her writing. One suitor she long pined for abandoned her in her family's time of need, only to reappear with renewed hopes. Her new friend lodging at the inn provides a level of support and encouragement of her own dreams that she's never experienced before, but of course there are obstacles to the relationship. Her writing brings her new opportunities as she reaches outside her comfort zone, yet her family is there as her foundation of strength. I enjoyed seeing her character growth, becoming less self-centered as she follows her sisters' examples of selfless service and compassion. We also read in the perspective of older sister Sarah, who has another potential relationship developing, but her main focus is on the inn and her family. Having royals visiting the small community brought a level of excitement and drama, interesting characters, and elements of real history. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

This is Klassen's second book in her On Devonshire Shores series. It is just as delightful as the first. It is interesting to see how women of the early 1800s, both with and without the support of the men in their lives, worked to step out of gender defined roles. Emily longs to be an author, but society looks down on this. She also longs to be a wife and mother. Will she have to choose between her two dreams or between two men? Emily's sister, Sarah, has taken the lead in running the family's guest house after their reduced circumstances. Only recently has she become open to the possibility of love in her life after the death of her fiance. Will she find that with the Duke of Kent's assistant cook and pastry chef? It was also very interesting to read about the lifestyle of the Duke of Kent's family as well as the medical care of the day. Add in a bit of mystery involving the Duke's keeper of the plate, and you have a story that will hold your interest from cover to cover.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this very well-researched and well-written book from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

“𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴: 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.”

oh, what a precious book! julie klassen’s stories are always so comforting to me, but this series takes it to another level. reading this book was like visiting old friends. i so enjoyed settling in with the summers family and their friends — old and new!

the town of sea view is abuzz with the arrival of the duke and duchess of kent and their retinue of servants. i loved getting to know misters bernardi, thomson, and during. each was so unique in their own way and brought fun elements to the story — from delicious sounding food to thoughtful moments in the study to elaborate tables decoration. it was also heartwarming to catch up with beloved characters like mr. gwilt, mr. hornbeam and mrs. denby!

a dear old friend of emily’s showing up made the romance in this story very interesting. i’m so pleased with the way things turned out and i’m happy that emily finally found her happily ever after everything she had been through. i don’t think it’s a coincidence that a possible trip to scotland in the next book was mentioned. i’m so eager for sarah to find her happily ever after and to be reunited with a certain scotsman. i can’t recommend this series enough! if you love little women vibes and sweet romance mixed in with history, these thoughtful stories might be for you!

thank you to bethany house for a gifted copy. my thoughts are my own.

DNF

I only got to about 27%. It wasn’t very interesting to me but that doesn’t mean other people won’t like it. There was also a fortune teller or rumored to be one, and I don’t read books with that. There just seemed to be a lot of different things happening at once but also nothing going on at the same time. The writing seemed well done and the setting was good but just wasn’t enjoying the story. Unfortunately, the fortune teller and the lack of interest in the story made it fall flat for me. And I don’t think fortune tellers belong in Christian Fiction.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley . All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

In the spirit of Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott, this regency romance is reminiscent of a classic novel in the best sense! Entertaining, witty, and impeccably researched, A Winter by the Sea is a sweet Christian historical romance that entertains like a BBC period drama. With an astounding and creative premise that will delight fans of Queen Victoria, author Julie Klassen connects the metaphorical dots from the beloved regency era to the life of Queen Victoria in a fascinating way.

Julie Klassen always writes such vivid descriptions and detailed scenes that I feel like I am watching the story unfold right in front of me. I felt the cold wind on my face. I smelled the salt air coming in from the beach. I tasted the sugar-coated pastries baked in Sea View’s kitchen. I heard the scratching of Emily’s quill as she wrote. I felt like I was there as I turned each page, and it was enchanting.

The sweet and dreamy romance between Emily and James was, of course, my favorite part! There was somewhat of love triangle for a bit, which I normally don’t prefer, but I was so pleased with the way it was written. Emily does some serious soul searching and I identified with her as she established her standards and expectations for any man she would consider marrying. She was strong and held to her values of faith and family, and I truly enjoyed her journey. Her happily ever after was so satisfying and lovely, and I closed the book with a smile on my face and with my heart a bit lighter. I am eager to see happens next for the Summers sisters in future installments of the On Devonshire Shores series!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own!

It was wonderful taking a second visit with the sisters at Sea View. This one focused a bit more on Emily and her perspective. This time, royalty is in town and they are hosting some of the staff. The characters are colorful and interesting and the sisters are ever learning things in the process of their guest house.

Emily rubs shoulders with Queen Victoria herself as a baby as well as Prince Edward and his secretary.

The story is delightful and true to itself. Julie Klassen has done an amazing job in creating this world and introducing real characters as well as bringing sympathy to both the real and fictional. There are things to figure out and surprises to be had, but the essential story with Emily, gives her a lot to discover about herself and how others view her. She gains a strength that all must gain as they learn more about themselves and the world.

While there are no extraordinary mysteries or happenings, there is a realism to the story. There is nothing propelling the story at an unnatural pace. It is just sisters living and relating as well as learning from experiences as well as finding exactly what it is they do want for their happiness.

I loved this story and struggled to put it down when it was required. I look forward to seeing more of the sisters find their happily ever after,

I received an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Love love love love this series by Julie Klassen. I especially loved the royal element that she included in this book with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and how that affected the Summers sisters. I read this book as a combination of ebook and audio, but I especially loved the narration in the audiobook. It really made the story come alive for me. Crossing my fingers a third book in the series will come soon.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of this book. A positive review was not required.

I have been a fan of this author for years and have read nearly all of her books. This is the second book of the On Devonshire Shores series about the Summer sisters and their widowed mother who turn their new family home into a guest house in order to make a living and stay together in the seaside town of Sidmouth. I loved the writing, the characters, the Jane Austen references and the faith elements.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher Bethany House and an eARC through NetGalley. A positive review was not required and all opinions are my own.

"A Winter by the Sea" is a beautifully-written and very well-researched book by author Julie Klassen! The historical setting is described wonderfully with attention to even small details which make reading this story an even richer experience. The author has done wonderful work creating characters who feel three-dimensional and like real people along with personalities, thoughts, emotions, and personal challenges of their own. The Summers family feel like a real family of that status and time period! I enjoyed seeing how the sisters, their mother, and friends interact with each other and seeing that strong bond of family and friendship between them. I loved getting to know each of the sisters! So sweet. The author's writing style is smooth and is sparkling with beauty, wit, and emotion. The speed of the plot is perfect, and the historical figures were so much fun to read about as characters in this book! "A Winter by the Sea" is captivating, sparkling, full of heart, and beautiful! I cannot recommend it highly enough! 5 stars and a must read

Thank you very much to Austenprose PR, author Julie Klassen, Bethany House, and NetGalley for the great opportunity of being a part of this book tour and for providing me with physical and digital copies to read and review honestly.

This was wonderfully researched and well written.
I loved the characters and I appreciated how much more attention was put towards the romance in this book. It really helped to enhance the plot and kept me wanting to read.

I do wish we would have stayed with only 1 sisters point of view but I think the author did it to lay a foundation for future books.

A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen in the second in her On Devonshire Shores series. Emily Summer is pining after her old neighbor and lost love. Her family circumstances have changed and now they keep boarders in their seaside home. Recently some of the overflow from the Duke and Duchess of Kent’s household will be staying with them for the winter. Emily meets the Duke of Kent and his much-loved daughter Victoria while out walking.

I am always so struck by the beautiful writing of author Julie Klassen and get delightfully lost in her stories. Her attention to the historical details of the time period, well developed and endearing characters, and the sweet romance all came together to make an amazing story. It was a pleasure to get know the Summer family better and Emily Summer was a wonderful heroine.

I very highly recommend A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen.

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review.

A Winter by the Sea is the second installment in the On Devonshire Shores series. Even though it can be read as a stand-alone, I recommend starting with (book #1) The Sisters of Sea View which provides an introduction to the family and their circumstances. Reading in order promotes the richest reading experience in my opinion. In A Winter by the Sea, the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent a neighboring cottage for the winter and the Summers sisters provide lodging for a few of the staff. This situation presents new challenges and possibilities.

A seaside setting + sisters drama + colorful and likable characters + sides of romance = a gently written histfic story with substantial themes

One reason I appreciate this series is the focus on sister relationships. Each of the sisters is likable and their interactions are realistically portrayed. Even though each story has a main character focus and a unique set of challenges for a particular sister, the story includes all the sisters and continues to grow their relationships with each other.

In addition to themes that you might expect like sisters supporting sisters and family loyalty, more specific themes in this installment include reaching for your dreams, taking risks, and finding that what you’ve always wanted might not be right for you now.

I appreciate that the series is gently written with a just the right amount of suspense and intrigue. Perfect for winter evenings by a crackling fire. The author provides vivid details of the historical period that promotes a strong sense of time and place. The challenges are not too weighty, profanity is nonexistent, and the sweet slow-burn romance is (firmly) closed door.

If you follow my reviews, you know that I enjoy a balance of plot and character! If I had to choose one, I’d say this story learns toward character-driven but there is enough plot to provide a satisfying and compelling story. The story revolves around a colorful cast of characters, compelling family dynamics, and a slow-burn romance.

Readers who enjoy gently written, family-centered stories will want to add this charming histfic/women’s fiction series to your TBRs. I think book clubs who appreciate good storytelling and who might want chaste romance and no profanity will also love this heartfelt series. I’m eager for the next installment.

Thank you #NetGalley #BethanyHousePublishing @AustenProse #AustenProsePR for a complimentary e ARC upon my request. All opinions are my own.

A Winter by the Sea is the second book in the On Devonshire Shores series. Having read the first I eagerly looked forward to reading this one and was not disappointed. I feel as though once again I've gone back in time with the Summers sisters. They have new neighbors for the winter season, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and their daughter--the future Queen Victoria--who rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage. I enjoyed getting to know the royalty and seeing how they interacted. When the staff they bring with them doesn't all fit in Woolbrook Cottage the male staff will be staying at the seaside house. The characters are so well presented and researched; I enjoyed getting to know them all. So many different personalities, a few are quite the characters. There are not many authors that can write regency romance the way this author can. Each storyline is unique with characters and plots that hold my attention and makes me want to read more. Romance and an intriguing storyline with realistic scenes will have you remembering this story long after you're done. I highly recommend this series and book.

Pub Date: 05 Dec 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
2 likes

I'm loving this series by Julie Klassen. I love the way the reader feels as though they've stepped back in time in this series. The characters are so well written. And the plot will keep you engaged through out.

I love the Summers sisters. These young women are hard workers. They run a boarding house in their town. In this book, the Duke and Duchess of Kent move in next to the Summers sisters home. And the sisters help them by having some of their staff live in their home. I loved the way the author put real people into this story. I learned so much from this book about Queen Victoria's family.

Emily has always wanted to be an author. She's given a chance in this book, but it isn't quite what she was expecting. I guess that's just how life is sometimes.

I loved the way there is both romance and intrigue included in this story. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

I was sent a copy of A Winter by the Sea. All opinions are my own.

The blending of fiction with fact is masterfully crafted by Julie Klassen, one of my favorite authors, to create an English seaside town that I would love to visit and be tempted to stay there permanently. The visit of the Royal family was so realistic that I found myself wondering what was actual fact in the story. I wanted to skip to the historical notes at the end, but I showed some self control and waited until I finished reading the book.

I felt a range of emotions (hope, joy, sadness, loss, fear) as Emily Summers, her sisters, and her mother must face the past, decide what to do about the future, and live in the present. Emily was blessed to have her sister and mother as her sounding boards and help with navigating her feelings. There were two suitors, so which man would she choose?

This is the second book in the series, and I would recommend you read the first book so that you can appreciate what has transpired up until now. Three of Emily’s sisters have stories that need to be told, so I am anticipating great things to happen in the third book. I highly recommend this if you love historical fiction, romance, and/or women’s fiction.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and Austen Prose book tours. I wasn’t required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.