Book Review: A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen

 

A Winter by the Sea - Julie Klassen - 3.5 Stars (Book 2 in the On Devonshire Shores series)

"A Winter by the Sea", the second installment in Julie Klassen's On Devonshire Shores series, proved to be an enjoyable read. We continue our journey with the Summers sisters, primarily following Emily Summers as she pursues her dream of becoming an author. Facing rejecting from a local publisher, she agrees to an intriguing proposing from a charming competitor, leading her into unexpected twists involving a love triangle. Despite my usual aversion to love triangles, this one was well-executed. 

This series fully immerses you in the atmospheric setting and you really do feel like you are right there with the "Sisters of Sea View" throughout the story. My only complaints are the books in this series do feel a bit too long for my liking, as I struggle to keep interest at times with the plot. There were also times it felt too slow for me, but I enjoyed this book in the series a bit more than I did book 1, mostly because of the less POVS to keep up with from a personal standpoint.

Emily's character  shines in this book, showcasing her passion for writing and her dedication to her family. I loved seeing her process writing the guidebook for Sidmouth too, very interesting. We see a little bit of Sarah's journey but I preferred just following Emily here. She really cares for her family and I think she may be my favorite sister in the group. We also see some of the royal family shown here - that added a fun layer too.

This book really is a very fitting one to read in the Winter time as well as it has some really great descriptions of the Winter season. Maybe because I finished reading Little Women recently is another reason I liked this one a bit more than book 1 because I could certainly see how lovers of Little Women would enjoy this story. 

Overall, a good continuation to the series that I think people who love regency-era stories with rich  historical settings would enjoy. Thank you to Bethany House for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6084319673
Amazon: https://amzn.to/48eV15B
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/516356
YouTube Review to come.

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from those links.