A Rose in Winter

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Summary: The Best Movie I ever read....
Review: The descriptions in this book are so vivid and real that you can "see" the action as it occurs. Definitely a must read for the romantic-at-heart. Mrs. Woodiwiss, I commend you

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Summary: A wonderful Beauty and the Beast kind of romance
Review: This is only my second Woodiwiss novel; the first one being The Wolf and The Dove, which I read years ago and have just re-read recently.

I love the characters in this book. Erienne plays the damsel in distress in need of rescuing from her never-do-well father, inept brother and not-so-great suitors. She meets the handsome Christopher, whom her father owes a lot of money to, and whom she thinks is the main reason for her family's misfortune. Both are instantly attracted to each other, but Erienne denies the attraction. Now, in order for her father to pay off his debts, she ends up being auctioned and married off to the highest bidder - enter the hideous Lord Saxton. He tries to woo her. At first, Erienne feels nothing but disgust for him physically, until his gentleness and kindness pays off and she starts to relax around him. Then she finds out that Christopher is actually Lord Saxton's cousin. Trouble starts once more as Christopher's constant presence plays havoc with her feelings. As Erienne finds herself falling for Christopher, she is torn between her loyalty to her husband and her love for his cousin.

I like how the author portrays Erienne as both vulnerable and strong at the same time. I also like the contrast between Christopher and Lord Saxton - the former being dashing, sensual and self-assured, while the latter is gentle, kind and mysterious.

As with other reviews, the plot is predictable, but the story that leads up to the discovery of the truth is very enjoyable and you will enjoy the interaction between the main characters. This is truly a wonderful read.

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Summary: One of my favorite books ever!
Review: I read this book years ago and it has always remained one of my favorite novels. Shanna & this book are the top two books by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss in my opinion (Ashes in the Wind was very good as well). She creates such chemistry between her characters & there is always a bit of mystery to keep you guessing.

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Summary: Good but too predictable...
Review: I hate it when I figure everything out right away & that's exactly what I did. Who couldn't figure out this big secret? I figured it out before it was even introduced to me. The book was very good but way too predictable. The romance was great as well as the people. If you don't mind not having some mystery to look forward to then I recommend this book but if you are like me & want some suspense to keep you reading then I wouldn't recommend this particular Woodiwiss book to you. Come Love A Stranger by Woodiwiss is one that will keep you guessing until the end.

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Summary: A treasure!
Review: I loved how ms. woodiwiss portrayed Lord Saxton--fierce on the outside but oh-so-tender when with Erienne. personally, the way he was described, i did not feel he was that hideous. i actually preferred him over Christopher. before any revelations were finally made open, i found myself hotly rooting for Lord Saxton. for me, Christopher (allegedly removed from Lord Saxton's presence) was cocky and outrageous. handsome as the devil of course, and totally overwhelming. but somehow he didnt quite measure up to the dark and brooding Lord Saxton.

so it was simply a most delightful surprise when Erienne was shown the truth. i loved what transpired then between her and her husband. however, i did not quite find myself favoring Erienne. her maidenly qualms in the presence of Lord Saxton were simply exaggerated---there were times i wanted to shake her silly for harboring overblown images about her husband.

All-in-all, A Rose in Winter is a wonderful story. as is usual for ms. woodiwiss, her dialogues for her characters were quite effusive, but still, for a story with a fairy-like quality such as this, the rich interplay of words was appropriate. when one stumbles upon the tender scenes, the dialogue is instrumental in evoking wistful fantasies of what it would be like to belong to someone like the hero of the story.

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Summary: An excellant Romance
Review: I won't bore you with re-describing what happens in the book. But I will tell you I have had at least one copy of this book since it was first published. Every time I read it, I slip into the world created by the master, Kathleen. Her descriptions of the characters seen through the eyes of Erienne are often hilarious. Christopher is my dream man. He is commanding, sensual, dedicated and self-assured. If all women could be wooed by a man such as him...WoW not to mention YUM. Lord Saxton is mysterious and surprising to say the least. Buy this book; take your time reading it. Let the characters absorb you or vice versa. You won't regret the purchase!

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Summary: My First Romance Novel...Wonderful!
Review: This was the first romance novel I ever read, many years ago, and it was the reason I kept reading romance. I was so new to the genre, I was truly surprised when all was revealed. Humor, a dark hero, mystery, and excitement all in one excellently written book...what more can you ask for?
A Rose in Winter is one to keep and read time and time again!