Winter Homecoming

Sophia's Daughter

By: Lyn Cote

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

A grieving rich man’s daughter and a disillusioned logger’s son--what could draw them together in the wintry northwoods?

Catching a freight train out of Chicago is no way to spend Christmas Day. The Depression has cost Will his classy wife, executive job and high society life. Now traveling as a tramp, he’s heading home to the northwoods of Wisconsin to face the “I told you so’s” he so deserves. On the freight train, a homeless little boy attaches himself to Will like a lost puppy. Who is the boy and why is he alone?

A chance meeting with a new widow Cass provides a temporary home for the two. Cass needs a handyman to help her weather the winter in her isolated cabin. Will soon recognizes another complication, one he knows he can’t handle. So he fights his growing attraction to this good but stubborn woman—so unlike the wife who divorced him. The three become an unlikely “family.” Yet what will happen when the snow melts and all their secrets are revealed?

Secrets

The epilogue reveals that this story is based on the life of a real woman. This book has greater value because it makes readers become curious about a real life heroine.

This book has three people who do not talk to each other about their past because everyone is hiding something for different reason. The “secrets” trope is not my favorite kind of book. Lynn Cote keeps the secrets until about 75% of the book is finished. In my opinion, this keeps character development artificially slow. Only at the very end, the last 5 pages or so, is resolution. It just seems as if characters stay in their rut, repeating their “issues” until bam! right at the end.

I cannot fault the author, though because the book is well-written. I just don’t care for any books with this trope.

The Virtual Voice is what it is…