Review: The Cottage – Sarah Winter

The Cottage Book Cover The Cottage
Sarah Winter
Paranormal Romance
August 27, 2018
381

1667 - Minister Owen Beaumont did something unthinkable on Halloween and he's been in purgatory ever since. Literally. The problem is, he can't remember what he did. Suddenly, he's thrown back to the house he built, three hundred fifty years into the future. Battling a new century and grieving a life he will never have, he must figure out what happened to him all those years ago or be trapped in his own personal hell forever.

2017 - Still reeling from her divorce and her ex-husband's affair, successful house-flipper Theodora 'Theo' Barebone goes to Scotland. She's drawn to the Isle of Islay, and the village of Port Ellen in particular. When she gets there, she finds she must have historic Wayfarer's Cottage, knowing the centuries-old mystery that comes with it will help her sell it for a tidy profit. But from the moment she starts the renovations on the home, she finds she's not alone in its walls.

​Owen and Theo are thrown together to end whatever is yanking him back and forth from his private purgatory to her world, but to find the answers they must first unlock his memory. They must learn to trust each other, or Owen may be doomed. As new feelings begin to emerge between them, they both will be tested by forces beyond anything either of them can comprehend.

Reviewed by: Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team

Minister Owen Beaumont and eleven other men all disappeared on Halloween in 1667 in the town of Leodamas in Scotland and since then he has resided in purgatory locked in what looks like a glass coffin with just enough room for him to stand. What happened is the focus of this story.

It is now 2017 and Theodora (Theo) Barebone has arrived in Port Ellen previously known as Leodamas and she decides to take a bus tour of the town, a tour that would change her life. When the tour bus passes an old cottage reputed to be haunted by its original owner Owen Beaumont Theo feels drawn to it and immediately decides to purchase it. Theo owns a company with her ex-husband, a company that invests in and renovates homes to flip. In spite of the fact that her husband found himself a new woman and now lives in the home they once shared she and he are still partners in the business.

Theo does a lot of research about Owen Beaumont and has no doubt that the history of the cottage will increase it’s sales value. Unfortunately her ex has no interest in this property and refuses to send any more money for the renovations convincing Theo that it is finally time to dissolve the company. The cottage is everything she could have hoped for and the renovations are moving along, everything is as it should be until she sees Owen Beaumont standing in front of her. Convinced she is either dreaming or hallucinating it takes her awhile to believe he is actually there with her. He is solid, needs sleep, needs food and can be injured, the only thing lacking is a heart beat.

Theo and Owen have feelings for each other, feelings that neither of them are willing to explore since there is no way of knowing how long he will be around since he can disappear suddenly and be returned to his glass coffin. Owen knows that something he did in the past has put him in this position but he can’t remember and he and Theo search for clues that will help him remember. Their hope is for him to be able to fix whatever it is he did and possibly find a way for him to remain in 2017.

The secret of Owen’s past is revealed but does he stay with Theo, that you will have to find out for yourself. The only reason I did not give this book five stars is that it was slow moving at times and took awhile to get to the point, but once it did it made the read all worthwhile.

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