DiscoverHistorical Fiction

A Winter's Secrets

By

Loved it! 😍

A well-researched and entertaining tale of a loving, but unconventional family, set in a time when conventions were important.

This is a post-Civil War family saga, based loosely on the author’s ancestral heritage and other historical accounts of rural life in Florida after the slaves had been freed. 


Bud is a farmer, and son of a man who lost his way after Bud's mother deserted the family for another man. Bud is now a father to a brood of children with his wife, Caroline. Upon the death of their son, Charlie, Caroline descended into depression and took to her bed for weeks at a time. To manage the needs of his growing family whilst running the farm to produce income, Bud engages the services of Annie, a fresh-faced young daughter of a neighbouring farm. A romance develops between Annie and Bud, and before he knows it, Bud's family increases to two 'wives' with another baby on the way.


The story follows the emotional journeys of each person involved in this love triangle and develops gracefully and powerfully as they adapt to each other, and come to terms with the new family dynamics – for better or for worse. Behind the dramas, we see glimpses of the living conditions at that time, and how resilient and determined the community is to pull together. They support and help one another, and comfort each other in times of need. Of course, having two wives living on the same premises was not highly regarded by the church-going town authorities and social circles. Disapproval and judgement were indeed bestowed upon this unconventional arrangement. However, Bud's endurance and unwavering commitment to supporting and providing not only for his own clan but orphaned children from other families who were made welcome, soon melted away the criticism.


The plot has several interesting twists, a few tense moments where things could go either way, some emotional turmoil, and many kind deeds and encouraging moments. It is the kind of book that makes great use of a rainy Sunday afternoon and leaves a pleasant impression behind. The author's writing style is uncomplicated, and the manner of speech and vocabulary used is what you would expect of writings made in that period. There are no explicit scenes, though a little offensive language appears within the right context. Altogether, a charming book with much to commend it!

Reviewed by

I live in Far North Queensland, Australia, with one husband, one dog, one real cat, and 68 cat ornaments. I write children's books about outback Australia.

Bud and Annie

About the author

I'm a first-time author. My father and I wrote this book based on his memories of his relatives and growing up in Northwest Florida. view profile

Published on January 17, 2020

Published by

80000 words

Worked with a Reedsy professional 🏆

Genre: Historical Fiction

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