I don't usually read "romance novels", but this is a must read! The characters are so vivid you really care about them and they just jump off the page. My best advice is to FIND THIS BOOK somewhere--it's worth the work.

I read this book years ago and have always loved it. The book has enough historical detail to entertain anyone who loves history and romance. The characters are strong and mostly likable,their lives seem to be like everyone else's. The only thing I did not like was there was no closure. The reader is left with feeling that they have to find out what happened to Jane and Thomas.Ciji Ware certainly left this one open.

I picked up this book never expecting it to be such an entriging love story. However, when I got into it, I could not put it down. I have never been interested in the British perspective on the American Revoltution, but the story of Jane Maxwell, Thomas Fraser and the Duke of Gordon was gripping. My fasination with this story is sorting out what was real and what was fiction. I have tried, rather successfully to research Alexander, the 4th Duke of Gordon. I was able to pinpoint several facts in history, but haven't been too successful with the characters. Does anyone know? The author details in the back of the book her exhaustive search for her Scottish linage to Jane Maxwell, but I was just curious how much was true. Great book, I loved it and will probably reread it again.

I am a latecomer to the novels of Ciji Ware, but very impressed with her ability to richly depict characters and places. I have personally visited the Island of the Swans, and thoroughly hiked in the area in which her book is set. Ms. Ware has a historian's love of accuracy, and her descriptions of Struy, Loch an Eilean, the River Spey, Culloden House (where I have sojourned many times), etc. are absolutely perfect. I was transported, once again to that delightful corner of the world.

I think I would have given this book a 4 star if so much did not happen to our heroine so quickly. I thought the writing was very well done. The characters both in the present and past had depth and interest to them that kept me reading. Both Daphne and Sim had their own emotional baggage that they had to work through, and did an admirable job in doing so. This is a story of a growing relationship, not your typical, h/h meet and fall instantly in love story (though there are elements of that too). Sometimes I thought they fell back on their preconceived ideas and previous habits too readily, but I suppose that is human nature and added some realism to the story. Both were at fault during these scenes and eventually talked through their problems.

Although this story stands pretty well on its own, it does help if you have read its predecessor Midnight on Julia Street (Daphne's brother's story). One of my smaller criticisms of the story is how dysfunctional this family is (as well as its ancestors). Between the self-centered mother, apathetic father, "interesting" aunt, and psychotic jilted ex, I thought things went a little too far. The only thing that brought it back to the credible and enjoyable for me was the tie-ins to the past. There were just enough of these to keep the story interesting, but not enough to bog the plot down. It is interesting how Ms. Ware does not have the present characters know the intricacies of their predecessors lives (which is what usually happens in these stories). We realize that everyone knows and is related to everyone else, but the true meaning of the previous generation's stories was lost. Some rumors came down through the families, but watching Daphne learn the true stories was interesting and well done. There are no assumptions made and then proven, Daphne slowly unravels the past story and its significance today.

Ms. Ware obviously has done her homework on the Miss-Lou area and it shines through in her writing. This a an enjoyable story to read, and I would not miss out on it, just be ready for a lot of going-ons. I will VERY rarely say this, but I thought there was too much going on.

I was trying to save Ciji Ware's new book, " A Light on the Veranda," as a fun read for my next vacation. However, I picked it up just to get a peek at what Daphne would be up to, since "Midnight on Julia Street" was one of my favorites last year. I subsequently found myself engrossed, reading "A Light on the Veranda" from cover to cover in one week. I was fascinated by the way the author wove the past and present in two story lines whose similarities were so intriguing that I couldn't wait to see how it all would get resolved. It was particularly interesting because I haven't spent much time in the South. Now I feel I know much more about plantations, local culture, etc. So much of this has to be real! I highly recommend it.

An ardant fan, having read Cottage By the Sea,Island of the Swans, and especially Midnight on Julia Street (set in New Orleans & our introduction to Daphne Duvallon), I am thrilled with Light on the Vernada! Ware's weaving of a comtemporary story along with history of a hundred year's past, and the accuracy and detail she brings into the story are fascinating. A chat line said her next book will be set in San Francisco. Please write faster, Ciji Ware!

Ciji Ware has captivated two distinct New Orleans time periods. Prior to the Civil War and the present. She has tied the two together in a well written historical novel on preservaton of historical buildings. Her main character/s, Corlis and Corlis Bell McCollough are both strong and realistic even though "time travel" from one period to the other is involved. I loved how she tied all the families together. (After all, this is N'awlings, Sugar!) A good, fast read...one I would recommend highly!

This is the first book I have read by this author and really did not know what to expect. I do not usually find paranormal plot lines interesting. Because of the story setting I decided to give it a try. Being born and raised in that general area I really enjoyed the dialog. To portray accents and drawls especially those in the rich melting pot of New Orleans is very difficult. Ms Ware did a wonderful job and her background research was entensive. She also wove the past and present together beautifully. She not only successfully managed a variety of characters and story lines that held my attention; but she also tied up all loose ends and brought the whole mixture to a satisfying conclusion. I am now shopping for more books by Ms. Ware.

Never heard of Ciji Ware before, picked this book up by chance. I was fascinated by it! Most of all, loved all of the references to architecture, dining, culture and education in New Orleans. And it all rang true, from what I have read and know about these subjects before they came together in this book. I liked Corlis, and King, and all of the secondary characters. Couldn't put this book down and had to finish it up right away. The time travel part was strange to me, but hey, it could happen to someone, I guess. I so much enjoyed this novel that the reason I am writing this review is to try and find previous Ware books. Alas, the one I would like to read is now sold out.

I did not like this book at all. It seems to be typical of a particular genre where all the characters are rich and famous and wear only the best labeled clothing. The women are all glamourous, the men, model handsome.
This book caught my attention because its setting was the Cornwall of Daphne Du Maurier and supposedly its premise was similar to that of Du Maurier's great romantic classics. This could not be further from the truth. The characters in "A Cottage by the Sea" are utterly vacuous parodies; the time travel sequence is ridiculously unbelievable.
Instead of wasting your time and money on this book, pick up copies of "Rebecca", "Frenchman's Creek", "Jamaica Inn" and the "Scapegoat"; even if you've already read them, you will get more out of a repeat read than a first go at this. If you love time travel, try the Gabaldon Outlander series; although there are some improbable situations in these stories, at least they are entertaining as well as well-written with real characters who laugh, cry and speak as we do.

Ciji Ware has a wonderful way of writing historical novels that bring you to that place she is writing about. She can write a contemporary storyline and tie it to a storyline 200 years before and keep you totally involved. I found the historical story much more interesting and compelling than the contempory storyline. If you have read Island of the Swans and are looking for a conclusion to Jane's life, I don't agree this book gives it to you. My favorite book of all time is "Island of the Swans" and read this book looking for some resolution of Jane's life. What I got was several paragraphs that, although interesting, was definetly NOT a conclusion. Read Cottage by the Sea and enjoy it on its own merit.

A Cottage by the Sea is a fun, page-turning read. The feisty heroine charms, while drawing the reader further into the story. Her interactions with the past help to shape her plans for the present and future--a literary device Ciji Ware knows how to use to the fullest. There's a wealth of local color also, especially for gardeners and lovers of Daphne duMaurier. It's diverting and entertaining enough for an airplane ride or lounging on the beach, but intelligent enough to hold the interest.