A Winter’s Secrets centers on Bud Braxton, a timber clearer in the late 1890s Florida Panhandle. As he navigates the illness of his wife and cares for his children with the help of a nanny, his life becomes increasingly complicated when the nanny reveals that she is expecting his child. In love with both women, Bud struggles to reconcile his emotions while supporting his growing and unconventional family.

As his household expands to include a group of homeless children, Bud finds himself the devoted father of no fewer than twenty-two children, embracing a life shaped by responsibility, compassion, and resilience. Meanwhile, Bud’s father, Robert, is grappling with the emotional aftermath of his wife’s infidelity. Withdrawn and hardened, he has distanced himself from nearly everyone in his life. Only one granddaughter is able to reach him, and through her presence, Robert uncovers a long-held secret that transforms his perspective and begins to repair his relationship with Bud.

Based on true events and real people, A Winter’s Secrets is a story of love, endurance, and redemption, woven with unexpected turns along the way.

About the Author

D.S. Broxson is based in Northwest Florida, where she continues to honor her family’s history and storytelling traditions. Alongside her father, Jim Broxson, she developed A Winter’s Secrets, drawing inspiration from stories he shared about their family—stories of grandparents, uncles, cousins, and close friends.

Although Jim passed away in 2024, the book stands as a collaborative effort rooted in their shared vision, blending fiction with real people and events. D.S. lives with her family on a three-acre farm, surrounded by a variety of animals. Her mother, Jim’s wife, resides in the home where D.S. was raised, located twenty miles away. Together, they continue to preserve Jim’s memory as a gentle, kind, and strong man.