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A Week in Winter
Every once in a while a very special story comes along that deserves an enormous cozy chair with a view of rolling hills, a fire snapping quietly in the hearth, a cup of real cocoa in a favorite mug, and a plate of homemade cookies. A Week in Winter is such a tale.
Moorgate is an enchanting old country house that belongs to Maudie Todhunter, a spirited widow who has been holding on to the place for the sake of her beloved granddaughter. But Maudie can no longer afford a second home, so she reluctantly puts it up for sale.
Moorgate immediately attracts more buyers than Maudie knows what to do with. The first is Selina, her stepdaughter, who has never seen eye-to-eye with Maudie on anything. The second potential buyer is Rob Abbot, a contractor who has lovingly restored every nook and cranny and who is embarrassed by his own passionate devotion to the house. The third is Melissa Clayton, a young woman with a sad, sad secret who discovers at Moorgate all she's ever wanted.
As the story weaves between the past and present, Maudie is startled to uncover patterns of deceit and betrayal that contradict all her most cherished beliefs. At times it seems that her most trustworthy companion is her granddaughter's giant English mastiff Polonius, who is boarding with Maudie after having been banished from his own home by an irate Selina.
As the final revelations stun both Maudie and the reader, A Week in Winter achieves a combined richness of character and circumstance that raises it above most modern contemporary fiction. Marcia Willett is a writer to discover and to celebrate.
Moorgate is an enchanting old country house that belongs to Maudie Todhunter, a spirited widow who has been holding on to the place for the sake of her beloved granddaughter. But Maudie can no longer afford a second home, so she reluctantly puts it up for sale.
Moorgate immediately attracts more buyers than Maudie knows what to do with. The first is Selina, her stepdaughter, who has never seen eye-to-eye with Maudie on anything. The second potential buyer is Rob Abbot, a contractor who has lovingly restored every nook and cranny and who is embarrassed by his own passionate devotion to the house. The third is Melissa Clayton, a young woman with a sad, sad secret who discovers at Moorgate all she's ever wanted.
As the story weaves between the past and present, Maudie is startled to uncover patterns of deceit and betrayal that contradict all her most cherished beliefs. At times it seems that her most trustworthy companion is her granddaughter's giant English mastiff Polonius, who is boarding with Maudie after having been banished from his own home by an irate Selina.
As the final revelations stun both Maudie and the reader, A Week in Winter achieves a combined richness of character and circumstance that raises it above most modern contemporary fiction. Marcia Willett is a writer to discover and to celebrate.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
98 people are currently reading
2782 people want to read
About the author
Marcia Willett
66 books355 followersMarcia Willett began her career as a novelist when she was fifty years old. Since that first novel Marcia has written twenty more under her own name as well as a number of short stories. She has also written four books under the pseudonym "Willa Marsh", and is published in more than sixteen countries.
Marcia Willett's early life was devoted to the ballet, but her dreams of becoming a ballerina ended when she grew out of the classical proportions required. She had always loved books, and a family crisis made her take up a new career as a novelist - a decision she had never regretted.
Marcia Willett's early life was devoted to the ballet, but her dreams of becoming a ballerina ended when she grew out of the classical proportions required. She had always loved books, and a family crisis made her take up a new career as a novelist - a decision she had never regretted.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
April 12, 2017
The blurb says it is a book for a cozy long weekend in front of a warm fire, or something like that. That it is.
Somewhere in England, nestled in the Cornwall area, an enchanting old farmhouse, called, Moorgate, stood dilapidated in disgraceful despair. Abandoned and sad, it was just a matter of time before the gracious old house gave up pretense and succumb to her destiny.
The Todhunters were the owners and for many years Moorgate was a place where the family spend happy summer holidays together. But then things suddenly changed and Moorgate was forgotten. Behind her walls a few secrets remained hidden.
The widow Maudie Todhunter, second wife of the deceased Hector Todhunter, ended up inheriting the old place, and that's where everything turned way south in the blended as well as extended family. Maudie needed money; Hunter's investment portfolio had vanished into thin air where nobody could find it; and everything else he ever owned went to his first wife and three children. So Maudie decided to sell Moorgate.
Apart from Hunter's three children from his first marriage, a plethora of buyers arrived on the scene. The contractor doing the restorations fell in love with the old grand dame himself as well.
It did not take long before old secrets, new bitterness and hidden revulsions spilled from the woodwork. It nearly destroyed the family. Anger and heartbreak had so many different faces.
The old Esse wood-burning stove was lit to prevent further damp and destruction; the orphaned dog, Polonius, had his side of the story to add, while keeping family relations moving forward.
At last Moorgate could lift up her head and welcome a brand new family. However, the last morsels of deceit, betrayal and truth had to be shaken out in the open, before the new beginnings could be painted onto the walls of Moorgate.
Maeve Binchy not only had a similar titled book, but also wrote in the same style as this author. Rosamund Pilcher captured the same kind of family sagas with a touch of mystery and wonder. A Week In Winter is indeed a cozy, heartwarming experience.
Without dodging the modern challenges surrounding blended families, the issues are handled with compassion and empathy. Sometimes we need to get back to this wholesome take on life.
I loved the experience.
Somewhere in England, nestled in the Cornwall area, an enchanting old farmhouse, called, Moorgate, stood dilapidated in disgraceful despair. Abandoned and sad, it was just a matter of time before the gracious old house gave up pretense and succumb to her destiny.
The Todhunters were the owners and for many years Moorgate was a place where the family spend happy summer holidays together. But then things suddenly changed and Moorgate was forgotten. Behind her walls a few secrets remained hidden.
The widow Maudie Todhunter, second wife of the deceased Hector Todhunter, ended up inheriting the old place, and that's where everything turned way south in the blended as well as extended family. Maudie needed money; Hunter's investment portfolio had vanished into thin air where nobody could find it; and everything else he ever owned went to his first wife and three children. So Maudie decided to sell Moorgate.
Apart from Hunter's three children from his first marriage, a plethora of buyers arrived on the scene. The contractor doing the restorations fell in love with the old grand dame himself as well.
It did not take long before old secrets, new bitterness and hidden revulsions spilled from the woodwork. It nearly destroyed the family. Anger and heartbreak had so many different faces.
The old Esse wood-burning stove was lit to prevent further damp and destruction; the orphaned dog, Polonius, had his side of the story to add, while keeping family relations moving forward.
At last Moorgate could lift up her head and welcome a brand new family. However, the last morsels of deceit, betrayal and truth had to be shaken out in the open, before the new beginnings could be painted onto the walls of Moorgate.
Maeve Binchy not only had a similar titled book, but also wrote in the same style as this author. Rosamund Pilcher captured the same kind of family sagas with a touch of mystery and wonder. A Week In Winter is indeed a cozy, heartwarming experience.
Without dodging the modern challenges surrounding blended families, the issues are handled with compassion and empathy. Sometimes we need to get back to this wholesome take on life.
I loved the experience.
March 19, 2014
An unenthusiastic 3 stars. This is a Rosamunde Pilcher wannabe book. Same setting, lots of descriptive imagery of the Cornwall countryside, relationships spanning generations etc. But it is somehwat flat in my opinion. Just does not give me that same cozy feel. I don't feel I come to know the characters in the same way as Pilcher's or Binchy's. The second half of the book is more interesting than the first. I enjoyed the story between Melissa and Rob however and Patrick's emancipation. meh
January 15, 2024
Είδα Πίλτσερ στο οπισθόφυλλο και χάρηκα, ήθελα να διαβάσω κάτι τέτοιο "ηρεμιστικό" και η αλήθεια είναι ότι στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος του βιβλίου όντως είναι σε αυτό το στυλ. Ήρεμη πλοκή δηλαδή, χωρίς μεγάλες εντάσεις, περιγράφει μια οικογενειακή ιστορία. Ωραίες περιγραφές τοπίων και χώρων αν και θα μπορούσαν να είναι περισσότερες.
Βρήκα όμως αρκετά βαρετούς τους ήρωες- όλους τους. Επίσης, η ιστορία με την Μελίσσα δεν μου άρεσε, θα ήθελα οπωσδήποτε να μου περιγράψει πιο πολύ τα συναισθήματά της, "πέρασε και δεν ακούμπησε" με τον τρόπο που είναι γραμμένη η ιστορία της.
Τέλος πάντων, δεν πειράζει.
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
https://thematofylakes.gr
Βρήκα όμως αρκετά βαρετούς τους ήρωες- όλους τους. Επίσης, η ιστορία με την Μελίσσα δεν μου άρεσε, θα ήθελα οπωσδήποτε να μου περιγράψει πιο πολύ τα συναισθήματά της, "πέρασε και δεν ακούμπησε" με τον τρόπο που είναι γραμμένη η ιστορία της.
Τέλος πάντων, δεν πειράζει.
https://kiallovivlio.blogspot.com/
https://thematofylakes.gr
December 11, 2017
Despite what some reviewers said, I found absolutely no comparison between Marcia Willett and either Rosamunde Pilcher or Maeve Binchey stylistically. Nor did I find the story to be "cozy". Part One, all 115 pages of it, could have been reduced by half and nothing would've been lost. It was so repetitive, in fact, that there were actually times when I thought, "Didn't I just read this, word for word, like 20 pages ago? Did I lose my place?" Part Two was a little better and Part Three was better yet. However, the book as a whole fell flat. The characters felt complacent and predictable, except Selina, who had such an abrupt personality change in Part Three that she was completely unrecognizable to me. The storyline was contrived. There were two, not one, "love at first sight" plots that conveniently ended with the ownership of Moorgate. There was a slight hint at the supernatural that faded as quickly as it appeared. Disappointing. If you really want a cozy week in winter, read Maeve Binchey.
December 8, 2025
4.25🌟 A wonderfully winter-y domestic novel with love, betrayal, bitterness and tenderness.
A Week in Winter is about finding unexpected love and learning to have patience with other family members from a second marriage. Maudie, a 70-year-old widow, is absolutely my favorite character (although I also adore Melissa). It's very inspiring to see Maudie living on her own with both vivacity and spirit. She's incredibly clear-minded, practical and very observant.
Reading about Maudie's relationship with her step-daughter, Selina (and Selina's husband, Patrick), her step-granddaughter, Posy, was fascinating. I thoroughly despised the character of Selina, but you could also see (through references of the past) how she might have ended up as such a selfish and nasty person.
Each story line (Maudie and Posy, Selina and Patrick, Melissa and Rob) completely absorbed me—although I felt a lot of frustration when the situation concerned Selina. The lovely winter chapter at Moorgate captured my heart. I would love to live at Moorgate myself!
This is now another Marcia Willett favorite of mine and highly recommended!
A Week in Winter is about finding unexpected love and learning to have patience with other family members from a second marriage. Maudie, a 70-year-old widow, is absolutely my favorite character (although I also adore Melissa). It's very inspiring to see Maudie living on her own with both vivacity and spirit. She's incredibly clear-minded, practical and very observant.
Reading about Maudie's relationship with her step-daughter, Selina (and Selina's husband, Patrick), her step-granddaughter, Posy, was fascinating. I thoroughly despised the character of Selina, but you could also see (through references of the past) how she might have ended up as such a selfish and nasty person.
Each story line (Maudie and Posy, Selina and Patrick, Melissa and Rob) completely absorbed me—although I felt a lot of frustration when the situation concerned Selina. The lovely winter chapter at Moorgate captured my heart. I would love to live at Moorgate myself!
This is now another Marcia Willett favorite of mine and highly recommended!
January 27, 2024
“Mike felt a brief lightening of spirits at the thought of companionship on the long drive back, relief that the worst was over. He opened the back door and stood, braced against the gale, letting it blow over him, cold and fresh and cleansing. A parliament of rooks argued in some trees somewhere out of sight and, borne on the wind as it fled over the moor, he heard the high plaintive crying of the lambs.” — A Week in Winter by Marcia Willett
After getting so many recommendations to read A Week in Winter, I finally have. How happy I am that I did!
Moorgate is an old farmhouse that is perched on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Left to her by her husband, Maudie Todhunter had planned to in turn leave it to her granddaughter. But Maudie has her own home in Devon and when the tenant at Moorgate dies, she finds she can no longer afford to keep up a second home. At 72-years-old she has no desire to live on her own in such a remote place. Reluctantly, she puts Moorgate on the market.
This book is a touching story about love and friendship, and bravely seizing the moments that life presents.
This may very well be my favourite Marcia Willett book to date. It made me smile and made me weep. It is a book that will stay with me. I absolutely loved it.
After getting so many recommendations to read A Week in Winter, I finally have. How happy I am that I did!
Moorgate is an old farmhouse that is perched on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Left to her by her husband, Maudie Todhunter had planned to in turn leave it to her granddaughter. But Maudie has her own home in Devon and when the tenant at Moorgate dies, she finds she can no longer afford to keep up a second home. At 72-years-old she has no desire to live on her own in such a remote place. Reluctantly, she puts Moorgate on the market.
This book is a touching story about love and friendship, and bravely seizing the moments that life presents.
This may very well be my favourite Marcia Willett book to date. It made me smile and made me weep. It is a book that will stay with me. I absolutely loved it.
November 16, 2018
Being a nut for old houses, I couldn't resist this book, set partly in an old farmhouse called Moorgate at the edge of the Cornish moors. The house, and the descriptions of nature, were the highlights of this novel. Otherwise it was a little bland -- other reviewers have compared Marcia Willett to Rosamund Pilcher but I liked Pilcher's books far better. And although I always enjoy a good, long read, this book just seemed way too wordy. The big bonus was a happy ending.
October 27, 2021
3.5 stars. While O found it cozy and quite a relaxing read from the heavier and more action packed books I've read recently it wasn't quite a favorite. I had a good time with it but maybe not entirely!u cup of tea
December 1, 2019
Coroczny festiwal grudniowych zimowo-romantyczno-świątecznych historii otwiera w tej edycji "Tydzień w zimie", który specjalnie zimowo-świąteczny nie jest, za to cukierkowo-romantyczny a i owszem. Zapewne jest w moim ocenianiu niekonsekwencja, ale jak nienawidzę wciskania do takich opowieści dramatycznych i nieszczęśliwych wypadków, tak nie lubię również przesadnych, momentami aż nierealnych szczęśliwych zakończeń. Na tę straszliwą przypadłość cierpi również ta książka i to podwójnie, bo znajdziemy tu, niestety, obydwa elementy. Pierwsza połowa była w porządku, takie tam rodzinne sprawy. Normalni ludzie i ich problemy, w to jestem w stanie wierzyć bez specjalnych dyskusji. Wtem na scenę wkroczy Melissa, a autorka odpłynie w rejony fantazji dla mnie niedostępne. Dlaczego ta historia nie mogła być po prostu zwykłą opowieścią z piękną, położoną w ustronnym miejscu posiadłością. Nie, trzeba udziwnić na siłę. Nie kupuję tego, to nie ten typ emocji, którego oczekuję od takich historii.
Na koniec dodam - nie sugerujcie się do końca moją opinią, ja mam konkretne oczekiwania względem książek świąteczno-zimowych, których akurat "Tydzień w zimie" nie spełnił. Za mało świąt, za mało zimy, a w ten konkretny happy end nie jestem w stanie uwierzyć. Za to Maudie, główna bohaterka, dała się polubić. dlatego ostatecznie wystawiam 6/10.
Na koniec dodam - nie sugerujcie się do końca moją opinią, ja mam konkretne oczekiwania względem książek świąteczno-zimowych, których akurat "Tydzień w zimie" nie spełnił. Za mało świąt, za mało zimy, a w ten konkretny happy end nie jestem w stanie uwierzyć. Za to Maudie, główna bohaterka, dała się polubić. dlatego ostatecznie wystawiam 6/10.
February 24, 2022
3.5 stars
March 20, 2015
Maudie Todhunter, Hector’s second wife, is recently widowed and has decided to sell Moorgate, the family’s holiday home, for much-needed funds. Her step daughter, Selina, has always hated Maudie through jealousy and her need to always come first. She has never forgiven Maudie for ‘taking her mother’s place’ and is obsessed with the need to possess, whether it’s people or things. Her continued hostility and bitterness eventually takes its toll on her long-suffering family. Selina’s daughter, Posy, and Maudie have formed a strong bond and are very close, adding to Selina’s bitterness and dissatisfaction with what she sees as a personal slight.
Maudie is straightforward and down to earth but has struggled with a festering resentment of everyone telling how perfect Hector’s first wife, Hilda, had been. The perfect mother, wife, cook, friend, so much so she had done her best to make herself the total opposite of Hilda. Hilda’s erstwhile best friend, Daphne, proved to be Maudie’s salvation and their liking for each other grew into a very close, lifelong bond.
Rob Abbot, after giving up his engineering job in London and moving to Cornwall, is renovating Moorgate and has fallen in love with the house but when Melissa Clayton comes to stay in the area, for a week during the winter, to view the property Rob finds his priorities changing, along with both their lives. Things will never be the same again for Rob. Neither Rob nor Melissa could have foreseen the effect Moorgate, or each other, would have.
The author has an unpretentious writing style and the book is peopled with mostly likeable and realistic characters, the narrative is from various perspectives which works well within the framework of the story. The descriptions of Cornwall’s beautiful scenery, Bodmin Moor and the farmhouse are enchanting and give a real sense of place. I was hooked into the story again quite quickly.
A tangle of human emotions runs throughout – love, guilt, loss and forgiveness, all the stuff of extended family dynamics, with a mix of strengths and weaknesses. Past secrets to be uncovered and a hint of the supernatural.
Now and again an author will move me to tears and, ok maybe it’s a little indulgent, but occasionally a sentimental book, or movie, a glass of wine and a tissue or two is called for.
Maudie is straightforward and down to earth but has struggled with a festering resentment of everyone telling how perfect Hector’s first wife, Hilda, had been. The perfect mother, wife, cook, friend, so much so she had done her best to make herself the total opposite of Hilda. Hilda’s erstwhile best friend, Daphne, proved to be Maudie’s salvation and their liking for each other grew into a very close, lifelong bond.
Rob Abbot, after giving up his engineering job in London and moving to Cornwall, is renovating Moorgate and has fallen in love with the house but when Melissa Clayton comes to stay in the area, for a week during the winter, to view the property Rob finds his priorities changing, along with both their lives. Things will never be the same again for Rob. Neither Rob nor Melissa could have foreseen the effect Moorgate, or each other, would have.
The author has an unpretentious writing style and the book is peopled with mostly likeable and realistic characters, the narrative is from various perspectives which works well within the framework of the story. The descriptions of Cornwall’s beautiful scenery, Bodmin Moor and the farmhouse are enchanting and give a real sense of place. I was hooked into the story again quite quickly.
A tangle of human emotions runs throughout – love, guilt, loss and forgiveness, all the stuff of extended family dynamics, with a mix of strengths and weaknesses. Past secrets to be uncovered and a hint of the supernatural.
Now and again an author will move me to tears and, ok maybe it’s a little indulgent, but occasionally a sentimental book, or movie, a glass of wine and a tissue or two is called for.
May 28, 2009
If you are a fan of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, you will enjoy this story.
This author has a down to earth style, which engages you through the entire book.
Relationships are opened up in a family - Maude decides to sell Moorgate after being widowed for a year. Hector, her husband, had children from his first marriage and one of the girls, Selina, wants to buy Moorgate (which is situated on the edge of the moor in Cornwall).
But Rob, the contractor who has been renovating the property, has a passion for the house as well.
Into the story comes Melissa, a young woman dying of cancer. After she has seen the property advertised for sale, she decides it would be the perfect place for her brother Mile, and his young son Luke.
Once she sees the house, she falls in love with the place and Rob also, and makes plans to buy the house, quickly before she dies.
Her death shatters Rob, as he was not aware of her illness.
Other characters make the story as well, and this book is very enjoyable.
This author has a down to earth style, which engages you through the entire book.
Relationships are opened up in a family - Maude decides to sell Moorgate after being widowed for a year. Hector, her husband, had children from his first marriage and one of the girls, Selina, wants to buy Moorgate (which is situated on the edge of the moor in Cornwall).
But Rob, the contractor who has been renovating the property, has a passion for the house as well.
Into the story comes Melissa, a young woman dying of cancer. After she has seen the property advertised for sale, she decides it would be the perfect place for her brother Mile, and his young son Luke.
Once she sees the house, she falls in love with the place and Rob also, and makes plans to buy the house, quickly before she dies.
Her death shatters Rob, as he was not aware of her illness.
Other characters make the story as well, and this book is very enjoyable.
August 17, 2008
I'd never heard of this book or its author, but I found it on clearance at B&N and was intrigued enough to pick it up. All in all, it was okay. I'm not sure whether I'll read it again.
PROS: The imagery (the novel is set in the English countryside) was GORGEOUS. The author really makes you feel as if you were there. The characters were relatable and likable, and the conclusion was tidy and generally happy. The story is told from several perspectives, which I enjoyed.
CONS: Adultery plays a major role in this novel. Though it's not glamourized, I wish it had been left out. Also, there are mentions of sex, though there are no graphic scenes of any kind - rather it's mentioned in passing. Neither of these elements were necessary and lowered my opinion of the book. Also, it's rather slow moving - I never felt as though I couldn't wait to get back to it. Still, I was obviously enamored enough to finish when it wasn't even on my 'currently reading' list...
PROS: The imagery (the novel is set in the English countryside) was GORGEOUS. The author really makes you feel as if you were there. The characters were relatable and likable, and the conclusion was tidy and generally happy. The story is told from several perspectives, which I enjoyed.
CONS: Adultery plays a major role in this novel. Though it's not glamourized, I wish it had been left out. Also, there are mentions of sex, though there are no graphic scenes of any kind - rather it's mentioned in passing. Neither of these elements were necessary and lowered my opinion of the book. Also, it's rather slow moving - I never felt as though I couldn't wait to get back to it. Still, I was obviously enamored enough to finish when it wasn't even on my 'currently reading' list...
April 6, 2012
Reminded me alot of the books by Alexandra Raife, in both the descriptive setting each author uses as well as the relationship struggles between the characters.
Where Willet didn't fully satisfy me was in writing too much "filler". It prevented the story from being as tight as I would have preferred. Cutting out an unnecessary storyline and taking out 50-75 pages would have, IMO, allowed the central story to sing.
I did enjoy the slight supernatural element, and of course Moorgate (the lonely house on the edge of the Devon/Cornwall border) was a place I could totally picture myself living in.
Where Willet didn't fully satisfy me was in writing too much "filler". It prevented the story from being as tight as I would have preferred. Cutting out an unnecessary storyline and taking out 50-75 pages would have, IMO, allowed the central story to sing.
I did enjoy the slight supernatural element, and of course Moorgate (the lonely house on the edge of the Devon/Cornwall border) was a place I could totally picture myself living in.
January 30, 2014
I put in a request at the library for A week in Winter--by Maeve Binchy. This is what I ended up with--Willett is not as good a writer as Binchy by a long shot although I think her last few book are not as good as those she wrote earlier. A rather large cast of characters, all interconnected the meetings of which tell the story. Dressed up Harlequin!!
October 6, 2018
Like Maeve Binchy's books, Marcia Willett's stories are similar to Rosamunde Pilcher but there's something missing. Not sure what: too dark, don't connect or like her main characters, I don't know but after trying several of both of these authors' books, they're not my cup of tea.
September 16, 2014
Loved this book. Fabulous story set in England, centered around a house and a family. Gorgeous descriptions.
December 19, 2014
Sometimes you really need a book to take you away from reality and your present situation. Thank you, Marcia Willett, for doing that, even if it was only temporary.
August 26, 2016
Oh God I am the biggest sucker ever for a cozy book set in a big home in Cornwall! I just adore them all and this one certainly didn't disappoint. Perfect for curling up with a hot cup of tea.
May 28, 2021
Another well written book, interesting how some of the characters of past books show up in minor roles.
March 28, 2012
I know, I know the cover makes you want to puke. But it was an unexpectedly good read. Cozy is the right word. As the name hints, it's the perfect book to read deep in winter wrapped in a warm quilt against the fireplace as snow falls outside. The characters are not lacking, the scenery lovely and Maudie is the comforting soul you can talk to languidly in these moments. And she wears tartan skirts. What more could one want?
I've come back to this book quite a few times.
And I've just realised Maudie reminds me of du Maurier's Rebecca. Except not at all: I mean, she could have been Rebecca if Rebecca was not so awful. But then it's hard to deny Rebecca's attraction. So well, that's there in Maudie. But she is not childish the way Rebecca is. She is wise, Maudie is. What do you expect, she is seventy after all!
All that said, there's a lot more to the book than Maudie: Maudie is only one thread among the many tangled threads of stories which runs through this book- it's blithely rich in detail- but Maudie stands out. I liked her.
I've come back to this book quite a few times.
And I've just realised Maudie reminds me of du Maurier's Rebecca. Except not at all: I mean, she could have been Rebecca if Rebecca was not so awful. But then it's hard to deny Rebecca's attraction. So well, that's there in Maudie. But she is not childish the way Rebecca is. She is wise, Maudie is. What do you expect, she is seventy after all!
All that said, there's a lot more to the book than Maudie: Maudie is only one thread among the many tangled threads of stories which runs through this book- it's blithely rich in detail- but Maudie stands out. I liked her.
February 27, 2013
Amor a primera vista+enfermedad mortal= si me lo dices antes claramente, ese tiempo que me hubiera ahorrado.
Dejando a un lado que no son lo mío las novelas románticas per se, y que ésta promete intimismo pero da más tono rosa que otra cosa, lo cierto es que para mi gusto esta novela exagera con los flechazos y el drama.
Menos mal que se deja leer y la cosa pasa pronto, porque al dos llega justita.
Dejando a un lado que no son lo mío las novelas románticas per se, y que ésta promete intimismo pero da más tono rosa que otra cosa, lo cierto es que para mi gusto esta novela exagera con los flechazos y el drama.
Menos mal que se deja leer y la cosa pasa pronto, porque al dos llega justita.
March 18, 2025
Its okay to be enthralled and mesmerised by the locale of a story, and I usually adore such stories that make me love the settings. but not this tale in spite of the romance of the moor. mostly I did not admire or empathise too well with any of the characters, and also I know a fictional account must have a certain amount of contrivance to work, but I felt too pinned in by too many serendipitous moments. Well meant plottings that did not hold my interest sadly
October 14, 2012
Got this book totally by accident. I went to the library website to reserve the new Maeve Binchy (same title)and obviously didn't read what I clicked on too well. It turned out to be a nice accident. I enjoyed this cozy book and would have given it 4 stars if the characters had more than one dimension and the word "whilst" wasn't used on every page.
November 14, 2010
It wasn't a bad story, but I believe the book was way longer than it needed to be. The author dragged out the story so long that I was beginning to wonder why she titled the book as she did. It was a nice story though.
October 2, 2017
Why do I kleep reading her books?? They a the book version of sleeping pills.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, ever happens in her books!!! it's like trying to read "days of our lives" where it takes 10 episodes before they done with one cup of coffee.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, ever happens in her books!!! it's like trying to read "days of our lives" where it takes 10 episodes before they done with one cup of coffee.
May 21, 2021
This book left me very disappointed. The reviews compared the author to Binchey and Pilcher, but there is no comparison. I kept rolling my eyes over the plot and the characters.
January 18, 2021
"The old house was being renovated. Even from this distance he could see the evidence of it in the yard: piles of timber, a small bonfire still smoking, ladders and scaffolding.... The house, built at the moor gate, in the shadow of the hills, always reminded him of a poem he'd known from childhood....
'From quiet homes and first beginning,
Out to the undiscovered ends...'" ~Marcia Willett, A Week in Winter
I was curious to read a book by Marcia Willett, because she is often compared to Rosamunde Pilcher, my favorite British author of "comfort literature." When you're feeling angry, scared, and depressed (or all three in my case, when violent, white supremacist mobs stormed the US capitol last week) one thing you can do to regain your equilibrium is to read a "comfort novel" about interesting people dealing with ordinary life dilemmas that all get worked out by the end. Though reviewers sometimes remark that Willett's novels are not as good as Pilcher's, I found A Week in Winter immensely satisfying, calming, cozy and heartwarming. But I suggest reading Pilcher's Winter Solstice too, as they are both wonderful authors whose older adult characters are filled with wisdom, love and a bit of magic. There are wise and wonderful matriarchs, manor houses that reluctantly have to be sold, spoiled, ungrateful and money-grubbing step-children, happy loving children making true connections, untimely deaths, unsolved mysteries and secrets revealed, unfaithful spouses, second chances at love, and through it all, faithful dogs. Just what I needed to lift my spirits and renew my optimism.
Paperback 512 pages @headlinebooks, Audiobook 6 hours 34 minutes @macmillan.audio and beautifully narrated by Josephine Bailey
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Winter Solstice hardcover 454 pages @stmartinspress, Audiobook 17 hours 52 minutes @macmillan.audio ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Narrated slowly and juicily by Jilly Bond
'From quiet homes and first beginning,
Out to the undiscovered ends...'" ~Marcia Willett, A Week in Winter
I was curious to read a book by Marcia Willett, because she is often compared to Rosamunde Pilcher, my favorite British author of "comfort literature." When you're feeling angry, scared, and depressed (or all three in my case, when violent, white supremacist mobs stormed the US capitol last week) one thing you can do to regain your equilibrium is to read a "comfort novel" about interesting people dealing with ordinary life dilemmas that all get worked out by the end. Though reviewers sometimes remark that Willett's novels are not as good as Pilcher's, I found A Week in Winter immensely satisfying, calming, cozy and heartwarming. But I suggest reading Pilcher's Winter Solstice too, as they are both wonderful authors whose older adult characters are filled with wisdom, love and a bit of magic. There are wise and wonderful matriarchs, manor houses that reluctantly have to be sold, spoiled, ungrateful and money-grubbing step-children, happy loving children making true connections, untimely deaths, unsolved mysteries and secrets revealed, unfaithful spouses, second chances at love, and through it all, faithful dogs. Just what I needed to lift my spirits and renew my optimism.
Paperback 512 pages @headlinebooks, Audiobook 6 hours 34 minutes @macmillan.audio and beautifully narrated by Josephine Bailey
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Winter Solstice hardcover 454 pages @stmartinspress, Audiobook 17 hours 52 minutes @macmillan.audio ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Narrated slowly and juicily by Jilly Bond
February 23, 2019
Lady Maudie Todhunter can’t afford to keep the country house, Moorgate, any longer and puts it on the market. Several people express interest in buying the property – each for their own reason: Maudie’s step-daughter Selina (to keep it in the family), Rob Abbot (contractor who completed the repairs ahead of it being put on the market) Melissa Clayton (finds it to be exactly what she needs in the midst of her own concerns). Who will actually be the buyer?
Giving this 3 stars because of Selina, a character that I consistently wanted to just grab by the shoulders and shake. She's a self-centered, manipulative woman who can't even consider that others have a different view. It detracted for me from the other characters which I enjoyed. I'm glad that I've read a number of other books by her. If this had been my first, I don't know if I'd continue with this author. Instead, this is one of her earlier writings and I'll chalk it up as such.
Giving this 3 stars because of Selina, a character that I consistently wanted to just grab by the shoulders and shake. She's a self-centered, manipulative woman who can't even consider that others have a different view. It detracted for me from the other characters which I enjoyed. I'm glad that I've read a number of other books by her. If this had been my first, I don't know if I'd continue with this author. Instead, this is one of her earlier writings and I'll chalk it up as such.
May 22, 2020
"Selina. Maudie's stepdaughter, immediately makes plans to acquire the property, but Rob Abbot, the contractor who has lovingly restored the stone house, and developed a passion for it, wants it too. And so does Melissa Clayton, a young woman with something to hide, who discovers all she's ever wanted at Moorgate. Now one week in winter will make all the difference as an old betrayal surfaces, an unexpected love affair blossoms and lives are forever changed."
~~back cover
This is the third book I've read by this author, and the style and the plots remain very similar: various subsets of people, many of whom have something to hide or are broken & grieving, wind up in a little corner of Cornwall and then gradually are drawn together by chance. What's different about the style (& the plots) is that there's not always an HEA (although often there is), leading often to a tear-jerker end to a subplot. The books are well written, but not great literature by any means.
~~back cover
This is the third book I've read by this author, and the style and the plots remain very similar: various subsets of people, many of whom have something to hide or are broken & grieving, wind up in a little corner of Cornwall and then gradually are drawn together by chance. What's different about the style (& the plots) is that there's not always an HEA (although often there is), leading often to a tear-jerker end to a subplot. The books are well written, but not great literature by any means.
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