A Week in Winter

By: Maeve Binchy

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Stoneybridge is a small town on the west coast of Ireland where all the families know one another. When Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, everyone thinks she is crazy. Helped by Rigger (a bad boy turned good who is handy around the house) and Orla, her niece (a whiz at business), Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone House’s big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms. John, the American movie star, thinks he has arrived incognito; Winnie and Lillian are forced into taking a holiday together; Nicola and Henry, husband and wife, have been shaken by seeing too much death practicing medicine; Anders hates his father’s business, but has a real talent for music; Miss Nell Howe, a retired schoolteacher, criticizes everything and leaves a day early, much to everyone’s relief; the Walls are disappointed to have won this second-prize holiday in a contest where first prize was Paris; and Freda, the librarian, is afraid of her own psychic visions.

Sharing a week with this unlikely cast of characters is pure joy, full of Maeve’s trademark warmth and humor. Once again, she embraces us with her grand storytelling.

Critic reviews

“Fittingly, this posthumously published work by Ireland’s beloved lady of letters is itself a love letter to her homeland. . . Binchy offers a final chance to enjoy her winning characters and the charm of Irish culture. . . Reading this novel is like ducking out of a cold rain into a fire-warmed pub filled with laughter.” —People

“Lovely. . . Tailor-made for an afternoon jaunt through the backcountry of western Ireland. . . Binchy’s last novel radiates the warmth and charm that fans of the late Irish author will recognize and relish. . . . [her] prose is conversational, comfortable and populated with a cast of colorful characters that run the gamut from droll to dry. . . a delightful diversion.” —Mary Cadden, USA Today

“A hopeful, loving novel chronicling lives shaped by good deeds, small favors, and honest counsel along the rocky crags of the Irish coast. Fans of Binchy and newcomers to her work alike should consider themselves fortunate to have been left such a clear-eyed and open-hearted final gift.” —The Daily Beast

“A Week in Winter goes perfectly with a cup of tea. . . . a gratifying, blustery read full of rich characters, a sea-spray setting and a compelling plot that carries the reader from start to end. . . . Binchy has created a book that envelops its reader in the same calming serenity that Stone House provides its inhabitants.” —Shelly Walston, The Wichita Eagle

“A treat as rich as a box of chocolates.” —aarp.org

“The late great Binchy’s last novel is an appropriately heartwarming and spirit restoring swan song. In classic Binchy-style, the gentle story is populated with a large cast of often eccentric, always endearing characters. . . Stone House, a country inn on the West Coast of Ireland serves as the cozy setting for these interrelated tales of love, loss, friendship, and community. . . . Pour yourself a cup of tea, put your feet up, and prepare to savor this bit of comfort food for the soul.” —Booklist

“Classic Binchy. . . her fans will find solace as hearts mend and relationships sort themselves out one last time.” —Kirkus

I love Maeve Binchy!

If you could sum up A Week in Winter in three words, what would they be?

Excellent characters, tale.

Who was your favorite character and why?

sorry, don't remember

What about Rosalyn Landor’s performance did you like?

I like hearing different accents; her's are splendid!

If you could take any character from A Week in Winter out to dinner, who would it be and why?

sorry, don't remember.

Any additional comments?

Keep on writing, Maeve!!
and Thanks!

Maeve, I Miss You Already

What made the experience of listening to A Week in Winter the most enjoyable?

Maeve Binchy's style is a story weaver. There are glimpses of characters from prior books that make you feel you've found an old friend and you're sharing inside jokes.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Week in Winter?

So many sweet moments... but when the two women vying for the highest level in one man's life find themselves in peril and finally get to know each other, it was beautiful. Not over-the-top drama, but real life emotions.

What about Rosalyn Landor’s performance did you like?

Beautiful lilt to her voice - a very pleasant performance.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Too many to count. All the diverse characters experiences an epiphany of some sort... some simple, some life-changing. I wish I could book a week in Winter at this rustic resort on the Irish coastline!

Any additional comments?

Reading this book was bittersweet, knowing that it is truly the final work of Ms. Binchy. She was a master story teller, with subtle lessons of tolerance and coping experienced by her characters, but never hitting anyone over the head. I'm already missing her company.

Awesome.

I really enjoyed this book. It was not what I had expected. Everyone should listen to this book and think about real life.

No one tells a better story than Maeve Binchy!

So good! The intertwined stories and the paths that led each character to where they all met was perfect. Beautiful narration!

A relaxing listen!

Well written, beautifully performed. Individually these very personal, well told stories are entertaining and relaxing to listen to. They are bound together by beautiful descriptions of Ireland’s Atlantic Coast and contemporary Irish life. You’ll want to book your own week at Stone House!

great listen

really enjoyed the good feelings that this book offered, very well read as well. good comfort listen

What a pleasant surprise.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this book.
First, I will state the narrator was absolutely superb. This book wouldn't have risen to that "other level" without her. She nailed the characters voices and nuances with scalpel-like precision. I could actually picture the characters unfolding the scenes around them they were THAT real.
The writng was very dialogue driven and the push and pull between the characters was delicious. There were parts I physically recoiled because I felt the sting to a character after he received a well placed verbal blow. The writing personified these characters with the reader becoming the audience as the author directed the scene allowing the reader some wiggle room to interpret and take in the scene.
I will definitely be following this author.

A Wonderful Surprise

Like L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, this book is a perfect balance of light and serious, whimsy and reality.
Maeve Binchy did a brilliant job making each and every main character easy to love and care about. Rosalyn Landor elevated the book, bringing it to life with her calm, easy manor.
A Week in Winter was delightful.
I highly, highly recommend you pull up a mug of tea and have a listen.

Slow and hard to get through

I’m not familiar with the author and I bought this because it was on sale. Too many characters and they lacked depth. Not much of a plot. There was some nice scenery description but it was repetitive.

I went back and noted many good reviews and people expressing sadness that this was the author’s final book. I wonder if it was unfinished and thrown together by someone else. I may try one of her earlier novels just to see if there’s more depth to her other work to earn so many fans and followers.

Awesome to the last word!

I loved the voice and tone of the reader. It really was a wonderful story. Each character’s story was wonderfully portrayed and I could certainly imagine myself right there in Stone House. Chickie’s character was especially heartwarming and such a delight as she welcomed each guest and made their stay wonderfully different, catering to each of their personalities and wants and needs. I loved it!