Midwinter Magic

A Rockliffe Christmas Novella

By: Stella Riley

Narrated by: Alex Wyndham

Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Lord and Lady Sarre cordially invite you to spend Christmas at Sarre Park.

Celebrate among old friends and, perhaps, a gate-crasher or two. There will be wassailers and kissing-boughs; music, dancing, and romance; laughter, and some tears. And above all, expect the unexpected because at Christmas, anything can happen.

So, accept your invitation today for what promises to be the most talked-of house party of 1778 and a last huzzah for the Rockliffe series.

©2020 Stella Riley (P)2020 Stella Riley

A wonderful final chapter in the Rockliffe series

This book is a wonderful wrap-up for the characters introduced throughout the Rockliffe series. The only negative aspects are that it is not longer and the series is now ended. The narration by Mr. Wyndham is, as always, perfect.

What a great Christmas story!!

Great to see all the old characters together and having a great time together!! Also... no I won't spoil it for you. Surprises and laughs and tears.

What a celebration! Joyous and Heartfelt and Fun

After the year we have all had, we deserve a book like this and hearing it through Alex Wyndham’s silken tones is just the whipped cream on the icing on the cake. We meet so many old friends and some old adversaries in this novella, that it quite feels we had people over for Christmas after all . The stories of the Rockliffe series continue to entwine and we see them all a little older and a little wiser (except of course, for Rockliffe , who couldn’t get any wiser). What this book. doesn't do is celebrate stupidity, like too much of HF and this is one of the things I like most about Stella’s writing. We can enjoy the acuity of these characters and how they deal with impossible relatives, intelligent children and even goats (I will not say more). It is touching and joyous and Alex brings the characters alive as always with his clear and sensual voice. In many ways this book highlights the children and we can see the next generation of these friends and family beginning to emerge. The children most in the forefront are Julian and Arabella’s adopted children who lived for many years alone, unwanted and in isolation so it it lovely to see them grow onto their new lives. This is truly a wonderful book that could not be more timely, as it celebrates the holidays with all the trimmings, friends and family and of course romance.

Well-written, well-developed characters

Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham are an audible team made in heaven for me. I've read/heard all the books by these two and have loved every one. Stella really is a master at developing a story that keeps the reader/listener enthralled. Her characters have depth and strength so plausible that you either like them...or you hate them. This book had a couple who one could hate. LOL Alex Wyndahm is one of the few narrators who can do both male and female voices equally well. Witty, entertaining and plausible dialogue is a must for a good book....especially an audible book and this book is chock full of that. Another keeper/repeater from Stella and Alex. Thank you,

This Needs to Be a Masterpiece Series

Although I generally prefer longer books to novellas, I jumped at the chance to spend Christmas with Rock and Company, as Stella Riley herself refers to these wonderful characters. The shortened length works well due to a tight plot centering on two weeks spent at Sarre Park, the estate of Adrian and Caroline from "The Player." Most of the major characters from all six previous books are represented here, but the book focuses on Adrian and Caroline, Julian and Arabella ("Cadenza"), Rosalind and Dominic ("Parfit Knight") and The Duke of Rockliffe himself. I was pleased with that since these were all my favorites, especially Rockliffe, who is my all time favorite character in historical romance. Please note that you do need to have read the previous books in the series to best enjoy this, and there are quite a few characters to keep straight.

Romance is present here, but this story equally addresses larger themes of forgiveness, loyalty, redemption, faith, and family. Most romance novels end with the "happily ever after", but it is lovely to spend some time exploring what happens after that. Romantic heroes are now husbands and fathers, and have become even more endearing as they have matured. While I could guess the ending, that in no way reduced it's poignancy. Bringing the whole series full circle, the writing here is emotionally nuanced and touching. Rarely have I ever cried during an audio book, but the story combined with the delivery was so beautifully rendered that I did become teary eyed.

The entire Rockliffe series exemplifies the synergy between author and narrator. I doubt I would have enjoyed these books half as much if I had read them versus listening to them. In "Midwinter Magic", Alex Wyndham's narration is once again flawless. I did find that the speed was a little more than I remember from previous books. Once I adjusted my settings to .95, it was perfect. This might perhaps be a production issue? I have read some comments elsewhere about Alex's performances that there are too many whispers or that his cadence is off. I completely disagree and I find him to be among the best narrators on Audible. Simply put, his voice is a gift, and I will happily and eagerly listen to almost everything he records (perhaps with the exception of the book about the eels).

Many thanks to the author and the narrator for hours upon hours of delightful listening. I will return to this series frequently.

Fun Way to End the Series

In this final chapter of the Rockcliffe series, a majority of the main characters have come to the Sarres’ for the Christmas Holidays. Along with the usual mayhem there are also some poignant moments. The unexpected, uninvited guests bring challenges for the group but are faced head-on.
I enjoyed reading about everyone and catching up with their families and children. Of course there’s romance and music.
I know this was written years ago, but it’s open-ended just in case Ms. Riley wants to delight us with more Rockcliffe adventures. I can only hope.

A Gift to Stella Riley’s Readers

With excellent timing, Midwinter Magic became available on Christmas Day. The book wraps a ribbon around the beloved Rockcliffe series with tidy outcomes for several recurring characters that have never had their own stories.
I’ve read all the books that preceded this one. I recommend that interested readers do so to better enjoy the outcomes of this one.
Alex Wyndham does his usual smooth job of narrating, adding to my enjoyment.
I received a coupon for this book in exchange for promising to write a review that was wholly my own opinion. This is what I have done.

Sweet finish for the Rockliffe saga

Stella Riley brings her Rockliffe series to a satisfying close with this final novella. As always, Alex Wyndham’s narration is top-notch. Riley’s use of humor and her lively characters make this a very enjoyable listen.

I do recommend listening to the entire series in order for getting the most out of it — fortunately, it is all available from Audible, and with the same narrator. TREAT YOURSELF TO THE ENTIRE SERIES!!!

The Best!

What an incredibly wonderful ending to a unique, beautiful series. Thank you Stella Riley and Alex Wyndham!

Pure Magic!

This is the amazing ending we deserved after a dreadful year. Thank you Ms. Riley!! I cried happy tears. And what can I say about Mr. Wyndham's narration? OUTSTANDING!! ❤