Synopses & Reviews
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.
Review
"Fans of Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy will definitely applaud the introduction of such an enjoyable writer." --
Booklist"A charming story. . . highly recommended for public libraries everywhere." -- Library Journal
"A Week in Winter has all the elements of a perfect summer book. . . it's thoroughly engrossing, with richly drawn characters, a mysterious locale, and a beautifully crafted plot. . . the perfect addition to your summer beach tote." -- The Sun-Sentinel, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl
"Captivating. . . Set in a wild Cornish landscape that will evoke for readers Rosamund Pilcher's The Shell Seekers, Willett is a true discovery." -- Michelle Slung, Victoria Magazine
"Like Rosamund Pilcher and Maeve Binchy, Willett creates such fully dimensional characters that readers feel as if they should phone or e-mail them to keep in touch." -- Rocky Mountain News, Denver, CO
"It is a wonderful moving story of family and values set in the English countryside. It is very reminiscent of the novels of Pilcher and Binchy. I am so glad Ms. Willett is following in their footsteps!" -- Marilyn Sieb, Books & Company
Synopsis
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.
Synopsis
"A Week in Winter may be set in the winter, but it's the perfect addition to your summer beach tote." -- Fort Lauderdale Sun-SentinelSitting on the edge of the moor in Cornwall lies a spectacular old farmhouse called Moorgate. Now, after a year of widowhood, Maudie Todhunter has decided to sell the beautiful summer residence, setting off a chain of events that bring long-buried secrets to light.
"Like Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy, Willett creates such fully dimensional characters that readers feel as if they should phone or e-mail them to keep in touch." -- Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)
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 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...
"A genuine voice of our times." -- The Times (U.K.)
Synopsis
"A Week in Winter may be set in the winter, but it's the perfect addition to your summer beach tote." -- Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Sitting on the edge of the moor in Cornwall lies a spectacular old farmhouse called Moorgate. Now, after a year of widowhood, Maudie Todhunter has decided to sell the beautiful summer residence, setting off a chain of events that bring long-buried secrets to light.
"Like Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy, Willett creates such fully dimensional characters that readers feel as if they should phone or e-mail them to keep in touch." -- Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)
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 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...
"A genuine voice of our times." -- The Times (U.K.)
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
Marcia Willett was born in Somerset, in the west country of England. She began writing with the encouragement of her husband. She has published several novels in England;
A Week in Winter is the first to be published in the United States.