Chicky or Geraldine Ryan, a young woman who grew up on the Irish Coast, returns to her village of Stoneybridge from the United States, to where she had followed her American lover. Jilted by her lover, after having lied right and left to her family and the people of her town about their supposed marriage, she takes over a large estate called Stone House and turns it into a bed-and-breakfast inn.

This inn becomes the background for Chicky’s hard work and the many characters who stayed there during the first week of its opening. The strength of this story is in its characters, each one different from others and quirky or with emotional scars as to their personalities. Some of those character are: Rigger, a juvenile delinquent; Orla, Chicky’s niece; Nell Howe, a grumpy school principal; Lillian; Winnie, a nurse; Henry and Nicola, doctors who feel empty although they have done some good works; Corry, a famous American film star who wants to escape from his fame and goes by the name John although everyone recognizes him; Anders, an accountant who gave up music to please his father; the Walls, a married couple who won a contest but are upset for not getting the first prize; Freda, a librarian who tries to hide her psychic abilities; and Queenie, an old sweet lady and one of the original owners who stays in the inn and backs Chicky’s efforts. Each character has his or her own chapter with a backstory.

The earlier parts of the book are devoted to Chicky’s stay in the United States, her return to Stoneybridge, and her hard work in bringing the dilapidated Stone House into becoming a warm, comforting inn so each quest can find what he's looking for. The remainder of the novel is totally about the guests and how their stay in Stone House affects their lives for the better.

A Week in Winter is Maeve Binchy's last novel, completed days before she died. The book was published posthumously.

I found this novel to be charming, entertaining, and fulfilling. The prose is delightful and the personal stories have depth and insight. Overall, it is a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

enjoying the last book of a wonderful author and teacher.

everything.

Maeve Binchy who wrote numerous best-selling books, including Nights of Rain and Stars, Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends, and Tara Road.

story takes place in Ireland and has a cultural spin to it, but also, it is gentle and tender in its portrayals of the characters.

Interested in buying this? Support Writing.Com by making your purchase of A Week in Winter   from Amazon.Com!

Created Feb 24, 2015 at 9:34pm • Submit your own review...