A beautiful novel of loss and the healing power of love by the much-loved Rosamunde Pilcher

'Enchanting' Daily Express

Elfrida Phipps loves her new life in her pretty Hampshire village. She has a tiny cottage, her faithful dog Horace and the friendship of the neighbouring Blundells - particularly Oscar - to ensure that her days include companionship as well as independence. But an unforeseen tragedy upsets Elfrida's tranquillity: Oscar's wife and daughter are killed in a terrible car crash and he finds himself homeless when his stepchildren claim their dead mother's inheritance.

Oscar and Elfrida take refuge in a rambling house in Scotland which becomes a magnet for various waifs and strays who converge upon it, including an unhappy teenage girl. It could be a recipe for disaster. But somehow the Christmas season weaves its magical spell and for Elfrida and Oscar, in the evening of their lives, the winter solstice brings love and solace.

Her captivating bestseller of loss and the healing power of love now re-issued with a stunning new jacket look.

About the Author
Rosamunde Pilcher had a long and distinguished career as a novelist and short story writer, but it was her phenomenally successful novel, The Shell Seekers, that captured the hearts of all who read it, and won her international recognition as one of the best-loved storytellers of our time. It was voted one of UK's top 100 novels in the BBC's Big Read in 2003. Her bestselling novels, September, Coming Home and Winter Solstice were made into television films. She was awarded an O.B.E for services to literature in 2002 and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Dundee University in 2010. Rosamunde Pilcher died on 6 February 2019.

Reviews
As always, Pilcher is a sensible fairy godmother, bestowing happy endings upon the worthy and heartsick. . . [she has a] . . . remarkably evocative sense of place and watercolorist's eye for muted detail. * Kirkus Review *
enchanting . . . bound to delight her many thousands of fans. * Daily Express *
Pilcher's strength is knowing what she can do well and writing about what she knows. She has a way of tapping into the emotional life of her readers and making them care about characters not unlike themselves. * Daily Telegraph *
An entrancing tale of middle-aged love, broken hearts and teenage angst * Daily Express *
Rosamunde Pilcher's warm spell is charming and utterly convincing * Daily Mail *
Unashamed hymns to the virtues of domesticity, continuity and human warmth. And (they are) thundering good reads * Lady *
Another dose of the kind of heartwarming, gentle fiction for which she is known and loved . . . like a big mug of cocoa in front of a blazing fire on a winter night * Press & Journal, Aberdeen *
A gentle tale of everyday happenings to a set of well-drawn and believable characters * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *
A beautiful, haunting story. . . that will tug at your heartstrings * Prima *
Whether she is being poignant, wry or perceptive, Rosamunde Pilcher is always gentle * Woman's Realm *



Book Information
ISBN 9780340752487
Author Rosamunde Pilcher
Format Paperback
Page Count 720
Imprint Hodder Paperback
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
Weight(grams) 566g
Dimensions(mm) 197mm * 163mm * 46mm