A touching story of a long marriage, and a particularly intimate look at two people dealing with what are likely to be the final years of their lives. I don't think we see that enough in fiction and there's such drama there, as we approach those big decisions. I'm not sure the dual timeline was as effective as it might have been, though it's difficult to cover so many years in a substantive way. Overall, an enjoyable and touching read.

This is the third of Jonathan Evison's novels that I've read, and as with the others, he displays a deep knowledge of the ways of the heart and the importance of community and of connection. All of his people are in relationships that while not conventional, harbor similarities, and feature growing appreciation for others who may not be on the same page at all, gaining a wider world view in the process. In this exploration of a 70-year-old marriage, Evison has created two characters, Abe and Ruth, and has trained his focus completely on them. Unlike other authors who branch out their works by giving inner lives to supplemental characters, Evison presents the story of the couple only from each of their point of view, much the same as he did in Small World. Wonderful use of Bainbridge Island where they own a farm, as well as the part of the Puget Sound locale. Highly recommend.

This book is very poorly written with one dimensional characters and a plot that is full of holes. I do not recommend it.

It's hard to know what to make of my feelings about this book. I'm always a fan of an enduring love and growing old together, weathering hardships. I love a good dual POV and flashbacks woven into the story as relevant. And I got that... sort of?

The first half of the book felt a little stronger than the second. This book is definitely a reflection of how we are all a product of our time, but that felt more true for one of the protagonists over the other in ways that were really frustrating. Some of the beats of overcoming certain hardships or issues in the flashbacks felt too summarized and glossed over; we needed more time to witness that development rather than just be told about it.

(I also was not terribly endeared toward any of the children, to be honest.)

SPOILERS AHEAD:

The ending was a little too open-ended for me, but the final chapter centers around them taking their old, sick dog to the vet to be put to sleep. I'm coming up on an anniversary of doing that for one of my pets, and even though they'd mentioned it earlier in the story, I wasn't expecting it right then, and definitely not as the final chapter of the book.

I spent like twenty minutes sobbing at the end of this because it touched on a pain point for me, and I was left feeling unsatisfied with the ending. I love a good front porch, but ending it there made the second half of the book feel like it was meandering toward nothing rather than one of several options.

[NetGalley was kind enough to provide me with an ARC for this title.]

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Heart of Winter.

This is a heartfelt story about the relationship of Abe and Ruth. They met in college and could not have been more opposite from one another. Through all odds, they married, raised a family and grew old together.

The writing was so beautiful and I loved the way the characters grew and evolved throughout. This is a story about family, friendship, the trials of marriage, loneliness, and grief. I was brought to tears at the end, it was that good. I give this one all five stars.

Publication date: January 7th, 2025

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
A long life has plenty of heartache, grief, boredom, and joy, but when we commit to life with another person, we can share all of these with someone or feel alone in a marriage. The Heart of Winter shows some of the events and emotions when we spend 70+ years with another human being. We don't always get it right, but we have to keep trying.

My genre is realistic fiction, slow stories with strong character development. As an older adult, I can affirm that this is a very true to life story. I’ve watched family and friends deal with the many issues related to navigating complicated medical needs and loss of mobility and independence. Evison mentions that the story was inspired by his mother, diagnosed with the same or a similar cancer as Ruth, a main character in the story. I and my aging cohort have also experienced Ruth’s growing sense of connectedness to all of creation that is beautifully described in lyrical sentences, such as describing choral music as greater than the sum of its parts. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest review of the latest book by a favorite author. #Netgalley; #Dutton.

This was a poignant story of an unusual couple whose marriage had lasted many decades. With declining health and hard decisions to make, the couple’s early marriage story is shared in chapters throughout the book to the point where the reader has a clear picture of their devotion and each spouse’s ability to see their situations through the eyes oft the other. A bit long, the book was nonetheless captivating and thought-provoking, with well-developed characters and a believable conclusion.

Net Galley always surprises me with authors I have not read and genres to explore. The Heart of Winter is an exceptionally brilliant novel about a marriage surpassing 70 years and its incumbent joys and sorrows. The author captures the relationship of Abe and Ruth with love and depth. As a reader approaching the ages of the main characters, I found the book so accurate and on the mark. All of the problems of aging, and not done gracefully, brought me to tears. The writing flows effortlessly and I read the novel in two sittings. Some of the dialogue I recognized as having used myself when lecturing my own children. Evison is to be lauded for a wonderful depiction of a family and a marriage we can all relate to and empathize with deeply. I loved it,

An example of being influenced by a book's cover. Check! I was, it was me. I needed to know more about this couple. After reading the story, I felt little connection to the main characters. It wasn't what I hoped it to be. I will try to revisit this at a later date. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I found reading this to be more of a chore than a joy. It's mired in details that felt cumbersome and even the writing seemed clunky to me. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review.
This is darling.
That being said, I enjoy Evison's works quite a bit. This one, about an old couple living out their last days but reflecting on their entire marriage and family life, gave the feels.
We see the husband and wife characters through their trials and good times and it is so well laid out before you (without being gratuitously LONG winded) that I could hop a ferry right over to the farm and visit for tea.
It's clean. It's a romance. It's a family story. I can recommend this to patrons for sure. Just lovely.
4 SOLID Stars

Set on Bainbridge Island, Jonathan Evison's novel is a now and then novel about Abe and Ruth and their 50 years of marriage. It includes the struggles of raising four children and making a living with Ruth as a stay-at-home mom and Abe establishing himself as a successful owner of a small island insurance business. Ruth requires surgery and extensive recovery so the themes of the story focus on various marriage and quality of life philosophies. The novel is about all the challenges humans face in life with a focus on Ruth, once a carefree woman who had dreams of writing poetry. and Abe, the man who is focused on cost-efficiency. Readers who are in the middle of their own aging issues and adult children who are caring for their older parents may find discussion points in the story of Abe and Ruth.