When I first started it, I wasn't actually sure I would finish it. I didn't like Ruth to speak of and, honestly, thought she was just not a very good person who didn't recognize the power she had to become a better person. That being said, I decided to continue reading and give it a little longer before rushing to judgment. I'm really glad I did. I actually loved the growth you could see in Ruth as well as the way she allowed herself to give up some of the control she held on to so tightly in order to live a life that better suited her and made her happier. There were some tender and sad moments but overall this book left me with a feeling of hopefulness and showing that a life can still be well lived even as we get older. Really well written, it served as a reminder that we are responsible for the things in life we aren't happy with and can make changes that aren't our norm or are out of our comfort zones that might serve us better than being safe. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Autumn of Ruth Winters by Marshall Fine was such a beautiful story.
This book had me laughing and smiling throughout.
I could not out it away.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I devoured this during a flight and was so surprised by the ease of writing, the pacing and character development. I truly felt like I knew Ruth and just wanted the best for her. This was so refreshing -- well written, funny and poignant. Give it a try!!

The Autumn of Ruth Winters comes out next week on November 5, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!

Ruth Winters never welcomed change. She tried to avoid it when possible. Too often, it amounted to change for its own sake, as though different were a synonym for better. In Ruth's experience, it seldom was.

For Ruth, change upset the balance-if not of the universe in general, then of Ruth's universe in particular, affecting the way Ruth navigated her world. When change also happened to interfere with Ruth's schedule? That was unacceptable on all counts.

ruth winters loves her routine but when her life is shaken up by some big changes, she slowly forges ahead. as a reader, it was lovely to see what ruth found on the other side. throughout the book [and in a seemingly short period of time], ruth reconnects with her only sister, her only niece, and an old high school friend/crush. the relationship with her sister has been fraught pretty much all of their lives. there is a lot of resentment and anger built up on ruth's side and you'll see her work through most of it in her own way. her sister basically kept her niece from her but now that her niece is thirty-five and expanding her family, ruth's reconnection comes at the perfect time for both women. the story of ruth's old high school friend and crush is cute and mature at the same time.

i felt that the book wrapped up really quickly...too quickly. there is something to be said for not dragging on and on but i would have appreciated the story coming to a more gradual ending vs. the abrupt ending that i experienced. 3.5 stars rounded down. would have been a solid four star read if the ending had been expanded a bit.

thank you to lake union publishing for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

Well written with well-developed characters, a believable, multifaceted plot and great dialogue. The only draw back is that it drags on a little too long.

I liked this story but I feel like it's been done before. The no-nonsense octogenarian role has been played out and I don't think this stands out.

reading a novel of a woman getting on well in her years, who by all means at this point in her life should have been ground into the mold that fits what the world has been wanting for decades - from manners and vocabulary, to ipads and emails - while staving off her own wants... reading this woman do her best and come out on the other end relatively successful and unscathed and so dignified. so, as the novel once puts it, self-possessed. it gives courage. ruth winters has only ever been herself, and she has stood out and strong this long. that has to count for something.

when the time comes for grief and change, for loss, for the steady reveal of this not-quite-expected sisterhood... the way it all helps her change, and accept change, and accept that she can get what she wants, is so warm, even in the story's saddest moments.

it feels a gift to have read such a bright, genuine, sensible, sharp life.

Lately, there seems to be an abundance of books on the market featuring “older” main characters. Maybe they have always been there, but I’m noticing them more because I am now becoming “older” myself. Conundrum!

This is Ruth's story. You could call it her “coming of age” story even though that term usually applies to a young person coming into adulthood. Ruth, a retired lady, has led a very straight, structured life. She is not social at all. She only speaks when she has to. She lives by her own rules. She is quite introverted. But, she's not unhappy. This is just her life. She doesn't want to call attention to herself. She has aged out of her job that she held for 40 years as a bookkeeper.

As usual in this trope, the transformation starts. It's fun to watch Ruth's personality and life change. She is a likeable woman, to begin with, but she discovers that life can be a social experience. She discovers emotion. She discovers fun. Ruth is surprised to discover that she is enjoying herself.

There is a a more serious portion of the story, involving a sister, with whom Ruth has had a contentious relationship for many years.

I really enjoyed this book. The only criticism I might give is that once the transformation of Ruth started, it happened very quickly, instead of gradually, which would have been more realistic. But, I can choose the believe that this social persona was just under the surface of Ruth's psyche, just waiting to burst forth. It's never too late for second chances.

Entertaining and fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

I enjoyed this one. The writing had a nice flow to it and I always wanted to keep reading. This is the author's first published novel although he's an award-winning journalist.

Ruth is 70 years old. She leads a rigid and carefully structured life. Perhaps she's a bit of a recluse. She's widowed and retired. To help supplement her income she babysits preschoolers in her neighbourhood. One day she receives an unexpected phone call from her estranged sister who needs her help. This will slowly change her life as she will come face to face with past grievances. More changes are still underway for her as someone from her past will re-enter her life and add some excitement.

It's a story about family, love, loss and grief. Most of all it reminds us that you are never too old to make changes! It's a good one!

Ruth is the main character and this story involves an old flame and also Ruths sister discovers she is ill. The story is so good and very relatable if you have had difficult situations with a sibling.
Ruth has made the best of her life so far and yet her sister manages to disrupt everything.
The author Marshall Fine is brilliant at bringing this tale to life. His accuracy about oldish ladies is superb. Great read.

Ruth Winters’s dreams of working in an art museum fell apart when, following college, she became her father’s full-time caregiver. She is now a widow who worked as a bookkeeper and does a bit of babysitting. There has been little joy in her life. Suddenly, she is called upon to help her long-estranged sister, who needs a ride to chemotherapy.

As decades of disputes, secrets, and missed opportunities unwind, perhaps it will be possible for Ruth to find a life that offers second chances.

I was a St. Louis Park classmate of the author, but … in a class of nearly 800 … you lose track of people. He has enjoyed a career that has landed him in Wikipedia. This is his first novel, but the skills developed in filmmaking and journalism serve him well.

I am really pleased to be able to recommend this novel.

A lovely, charming story about second chances. I read this one in a single sitting. Ruth is a character that will stick with me for a while.

The Autumn of Ruth Winters is a heartwarming tale that shows it's never too late to reinvent your life. Marshall Fine does an amazing job of showing the beauty in tragedy through the reunion of Ruth with her sister, Veronica. This book is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Berg or Anne Tyler. A great read!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Ruth Winters is an elderly widow who is an introvert and set in her ways. Then her world is shaken by a phone call from her estranged sister and a message from an old school friend.
This is a charming novel that explores the themes of family relationships, forgiveness and second chances.
Be prepared for some heartbreaking scenes and a rather abrupt ending.
This would make a good book club read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciated that the main character in this book was in her sixties. Everything I want to say about why I enjoyed this book would give spoilers, so just go read it! :)

I love books about ordinary people doing ordinary things. I didn't like Ruth Winters very much at first but as she grew as a person she grew on me. (you are never too old to change) Ruth has had a lot of trauma in her life and her relationship with her younger sister, Veronica has suffered because of it. When Veronica becomes ill and needs Ruth for rides to her doctor appointments the two start on a journey of forgiveness.

During this time Ruth's fiftieth high school reunion is coming up and an old school chum she went on a date with once contacts her. I loved reading about Ruth acting like a teenager and trying on clothes getting giddy for her date. It was so charming when she and her sister acted like the young girls they used to be.

I am so into books about other people's family drama and once again I find myself loving a book with realistic, older characters. And even though Ruth has to deal with her sister's illness this was still a feel-good story in the end. A story about a second chance at love, loss, family and teaching an old dog new tricks and one that deserves all the stars.

An unexpectedly glorious book about new seasons in life, repairing things that have been broken, and discovering that there is more inside of you than you realized, even (especially) in the later years when we are taught not to expect new possibilities. In other words, I loved it. This is a poignant, thoughtful, and thought-provoking book, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. The characters are so richly drawn, their interactions deep and surprising, and the inner life of the protagonist, Ruth, is vivid and filled with sly moments of humor. Five stars, and I look forward to more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the opportunity for me to review this book.

Marshall Fine creates an engrossing story of a woman nearing 70, faced with changes beyond her control. Early in life, Ruth Winters suffered the tragic loss of a parent and the sacrifice of her dreams in order to be the caregiver for years to the other parent. From then on, a rigid, bitter estrangement with her sister ensued and hardened right up to the present. Even through Ruth’s becoming a widow, her sister’s multiple marriages, and a beloved niece’s determination to keep connected with Ruth, that fragile relationship stayed broken. Ruth’s way of surviving was to live as risk-averse as possible through the use of the armor of barbed communications and fending off attention. In the present time when her sister contacts her, asking for help for the first time, Ruth’s defense shield is no longer viable – and she is with her sister during a life-threatening illness. Both Ruth and her sister face the decades of lost time and try to find a way to embrace each other and the present together. Their late-in-life, poignant, changing relationship is palpably portrayed, right up to the end.

The story deftly shifts back and forth from her early life to the present. While this can be seen as a “second chances” tale - which it is, it is more than that. An old school friend reconnects with Ruth, bringing up feelings and memories of their special attachment. It is about perceptions and in one’s firmly-held fixed beliefs and self-justifications – and the revealed cost as their validity erodes. Ruth faces a choice of sticking with the self-made fortress of her old life or opening up, even blossoming, to possibilities ahead. For those of us in Ruth’s age range, this writer’s story resonates well.

I am grateful to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and Marshall Fine for early access to this book. This opinion is all my own.

A feel good story about second chances.i would definitely recommend this. .

Thanks publisher and netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and isn't influenced by anyone else

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