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  <id>116054</id>
  <title><![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]></description>
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  <original_publication_year type="integer">1957</original_publication_year>
  <original_title>Winter Solstice</original_title>
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    <id>20849</id>
        <name><![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher]]></name>
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  <isbn>0312978383</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
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    <![CDATA[The wait is over for the millions of readers who fell in love with Rosamunde Pilcher's compelling novels filled with riveting storylines and unforgettable characters. Now, New York Times bestselling author Rosamund Pilcher, has returned, giving her legion of fans another tale of love, loyalty, and rebirth...Elfrida Phipps, once on the London stage and retired at 62, never anticipates going off with a man. But after a devastating tragedy, church organist Oscar Blundell asks for her companionship.So with her brown-and-white dog in tow, Elfrida begins her journey, not knowing that joining her and Oscar at a rundown Victorian house in Scotland will be a young woman nursing a broken heart, a teenager escaping an unhappy home, and a stranger arriving during a snowstorm... Now these five, very different people form an unexpected circle of friends that will forever change their lives...AUTHORBIO: ROSAMUNDE PILCHER is the author of such worldwide bestsellers as The Shell Seekers, September, and Coming Home. She lives with her husband, Graham, and their dog, Daisy, in Perthshire, Scotland.]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
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    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>3</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jan 12 13:47:51 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Jan 12 13:50:08 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This fluctuates between heartwarming and trashy. A group of loosely connected people wind up together at an estate house in some small Highland town, where they make friends and heal their wounded souls, all in time for Christmas. Parts of it are very sweet, and I’m yearning now to spend a Christm...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42816817">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42816817]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42816817]]></link>
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      <review>
  <id>1703632</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Lynne]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[IP14 1RE, The United Kingdom]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.89</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1024</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[TOTALLY]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Jun 06 04:08:13 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 16 20:50:14 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is one of my favourite books of all time. The writing is fantastic, the characters so well penned that I came to care about them, and when I put the book down, I wanted to continue to know these people, which to me is a good indication that the book is top notch. Scotland came to life for me he...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1703632">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1703632]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1703632]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>42131421</id>
    <user>
    <id>1714491</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Sheri]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1714491-sheri]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>0</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Jan 16 13:16:50 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jan 06 14:00:34 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jan 16 13:16:50 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book really disappointed me. While the writing was fun and entertaining and did feel like a holiday (all the cozy cottages and teas and twinkling things), I felt icky inside when I was done with it. The author seems to glorify adultery, divorce and sex outside marriage as long as there's an &quot;...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42131421">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42131421]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42131421]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77346024</id>
    <user>
    <id>1783217</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Dorothy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Kearny, NJ]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1783217-dorothy]]></link>
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    <book>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Nov 10 12:48:34 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Nov 10 13:19:48 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[   Winter Solstice is truly a delightful story.  It is one of those books that you just wished you had in hand when your outlook on the world is weary and dreary. For once in  your lifetime, a book gives you a happily ever after ending.  Oh,  there is death, divorce, and the tawdry aspects of every ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77346024">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77346024]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77346024]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>39798121</id>
    <user>
    <id>1060439</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Relyn]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Clever, MO]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1060439-relyn]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1211855394p3/1060439.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[everyone ]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[I have been a fan of Rosamunde Pilcher for years]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Nov 18 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Dec 10 12:22:27 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 10 12:27:11 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count>10+</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I just finished listening to this book again.  I have it on my iPod.  I bet I listen to it at least once a year.  Probably more than that.  I adore Rosamunde Pilcher's world, and I think this is her very best book.  I could go on and on about Pilcher.  I have read everything she's written.  At least...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39798121">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39798121]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39798121]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>8358522</id>
    <user>
    <id>584266</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Holly (2 Kids and Tired)]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/584266-holly-2-kids-and-tired]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1234326133p3/584266.jpg]]></image_url>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[absolutly anyone]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Oct 28 15:15:26 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Oct 28 15:15:43 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I love Rosamunde Pilcher. I love everything she's written. Most people rave about The Shell Seekers, and while I love that book as well, it's not my most favorite. Winter Solstice is delightful and thought-provoking. Pilcher's narratives are pure prose. You find yourself immersed in the world of Sco...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8358522">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8358522]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8358522]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>50513367</id>
    <user>
    <id>1603368</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Dana]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Cary, IL]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1603368-dana]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-U-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">116054</id>
  <isbn>0340752483</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780340752487</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">122</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Mar 26 09:33:25 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Mar 26 09:51:43 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I have been in love with this author since I read The Shell Seekers years ago.  OK, my 4 star rating is based largely on emotion and sentimentality.  Why not?  I want to go to the places she writes about, sit in the houses and gardens, know the people.  There are difficult times, thoughtfully and in...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50513367">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50513367]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50513367]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>11972510</id>
    <user>
    <id>124964</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Carrie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Williamsburg, KY]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/124964-carrie]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1187061898p3/124964.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">789061</id>
  <isbn>0312978383</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780312978389</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">16</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178367141m/789061.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178367141s/789061.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/789061.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The wait is over for the millions of readers who fell in love with Rosamunde Pilcher's compelling novels filled with riveting storylines and unforgettable characters. Now, New York Times bestselling author Rosamund Pilcher, has returned, giving her legion of fans another tale of love, loyalty, and rebirth...Elfrida Phipps, once on the London stage and retired at 62, never anticipates going off with a man. But after a devastating tragedy, church organist Oscar Blundell asks for her companionship.So with her brown-and-white dog in tow, Elfrida begins her journey, not knowing that joining her and Oscar at a rundown Victorian house in Scotland will be a young woman nursing a broken heart, a teenager escaping an unhappy home, and a stranger arriving during a snowstorm... Now these five, very different people form an unexpected circle of friends that will forever change their lives...AUTHORBIO: ROSAMUNDE PILCHER is the author of such worldwide bestsellers as The Shell Seekers, September, and Coming Home. She lives with her husband, Graham, and their dog, Daisy, in Perthshire, Scotland.]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
            <shelf name="fiction" />
        <shelf name="holiday" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[fans of simple, well-written stories. ]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jan 08 09:43:11 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jan 08 09:45:40 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is probably my all time favorite Pilcher book. I love her writing and regularly return to reread old favorites, but Winter Solstice had become a yearly ritual for me. Lie most of Pilcher's other novels, this is not an action packed book, but instead is a sweetly told story of people who come to...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11972510">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11972510]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11972510]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>7971365</id>
    <user>
    <id>348663</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Pam]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Decatur, AL]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/348663-pam]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1225061766p3/348663.jpg]]></image_url>
    <small_image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1225061766p2/348663.jpg]]></small_image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">1739611</id>
  <isbn>0340767464</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780340767467</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">2</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1187624702m/1739611.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1187624702s/1739611.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1739611.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>4.06</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>16</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homely, beguiling style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolt-hole in the country where she meets retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Carrie, meanwhile (Elfrida's second cousin), returns to London from Austria and her brilliant career in the tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by her selfish mother and equally spoilt grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is recalled from New York by his company chairman to rekindle an ailing Scottish textile mill. <p> As one after another must learn to live with their own kinds of loss, they find themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need find solace in unexpected places. While her characterisations are, generally, carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Ms Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her natural, easy narratives of everyday life, her thoroughly researched and captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. --<em>Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2000</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Oct 20 04:53:36 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Oct 20 04:55:17 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I love the settings &amp; the characters in Pilcher's book. She has a knack for making the rather ordinary (Oscar, the church organist who remained a bachelor until late mid-life) seem unique &amp; the rather non-conventional (Elfrida, the London actress) seem cozy, warm &amp; motherly. Set mostly in Scotland, ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7971365">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7971365]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7971365]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>43723412</id>
    <user>
    <id>954869</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Christy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[West Hartford, CT]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/954869-christy]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
    <small_image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-F-50x66.jpg]]></small_image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">116054</id>
  <isbn>0340752483</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780340752487</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">122</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Dec 30 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jan 20 13:29:52 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Apr 20 06:39:04 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher writes very well and it is easy to get into her books. I found this one to be a little overly descriptive and felt like it could have ended sooner than it did. Also, I could live without the gratuitous romance...]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/43723412]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/43723412]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>67107585</id>
    <user>
    <id>2478618</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Cperkins]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2478618-cperkins]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-U-111x148.jpg]]></image_url>
    <small_image_url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]]></small_image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">116054</id>
  <isbn>0340752483</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780340752487</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">122</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Aug 12 12:07:31 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Aug 12 17:30:23 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was a great summer read.  I felt like I was right there with the characters living in Scottland.  Everything is homey and comfortable and I didn't want the story to end...the characters became like good friends I could visit with each night before bed.  Still the ending was satisfying, everythi...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67107585">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67107585]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67107585]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>73945691</id>
    <user>
    <id>1268878</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Erin]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Ireland]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1268878-erin]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1227269795p3/1268878.jpg]]></image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">116054</id>
  <isbn>0340752483</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780340752487</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">122</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Oct 09 01:19:21 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Oct 09 01:22:19 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Since my pastors are from Scotland, albeit not from as far north as this book was, I found it an interesting read.  Plus, I remember reading some of my Mom's Rosamunde Pilcher books when I was younger and enjoyed them.  I can't believe this book was 700 &amp; something pages but I liked that b/c then I ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73945691">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73945691]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73945691]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>44759493</id>
    <user>
    <id>1022195</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Emma]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1022195-emma-burkhart]]></link>
    <image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1207668585p3/1022195.jpg]]></image_url>
    <small_image_url><![CDATA[http://photo.goodreads.com/users/1207668585p2/1022195.jpg]]></small_image_url>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">116054</id>
  <isbn>0340752483</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780340752487</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">122</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jan 29 10:17:17 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Feb 12 10:02:59 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I just love this author!  I know her endings can be predictable, with all the loose ends tied off too neatly to be believable, but they are just what you need sometimes.  This one is no exception -- I loved the main character, Elfrida, a retired actress with an open mind and a big heart. The fairly ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44759493">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44759493]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44759493]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>64117315</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Laure]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <isbn13>9780340752487</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">122</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jul 19 13:14:00 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jul 19 13:44:48 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[My all-time favourite Christmas story.  This is how Christmas should be:  surrounded by those you love and kept simple.  Rosamunde Pilcher can create a scene without flowery descriptions or imagery.  Her language is simple but draws you right in to the story.  I've read all her books that I know of....<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64117315">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64117315]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64117315]]></link>
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      <review>
  <id>55408267</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Sandy]]></name>
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  <isbn>0312978383</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780312978389</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">16</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[The wait is over for the millions of readers who fell in love with Rosamunde Pilcher's compelling novels filled with riveting storylines and unforgettable characters. Now, New York Times bestselling author Rosamund Pilcher, has returned, giving her legion of fans another tale of love, loyalty, and rebirth...Elfrida Phipps, once on the London stage and retired at 62, never anticipates going off with a man. But after a devastating tragedy, church organist Oscar Blundell asks for her companionship.So with her brown-and-white dog in tow, Elfrida begins her journey, not knowing that joining her and Oscar at a rundown Victorian house in Scotland will be a young woman nursing a broken heart, a teenager escaping an unhappy home, and a stranger arriving during a snowstorm... Now these five, very different people form an unexpected circle of friends that will forever change their lives...AUTHORBIO: ROSAMUNDE PILCHER is the author of such worldwide bestsellers as The Shell Seekers, September, and Coming Home. She lives with her husband, Graham, and their dog, Daisy, in Perthshire, Scotland.]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2001</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri May 08 14:49:44 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri May 08 15:06:09 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Another wonderful Pilcher.... I really like her books and am so easily lost in her stories and her richly depicted characters and their very genuine humanity. I recommend her work to lots of people who just want an honest story about honest people without all the fan fare of contemporary writing and...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55408267">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55408267]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/55408267]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Apr 21 15:13:43 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Apr 21 15:20:40 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Set in Hampshire and Scotland, this book draws together an assorted collection of people, some related, some not.  The thread is that they all spend the month of December in an old Scottish estate house that one of them has inherited.  Caring, warm characters with a &quot;family&quot; relationship t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53507762">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53507762]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53507762]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>41237180</id>
    <user>
    <id>1465688</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Becci]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Lititz, PA]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Dec 29 18:27:41 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 29 18:30:45 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I love to read this book at the onset of Winter.  It's a very heartwarming story which takes place during the christmas season, in a small village in Scotland.  a variety of charcters, of many ages, find companionship and new starts in life as they learn to know one another and share the Christmas s...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41237180">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41237180]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41237180]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>40053006</id>
    <user>
    <id>313037</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Lori]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Duncanville, TX]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/313037-lori]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017s/116054.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116054.Winter_Solstice</link>
  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Dec 13 21:36:39 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Dec 13 21:41:16 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I discovered this author years ago and fell in love with her. I purchased this thinking it might be appropriate reading during the Winter Solstice - perfect! This was a wonderful Christmas holiday book for me - British Isles, Christmas time - some sad bits but all redeeming in the end.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40053006]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40053006]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>73846240</id>
    <user>
    <id>362900</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Susan]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/362900-susan]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Oct 08 07:11:02 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Oct 08 07:14:03 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Most enjoyable book I have read in a while.  Probably had a lot to do with the setting being in Scotland, but the story itself was well written, characters stayed in character and still it left some to the imagination.  I also loved that it has seniors as the main characters.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73846240]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/73846240]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>48899572</id>
    <user>
    <id>1021794</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Libby]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[West Lafayette, IN]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1021794-libby]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Winter Solstice]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171721017m/116054.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.87</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>1167</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Rosamunde Pilcher's novel, despite its chilly setting, will warm the  hearts of her growing army of loyal fans. <em>Winter Solstice</em> has all the  familiar trademarks of a Pilcher saga, spun in her inimitable, homey, beguiling  style. The story is told, chapter by chapter, from the perspectives of an  eclectic array of characters. Former actress Elfrida--not very good by her own  admission--leaves London for a geriatric bolthole in the country where she meets  retired schoolmaster and organist, Oscar. Meanwhile, Carrie (Elfrida's second  cousin), returns to London from Austria where she had a brilliant career in the  tourist industry, only to find her niece, 14-year-old Lucy, sadly neglected by  her selfish mother and equally spoiled grandmother. Finally, handsome Sam is  recalled from New York by his company chairman to revive an ailing Scottish  textile mill. <p>  As one character after another must learn to live with their losses, they find  themselves collectively spirited northwards, from Sussex to Scotland, by way of  Cornwall. And, as events unfurl, slowly, surely, but inevitably, those in need  find solace in unexpected places. While her characterizations are generally  carefully crafted and entirely rounded, Pilcher's greatest strengths lie in her  natural, easy narratives of everyday life and her thoroughly researched and  captivating descriptions of scenery and surroundings. <em>--Carey Green</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1957</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Mar 11 05:19:41 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Mar 11 05:19:41 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Could not put this down! Yes, very light and fluffy literature. Definitely a book to just help you relax and feel good. But it's very well written for this genre. Pilcher supposedly writes easy reading for educated women. Great way to describe this book. ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48899572]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48899572]]></link>
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