I read “The Heart of Winter” by Jonathan Evison in one afternoon and loved every single chapter in this touching novel. The story follows the marriage of Abe Winter and Ruth Warneke, who met on a blind date in college. They seemed to be an incompatible couple then, but Abe is now 90 and Ruth is 87, as they look back on the years they’ve spent together.
Abe Winter and his wife, Ruth, have spent almost 70 years together. They live on a small farm on Bainbridge Island, a ferry’s ride from Seattle. There have been many ups and downs in their marriage, especially since the two rarely see eye-to-eye on any subject. Their story is told from multiple points of view and explores the beautiful characters of Abe and Ruth. They have 3 grown children (and 1 daughter who passed away), who also play a big role in the novel. As Abe begins to reflect on his mortality, Ruth is suddenly faced with a medical crisis and their world is turned upside-down. I loved laughing and crying as I read about the Winters’ journey.
I know that “The Heart of Winter” will be one of my favorites for 2025!!! This novel gave me all the ‘feels’!
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