I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Mary Lawson including A Town Called Solace, the setting for her new novel. She’s a superb storyteller, strong on characterisation. Winter in Solace is set in 1969, when a grieving widower rescues first a dog then a young man, a draft dodger, from an accident black spot on an icy road.
Chris made it over the border, having failed the scholarship that would exempt him from the draft, but fallen foul of the weather. After several weeks in hospital, he’s taken in by Jack for a long convalescence, overseen by the local policeman's wife. Happily married, Ellie’s dangerous winter boredom is filled by nursing this young man, concerned enough about his mental health to contact his friend back in New York. Patrick springs a surprise visit on Chris, rallying his spirits until Jack’s daughter Sally arrives, breaking up the celebrations, resentful, jealous and determined to put a stop to what she sees as skulduggery.
Lawson flits back and forth between Chris, Jack and Ellie in an immersive piece of storytelling which plunges her readers into a beautifully described backwoods Canadian winter. Her characters are engaging, flawed and entirely credible, their relationships handled with empathy and subtlety. The different stances of the US and Canada where draft dodgers were either welcomed or tolerated is underlined in a way which fits our own times well. Lawson’s epilogue mentions President Jimmy Carter’s unconditional amnesty, enacted on his first full day in office, which half those who’d crossed the border expecting never to return took up. Chris chooses not to leaving us to imagine the life he makes for himself. I’d love to think Lawson will make that the subject of a third Solace novel.

I have read all of Mary Lawson's books, so I was really pleased to receive an advance review copy of her new novel, Solace in Winter.
The book focuses primarily on Chris and his decision to leave America and travel to Canada in order to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War. The winter setting in this small Canadian town is beautifully described, and I just loved Lawson's writing. Solace itself becomes a character in the story, with such a strong sense of place throughout the novel.
I was invested in all of the characters, and Lawson's writing really allows the reader to get inside each person's thoughts and feelings. I connected particularly with Chris, Patrick and Jack. I also liked how each chapter was told from a different character's point of view, which helped build a fuller picture of their lives and relationships.
The novel explores themes of loss, love, change, friendship, family dynamics and kindness, all handled with Lawson's characteristic insight and compassion.
I appreciated the additional historical information about draft dodgers included at the end of the book. I hadn't known about the decision made by the US government in 1977, when President Carter granted amnesty to many Vietnam War draft evaders, so I found that especially interesting.
This is a thoughtful and beautifully written novel that will appeal to both existing Mary Lawson readers and those discovering her work for the first time. This book is a 5-star read for me, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

A really beautiful and human story about what it means to connect. The writing was very easy to get lost in, as was the environment and background setting. I felt as if I knew the walls of the cabin, and knew the characters (especially Ellie and Patrick) personally. A perfect example of character driven storytelling with a beautiful message.

It is now many years since I read Mary Lawson's other novels yet as I began this book I was transported back to another world - winter in the Arctic conditions of small town Canada. There is something very special in the way the author curates her narratives. For me it is the combination of small settings within a much wider political and moral context along with a small cast of characters who we read and learn about within the context of their interactions and surroundings. We are either in the bitter weather of a frequently cut-off settlement or within a small cabin set up to withstand the elements.

I so admire this writerly skill which, from my perspective, Lawson sits amongst the best - Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Strout, Annie Proulx and Sherwood Anderson.

Set in 1969 we are taken back to the Vietnam War, American sabre rattling and populist disaffection with the war, protesting and fleeing over the North American border to Canada. At an accident hotspot, narrow roads, ice and snow we meet our protagonists. An American draft dodger (Chris), a bereaved older man (Jack) along with a dog and a vet who form the pivot of the story.

Being so enclosed and isolated drives the character driven novel and through their proximity to one another, truths are secreted and revealed by the intimacy of the setting.

I found it compulsive, realistic, thoroughly engaging and I did feel embedded in the "deep midwinter".

With thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for the opprotunity to read and review

What a beautiful book, loved the characters and writing style. Being a big fan of this author I was delighted to read this and enjoy it just as much as previous work. A must read

Another amazing book by one of my favourite authors.
I will definitely be recommending and hand sell this title to my customers.

This gorgeous novel returns to Lawson’s fictional town of Solace in the 1960s. A remote outpost in the wilds of Canada, always beautiful but a freezing, snowy wasteland in the winter months and cut off from civilization for days at a time, some have tried and failed to endure the extreme conditions, and those who stay form a small, tight-knit community where news travels fast. Recent widower Jack happens upon two separate road accident victims quite by chance at the same blackspot- a farm dog whose owner is not prepared to pay for his treatment, and an American draft-dodger avoiding the Vietnam War which is killing and maiming so many of his contemporaries. Jack’s help saves both their lives and will irrevocably change his own and that of others. The characters are so real and their personalities so beautifully portrayed in all their emotions, quirks and motivations. Even characters whose actions are difficult to justify are treated sympathetically, so that we can glimpse the deeply felt moral code of Chris’s unyielding father and the bitterness of Jack’s daughter Sally who has never felt seen or valued by her parents and still feels passed over by her father. There is warmth and humour in everyday incidents and Solace itself is a vivid presence, both comforting and sometimes threatening. There is a lingering unease that this bittersweet interlude of fleeting happiness will have to end, but also a profound hopefulness prevails and the sense that things may not always stay the same, but change can come unexpectedly and for the better. I loved it.

I enjoyed Crow Lake many years ago so I was happy to come across Mary Lawson’s newest novel on NetGalley. The story is very much character driven with Chris, an American draft-dodger in the 1970s, escaping to Canada with his mother’s blessing. Taken in by the elderly Jack after a serious road accident, we follow Chris’ recovery in the depths of a deep Canadian winter. Mary Lawson builds her characters and their back stories with a deft touch and you are totally invested in their future lives. Very enjoyable.

*thanks to NetGalley, from whence I received an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own**

I selected this primarily from the title and cover. I love those cosy, northern settings and this did not disappoint. We see a multi-POV linear narrative which winds around the dual protagonists of Chris and Jack, who are very different but experience something of a meeting of minds.

My favourite element were the lush descriptions of the landscapes and the harshness of the remote village of Solace in the winter. I thoroughly enjoyed this; the writer demonstrated considerable craft in their world building and imagery. Highly recommend.

What a perfect book. Wonderful characters in an impossible position, mostly doing their best. A great big warm hug of book, but with a ending that prevents it from being too sickly sweet. After a run of not so great books this has made me fall back in love with reading - thank you!

Verging on perfect, this has a wonderful sense of place and some exquisitely well-drawn characters. Watching them orbit and interact with each other is an absolute pleasure, and there is also an excellent dog. Likely to be one of the best books I read this year.

This is a rare 5 stars plus book for me. Top quality writing and storytelling. I will be recommending it to everyone I know.

Set in Northern Canada in 1969. Recently widowed war photographer Jack is living alone in a cabin with his late wife’s artistic and valuable tapestries adorning the otherwise bare walls.
Across the border in the US, anti-Vietnam war demonstrations are taking place and university graduate Chris is desperate to avoid being drafted.

Every single character in this book feels real and relatable. In addition to draft-dodger Chris, and widower Jack who I would love to get to know better, there is a vet who doubles as a doctor, Karl, the only cop for miles who is married to Ellie, Patrick, Chris’ flat mate, and Jack’s estranged daughter Sally.

Even if this wasn’t such a great story, any book that starts with the rescue of an injured animal gets my vote. Not long after rescuing Lola the dog who has been run over and giving her a home while she convalesces, Jack finds Chris in an even worse state and reluctantly agrees to take him in too after the hospital discharges him. Ellie, a young mother and nurse, tends Chris every day while he’s on the mend.

The story takes place over one Canadian winter. The snow is falling outside and instead of feeling put upon, Jack begins to realize that he’s enjoying the company. Finding her father sharing his life and money with a dog and draft-dodger does not do anything to improve Jack’s already difficult relationship with his daughter Sally. Meanwhile, sexual tensions are developing and more than one person is unsure of Chris’ intentions.

“Strangers but not strangers, brought together by pure chance and finding common ground “

I didn’t want this book to end and felt quite emotional when it did. In fact, the first thing I did after finishing it was to order Mary Lawson’s previous Solace book which I haven’t yet read (shame on me).

Thank you for the opportunity to read Mary Lawson's new novel. I have never failed to love her work and this, is one of the best. She writes beautifully about place, in this case the small town of Solace in Northern Canada. Set in the winter she conjures up a spellbinding story of a handful of locals who come to the aid of a young American dodging the Vietnam draft in the 1960s. She shows both the worst and the best of humanity.
An ideal Christmas gift for the discerning reader and my choice for book of 2026.

Set in the remote town of Solace in 1969, the story follows Chris, a young American fleeing the Vietnam draft, and Jack, a recently widowed man whose quiet life is transformed after taking Chris and an injured dog, Lola, in.
The story is told from different characters' points of view, Each character feels authentic, even those with difficult flaws, and their relationships unfold naturally and emotionally. The descriptions of the snowbound landscape create a vivid sense of place, making the setting feel as important as the characters themselves.
I found this to be an emotional, well written novel that is both comforting and thought provoking. I would go so far in saying this that this is perhaps one of her best!

I'm completely blown away. What a beautiful and moving tale, filled with things I love.

I was instantly won over by Lola, of course, because she represents the heart of the story. The tale of finding love and family in the strangest of circumstances, and the fact it can come later in life, is a message that has been handled sensitively through a somewhat odd cast of characters - I especially enjoyed the waitress in her slippers!

The evocative landscape, the backdrop of the Vietnam War and Chris's reckoning with both a nation and a blood family he no longer feels part of - there are layers of meaning here that a reader not crying over a little dog with casts on her legs can delve into (yes, that is me). An incredibly powerful book.

This is mainly set in a small Canadian town in the winter of 1969. The town concerned is Solace which the author has written about before. I enjoyed the previous book a lot. Solace is a town where little happens until it does and then it becomes gently (& powerfully) "alive" in an understated way. In this book a man (Jack) finds a dog that has obviously been hit by a car on a snowy road near his house. The dog is barely alive. Jack, who is ageing, decides to take the dog to the nearby vet. The owner is unwilling to pay for the treatment as the dog may well not survive. The vet (Tomas) and Jack are reluctant to see the dog put down. Strangely Jack is on the same road a week later and finds a man in a car half buried in snow and badly injured. There is no doctor locally so again Jack goes to Tomas the vet for help.

The book follows these incidents and while the narrator changes from time to time in the main the book is concerned with Chris and Lola (the man and the dog) with Jack as a central character. Jack lost his wife not long ago and is something of a recluse living in a small and fairly basic cabin. He was a war photographer earlier in his life and the images he created powerfully affected him. Now he looks to landscapes for his photography.

The characters and setting are well used in this book. While there are other important characters Jack really worked very well for me - I found him completely believable. Chris and Ellie both played their parts well. Part of this book concerns the Vietnam war and the impacts of that too were well done.

Solace has a feel of a peaceful place until the waters are disturbed. Once those waters are disturbed who knows what the outcomes will be. I love the deep simplicity of Mary Lawson's writing. She is someone who shows a real understanding of people and behaviour. I am a fan of her writing and this is a very good example. I'd probably suggest starting with A Town Called Solace however this is a standalone read. The more I reflect on this book the more I realise just how much I loved it. Was the ending what I wanted - no! However it was perfectly valid and understandable. 4.5/5

The best book I've read all year. I loved it. Atmospheric, heartfelt with a great flow and brilliant characters. This one will stay with me for a long time.

Solace in Winter, the latest novel from the Canadian novelist, takes us back again to her fictional town of Solace, following her 2021 novel A Town Called Solace which was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Whereas that novel was set in the early 1970s, for Solace in Winter we are taken back into the 1960s. Other than place, there is little connecting tissue between the two novels.

It is the tale end of the decade, and Jack comes across an injured dog in the snowy edges of town, a dog he takes in unwillingly as the dog has no place else to go. A while later he comes across Chris, a draft dodger of the Vietnam war who has fled to Canada, also injured on the roadside, also with no place to go. Jack's cabin becomes the setting for a character study of these two, and others that drift in and out as the winter draws out. Lawson writes with simplicity, but her novel contains emotional depths, and she draws her characters with clarity and beauty on the page. This makes for an engaging, emotional read. I was reminded of fellow Canadian writers Alice Munro and Carol Shields, along with the American Anne Tyler. If you're a fan of works by any of them, then Mary Lawson's novels, and Solace in Winter are for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

"It made him ache . Aside from Hannah he'd never had a what you call a close friend. He hadn't missed until now."

It is winter 1969 and we return to the small Northern Ontario town of Solace. This is the story of Jack Gallagher- a widower of a year - who lives quietly in the town of Solace. A former war photographer and husband of acclaimed artist Hannah Gallagher, he quietly exists in a solitary state until two accident impact upon his life. Two accidents in the same location- the first being the discovery of an injured dog ;"Lola" and the second being the discovery of a young man, Chris who is seriously injured after a car accident.

Somehow out of his control, Jack finds himself playing host to both injured parties- his single life is transformed overnight - and in doing so he finds life takes him on a journey of self-discovery and the confrontation of harsh personal realities from his own daughter as well as growing understanding that being with good people( and a dog ) can enhance life.

Similarly, Chris- a draft dodger of the Vietnam war- has to confront his decisions and the feelings towards his new life in Canada and the people around him.

As with the superb Town Called Solace ( Booker long-listed 2021), Mary Lawson follows a similar format of alternating chapters between characters as they reflect upon circumstances and events.

It is the astute and moving observations and feelings of the characters that make this new book as equally riveting. Some authors have that rare skill of producing quality over quantity - perceptive and poignant writing that leaves the reader aghast and hungry for more but equally recognising that what has been said is enough without becoming sentimental or too cliche ridden- Mary Lawson is one of those unique authors.

Similar to Ann Patchett and Elizabeth Strout, Mary Lawson has created a world of characters that grip us whilst digging deeper into the fallibilities, the imperfections but also strengths and beauty that make us human. Every single one of the characters in this novel feels so fully formed it is if we have known them for years.

Solace in Winter is truly wonderful read and highly recommended as a Top Fiction Novel for Autumn 2026- brilliant read for a book group.

Thank you to Chatto and Windus Publishers and NetGalley for the advance copy for an honest review.

I have loved all of Lawson's previous novels, and this was no exception. Wonderful, well-drawn characters and a gentle yet still gripping storyline, I genuinely didn't want this to end.

And although it wasn't the ending I would have liked, it actually worked perfectly. I was really sad to leave these characters and the story.

No doubt this has been one of the best books I've read all year and I will definitely be re-reading.

Winter in the small Canadian town of Solace is pretty tough, especially when the snow begins to fall.
The winter of 1969 though, brings two accidents that will change the lives forever, of a bereaved old man, a badly injured student draft dodger, (as protests about the Vietnam War drove young men north across the Canadian border), and an equally badly injured stray dog.

The old man, Jack, takes in the badly injured dog. He also takes in the injured student, Chris. From his normal solitude, which he treasures, Jack’s life becomes very busy, but his cabin becomes a place of healing, both of the body and the mind. That is until Jack’s daughter Sally turns up and spoils everything for everyone.

Set in Northern Ontario, this is such a heartwarming story, demonstrating how a little kindness and a listening ear can work their magic. Lives come together in love, grief and hope, as we the readers look on with a poignancy that tugs at the heartstrings. There are no great mysteries here, no non stop action, just a keenly observed depiction of life at its most ordinary - ordinary but nevertheless utterly compelling! And, I have to say how much I adored Lola the dog. A treasure of a read, just pure delight!

This was my first time reading a Mary Lawson novel and it won't be my last. I loved this. It reminded me of Ann Patchett, Elizabeth Strout and Anne Tyler, authors who are so good at the meaningful interactions of day to day life and understand so well what it is to be human. In this book, newly widowed Jack finds himself adopting two broken creatures, one dog and one young man, both of whom suffer accidents near his home. Over the space of the winter he helps nurse them back to health and they help to reconnect him to the world again. This is beautifully drawn with wonderful, flawed and deeply human characters. The further I got through this book the slower I read it, because I didn't want it to end.

Mary writes those books that get into your soul and characters that you have no choice but to do something to your heart too. she writes those books i have a category called special for. i cant tell you why that is. but i know, i know what type and what kind of book find their way in there. this one was another one of those books. there is a settled feeling to them when you read Mary's books and she has a wonderful way of writing that feels like its not just being read but as if you are floating elegantly through them. her writing is smooth and extremely readable so that is why i find myself at passed midnight still being here, the house is quietened as all others have left me for bed. i happily got lost in this book and stayed until the end.
this is how you do a character story.
oh and did i even mention they have a dog and a rescued one at that. yeh, from the off this book got me!
it is the character Jack that takes in this dog to his home and it is there she will stay to recover after she is injured and found on the road. it is also the place Chris our other visitor will be recovering.
we are deep into the Canadian Winter and so its a wonder our pair were found.
it is these visitors and those who tend them that make Jack have a glimpse at what connection can bring.hes been alone since he lost his wife, alone in his cabin so this is a real change for him.
and then we have Sally who is Jacks daughter. she is far from being happy with these people sharing her father home and also how else he is looking after them by.
we also meet other characters who make part of Solace and those we meet via the rescued dog and man. and its the woven quiet but powerful glimpse at these lives that makes the book somehow so moving. and this is the skill that Mary brings to her books. the book is as gripping and unputdownable as any epic romance or thriller. i was pulled into Solace and didn't want to let it go or it let me go.
the way Mary writes bought every single moment both in location and people to life. it had such colour and was so vivid in my mind and emotions.
the way this book is also woven through the time of the Vietnam War is also important but never overshadows it.
the different point of views is an essential in this book too. we really do get that 360 views of all the characters and their vantage points.
Mary has such pin point precision at drawing out her characters and handing them over to us with care. we want to know them and look after them for her in the time we get to spend with them. and of course Solace is a character of its own.
my interest in the war years has always been around our World War, mainly the second. to see this one give me just as much interest was really nice. it was a new thing i instantly went off to research myself during and after.
this is a thoughtful and though provoking book by an author that continues to make my whole self feel better whilst reading and end not wanting to leave her words behind or the stories she creates. its a nod of the head that is given at the end to just how lucky we have to be blessed with people that can write like this, have been discovered and then decide to bravely share their talents.

A beautiful story. I read this in one sitting, it’s easy to read and easy to love.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Solace in Winter by Mary Lawson

Winter 1969 in Solace, a remote small Canadian town, brings two incidents that will disrupt widower Jack's hibernation during snow season. First he finds a dog with multiple injuries lying on the road, and second he finds a young draft dodger who has been in a serious car accident and is barely alive. Jack takes both of them in while they recover from surgery and his life changes forever.

Wow, what a beautiful book! I've loved everything Mary Lawson has written and this is no exception... just stunning! I was totally immersed in the world of Solace and these characters, and was so sad to leave them at the end of the book. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

An elderly man living alone. A dog left for dead after being hit by a car. A young vet who is one of the invisible pillars holding up his community with quiet determination. An angry woman who has always felt shut out by her parents' close relationship. A happily married police officer in a small town in a remote part of Canada. A young man seeking to escape the draft in America as the Vietnam War rages on.

The collision and interweaving of these individual destinies is as unlikely as it is life changing. This book is as beautiful as it is understated. Barring one element of the story which I felt was predictable and unnecessary, I loved all of it. And notwithstanding that aspect, I would recommend this as an absorbing read to anyone looking for a memorable tale about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

One of my Top 5 books of the year.

I don't love the cold but this book made me yearn for the extreme cold and isolation of Ontario, Canada.

'Solace in Winter' has the most perfect ending.

By an unusual set of circumstances an old hermit, an injured draft-dodger and a dog that survived a hit and run end up spending a long stretch of time in a cabin in extremely harsh winter conditions. Throw in a few more characters that dip in and out, a backdrop of a Canadian winter and you have the perfect novel.

Mary Lawson is able to vividly draw her characters, both major and minor, with a few well-chosen and imaginative words and phrases. Very few characters are neutral. I either loved or disliked them very strongly.

I highly recommend this novel!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.