The short version: Solace in Winter is a quiet, snowbound novel set in 1969 small-town Canada, and Oprah picked it as a book the whole family can share over the holidays. You don't need to read Mary Lawson's earlier books first. The ebook is about half the hardcover price ($14.99 vs. $29.00 list). The audiobook runs 9 hours 38 minutes with four narrators.
Oprah Winfrey announced Solace in Winter as her 126th Book Club pick on November 10, 2026. She and Lawson revealed it together on CBS Mornings that day, according to Oprah Daily. The Associated Press reports that the novel came out the same day. Oprah called it "beautifully written and deeply moving," and told Oprah Daily, "What I really love about this book is that it's a story that the whole family can enjoy."
There's also a good story behind the pick. Lawson, who is 80, told Oprah Daily she nearly hung up because she thought the call was a scam: "'Oprah,' I said grimly. 'Right.'"
What the book is about (no spoilers)
Penguin Random House's description sets it in "deep winter, 1969," in the small Canadian town of Solace. A widower named Jack has two accidents happen at the bend in the road into town. First there's an injured dog. Then there's a young American draft dodger, seriously hurt in the snow. Soon Jack's cabin is full of people. Then his daughter Sally visits, doesn't like what she sees, and makes a decision that the publisher says "changes everything, for everyone but herself."
The hardcover runs 320 pages. It's published by Knopf Canada and sold in the US through Penguin Random House.
Do you need to read A Town Called Solace first?
No. Oprah Daily calls Solace in Winter "a stand-alone novel" set in the same literary universe as Lawson's four earlier books: Crow Lake, The Other Side of the Bridge, Road Ends and A Town Called Solace. All of them are set in northern Ontario.
If you love this one, the natural next read is A Town Called Solace, which is set in the same town. Penguin Random House lists it as longlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize, and the paperback is $21.00.
Which format to buy
Prices were checked on November 10, 2026.
| Format | Price | Length | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcover (list) | $29.00 at Penguin Random House and Barnes & Noble | 320 pages | Giving it as a gift, or passing it around the family |
| Hardcover (Amazon) | $27.00, which is 7% off list, at Amazon | 320 pages | The cheapest new hardcover we found |
| Ebook | $14.99 at Barnes & Noble (Nook) and Amazon (Kindle) | 304 pages | Reading it yourself for about half the hardcover price |
| Audiobook | $29.00 at Barnes & Noble | 9 hours 38 minutes | Long holiday drives |
The math: the ebook saves you $14.01 against the list hardcover, or $12.01 against Amazon's hardcover. Penguin Random House lists four narrators for the audiobook: James Downing, John Wamsley, Anne Van Leeuwen and Benjamin Blais. At 1.25x speed, 9 hours 38 minutes comes to about 7 hours 42 minutes, which is two or three long drives home for the holidays.
Our pick: buy the hardcover if it's a gift or you plan to hand it to your mom or sister when you're done, since Oprah's whole pitch is that it's a family book. Go with the ebook if it's just for you. Before you pay for any format, check your library's app. A new Oprah pick usually gets a hold list, so put your name on it now if you're willing to wait.
Who will love it, and who should skip it
- You'll love it if you read Elizabeth Strout or Claire Keegan. The Times review that Penguin Random House quotes says "the comparisons with Elizabeth Strout stand up," and mentions Ann Patchett, Keegan, Marilynne Robinson and Annie Proulx. It's also a good pick if you want a winter book with snow, a small town, and a dog.
- You'll love it if you're looking for a book club pick that teenagers and grandparents can both read. Oprah chose it with that in mind.
- Skip it if you want a twisty thriller. The early praise Penguin Random House collects points to something quieter. The Evening Standard calls Lawson's style "simplicity; everything just flows."
Five spoiler-free questions for a holiday book club
These are our own questions, written only from the setup above, so they're safe to use before everyone has finished.
- Jack opens his cabin to a stray dog and a stranger within days. What makes someone say yes to that kind of disruption at his age?
- The book is set in 1969, as young American men crossed into Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft. How does knowing that history change how you see the young man in the snow?
- Sally "doesn't like what she sees." Before you get to her choice, whose side are you on, hers or her father's?
- Oprah says the book shows "unexpected connections can open our hearts." Which connection in the book surprised you the most?
- If you've read A Town Called Solace, what did returning to the town add? If you haven't, did you feel you missed anything?
Shop the post
- Solace in Winter, hardcover, Amazon: $27.00. The lowest new hardcover price we found.
- Solace in Winter, hardcover, Barnes & Noble: $29.00. The list price, and B&N members earn stamps on it.
- Solace in Winter, all formats, Penguin Random House: $29.00 hardcover. The publisher's page also links the ebook and the audiobook.
- A Town Called Solace, paperback, Penguin Random House: $21.00. Set in the same town, and the next book to read if this one wins you over.
All prices were checked on November 10, 2026, and can change. The Amazon links are affiliate links, so BCL may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. We don't earn a commission on the other links. We haven't been paid by the publisher or the retailers.
