**THE NEW YORK TIMESBESTSELLER** **The captivating new novel from the multi-million-bestselling author of The House of the Spirits and The Japanese Lover** In some of the most beautiful passages in the novel, Allende explores the gentle but redemptive depths of mature love and the paths it can take . . .Allende has an unflashy wisdom to offer, a maturity that illuminates her storytelling . . . it pursues an age-old question: how to live a full life and find meaning, not just survive or endure one's past'Financial TimesonIn the Midst of WinterNew York TimesbestsellerIsabel Allende returns with a beautifully crafted,multi-generational novelofstruggle, endurance and friendship against the odds. Amid the biggestBrooklyn snowstorm in living memory, an unexpected friendship blossomsbetween three people thrown together by circumstance. Richard Bowmaster,a lonely university professorin his sixties,hits the car driven byEvelyn Ortega,a young, undocumented migrant from Guatemala. But what at first seems aninconvenience takes an unforeseen and darker turn when Evelyn comes tohim and his neighbour Lucia Maraz, desperatelyseeking help. Sweeping frompresent-day Brooklyn to Guatemala to turbulent 1970s Chile and Brazil, and woven with Isabel Allendes trademark humanity, passion and storytelling verve, In the Midst of Winteris a mesmerizing and unforgettable tale.Praise for Isabel Allende: ';Isabel Allende is a master storyteller.When it comes to love Isabel writes from the heart to the heart and I feel all the richer for having been touched by her' Santa Montefiore ';If Allendes life depended on her narrative gifts, shed not only survive, but reign'Los Angeles Times ';Isabel Allende is the most romantic of writers and The Japanese Loveris a novel of high romance and lush sensuality, unashamedly about the enduring power of love and ending on a note of grace'The Times ';Lush storytelling, with a liberal dusting of South American magical realism and a multi-generational narrative sweep'Financial Times ';Internationally beloved Allende, as effervescent in her compassion, social concerns, and profound joy in storytelling as ever, brings both humor and intensity to this madcap, soulful and transporting tale of three survivors who share their traumatic pasts Allende has a rare and precious gift for simultaneously challenging and entrancing readers' Booklist, starred review ';Grief and loss are transformed into healing friendship in this fantastic novel A suspenseful, icy adventure. Filled with Allende's signature lyricism and ingenious plotting, the book delves wonderfully into what it means to respect, protect, and love'Publishers Weekly ';This winters tale has something to melt each frozen heart'Kirkus Reviews