Play Audiobook Sample
Off Season Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.00) - 2,965 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
Acclaimed novelist Anne Rivers Siddons's new novel is a stunning tale of love and loss.
For as long as she can remember, they were Cam and Lilly--happily married, totally in love with each other, parents of a beautiful family, and partners in life. Then, after decades of marriage, it ended as every great love story does...in loss. After Cam's death, Lilly takes a lone road trip to her and Cam's favorite spot on the remote coast of Maine, the place where they fell in love over and over again, where their ghosts still dance. There, she looks hard to her past--to a first love that ended in tragedy; to falling in love with Cam; to a marriage filled with exuberance, sheer life, and safety-- to try to figure out her future.
It is a journey begun with tender memories and culminating in a revelation that will make Lilly re-evaluate everything she thought was true about her husband and her marriage.
Download and start listening now!
"If you have ever found the coast of Maine to be "magical", you might like this book. The story is "magical" as well. As in all of Anne Rivers Siddons books, the setting is a main character. I couldn't put it down."
— Barbara (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“I’ve always enjoyed Anne Rivers Siddons’ books, but this is her best, maybe the book she was born to write. It’s a double love story, narrated by a woman who has loved both early and late. The story of Lilly and Jon is one of the best stories of adolescent love—its fierceness and sweetness—that I've ever read. There’s also a beautifully drawn picture of Maine dressed in her summer finery…and a few ghosts. Summer is maybe the best time to read this book; if you’ve ever vacationed on the Maine coast (or ever wanted to), this book isn’t just the next best thing, its the real thing. Bravura storytelling.”
— Stephen King -
“Anne Rivers Siddons’s body of work is one of the most impressive in contemporary fiction. And, in her beautifully crafted and dazzling new novel Off Season, Ms. Siddons delivers the goods more powerfully than ever. All her books are terrific, but this one is the best yet.
— Pat Conroy -
“In Siddons’s stirring novel, the recently widowed Lily Constable returns to her childhood summer home in Maine to sift through formative memories of her parents and her first love. It’s difficult to imagine a more marvelous performance than Jane Alexander’s. Alexander captures the strength and vulnerability of Lily from childhood to late middle age, and perfectly renders the physical weight of Lily’s grief at her losses. She skillfully navigates the novel’s cast of characters, from the slow, deep and thoughtful drawl of Lily’s father to the high-pitched, false charm of the vicious young neighbor whose poison darts put tragic events in motion. Alexander also brings to life the great unnamed character in the book—the natural world, giving voice to birds and even a talking cat, and intuitively understanding the life-giving power of the sea. This is an example of how a good novel can become magnificent when it is beautifully told.
— Publishers Weekly -
“Mix the lyricism of Siddons’s...and the mysteries of the untamed Maine coastline—and you have the makings of a magical voyage.”
— AudioFile -
Mix the lyricism of Siddons's prose; the intense, yet restrained voice of Oscar-winning actress Jane Alexander; and the mysteries of the untamed Maine coastline -and you have the makings of a magical voyage....
— AudioFile
Awards
-
New York Times bestseller
Off Season Listener Reviews
-
" A story of a happily married couple that ends when Cam (the husband) suddenly dies at their Main cabin that had been in Lilly's (the wife) family for many years. She returns to the cabin after his death to face the loss. She experiences his ghost and many memories come flooding back. Even though many may not like the ending, I think she was cleaver to leave the ending up to the reader - I saw three choices. Our book club will discuss the book this June. "
— Nancy, 2/19/2014 -
" Mystical and complicated people and places inhabit this book. "
— Wilsonc, 2/19/2014 -
" Feh--gag-- "
— Jane, 2/17/2014 -
" good summer reading. The ending was a OMG surprise "
— Lynne, 2/11/2014 -
" Anne Rivers Siddons is one of my favorite go-to authors. Up until the last third of this story I would have given it four stars. While I did get the spin that took place at the end, I thought the journey toward it was pretty drawn out. "
— Michelle, 2/10/2014 -
" I got this one from the library, books on CD, and listened to it in the car. It was an entertaining story with a unique ending. Enjoyable. "
— Sandra, 2/7/2014 -
" I liked this book. Siddons generational themes are easy to follow. You wonder what is around the next corner of those who are her decendants..... "
— Sandra, 2/2/2014 -
" What the hell just happened? "
— Skye, 1/30/2014 -
" This book was okay - it had a quick and surprise ending that I did not see coming and that I am still not sure I understand! "
— Elizabeth, 1/19/2014 -
" This book was hard for me to get into and the ending left a lot to be desired. I feel almost cheated after hanging in there so long. "
— Jaimie, 1/15/2014 -
" Wonderful story - one of Anne Rivers Siddons best! "
— Sharon, 1/11/2014 -
" I liked this more than most of Siddon's books from the last 5 or so years, but it still doesn't come close to my early favorites: Colony and Outer Banks. I might have liked it better with a different ending, but I still enjoyed listening to it. "
— Paula, 12/23/2013 -
" GREAT BOOK, just finished! "
— Christi, 12/8/2013 -
" Good summer read. About first love, secrets, marriage and all that good stuff. Not terribly "deep" but a good read "
— Paulette, 11/29/2013 -
" I'm personally biased when it comes to Anne Rivers Siddons. This book was a great one to curl up with during a cold winter night. It's a quick read. "
— Lydia, 11/13/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book as it reminded me a lot of my childhood growing up in New Hampshire. The descriptions of the Maine coast just make me homesick. Interesting ending. "
— Tami, 11/7/2013 -
" Ravelry recommendation "
— Laritza, 10/31/2013 -
" I am currently reading and I love it. I always love her books. It takes me to the sea. "
— Sharon, 10/29/2013 -
" It's true that I had to read the ending a couple times to understand what happened. I probably would have given the book 5 stars had I not been a little confused. Other than the that, the book was great. "
— Michelle, 8/10/2013 -
" 1-26-09. Good book. Enjoyed reading it. I guess I liked it more than I anticipated because I got attached to the characters and was really upset by the end of the book! "
— Shay, 7/7/2013 -
" I listened to this. A good story with an ending that I had to listen to twice to figure out. "
— Connie, 3/22/2013 -
" Great until the last few pages. "
— Mary, 12/29/2011 -
" Surprise ending I did NOT expect. Not sure that I like the ending but what am I gonna do about it. A good read nevertheless. "
— Karen, 12/25/2010 -
" A quick read - evocative, entertaining, a step up from a bodice-ripper. Lots of prose about coastal Maine. "
— Linda, 11/12/2010 -
" Typical "beach book" genre. Anne Rivers Siddons has done better. "
— Janelle, 5/15/2009 -
" This book was sort of depressing to me. Others might love it. I tolerated it. "
— Shannon, 3/16/2009 -
" Why did I keep reading this book? Really didn't like it that much and the ending just plain pissed me off. "
— Tracy, 12/21/2008
About Anne Rivers Siddons
Anne Rivers Siddons (1936–2019) wrote nineteen novels, including several New York Times bestsellers, as well as a work of nonficton and two movie scripts. Her novels received praise from Stephen King and Pat Conroy. Her debut novel, Heartbreak Hotel, was made into a major motion picture in 1989 titled Heart of Dixie. Her novel The House Next Door was made into a made-for-television movie that aired in 2006 on Lifetime Television.
About Jane Alexander
Jane Alexander‘s acting career has encompassed a Tony® Award, and six other nominations; she is a four time Oscar® nominee; the author of Command Performance, documenting her tenure as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts from 1993-1997; and she is Commissioner of Parks, the Taconic Region, for New York State.