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Average Customer Rating:

A very good read

Customer Rating:

Binchy starts off by giving us a detailed view of Fernscourt and the first few chapters give us a good discription of the characters living in the quite Irish village so that when the drama begins you actually feel like your part of the village yourself. This book is about the Ryan family who own one of the three pubs in the town. On the arrival of the American family the O'Neils, the towns opinion is divided in two when Patrick ONeil gives his plans to build a hotel in the town, with one half believing the town will profit and the other believing it will put them out of business. The arrival of Patrick O Neil and his children Grace and Kerry cause a lot of changes in the village and there energy certainly brings the village to life. Theres quite a few suprises in this one and a really unexpected twist at the end.

A Wonderful Read!

Customer Rating:

As an avid fan of all Maeve Binchy's novels, "Firefly Summer" has to be my favourite. Written with the trademark warmth that has earned her such a special place in the hearts of so many readers, this book takes you on an emotional journey that will have you laughing and crying in turn. In the sleepy Irish town where this story is set, it is easy to forget the outside world and to imagine life will stay the same forever. Kate and John Ryan will continue to run the local pub, while their children enjoy an idyllic childhood having their run of the town. Then, the arrival of an American Patrick O'Neill and his two beautiful children, changes everything. He has a dream to restore the run-down hotel to its former glory, but in doing so stirs up some very strong feelings amongst the local residents. Follow along with these immensely vivid and likable characters as they experience a good deal of tragedy and hardship, overcome great difficulties and fall in love. By the end, Michael and Dara are no longer the carefree children they once were and Patrick O'Neill realises the true price of fulfilling his dream. A truly wonderful read!

More of the same - great if you like it!

Customer Rating:

Maeve Binchy has her style and she's sticking to it, or was until she retired last year, and why not? After all her winning formula has gained her fame, fortune and fans worldwide. This book sticks to the formula, with the usual array of stock characters, the drunk, the repressed religious nutters, the villain who's name always ends with a Y, and of course the village wise woman who knows all but says nothing. This book centres around the Ryan family who own a pub in the village. Their livelyhood looks like being snatched from them with the arrival of an American business man set to avenge his ancestry and build a hotel. Once his children fly out to join him it becomes apparent the business isn't all he's taking from the Ryans. If you already know and love Maeve Binchy then I'm sure you will relish another dip into her glossy green Irish views, but if you've tried her before and not enjoyed it then I wouldn't bother with this one.