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taunyab79's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway, and I was really excited to read another book by Maeve Binchy. I recently finished Tara Road, and really enjoyed her style. This book is a collection of short stories, which is not something that I normally read. Some of the women in the stories felt like someone I could identify with, and others I pitied or felt angry on their behalf. Some of the stories left me wishing that there was more to them, perhaps a chapter or two more.
judip53's review
5.0
I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a big Maeve Binchy fan. I'm not sure I've read everything, but close.
This short story collection did not disappoint. Her tried-and-true formula of a change in attitude changing everything never gets old!
This short story collection did not disappoint. Her tried-and-true formula of a change in attitude changing everything never gets old!
ktamen's review against another edition
2.0
This was okay; I prefer her novels. I think there is a reason these weren't published before she died. Other reviewers mention that they may have been exercises in writing, possible chapters, etc. They feel disjointed, & I only enjoyed a few of them.
nweem218's review against another edition
The things I like best about Maeve Binchy's books are the characters. I'm just not interested in a bunch of short stories... you just don't get to love the characters... so this one was a bust for me. I'm sure it was terrific, but not for me. I've tried another of her short stories and didn't like that one either - but since her death, I was HOPING that I would enjoy what is her last. Oh well... I'll re-read Circle of Friends.
obsidian_blue's review against another edition
5.0
January 31, 2021: I just re-read a few of the stories that are my favorites in this collection. It's a perfect way to spend the day when you are sick in bed. I miss being able to get a new Binchy book every year.
Original review:
I was in a funk and not really in the mood to read much else so I went back and re-read two other short story collections by Maeve Binchy this past weekend. Then I saw there was a brand new collection that has been put out and I decided to just go for it and bought and read this new collection in less than a day. Although I finished it before I went home from work yesterday, I still re-read several of the stories that I found the most moving or at least left me thinking.
There are 36 short stories in this volume and although one is a repeat that was in her short story collection, London Transports, I still thought all of them were ridiculously good.
The collection is also divided into several sections. Section 1: Friends and Enemies
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section 2: Love and Marriage, section 3: Your Cheating Heart, section 4: Relatives and Other Strangers, section 5: Work and No Play, and section 6: Holidays.
Be forewarned, the Love and Marriage one was pretty dark. Heck there were a lot of dark aspects to these stories and I for one loved them. I like when an author doesn't just have things wrap up in a pretty bow at the end. Life isn't like that, and I like that in just a few short pages Maeve Binchy can get you completely immersed in a story, make you feel sympathy or despise the character you are reading about in just a few short sentences.
I am just going to highlight my favorites instead of doing a mini-review of all 36 stories.
"Picnic at St. Paul's"-The main character Catherine was a better person than me. I felt sort of horrified by this story of a woman who has her life overrun by a friend she hasn't seen in almost a decade because she keeps sending her friends to stay with her while they are traveling through. At first you think this may be an unexpected meet cute/love at first sight story...
"Living Well"-I have been here. Your the poor friend trying your best to be there for a friend who keeps putting up with mess from their partner. In this story we have the character of Gina trying her best to get her friend Orla to get over her horrible boyfriend Eddie. Too bad things don't exactly work out the way she hoped.
"Someone's Got to Tell Her"-I absolutely loved how this story is a one way conversation that you the reader are on. You don't know what the other person is saying, but you can get clued in based on what the main character is saying and responding to. Also in just a few short lines here and there you realize that the main character (name unknown) is a ridiculous stuck up and prejudice person. I almost laughed at the ending.
"The Bargain"-This really touched me a lot. I think because I grew up in a small town and remember how hard it was to move to the city and be around so many people. The main character, Cara, has the opposite problem. She's fallen in love and now has to think about whether she is ready to move to the country. I loved the resolution in this story.
"Audrey"-Told from the point of view of a cat named Audrey. I laughed from beginning to end and now have been side eyeing my cat Junior. Maybe she really is trying to tell me something when she's meowing....
"A Tactful Conversation"-Wow. I loved the main character of Beth who was no holds barred with her new lover's children.
"The Custardly Case"- This story was heartbreaking to me. The main character in this is a little boy named Bernard who has no idea how his world is going to unravel. Readers will quickly get clued into what is happening here though. I was personally outraged by the resolution in this story too.
"The Consultant Aunt"- Holy cow. The aunt in this story could give lessons to Cathy from East of Eden on how to be diabolical.
"The Dream Holiday"-What I liked about this story is that quite quickly you become aware of the group's interactions with each other and you realize that all of them seem to be blind about the reality of their situations. I really did love how the story wrapped up in this one.
Original review:
I was in a funk and not really in the mood to read much else so I went back and re-read two other short story collections by Maeve Binchy this past weekend. Then I saw there was a brand new collection that has been put out and I decided to just go for it and bought and read this new collection in less than a day. Although I finished it before I went home from work yesterday, I still re-read several of the stories that I found the most moving or at least left me thinking.
There are 36 short stories in this volume and although one is a repeat that was in her short story collection, London Transports, I still thought all of them were ridiculously good.
The collection is also divided into several sections. Section 1: Friends and Enemies

section 2: Love and Marriage, section 3: Your Cheating Heart, section 4: Relatives and Other Strangers, section 5: Work and No Play, and section 6: Holidays.
Be forewarned, the Love and Marriage one was pretty dark. Heck there were a lot of dark aspects to these stories and I for one loved them. I like when an author doesn't just have things wrap up in a pretty bow at the end. Life isn't like that, and I like that in just a few short pages Maeve Binchy can get you completely immersed in a story, make you feel sympathy or despise the character you are reading about in just a few short sentences.
I am just going to highlight my favorites instead of doing a mini-review of all 36 stories.
"Picnic at St. Paul's"-The main character Catherine was a better person than me. I felt sort of horrified by this story of a woman who has her life overrun by a friend she hasn't seen in almost a decade because she keeps sending her friends to stay with her while they are traveling through. At first you think this may be an unexpected meet cute/love at first sight story...
"Living Well"-I have been here. Your the poor friend trying your best to be there for a friend who keeps putting up with mess from their partner. In this story we have the character of Gina trying her best to get her friend Orla to get over her horrible boyfriend Eddie. Too bad things don't exactly work out the way she hoped.
"Someone's Got to Tell Her"-I absolutely loved how this story is a one way conversation that you the reader are on. You don't know what the other person is saying, but you can get clued in based on what the main character is saying and responding to. Also in just a few short lines here and there you realize that the main character (name unknown) is a ridiculous stuck up and prejudice person. I almost laughed at the ending.
"The Bargain"-This really touched me a lot. I think because I grew up in a small town and remember how hard it was to move to the city and be around so many people. The main character, Cara, has the opposite problem. She's fallen in love and now has to think about whether she is ready to move to the country. I loved the resolution in this story.
"Audrey"-Told from the point of view of a cat named Audrey. I laughed from beginning to end and now have been side eyeing my cat Junior. Maybe she really is trying to tell me something when she's meowing....
"A Tactful Conversation"-Wow. I loved the main character of Beth who was no holds barred with her new lover's children.
"The Custardly Case"- This story was heartbreaking to me. The main character in this is a little boy named Bernard who has no idea how his world is going to unravel. Readers will quickly get clued into what is happening here though. I was personally outraged by the resolution in this story too.
"The Consultant Aunt"- Holy cow. The aunt in this story could give lessons to Cathy from East of Eden on how to be diabolical.
"The Dream Holiday"-What I liked about this story is that quite quickly you become aware of the group's interactions with each other and you realize that all of them seem to be blind about the reality of their situations. I really did love how the story wrapped up in this one.
marnella's review against another edition
4.0
Oddly enough this was the first and only book I've read by Maeve Binchy. I got it in a bag of books I purchased at a library sale. I already have bought other books by her to read in the future now. Such simple stories but they pulled you right in. I've no doubt a novel could hook me instantly based off of these shorts. Audiobook
keen23's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of short stories. Not curated as well as some of Binchy's other works, probably because she's dead. I know I've read at least one of these stories in another book. Overall not bad. A good choice for when you want to just read a short story and move on to something else. Not really good for reading the whole collection in one sitting.
pammella's review against another edition
3.0
I may read “Audrey” and the New Year’s Eve story again. Those were by far my favorites.
nattyg's review against another edition
5.0
My only fault is I wanted more from several stories. More as in what happens next!
drlisak's review against another edition
5.0
I love Maeve Binchy, and I am sorry her voice is no longer part of this world. This collection of shorts just reminded me of what I loved about her; her ability to create characters that are imperfect, and tell stories that feel true, honest, and sometimes painful.