{"title":"Maeve Binchy","description":"Maeve Binchy is the bestselling author of This Year It Will Be Different, The Glass Lake, The Copper Beech, The Lilac Bus, Circle of Friends, Silver Wedding, Firefly Summer, Echoes, Light a Penny Candle,  and London Transports. She has written two plays and a teleplay that won three awards at the Prague Film Festival. A writer for The Irish Times since 1969, she lives with her husband, writer and broadcaster Gordon Snell, in London and Dublin.","products":[{"product_id":"evening-class-paperback","title":"Evening Class - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt was the quiet ones you had to watch. That's where the real passion was lurking.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e They came together at Mountainview College, a down-at-the-heels secondary school on the seamy side of Dublin, to take a course in Italian. It was Latin teacher Aidan Dunne's last chance to revive a failing marriage and a dead-end career. But Aidan's dream was headed for disaster until the mysterious Signora appeared, transforming a shared passion for Italy into a life-altering adventure for them all . . . bank clerk Bill and his dizzy fiance Lizzie: a couple headed for trouble . . . Kathy, a hardworking innocent propelled into adulthood in a shocking moment of truth . . . Connie, the gorgeous rich lady with a scandal ready to explode . . . glowering Lou, who joined the class as a cover for crime. And Signora, whose passionate past remained a secret as she changed all their lives forever. . . . \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e From the New York Times bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThis Year It Will Be Different, The Glass Lake, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eCircle of Friends, \u003c\/i\u003e comes a novel filled with Maeve Binchy's signature warmth, wit, and sheer storytelling genius--a spellbinding tale of men and women whose quiet lives hide the most unexpected things. . . .","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50103720116447,"sku":"9780385341806","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/BWmkUBVbwN9780385341806.webp?v=1781097501"},{"product_id":"scarlet-feather-paperback","title":"Scarlet Feather - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTwo friends struggle to balance their personal and professional lives in this charming novel from acclaimed author Maeve Binchy.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThey met in cooking school and became fast friends with a common dream. Now Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather hope to take Dublin by storm with their newly formed catering company, aptly dubbed \"Scarlet Feather.\" Not everyone, however, shares their optimism. Cathy's mother-in-law disapproves of both Cathy and her new \"hobby,\" while Cathy's husband, Neil, pays no mind to anything- except his work as a civil rights lawyer. And then there's Tom's family, who expect him to follow in his father's footsteps, and an ambitious girlfriend who's struggling with career dreams of her own. Between friends and families, ups and downs, heartaches and joys, Cathy and Tom are about to embark on the most maddening-and exhilarating-year of their lives...","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50104167530719,"sku":"9780451222985","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/eNzognzctQ9780451222985.webp?v=1781104330"},{"product_id":"light-a-penny-candle-paperback","title":"Light a Penny Candle - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBeloved author Maeve Binchy's first published novel, an engrossing coming of age tale about the incredible bond of friendship. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTo escape the chaos of London during World War II, young Elizabeth White is sent to live a safer life in the small Irish town of Kilgarret. It is there, in the crowded, chaotic O'Connor household, that she meet Aisling--a girl who soon becomes her very best friend, sharing her pet kitten and secretly teaching her the intricacies of Catholicism. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAisling's boldness brings Elizabeth out of her proper shell; later, her support carries Elizabeth through the painful end of her parents' chilly marriage. In return, Elizabeth's friendship helps Aisling endure her own unsatisfying marriage to a raging alcoholic. Through the years, they come to believe they can overcome any conflict, conquer any hardship--as long as they have each other. Now they're about to find out if they're right... \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A sumptuous saga.\"--\u003ci\u003eHarper's\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Wonderful...a novel that could be mistaken for life.\"--\u003ci\u003eNew York Daily News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50104175722719,"sku":"9780451222640","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/iUC_J6m20W9780451222640.webp?v=1781104347"},{"product_id":"quentins-paperback","title":"Quentins - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e#1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Maeve Binchy tells the story of a generation and a city through the history of a Dublin restaurant in this \"warm-hearted\" (\u003ci\u003eBoston Herald\u003c\/i\u003e) enthralling novel.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eElla Brady wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. After all, the restaurant saw the people of a city become more confident in everything from their lifestyles to the food that they chose to eat. And Quentins has a thousand stories to tell. But as Ella uncovers more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to wonder whether some secrets should be kept that way...\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Quentins is not just any Dublin restaurant; it's a place where wedding proposals, business deals, family ties, and friendships are forged (and sometimes broken).\"--\u003ci\u003eThe Seattle Times \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50104399659231,"sku":"9780451223913","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/U9n3z-1bsH9780451223913.webp?v=1781108224"},{"product_id":"this-year-it-will-be-different-and-other-stories-paperback","title":"This Year It Will Be Different: And Other Stories - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eCircle of Friends\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Glass Lake\u003c\/i\u003e comes \u003ci\u003eThis Year It Will Be Different\u003c\/i\u003e, a stunning new work that brings us the magic and spirit of Christmas in fifteen stories filled with Maeve Binchy's trademark wit, charm, and sheer storytelling genius. Instead of nostalgia, Binchy evokes contemporary life; instead of Christmas homilies, she offers truth; and instead of sugarplums, she brings us the nourishment of holidays that precipitate change, growth, and new beginnings. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \"A Typical Irish Christmas,\" a grieving New York widower heads for a holiday in Ireland and finds an unexpected destination not just for himself, but for a father and daughter at odds. The title story \"This Year It Will Be Different\" also delves into the emotions of a person at mid-life--a woman with a complacent husband and grown children who are entering a season that can forever alter her life, and theirs. In \"Pulling Together,\" a teacher not yet out of her twenties sees her affair with a married man at a turning point as Christmas Eve approaches--and she may be off on a new direction with some unusual friends. And in the delightful tale \"The Hard Core,\" the four most recalcitrant residents of a nursing home are left alone at Christmas with the owner's daughter in charge: the result is sure to be disaster--or the kind of life-affirming renewal that only the spirit of the season can bring. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe stories in \u003ci\u003eThis Year It Will Be Different\u003c\/i\u003e powerfully evoke many lives--step-families grappling with ex's, long-married couples faced with in-law problems, a wandering husband choosing between \"the other woman\" and his wife, a child caught in grown-up tugs-of-war--during the one holiday when feelings cannot be easily hidden. The time of year may be magical, imbued with meaning. But the situations are universal. And Maeve Binchy makes us care about them all. As the \u003ci\u003ePhiladelphia Inquirer\u003c\/i\u003e noted, \"Maeve Binchy's people come to life fully. They make you laugh and cry and disturb your sleep.\" They do precisely that in this extraordinary collection, on the night before Christmas when we are snug in our beds, or anywhere, any time of the year.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50104482398431,"sku":"9780385341783","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/aej7oCB2t59780385341783.webp?v=1781108407"},{"product_id":"echoes-paperback-3","title":"Echoes - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn emotional story of love, betrayal, friendship, and family from #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Maeve Binchy. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDavid Power and Clare O'Brien both grew up dreaming of escape from the battered seaside town of Castlebay, Ireland, but they might as well have had the ocean between them. David is the cherished son of a prosperous doctor, while Clare lives with her large family behind their faltering store, longing for a moment of quiet to study. When they both go to university in Dublin\u003cb\u003e--\u003c\/b\u003ehe as a matter of course, she on a hard-won scholarship\u003cb\u003e--\u003c\/b\u003etheir worlds collide. They find freedom in each other\u003cb\u003e--\u003c\/b\u003euntil the families, lovers, and secrets they left in Castlebay come back to haunt them... \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Laughter and tears, it's what Binchy does best.\"--\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The Castlebay Maeve Binchy creates is a marvelous place.\"--\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFront Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was sometimes called the echo cave, and if you shouted your question loud enough in the right direction, you got an answer instead of an echo... \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eClare and David--divided as children by a rigid social code that branded her as shanty Irish and him as gentry...brought together as adults by a desire that knew no class, no barriers, only the urgent hunger of two people destined to love--and ready to defy a world determined to keep them apart. \u003cbr\u003eEven at fifteen, David Power knew the echo would answer eleven-year-old Clare O'Brien's dearest wish, to win a school prize. But it was years before Dr. Power's cherished only son saw in the huckster's daughter the answer to his own heart's desire. Here in Castlebay, perched precariously on the seaside cliffs, the lines between them were clearly drawn. Clare's only hope is to leave the town where time stopped, propelled by scholarships to Dublin, fueled by her own drive and brilliance, far from the insular, gossipy world of Castlebay and those in its thrall... Angela O'Hara, beautiful, insolated, a teacher trapped in the convent school, who risks everything to help Clare escape... Gerry Doyle, the town charmer who finds in Clare the woman he vows to have at any price... Caroline Nolan, the beautiful, rich outsider who comes to plunder... \u003cbr\u003eFor Clare, that was before the wild freedom of Dublin, and love. And David. Before fate drove them back to Castlebay, and the past...\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50104502943967,"sku":"9780451225108","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/v-KmHvoQTM9780451225108.webp?v=1781108456"},{"product_id":"nights-of-rain-and-stars-paperback","title":"Nights of Rain and Stars - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe lives of four strangers are forever altered when they meet in a Greek seaside village in this compelling novel from #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Maeve Binchy.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTourists enter the hilltop tavern, alone and in pairs, for a casual lunch. But a sudden tragedy in the harbor below causes these perfect strangers to become unlikely friends as their lives begin to entwine... \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Fiona left her nursing career in Ireland to be with the man everyone thinks is wrong for her. Elsa fled Germany and her high-powered television job once she learned what the man she loved was hiding from her. Thomas mourns his failed marriage and misses his young son in California, while David yearns to reconcile with his family in England without having to go into the family business. Chance has brought them together, and together they will find new ways of looking at the lives they left behind. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"By the time the bouzouki players start up on the last page, you'll feel you've known these people all your life.\"--\u003ci\u003eThe Seattle Times\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The sort of book you should take with you on a trip to the Greek islands.\"--\u003ci\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50104795955423,"sku":"9780451224118","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/ZxZxBDay2f9780451224118.webp?v=1781111337"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/maeve-binchy.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}