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The Book Club
A tragic accident leaves the tight-knit book club in the small seaside town of Fairweather reeling. Then stranger Tom McLysaght arrives in the community, and the members of the club find their lives changing in ways they never could have imagined.
None of them realise that Tom is hiding a secret. On the surface, his move to Fairweather was to escape his highflying life in London and to put some much-needed distance between him and his ex-fiancée - but deep down Tom knows that there are some things he cannot run from.
As the months pass with book club gatherings, secrets are shared and hurts begin to heal. New friendships might be the last thing on their minds but the members of the book club are about to discover that opening themselves up to other people might be the only thing that will help them all to live, and to love, again.
None of them realise that Tom is hiding a secret. On the surface, his move to Fairweather was to escape his highflying life in London and to put some much-needed distance between him and his ex-fiancée - but deep down Tom knows that there are some things he cannot run from.
As the months pass with book club gatherings, secrets are shared and hurts begin to heal. New friendships might be the last thing on their minds but the members of the book club are about to discover that opening themselves up to other people might be the only thing that will help them all to live, and to love, again.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 10, 2021
304 people are currently reading
770 people want to read
About the author
Roisin Meaney
41 books376 followersBorn on 3rd September.
A published author of twenty books for adults and three for children, Roisin worked as an advertising copywriter for a number of years, and brings a vast amount of experience to the editing team. Her first novel, The Daisy Picker, won a Write a Bestseller competition. Her third novel, The Last Week of May reached number one on the Irish bestseller list and her fourth, The People Next Door reached number two. Her books have been translated into several languages, and two, Semi-Sweet and Life Drawing for Beginners, have been published in the US. She is currently working on her next book, which is scheduled for publication in autumn 2023. She is also plotting another children's book - shhhhh.
A published author of twenty books for adults and three for children, Roisin worked as an advertising copywriter for a number of years, and brings a vast amount of experience to the editing team. Her first novel, The Daisy Picker, won a Write a Bestseller competition. Her third novel, The Last Week of May reached number one on the Irish bestseller list and her fourth, The People Next Door reached number two. Her books have been translated into several languages, and two, Semi-Sweet and Life Drawing for Beginners, have been published in the US. She is currently working on her next book, which is scheduled for publication in autumn 2023. She is also plotting another children's book - shhhhh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
July 20, 2022
Ma koja dobra feel good knjiga! A tako zivotna, realisticna, ma odlicna! Nije sladunjava, nije prepuna kliseja.
I iako se sve nekako odvilo kako se moglo i ocekivati, nista mi nije smetalo. Sve se poklopilo!
I iako se sve nekako odvilo kako se moglo i ocekivati, nista mi nije smetalo. Sve se poklopilo!
December 28, 2023
"She loved how close he lived to happiness, how eager he was to embrace it whenever it came along. She loved the child-like joy he took from life."
Lil and Tom, familiar to me by now from my "sightings" of these characters in A Winter to Remember novel. I did immensely enjoy getting to know Lil and Tom fully. Also, Olive and Mark - they were so lovely and now I feel compelled to re-read the last pages of a later novel- the introductions to Olive and Mark were very brief in there and I didn't feel a connection to them back then, but in this one they were fully fledged and I felt deeply for them. I found this book so very beautiful. Since I was too eager to read A Winter to Remember, I decided against reading The Book Club first, but I wish I have had. But, on the other hand, maybe it was for the better... maybe this way the experience of the book became special from the first page? This story is nothing like I ever imagined it might be based on its cover, which was the reason of this book sitting on my shelves for two years - the story is brightly vivid, but the cover, in my opinion, is not. It deserves a better design - like the one of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie I just adore. Also somehow these two books were similar in the vibe. Different but similar. These two officially are my most favourites of this year! I couldn't take my eyes off this story, reveling in the warmth of the writing and never wanting it to end.
"Just because you've never done it, doesn't mean you can't."
Lil and Tom, familiar to me by now from my "sightings" of these characters in A Winter to Remember novel. I did immensely enjoy getting to know Lil and Tom fully. Also, Olive and Mark - they were so lovely and now I feel compelled to re-read the last pages of a later novel- the introductions to Olive and Mark were very brief in there and I didn't feel a connection to them back then, but in this one they were fully fledged and I felt deeply for them. I found this book so very beautiful. Since I was too eager to read A Winter to Remember, I decided against reading The Book Club first, but I wish I have had. But, on the other hand, maybe it was for the better... maybe this way the experience of the book became special from the first page? This story is nothing like I ever imagined it might be based on its cover, which was the reason of this book sitting on my shelves for two years - the story is brightly vivid, but the cover, in my opinion, is not. It deserves a better design - like the one of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie I just adore. Also somehow these two books were similar in the vibe. Different but similar. These two officially are my most favourites of this year! I couldn't take my eyes off this story, reveling in the warmth of the writing and never wanting it to end.
"Just because you've never done it, doesn't mean you can't."
April 30, 2021
Tom is looking to get away from Dublin. He wants to forget his past and start again. He rents a cottage in the small seaside town of Fairweather.
Slowly he starts to become friendly with his neighbours especially his landlady Beth who lives next door with her Grandaughter Lil. They have a makeshift library at the bottom of their garden and run a Book Club from there once a month.
I really enjoyed this book, it had some wonderful characters.
This is the first book I have read from this author and I will certainly be looking out for more of her work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books Ireland for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Slowly he starts to become friendly with his neighbours especially his landlady Beth who lives next door with her Grandaughter Lil. They have a makeshift library at the bottom of their garden and run a Book Club from there once a month.
I really enjoyed this book, it had some wonderful characters.
This is the first book I have read from this author and I will certainly be looking out for more of her work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books Ireland for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2021
I did really like this book by Meaney. A town that has a hidden jewel of a library that pulls several members of the community together. I did think the ending was a bit abrupt. Which is kind of typical of Meaney. I also have to say there is a sense of melancholy that runs through the book and makes you think about the way many things in our lives come to a sudden end.
"The Book Club" follows members of the town of Fairweather (Beth, her granddaughter Lil, her daughter's best friend Olive, Olive's father in law, Mark, and newcomer Tom). It takes a while to get going, but the book starts off with Tom who lives his brother's home in Dublin for Fairweather. We don't know what he is running from, but we quickly learn that a woman was involved and something terrible has changed Tom forever. Tom rents a house next door to Beth and finds the older woman taciturn until he finds out about a tragedy that happened to her two years earlier. Tom finds himself slowly getting more and more enmeshed in Fairweather.
I liked the story-lines following Tom, Olive, and Beth. I do have to say though that the main reason why I gave this 4 stars is that parts of Tom's story feels unfinished to me.
I thought the dialogue and flow for the most part of the book works.
The ending felt abrupt as I said earlier. Meaney has a habit of doing that with some of her books I found.
"The Book Club" follows members of the town of Fairweather (Beth, her granddaughter Lil, her daughter's best friend Olive, Olive's father in law, Mark, and newcomer Tom). It takes a while to get going, but the book starts off with Tom who lives his brother's home in Dublin for Fairweather. We don't know what he is running from, but we quickly learn that a woman was involved and something terrible has changed Tom forever. Tom rents a house next door to Beth and finds the older woman taciturn until he finds out about a tragedy that happened to her two years earlier. Tom finds himself slowly getting more and more enmeshed in Fairweather.
I liked the story-lines following Tom, Olive, and Beth. I do have to say though that the main reason why I gave this 4 stars is that parts of Tom's story feels unfinished to me.
I thought the dialogue and flow for the most part of the book works.
The ending felt abrupt as I said earlier. Meaney has a habit of doing that with some of her books I found.
August 20, 2022
Predivna, bogata životna priča, jedan od onih za koje poželite da nema kraja. Nesavršeni likovi s manama i mrljama iz prošlosti kojih se jako teško riješiti. A tu je i knjižnica s mnoštvom knjiga, susreti čitateljskog kluba, ma savršeno!
July 10, 2025
The Book Club is a beautifully written heart-warming story. Healing, second chances, found family, friendship, love, community and books. What else could you ask for? I really enjoyed reading it. Just a lovely make-me-feel-better story.
December 2, 2022
Roman koji vas svojom toplinom, skladnim rečenicama, mijenjanjem pozicije prioivjedača uvlači u jedan ušuškan svijet malog provincijskog primorskog grada u Irskoj. Mjesto gdje se u lokalnoj suvenirnici mogu ostaviti vizitke za posao, gdje se preporuke šire u pivnici, gdje se vijesti šire brzinom smjene pline i oseke.
Udovica, umirovljena nastavnica domaćinstva od starog hambara pravi lokalnu biblioteku u kojoj ne postoji vremenski rok za vraćanje knjiga i gdje se donacije knjiga prihvataju, a posuđene knjige završavaju na letovima turista.
Tajanstveni novajlija, koji unajmljuje lokalnu kuću, nosi traume iz prošlosti i traži sredinu za novi početak...
Sve u ovom romanu mi je bilo taman.
Taman radnje.
Taman predvidivosti
Taman romantike.
Taman tajanstvenosti.
Taman ljudskosti.
Iako hepiendovski kraj, nisu sve kockice posložene, nego se daje nagovještaj da idu u tom pravcu da se slože.
Roman koji ne vrijeđa inteligenciju, koji će vas u ove pretprazničke večeri zaokupiti, ali vas od njega neće zaboljeti glava.
Baš mi je nekako "sjeo" u ovom prednovogodišnjem ambijentu.
Udovica, umirovljena nastavnica domaćinstva od starog hambara pravi lokalnu biblioteku u kojoj ne postoji vremenski rok za vraćanje knjiga i gdje se donacije knjiga prihvataju, a posuđene knjige završavaju na letovima turista.
Tajanstveni novajlija, koji unajmljuje lokalnu kuću, nosi traume iz prošlosti i traži sredinu za novi početak...
Sve u ovom romanu mi je bilo taman.
Taman radnje.
Taman predvidivosti
Taman romantike.
Taman tajanstvenosti.
Taman ljudskosti.
Iako hepiendovski kraj, nisu sve kockice posložene, nego se daje nagovještaj da idu u tom pravcu da se slože.
Roman koji ne vrijeđa inteligenciju, koji će vas u ove pretprazničke večeri zaokupiti, ali vas od njega neće zaboljeti glava.
Baš mi je nekako "sjeo" u ovom prednovogodišnjem ambijentu.
June 13, 2021
Roisin Meaney is one of my absolute favourite authors and I was thrilled to receive an early copy of The Book Club. This book was an absolute joy to read. I loved the story and all the characters. At times I will admit to shedding a tear or two but there were also a few moments that made me laugh out loud. A wonderful read.
July 2, 2021
‘He was troubled. It came off him like a smell. He was running away from something or someone.
She’d heard Dublin in his accent. Not the colourful Dublin of Moore Street, less earthy than that, but his roots were definitely in the capital. Coming here put plenty of distance, almost four hundred kilometres, between him and Dublin’
The Book Club by Roisin Meaney was just published June 10th with Hachette Ireland and is described as ‘a heart-warming novel about friendship and finding a way home.’ I am no stranger to Roisin Meaney’s writing and I always know that I am going to come away with a smile on my face and a warm glow in my heart on turning the final page. The Book Club did just that with it’s wonderful array of characters and gorgeous storyline.
The name of course was always going to be a winner for me. A novel centred around a book club was sure to have some quirky personalities and Roisin Meaney creates a great picture vividly depicting the main cast of seven as they are slowly revealed to the reader.
The Book Club is set in the fictitious small seaside town of Fairweather in Co. Kerry with a community that has suffered its share of upset and drama over the years. For Beth, and her granddaughter Lil, the sadness of their own personal tragedy has never left them. An earth-shattering event changed the course of their lives forever and up to now, Beth, retired from her teaching job, has been a pillar of strength to Lil. Beth, a very active resident of Fairweather, used to run the local book club from a purposely upcycled shed in her garden. Here she receives book donations from a variety of sources and has a small library set up that she opens to all, both local and tourist. As a sadness fell upon her, she felt the book club was no longer for her but with the encouragement of friends she resumed the club and started to step out from beneath the cloud that follows her around. But Lil is incapable of moving on and Beth is very concerned for her.
The arrival of a stranger to Fairweather shakes things up a little when Tom McLysaght comes to town. Tom takes a short term rental on the property adjoining Beth’s, a property that belongs to her family. Beth sees something in Tom. She sees a lost soul, someone looking to escape and Beth respects his privacy, not one to gossip, But Fairweather asks questions of Tom, as other residents are curious about this stranger. He reveals little, yet is pleasant to all who cross his path.
Tom McLysaght has a secret, one that he is ashamed of and wants to keep buried. Moving to Fairweather is a means to an end for Tom. He needs this time out, this time away from his life. Having walked away from his perfect life in London, Tom is happy just to melt into the shadows and regroup. But Tom was very unprepared for such a close-knit community and slowly but surely he finds himself immersed in the day-to-day humdrum of life in Fairweather. But can he move on as long as he keeps his secret to himself? Can Beth ever come to terms with the tragedy in her life? And will Lil ever open up and let the world in again?
Roisin Meaney writes about people with familiar personalities that we all have crossed paths with at some point in our lives. The publican, the retired teacher, the shop owner, the deliveryman all come to life in The Book Club with gorgeous descriptions and colourful language. The importance of the local community is a very strong theme throughout The Book Club and, unfortunately, is something that is being slowly lost in many towns and villages in society today. Our busy lives have led to neighbours now barely recognising each other, oblivious to the concerns and sorrow of each other. If we lose our sense of belonging, our sense of being needed we lose something very valuable indeed. Roisin Meaney explores this and more in The Book Club treating the reader to a very captivating and feel-good experience. The Book Club is another joyous read, with the occasional sniffle and plenty of heartening moments that leave the reader wrapped up in a cosy embrace. Storytelling is a gift and Roisin Meaney continues to have it in spades.
She’d heard Dublin in his accent. Not the colourful Dublin of Moore Street, less earthy than that, but his roots were definitely in the capital. Coming here put plenty of distance, almost four hundred kilometres, between him and Dublin’
The Book Club by Roisin Meaney was just published June 10th with Hachette Ireland and is described as ‘a heart-warming novel about friendship and finding a way home.’ I am no stranger to Roisin Meaney’s writing and I always know that I am going to come away with a smile on my face and a warm glow in my heart on turning the final page. The Book Club did just that with it’s wonderful array of characters and gorgeous storyline.
The name of course was always going to be a winner for me. A novel centred around a book club was sure to have some quirky personalities and Roisin Meaney creates a great picture vividly depicting the main cast of seven as they are slowly revealed to the reader.
The Book Club is set in the fictitious small seaside town of Fairweather in Co. Kerry with a community that has suffered its share of upset and drama over the years. For Beth, and her granddaughter Lil, the sadness of their own personal tragedy has never left them. An earth-shattering event changed the course of their lives forever and up to now, Beth, retired from her teaching job, has been a pillar of strength to Lil. Beth, a very active resident of Fairweather, used to run the local book club from a purposely upcycled shed in her garden. Here she receives book donations from a variety of sources and has a small library set up that she opens to all, both local and tourist. As a sadness fell upon her, she felt the book club was no longer for her but with the encouragement of friends she resumed the club and started to step out from beneath the cloud that follows her around. But Lil is incapable of moving on and Beth is very concerned for her.
The arrival of a stranger to Fairweather shakes things up a little when Tom McLysaght comes to town. Tom takes a short term rental on the property adjoining Beth’s, a property that belongs to her family. Beth sees something in Tom. She sees a lost soul, someone looking to escape and Beth respects his privacy, not one to gossip, But Fairweather asks questions of Tom, as other residents are curious about this stranger. He reveals little, yet is pleasant to all who cross his path.
Tom McLysaght has a secret, one that he is ashamed of and wants to keep buried. Moving to Fairweather is a means to an end for Tom. He needs this time out, this time away from his life. Having walked away from his perfect life in London, Tom is happy just to melt into the shadows and regroup. But Tom was very unprepared for such a close-knit community and slowly but surely he finds himself immersed in the day-to-day humdrum of life in Fairweather. But can he move on as long as he keeps his secret to himself? Can Beth ever come to terms with the tragedy in her life? And will Lil ever open up and let the world in again?
Roisin Meaney writes about people with familiar personalities that we all have crossed paths with at some point in our lives. The publican, the retired teacher, the shop owner, the deliveryman all come to life in The Book Club with gorgeous descriptions and colourful language. The importance of the local community is a very strong theme throughout The Book Club and, unfortunately, is something that is being slowly lost in many towns and villages in society today. Our busy lives have led to neighbours now barely recognising each other, oblivious to the concerns and sorrow of each other. If we lose our sense of belonging, our sense of being needed we lose something very valuable indeed. Roisin Meaney explores this and more in The Book Club treating the reader to a very captivating and feel-good experience. The Book Club is another joyous read, with the occasional sniffle and plenty of heartening moments that leave the reader wrapped up in a cosy embrace. Storytelling is a gift and Roisin Meaney continues to have it in spades.
August 21, 2021
What a great book. I love books about books and about book clubs. The story was very well structured, the characters well built and the whole book was exactly what I needed to read right now.
October 5, 2023
Niti sretan niti tužan kraj, malo za promjenu realan. Jako dobra knjiga. 😊
June 17, 2021
Loved it!!! It's hard not to love Roisin Meaney's books. She is one of my favorite authors. The stories are always heartwarming with wonderful characters and beautifully written. I fall in love each time and feel like I'm part of the story. This book was no different. Now I want to move to Fairweather and become best friends with Olive, Lil and everyone else that's part of the book club. I want to shop at Olive's store and buy Tom's little houses. This book was so magical. Tom showed up at Beth's house at the perfect time and exactly what the town needed. Not to mention that the town was exactly what Tom needed. I loved getting to know each of the characters. Tom definitely dodged a bullet or he would have been stuck in a life where he really wasn't happy. I knew what he was going to discover that fateful weekend. I couldn't put the book down, but was so sad when it was over. I wanted to keep reading about Olive, Beth, Tom, Mark and Lil and see what they were up to next.
Definitely recommend the book. It's full of love, family relationships, loss, forgiveness and so much more. Plus it revolves around a private library. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Love the cover of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hachette Books Ireland through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Definitely recommend the book. It's full of love, family relationships, loss, forgiveness and so much more. Plus it revolves around a private library. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Love the cover of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hachette Books Ireland through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 23, 2022
• "Ljudi su joj govorili da vrijeme liječi sve rane, ali nisu imali pojma.
Vrijeme ne liječi: samo odvlači voljene sve dalje. Zamagljuje sjećanje na njihova lica, zaglušuje zvuk njihovih glasova, ali ne liječi. Godišnjice smrti jednako su boljele, upamćeni razgovori i smijeh i svađe i mirenja bili su poput bolnih rezova.
Vrijeme nije iskopalo usamljenost koju je smrt posijala u ožalošćenima."
Vrijeme ne liječi: samo odvlači voljene sve dalje. Zamagljuje sjećanje na njihova lica, zaglušuje zvuk njihovih glasova, ali ne liječi. Godišnjice smrti jednako su boljele, upamćeni razgovori i smijeh i svađe i mirenja bili su poput bolnih rezova.
Vrijeme nije iskopalo usamljenost koju je smrt posijala u ožalošćenima."
December 4, 2022
Savršen roman za uljepšati sebi dan, uživala sam čitajući o malom irskom gradiću, nesavršenim a opet savršenim likovima i njihovim životnim pričama, sve to opisano sa toplinom, onom koja grije srce i ostavlja čitaoca, nakon pročitane posljednje stranice, sa osmijehom na licu. A to nam svima treba, zar ne?
November 2, 2022
Za mene savrsena, feel good knjiga!
June 23, 2021
The Book Club is yet again another wonderful read from Roisin Meaney, a vastly under-rated author in my mind who deserves far more attention and acclaim. Of course a book that has book club in the title will make voracious readers want to read this story but it’s not your typical read in this genre based around book club meetings. Instead the monthly book club is the catalyst that brings a group of unlikely people together who all live in the same coastal village in Ireland. It’s not the direct focus of the book and just for a short time I felt I wanted more about the book club - what they were reading, how they felt about each book etc. But then I came to realise it really didn’t need to be an extremely strong focal point as the characters and their own personal stories, triumphs, tragedies, difficulties, sorrows, pain and anger begin to emerge and intertwine and an incredible story of friendship unfolds. One in which I quickly became completely caught up in and felt every bit of each character’s emotions all of whom were so brilliantly portrayed and represented whether they had major or minor roles to play.
Tom arrives from London to the village of Fairweather in Co. Kerry on a bleak January day. He has leased a house for six months in the hopes that he can shift gear and start afresh. He wishes his life to take an entirely new direction and has left so much behind that he questions whether he has the energy to begin this new stage in his life? Instantly you can sense a wariness and loneliness surrounding Tom, that something heart-breaking and life changing has befallen him and really you just want to embrace him and tell him that everything will turn out OK. That life has drawn him to this special village for a reason and all the answers he seeks might be there if he searches deep enough for them. I desperately wanted to know what had happened to him to make him up sticks and leave a high paid, high flying job in the big city. It’s only over time that we get the answers and I loved the pacing of this, it wasn’t dragged out nor are the same time was it rushed in anyway. A perfect balance was struck, just enough to keep the reader intrigued but yet not frustrated at the lack/slow response to the many questions that arise as you delve further into the book. You feel empathy for Tom but sense that the people he will meet in Fairweather could perhaps change his life and that friends are the people you make for life, that are so important in guiding your hand through the good times and bad.
Beth O’Sullivan is renting the house to Tom. It belongs to her granddaughter Lil who is living with her. The reasons for this living situation become apparent quite quickly although specifics are kept until just the pivotal point when the reader needs to know and when this occurs an even deeper understanding is afforded to the reader. Beth seems cold and standoffish so much so that Tom treads warily around her in fear of doing the wrong thing that could upset or set her off. She lacks warmth for others and can be judged as unfeeling. There must be a reason for Beth acting this way and as we get to know her it’s clear she conceals such deep pain, suffering and anguish but that at all times she wants to do her best by Lil and protect her. Despite Beth doing her best for the community and her family she really is a tortured soul whom you wish for some peace and relief for.
Lil has been through so much and the shock of an event has left her mute. Deep down she probably can speak but when she tries no words come out. She is very much an understated character in the fact she cannot express herself but in so many others ways she is so so powerful. Sometimes we say the most when we say nothing at all. She spends her days knitting and communicating on a notepad in the library Beth has established at the bottom of her garden. It’s a community library operated on a trust basis that Beth founded due to the lack of libraries in their area. Books are stamped and given out with no return date. Beth and Lil have faith that the books will be returned and it’s this unique concept that sees Tom begin to interact with Lil and eventually he joins the book club.
Both the book club and the library offer distractions and support in equal measure for all the characters. The library is a centre point for the village and without it Lil would even be more of a recluse than she already is. You just feel desperately sad for both herself and Beth. Perhaps more so for Lil as there is such a melancholy and wistfulness about her that you would like to break through in order to help her heal and take the first tentative steps towards a freedom of sorts. She was a brilliantly drawn character who I felt we got to know more so through the other characters and it’s a sign of a great author who can make you feel this way about a character who is not out there and in your face and able to express all their opinions and feelings.
I would say Tom, Beth and Lil are the main characters but there are plenty of secondary characters too. Often I find these minor characters play needless roles and are there merely as filler ins but here every character was so perfectly placed and had such important and life changing roles to play. Olive Purcell is married to Fred and runs her own gift shop. She is a doer and a pleaser and is happy in her life after adopting Nancy who is now 13 but now changes are afoot. Can she cope with the worry, upheaval and stress that is about to ensue? I loved how Olive looked after everybody else and that she sensed something about Tom, that he needed looking after and her unique little way of doing this was so just so special and magical. She liked managing things, sorting people out and fixing things but can she fix the problems that arise when some news emerges? Mark, Fred’s father, has his own little role to play in the overall story. I did guess what he was up to and when it was confirmed I found it just the sweetest thing ever.
Fairweather itself was so vividly described and I could picture all the places, shops etc that the characters visited. Again, as with Roisin’s previous books set in Roone, Fairweather has become a place that I wish was real so I could visit it and meet these people who got under my skin and still now they linger on in my mind. I loved how the story developed over the course of several months and the moods of the characters altered with the changing of the seasons. It began in darkness in winter and ended in summer but do all the characters find what they are looking for in the brightness of summer?
A line on the cover suggests 'friendship may be the only thing that can save them' and this incredible, magnificent story certainly explores this statement to absolute perfection. Roisin Meaney has done herself proud and written another stunning story that readers that old and new will fall in love with just as much as I did. Personally I felt at the end that there is room for another story set in Fairweather. I’m not ready to leave these characters behind and I hope Roisin will bring us more from this setting. I have my fingers crossed.
Tom arrives from London to the village of Fairweather in Co. Kerry on a bleak January day. He has leased a house for six months in the hopes that he can shift gear and start afresh. He wishes his life to take an entirely new direction and has left so much behind that he questions whether he has the energy to begin this new stage in his life? Instantly you can sense a wariness and loneliness surrounding Tom, that something heart-breaking and life changing has befallen him and really you just want to embrace him and tell him that everything will turn out OK. That life has drawn him to this special village for a reason and all the answers he seeks might be there if he searches deep enough for them. I desperately wanted to know what had happened to him to make him up sticks and leave a high paid, high flying job in the big city. It’s only over time that we get the answers and I loved the pacing of this, it wasn’t dragged out nor are the same time was it rushed in anyway. A perfect balance was struck, just enough to keep the reader intrigued but yet not frustrated at the lack/slow response to the many questions that arise as you delve further into the book. You feel empathy for Tom but sense that the people he will meet in Fairweather could perhaps change his life and that friends are the people you make for life, that are so important in guiding your hand through the good times and bad.
Beth O’Sullivan is renting the house to Tom. It belongs to her granddaughter Lil who is living with her. The reasons for this living situation become apparent quite quickly although specifics are kept until just the pivotal point when the reader needs to know and when this occurs an even deeper understanding is afforded to the reader. Beth seems cold and standoffish so much so that Tom treads warily around her in fear of doing the wrong thing that could upset or set her off. She lacks warmth for others and can be judged as unfeeling. There must be a reason for Beth acting this way and as we get to know her it’s clear she conceals such deep pain, suffering and anguish but that at all times she wants to do her best by Lil and protect her. Despite Beth doing her best for the community and her family she really is a tortured soul whom you wish for some peace and relief for.
Lil has been through so much and the shock of an event has left her mute. Deep down she probably can speak but when she tries no words come out. She is very much an understated character in the fact she cannot express herself but in so many others ways she is so so powerful. Sometimes we say the most when we say nothing at all. She spends her days knitting and communicating on a notepad in the library Beth has established at the bottom of her garden. It’s a community library operated on a trust basis that Beth founded due to the lack of libraries in their area. Books are stamped and given out with no return date. Beth and Lil have faith that the books will be returned and it’s this unique concept that sees Tom begin to interact with Lil and eventually he joins the book club.
Both the book club and the library offer distractions and support in equal measure for all the characters. The library is a centre point for the village and without it Lil would even be more of a recluse than she already is. You just feel desperately sad for both herself and Beth. Perhaps more so for Lil as there is such a melancholy and wistfulness about her that you would like to break through in order to help her heal and take the first tentative steps towards a freedom of sorts. She was a brilliantly drawn character who I felt we got to know more so through the other characters and it’s a sign of a great author who can make you feel this way about a character who is not out there and in your face and able to express all their opinions and feelings.
I would say Tom, Beth and Lil are the main characters but there are plenty of secondary characters too. Often I find these minor characters play needless roles and are there merely as filler ins but here every character was so perfectly placed and had such important and life changing roles to play. Olive Purcell is married to Fred and runs her own gift shop. She is a doer and a pleaser and is happy in her life after adopting Nancy who is now 13 but now changes are afoot. Can she cope with the worry, upheaval and stress that is about to ensue? I loved how Olive looked after everybody else and that she sensed something about Tom, that he needed looking after and her unique little way of doing this was so just so special and magical. She liked managing things, sorting people out and fixing things but can she fix the problems that arise when some news emerges? Mark, Fred’s father, has his own little role to play in the overall story. I did guess what he was up to and when it was confirmed I found it just the sweetest thing ever.
Fairweather itself was so vividly described and I could picture all the places, shops etc that the characters visited. Again, as with Roisin’s previous books set in Roone, Fairweather has become a place that I wish was real so I could visit it and meet these people who got under my skin and still now they linger on in my mind. I loved how the story developed over the course of several months and the moods of the characters altered with the changing of the seasons. It began in darkness in winter and ended in summer but do all the characters find what they are looking for in the brightness of summer?
A line on the cover suggests 'friendship may be the only thing that can save them' and this incredible, magnificent story certainly explores this statement to absolute perfection. Roisin Meaney has done herself proud and written another stunning story that readers that old and new will fall in love with just as much as I did. Personally I felt at the end that there is room for another story set in Fairweather. I’m not ready to leave these characters behind and I hope Roisin will bring us more from this setting. I have my fingers crossed.
June 2, 2021
Really enjoyed reading this book. It had a brilliant mix of characters that fitted well with one another. Great storylines to keep your interest. It was well written and flowed well. Great author
November 30, 2022
Knjigu se ne bi trebalo suditi po koricama, ali neke su toliko lijepe da hoćeš-nećeš budu ljubav na prvu najavu. 😁 Tako je meni bilo s Knjižnicom na obali mora.
I baš mi je dobra. Volim kada se iza lijepih korica skriva i lijepa priča, a ova je baš takva. Iako su životi mještana gradića Fairweather obilježeni tragedijom, prijateljstva opstaju, a neka možda i prerastu u nešto više.
Kad se Tom doseli u taj gradić s namjerom pobjeći od svog starog misterioznog života, useli se u kuću koja pripada tajanstvenoj Lil koja nakon tragedije nije progovorila ni riječi. Tom isprva pretpostavlja da se radi o djetetu, a iskreno i ja bih na njegovom mjestu pretpostavila isto. Stalno sam se morala podsjećati na to da Lil nije jedanaestogodišnjakinja, već dvadesettrogodišnjakinja. Ne zato jer mislim da nakon tragične nesreće osoba ne može ne govoriti više, nego je stvar u tome kako je ona kao lik prikazana. Voljela bih da je dobila više prostora i da njen lik ima malo više dubine, ovako mi je bila poprilično sporedna i žao mi je zbog toga.
S druge strane su mi ostali likovi vrlo živopisni i dobro opisani. Najviše mi se sviđa Tom, baš je dobro prikazan i osmišljen, po meni najbolje razrađen lik u knjizi. Beth koja je na prvu hladna i kruta, ponekad bolno praktična, mi je vrlo brzo prirasla srcu i postala jako simpatična. Olive je isto tako simpatična, ali u malim dozama. 😅 Malo se za moj ukus previše voli petljati tamo gdje joj nije mjesto pa mi je na trenutke bila naporna.
Kako sam se bližila kraju, a još nisam dobila odgovore na sva svoja pitanja, malo sam se bojala da ni neću, ali je ipak sve sjelo na svoje mjesto te sam knjigu zatvorila sa smješkom na licu. Knjižnica na obali mora je jedna topla životna priča idealna za ljeto. Suđenje po koricama se ovog puta isplatilo. 😁
I baš mi je dobra. Volim kada se iza lijepih korica skriva i lijepa priča, a ova je baš takva. Iako su životi mještana gradića Fairweather obilježeni tragedijom, prijateljstva opstaju, a neka možda i prerastu u nešto više.
Kad se Tom doseli u taj gradić s namjerom pobjeći od svog starog misterioznog života, useli se u kuću koja pripada tajanstvenoj Lil koja nakon tragedije nije progovorila ni riječi. Tom isprva pretpostavlja da se radi o djetetu, a iskreno i ja bih na njegovom mjestu pretpostavila isto. Stalno sam se morala podsjećati na to da Lil nije jedanaestogodišnjakinja, već dvadesettrogodišnjakinja. Ne zato jer mislim da nakon tragične nesreće osoba ne može ne govoriti više, nego je stvar u tome kako je ona kao lik prikazana. Voljela bih da je dobila više prostora i da njen lik ima malo više dubine, ovako mi je bila poprilično sporedna i žao mi je zbog toga.
S druge strane su mi ostali likovi vrlo živopisni i dobro opisani. Najviše mi se sviđa Tom, baš je dobro prikazan i osmišljen, po meni najbolje razrađen lik u knjizi. Beth koja je na prvu hladna i kruta, ponekad bolno praktična, mi je vrlo brzo prirasla srcu i postala jako simpatična. Olive je isto tako simpatična, ali u malim dozama. 😅 Malo se za moj ukus previše voli petljati tamo gdje joj nije mjesto pa mi je na trenutke bila naporna.
Kako sam se bližila kraju, a još nisam dobila odgovore na sva svoja pitanja, malo sam se bojala da ni neću, ali je ipak sve sjelo na svoje mjesto te sam knjigu zatvorila sa smješkom na licu. Knjižnica na obali mora je jedna topla životna priča idealna za ljeto. Suđenje po koricama se ovog puta isplatilo. 😁
June 8, 2024
A feel good story with charming characters.
A tragic accident leaves the tight-knit book club in the small seaside town of Fairweather reeling. Then stranger Tom McLysaght arrives in the community, and the members of the club find their lives changing in ways they never could have imagined.
None of them realise that Tom is hiding a secret. On the surface, his move to Fairweather was to escape his highflying life in London and to put some much-needed distance between him and his ex-fiancée - but deep down Tom knows that there are some things he cannot run from.
As the months pass with book club gatherings, secrets are shared and hurts begin to heal. New friendships might be the last thing on their minds but the members of the book club are about to discover that opening themselves up to other people might be the only thing that will help them all to live, and to love, again.
A tragic accident leaves the tight-knit book club in the small seaside town of Fairweather reeling. Then stranger Tom McLysaght arrives in the community, and the members of the club find their lives changing in ways they never could have imagined.
None of them realise that Tom is hiding a secret. On the surface, his move to Fairweather was to escape his highflying life in London and to put some much-needed distance between him and his ex-fiancée - but deep down Tom knows that there are some things he cannot run from.
As the months pass with book club gatherings, secrets are shared and hurts begin to heal. New friendships might be the last thing on their minds but the members of the book club are about to discover that opening themselves up to other people might be the only thing that will help them all to live, and to love, again.
July 9, 2021
Reading Roisin Meaney's books is like being invited to a special party, a party full of characters you want to get to know and love. A party in someone's house, someone who wants you in their life. This latest tale brings us to Fairweather where Tom is trying to not fit in, to disappear into the anonymity of a strange place. But he doesn't reckon on the closeness of village life. He doesn't reckon on the personalities who are determined to welcome him to their hearts and homes. He doesn't reckon on Lil whose silence draws him in, and slowly he becomes part of Fairweather. We meet Beth, Olive, Fred, Mark and Nancy, all of whom carry their own burdens. We find a special library, a welcoming book club, a gathering of friends. Roisin has done it again!
October 19, 2024
"Ljudi su joj govorili da vrijeme liječi sve rane, ali nisu imali pojma. Vrijeme ne liječi: samo odvlači voljene sve dalje. Zamagljuje sjećanje na njihova lica, zaglušuje zvuk njihovih glasova, ali ne liječi."
"I sada, sa svojih sedamdeset godina, napokon sam shvatio da nema nikakvog smisla žaliti za bilo čime. Žaljenje ti daje dozvolu da pustiš da se neke stvari gnoje, iako bi bilo bolje da ih se odmah riješiš."
"Došla je do trake i okrenula se da pogleda kuću, odnosno obje kuće. Zbilja, što su one bile osim nakupina cigle i betona? Istina, bile su krcate uspomenama, ali uspomene se daju spakirati i odnijeti negdje drugo. Uspomene , štoviše, svugdje prate onoga tko ih se sjeća."
"I sada, sa svojih sedamdeset godina, napokon sam shvatio da nema nikakvog smisla žaliti za bilo čime. Žaljenje ti daje dozvolu da pustiš da se neke stvari gnoje, iako bi bilo bolje da ih se odmah riješiš."
"Došla je do trake i okrenula se da pogleda kuću, odnosno obje kuće. Zbilja, što su one bile osim nakupina cigle i betona? Istina, bile su krcate uspomenama, ali uspomene se daju spakirati i odnijeti negdje drugo. Uspomene , štoviše, svugdje prate onoga tko ih se sjeća."
July 8, 2021
She’s taken over from Maeve Binchey.
November 23, 2021
Really interesting characters, and type of Irish setting I like. Around Tom there is some mystery that is gradually revealed. And a library that sounded perfect. First novel read by this author.
September 1, 2022
Loved the characters and the feel good story.
April 26, 2023
Heartwarming
Easy read
Generally a lovely story
Easy read
Generally a lovely story
April 17, 2025
Sad in places but a really wholesome story of friendship and love in times of hardship 🥹❤️
July 30, 2024
Cute story, I saw nearly all the twists coming, but loved the Irish accent in the audiobook!
July 21, 2021
Entertaining enough, not even really ‘bad’. But too middle of the road. I’m not crazy about books that are merely a narrative (okay, the story had some flashbacks). Even though the story in itself was interesting enough, the construction was too simple.
And now for the positive: I love where the story unfolds, which was the main reason for me to read the book. The plot is unexpected (which is good), the main character is sympathetic (I really like him).
All in all, just another middle of the road, not achingly bad book.
And now for the positive: I love where the story unfolds, which was the main reason for me to read the book. The plot is unexpected (which is good), the main character is sympathetic (I really like him).
All in all, just another middle of the road, not achingly bad book.
August 24, 2024
A lovely easy read and a real page turner as I wanted to find out what happened to all the characters. My first Roisin Meaney book but definitely not my last.
July 23, 2023
A beautiful, cosy book💙
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