The Wily O'Reilly

The Wily O'Reilly: Irish Country Stories: Irish Country Stories by Patrick Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A compilation of the famous Dr. Fingal O'Reilly stories before he became so famous. Patrick Taylor originally wrote about the Irish doctor in a series of columns published in Stitches: The Journal of Medical Humour before publishing them as a book in later years. Doc's antics will crack you up as he interacts with his Ulster town residents at the pub, the Mucky Duck, and in his surgery. Our favorite characters are back like Kinky, Donal Donnelly, and O'Reilly's leg humping, very large dog, Arthur.

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An Irish Country Wedding

An Irish Country Wedding by Patrick Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adore Patrick Taylor's series on my favorite country doctors. Reminiscent of All Creatures Great and Small and the BBC series Balleykissangel, the cast of characters are loveable and hardworking. Set in Ireland, in the small village of Ballybucklebo, the doctors Flahertie O'Reilly and Barry Laverty continue their GP duties, with an eye to also help their neighbors. O'Reilly is set to wed his love Kitty O'Hallorhan while Laverty has found a new girlfriend. The kitchen wonder Kinky Kincaid comes down with a possible hernia and is rushed off to the hospital, leaving the two men helpless, since neither can cook! The village residents step up to the plate to make sure their favorite docs don't do without.

This is book seven and I personally hate to see an ending to this series....

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An Irish Christmas

An Irish Christmas by Melody Carlson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Colleen and her grown-up son, Jamie, have kept secrets from each other, not little secrets - but blow it out of the water secrets, secrets that could tear apart their fragile relationship. While Jamie was in college, his Dad/Colleen's husband passed away from a heart condition. Now alone and adrift, Colleen sells the flourishing shoe business that Jamie does not want to run and is seriously considering downsizing her beautiful but much too large home. When Jamie comes home from college and with a sudden decision, but really a cover-up announces his plan to join the military - Colleen makes a sudden decision as well. A trip to Ireland at Christmas will be where she tells Jamie the secret only her and her late husband hid.

Rather predictable, sometimes downright unbelievable, but with beautiful descriptions of Ireland, the pubs, and a small Irish island named Inishbofin, Carlson writes a sweet little inspirational with a nice surprise ending.

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The Silver Boat

The Silver Boat: A Novel by Luanne Rice

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Dar McCarthy, the only sister still living on Martha's Vineyard, has gathered her two younger sisters home, Delia and Rory, to close up Daggett's Way, the old beloved family beach house. Desperately trying to hang onto the 15 acre property, all three sisters fly off to Cork, Ireland, remembering their father's insistent story of a land grant given to the McCarthys. Their father had sailed for the emerald isles, many years before on a lovely ship he had built himself, the Irish Darling, promising to return with such evidence. Instead, finally after a safe arrival, the family had never heard from him again. Dar, especially, has always had problems with the abandonment and uses the pain she feels in her illustrating her graphic novels. In the end, after learning the truth about their father, the sisters find that they're really not on the same page about Daggett's Way - they cut the thread that held them together and Dar feels abandoned again, dropping into a deep depression.

Luanne Rice is one of my favorite writers of fiction. She has a way of writing about family relationships, weaving in the same joys and losses that we, the readers, feel in our own lives. To lighten things up a wee bit, there always seems to be a quirky character or two involved.




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In the Company of Others

In the Company of Others: A Father Tim Novel by Jan Karon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


One of my very favorite series of all times - A Father Tim novel and by the same author of the Mitford Series, Jan Karon. I love the gentleness of Father Tim, a retired Episcopalian priest and the spunkiness of his wife Cynthia, illustrator of children's books. This time round, they head over to Ireland for a long overdue vacation. But while staying a lodge at Broughadoon in the middle of nowhere, odd things begin to happen and they both are pulled into age-old family problems. Will a beloved family heirloom be found and will the family matriarch confess before her alcoholism takes her down? Sometimes generational secrets need to be exposed for healing to be found.



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Love Letters

Love Letters by Katie Fforde

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Romantic. Hilarious. Absurd. Witty. I love Katie Fforde's novel - always guaranteed many giggles and laughs. Shy Laura had a wonderful job at the local bookshop, didn't pay much, but she loved her job. As the bookshop prepares to close, to tide her over until she finds a new job, Laura uncharacteristically, agrees to chair a literary festival. There was one author, a sexy, reclusive Irish writer named Dermot Flynn whose works Laura loved since her college days, and Laura is hopeful that he will lead the festival. So she takes off for Ireland to try and persuade Dermot, while keeping her romantic thoughts and wits about her. The events that follow are bound to make you laugh out loud.



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The Book of Tomorrow

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Tamara Goodwin, 16, lived in a 7,000-square-foot, six-bedroom mansion, complete with a swimming pool, tennis court, a private beach in Killiney, Ireland. That is, she did live there until her father committed suicide and Tamara and her mom discovered they were bankrupt. Needing a home, they moved to the middle of nowhere with Tamara's aunt, Rosaleen and uncle, Arthur - the Deliverance Duo - as Tamara calls them. Her mom, once settled in, seems to go into a dark depression and barely stirs from her bed, while her aunt is acting rather strange and seems to be hiding something. The house they live in is the gatehouse that once protected the side entrance to Kilsaney Castle, built sometime between 1100 and 1200. Tamara is drawn to the rundown castle and the secrets it hides.

When a traveling library stops at the gatehouse one day, by mistake, she unconcernedly hops aboard and finds a leather-bound book and takes it back to the gatehouse. After prying open the lock, Tamara, sees her own handwriting - but dated for the next day. Can she change the series of events, happening around the castle, before they unfold?



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If You Could See Me Now

If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you've ever read any of Cecelia Ahern's novels, you know that her books are rather endearing, romantic, and sweet. If You Could See Me Now begins with Elizabeth's flighty, unreliable younger sister, Saoirse, stealing the car and taking off for parts unknown, again! Elizabeth, who adopted Saoirese's son, Luke, is left trying to care for him and her angry, aging father. Luke, only six years old and lonely, finds solace in a new, invisible friend named Ivan. Elizabeth, who is a no nonsense, very precise, and controlled woman suddenly finds herself sensing something or someone around the house. Is Ivan really invisible to adults and children, other than Luke and can he help Elizabeth reclaim some fun and spontaneity in her life?



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An Irish Country Courtship

An Irish Country Courtship: A Novel by Patrick Taylor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I love Patrick Taylor's series set in Ireland and An Irish Country Courtship continues my love affair! My favorite characters are all there - Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly, Dr. Barry Laverty, their wonderfulk housekeeper Kinky Kinkade, Bertie Bishop, that rascal Donel Donelly and so many more. The book opens on Boxing Day in 1964 at Bertie and Flo Bishop party with a bang. Poor Barry, attending with his girl, Patricia Spencer, is shocked to overhear that she is ready to break up with him. And, Fingal has realized his fondness for Kitty has turned into love, but can he voice the words aloud before Kitty moves on? A new year brings new adventures to many of the villagers of Ballybucklebo!



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