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A heart-warming story about secrets between four generations of women and the healing power of books, love and friendship.
The Garden Café, in the town of Lissbeg on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula, is a place where plans are formed and secrets shared ...
But Jazz - still reeling from her father's disclosures about the truth of his marriage to her mother, Hanna - has more on her mind than the comings and goings at the café. Now isolated from friends and family and fixating on her new job at a local guesthouse, she's started to develop feelings for a man who is strictly off limits . . .
Meanwhile Hanna, Lissbeg's librarian, is unaware of the turmoil in her daughter's life - until her ex-husband Malcolm makes an appearance and she begins to wonder if the secrets she's carried for him might have harmed Jazz more than she'd realised.
As things heat up in Lissbeg, can the old book Hanna finds buried in her own clifftop garden help Jazz?
Review:
The Library At The Edge Of The World, by Felicity Hayes-McCoy, was one of the most enjoyable books I read last year. I loved the sense of community and all the characters in the fictional Irish village of Finfarran. Where the first book centered around a community crisis, it's sequel, Summer At the Garden Cafe, was more about individual relationships and some of the downsides of living in a town where everyone knows your business.
What I Liked:
Characters:There are so many wonderful characters in this book. I was particularly pleased with the introduction of two characters who are immigrants, Ameena Khan, and her mother Saira. The author stayed away from stereotypes and made these characters very relatable. We also see more of the older generation in the village. The past is represented as well with diary entries from Maggie Casey, whom Hannah inherited her home from.
Story:
The novel is broken down into several smaller stories that spanned generations. There is the young couple, Conor and Aideen, who are trying to see if they want to make a deeper commitment. Divorced Hannah is still unsure about starting a relationship with Brian, but will her indecision drive him away? Jazz, Hannah's daughter, is dealing with the aftermath of her car accident, and her growing attraction to a married man.
The plot point I found most enjoyable was about Mary Casey, (Hannah's mother) and Hannah's ex-mother-in-law, Louisa. Both widowed, they both are trying to figure out how to restructure their lives.
Themes:
While The Library At The Edge of The World, celebrates the upside of small town life, this book shows there are some downsides, as well. News of arguments, ailments, and amorous adventures are spread faster than wildfire. And in this little village, many of the older citizens are eager to chime in with advice.
What I Was Mixed About:
While I liked the story, I wish there would have been a larger plot point that could have tied all the individual stories together. As it was, I found the smaller stories a bit disjointed.I also felt that it was a bit unrealistic that everyone (even the young people) wanted to live in such a small town. I would think that there would be at least a few young adults who would feel stifled and be eager to venture forth and tackle the big city.
Rating:
Release Date: May 18th, 2017
Author: Felicity Hayes-McCoy
Publisher: Hachette Books
Genre: General Fiction
Page Length: 400 Pages
Source: Public Library
Format: E-Book
Recommendation:
A satisfying sequel to The Library At The Edge Of The World. Full of small town drama.
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