The Italian evening class at Mountainview School is like hundreds of others starting up all over the city. But this class has its own special quality as the focus for the varied hopes and dreams of teacher and pupils alike.Aidan Dunne needs his new evening class project to succeed almost as much as his pupils do.They too are looking for something more: Bill to find a way to keep spendthrift Lizzie at his side and Fran to make sure that young Kathy finds her way out from behind the kitchen sink.

Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather have decided to create the best catering company in Dublin. They have the perfect premises, heaps of talent, and even a few contacts but not everyone seems as pleased by the idea of 'Scarlet Feather' as they are.Tom's parents are disappointed that he has turned his back on the family business. Cathy's husband buries himself in work, becoming ever more distant, whilst his mother thinks Cathy should stay at home to look after him.And Tom's relationship with his beautiful, ambitious girlfriend becomes fraught as she struggles to realise her dream of becoming a model. As Cathy and Tom strive to maintain their emotional ties amidst catering triumphs and disasters they are supported - and undermined - by an enchanting cast of classic Binchy characters.

Ria lived on Tara Road in Dublin with her dashing husband, Danny, and their two children. She fully believed she was happily married, right up until the day Danny told her he was leaving her to be with his young, pregnant girlfriend.By a chance phone call, Ria meets Marilyn, a woman from New England unable to come to terms with her only son's death and now separated from her husband. The two women exchange houses for the summer with extraordinary consequences, each learning that the other has a deep secret that can never be revealed.Drawn into lifestyles vastly differing from their own, at first each resents the news of how well the other is getting on. Ria seems to have become quite a hostess, entertaining half the neighborhood, which at first irritates the reserved and withdrawn Marilyn, a woman who has always guarded her privacy.Marilyn seems to have become bosom friends with Ria's children, as well as with Colm, a handsome restaurateur, whom Ria has begun to miss terribly. At the end of the summer, the women at last meet face-to-face. Having learned a great deal, about themselves and about each other, they find that they have become, firmly and forever, good friends.

Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather have decided to create the best catering company in Dublin. They have plenty of talent, the perfect premises, and even a few contacts. But not everyone is as pleased by the idea of 'Scarlet Feather' as they are.

Tom's parents are disappointed that he has turned his back on the family business. Cathy's mother-in-law believes Cathy should be at home. And Tom's relationship with his beautiful, ambitious girlfriend is slowly disintegrating.

As Cathy and Tom strive to maintain their emotional ties amidst catering triumphs and disasters, they find both support and opposition where they least expect it.

Maeve Binchy's highly successful Quick Read. 'She is the Queen of Fiction and one of the funniest and best-loved storytellers in the world . . . once you read Maeve you are hooked for life' IRISH TIMES 'Maeve Binchy's work continues to inspire ... thought-provoking, warm and funny in equal measure' WOMAN Molly Sullivan said that the new baby was a little star. She was no trouble at all and she was always smiling - so she became known as Star and no one remembered that her name was Oona. Star Sullivan just wanted everyone to be happy - her father to stop gambling, her mother not to work so hard, her brother to stay out of trouble, her sister to stop worrying about every little thing she ate. Then the Hale family moved in next door, and from the moment Star saw 23-year-old Laddy Hale, everything began to change - until Star was no longer the sweet, thoughtful girl everyone loved and no one worried about...

'One of my all-time favourites' LORRAINE KELLY 'An absolute joy. Maeve sweeps you away to an island paradise!' VERONICA HENRY ___________ 'They were still talking as the first stars came into the sky...' Four strangers meet at a taverna on a beautiful Greek island, with nothing in common except a need to escape. But over one magical summer they'll discover that sometimes, the people who understand you the best can be the ones who don't know you at all... ___________ Find out why millions of readers adore Maeve Binchy... 'A story to lift your heart and bring you peace.' (Five stars) 'Maeve Binchy in the sunshine of Greece - what more could one want?' (Five stars) 'Happy and life-affirming' (Five stars) 'The Greek island itself was so real, it made you want to pack a suitcase an rush off to live there.' (Five stars) 'Set on a beautiful Greek island, and as you get caught up in the story you feel as if you have been there yourself.' (Five stars) 'Romance, disappointments, opportunities taken, beautiful Greece all tied up in a holiday package.' (Five stars) ___________ SPECIAL EDITION FEATURING 'MEMORIES OF MAEVE' FROM: Minnie Driver - Marian Keyes - Cathy Kelly - Veronica Henry Jilly Cooper - Lorraine Kelly - Jenny Colgan - Katie Fforde - Ruby Wax Patricia Scanlan - Liz Nugent - Megan Nolan - Maeve's friends & colleagues Introduced by Maeve's husband, Gordon Snell. ___________ 'A brilliant storyteller' GRAHAM NORTON 'A master storyteller' NEW YORK TIMES 'Maeve Binchy was my hero' MARIAN KEYES 'The Queen of Fiction' IRISH TIMES 'A true star' JILLY COOPER 'A remarkable writer' RUBY WAX 'Wielded her pen with dizzying genius' CATHY KELLY ___________

'A book designed to be read in a dark January chill; it begs for a fireside and the sound of wind and rain howling outside' THE LADY This winter, escape to a warm and wonderful clifftop hotel with the world's favourite storyteller. Now with brand new introduction by Cathy Bramley, bestselling author of Merrily Ever After. 'Sometimes she would go and walk the cliffs at night and look out over the ocean...' Set high on the cliffs on the west coast of Ireland, Stone House was falling into disrepair until one woman, with a past she needed to forget, breathed new life into the place. Now a hotel with a big warm kitchen and log fires, it provides a welcome few can resist. And so gather the guests: some with secrets, some longing to leave their old lives behind, and some hoping the break at Stone House will help them find a way to face the future... 'A book to treasure' HELLO 'Full of her trademark warmth, humour and lovable characters' WOMAN 'A master storyteller' MARIAN KEYES

The Journey... Every Friday night a lilac-colored minibus leaves Dublin for the Irish country town of Rathdoon with seven weekend commuters on board. All of them, from the joking bank porter to the rich doctor's daughter, have their reasons for making the journey.
The Destination...Rathdoon is the kind of Irish village where family histories are shared and scandals don't stay secret for long. And this weekend, when the bus pulls in, the riders find the unexpected waiting for them...as each of their private lives unfolds to reveal a sharp betrayal of the heart, a young man's crime, and a chance for new dreams among the eight intriguing men and women on...

"From the Trade Paperback edition."

'I literally could not put the book down' Sunday Express 'This is Binchy at her finest' Woman and Home 'It's little wonder that Maeve Binchy's bewitching stories have become world-beaters' OK Magazine Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather have decided to create the best catering company in Dublin. They have plenty of talent, the perfect premises, and even a few contacts. But not everyone is as pleased by the idea of 'Scarlet Feather' as they are. Tom's parents are disappointed that he has turned his back on the family business. Cathy's mother-in-law believes Cathy should be at home. And Tom's relationship with his beautiful, ambitious girlfriend is slowly disintegrating. As Cathy and Tom strive to maintain their emotional ties amidst catering triumphs and disasters, they find both support and opposition where they least expect it. 'Drama, humour, warmth and great characters - it's what we expect from Maeve Binchy, one of the world's best-loved writers' Woman's Weekly

'There's nobody like Binchy for warming the cockles, and this collection of Christmas stories warms them to white heat' Kate Saunders, The Times Christmas: a time of year when emotions run high and long-held secrets can unexpectedly surface... This Year It Will Be Different powerfully evokes the lives of wives, husbands, children, friends and lovers. As the festivities take hold, there are step-families grappling with exes; long-married couples faced with in-law problems; a wandering husband choosing between the other woman and his wife; a child caught up in a grown-up tug-of-war. 'We are all in her pages, all of us: mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, husbands, wives, children, friends, lovers ... It is this combination of Maeve's understanding of what it is to be human, and how to cope with life, that makes her so popular' Veronica Henry, bestselling author of Christmas at the Beach Hut

'Irresistible' Elle AN OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICK 'This is Binchy at her best' Mail on Sunday A house swap leads to an unlikely and touching friendship, as secrets are unveiled and lives changed. Ria and Marilyn have never met - they live thousands of miles apart, separated by the Atlantic Ocean: one in a big, warm, Victorian house in Tara Road, Dublin, the other in a modern, open-plan house in New England. Two more unlikely friends would be hard to find: Ria's life revolves around her family and friends, while Marilyn's reserve is born of grief. But when each needs a place to escape to, a house exchange seems the ideal solution. Along with the borrowed houses come neighbours and friends, gossip and speculation as Ria and Marilyn swap lives for the summer...

'A touching, funny, optimistic book full of wonderful, well observed characters' Daily Mail 'Maeve Binchy at her best' Choice Everything is changing in small Irish town of Rossmore - and when a new road threatens to cut through Whitethorn Woods, everyone has a passionate opinion about whether the town will benefit or suffer. At the heart of the conflict is the fate of St. Ann's Well. People have been coming to St. Ann's for generations to share their dreams and fears. Some believe it to be a place of true spiritual power, demanding protection; others think it's a mere magnet for superstitions, easily sacrificed. When one man is offered compensation for his land - but has a personal reason to save the well - and a childless London woman comes to Whitethorn Woods, begging the saint for help, the consequences are not as anyone anticipated . . .

'Binchy weaves her magic once again in an addictive story about families and people who aren't always quite what they seem' Woman & Home Baby Frankie is born into an unusual family. Her mother is desperate to find someone to take care of her child and she doesn't have much time. Noel doesn't seem to be the most promising of fathers but despite everything, he could well be Frankie's best hope. As for Lisa, she is prepared to give up everything for the man she loves; surely he's going to love her back? And Moira is having none of it. She knows what's right, and has the power to change the course of Frankie's life...but Moira is hiding secrets of her own.

A fantastic Maeve Binchy - written specially for the World Book Day Quick Reads promotion. 'Her storytelling ability is second to none' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'It's little wonder that Maeve Binchy's bewitching stories have become world-beaters' OK MAGAZINE 'Maeve Binchy is a master storyteller' NEW YORK TIMES Dee loves her children very much, but now they are all grown up, shouldn't they leave home? Rosie moved out when she got married, but it didn't work out, so now she is back with her parents. Helen is a teacher, and doesn't earn enough for a place of her own. Anthony writes songs, and is just waiting for the day when someone will pay him for them. Until then, all three are happy at home. It doesn't cost them anything, and surely their parents like having a full house? When a crisis occurs, Dee decides things have to change for the whole family...whether they like it or not.

'A brilliant storyteller' GRAHAM NORTON 'This is Binchy at her best' MAIL ON SUNDAY THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF A CLASSIC NOVEL FROM THE WORLD'S FAVOURITE STORYTELLER, #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR MAEVE BINCHY. Ria and Marilyn have never met, but they're about to switch lives for the summer... Ria Lynch lives in a big, warm, Victorian house in Tara Road, Dublin, where her life revolves around family and friends. Marilyn Vine lives thousands of miles away in a quiet, modern house in New England. After a terrible loss, she has closed herself off from the world. Two more unlikely friends would be hard to find, but when each needs a place to escape to, a house exchange seems the ideal solution. Along with the borrowed houses come neighbours and friends, gossip and speculation, and Ria and Marilyn soon realise that swapping lives won't be the peaceful escape they'd been hoping for ... Though it might turn out to be exactly the change they both needed. *AN OPRAH BOOK CLUB PICK*

A Main Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club

New York Times bestselling author Maeve Binchy has captured the hearts of millions with her unforgettable novels. Binchy's graceful storytelling and wise compassion have earned her the devotion of fans worldwide--and made her one of the most beloved authors of our time. Now she dazzles us once again with a new novel filled with her signature warmth, humor, and tender insight. A provocative tale of family heartbreak, friendship, and revelation,Tara Road explores every woman's fantasy: escape, into another place, another life. "What if..." Binchy asks, and answers in her most astonishing novel to date.

'Maeve's Times is funny and clever and kind, which are excellent qualities in both books and people' Irish Times 'As someone who fell off a chair not long ago trying to hear what they were saying at the next table in a restaurant, I suppose I am obsessively interested in what some might consider the trivia of other people's lives.' Maeve Binchy is well known for her bestselling novels, but for many years Maeve was a journalist. From 'The Student Train' to 'Plane Bores' and 'Bathroom Joggers' to 'When Beckett met Binchy', these articles have all the warmth, wit and humanity of her fiction. Arranged in decades, from the 1960s to the 2000s, and including Maeve's first and last ever piece of writing for the Irish Times, the columns also give a fascinating insight into the author herself. With an introduction written by her husband, the writer Gordon Snell, this collection of timeless writing reminds us of why the leading Irish writer was so universally loved.

Maeve Binchy, "the grand story teller,"* returns with a cast of characters you will never forget when they all spend a winter week together on holiday at Stone House, a restful inn by the sea...
Stoneyville is a small town on the coast of Ireland where all the families know each other. When Chicky decides to take an old decaying mansion, Stone House, and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, the town thinks she is crazy. She is helped by Rigger (a bad boy turned good who is handy around the place) and her niece Orla (a whiz at business). Finally the first week of paying guests arrive: John, the American movie star thinks he has arrived incognito; Winnie and Lillian, forced into taking a holiday together; Nuala and Henry, husband and wife, both doctors who have been shaken by seeing too much death; Anders, the Swedish boy, hates his father's business, but has a real talent for music; Miss Nell Howe, a retired school teacher, who criticizes everything and leaves a day early, much to everyone's relief; the Walls who have entered in 200 contests (and won everything from a microwave oven to velvet curtains, including the week at Stone House); and Freda, the psychic who is afraid of her own visions. You will laugh and cry as you spend the week with this odd group who share their secrets and might even have some of their dreams come true.

Maeve Binchy is one of Britain's most popular and bestselling authors, and this collection of four stories from the BBC Radio 4 archive shows her at her most insightful and imaginative. In The Garden Party, Helen envies her neighbour Debbie Kennedy's garden - and her life - but discovers that things are not always as they seem; while The Special Sale sees lonely Yvonne arranging a special lunch for her friend Frank and his children on the day after Christmas. The Sensible Celebration finds Lorna about to throw a small party to celebrate the decade gone by: but as she plans, she starts to think about her life, and her marriage. Finally, in Dolly's Mother, the beauty, grace and efficiency of her perfect parent have always made Dolly feel inferior - until the day of her sixteenth birthday. These four stories, never collected together in book form and unique to audio, are read by acclaimed actors Niamh Cusack, Dervla Kirwan, Doreen Hepburn and Stella McCusker. 1 CD. 57 mins.

The Journey... Every Friday night a lilac-colored minibus leaves Dublin for the Irish country town of Rathdoon with seven weekend commuters on board. All of them, from the joking bank porter to the rich doctor's daughter, have their reasons for making the journey.

The Destination...Rathdoon is the kind of Irish village where family histories are shared and scandals don't stay secret for long. And this weekend, when the bus pulls in, the riders find the unexpected waiting for them...as each of their private lives unfolds to reveal a sharp betrayal of the heart, a young man's crime, and a chance for new dreams among the eight intriguing men and women on...

Plus a special bonus in this volume...Maeve Binchy's DUBLIN 4 tales--a truly unforgettable collection of stories about today's Ireland that captures the profound intimacy and drama of ordinary lives.