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.

'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*

'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 ___________

'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

'Her storytelling ability is second to none' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Maeve Binchy is a master storyteller' NEW YORK TIMES 'The Irish do love telling stories, and we are suspicious of people who don't have long, complicated conversations. There used to be a rule in etiquette books that you should invite four talkers and four listeners to a dinner party. That doesn't work in Ireland, because nobody knows four listeners' Maeve Binchy Maeve Binchy's bestselling novels not only tell wonderful stories, they also give an insight in to how Ireland has changed over the decades, and how people remain the same: they still fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they still have hopes and dreams; they have deep, long-standing friendships, and some that fall apart. From her earliest writing to her most recent, Maeve's work has included wonderfully nostalgic pieces and also sharp, often witty writing which is insightful and topical. But at the heart of all Maeve's fiction are the people and their relationships with each other. A FEW OF THE GIRLS is a glorious collection of the very best of her writing, full of the warmth, charm and humour that has always been essentially Maeve.

Deeply Regretted By . . ., Maeve Binchy's classic television play, is a moving and powerful account of a tragedy affecting a woman in London who discovers, on the death of her 'husband', that their married life was a lie. When shown on RTE Television twenty-five years ago Deeply Regretted By . . . affected audiences intensely, and exposed a hidden vein in Irish society--that of bigamy. The play reflects the sociopolitical realities of Irish men marrying and starting families both at home and abroad, principally after they were forced to emigrate for work. Deeply Regretted By . . is a brave and revealing account of a hidden layer of Irish society which Maeve Binchy first brought to the surface in her Irish Times story, "Death in Kilburn," (also included in this volume). Arlen House are proud to publish Deeply Regretted By . . . as the first in a new series of Arlen Classic Literature.

'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

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...

'Make no mistake, there is magic at work' Elizabeth Buchan, Sunday Times 'Oh, the bliss ... Maeve's back, on top form ... The heart is the theme, literally and metaphorically, and this is heartwarming stuff' The Times Clara Casey has more than enough on her plate: two difficult daughters, a demanding new job running a heart clinic and an ex-husband who wants something from her . . . For Ania, meeting Clara is a miracle. She never intended to leave Poland - but perhaps a new country will mend her broken heart? Then there's Father Flynn, whose life is turned upside down when his reputation is threatened; and the beautiful, troubled nurse, Fiona, who can't leave the secrets of her past behind . . .

'A true epic . . . It's easy to see why this stunning tale has been called the Australian Gone With the Wind' Daily Mail 'One of the biggest-selling, most widely read books in the history of fiction' Observer In the rugged Australian Outback, three generations of Clearys live through joy and sadness, bitter defeat and magnificent triumph - driven by their dreams, sustained by remarkable strength of character and torn by dark passions, violence and a scandalous family legacy of forbidden love. It is a poignant love story, a powerful epic of struggle and sacrifice, a celebration of individuality and spirit. Most of all, it is the story of the Clearys' only daughter, Meggie, who can never possess the man she so desperately adores - Ralph de Bricassart. Ralph will rise from parish priest to the inner circles of the Vatican ... but his passion for Meggie will follow him all the days of his life. A timeless epic romance - a battle between faith and the heart

Original short fiction by a beloved best-selling author on her best topic relationships. Charming novella from a masterful writer on the power of family secrets. Nan Ryan lives by herself at 14 Chestnut Road. When builders arrive to fix a deserted house next door, everyone expects the worst. But when the handsome workman looks to Nan to help unravel the mystery of the previous residents' disappearance, a strange relationship develops. With family dynamics and crooked developers in the wings, things are about to get very messy...

While she was writing columns for "The Irish Times" and her best-selling novels, Maeve Binchy also had in mind to write a book that revolved around one street with many characters coming and going. Every once in a while, she would write about one these people. She would then put it in a drawer. "For the future," she would say. The future is now.
Just around the corner from St. Jarlath's Crescent (which readers will recognize from "Minding Frankie") is Chestnut Street, where neighbors come and go. Behind their closed doors we encounter very different people with different life circumstances, occupations, and sensibilities. Written with the humor and understanding that are earmarks of Maeve Binchy's work, it is a pleasure to be part of this world with all of its joys and sorrows, to get to know the good and the bad, and ultimately to have our hearts warmed by her storytelling.

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.

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.

'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

'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

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.

From an orphan with a clubfoot, Philip Carey grows into an impressionable young man with a voracious appetite for adventure and knowledge. Then he falls obsessively in love, embarking on a disastrous relationship that will change his life forever. Revised reissue.

'Warm, witty and with a deep understanding of what makes us tick, it's little wonder that Maeve Binchy's bewitching stories have become world-beaters' OK Magazine 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. The key to their success lies with the Signora. Her passion has drawn her from Ireland to Italy and back home again with a burning desire to share her love of all things Italian - and a secret hidden in her heart...

When a new highway threatens to bypass the town of Rossmore and cut through Whitethorn Woods, everyone has a passionate opinion about whether the town will benefit or suffer. But young Father Flynn is most concerned with the fate of St. Ann's Well, which is set at the edge of the woods and slated for destruction. People have been coming to St. Ann's for generations to share their dreams and fears, and speak their prayers. Some believe it to be a place of true spiritual power, demanding protection; others think it's a mere magnet for superstitions, easily sacrificed.
Father Flynn listens to all those caught up in the conflict, as the men and women of Whitethorn Woods must decide between the traditions of the past and the promises of the future.

They 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...

In this extraordinary collection of stories, the "New York Times"-bestselling author of "Evening Class" and "This Year It Will Be Different" once again reveals her incomparable understanding of matters of the heart. In "The Return Journey, " Maeve Binchy brings us sons and lovers, daughters and strangers, husbands and wives in their infinite variety--powerfully compelling stories of love, loss, revelation, and reconciliation.
A secretary's silent passion for her boss meets the acid test on a business trip....A man and a woman's mutual disdain at first sight shows how deceptive appearances can be....An insecure wife clings to the illusion of order, only to discover chaos at the hands of a house sitter who opens the wrong doors....A pair of star-crossed travelers take each other's bags, and then learn that when you unlock a stranger's suitcase, you enter a stranger's life. In their company are many more, whose poignant, ironic, often humorous stories--unforgettable slices of life--make up "The Return Journey, " a spellbinding trip into the human heart.

Maeve Binchy was born and educated in Dublin. She is the author of the bestselling books "Evening Class, 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, " three volumes of short stories, two plays, and a teleplay that won three awards at the Prague Film Festival. She has been writing for "The Irish Times" since 1969 and lives with her husband, Gordon Snell, in Dublin.

"From the Hardcover edition."