The Lace Makers of Glenmara: A Novel [Hardcover]

Heather Barbieri (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2009

"You can always start again," Kate Robinson's mother once told her. "All it takes is a new thread."Overwhelmed by heartbreak and loss, Kate follows her mother's advice and flees to Ireland, her ancestral homeland, hoping to reinvent herself. In the seaside hamlet of Glenmara, the struggling twentysix-year-old fashion designer quickly develops a bond with members of the local lace-making society—and soon she and the lace makers are creating a line of exquisite lingerie, their skilled hands bringing flowers, Celtic dragons, nymphs, saints, kings, and queens to life with painterly skill. The circle also offers them something more: the strength to face their desires and fears. But not everyone in this charming, fading Gaelic village welcomes Kate, and a series of unexpected events threatens to unravel everything the women have worked so hard for.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Barbieri (Snow in July) sets her latest in a small Irish town, Glenmara, where a heartbroken American tourist, Kate Robinson, finds her one-night stay extended with the help of some motherly role models. Kate's hostess, chronically grieving widow Bernie, draws the young Seattleite into a gossipy ring of lace makers. Kate, a former fashion designer, takes to them perfectly (one of several head-scratching coincidences), inspiring them to take on an empowering but controversial project. Although the focus is always on the positive, the narrative's strongest when exploring the less charming sides of Glenmara; rich sources of missed potential include the local priest, nicknamed Father Dominic Burn-in-Hell Byrne, and Bernie's irritable best friend Aileen, the only lace society member to regard Kate with anything but syrupy goodwill. The result is a sweet novel with few surprises. Even Kate's pivotal, inspirational idea—embellishing the ladies' undergarments with lace—suffers from murky logic (as do reactions from characters like Father Byrne). Still, Barbieri's world generates convincing warmth and emotion, making it worth a look for Friday Night Knitting Club fans between sequels. (July)
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Review

“Barbieri’s deft writing style is charmingly wry yet evocative, with details and descriptions both telling and vivid. . . . . A sweet summertime yarn [that] . . . provides a lovely, leisurely escape to the bucolic charms of the Emerald Isle.” (Karen Campbell, Boston Globe )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1 edition (June 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061721557
• ISBN-13: 978-0061721557
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #860,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Summer Jaunt!, June 24, 2009

By 

Stephanie C. Donovan "Freelance Writer/Editor" (Cypress, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lace Makers of Glenmara: A Novel (Hardcover)

Have you ever felt like escaping from your life for awhile? Jumping in a car, and just driving somewhere far away? Away from problems or the negative things that weigh you down?

I know that I have. And, I think many women feel that way during times of stress or hardship. I think that's one reason I was hooked instantly by The Lacemakers of Glenmara, by Heather Barbieri, a book I'm reviewing for MotherTalk. This story follows Kate Robinson, a struggling fashion designer, as she travels to Ireland to forget a troubled past and reinvent herself.

Aside from the lovely landscape, author Barbieri stitches together an amazing and interesting tale about searching, sewing, and the strength in womens' friendships. I was instantly drawn to the various characters and lost myself in their world quite effortlessly, as if I'd stumbled upon the quaint Irish town myself.

The Lace Makers of Glenmara is a great summer escape without the cost of airfare. While it is not completely light and fun in its subject matter, it is a fabulous jaunt to Ireland and a glimpse into the lives of the people who live in Glenmara, as well as the main character's life coming back together after it has unraveled.

The story reminds me of why our friendships as women are very important and how true frienships can withstand whatever life throws at them. It is also a story of survival in the face of great loss and finding oneself again-of realizing you are stronger than you think you are.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Summer Read, June 29, 2009

By 

Mel T. (Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lace Makers of Glenmara: A Novel (Hardcover)

I received the book, The Lace Makers of Glenmara, as part of a blog tour and saved it to enjoy while on summer vacation. I couldn't wait to read it because it sounded like a perfect summer read and I was not disappointed in the least.

The story is set in Ireland, the place where Kate flees to hoping to escape from her old life, reinventing herself in her ancestral homeland. As she travels across the land she ends up in the seaside village of Glenmara where she meets the women of a local lace-making society.

The lace makers are a diverse group from Bernie the lonely widow, Aileen with her low self-esteem and identity crisis, Moira an abused housewife, Oona a breast cancer survivor, and Colleen a fisherman's wife and leader of the group. The lace makers are finding that their craft is becoming obsolete as people are not purchasing the items they are designing anymore. Kate soon joins the group and finding inspiration through the women convinces them to use their lace making skills to create exquisit lingerie. They then use their talent to create lingerie with beautiful flowers, fish, fairies, and even skulls and bones.

Of course while they are busy creating their beautiful handiwork, friendships are evolving. The lacemakers are faced with many challenges including a priest who thinks their work is evil, broken relationships between spouses and children, sickness, and even death. However, with the strength they receive from each other, they each face their long-denied desires and fears and overcome them together. Of course the bad is also countered with the good as new love unfolds, relationships are mended, and new friendships grow.

Once I started the book I couldn't put it down. I was intrigued by each of the women and their story. They each added something unique to the group and the way Ms. Barbieri weaved the characters lives together was beautifully done. I often felt that I was sitting in the countryside peeking into the windows of their lives. The story flowed with ease and was filled with emotion as I related to what the women must be feeling individually and towards each other.

May every woman be blessed to be in a circle of friends like The Lace Makers of Glenmara.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Characters Just Not Enough Information, August 1, 2009

By 

Christine Fernandez - The IE Mommy - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lace Makers of Glenmara: A Novel (Hardcover)

Where do I start with this review? Overall I found the book to be enjoyable. The tale woven about the Lace makers of Glenmara was quaint, easy to relate to and sincere but...it was a bit of struggle,initially for me, to get "into" the book. I found that I had to re -read the first chapter because it really wasn't clear to me what was going on. It took a few chapters to get in line with the characters and the situation. Once I did I found myself on a sweet yet simple journey with the main character, Kate.

The books is rich in Irish legend and history. You will find yourself within a mix of women that truly could easily be your own personal group of friends. Each with their own quirks and personalities yet definitely filled with love and loyalty for each other. There was so much more that I was yearning to learn about thesecharacters . While I feel that Heather did a great job...I still feel there was more that could have been added to the depth of the story line and characters. With each character I yeared for a little more detail, just a little bit more story line. As I was reading...I wasn't fulfilled with the information on the characters.

Would this become my "favorite" book? I'd have to say "no". But, Did I enjoy my time in Glenmara? Did I enjoy getting to know the lace makers? I'd definitely say "yes"!

If you are looking for a light hearted, easy to read book on women and their ever evolving relationships and friendships...The Lace makers of Glenmara is the perfect book for you.

The Lace Makers of Glenmara: A Novel