Tara Road [Paperback]

Maeve Binchy (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 29, 2007

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Ria seems to have become quite a hostess, entertaining half the neighborhood, which at first irritates the reserved and withdrawn Marilyn, a woman who has always guarded her privacy.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.

A moving story rendered with the deft touch of a master artisan, Tara Road is Maeve Binchy at her very best—utterly beautiful, hauntingly unforgettable, entirely original, and wholly enjoyable.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Oprah Book Club® Selection, September 1999: Against all odds, two newlyweds manage to buy the house of their dreams. In 1982, property speculation is beginning to be a big, big thing in Dublin--and their street is very much in an up-and-coming part of town. "They laughed and hugged each other. Danny Lynch from the broken-down cottage in the back of beyond and Ria Johnson from the corner house in the big, shabby estate were not only living like gentry in a big Tara Road mansion, they were actually debating what style of dining table to buy." But for its various inhabitants, the street is to become a boulevard of dreams--some broken, others created anew. Maeve Binchy has long proved herself a secure hand at multiple story lines, and over the course of 500 satisfying pages she focuses on Ria; her best friend, Rosemary Ryan, a beautiful, endlessly selfish career woman; Gertie, the battered wife of a drunkard; and several other intriguing women, each of whom has secrets not to be shared. There is even an all-knowing fortune teller who early on hints that Ria will travel and start a successful business--two things she knows are definitely not in the offing.

Yet after our supposedly happy housewife and mother of two is confronted by some inexorable home truths, a chance phone call from America will change her life, forcing her to discard her illusions about men, women, and marriage and start all over again. At the same time, the Connecticut caller, Marilyn Vine, has her own lessons to learn when she and Ria swap houses for the summer. Yet there's nothing remotely preachy about this novel--even the bad guys (and yes, they're usually guys) and beautiful mistresses get to maintain some appeal. Instead, Tara Road is a stirring look at the reality behind our consuming fantasies, and a page-turner to boot. --Siobhan Carson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Ria Lynch is a charming woman who seems to have everythingAa great marriage, family, and a beautiful home in Dublin. The bottom drops out of her world when her handsome husband leaves her for his young, pregnant girlfriend. Three thousand miles away in Connecticut, Marilyn is trying to cope with the death of her beloved teenaged son. The two women exchange houses and, in a sense, experience a summer that gives each a new perspective and begins the complex processes of healing. Binchy (Evening Class) is a master at drawing readers into her beguiling domestic romances. The characters are distinctly and vividly drawn, and there's even a fortuneteller who appears from time to time in the women's lives to add a few wisps of magic. The Irish voice of Terry Donnelly is a beautiful match to the story's location and strong characters. Donnelly is especially skilled at interpreting the voices of the several children who live at Tara Road. Though some of the novel's pacing is lost in the abridgment, this is still a fine production and sure to be popular with listeners.ABarbara Valle, El Paso P.L., TX
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 656 pages
• Publisher: Dell; Reprint edition (May 29, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385341814
• ISBN-13: 978-0385341813
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 1.4 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (584 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maeve Binchy is the author of numerous best-selling books, including Nights of Rain and Stars, Quentins, Scarlet Feather, Circle of Friends, and Tara Road, which was an Oprah's Book Club selection. She has written for Gourmet; O, The Oprah Magazine; Modern Maturity; and Good Housekeeping, among other publications. She and her husband, Gordon Snell, live in Dalkey, Ireland, and London.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#19 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#20 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#44 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#86 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#19 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#20 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#44 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary Fiction

#86 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

83 of 91 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars DON'T COMPARE MAEVE TO DANIELLE STEELE! December 23, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I am giving TARA ROAD three stars because it is not my favorite Maeve Binchy novel - I don't think the secondary characters were developed as well as in some of her other books. Yes, the story has elements of a soap opera, but please don't compare it to anything written by Danielle Steele. I have never been able to get through one chapter of any of her books that have come my way. Okay, I did read MESSAGE FROM NAM, she must have had a ghost-writer. Excuse me, I digress. TARA ROAD is an enjoyable read. The main character, Ria, changes throughout the book, and I really liked her. She seemed very real to me, like a good friend. My only complaint about this book is at times it was a bit slow, and not 100% believable, but so what, it's a novel. The story itself is actually very inspiring, about friendship as well as self-reliance. I definitley recommend TARA ROAD to all Maeve Binchy fans, and for those who've never experienced Maeve, if you like good stories with characters who become like friends, please give her books a try. However, for first time readers of Maeve, you might want to start with ECHOES or EVENING CLASS, which are two of her best!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Quite Sure Why I Liked This Book... February 6, 2000

By Anna

Format:Hardcover

I haven't really enjoyed many of Oprah's selections, but decided to give this one a chance anyway. After reading the book, I was sorry it had to end, but at the same time I asked myself, why? It's dificult to put your finger on why the book is great. I didn't find the plot to be overly exciting, but I found that the characters were. I think this book is well worth a read just because you tend to fall in love with the characters and genuinely "care" what happens in their life. Just a nice read; nothing earth shattering.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book, too December 4, 1999

By L. A. Lucas

Format:Hardcover

I just finished reading this book in three days - I actually got up early on a Saturday morning to continue reading! Sure, it is light reading, and most of it is dialogue with little variation in phrasing or language usage from character to character. (Also, she uses UK terms of speech in the dialogue of the Americans, but I only noticed that because I am an American in a foreign country and am very aware of this difference.) However, with all that said, it is still a good story. I loved the descriptions of the homes and people's varied attachments to them, as well as the exploration of the paths, morals and variety of social relationships that these modern families experienced. The characters and situations are very real and believable - she has captured a good slice of life of women in the 90's. I am left with the inspiration to try an international house swap if the occasion should ever present itself...!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Irish tale of love, life, despair and renewal August 29, 2002

By jeanne-scott

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Maeve Binchy weaves another strong Irish tale of love, life, despair and renewal. Tara Road is a contemporary novel set on the streets of Dublin. The story pivots around the life and love of Danny and Ria, from their beginnings through their troubled times. They start their life with the purchase of a beautiful older home that Danny foresees as a house of possibilities and immense potential, just like he views his own life, starting from nowhere and reaching the highest peaks. Maeve Binchy creates people that strike a chord in our hearts. Rosemary, so beautiful and committed to work, Gertie, married to an abusive alcoholic, Marilyn coping with a sad past, Colm and his sister, hiding a secret while running a restaurant, Hillary, thrifty in life, in love and in her dreams, and Ria's mom, a woman of strong opinions freely shared. Danny and Ria's children are almost too real, mothers everywhere will recognize a touch of their own children in them. All the "sidestories" bring a fullness to the story and open your eyes to a world of love, despair, hope and inner strength and the value of true friendship.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars My Millenium Book - by lucky chance January 1, 2000

By Anna

Format:Hardcover

On my way back from a wonderful family Christmas in Washinton DC I bought a couple of books at Dulles Airport to fill in the long flight to Denmark - and the following jetlag days.Tara Road is my first, but definately not last Maeve Binchy book. Through two days and nights I laughed,cried and enjoyed these Irish - American everyday characters. Tara Road could quite well be a small road in Denmark, as well - and the Irish characters are quite similar to Danish everyday people. I hope to find a new MB book soon.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book December 1, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I just finished this book last night and loved it. I loved the relationships, they felt very real to me, not sugar-coated. I could not put this book down and am sad that it is over.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Delete the first 400 pages..... November 24, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I generally really like Oprah's picks. That's why I read them. This one was different. It was hard to read more than 30 pages at a time. The pace of the book all of a sudden greatly increased after about 400 pages - that's where I found the most compelling reading. To give credit to the author, the visualizations that the book invokes are wonderful and that was quite enjoyable as well. Read the book, but don't expect to fly through it. I think it would be more like a fine wine to be sipped and slowly enjoyed.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are looking for a new author please read on.... November 17, 1999

By Angela McShane Stone

Format:Hardcover

I've been a Maeve Binchy fan since she wrote Circle of Friends, but she has, admittedly, been a little too romantic for my taste on some rare occasions...but THIS is an excellently written book. I don't want to go into detail, but trust me--it'll keep you enthralled. Maeve has a way of twisting her stories to the degree in which even the reader is perplexed (who WAS in the summer house with Rosemary when Annie stumbled across them? ) For those of you that are new to Maeve Binchy, try reading Circle of Friends first...You'll be hooked!