Quentins

Ella Brady and her friends have a routine of meeting at Quentins when there’s something to celebrate.  The restaurant is a fancier establishment, but the girls enjoy the Early Bird dinner and some quality time together.  It’s where they fall in love, and where Ella Brady’s life completely falls apart.  The restaurant and it’s owners are also what sets Ella back on the right path when she can’t see a way forward, which is why Ella decides to share Quentins with the world through a documentary.  But Ella and her friends begin to wonder if the secret to Quentins  success falls in keeping it’s stories a mystery, or if they are really worth sharing.

Quentins is the second novel of Maeve Binchy’s revolving around her cast of characters living in the Tara Road area.  It builds off the characters in Scarlett Feather and introduces a new cast of supporting personalities that will keep you laughing.  Utilizing Binchy’s own experience as restaurant staff, the author weaves a careful tale showing positive interactions between owners, staff, and customers, as well as some very realistic negative experiences. 

I give Quentins 4 out of 5 stars.  This novel was a surprise for me – I had never read any of Binchy’s work and wasn’t sure what to expect.  The relatable characters and storyline were enjoyable, but there was some time in the first few chapters where I felt a disconnected from the writing as if I wasn’t following Binchy’s ideas.  However, I finished this book wanting to read more of the story and spend more time with the characters!  I even ordered the other books in the series before I had even finished this one!

This novel is recommended for readers looking for an escape and a light-hearted read.  With topics of sex, affairs, suicide, and fraud, it may be best directed towards more mature audiences over 16.  This is another book that would make a great book club read – I can see there being many discussions around Ella’s decisions throughout the book!

I chose Quentins as my read to get ready for the Saint Patrick’s Day season.  The book might not be filled with leprechauns, but it fit the bill!  Set in Ireland and full of references to landmarks in the country, it has me wanting to travel there!  As I mentioned in my post with recommendations for Saint Patrick’s Day reads earlier this week, Binchy began her career as an Irish journalist and fell into writing novels later in life.  I am excited to read additional works by the author in the future!

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What I’m Reading

• Current print book: Diana, Andrew Morton
• Current audio book: Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry
• Book I’m most looking forward to: The Help, Kathryn Stockett