Speaking of, for this months book club we went to the beer garden in Hoboken and man was it was good!!! And not just the beer. We started off with probably the most amazing pretzel of my entire life. It could have been the butter on top of it but man was it good. It also had these awesome dipping sauces or cheese of some sorts, I could really go for one of those pretzels right now. Then because last month worked out so well with sharing dishes we decided to order three meals and just split them so we'd all have the best of all 3 words, it was the perfect trio. We had chicken, beef and pasta, how could you go wrong with that? The spatzel served with cheese, caramelized onions and bacon though had to be my favorite, it was like grown up grilled cheese delicious-ness. Although the apple strudel for dessert didn't hurt either. I have to say I think I like the food part of book club even more than the actual book part....
Book Summary: Stoneybridge is a small town on the west coast of Ireland where all the families know one another. When Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, everyone thinks she is crazy. Helped by Rigger (a bad boy turned good who is handy around the house) and Orla, her niece (a whiz at business), Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone House’s big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms. John, the American movie star, thinks he has arrived incognito; Winnie and Lillian are forced into taking a holiday together; Nicola and Henry, husband and wife, have been shaken by seeing too much death practicing medicine; Anders hates his father’s business, but has a real talent for music; Miss Nell Howe, a retired schoolteacher, criticizes everything and leaves a day early, much to everyone’s relief; the Walls are disappointed to have won this second-prize holiday in a contest where first prize was Paris; and Freda, the librarian, is afraid of her own psychic visions. Sharing a week with this unlikely cast of characters is pure joy, full of Maeve’s trademark warmth and humor. Once again, she embraces us with her grand storytelling.
Book Review: Having never read a Maeve Binchy book before I think it definitely had different meaning for me than for others that absolutely love her books. Apparently the characters in the book are all referenced in other story lines but I wasn't familiar with those stories. It was hard for me to follow at times and put two and two together because as the story went on it seemed as though everyone was connected in one way, shape or form, and it was hard for me to keep it all straight, especially not being familiar with them. In the end I don't think my lack of familiarity with the characters took away from the story, I was still able to keep up and put everything together. One thing I found throughout the book was, was it really necessary for almost every single character to have an illegitimate child? I felt like 9 out of the 10 stories in the book dealt with that in one way. Anyway, while the characters story lines did all come together in the end, it would have been nice to see it more throughout the book. While I was reading it I kept feeling like it was just separate short stories. In the end I enjoyed the book overall, it was a nice read I'll say. Would I rush out to read it again or rave about it, probably not, but I would still recommend it if you're looking for something to read.
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