Helpful Score: 5
This is the thrid in a series that begins with Tara Road and continues with Scarlet Feather. The story is more enjoyable if you read them in order. This and the others in the series continue the tale of Binchy's wonderful, all too realistic characters. Please give her books a try, you'll be glad you did!
Helpful Score: 3
I'd give it more stars if I could! Binchy is a credit to Irish romance! It was entertaining, engrosing and fun to read. I felt like I was part of the lifes of the characters.
Helpful Score: 3
Read all of Maeve's other books first, then read "Quentins." All the characters that you've come to know and love show up in this novel.
Helpful Score: 3
All those who love Maeve Binchy's writing (she wrote, Circle of Friends) will love this book. It is such a great novel about how one place can converge the lives of so many.
Helpful Score: 2
Great Binchy...I listened to it on an airplane ride...very entertaining.
Helpful Score: 1
Fun read, but doesn't delve as deeply into the lives of her characters as some of her other books. Follows the stories of various people who are part of the life of the restaurant Quentins.
Helpful Score: 1
This book would probably have been more enjoyable if I had read more of Binchy's previous works. A lot of characters in this book were introduced in previous works, and so were given little background in this story.
Helpful Score: 1
Maeve Binchy never fails to write a compelling story. This one brings familiar characters from other stories back, telling the story of how Quentins, the restaurant mentioned in other of her books, came into being. She writes with compassion and insight. You won't be disappointed in any of Binchy's books.
Helpful Score: 1
In Maeve Binchy's timely and topical tale, Quentins, Ella Brady is a documentary filmmaker who wants to bring the tale of the eponymous Dublin restaurant to the screen. Quentins has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years and has become the meeting point for a lot of characters, including some familiar faces from previous Binchy novels. As Ella makes more and more headway with her documentary, the secrets, betrayals, and stories of love that emerge make her question whether or not she wants to bring the tale of Quentins to the screen after all; especially as she is also forced to confront a devastating dilemma from her own past.
Regarded by many as the true queen of the romantic Irish drama, Binchy has once again produced another fine page-turner that will please her army of loyal fans and hopefully win her many more. She has a real eye for character and exploring the often painful choices people are forced to make in their everyday lives. This is a tale of normal people, ordinary folk and the heartaches that have made them who they are. Fans will welcome the return of some familiar Binchy characters and Ella is a strong, likeable heroine, a woman who, in exploring the lives of these people, is forced to consider some choices she has made in her own life. So make a reservation at Quentins, sit back, and relax--you'll be in very good company.
Regarded by many as the true queen of the romantic Irish drama, Binchy has once again produced another fine page-turner that will please her army of loyal fans and hopefully win her many more. She has a real eye for character and exploring the often painful choices people are forced to make in their everyday lives. This is a tale of normal people, ordinary folk and the heartaches that have made them who they are. Fans will welcome the return of some familiar Binchy characters and Ella is a strong, likeable heroine, a woman who, in exploring the lives of these people, is forced to consider some choices she has made in her own life. So make a reservation at Quentins, sit back, and relax--you'll be in very good company.
Helpful Score: 1
I love all of the characters in Quentins and how small she makes Dublin. I finished this book quickly and really couldn't put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
Good book, with mystery, romance and humor. Makes me wish I could go to Quentins restaurant and meet most of these people in person. One character in particular I could miss and not care. But the book had to have a bad guy ... right! Warm, homey feeling book, as Maeve Binchey's books are.
I wish I could have stayed longer...
Ella Brady wants to film a documentary about the history of the Quentins restaurant from the 1970s to present day. But as Ella uncovers more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to wonder if some secrets should be kept that way. This book is very entertaining and engaging!
Maeve Binchy at her best. A wonderful book.
Wonderful "Binchy" story - must read
story of illicit love and illegal behavior....loved it!
Another brillant book by Maeve Binchy. Every one of her books are crafted with care. A must read!
I loved this book. I've read Maeve Binchy quite a lot, and always enjoy her books. This one was one of my favorites, though.
I adored this book. It makes you want to pick up and move to Ireland!
Classic Maeve Binchy! I enjoyed this book and the characters she created, especially how they all were tied to this one place. Good read.
Very much enjoyed this book. Sequel to Tara Road which was
a wonderful read.
a wonderful read.
Maeve Binchy again delivers wonderful characters and a luminous Ireland.
Sort of an action movie for chicks - Ella's married lover bolts from the country and leaves all his investors holding the bag. The Guards are after him (as well as the ruined investors). Long intermission while Ella tries to get her head together gathering stories for a documentary on Ireland's changes through the lens of a single restaurant, Quentins. Then the lover comes back and threatens Ella to get at the information he left behind at her apartment when he fled - good suspense! The book opens with a marriage proposal at Quentins and closes with the birth of a baby there. "And everything else in between."
"Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant?" Another delightful story by Binchy.
Easy to listen to and kept my attention throughout. Interesting characters. Good book to listen to while doing mundane tasks; took my mind off the drudgery. Really enjoyed it.
lover of Binchy will love this one.
Seemed simple enough-a documentary about the goings on in the life of a Irish pub. But there is so much more as she uncovers stories of loss, hatred, murder, and finally love.
Maeve at her best!
Maeve at her best!
Excellent reading. I am a big Maeve Binchy fan & this one doesn't disappoint.
Quentins is a Dublin restaurant that has a thousand stories to tell. Ella Brady thinks that a documentary about Quentins is just the thing to interest people, but as she researches these stories she discovers that not all stories should be told. I really liked this story but the plot was a bit too contrived. I give it an A!
You will meet some of the characters from previous books by Maeve Binchy. This novel is full of warmth, humanity, and unerring truth, a story to be savoured and enjoyed.
Second book of Ms. Binchy's that I have read. Wonderful story, so many characters all intertwined by one restaurant. Very worthwhile reading.
ella brady thinks she can film a documentary about quentins that will capture the spirit of dublin from the 1970 to the present day.
Another great Binchy read. Ties up many loose ends from other books, too.
These are characters you can really sink your soul into! Ms. Binchy is a genius at developing characters and stories you can really care about and want to visit with, again. Quentins Restaurant - past, present and future - is really the hub of the story. Some of the people in this book are from previous books.
Ella Brady has skimmed through her life until a very untidy relationship "hits the fan" and so much is revealed, not only about her character but also the lives of people near and dear to her. The story follows Ellas' very untidy passage through life to become a real woman of character.
I love Ms. Binchys' works because she has a real talent for letting you see yourself in her characters.
Ella Brady has skimmed through her life until a very untidy relationship "hits the fan" and so much is revealed, not only about her character but also the lives of people near and dear to her. The story follows Ellas' very untidy passage through life to become a real woman of character.
I love Ms. Binchys' works because she has a real talent for letting you see yourself in her characters.
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970's to the present day. After all, the restaurant saw the people of a city become more confident in everything, from their lifestyles to the food that they chose to eat. And Quentin's has a thousand stories to tell: tales of love, of betrayal, of revenge; of times when iut looked ready for success and of times when it seemed as if it must close in failure.
A truly gripping story. I love Maeve Binchy' stories.
A truly gripping story. I love Maeve Binchy' stories.
A wonderful example of Maeve Binchy's brilliant work.
One of my most favorite Maeve Binchy books! You'll meet many of the characters in her later books.
I loved this book. I am a Maeve Binchy fan and have read all of her books.
Fans of the bestselling Binchy will be grateful that the basic formula is still intact-decent people pulling through hard times-and that some favorite characters from previous novels reappear: Cathy Scarlet from Scarlet Feather, Nora from Evening Class, Ria from Tara Road and others. When Dubliner Ella Brady's affair with a married financial consultant turns sour-he bilks his clients of their hard-earned money and then hightails it to Spain-she decides to throw herself into something productive: she agrees to help with a documentary about Quentins, a once-modest Dublin restaurant whose increasing success and sophistication over the past 30 years mirrors the changing fortunes of the city itself. Ella collects stories of customers who recall celebrating life's milestones at Quentins. These vignettes (about a man who learns he's to be a grandfather, a girl who finishes school with honors, and other regular folks) are meant to fill out the too-thin tale, but most of them end a little too neatly to be satisfying. Binchy doesn't exactly trade in suspense (can there ever be any doubt that a Binchy heroine will do the right thing? Or that goodness will ultimately be rewarded?), but this novel is more tepid than other works in her oeuvre. Still, readers who love hardworking, honest-living characters with strong values can get their fix here.
Another wonderful heartwarming book by this lovely author!
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant?
Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. And Quentins has a thousand stories to tell: tales of love, of betrayal, of revenge; of times when it looked ready for success and times when it seemed as if it must close in failure. But as Ella uncovers more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to wonder whether some secrets should be kept that way...
With Quentins, Maeve Binchy follows her bestselling Scarlet Feather with a new book that delivers the hallmark storytelling that has kept millions of her readers happy for more than twenty years.
Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. And Quentins has a thousand stories to tell: tales of love, of betrayal, of revenge; of times when it looked ready for success and times when it seemed as if it must close in failure. But as Ella uncovers more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to wonder whether some secrets should be kept that way...
With Quentins, Maeve Binchy follows her bestselling Scarlet Feather with a new book that delivers the hallmark storytelling that has kept millions of her readers happy for more than twenty years.
This was the first time I listened to this author and truely loved the story line.
I really enjoyed reading this book! I read Tara Road first and then found this book. They made me a true fan of Maeve Binchy.
Cay
Cay
Not one of her best.
It is just a great read... It keeps you turning the pages.
Maeve Binchy spins a good yarn full of believable characters, caught up in life's twists and turns, set in cities one wants to visit. She develops characters one wants to know in real life, to have as a friend in real life. Quentins is the restaurant around which everyone, and the story, revolves.
Good read.
Good read.
In this book the reader is introduced to a number of very interesting characters whose lives intersect because of Quentins, an upscale restaurant in Dublin. I am always fascinated by Maeve Binchy's characters, and hate to have the book come to an end.
Love visiting with old characters from her other books...this one really completed some of their stories for me.
This book is pretty good, not one of my favorites but read it at least 4 times.
Quentins is not just any Dublin restaurant:it is a place where all matters of life are discussed over food. great book
A good book from one of my favorite authors
The continuing story of Scarlet Feathers with more stories and characters of the city of Dublin.
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970's to the present day. After all, the restaurant saw the people of a city become more confident in everything from their lifestyles to the food that they chose to eat. And Quentins has a thousand stories to tell. But as Ella uncovers more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to wonder whether some secrets should be kept that way.
a great read in addition to the Scarlett Feather with many of the same characters.
Maeve Binchy is one of my favorite authors. This book DOES NOT disappoint.
I'm a huge Maeve Binchy fan so I loved this book. Characters from previous novels appear briefly. The lead character falling for the oldest line in history is a bit unbelievable, but if Maeve Binchy is writing it, it's at least told very well.
One of my favorite authors. This one is about a Dublin restaurant named "Quentins." Per the bookcover, "it's a place where wedding proposals, business deals, family ties, and friendships are forged (and sometimes broken)." Wonderful characters, as always.
Excellent writer. Story about a restaurant in Dublin, the people who own it, run it and frequent there. A love story also.
This book is the reason I love Maeve Binchy. It is her best that I have read. Great mystery and as usual wonderful character development
I enjoyed this book. The characters were warm and engaging. The author made me truly interested in their lives.
If you're a Maeve Binchy fan, you'll enjoy this book. This book follows Scarlet Feather and, like all her books, weaves together people and places in an endearing way.
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentin's that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. After all, the restaurant saw the people of a city become more confident in everything from their lifestyles to the food that they chose to eat. and Quentins has a thousand stories to tell. But as Ella uncovers more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to wonder whether some secrets should be kep that way....With Quentins, Maeve Binchy follows her bestselling Scarlet Feather with a new book that delivers the hallmark storytelling that has keep millions of readers happy for more than twenty years.
I really enjoyed this book! Some of the characters from Scarlet Feather are in it. Plus new ones. Maeve Binchy is a terrific storyteller. I highly recommend it!
I really enjoyed this book! Some of the characters from Scarlet Feather are in it. Plus new ones. Maeve Binchy is a terrific storyteller. I highly recommend it!
Quentins is a restaurant in Ireland with many stories to tell about the interesting people who eat there.
Another great Binchy novel -- full of unique characters -- a follow-up from Scarlet Feather. Such a fine read -- relax and enjoy!!
Absolutely marvelous writing---------Maeve Binchy is a fantastic author!
Ok read. Was not thrilled with it, but I read it anyway
Quick read, with an interesting story.
"Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city thru the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so."
She uncovers secrets, and begins to wonder whether some should stay secret.
What I love abt Maeve Binchy's writing is that she is so descriptive of all different types of people, and what they're thinking and why they do the things they do. There are truly no "bad guys" because everyone has reasons, and pasts that affect what they do and who they become...
She uncovers secrets, and begins to wonder whether some should stay secret.
What I love abt Maeve Binchy's writing is that she is so descriptive of all different types of people, and what they're thinking and why they do the things they do. There are truly no "bad guys" because everyone has reasons, and pasts that affect what they do and who they become...
Delightful story and fun to read!
Cute and cozy Maeve Binchy tale...not too frivolous or sexy.
I love Maeve Binchy and especially enjoyed her book Scarlet Feather. This book is, in part, a sequel to Scarlet Feather, and many of the characters from that book are in Quentins. The characters are excellent and finely wrought, the tensions are true and exciting, and the setting is so vivid you'll smell the food and feel the leather seat beneath you. Truly!
Most of Maeve Binchy's books set in Dublin, Ireland, feature the restaurant Quentin's and she finally wrote abook about the place, how it got started, who runs it.
If you like her other books you'll like this one, too!
If you like her other books you'll like this one, too!
very well written novel.
One of Binchy's best. Enjoyed characters also read in other stories.
Really great story. It is only the second book I have read from Bonchy, look forward to more.
An enjoyable read.
Loved this book. True life at its best.
Good story. Lot's of emotion.
I have enjoyed all of Maeve Binchy's books. This one centers around a restaurant called Quentins. Several storys going on at once, all tied together.
good book....
This is an engaging read, spun in the much loved Binchey style!!!
This was a very good book.
The story of a generation through a restaurant. The story takes place in Dublin and from page to page you just cannot wait to see what happens next
I Love Mauve Binchy's writing. Alot of her characters resurface in her books making you feel as if you know them.
Maeve Binchy is a wonderful story teller. This book set in Ireland is hard to put down!!! Enjoyed it immensely.
Good PG story. Will pass this one on to my daughter and my Mother.
After reading the last Maeve Binchy book and liking it, I figured this one would be good too; however, it really isn't. The premise of the book is visiting and getting to know various people and/or families that surround a restaurant called "Quentins." Sounds charming and has potential, right? Especially if told in Maeve Binchy's quaint way. There are two main problems with this book. The first is that the main focus is Ella Brady, which rather defeats the main storyline. And second, Ella's life surrounds having an affair with a rich, married man, who is a financier and skips the country with everyone's money, as well as taking his wife and children. So, chapters and chapters drone on about how she loves him and he'll come back for her, blah, blah, blah. But it doesn't end there, we are introduced to another woman who also starts having an affair with a married man. The consensus of the surrounding community and families of these women, as well as of the author, is that these homewreckers are just the way they are, excusing their behavior. What a sad shame as this book had potential.
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady wants to make a documentary that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present. Maeve Binchy introduces us to new friends and brings back old friends. Ella finds some stories are too sacred to tell and some secrets must be kept. In the end, Ella finally gets to know herself. Interesting characters. Highly recommended!
I enjpy her writing. This is interesting, great characters (as always).
awesome book really enjoy
Maeve Binchy follows the enormous success of Scarlet Feather with a new book, Quentins, that delivers the hallmark storytelling that has kept her millions of fans happy for more than twenty years.
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. After all, the restaurant saw the people of a city become more confident in everything, from their lifestyles to the food that they chose to eat. And Quentins has a thousand stories to tell: tales of love, of betrayal, of revenge; of times when it looked ready for success and of times when it seemed as if it must close in failure.
In Maeve Binchy's magical new book you will meet new friends and old. The twins from Scarlet Feather, Signora from Evening Class, and Ria from Tara Road all drop by, as do a host of new friends-Mon, the ever-cheerful Australian waitress, and Blouse Brennan, whose simplicity disguises a sharp mind and a heart of gold.
Quentins is presided over by the apparently unflappable Patrick and Brenda Brennan, whose efforts have made the place a legend in the life of Dubliners and visitors alike. But even the Brennans have a story, and a problem, that is hidden from the public gaze.
As Ella uncovers more and more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to question the wisdom of capturing it all in a documentary. Are there some stories that are too sacred to be told, some secrets that must be kept? By getting to know the people that pass through the doors of Quentins, Ella has finally gotten to know herself.
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentary about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970s to the present day. After all, the restaurant saw the people of a city become more confident in everything, from their lifestyles to the food that they chose to eat. And Quentins has a thousand stories to tell: tales of love, of betrayal, of revenge; of times when it looked ready for success and of times when it seemed as if it must close in failure.
In Maeve Binchy's magical new book you will meet new friends and old. The twins from Scarlet Feather, Signora from Evening Class, and Ria from Tara Road all drop by, as do a host of new friends-Mon, the ever-cheerful Australian waitress, and Blouse Brennan, whose simplicity disguises a sharp mind and a heart of gold.
Quentins is presided over by the apparently unflappable Patrick and Brenda Brennan, whose efforts have made the place a legend in the life of Dubliners and visitors alike. But even the Brennans have a story, and a problem, that is hidden from the public gaze.
As Ella uncovers more and more of what has gone on at Quentins, she begins to question the wisdom of capturing it all in a documentary. Are there some stories that are too sacred to be told, some secrets that must be kept? By getting to know the people that pass through the doors of Quentins, Ella has finally gotten to know herself.
I give this book 4 1/2 stars.
Quentins is not just any Dublin restaurant; it's a place where wedding prolposals, business deals, family ties, and friendships are forged (and sometimes broken)...
Is it possible to tell the story of a generation and a city through the history of a restaurant? Ella Brady thinks so. She wants to film a documentry about Quentins that will capture the spirit of Dublin from the 1970's to the present day. After all, the restaurant saw the people of the city becomebecome more confident in everything from their lifestyles to the food that they chose to eat. And Quintins has a thousand stories to tell. But as Ella uncovers more ow what has gone on at Quentins,she begins to wonder weather some secrets should be kept that way..
