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Tara Road
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Tara Road
Unavailable
Tara Road
Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

Tara Road

Written by Maeve Binchy

Narrated by Terry Donnelly

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

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Ria seems to have become quite a hostess, entertaining half the neighborhood, which at first irritates the reserved and withdrawn Marilyn, a woman who has always guarded her privacy.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.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 5, 2000
ISBN9780553750119
Unavailable
Tara Road

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Reviews for Tara Road

Rating: 3.6596177975528366 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

899 ratings26 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I always love a Maeve Binchy book. In fact, this is the second time I have read this one. She was an excellent writer and you feel as though you really get to know her characters. Her plots are always interesting and keep you focused on the storyline all the way to the end of the book. I was especially concerned about Danny and Ria and if their marriage would survive. The house swapping between Dublin and the United States made for an enjoyable adventure and provided escapes for some of the characters who had problems they were engrossed in. I'm looking forward to reading one of Binchy's books monthly next year. It's always nice to read them with some friends as they provide interesting discussion throughout the book. I would highly recommend Binchy's books to those who would like to visit Ireland.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this book, sat up late to finish it, yet I don't think I'll want to read it again.Binchy spends the first half of the book setting up the background to the story, showing us the characters as they become friends through their jobs and gradually get married and have children. The crisis then comes when Ria's husband leaves her for another women - something that took her totally by surprise as she hadn't even realised he was having an affair.While shell-shocked by this discovery, she is contacted out of the blue by an American woman wanting to do a house swap for a couple of months. Marilyn has her own personal crisis to deal with and needs to get away from everything.Getting to know each other's friends/family and live in a new setting for a while helps both women take a fresh look at their lives and find ways to move forward.Binchy's characters are neither wimps nor superwomen. They are women who choose to take control of their lives and do the best that they are able.One of the good things about this novel is that the 'other woman' and her mother are not demonized. Ria's children actually get on with them in spite of intending to dislike them.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    cute, a 70's version of JoJo Maye type books -- or vice versa. Bit superficial characterization.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book is a little different from Binchy's usual in that part of it takes place in the USA. Ria Lynch from Tara Road, Dublin exchanges houses with Marilyn Vine of a college town in Connecticut. From the inside cover "They borrow each other's houses, and during the course of that magical summer they find themselves borrowing something of each other's lives, until a story which began with loss and suffering grows into a story of discovery, unexpected friendships and new hope. By the time Ria and Marilyn eventually meet, they find that they have altered the course of each other's lives forever." This is a good read.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    My mom and sister and I refer to this as the "smell the milk" book. Sometimes you open the fridge and wonder what that horrible smell is, and you open the milk bottle and nearly pass out. But it's so bad someone else HAS to experience it to, so you ask whoever's nearby to smell the milk, too.

    I picked this book up in a grocery store in Shannon, Ireland. I was hoping for a fun, light read during my vacation. It *was* fun and sort of light, but not in the way I expected.

    I've truly enjoyed some of Ms. Binchy's other novels - especially Circle of Friends - but this one? Oh, the badness. Binchy skipped right over "cozy chicklit" and went straight to "soap opera drama". The characters didn't talk or act like real people. Ridiculous characters and events were thrown in like Binchy was cleaning out her fridge and making soup with the contents.

    I finished it before the trip ended, so my mom decided to read the book on the flight home. She'd read passages out loud to me and we'd laugh. Later, I told my sister about how awful it was, (she loves Binchy's earlier work, too) and she had to read to see just how bad it was.

    Honestly, I'd give it zero stars, but I got a lot of entertainment out of this book, and it remains on my bookshelf as a testimony to fun conversations with my family. Tara Road gets two stars for making me laugh.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is my first Maeve Binchy book.Definitely a book for women, it is a good,light read on a day you are drowned in self-sympathy, as I was -works as the perfect chicken soup for your soul.The character of Ria has been well etched, her complete devotion to family and friends, and goodness does indeed warm your heart. I could well relate her longing for appreciation from her family, her need to be needed as most women would .The story moves forward on predictable lines,as the dashing debonair husband dumps the devoted home-maker wife of 15 years, who is too busy caring for her home,family and friends to realize that the relationship is drifting. As she is reeling under this shattering blow , a chance phone calls brings her an opportunity to swap house with Marilyn,an American lady , who is herself struggling to come in terms with the loss of her son.Placed in alien surroundings, how the two women get a grip on their life is the basic plot of the story. While Ria goes on to brighten the dull American life around her, Marilyn, initially uptight and remote, slowly gets drawn into the eventful and dramatic life of Tara road residents. As they delve deeper into the others life ,they also learn to come to terms with their misfortunes in the process. The Irish characters are really colorful,lively and charming, drawing you to them easily and staying with you for a long time ,while the american counterparts pale in comparison creating no impact.The highlight of the Novel is of course the female bonding that you see all through. Men will continue to fail women or atleast disappoint them, as they havent been blessed with our sensitivity .Such novels that champion the qualities unique to women- to empathize with and mourn for fellow human beings, to involve themselves in each others life and teach each other how to heal, how to recognize the power and potential in each of us- are what we need and what is welcomed anyday.Definitely a wake-up call for all the Rias of the world refusing to acknowledge the emptiness creeping into their lives as the world around them moves ahead. It may stir you and push you to confront some home truths.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a somewhat predictable "chick lit" read that mostly appealed to me because it was set in Ireland. However, it just seemed to go on and on interminably for no real reason. Towards the conclusion, I was just looking for it to end already. However, it was written well enough that I mostly enjoyed it and found the characters at least somewhat interesting, if not particularly memorable.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I remember reading this on a trip round the Isle of Wight. I read most of it in a day and can't remember any of the scenery we passed at all. Like a lot of Maeve Binchy's books, it pulled me right in, and though it seems a bit surprising looking back, I really really cared about the characters and wanted to know how things worked out.The relationship between Ria and Danny was the part the fascinated me the most - I knew what I wanted to happen, and on the other hand I always prefer authors who are prepared to make their endings sad (or at least realistic).The idea of a house swap was an interesting story idea, but it was still the Irish end of things that I wanted to hear about.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    when you've read one Maeve Binchey, you've read them all
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The first part of "Tara Road", which is a bit slow, tells the story of Ria Lynch, her marriage to Danny Lynch, and her life with him and their two children as they buy a house and renovate it on Tara Road. It also tells the stories of Ria's friends, especially Rosemary Ryan, not quite the friend she appears to be; Gertie, a battered wife who is so used to living a lie that she actually believes it; and Colm, who is struggling to run a restaurant while dealing with his sister's problems. "Tara Road" picks up pace in the second part, when Ria's life takes an unexpected turn, and she switches houses with Marilyn Vine, an American, who is dealing (not very well) with a tragedy in her life. While the reader knows all about Ria's life (more, in fact than she does), the reader discovers Marilyn's story at the same time as Ria does. In the end, Ria's stay in Connecticut and Marilyn's stay on Tara Road, change them both in ways they never imagined. Although a bit too long (the first part drags at times), this was an enjoyable read and towards the end, I couldn't put it down. As always, Binchey fills the book with memorable characters, some of whom you'll like, others would will dislike quite a bit. I highly recommend "Tara Road".
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I got this book at a library book sale, and even though it didn't seem to appeal to me, I still had room for one more book in my bag, so I decided to get it. I originally planned on giving it away, but I thought I would give it a shot. It started very slow, and remained that way. Although there was a decent story in all of the rambling, it was just too much to keep my interest. I think it took me about 3 weeks to finally finish the book and it left me disappointed. she should have cut out half of the jabbering and just stuck to the main idea of the story. It would have been a much shorter story, but a much easier one to read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Here's something bizarre: while reading "Tara Road", the lyrics of an old, cheesy pop song kept coming to me. They go something like this: "words don't come easy to me..." Well, these lyrics stuck to my head, I think, because it's the complete opposite with Binchy. Words come easy, very easy to her!! This book is long, & I think definitely too long for the actual content.The story is not bad at all: Two women, Ria & Marilyn. One Irish, living in Dublin. The other American, living in Stoneyfield or whatever it's called. Both trapped in a very bad situation, a life crisis of some sort. So far, so good. There's also a large supporting cast of characters, which are all vividly drawn, as are the main characters. One basic characteristic of all Binchy's books is the fact that the reader is instantly drawn in the characters' world, in their everyday lives. This happens in "Tara Road" too...But there's a catch: these everyday lives of these everyday people are, I'm afraid, not that interesting.One thing that disappointed me is Ria's stupidity, or naivite (if I want to be kinder). All sorts of cheating & infidelity & deceit happens under her nose. But Ria, angelic Ria, doesn't understand a thing. She keeps on cooking & baking in her delightful, homey, filled-with-people kitchen, & doesn't have a clue about anything. This to me is, to say the least, insulting to the reader's intelligence. I mean, come on, how stupid can this woman be? And OK, she's naive, she's innocent, she's angelic & only thinks kind thoughts. But Binchy could at least give us a satisfying ending. I won't go into details, but I can say this: there's no sense of closure in the end, no sense of understanding or seeing things clearly. Yes, Ria has grown & changed after coming back from the States. But her blindness when it comes to her husband is very much the same.As for the other main character, Marilyn, I think she's probably thrown in the story to (supposedly) make it more colourful, more international. But, as many reviewers have noted, Marilyn & her American friends use, surprisingly, Irish expressions! Plus, there's essentially no description of America & Ria's surroundings there, except of course a detailed description of Marilyn's house.It may sound that I didn't like the book: it's not true, I did enjoy it & read it easily in a couple of days, at the beach. But if I had to say one thing about it, it would be that this is a retelling of the same old story that Binchy writes. After reading some of her other books, "Tara Road" seemed like words, words, words that came to no satisfying conclusion...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a beautifully written novel with many memorable characters.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I wasn't too impressed. This book was a gift and not normally something I would've purchased for myself, though it sounded very interesting. The synopsis sounded very interesting, indicating that the women would swap homes and live in each other's lives... kind of. This wasn't the case though. It wasn't until nearly the end that this happens.I was very disappointed. It was a rather boring read and most of the characters were completely unlikeable. I mistakenly believed that books selected for Oprah's Book Club were above average. Unfortunately for me this was below average.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Maeve Binchy's works are at once touching and incredibly down-to-earth. As I read her novels, I am amazed by the themes that seem to repeat thoughout them: love, betrayal, infidelity, innocence, education, entrepreneurship, bravery, strength, life changes, and many more. She is an incredible author whose stories will resonate with readers decades from now.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was surprised to enjoy this book - thrillers being my usual taste. At first I found the characters irritating, but I felt they were well developed as the story progressed and I became involved in their lives. It was great to read a book where I actually cared about the characters and enjoyed dipping into someone else's life.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    WONDERFUL book. But I LOVE any book by Maeve. Loved all the characters. sort of predictable, but in a comforting way. So like a good woman friend. Her writing is so easy to read. 5/19/99
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved this story! It is the one that got me hooked on Maeve Binchey's books.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Although this didn't get very good reviews, I really enjoyed the book. I am a fan of Binchy and like the gentle english tale that she tells.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love Maeve Binchy’s work and the reading of this one is terrific.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Oh! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.The only deadly sin that was not addressed was, perhaps, gluttony (but even the sister's heroin addiction may have been the candidate.) All the lies, deceit and half-truths bring our heroine to her new endeavor -a life without her husband, starting a new business with the help of her "best friend."Danny never rang true with me....doubtful that he will be true to Bernadette, either. Rosemary, for all of her prowess in the business world, how she could live with herself as Ria's best friend and Danny's paramour? Ria is so naïve and gullible. The best thing she did was agree to the house vacation with Marilyn. It is important to realize that you are your own person, not just a mother, wife or friend first. It was 600+ pages of a soap opera. Thank goodness, it's over!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Such a wonder heartwarming, addictive story. My favorite of all of the Maeve Binchy novels. 10 stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a long-book which was hard to put down once I'd started. The main character is Ria, who falls in love with Danny, a handsome and smooth-talking businessman. They buy a huge old house, and slowly renovate it.

    After a major crisis, we meet Marilyn, an American, who does a house-swap with Ria for two months over the summer. Each discovers new things about the other, which are cleverly revealed in the book.

    The characters are perhaps a little caricatured, but it means that the large cast were all memorable, and I found myself caring about several of them. Rather than one major plot, there are intricate sub-plots which intertwine, as the story moves forward.

    Friendship, loyalty, love, betrayal... these themes and others are explored in Binchy's typical Irish and very friendly style, making it a thoroughly enjoyable book to read, and re-read.

    Definitely recommended to anyone who enjoys light women's fiction.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What ages would I recommend it too? – Sixteen and up.

    Length? – A week.

    Characters? – Memorable, several characters.

    Setting? – 1980's and 1990's.

    Written approximately? – 1998.

    Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – No.

    Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? No.

    Short storyline: Ria's trials and traversals through adulthood, marriage, two children, and divorce from a dishonest husband.

    Notes for the reader: Not one of my favorite's. Though, less romance than many of her books.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The plot was a bit of a downer at times and it took me awhile to get into it, but by the end I felt like I knew all the characters and I wanted to find out what happened next in their lives.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Terribly predictable and stereotypical