The Library at the Edge of the World

A Novel

By: Felicity Hayes-McCoy

Narrated by: Marcella Riordan

“Heart-warming . . . reminiscent of Maeve Binchy and Roisin Meaney.” —Irish Examiner

In the bestselling tradition of Fannie Flagg and Jenny Colgan comes Felicity Hayes-McCoy’s U.S. debut about a local librarian who must find a way to rebuild her community and her own life in this touching, enchanting novel set on Ireland’s stunning West Coast.

As she drives her mobile library van between villages of Ireland’s West Coast, Hanna Casey tries not to think about a lot of things. Like the sophisticated lifestyle she abandoned after finding her English barrister husband in bed with another woman. Or that she’s back in Lissbeg, the rural Irish town she walked away from in her teens, living in the back bedroom of her overbearing mother’s retirement bungalow. Or, worse yet, her nagging fear that, as the local librarian and a prominent figure in the community, her failed marriage and ignominious return have made her a focus of gossip.

With her teenage daughter, Jazz, off traveling the world and her relationship with her own mother growing increasingly tense, Hanna is determined to reclaim her independence by restoring a derelict cottage left to her by her great-aunt. But when the threatened closure of the Lissbeg Library puts her personal plans in jeopardy, Hanna finds herself leading a battle to restore the heart and soul of the Finfarran Peninsula’s fragmented community. And she’s about to discover that the neighbors she’d always kept at a distance have come to mean more to her than she ever could have imagined.

Told with heart and abundant charm, The Library at the Edge of the World is a joyous story about the meaning of home and the importance of finding a place where you truly belong.

Ireland

My ability to see this wonderful story and the setting of a place I've never been.

Beautiful setting

Beautiful descriptions of scenery but development of story and characters was a bit slow for my taste. Great wrap up at the end though.

Awesome Story

This is the kind of read you don’t want to put down. Well written and completely enjoyable. The speaker was fun to listen to. I highly recommend.

Slooooww...

I can't finish it. The conflict is hinted at and 25 chapters in it still isn't out in the open. I mean where is the conflict with the ex husband or the library closing? The writing is nice, but it doesn't feel like anything is happening. It's so slow it feels like real life. If you like that, then try it.