Mary M. (emeraldfire) -
When Noel learns that a former flame is terminally ill and pregnant with a child that she claims is his, he agrees to take care of the baby girl once she is born. A recovering alcoholic who is barely keeping his inner demons at bay, Noel is perhaps not the most promising of fathers but despite everything, he could well turn out to be Baby Frankie's best hope.
Luckily, Noel has a very close network of friends and family who are ready to help him raise Frankie. There is love-starved Lisa, who becomes his round-the-clock partner in little Frankie's care, his American cousin and pep-talker, Emily, as well as a host of eager babysitters from all around the close-knit Irish community of Jarlath Crescent, Dublin who are ready to step up and offer their services to Noel.
The unusual arrangement works out well for everyone concerned until a nosy social worker, Moira arrives. She is convinced that the best thing for Frankie is to be raised in a foster home and she has the power to make that happen. However, she has her own secrets to hide. Now the entire community of Jarlath Crescent must come together and prove to Moira that they each have something to offer in the raising of little Frankie.
I really, really enjoyed this book and found it to be extremely heartwarming and a true feel good story. I gave this book an A+! and happily put it away on my bookshelf. I will probably reread it in a couple of years time. I was very surprised to learn from her website that Maeve Binchy passed away on July 30, 2012 after a short illness. As I've probably said before, Maeve Binchy was one of my favorite authors and in my opinion, she will be sorely missed by readers all over the world. God bless you, Maeve. may your soul rest in peace.
Luckily, Noel has a very close network of friends and family who are ready to help him raise Frankie. There is love-starved Lisa, who becomes his round-the-clock partner in little Frankie's care, his American cousin and pep-talker, Emily, as well as a host of eager babysitters from all around the close-knit Irish community of Jarlath Crescent, Dublin who are ready to step up and offer their services to Noel.
The unusual arrangement works out well for everyone concerned until a nosy social worker, Moira arrives. She is convinced that the best thing for Frankie is to be raised in a foster home and she has the power to make that happen. However, she has her own secrets to hide. Now the entire community of Jarlath Crescent must come together and prove to Moira that they each have something to offer in the raising of little Frankie.
I really, really enjoyed this book and found it to be extremely heartwarming and a true feel good story. I gave this book an A+! and happily put it away on my bookshelf. I will probably reread it in a couple of years time. I was very surprised to learn from her website that Maeve Binchy passed away on July 30, 2012 after a short illness. As I've probably said before, Maeve Binchy was one of my favorite authors and in my opinion, she will be sorely missed by readers all over the world. God bless you, Maeve. may your soul rest in peace.
