The Library at the Edge of the World - (Finfarran Peninsula) by Felicity Hayes-McCoy (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"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.

From the Back Cover

As she drives her mobile library van between little villages on 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, wry wit, and charm, The Library at the Edge of the World is an empowering story about the meaning of home and the importance of finding a place where you truly belong.

Review Quotes

"The Library at The Edge of the World is a delicious feast of a novel. Sink in and feel enveloped by the beautiful world of Felicity Hayes-McCoy." -- Cathy Kelly, bestselling author of Between Sisters and Secrets of a Happy Marriage

"A charming and heartwarming story." -- Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of The Cafe by the Sea

"Engaging...sparkling and joyous." -- Sunday Times (London)

"The spot-on descriptions of Ireland's country roads and expansive sky all but leap off the page and provide the true joy of Hayes-McCoy's first novel.... Maeve Binchy and Patrick Taylor fans will find much to enjoy." -- Booklist

"Much like a cup of tea and a cozy afghan, The Library at The Edge of the World is the perfect book to hunker down with. Prepare to be transported." -- Library Reads

"Hayes-McCoy offers readers many reasons to keep turning the pages. Build a fire and snuggle up to this novel about finding yourself wherever you are. It'll warm up your winter day." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch

"An appealing novel that will delight Maeve Binchy fans. There are plenty of good discussion points about the nature of community for book clubs and thoughtful readers." -- Library Journal

"'Heart-warming...reminiscent of Maeve Binchy and Roisin Meaney" -- Irish Examiner

"If you like reading a feel-good novel...then take a journey to the edge of the world" -- Sunday Independent (Ireland)

"A feel-good novel for fans of Maeve Binchy." -- London Sunday Times

"The Library at the Edge of the World. . . takes its readers to a beautiful part of the world at a bad time in a middle-aged woman's life. . . . It's a story of marvelous possibilities and about finding one's strength." -- Kate Ayers, Bookreporter

"This is a gentle novel, the literary equivalent of warm slippers and a cup of tea by the fire." -- New York Journal of Books