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The Last Week of May
May O'Callaghan has decided that life's too short and she's decided to throw in the towel in her predictable nine-to-five job. Now what?
As May fits into her new life we meet her friend Pam and her husband Jack - but why is Pam terrified to tell Jack that she's pregnant?
And then there's Denis and Bernard, May's next-door neighbours, going about their business oblivious to the deadly threat that lurks close by.
There's Paddy, who lives on his own yet never seems to be at home.
And Paul, three doors up, willing to risk everything for an affair with Carmel, the young teacher who has yet to learn that there's a price to pay for having something that shouldn't be yours.
But what May can't figure out is who gave her the beautiful shell necklace and was it really meant for her?
On this one particular week, all is about to change for the inhabitants of Kilpatrick and May discovers that while only love can break your heart, only love can put it back together.
As May fits into her new life we meet her friend Pam and her husband Jack - but why is Pam terrified to tell Jack that she's pregnant?
And then there's Denis and Bernard, May's next-door neighbours, going about their business oblivious to the deadly threat that lurks close by.
There's Paddy, who lives on his own yet never seems to be at home.
And Paul, three doors up, willing to risk everything for an affair with Carmel, the young teacher who has yet to learn that there's a price to pay for having something that shouldn't be yours.
But what May can't figure out is who gave her the beautiful shell necklace and was it really meant for her?
On this one particular week, all is about to change for the inhabitants of Kilpatrick and May discovers that while only love can break your heart, only love can put it back together.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2007
205 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Roisin Meaney
44 books391 followersBorn on 3rd September.
A published author of twenty books for adults and three for children, Roisin worked as an advertising copywriter for a number of years, and brings a vast amount of experience to the editing team. Her first novel, The Daisy Picker, won a Write a Bestseller competition. Her third novel, The Last Week of May reached number one on the Irish bestseller list and her fourth, The People Next Door reached number two. Her books have been translated into several languages, and two, Semi-Sweet and Life Drawing for Beginners, have been published in the US. She is currently working on her next book, which is scheduled for publication in autumn 2023. She is also plotting another children's book - shhhhh.
A published author of twenty books for adults and three for children, Roisin worked as an advertising copywriter for a number of years, and brings a vast amount of experience to the editing team. Her first novel, The Daisy Picker, won a Write a Bestseller competition. Her third novel, The Last Week of May reached number one on the Irish bestseller list and her fourth, The People Next Door reached number two. Her books have been translated into several languages, and two, Semi-Sweet and Life Drawing for Beginners, have been published in the US. She is currently working on her next book, which is scheduled for publication in autumn 2023. She is also plotting another children's book - shhhhh.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 28, 2024
Updated June 25, 2024: Great re-read. You can see my original review below. I was in the mood for some comfortish reads because I have a lot going on personally right now.
Updated review January 28, 2021: Just did a nice re-read of this one. Still really enjoyed this one and enjoyed it. Though as I said in another review I have noticed that most of Meaney's characters are kind of dealing with similar circumstances across books. We have May dealing with being cheated on which a lot of her characters deal with in her books. We have Marjorie who is similar to a lot of her older female characters that is dealing with an ungrateful child. It's not a bad thing, I just didn't see it until I did my re-reads.
Original review:
Wow. I can see why many are calling Roisin Meaney the new Maeve Binchy. I really enjoyed this one a lot.
We get to follow a cast of characters through one week taking place in the Kilpatrick, Ireland. Not everyone gets a happy ending, and some people still seem to be obtuse as hell at the end of the book, but I really enjoyed this one.
The main characters are:
May, dealing with heartbreak, moved to Kilpatrick and doing odd jobs to support herself and her father.
Pam, takes care of May's father while she is out at work and is dealing with some things with her husband Jack which are causing her to be worried about their future.
Bernard who is the local florist and scared that someone is out to get him and his live in lover are a couple who are dealing with someone who is focused on hurting them because they are gay.
Paddy who is in love with May though he's never formally met her.
Paul who is ready to throw away his life due to a fling.
Carmel who is obsessed with Paul.
Marjorie who doesn't know how to talk to her daughter anymore.
There are some other characters that we get to see in this one, but I don't want to spoil too much. I really did enjoy everyone (even the characters who were doing terrible things).
The writing was really good and I got a kick out of following these characters for a full week. I loved the ins and outs of everyone and how everything ends up being connected in the end around a single event.
The flow actually is good in this one even though we go back and forth between characters. Meaney does a good job with everyone's voices so no character sounds exactly like the other one. She also helpfully makes sure she calls out who is "speaking" when the passage switches between people. I didn't find that necessary though to include due to how different everyone sounds.
The setting of Kilpatrick felt small at times, but I think it was supposed to due to us following about 10 characters (here and there) throughout the book.
I loved how the ending we get leaves things up in the air, but we can guess what happens next. I would love to read about this group in a sequel someday.
Updated review January 28, 2021: Just did a nice re-read of this one. Still really enjoyed this one and enjoyed it. Though as I said in another review I have noticed that most of Meaney's characters are kind of dealing with similar circumstances across books. We have May dealing with being cheated on which a lot of her characters deal with in her books. We have Marjorie who is similar to a lot of her older female characters that is dealing with an ungrateful child. It's not a bad thing, I just didn't see it until I did my re-reads.
Original review:
Wow. I can see why many are calling Roisin Meaney the new Maeve Binchy. I really enjoyed this one a lot.
We get to follow a cast of characters through one week taking place in the Kilpatrick, Ireland. Not everyone gets a happy ending, and some people still seem to be obtuse as hell at the end of the book, but I really enjoyed this one.
The main characters are:
May, dealing with heartbreak, moved to Kilpatrick and doing odd jobs to support herself and her father.
Pam, takes care of May's father while she is out at work and is dealing with some things with her husband Jack which are causing her to be worried about their future.
Bernard who is the local florist and scared that someone is out to get him and his live in lover are a couple who are dealing with someone who is focused on hurting them because they are gay.
Paddy who is in love with May though he's never formally met her.
Paul who is ready to throw away his life due to a fling.
Carmel who is obsessed with Paul.
Marjorie who doesn't know how to talk to her daughter anymore.
There are some other characters that we get to see in this one, but I don't want to spoil too much. I really did enjoy everyone (even the characters who were doing terrible things).
The writing was really good and I got a kick out of following these characters for a full week. I loved the ins and outs of everyone and how everything ends up being connected in the end around a single event.
The flow actually is good in this one even though we go back and forth between characters. Meaney does a good job with everyone's voices so no character sounds exactly like the other one. She also helpfully makes sure she calls out who is "speaking" when the passage switches between people. I didn't find that necessary though to include due to how different everyone sounds.
The setting of Kilpatrick felt small at times, but I think it was supposed to due to us following about 10 characters (here and there) throughout the book.
I loved how the ending we get leaves things up in the air, but we can guess what happens next. I would love to read about this group in a sequel someday.
July 6, 2021
I like this writer's style.There is a sweetness to her MCs that is lovely.
June 3, 2019
I will have to be really careful about what I say about this book, it will be so easy to give the events of this one week in a small Irish town away. Considering the time frame and relative size of the location where we are transported by the Author an awful lot happens to a large range of people. That is the real beauty of the story, the various people that litter it's pages.
May has a rather eccentric outlook on life these days, rather than follow the usual career path she has decided that life is too short so she hires herself as a Jill of All Trades and she loves it. This also means that she is our link between the disparate bunch of characters we meet; they are either, friends, family, neighbours or her clients. It is a simple enough device but it is used to great effect in this book.
I was going to list the other range of characters but found that I could not really mention any of them without giving away a little bit of the plot. Considering this is really a book about people it is very strong on plot and each person's personality is an intrinsic part of the plot. Very deft writing that I found completely sucked me in. The only issue I had with it was some of the coincidences were just a little too much for believability and the travelling necklace was a bit of a bone of contention as well - I felt that it was overplayed just a little.
Although only split in to 7 distinct chapters - one for each day of the week - each chapter is split in to multiple smaller tales, each giving a view in to one character's current situation throughout the day. Told more or less chronologically you do find yourself jumping between some characters multiple times during that chapter. By keeping to a more or less third person telling of the tale you never feel at a loss as to who is the focus of this particular section, which was a relief as with such a wide ranging cast of characters it could have been a disaster.
The stories told deal with aging, homophobia, adultery, domestic violence, the search for love, mother love and, above all, friendship. Beautifully told and completely engaging I can heartily recommend this read.
May has a rather eccentric outlook on life these days, rather than follow the usual career path she has decided that life is too short so she hires herself as a Jill of All Trades and she loves it. This also means that she is our link between the disparate bunch of characters we meet; they are either, friends, family, neighbours or her clients. It is a simple enough device but it is used to great effect in this book.
I was going to list the other range of characters but found that I could not really mention any of them without giving away a little bit of the plot. Considering this is really a book about people it is very strong on plot and each person's personality is an intrinsic part of the plot. Very deft writing that I found completely sucked me in. The only issue I had with it was some of the coincidences were just a little too much for believability and the travelling necklace was a bit of a bone of contention as well - I felt that it was overplayed just a little.
Although only split in to 7 distinct chapters - one for each day of the week - each chapter is split in to multiple smaller tales, each giving a view in to one character's current situation throughout the day. Told more or less chronologically you do find yourself jumping between some characters multiple times during that chapter. By keeping to a more or less third person telling of the tale you never feel at a loss as to who is the focus of this particular section, which was a relief as with such a wide ranging cast of characters it could have been a disaster.
The stories told deal with aging, homophobia, adultery, domestic violence, the search for love, mother love and, above all, friendship. Beautifully told and completely engaging I can heartily recommend this read.
August 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this book - it follows the life of a small cast of characters in a small town in the west of Ireland over one week - I found the characters beautifully written - their lives all loosely intertwined as would happen in a small town like theirs - not everyone’s week finished happily and we don’t know what will happen to some of them but I liked that the ends weren’t all tied up neatly into a bow - loved it!
June 12, 2019
I Love her writing!
I have been so bored with the books I have read lately up to my first book of Roison Meany...it is so entertaining and keeps you guessing..never want to put it down...I'm working on reading all her books, and the way I read, will be finished by August..delightfully Irish!!
I have been so bored with the books I have read lately up to my first book of Roison Meany...it is so entertaining and keeps you guessing..never want to put it down...I'm working on reading all her books, and the way I read, will be finished by August..delightfully Irish!!
May 22, 2018
Loved this book
The style in which this story was written was brilliant. It reminded me of some of the best old television shows, or a story you would here on the radio. Brilliant characters, proper storytelling.
The style in which this story was written was brilliant. It reminded me of some of the best old television shows, or a story you would here on the radio. Brilliant characters, proper storytelling.
April 21, 2014
This novel, as in the author's usual style, is simply delightful. I want to travel to Ireland and live in a little town right away when I read about these inhabitants.
January 2, 2020
One week in the lives of many different characters (including May) in a small town in Ireland
May 27, 2017
I really enjoyed this it was a lovely book to read.
January 24, 2018
What a joyous book.
June 6, 2020
Delightful
Roisin Meaney has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her books are full of memorable, lifelike characters, twisty little plot lines, real life situations.
Roisin Meaney has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her books are full of memorable, lifelike characters, twisty little plot lines, real life situations.
May 19, 2024
What a great story! Coming off a book I DNF to this one that I could not put down!
In a small neighborhood in Kilpatrick, Ireland, we meet May who lives with her elderly father. Then you meet, through a series of events, neighbors, friends and acquaintances each with their own story.
Things are not always as they seem and does anyone truly know what goes on behind your neighbors/ friends closed doors.
In a small neighborhood in Kilpatrick, Ireland, we meet May who lives with her elderly father. Then you meet, through a series of events, neighbors, friends and acquaintances each with their own story.
Things are not always as they seem and does anyone truly know what goes on behind your neighbors/ friends closed doors.
March 23, 2025
Well written and unique plot line of following a dozen characters whose lives intertwine over the course of a week in a small town in Ireland. It took some concentration to remember who was who and some characters feature more prominently than others. I may have rated it a little higher if several of the characters hadn’t been so unlikable (though realistic enough). I do like this author and realized this was probably one of her earlier books & plan to continue reading more of her work.
March 10, 2019
Очень даже неплохо, мне понравилось, что автор дала слово всем своим персонажам, позволив заглянуть, что твориться у них в голове (правда, мне постоянно приходилось напрягаться, чтобы вспомнить, кто это).
Понравилось, что не все истории заканчиваются абсолютным хэппи-эндом, хотя, для этого жанра, всё завершилось вполне хорошо для всех, за кого переживал читатель.
Довольно увлекательное чтиво.
Понравилось, что не все истории заканчиваются абсолютным хэппи-эндом, хотя, для этого жанра, всё завершилось вполне хорошо для всех, за кого переживал читатель.
Довольно увлекательное чтиво.
February 19, 2022
Roisin Meaney has the same storytelling gift as Maeve Binchy and Rosamund Pilcher. I have read several of Meaney’s books; each one transports me to a town or island where her multiple characters are each living their own storylines, which overlap and develop. These stories, and the characters who live them, get under your skin and always leave you wanting just one more epilogue. I am hooked!
August 2, 2020
Liked it very much.
At first it was a bit hard to get into, but I finally got hooked and was so glad I did finish it.
The characters and setting were interesting and I will now read more of her books!
At first it was a bit hard to get into, but I finally got hooked and was so glad I did finish it.
The characters and setting were interesting and I will now read more of her books!
July 30, 2018
Meaney pulls you into the lives of the characters, making it difficult to return to the real world when the book ends. Cozy and satisfying, with just enough misfortune and heartbreak.
Read
July 7, 2020An easy read, light and fun
December 12, 2020
Very sweet. Reminds me of Maeve Binchy
January 9, 2021
Lovely uplifting story.
A lovely read enjoyable from beginning to end.
Secrets held behind front doors of people’s homes that ultimately prevailed
A lovely read enjoyable from beginning to end.
Secrets held behind front doors of people’s homes that ultimately prevailed
September 17, 2023
Another wonderful story by Roisin Meaney.
June 28, 2024
Another wonderful book by Roisin Meaney
Such an easy read, loved all the characters I didn’t want the book to end. On to her next book.
Such an easy read, loved all the characters I didn’t want the book to end. On to her next book.
March 20, 2025
Audiobook on Spotify 👂
A fine easy listen
A fine easy listen
June 2, 2025
Different.
This book is brilliant, really enjoyed reading it. It's lovely finding a story that is different. A real range of characters, good and bad!
This book is brilliant, really enjoyed reading it. It's lovely finding a story that is different. A real range of characters, good and bad!
July 24, 2008
wonderful
passages-that-made-me-wish#066677
And the presents - from Cathal and Gaby, a thing for all the world like a giant furry boot that heated up when you plugged it in. Then you put your feet in, apparently, both of them, and it kept them warm. He'd never heard of such a thing, often wished for some magical solution for his chilly feet. He'd try it out the minute they were gone. p288
She slid the soft-poached duck egg onto the slice of toast. Such laziness, nearly midday and still in her dressing-gown, breakfast on the table when she should have been getting lunch.
Ah, who cared? Who was there to see her, an elderly woman sitting in her own kitchen on a Saturday morning? She picked up her fork and poked it into the egg, watched the dark orange yolk slither slowly over the toast. Such luxury, not to have to rush anywhere. She reached for the salt cellar. p239
passages-that-made-me-wish#066677
And the presents - from Cathal and Gaby, a thing for all the world like a giant furry boot that heated up when you plugged it in. Then you put your feet in, apparently, both of them, and it kept them warm. He'd never heard of such a thing, often wished for some magical solution for his chilly feet. He'd try it out the minute they were gone. p288
She slid the soft-poached duck egg onto the slice of toast. Such laziness, nearly midday and still in her dressing-gown, breakfast on the table when she should have been getting lunch.
Ah, who cared? Who was there to see her, an elderly woman sitting in her own kitchen on a Saturday morning? She picked up her fork and poked it into the egg, watched the dark orange yolk slither slowly over the toast. Such luxury, not to have to rush anywhere. She reached for the salt cellar. p239
August 5, 2014
Really enjoyed it.....page turner.
May 29, 2017
Another fab read from Roisin.
Im a huge Mave Binchy fan and Roisins books remind me a lot of Maeves. Lovely believeable characters and well thought out plotlines.
Im a huge Mave Binchy fan and Roisins books remind me a lot of Maeves. Lovely believeable characters and well thought out plotlines.
February 23, 2012
Easy reading but enjoyable enough
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews