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Roone #1
One Summer
From NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR Roisin Meaney, a heart-warming story of love, friendship and fate set on Roone, a small island off the west coast of Ireland ...
Nell Mulcahy grew up on the island so when the old stone cottage by the edge of the sea went up for sale, the decision to move back from Dublin was easy.
But when Nell decides to rent out her cottage for the summer to help raise money her forthcoming wedding to Tim, she's unprepared for what's about to happen ...
As she welcomes holiday-makers to her cottage, Nell must face some about her upcoming wedding to Tim, and her friendship with his brother, James.
And, meanwhile, her father delivers some astounding news which leaves Nell, her mother and the island reeling ...
But will Nell make it down the aisle?
One thing's for sure, it's a summer on the island that nobody will ever forget.
Nell Mulcahy grew up on the island so when the old stone cottage by the edge of the sea went up for sale, the decision to move back from Dublin was easy.
But when Nell decides to rent out her cottage for the summer to help raise money her forthcoming wedding to Tim, she's unprepared for what's about to happen ...
As she welcomes holiday-makers to her cottage, Nell must face some about her upcoming wedding to Tim, and her friendship with his brother, James.
And, meanwhile, her father delivers some astounding news which leaves Nell, her mother and the island reeling ...
But will Nell make it down the aisle?
One thing's for sure, it's a summer on the island that nobody will ever forget.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2012
503 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
Roisin Meaney
44 books386 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 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 30, 2022
"Roone is no stranger to miracles."
This series was just what I needed at that precise moment! I really loved the first book including the Italian version for its cover. Roisin Meaney always manages to take day-to-day life and add something special to each and every day, it looks like a certain type of magic is hidden in every word. One Summer put me right in the middle of a Roone island and has told vivid stories of those beautiful people living there. It shows how lives can change and what it takes to adapt and cope with new situations.
"As long as we're alive, there's always hope, and it's never too late for an adventure!"
Books in the Roone series:
One Summer
After the Wedding
I'll Be Home for Christmas
The Birthday Party
I really enjoyed all 4 books about Roone and its like a family Islanders, and do hope there will be more stories about these wonderful characters!
This series was just what I needed at that precise moment! I really loved the first book including the Italian version for its cover. Roisin Meaney always manages to take day-to-day life and add something special to each and every day, it looks like a certain type of magic is hidden in every word. One Summer put me right in the middle of a Roone island and has told vivid stories of those beautiful people living there. It shows how lives can change and what it takes to adapt and cope with new situations.
"As long as we're alive, there's always hope, and it's never too late for an adventure!"
Books in the Roone series:
One Summer
After the Wedding
I'll Be Home for Christmas
The Birthday Party
I really enjoyed all 4 books about Roone and its like a family Islanders, and do hope there will be more stories about these wonderful characters!
August 29, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The characters, as in all Roisin Meaney books, are very real and mostly quite likeable. The stories of various people are connected through a series of situations and the intimate setting of the island, Roone. The island is really a character in itself, and I wish I could magic myself over there for a little holiday in good company.I don't want to go into the plot too much, as I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but I should say that this isn't an entirely light-hearted chick-lit book. The issues many characters deal with are far from banal, and make this book and the others by Ms Meaney an absolutely worthwhile read.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
August 31, 2018
I enjoy reading stories that take place in Ireland, Scotland, and England. I miss Maeve Binchey's books and when I saw that my friend, Anita had found some books similar to hers, I was anxious to read them. I also agree with her 3.5 star rating even though we can't assign the extra half star.
Nell worked as a hairdresser in Dublin but the island of Roone where she had grown up was calling to her. She decided to return and purchased a small stone cottage that she felt was magical. Having spent most of her life there and now running the only hair salon on the island, Nell was certainly immersed in the community. Her dad was the principal of the local school and her uncle owned the pub. She met her friend, James' brother Tim and it was love at first sight. He is a software developer in Dublin and loves her enough to travel hours each weekend to see her. In a few months they will be married and Nell is determined that it will be the grandest wedding that Roone has ver seen. Since she is going to spend so much money of the wedding, Nell decides that she needs to do something to add to the fund that will pay for it. She decides that renting her cottage out for six weeks of summer will give her the extra cash that she needs and perhaps some magic will enter the lives of her renters. Everyone has secrets, however, and as the days go by they start to surface. Sometimes a simple decision can change the lives of many and this is one summer that won't be forgotten any time soon.
Luckily, there is a follow up book to this one called After the Wedding and I look forward to returning to the island and the characters that I enjoyed so much in this story.
Nell worked as a hairdresser in Dublin but the island of Roone where she had grown up was calling to her. She decided to return and purchased a small stone cottage that she felt was magical. Having spent most of her life there and now running the only hair salon on the island, Nell was certainly immersed in the community. Her dad was the principal of the local school and her uncle owned the pub. She met her friend, James' brother Tim and it was love at first sight. He is a software developer in Dublin and loves her enough to travel hours each weekend to see her. In a few months they will be married and Nell is determined that it will be the grandest wedding that Roone has ver seen. Since she is going to spend so much money of the wedding, Nell decides that she needs to do something to add to the fund that will pay for it. She decides that renting her cottage out for six weeks of summer will give her the extra cash that she needs and perhaps some magic will enter the lives of her renters. Everyone has secrets, however, and as the days go by they start to surface. Sometimes a simple decision can change the lives of many and this is one summer that won't be forgotten any time soon.
Luckily, there is a follow up book to this one called After the Wedding and I look forward to returning to the island and the characters that I enjoyed so much in this story.
March 15, 2018
Really enjoyed this book, definitely going to read the rest in the series
August 1, 2017
This one took me a few pages to get into it, but then POW! I did not want to put it down. When I got to page 329, I literally shouted OUT LOUD "NO! I wanted you to get together and be happy!". So then I just had to read until I was done. There are SO MANY different stories / points of view in this book and I'll be honest, sometimes it was hard to follow and I had to reread to get the correct perspective. But once I got into the flow and all of the elements were further revealed, I kinda loved it. Also a plus - the dictionary in my Nook. Sooooooo many Irish phrases and words that I was able to confirm. Gonna start the next one RIGHT NOW.
October 20, 2015
If I could give 3 and a half stars I would give it to this book. This was a lovely read, good characters and story lines. I would also want to go on my holidays here. Having read the sequel first I thought this read would be spoilt for me but it really wasn't. Definitely worth reading.
January 12, 2023
Enjoyed this so much. Character driven and I just want to visit roone and listen to the sea.
If you’re a fan of Maeve Binchy style books then you are in for a treat when you pick up Roisins books. I’m only sorry it’s taken me so long to read her books!
If you’re a fan of Maeve Binchy style books then you are in for a treat when you pick up Roisins books. I’m only sorry it’s taken me so long to read her books!
July 24, 2017
A good read. Certainly there is predictability, but I needed a comfortable read in these times of political turmoil. I needed the peace of Roone, and Roisin Meaney delivered.
I found myself wanting to book a trip to Ireland and find the Island of Roone, buy a cottage, and live there for the remainder of my life. Albeit, their lives were not without heartbreak or tragedy, but coping with it was better than some of the ways we would nowadays.
Growing up in a big city where things have become anonymous (things were not always this way) I longed for characters as were in this book. I longed to lived by the sea, to live in a village where everyone knows everyone else, helps everyone else out, shops daily, has reciprocal dinners, goes out to the local pub to socialize, etc., etc. Believe it or not, it was that way in my life, even in the "big city" years ago. This book brought all that back. I loved it!
Rather than repeat the plot. I suggest a read. I will move onto it's sequel, After The Wedding, because I miss the town and the characters so very much. Thanks, Ms. Meaney.
I found myself wanting to book a trip to Ireland and find the Island of Roone, buy a cottage, and live there for the remainder of my life. Albeit, their lives were not without heartbreak or tragedy, but coping with it was better than some of the ways we would nowadays.
Growing up in a big city where things have become anonymous (things were not always this way) I longed for characters as were in this book. I longed to lived by the sea, to live in a village where everyone knows everyone else, helps everyone else out, shops daily, has reciprocal dinners, goes out to the local pub to socialize, etc., etc. Believe it or not, it was that way in my life, even in the "big city" years ago. This book brought all that back. I loved it!
Rather than repeat the plot. I suggest a read. I will move onto it's sequel, After The Wedding, because I miss the town and the characters so very much. Thanks, Ms. Meaney.
June 19, 2019
3-ish stars. Light, fluffy, predictable. I picked this up because the author was recommended as similar to Maeve Binchy. This might be vaguely true of some of Maeve's final works where she was following a highly formulaic flow in her books (because, let's face it, when you are in your 70's, who wants to work that hard when everything you write becomes a mega seller anyway?) but I did enjoy this novel because sometimes I am tired and stressed and these kind of Irish small town novels tap into a part of me that wants to believe that somewhere exists a place where everyone is nice, they can work together, care about each other and in then end, despite a few not-to-challenging struggles - we all have a happy ending waiting for us. If the author were to work on developing her plotting and incorporate more advanced story lines (see M.B.'s Light a Penny Candle, Firefly Summer and Circle of Friends for example), I could see her easily becoming a much wider known author with a large following.
March 6, 2018
3.5 stars. I am a huge fan of Cathy Kelly and Maeve Binchy and was happy to find another author who creates a loveable cast of characters. Nell is so excited to be planning her perfect wedding to Tim Baker on her home island of Roon in December. As the owner of the only hair salon on the island, her income will not cover expenses for the gorgeous dress she has put a deposit on and the upscale hotel which she has booked to seat everyone on the island. Although Tim earns a heavy salary in Dublin and has offered to cover the costs, she wants to pay half and decides to rent out her house on the coast to vacationers for six weeks during the summer.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel but the narration gets confusing. You're not sure at the beginning of paragraphs who is speaking until a couple of sentences later. Then, in the same paragraph, another unidentified character is speaking. The story continues in After the Wedding.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel but the narration gets confusing. You're not sure at the beginning of paragraphs who is speaking until a couple of sentences later. Then, in the same paragraph, another unidentified character is speaking. The story continues in After the Wedding.
May 5, 2012
A truly heart-warming must read! With a majestic setting and marvelously endearing characters you'll wish you could have as friends in real life, this book has all the ingredients to leave you smiling long after you have finished. One Summer is set on an Island off the coast of Ireland with the lovely and hopelessly optimistic Nell as the main character. Nell has decided to let her cottage over the summer to raise money for her upcoming wedding. This book made me laugh out loud and cry real tears. It is a beautifully written and charming book that you will not want to put down!
January 3, 2016
What a start to my 2016 reads !
Nell lives on the Irish Island of Roone, a magical place by all accounts where those who visit fall in love with the place and perhaps meet their soul mate . Due to marry the man of her dreams , Nell wants to help fund the wedding so decides to let her house out to tourists for the summer . Each tenant brings their own story and as the summer draws to a close , Nell is forced to question some of the choices she is making .
A cast of loveable characters , my favourite being Nell's eccentric neighbour Walter and his donkey . A book I didn't want to end .
Nell lives on the Irish Island of Roone, a magical place by all accounts where those who visit fall in love with the place and perhaps meet their soul mate . Due to marry the man of her dreams , Nell wants to help fund the wedding so decides to let her house out to tourists for the summer . Each tenant brings their own story and as the summer draws to a close , Nell is forced to question some of the choices she is making .
A cast of loveable characters , my favourite being Nell's eccentric neighbour Walter and his donkey . A book I didn't want to end .
November 24, 2013
As one critic says, 'if you like Maeve Binchy, you are in for a treat'. And Roisin Meaney does not disappoint. Set on the tiny Irish island of Roone, Nell rents out her house to three different sets of holiday tenants over six weeks in the summer. A lot happens during those six weeks and unlike a lot of authors, it's not an entirely happy tale. Laughs and tears abound. A great story with believable and likeable characters. I will be reading more of Roisin Meaney for sure.
October 6, 2014
I loved this book! I had a little trouble in the beginning trying to figure out who all the characters were and how the related to each other. Once I figured that out, I was all in! This book had me laughing and crying. It was endearing, romantic, humorous, heart warming all wrapped up in one. My only complaint was the ending...I didn't want it to end. I wanted to find out more about what happened to the characters.
September 11, 2012
Roisin is a consistent writer so you can be fairly sure of a good read when you open her books
As usual a gripping story is sacrificed for endearing characters. If that doesn't bother you then you'll enjoy this.
Personally I found the predictability a little tedious but that's just personal preference.
As usual a gripping story is sacrificed for endearing characters. If that doesn't bother you then you'll enjoy this.
Personally I found the predictability a little tedious but that's just personal preference.
June 26, 2017
Loved the characters on this Irish island of Roone. Nell, James, Walter , and all the others make me wish it were all real so I could go visit them and enjoy their island and their company. Yes, it was a bit predictable, but it didn't bother me. It just made me read faster to get to the happy ending! I agree with those who say Meaney writes like Maeve Binchy. A new favorite!
June 29, 2012
I loved, loved, loved this book! From the very first page I felt I was part of the Roone Island.I wanted to go live there and meet these people. It is a book that will stay with you longer after you have finished.
March 9, 2014
6 stars!!! Such a lovely story! This book is one that puts a smile on your face and makes you instantly happier! I couldnt put it down, I loved all the characters and it was such a nice story! Absolutely loved it!!
September 26, 2015
loved this book real page turner. great ending could there b a follow up
November 19, 2015
For fans of Maeve Binchy, an enjoyable read and I was sorry it ended. Very light read after the dark and depressing "dark places" by gillian flynn. I will read more of her books.
June 4, 2016
I really loved this book. When you can be both laughing and crying within the space of one page, it's a good book!
October 16, 2016
so many characters, I longed to be one of them. beautiful escapism...when can I move to roone?
May 26, 2017
A Great Irish Story
One of the best books I have read this year. I loved every moment of it from the first page yo the last.
One of the best books I have read this year. I loved every moment of it from the first page yo the last.
June 9, 2017
Enjoyable
The cast of characters in this novel are a joy to behold. The story moved along at a good pace.
The cast of characters in this novel are a joy to behold. The story moved along at a good pace.
June 21, 2017
Nell is a pretty selfish twit.
June 30, 2017
Wonderful story
Loved this book! So happy to find someone that carries on in Maeve Binchy style writing. Can't wait to read more.
Loved this book! So happy to find someone that carries on in Maeve Binchy style writing. Can't wait to read more.
July 20, 2017
a heart warmer.
July 20, 2017
Loved this book. So fun! Great summer read!
December 30, 2019
Roisin Meaney writes absolutely beautifully! I had read that her style and novels are reminiscent of the late Maeve Binchy's (and a friend had recommended this novel), so I was excited to read "One Summer," and was not disappointed. The novel has all the "feels" a Binchy novel was sure to evoke, descriptions of small town life in Ireland, and a cast of wonderful characters you will believe are your personal friends by the time you read the last page.
Over the course of one summer, in the tiny seaside town of Roone, relationships will grow, change, come apart, and never fail to surprise the people involved. In Roone, everyone knows, and watches out for, everyone else. There is so much love, all around, for the people, the town, their traditions, and dreams. Most who visit, never want to leave.
My only complaint (thus 4, not 5 stars) was that the book seemed to drag on at the end. I felt Meaney should have written fewer pages. The last five or six pages seemed rushed, after the prior hundred that could have been shortened. I kept wanting the book to end, needing closure on the story lines.
Over the course of one summer, in the tiny seaside town of Roone, relationships will grow, change, come apart, and never fail to surprise the people involved. In Roone, everyone knows, and watches out for, everyone else. There is so much love, all around, for the people, the town, their traditions, and dreams. Most who visit, never want to leave.
My only complaint (thus 4, not 5 stars) was that the book seemed to drag on at the end. I felt Meaney should have written fewer pages. The last five or six pages seemed rushed, after the prior hundred that could have been shortened. I kept wanting the book to end, needing closure on the story lines.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews