Muswell Press Best Friends.

by Andrew Meehan

Best Friends ABISBOOK Muswell Press.

Paperback

Reviews

[Kelly Hollingworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Dublin this book is the story of 70+ June Wylie and Ray Draper who find each other in their autumnal years. They are an unlikely pair: Ray cycles, June keeps bees - Ray doesn’t even like honey! Ray has never been in love whereas June has been married three times. They change each other’s lives by meeting in this wonderful, heartwarming, life affirming book that touched me immensely. I loved the cover, I loved the concept, I loved the line “Your my bees”, I loved the love. This is a special romance that will full many readers hearts with warmth as it did mine.

[Linnéa · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You're my bees"
3-4 stars

[lauren mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very summer pool read, I enjoyed it a lot- quite short but sort of fitted the vibe.

[Rachel N · Rating 5 out of 5]

June and Ray live in the same small town but have never met. Both are single and set in their ways but a chance encounter leads to a growing friendship and then relationship. All of which sounds like a lovely story but doesn’t come close to describing this book.

Often in these kind of stories the couple would be a fairly idealised version of older people, kindly, charming, comfortable, but that’s not true of June and Ray. They’re both good people but they’re by no means perfect and they represent a group more often overlooked, not well off, no family, lonely. Both of them just jump off the page from the very start and it’s impossible not to become completely invested in their story. Neither are entirely sure they want to make the effort or change their lives and habits so much but it’s lovely to see their relationship grow and you pull for them through the good times and worry for them as harder times come.

Andrew Meehan has a wonderful writing style, full of empathy and almost conversational, so it feels as though you could visit the town and find them there. It’s a lovely book, not what you’d traditionally think of as a page turner but I couldn’t put it down. Beautiful.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

[Jane Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw a review somewhere and got this book on impulse. What an unexpected delight. I despise most modern Irish fiction, but this is something else. Beautiful, and a little dark, which is just what a story like this should be. Two people in their 70s meet by chance, become friends, and make a relationship. This could so easily have been heartwarming, at which point I would have thrown it away, but it never is. Both are difficult, and rather set in their ways, which is how many people in their 70s are. Neither has any means, property, or money, which is very often the case too. Neither has any family close to them, which is handy as a plot device. Something shocking happens, and actually it doesn't need to, for the story, but it's the trigger for them to move their relationship to a new stage. No spoilers, so no more. Read this book.

[Haxxunne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfectly imperfect
—
I had no clue what I was in for with this, apart from the title. Disarmed, I was open to wherever this novel planned to take me; and boy, was I right to be. Two older people in Dublin, set in their ways, meet by chance and are drawn together despite themselves. That’s it.

Or is it? Ray and June are perfectly imperfect, both in their seventies; they’ve been knocking around their part of Dublin for a long time but have never met before, with their own little worlds and their very secret histories. As they interact, moving from strangers to friends and on to something more, their rough edges mesh and, as Meehan states in the book, they love all the mistakes and failures in each other. Beautifully structured and the alternating chapters styled to centre June and then Ray, this is a book that will steal upon you, reminding you of the healing power of love.

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read, I was blown away about how much I loved this book about two people in their 70's becoming the best of friends. It is all about how the two of them navigate their life. I loved how the story flowed and the joy it gave me that they found each other. It was a beautifully story about the bond that these two share and the agreement they have between each other. It is a heart warming and emotional story. I loved it.

[Fadly C · Rating 2 out of 5]

If non-sequiturs were a book. I did not enjoy the grammatical liberties in this book. The page long sentences using only commas and semicolons is not conducive to a reading flow, I also really disliked the page and half repetitive sentence structures. “Somewhere in this town is a man. Somewhere in this town is a woman. Somewhere in this town” yeah I got it the first two times. Really threw me off. Cute story though.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gem of a book! Why had I never heard of Andrew Meehan while Sally Rooney courts so much publicity?! Sparsely written yet packing a punch stylistically. A tender love affair between 2 septuagenarians,one v experienced in matters of love, the other a novice. Set in a coastal town in the suburbs of Dublin, Andrew Meehan tells us so much about life there without using many words to do so. All I can say is I urge you to read this book!

[Maddison Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful story, with such beautiful and, at times lyrical, prose that reminds us that it is never too late for love. The writing style wasn’t quite for me, but I was still able to appreciate the beauty of the story and the message that it was portraying. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys lyrical prose and deeper messaging about love.

[Liz Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read a review of this that described it as "Normal People" for geriatrics! I enjoyed the interaction of the two main characters, and there was a lot of humour and pathos in the book. I suspect that anyone under 30 will be very turned off by the thought of older people having such relationships!

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read found thanks to the “Arena” show on RTE Radio 1. When I finished the novel, the first word that came to my mind was “sweet.” “Quirky” soon followed. How can you not enjoy a novel about 2 people finding each other later in life? I really enjoyed Meehan’s writing and will seek out other titles by him.

[Ian Appleby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “Normal People” comparison put me off and it’s very wide of the mark. But this is a lovely tale of new love and friendship late in life. Deftly delves into how 2 set in their ways individuals navigate their differences and find a common path to an uncommon conclusion.

[Ellie Ness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best Friends Andrew Meehan

Best Friends - Andrew Meehan - Google Books https://share.google/Cjr6QTgYPZpFCcNzj

There's a preview above.



The basic premise is love in later life and overcoming loneliness. You will be able to tell from the preview if it's for you.

[Anne Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my sort of book. I picked it because I am a 70yr old and thought I could relate to the characters. I got 25% in and got annoyed by how weedy the main characters were. Sorry!

[Marie O'Halloran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected to enjoy this book - I live in the area where the story is set, I am in the age group of the main characters, and it was recommended by an author I like. But it just didn't spark for me.

[Dylan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart warming and easy to read. What I needed.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful but totally unsentimental story about finding friendship, love and connection in old age.