Nights of Rain and Stars

by Maeve Binchy

The lives of four strangers are forever altered when they meet in a Greek seaside village in this compelling novel from #1  New York Times  bestselling author Maeve Binchy.

Tourists enter the hilltop tavern, alone and in pairs, for a casual lunch. But a sudden tragedy in the harbor below causes these perfect strangers to become unlikely friends as their lives begin to entwine...

Fiona left her nursing career in Ireland to be with the man everyone thinks is wrong for her. Elsa fled Germany and her high-powered television job once she learned what the man she loved was hiding from her. Thomas mourns his failed marriage and misses his young son in California, while David yearns to reconcile with his family in England without having to go into the family business. Chance has brought them together, and together they will find new ways of looking at the lives they left behind.

“By the time the bouzouki players start up on the last page, you’ll feel you’ve known these people all your life.”— The Seattle Times  

“The sort of book you should take with you on a trip to the Greek islands.”— The Boston Globe

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Greece, Contemporary, Ireland, Irish Literature

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Anne Maeve Binchy Snell was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, columnist, and speaker. Her novels were characterised by a sympathetic and often humorous portrayal of small-town life in Ireland, and surprise endings. Her novels, which were translated into 37 languages, sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her death at age 73, announced by Vincent Browne on Irish television late on 30 July 2012, was mourned as the death of one of Ireland's best-loved and most recognisable writers.
She appeared in the US market, featuring on The New York Times Best Seller list and in Oprah's Book Club. Recognised for her "total absence of malice" and generosity to other writers, she finished third in a 2000 poll for World Book Day, ahead of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Stephen King.

Reviews

[Suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is must be the only Maeve book I've left off my shelf! I can't bear the thought that I had allowed one to slip through! As my memory is pretty (very) scratchy, I don't remember in vivid colour, but I know that I loved it, every single bit. Have also added it as 'Want to read again'. As with most of Maeve's books (look at me writing her name like we are old friends!), they are just so reliable, entertaining and down to earth. Now what's not to love about this lady's work?!

Re-read in August 2015:

This is my first re read of a Maeve book, and I listened to the audio cd. What a treat! The female narrator did a great job of male to female, and accents – English, German, Greek, Irish and American. Nothing to cringe about like I have in all audio books I've read so far. Of course the added bonus is an Irish native reading a Maeve Binchy book, I don’t miss any of the pronunciation!

This was a tale woven together with the lives of a small group of tourists and the eclectic group of locals that they happen upon in the small coastal town of Aghia Anna, in the Greek Islands. Everyone has their share of baggage, and they come together to learn a lot about each other, and then of course, in turn, themselves.

This author has a knack of storytelling in engaging way; there is never anything not to love about her books. This will be the first of many many re-reads for me. Very much looking forward to revisiting them all!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The point to Maeve Binchy novels is not to wonder what will happen to the characters. You can pretty much assume a happy ending, and that is why Binchy is the comfort food of the reading world. Her writing is simple and sweet. The stories are not meant to be suspenseful or to leave you guessing. I'm surprised by the one-star reviews of this book which seem to be evaluating this novel by some other standard than what is ordinarily used for Binchy novels: does it make you feel good? Is it easy to read? When you're wrung out by the complicated torments of your own life, does the book give you the equivalent of a hot bath and a warm nap? If you can answer yes, then the purpose of Binchy's novel has been fulfilled.

Nights of Rain and Stars is exactly that comfort read. Set in a small town in Greece, a group of 4 strangers become friends with each other and the locals, and learn some things about themselves along the way.

It's charming, and it's simple.

[Blondish And Bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another case of “good but not great”. Maeve Binchy’s best are definite 5 star reads, this one isn’t quite there. It’s a nice read, just not one that I can’t put down, or one I will reread. Many of the main characters aren’t very likable (although some of them are in Binchy’s other Dublin series books, and they are likable there).

The story is set on an island in Greece, where a tour boat burns up, killing many tourists and islanders. The main characters were on the boat the day before, and how they deal with the emotions this causes as well as decisions they make about their lives makes up the rest of the book.

I found that a lot of the things that the people did in the book were frustrating to me. They seemed to make mostly poor choices, and to whine about how nobody understood them. The last quarter of the book had some epiphanies and somewhat redeemed the story.

The book is not terrible, it’s just that Maeve Binchy sets the bar REALLY high with her writing, so it’s a bummer when one of her books isn’t the 5* read I was expecting. Recommend to anyone who loves Binchy or other cozy type stories, or books with multiple storylines. If you have not read any of Maeve Binchy’s other books, I would not start with this one. The others are much better (Evening Class, Scarlet Feather, Quentins, etc).

[mimi (depression slump) · Rating 3 out of 5]

All is well that ends well… sort of.

If you think this is the perfect summer novel, the type of book you read on the beach to relax, you couldn’t make the worst mistake.
Nothing is relaxing in this story, it actually starts with a tragedy and ends with the worst type of ending.

I'm a fan of happy endings - who isn’t? -, but I don't expect every book I read has one. And I'm totally okay with this because no happy endings mean a good bad ending, a one you cry your heart out for.
But why make a happy ending for someone and a bad ending for someone else. How should I feel about it?

The only thing I really understood, and that’s really clear in the story, is this: you should never be afraid to apologize and come back home.
Every character has this as a background story, every one of them is too afraid to come home because they messed up in some ways.
And even if some of the things are going to get better - or are already being fixed -, someone else is just waiting for something will never arrive.

I suppose this means that you can even run away from everything and go to a desert island in Greece, but your problems will always follow you.
If you are lucky, you’re going to find someone wise as Vonni and your perspective is never gonna be the same.

↠ 3 stars

[Isis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Contrived Plot is contrived. Anyone who can't figure out exactly what will happen with whom by the second chapter deserves to read to the end.

[Zoe Stewart (Zoe's All Booked) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm pissed off. TW for a miscarriage, a poorly handled one at that

1.5/5 and the only reason it got that extra half star was because I liked the way things wrapped up, predictable though they were.

Safe to say I hated this. The writing style was not for me at all, all telling with no showing. To me, it felt clunky and dry. Every character was so unlikeable, which I wouldn't have minded if there was something interesting about them. Vonni was the fucking worst of all. She stuck her nose into everything and was a complete bitch about it. As a Greek, I wasn't thrilled with the way Greek people were portrayed, it felt condescending more than anything. Honestly, if it was just this stuff, it would've been somewhere between 2-3 stars, and I would've recommended it to people who like that sort of writing style and enjoy unlikeable characters with next to no redeeming qualities.

Unfortunately, I've got a real problem with this fucking book. Spoilers ahead in this rant.

I usually hate surprise pregnancies in books. This one was no exception, and it had the exact reason I hate them. Shortly after finding out she's pregnant with her abusive boyfriend's baby, Fiona has a miscarriage. Instead of being there for her and helping her through her grief, literally EVERYONE tells her that it's for the best. Literally to her face. It's for the fucking best. Are you fucking kidding me? This is a joke, right? Even if people thought that because it broke the last tie she had to her POS bf (took her a long time to be done with him though) telling her that is so far from acceptable that acceptable can't even fucking see it. I don't give a single flying fuck if she had only known for a day or two that she was pregnant. With my second pregnancy I found out on a Thursday night and miscarried Monday afternoon. I was just as devastated as when I miscarried the baby that I had known about for a few weeks. Fiona already loved her child and had begun making plans for her and Shane's future.

I understand everyone's desire to comfort her and help her through it, but that was absofuckingloutely not the way. If it was just one character who told her that and was immediately shut down, that would've been a whole different thing. But no. Characters were warning each other to not tell her that it was for the best, as if it's not COMMON FUCKING SENSE to not say that. A woman lost her child. You don't fucking say that. To me, that goes beyond poor writing. I had to stop reading for a bit I was so furious. The way that everyone was on the same page and it wasn't called out makes me think that the author thought that was a perfectly reasonable response to a horrible event.

I certainly won't be reading anything else by Maeve Binchy on the chance that another miscarriage is handled so poorly. I don't have the mental strength to read that again. It's been two years since I miscarried my babies, and reading that absolute garbage brought back every single emotion I felt through two of the worst moments of my life. And not in a way that felt like I was processing them in a healthy way. It felt like a gut punch and a slap in the face at the same time. I remember when I posted a video about my pregnancy journey when I was pregnant with my oldest son (my third pregnancy) I mentioned things to not say to someone who had a miscarriage, so many people thanked me because they never knew what to say. I'm horrified thinking that someone would come across this book, know someone who miscarried, and said some of this shit to them thinking that it's helpful. It's akin to all the shit I heard about how "everything happens for a reason" and "if it was meant to be it would've been". Telling someone that shit or saying that it's for the best is not the helpful thing you think it is. It's invalidating as all hell, and it shouldn't be said.

I'm going to go crack a Somersby, snug with my boys, and reread something that I know won't be as infuriating as this was. I need some joy around me after this fucking mess.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't read Binchey in a long time but found this book on my shelf and almost passed it over. I am hesitant to read hard-covered books and this one was given to me by my mom with a, "Sorry, I know you don't like hard-covered books but it sounded like a book you would enjoy reading."
Well, I DID like it! Easy read; absorbing characters whose lives, true to Binchey's trademark, intersect - this time on the Greek Isle of Ahnia Anna. I only predicted one of the four characters' endings but the rest, while not totally surprising, were worth the read. I've since passed the book onto a colleague. Reaading Binchey feels like an accomplishment on a grander scale than, say, Nicholas Sparks or Mary Higgins Clark. Quick, good read and maybe, as I did, other readers will enjoy the exotic setting of a remote Greek Isle.

[~☆~Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this long ago and seemed to have liked it better that time. I finished it again but don't like it much. There are too many characters for me which is part of the problem.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not had the pleasure of reading a novel by Maeve Binchy for over ten years. What a treat to have our "in real life" book club choose Nights of Rain and Stars for our July read!

A shocking tragedy results in four strangers meeting at Andreas's taverna on a hill overlooking the harbour and little Greek village of Aghia Anna. Fiona is from Ireland, and due to her choices is estranged from her family. The American professor Thomas is on sabbatical and dearly misses his young son Ben. Elsa from Germany and David from England also each have a life in turmoil. With the help of Vonnie, an Irish woman who lives in the village and is now a near-native, they find solutions – though not necessarily the ones they anticipated.

Although it took several pages before a couple of us were drawn into the story, everyone enjoyed this book. Some read it in one sitting, as they could not put it down! We had a great discussion.
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Noella · Rating 2 out of 5]

In verschillende fb groepen las ik dat Maeve Binchy echt een auteur was die je moest gelezen hebben. Dus besloot ik ook eens een boek van haar mee te nemen uit te bibliotheek. Misschien heb ik net een van haar mindere boeken gekozen, maar Regen en Sterren las voor mij als een stationsromannetje.
Erg voorspelbaar, en de hoofdpersonen bleven koppig hun dwaze ideeën volgen, tot op het einde van het boek, dan leek iedereen precies tot inkeer te komen, en loopt het verhaal voor iedereen goed af, voor de ene al wat meer romantisch en emotioneel dan voor de andere.
Dit boek laat me echt niet na met een gevoel dat ik meer wil lezen van deze auteur.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply beautiful!

So this is what Maeve Binchy does, how she writes. I have been reading her books since I was a little girl and hers was one of the first books I remember from when I was young and I fell in love with reading. What Maeve does is gather a cast of unrelated characters and throws them together. A tour bus, a restaurant, a wishing well, an Italian Class. The formula is often the same. Get these people together in a setting, often with far flung stories from far flung corners of the world. Usually some Irish, regardless of the setting. This book was no exception. The setting was an Island of Greece called Aghia Anna. I have no idea if such a place ever existed, I certainly never heard of it. Feels made up in its beauty and perfection. The cast and characters were these. From the Island, an elderly taverna owner and his police chief brother. A woman in her sixties who has had a difficult life - but exists these days to help others not mess up their own. She is sort of the town seer, unwitting and reticent psychologist who has no idea what to do on her own. There is an abusive boar of a young guy - a schmuck as they say, who arrives on the island with his dopey girlfriend, who adores him despite his obvious sociopathy. The dopey girlfriend is sort of a heroine of the book. There are three more. A gorgeous German TV star, a young professor from California who feels pushed out of his own life, and an English Jewish kid, whose storyline was the least clear of all to me - whose hugest trauma appeared to be that he didn't want to be the light in his parents eyes, and didn't want to work for his father's company.

In the opening pages of the book, so no spoilers, somehow these five strangers land at Andrea's taverna on the top of the hill, and they are witness to a tragedy that rocks the island to its core. They spend the evening together, and profoundly moved by both the setting, and the witness to what can happen in just a moment to change life forever, they bond and form a friendship through bystander trauma. This sets in motion, the events of their lives to unfold together and in time. This is Maeve Binchy - what she does. Then Maeve will also bring in the families from home, casts of characters we only start learning about from the first third of the book in passing, now have full lives and experiences. Its a global effect. By the end of the book, (every book) situations have been resolved one way or another. Some couple has fallen in love or has been reunited. Perhaps a death, perhaps an inheritance or new job or adventure. People find their way and are forever changed.

This book - its theme was fathers. Fathers and sons, fathers and daughters. There were indeed some mothers in there, but they paled to the Father-ship theme. I counted at least six father-child themes and storylines that were going on at once. Fathers and Sons. There was a lovely circular beauty in that, and I found it a little different.

The setting was lush and gorgeous and I could just picture it!

Still not sure how I feel about audio - at all. Not sure I like it. I guess I like it a little bit, because its easy to get caught up in a story that way. But it takes a long time - longer than it was for me to just pick up and finish the book in like twenty minutes. It does have a quality. But i still don't like to be in more than one book at a time, so I wanted to finish this one off so I could truly be in my next book - For the most beautiful, a Greek mythology re-telling.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I'm confused as to how Nights of Rain and Stars fits into Binchy's body of work. Set in Greece and focusing on people from four different countries united when a tragedy occurs in this small, idyllic town, it's a far cry from the usual Irish small-town story.

Considering how confrontational everyone seems to be, they tend to get along better than expected. The narrative's tone doesn't align with the characters' actions, and I could never tell whether they were fighting or best friends. This meant any change caught me by surprise - so at least it was unpredictable?

Overall, Nights of Rain and Stars was a bit of a non-entity for me. I wasn't wholly invested but didn't mind the read. Binchy definitely has better - and worse - books, and I doubt this one will merit a reread in future.

Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.

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[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Serious reasons drive four strangers to become friends. They all share one thing from the start - they are tourists on a journey of exploration. Each booked a trip to a Greek island from four quarters of the earth for six weeks. When hiking about, looking for the next sight to see, a boat catches on fire in the harbor below their hill, and in their shared consternation, they begin introducing themselves while taking a seat at a nearby restaurant table.

Fiona, an Irish nurse, is in love with her companion, Shane. She knows Shane is a drug abuser, but she doesn't care. When her family objected to her boyfriend, she decided to take off with him on this vacation. Shane, by the way, is as awful as her family thinks. He makes no effort whatsoever to be kind or loving. Fiona is as blind to his horrible personality as her family thinks.

Elsa, a beautiful German television reporter, has come to have a think about her relationship with her boyfriend. Long ago, her father deserted her mother. She recently discovered her boyfriend also deserted his child from a former relationship, and fuming, she decided on a Greek vacation to decide whether she should marry him or break it off.

David does not understand how to handle his father. He loves his dad, but his father is demanding he take over the family business. In confusion, he has come to the beautiful island to figure out what to do.

Thomas is upset that his ex-wife and her new husband seem to be coming between him and their son. Whenever he calls, he feels like a fifth wheel. He has decided on this vacation to review his options.

The cafe owner, Andreas, can't help overhearing their conversation. His heart warms to them because he also has family troubles. Long ago, he and his son argued, and as a result his son left for America and was never heard from again. Andreas regrets the argument and wants to see his son once more, but he doesn't believe his son will ever forgive him.

The four new friends arrange to meet for either sharing apartments or resources at the restaurant, and soon they are involved in sorting out the others' problems.

If you, female chick and/or sensitive child (I am making such an assumption, gentle reader, if you have read my review this far and that perhaps you are familiar with Maeve Binchy's other novels, some of which I confess I have enjoyed more), are looking for a sweet breezy read, something easy on emotions and violence, and happy endings are absolutely required, then I have the joy of recommending a good-enough read for you. May I suggest 'Nights of Rain and Stars."

However, I thought it too by-the-numbers and dull, so I hesitate to recommend it wholeheartedly. But knowing the sensitivities of readers of this kind of fiction, I am attempting to be as amiable in my opinion as possible.

Everybody, I wish you all very good day!

[Stevie Holcomb · Rating 2 out of 5]

One-dimensional, wooden characters just hurt this potentially lovely story of 4 strangers meeting on a remote Greek Island. Sadly, the characters are so similar it hurts, most of them good (with the occasional bad character thrown in). People who are good have faults, and bad people have redeeming qualities--but no one has told Ms. Binchy this. At times in conversation, my mind would wander and I would be lost at who was talking, it almost seemed like a conversation one person was having with themselves. No explanation as to why Fiona loved this Shane so much, he was a complete jerk to her, and no mention in her past as to why that came to be. The most interesting character, Vonni, had a past that would have made a fabulous story in and of itself.

Also, Binchy makes these characters talk, and often they use Irish slang. The German woman asks the American man if he 'fancies' her, and the muscleman new father of Thomas' kid says things like "properly" which, while some Americans would say, I find it hard to believe this guy would use. Not that he's stupid, or anything, but it doesn't play correctly.

I loved The Glass Lake, but find other books I read by Bincy to lack that magic. I have Quentins and plan on trying that as well, but I think I'm done with instantly being excited when I run across one of her books at a yard sale.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually want to give this book two stars, but the characters were so sweet and nice that I don't want to hurt their feelings. Yes, I did just write that. Yes, I do worry about characters' feelings.

I'm not a Maeve Binchy devotee, but I do like her books - I thought "Circle of Friends" was fantastic, and I've thought the few other books of hers I've read (although their titles don't jump out at me) were 3-4 star average. Good, solid reads. Enough that I expected this one would be, too, plus it has a beautiful title.

Instead, this read like a first novel. The writing was self-indulgent and stretched too thin, and the characters, sweet and nice as they might be, were self-indulgent and melodramatic, too, way too obsessed with their own problems and what everyone else thought about them. The tragedy that is the foundation the plot is distant and, although not unbelievable, doesn't trigger any feeling of connection or empathy, and the events that follow also feel contrived.

In short, I wouldn't recommend this book, but if you find yourself with nothing else to read, there are worse ways to spend your time. If nothing else, it's a nice little vacation to Greece.

[Lana M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

At 100 pages, I actually stopped. It was bad. But for some reason I picked it up again.

The story starts out great, 4 strangers meeting on a holiday somewhere in Greece and then becoming friends? Each was there for a reason of their own? Yes, LOVE.

I deeply enjoyed the traveling aspect of the book. The scenery and little moments in Aghia Anna, Greece. Highlighted and Googled every single location and dish mentioned.

Then…

We have the writing of this book. Was this really Maeve? Or a ghost writer? Because ouch.
This was patchy, superficial, emotionless, unnatural, at times too rushed and simplified.

I wish the time this book/writer took in addressing unreltaed situations, dragging events and establishing unnecessary conversations was cut to a quarter and replaced with more character building, depth and background, with more focus on having raw and genuine conversations. Everything was too fast, too pushed which led to this unnatural relation between them and really annoying dialog-like flat conversions.

⭐️: 2/5 (2 stars for the travel aspect only)

[Julz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the last Binchy book I will ever buy. She has a new one out now, and I won't go there.

Her earlier works, until Tara Road, which was the "beginning of the end," in my opinion, are among my favorite re-readable books.

She's one of those authors who should have stuck to writing what she knows (post-WWII life in small Irish villages) rather than trying to be hip (yuppies, cappuchino machines, groups of middle-aged tourists, etc.) Her newer books, in the opinion of one of my friends, seem ghost-written.

Will the real Binchy ever be back?

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Take:
What an easy book to fall into, and what easy characters to fall in love with. I was pleasantly surprised by this book – I tried to read a Maeve Binchy (The Lilac Bus) when I was in high school, and just couldn’t get into it, and never tried another one since. The style of this book is lovely, the writing easy and dreamy (except for a few places where the writing was coarse and choppy, it seemed that she had to create a conflict for conflict’s sake and didn’t fit into the rest of the story, the ease of it – particularly with Thomas regarding his ex-wife and new boyfriend – the character didn’t fit with how he was portrayed throughout the rest of his story in Greece). But this was a lovely creation of falling into an easy, tranquil vacation in Greece – you could feel the simplicity of life there, un-harried, and the quickly formed friendship of the characters was beautiful and believable. I loved Andreas, the restaurant owner, and his charm and generosity. He seemed a sweet and loving man. The fact that these people could bond after a tragedy in his restaurant says a lot about his depth and presence. This book is a testament to family – acceptance, love, support, and the need for it. Not just the family that you are born into, but the family that you choose through your life as well. Strength and growth and acceptance. I still don’t think David should have returned home to run his father’s business just because he was dying – I think it’s possible to support and live and love without having to sacrifice your own happiness. I wasn’t happy with the way that David just rolled over and took it. Vonnie, while delightful, seemed another inconsistent character – I loved her story line, but feel some of her actions were out of character primarily for conflict’s sake to further the plot.
 
I loved when the dancers came out to dance in the street in honor of their dead friend – a remembrance for the family of the husband/father that they had lost in the fire. “When all this was a long, distant memory, perhaps the children would recall the night that Aghia Anna had come out to dance for their father.” Beautiful.
 
The truth of this: “In the end we all have to rely on ourselves. Ourselves and friends, if we are lucky enough to make them. We are not tied to our children or they to us.” There is no guarantee that we will be loved – painful example is my father – so we must form our own bonds and our own families when we do not have the support expected, and live happy lives as best we can. We make our own happiness, receive our own karma for what we put into the world. You cannot expect that which you aren’t willing to give. It was a beautiful ending to the book, when Andreas’ son Adonis returns to him. “His arms high in the air, he swooped and bent and danced, overjoyed to be back where he belonged.” Open communication, harboring no resentments, acceptance and forgiveness are the keys to happiness. I wish that I could do that with my own father, but I’m not ready for that yet. I don’t know if I ever will be.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in a mood to read about Greece, longing to remember the days and nights I spent on a Greek island, so in that sense, this book was just what the doctor ordered. I loved reading about the scenery, traditions, and culture of a small village on a Greek island. So idyllic and charming :) The setting is really what I liked the most about this book. If it wasn't set on a Greek island, I don't think I would've even given it much thought in the first place.

Overall, it's a pretty simplistic story with a likeable cast of characters. However, Binchy's writing is a bit too elementary for me. The dialogue is just so basic, and everyone seems to speak in such proper sentences. It's very unnatural to read. And, as with many British or Irish authors, my biggest and most consistent complaint is that they write dialogue for characters in the wrong voice. Meaning, the characters say things that they would not, realistically, say. For example, the author has a middle-aged American man saying something like "we met loads of people today", or "will we go to get a coffee, do you think?", or "he was meant to ring me today" ... which are all things that an Irish or British person might say, but definitely not an American. For some reason, that sort of thing just really irritates me. If an author is going to write a story with characters from America, Ireland, Britain, and Germany, they should all "speak" with terminology and slang that actually fits them and the country they came from.

Regardless -- this was a light, easy read.

[Maria Elmvang · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Maeve Binchy's strengths is characterizations, and this one is no exception. There's no plot to speak of, but you really get to know the main characters for better or worse. It's a good comfort read and in general a charming book.

[Anubha (BooksFullOfLife, LifeFullOfBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was surprisingly good. It was about four different travellers witnessing an accident from far in a Greek island. All of these 4 people apparently have fled from their home countries for a respite but they find comfort in each other's company. Even though all of them find the place and company so favorable that they don't want to return but destiny and a native has other plans.

It was touching to be a part of their journeys, intriguing to know where they go from there and with whom. Light hearted wholesome read!

[Obsidian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please note that I gave this book 2.5 stars but rounded it to 3 stars on Goodreads.

WHY??????

Seriously. I ended up buying this on vacation because I got a kick out of it taking place in Greece. And what would not go better than reading a Maeve Binchy book in Greece while I was in Greece?

I should have none better.

We have classic Binchy following multiple people who reassess their own lives after coming to Greece and seeing the effect a fatal boat accident has on a small Greek town (Aghia Anna).

We follow four main characters, Fiona, Thomas, Elsa, and David.

Fiona who is Irish, has quit her job as a nurse in Ireland and decided to go traveling with her druggy boyfriend Shane. I have no idea how Fiona fell on her head and lost her common sense but there it is. We get a reveal about the abuse that Shane has dealt to Fiona and I thought the way this whole storyline wrapped up was not believable at all.

Thomas who is American, is traveling the world escaping how angry and lost he feels now that his ex-wife is remarried and his son is getting adjusted to a new stepdad. Thomas is an ass. He is quite ugly about his ex-wife and her new husband Andy because they like to work out and keep in shape. Since Thomas is an academic he acts like they must be the dumbest people on Earth.

Elsa who is German, has quit her job at a German television news station because she wants her boyfriend Deiter to do whatever she asks without question. Seriously. This whole storyline sucked frankly. And I was quite tired of people and Elsa talking about how beautiful she was. I kept rolling my eyes.

David who is English, has gone traveling because he hates how his father is a successful businessman and he is one of these 20 year olds that thinks that money sucks, unless you need it.

Sorry to be so harsh but really, none of these people had a clue and since they come from different nationalities and age groups it was ridiculous how they behaved. They all get obsessed with a local woman named Vonni (formerly of Ireland) and pry into her history. Instead of maybe listening to what she was saying and her actions, I don't think any of them learned a thing.

The writing was rough in a lot of places and once again I found myself getting bored.

The setting of Greee was so disappointing. As someone who just traveled there, Binchy fails to capture the small towns in Greece, the food, the culture, everything. It was just about four self absorbed people who wanted to stay in this town, because things seemed to quaint and simple there. Let's forget the whole town is dealing with a lot of deaths.

The ending left a bad taste in my mouth because you still had Fiona and David bad mouthing their family somewhat and Elsa and Thomas's ridiculous ending too.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very much an ingenious book. Four young people are on in Greece on holiday when an accident happens. They remain e on the island for the funeral and their lives begin to get in toward.

Superb use of characterization in a very fast paced book. I highly suggest

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another feel-good contemporary fiction by Maeve Binchy. Four strangers meet in a hilltop tavern in Aghia Anna in the Greek Islands. An unexpected tragedy in the village harbour sees them suddenly thrown into each other’s company and their lives begin to intertwine.

Elsa is a beautiful German newsreader who has left her job and come to Greece to escape a relationship which had too many unpalatable secrets. Fiona is an Irish nurse who is travelling overseas to be with her beloved Shane, a difficult man disliked by all of her family and friends. David is from England, where he feels smothered by his Jewish parents and their pressure on him to take on the family business. Thomas is an American university professor on sabbatical, to remove himself from the heartache of watching from the sidelines his son’s new life with a stepfather taking the daily parenting role.

The four are graciously cared for by tavern owner Andreas, himself grieving his absent son in America. They also come across the mysterious Vonni, an Irish woman who has made the island her home for decades and seems embedded in the community. Gradually Vonni’s turbulent past comes to the fore, as she makes pointed comments to each of them about the damaged relationships they need to repair, and about the lives they are all running from.

This was as expected for a Maeve Binchy novel, a simple charming read, not too in-depth but pleasant and escapist. There were times when I wanted to shake Fiona when she was blindly scrabbling to devote herself to her boyfriend, the callous bottom-feeder Shane, but overall this was a cosy read. The audio narration by Terry Donnelly was excellent.

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars!

Nights of Rain and Stars was a nice read, it follows the story of four different people who all come to be into contact with each other on a Greek island. I picked this book up at my local College library where I am a student at a while ago. The characters themselves (David, Fiona, Elsa and Thomas) all had their own various issues and were trying to find the solution to them. There's also the mystery of the Irish woman Vonni who came to live on the Island but you find out why and her story in the book.

I read the book quickly and liked how each character found their solutions to their troubled issues. The setting was nice throughout. I liked Maeve's writing style, this was the first book by her that I've read. Good for anyone wanting a reading escape!

[Patricia Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

There really is no way to go wrong with a Maeve Binchy book. It isn't terribly complicated or mind-blowing but there's a comfort and ease about her writing that always draws me in. Sometimes it's nice to settle into a book or an author that you know well. It's like visiting with a friend you've not seen in years - you don't need any big moments to happen to enjoy the moment. That's this book and her writing for me.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice, light read but nothing spectacular. Four strangers from different parts of the world travel to a remote Greek island running away from their problems. They end up meeting and helping each other with their troubles along with the assistance of several local folk who seem to be more than happy to interfere. I loved the setting of the Greek island but overall the story was predictable and boring. I've enjoyed Ms. Binchy's books in the past but this one did not do it for me.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book on CD performed by Terry Donnelly

Five tourists, all from different countries, come together at a small Greek taverna on a hill overlooking the harbor, where they witness a tourist boat fire that results in several deaths. Drawn together by this tragedy they begin to share their lives with one another and with the kind residents of the village. In particular they meet Vonni, an Irish woman who married a Greek man some decades previously and has made her life on the island, Andreas, who runs the taverna and his brother, Georgie who is the local police chief.

Binchy writes ensemble pieces that reflect the ways in which we get to know one another. Strangers are drawn together by location and circumstance, and find common ground where they least expect it. In this novel we have the American professor Thomas; German TV news reporter Elsa; David, a young man fleeing the family business in England; and Fiona and Shane from Ireland, she a nurse and he a ne’er-do-well hippie. Sharing a meal, a glass of wine, a bus trip to a different village, a walk on the beach, they reveal themselves little by little to one another and to the reader. If the ending is a little too neatly tied up with a pretty bow, who cares. It’s an enjoyable read and by the end I felt as if I were friends with them and wanted to visit this charming island myself.

Terry Donnelly does a fine job performing the audio version. Her pacing is good and she has enough skill as a voice artist to differentiate the characters.

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

De una manera preciosa Bilchy nos cuenta la historia de estas cuatro personas y nos hace reflexionar sobre aquello de que nadie escarmienta en pellejo ajeno y que las grandes lecciones de vida no vienen en enorme escenas, si no desde la parte más sencilla de la parte humana, del día a día y de conocer en un momento dado a ciertas personas que son tan normales, tan comunes y tan llenas de problemas como cualquier otro.
No es otra cosa si no el retratar en letras la manera en que se vive una crisis personal, de amor, de desamor, de confianza, de complejos o sencillos traumas personales que nos hacen en un momento dado huir para no tomar una simple y sencilla decisión.
No es un libro que contenga grandes historias, pero en su sencillez esta la belleza, la ternura y esas simples y fáciles escenas que te tocan el alma porque son exactamente lo que cada uno de nosotros podría vivir o ha vivido.
Un escenario precioso, cuatro personas que en esencia son buenas personas con sus miedos y sus errores y aciertos, un pueblo lleno de gentes amables y que además me ha dejado unas tremendas ganas de huir a Grecia.
Esta escritora tiene una enorme capacidad de plasmar la vida misma, la esencia de la sencillez de las personas y trasmitirnos en ello mucho sentimiento.
Me ha encantado este libro.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoy Binchy's writing style and her characters. I find myself engrossed in their lives and really enjoying it. This was a nice escape to Greece and to witness how four very separate and different lives became intertwined and straightened out.