The Tavern on Maple Street

by Sharon Owens

Beautiful Lily Beaumont and her husband Jack are owners of a genuine Victorian tavern, situated on one of Belfast's few remaining narrow cobbled streets. It's a favourite among the locals who love the quiet atmosphere, good beer, and simple food. Then one day, Dublin-based developer Vincent Halloran arrives with big plans for Maple Street. The other traders are keen to sell up and retire, but Jack and Lily aren't ready to call `time, please' on their beloved tavern. Instead Lily hires four pretty barmaids to bring in the customers. Enter pint-sized, man-eater Bridget, lazy art-student Daisy, neurotic Trudy, and painfully shy Marie. And if the stakes for Lily and Jack weren't already high enough, there's a secret about the Maple Street tavern that has yet to be discovered. A secret that will redefine the meaning of love, friendship, and family in the most surprising ways ...

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

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Here are some questions I get asked a lot:

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE A WRITER?

No, it never crossed my mind, though I have always loved books.

WHAT BOOKS DID YOU LOVE AS A CHILD?

THE BORROWERS
THE BORROWERS AFIELD
THE BORROWERS AFLOAT
THE BORROWERS ALOFT
THE BORROWERS AVENGED, all by Mary Norton
THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE by CS Lewis

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU LOVE NOW?

THE MAIDEN DINOSAUR
TEA AT FOUR O'CLOCK, both by Janet McNeill
LADY CHATTERLY'S LOVER by DH Lawrence
THE LONELY PASSION OF JUDITH HEARNE
THE FEAST OF LUPERCAL
AN ANSWER FROM LIMBO
THE LUCK OF GINGER COFFEY, all by Brian Moore
READING IN THE DARK by Seamus Deane
THE COUNTRY GIRLS TRILOGY by Edna O'Brien
BEATRICE by Noelle Harrison
THE RAGGY BOY TRILOGY by Patrick Galvin
THE FALLING ANGELS by John Walsh
MAN OR MANGO? by Lucy Ellmann
THE BLUE TANGO by Eoin McNamee

HOW DO YOU RELAX?

I love gardening. This is my garden in Belfast. We managed to squeeze about 25 trees into a very small space. It’s getting quite cramped now the trees are maturing but it feels like a little secret garden to sit in so we love it. I don't think I could ever move house as I love my garden far too much and also this was our first home together and the only house our daughter has ever known!
WHAT KIND OF FOOD DO YOU LIKE?

I'm a veggie who doesn't like courgettes or aubergines! So eating out is usually quite an adventure. I love salads, pizza, fries, most vegetables especially butternut squash, most cheeses, Indian curries, pretzels and most types of bread, all kinds of fruit and ice-cream. My favourite snack is tea and toast with real butter. I do a mean roast chicken for my daughter Alice, and she loves my bread and onion stuffing made on the frying pan with a little butter and
DO YOU WATCH MUCH TV?

Too much! My favourites are:

MURDER SHE WROTE
POIROT
MIDSOMER MURDERS
MISS MARPLE
MONK
KATH & KIM
FATHER TED
BLACK BOOKS
THE IT CROWD
8 OUT OF 10 CATS
THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROJECT
CORONATION STREET
SEINFELD
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN FASHION?

Well, I would have said no until recently when it was pointed out to me that I love fashion very much: but only certain trends, and I never change my mind about what I like. So, for the last 25 years I have worn (only black) Victorian-style blouses, long waisted overcoats, pointy-toed ankle boots, DM shoes and sandals, palazzo pants and silver costume jewellery. I have long, straight hair and my favourite perfume is the POISON range by Dior, or anything by CHANEL. I have one designer piece: a LULU GUINNESS handbag that dermot

DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

Yes. It happened to me. My husband Dermot is a wonderful man; strong and supportive yet gentle and thoughtful too. I wouldn't have a career without his encouragement, and I don't think I'd be nearly as happy or well-grounded either. He's my best friend.
The funny thing is, when I first met him, he was really skinny with long black hair and he wore a dog collar and an overcoat from the second World War. Twenty-three years on, he's gained some muscles, shaved his head, and now resembles a Hollywood hit-man. Both looks work for
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?

Hopefully with affection by my husband, daughter and close friends.

MY FAVOURITES...

BANDS:
Joy Division
New Order
Bauhaus
Jesus & Mary Chain
Siouxsie & the Banshees
Smiths
Morrissey
Cure
Cocteau Twins
Iggy Pop
Undertones
Papa Roach
XTC
Sex Pistols
Clash
Interpol
Muse
Rammstein
Futureheads
Kooks
KT Tunstall

Best Live Band: Smiths
FILMS...

WILD AT HEART
TRAPPED IN PARADISE
RAISING ARIZONA
AMELIE
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
SWEENEY TODD

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t wait to read more of her books! ⭐️⭐️

[Janel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a good companion to me over the past several days...It got me through the waiting room at the Dr.'s office, kept me occupied when I got a flat tire on the expressway and had to wait for my husband to rescue me, and helped pass the time while I waited for my highlights to develop at the hairdressers...It was a sweet, witty book that felt like a friend. The story takes place in Belfast, Ireland and follows the lives of the people that inhabit the Tavern on Maple Street. Lily and Jack are loving couple in their late 30's who own the tavern and have been hiding out from society and their families in their own little corner of the world tuning everything out. One day they get notice that a developer is going to build on the site and the beloved pub is slated for demolition. This turn of events causes them to fight the good fight and give it a real go by hiring staff that through circumstances board there, and results in them opening up their little world a bit. There were lots of lessons and bits of wisdom in here, and charming characters. The tavern setting gave me real sense of small town Ireland, and transported me to another place while I was reading it. There's not a ton of action here, and maybe some might find it a little slow, but I enjoyed it. If this book were a movie it would be shown at the local art house theater...quirky, charming with lots of heart. And happy endings all the way around....Cheers!

[PrettyFlamingo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first of my festive reads this year. I started it in November and was led into the festive season along with Jack and Lily Beaumont and their preparations for the holiday season and a complete life change in their home city of Belfast.

The heart of the story is the tavern itself. It doesn’t really have a name and is simply known as Beaumonts to everyone that frequents it. The description of the tavern was so vivid that it reminded me with astonishing clarity of a pub from my student days. This pub was long and narrow, with a bar on the right and booths on the left and a few tables in between and I well remember my time there with various people of the day and even heard the juke box playing in my head while reading. Jack inherited the genuine Victorian tavern from his uncle and he and Lily love their calm and serene lifestyle there. This is soon threatened by a property developer wishing to build a shopping mall and knock down the tavern. And at Christmastime too. What a Scrooge!

Jack and Lily have been together since the mid-1980s and now in their late 30s, know all about separatist troubles, which indeed played a part in their getting together and although this is part of Jack’s back story it is not dwelled upon. The pub is the centrepiece for the stories of the ensemble cast that come in, work there or in some cases, outstay their welcome.

Jack and Lily decide to fight back, and hire four barmaids to drum up business. The way this works out is hilarious; all the four girls; Bridget, Daisy Marie, Trudy are as different from one another as it’s possible to be and the inevitable cat fights start, but gradually they find a way of working together, crowned with one of the best Christmases ever. I wanted to give Lily a shake and tell her to stop being such a mug at times. I found the stories of the four barmaids interesting and poignant too and Lily seemed to come from another era: David was Daisy’s “young man” and Gerry had just begun “walking out” with Trudy. It was quaint and charming.

Though it didn’t have the ending I had hoped for, like all Sharon’s books this features wonderful characterisation and it is to her massive credit that she succeeds in all of these by presenting an alternative Belfast, full of quirky characters, beautiful buildings and strong friendships. And I have to thank Sharon for introducing me to the works of John Lavery. I would really recommend this as an undemanding read but one with depth, particularly through the lessons learned – and taught – by the variety of characters. I could feel the warmth and glow of the pub as I read along.

[Ape · Rating 1 out of 5]

My 2010 bookcrossing review:
This one has been sitting around a while. So I thought I would finally get it read and picked it up late this afternoon. I've now read the first four chapters and I honestly don't care what happens to the characters, whether they manage to save the pub or not, or what the mystery the back blurb refers to is. This is polite, wooden writing with two-dimensional, stereotyped characters and a non thrilling plot. I am getting more picky in more old age. A few years ago I would have forced myself through the whole book. But these days I am thinking I have a very big TBR pile full of potentially much better books, a pile I am always adding to, so why waste my time on a book that I clearly have no interest in?

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was cute..it reminded me of Maeve Binchy- in a way! It does take place in Ireland, which I like! Cute story!

[Carole at From My Carolina Home · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wallbanger! I got so annoyed with this book. The character of Bridget is so self centered, and the Lily character is such a doormat that I wanted to just slap both of them silly. Writers that just pile on stupidity after stupidity irritate me to no end. The premise of the book, saving the tavern from distruction, isn't really explored. The tavern owners Jack and Lily just decide to take on more help and work harder before it is demolished. The final resolution was too idiotic for words. Don't bother with this one, there so many better books to spend your time on. I felt mine was completely wasted. If I could give this book a minus 1 rating, I would!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful and cozy little story.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharon Owens has a way of weaving a story of intertwined characters in the same fashion of Maeve Binchy. I hope she writes more!

[Anette · Rating 4 out of 5]

En fin historie om en pub, dens ejere, de ansatte og nogle af gæsterne.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of the little old pub set back in a quite street in Belfast. It didn't let me down there. I do think the author over-stereotyped a number of the characters, so you will need to look past that. The ending is somewhat predictable, but if you are looking for an easy, light read, and you enjoy all things Irish/Northern Irish, you will be happy you went with this book. Don't expect too much and you will enjoy it.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories set in Ireland! This one was so nice all the way through. I could do without the language, alcohol, and immorality; but the story itself was nice and entertaining.

[Erika Talačkienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaukesnės ir šiltesnės knygos niūriam rudens vakarui negalėčiau įsivaizduoti nei ši. Apskritai, ji sušildys širdį visais metų laikais. Lilė ir Džekas 20 metų džiaugiasi vienas kitu ir savo saugų gyvenimą kuria tavernoje Klevų gatvėje. Bet ateina metas permainoms. Ir kaip viskas pasisuks? Tai be galo gražus pasakojimas apie šeimą, draugystę, meilę ir ištikimybę. Skaitant tikrai jautiesi kaip pas močiutę kaime "už pečiaus". Ir tikrai nėra per saldu. Kaip tik, labai gyvenimiška. Daug spalvingų veikėjų, vieniems jų permainos baigiasi puikiai, kitiems, deja, ne taip džiugiai. Ir visa ko centras taverna. Och, kaip man norėtųsi pavakaroti tokiame jaukume...Detalės, charakteriai, aplinka - viskas taip puikiai išpildyta, kad skaitai ir mėgaujiesi. Tikra teisybė, kad kai užsiveria durys, tai atsiveria langas. Ši knyga parodė, koks gali būti gyvenimas nenuspėjamas, svarbiausia išmokti pamatyti ir priimti jo dovanas.

[Jerri Jarvis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmm...A 3 -1/2 star book rounded down because of my disappointment. Comparing this novel/author to Maeve Binchy is really doing a disservice to Binchey fans, like myself. Don't get me wrong, it was a sweet little story, set in Ireland, with lots of quirky characters and cozy details. That's where the similarities end. The characters are not thoroughly fleshed out so that the reader can never really come to know and care about them on a deeper level. Several of them just plain got on my nerves. It did get a little better about 2/3 of the way in, so I did enjoy that. Also all the easily, neatly tied up loose ends at the end was a little too convenient and cloying for me. I was so hoping to find a wonderful substitute for my Maeve Binchey and Rosamunde Pilcher cravings - Nope.

[Sandra Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lily and David run a "quaint Victorian pub", in an-out-of -the-way location. They like the fact that the pub doesn't register on many peoples map. Then along comes a financier who wants to buy the whole block for a development. They can't lose the pub, it would be like losing themselves, so they hatch a plot to make the pub invaluable to the neighbor hoo. They hire four service workers, they plan all sorts of events, and they go against everything they loved about the pub.
There are only about a 15 characters in this book. Some are good, some a basically good with character flaws, and some are just rotten. Each character has an ending in this book.
Entertaining. As the bad get their comeuppance, the flawed find their way, and good find their way to more goodness.

[Rob Worth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book with this many characters should be confusing and hard to follow. Not at all though. The characters are all so well written, you feel something for every one of them. Bridget was one character that I hated, then loved, and just was frustrated with. The Beaumont's had a fantastic background, and were great characters. Just a great story. At first Betsy was a character I wanted to see lose it all, but it turned out I liked her at the end while her husband Liam was a loser.
So the Beaumonts (Lily and Jack) own a small tavern in Belfast, and live there as well. A rich business man wants to tear down the whole block of stores and build a brand new huge mall. Lily comes up with the idea to hire staff, and keep the mall from happening.

[Susan Schimmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very reminiscent of Maeve Binchy, although, to my mind, she can never be replaced, The Tavern on Maple Street has many of the same qualities as her writing. The main characters are well developed and the secondary characters are more than cardboard cutouts. I haven’t read any of Owens’ other books but I have a feeling that I’ll meet some of these characters again in them. This is a novel where almost everyone is good and those who don’t appear to be so in the outset are turned around by the end; and we discover what caused their problems in the first place. This is a light, cheerful novel that I found to be rather uplifting in this time of horrible world events and negative politics.

[Jean Boobar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute cozy book, but I felt the stress of the characters as a couple, Jack and Lily, who run a live-in tavern called simply, "The Tavern on Maple Street - probably in London. A developer plans a huge shopping mall in the neighborhood which will require the demolition of the entire neighborhood, including the tavern. In an attempt to fend off the destruction, they decide to modernize to forestall the forced sale. They spruce up the place and hire a barkeep plus some waitstaff and 2 brothers who sing and play guitars. Business picks up as the employees are having a variety of mishaps. Ultimately, the couple agrees to sell the property.

[Sadie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute story, but I could never get into it. I felt like I was sitting on the outside the whole time, and a friend was telling me about all these people and what was happening to them. The ending seemed rushed and some of the storylines' resolutions were unrealistic and felt forced. Note to author: not everything needs to be tied up in a neat little bow. It was a fluffy story that is fairly predictable. Not bad, but not great.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lily and Jack run a Belfast pub and live life in a bubble. When developers threaten their life they employ four young pretty women and custom grows. It is not badly written but the characters are all unlikeable and/or naive. Of course, in the end they grow and change and live happily ever after (no surprises there). And every major character is beautiful or handsome. The book could have been so much more interesting and real. Disappointing.

[Jennifer Novak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a warm, charming story that you’ll want to read while drinking a warm cup of team wrapped in a cozy throw. I was a big fan of Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher and this book reminds me so much of their novels. I love stories set in Ireland also. Memorable characters and a bit of humor made this book a delightful read. I must read the author’s other books.

[Elysa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had so much potential, and I liked the plot and characters just fine. I just didn't connect to the characters. I was supposed to like everyone by the end I'm pretty sure, but I just couldn't like a couple of the characters because I thought they were so selfish. It took me awhile to get through it. This novel was okay.

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator isn't one I'd seek out again but by no means off-putting, simply ok. The story is mostly a cast of interesting characters but that was fun for a shorter listening experience. They all had quirks making some more relatable than others. I'd consider another book by this author.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite of all of Sharon Owen's stories. She brought in some characters from past books and integrated all the characters very well. I love falling into these stories about simple lives and average people.

[Relyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am currently working on a reading project in which I attempt to read most of the 91 unread books that are still on my shelves after I did a massive culling. It's been a fun project, and sometimes I find out that there's a reason I never read a particular book. This book was one of those.

[Katherine Baetz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice character study and how people align and intertwined over time. The story, although charming, held little for my attention personally. I did like the wrap-up at the end. Glad I stuck with it.

[Dona · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots of characters - slow going

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Lovely read.

[Sid Smallman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice easy read if you want something thats not at all demanding or challenging but quietly entertaining then this should fit the bill.

[Ellyn (Mrs. Darcy in my Dreams) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF just didn’t really hold my interest

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story.