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The Homecoming and Other Stories
A collection of Maeve Binchy's short stories narrated by a talented full cast. In Homecoming, the Brennans run Quentin's restaurant in Dublin for the owner, who lives abroad. But what will happen when he suddenly pays a visit? Telling Stories sees Irene's fiancÈ turning up the night before the wedding with a face as white as the dress that is to be worn the next day. Then trouble starts... In Needy, Heather is painfully aware that Valentine's Day declarations of love should be viewed with suspicion, even if the sender is the one she loves. And in The Interview, Bessie is deaf and needs a place in a special school. But will she pass the interview?
1 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Maeve Binchy
259 books5,042 followersAnne 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
January 11, 2026
Goodness, I love Maeve Binchy, I even have a designated shelf for her on my latest little bookshelf (which I found on a run – I like to upcycle and keep my eye out when I run – when it is not flooding in Sydney mind you!).
This one was very short and sweet. I also am happy when I find another title I haven’t read or listened to. This was less than an hour in length. All of the stories are in a different voice, and as in most of her audio reads, her niece, Kate Binchy, reads with a lovely voice as always.
Homecoming - The Brennan’s who have run Quentins are still doing what they do so well, even though they don’t own the establishment, they treat it like their own. And as we have seen in past stories, all their regulars love the restaurant too. The owner pays a visit, and this has long lasting consequences.
Telling Stories - a jilted bride that flips things. This was extremely unique; although why she would want to marry such a man is beyond me!
Needy - is one I don’t remember so much, but there was a lesson to be learned here, like all of Maeve’s stories. A woman worries about being ‘needy’ in the wrong relationship, but when she reaches the right one, it’s the best way to be.
The Interview - I loved this one. A young girl is trying to gain entry to a quality school for hearing impaired. She’s whip smart and a great girl from a great school. The poor thing needs to go through a formal interview process; she’s not even ten years old. She is shown cards with simple items and is asked to name simple items on these cards. The last one is cheese. She is struggling – this is so easy. The staff and her parents are waiting and waiting. The anticipation is palpable. Her answer will make your heart sing.
This one was very short and sweet. I also am happy when I find another title I haven’t read or listened to. This was less than an hour in length. All of the stories are in a different voice, and as in most of her audio reads, her niece, Kate Binchy, reads with a lovely voice as always.
Homecoming - The Brennan’s who have run Quentins are still doing what they do so well, even though they don’t own the establishment, they treat it like their own. And as we have seen in past stories, all their regulars love the restaurant too. The owner pays a visit, and this has long lasting consequences.
Telling Stories - a jilted bride that flips things. This was extremely unique; although why she would want to marry such a man is beyond me!
Needy - is one I don’t remember so much, but there was a lesson to be learned here, like all of Maeve’s stories. A woman worries about being ‘needy’ in the wrong relationship, but when she reaches the right one, it’s the best way to be.
The Interview - I loved this one. A young girl is trying to gain entry to a quality school for hearing impaired. She’s whip smart and a great girl from a great school. The poor thing needs to go through a formal interview process; she’s not even ten years old. She is shown cards with simple items and is asked to name simple items on these cards. The last one is cheese. She is struggling – this is so easy. The staff and her parents are waiting and waiting. The anticipation is palpable. Her answer will make your heart sing.
December 4, 2025
You know that cozy feeling when someone hands you a cuppa, a blanket, and a stack of stories that won’t emotionally ruin you? That’s Homecoming.
Maeve Binchy’s short stories have that signature Binchy charm: deceptively simple on the surface, quietly sharp underneath.
Needy and The Interview were the standouts for me — tight, tender, and surprisingly poignant. Binchy has a way of sliding a truth under your ribs before you realise she’s aiming for the heart. The whole collection feels like comfort reading, gentle but substantial.
Maeve Binchy’s short stories have that signature Binchy charm: deceptively simple on the surface, quietly sharp underneath.
Needy and The Interview were the standouts for me — tight, tender, and surprisingly poignant. Binchy has a way of sliding a truth under your ribs before you realise she’s aiming for the heart. The whole collection feels like comfort reading, gentle but substantial.
December 30, 2023
Confession: I wanted to hit 60 books for 2023 and I’m in the middle of two that I don’t want to rush so I decided to do this short story collection by Maeve Binchy, because I love everything she has written (and it was short).
I particularly enjoyed Quentin’s backstory. The story of the Brennans running Quentin’s was is my introduction to Maeve Binchy a few decades ago. Quentin’s backstory was unexpected and poignant. I loved the other stories as well. So glad I picked this up!
I particularly enjoyed Quentin’s backstory. The story of the Brennans running Quentin’s was is my introduction to Maeve Binchy a few decades ago. Quentin’s backstory was unexpected and poignant. I loved the other stories as well. So glad I picked this up!
August 11, 2017
I have wanted to read more short stories and to try audiobooks, and found The Homecoming and Other Stories on Overdrive via my local library system. I'm not enthused by Binchy's novels, yet I quite enjoyed this short story collection and the different narrators. The time spent with them slipped by, and I found the arc of the stories quite skillfully completed, and each is memorable.
I have found short stories to be an ideal introduction to audiobooks, as the genre seems especially suited to the audio format, and will continue to seek out recorded short story collections. Recommendations welcome!
I have found short stories to be an ideal introduction to audiobooks, as the genre seems especially suited to the audio format, and will continue to seek out recorded short story collections. Recommendations welcome!
February 4, 2016
Fantastisk bog med skønne noveller, som ikke er særligt lange, men indeholder så meget dybde at det er ikke til at fatte at det kun er noveller :D
October 12, 2019
A cute little collection of some very short stories. The stories were so brief it was a little hard to get into them. You could see how Binchy may have eventually spun these into longer novels.
March 9, 2025
This is a cute, short audio book and a good way to check out a new author. The book is about an hour long.
This was the first time I’ve read Maeve Binchy.
The narrators do a great job with these stories. Each one is read by a different narrator.
I’m not sure how if the theme is supposed to be homecoming or if it’s just the title story. None of the other three are related to a “homecoming” so I’m assuming it’s just the title story. The stories range from heartbreaking to comical. Three were really fun, sweet stories. I did not like one of them as I didn’t like the plot or the characters.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the stories were well written without being overly dramatic or wordy.
Overall I recommend this book if you’re a fan of the author or new to her, if you need a quick feel good read, or something different to try. 3 star overall, but I’ve rated each story individually as well.
The Homecoming 4⭐️
A husband and wife run a restaurant owned by a young man who lives in another country. This is apparently a series. The couple run the restaurant well and everyone loves them and the restaurant dearly. The owner comes to visit with news that changes everyone forever. It’s a heartfelt story with a sweet storyline although it is on the sad side. I’d still call it a feel good story despite the sadness.
CW: homosexuality, alludes to AIDS, death
Telling Stories 3⭐️
This was a cute story but a little bit on the dragging side with an odd ending that wasn’t really plausible. A bride must deal with the groom’s cold feet the night before the wedding. She turns the tables on him in the end. While the idea was cute and comical, the story spent too much time on the couple’s conversation and the it felt like it dragged on and on. It was so repetitive. While the ending is comical, it’s really not plausible and the decisions made odd. Why anyone would want to marry someone who doesn’t want to marry them just didn’t make sense.
Needy 1⭐️
This story really just didn’t make sense to me and I found myself zoning out and not caring. A woman is overly obsessed with being too needy in a relationship yet she doesn’t know what “needy” means. She’s in a relationship with a jerk and she was very annoying and whiny so I couldn’t make myself care for her or the story. She meets a man who is just as much if not as needy as she is and the spin is that being needy is a good thing. It was just too much. Too…well, needy. I didn’t enjoy this one at all and couldn’t wait for it to end. Just an annoying story with annoying characters.
The Interview 4⭐️
A young deaf girl is trying to get into a school for the hearing impaired (possibly just a special needs school, I can’t remember now if it was specifically a school for the hearing impaired or for kids with special needs or leaning disabilities since it’s been a month since I read it). She’s young, I think she was under 10 and has a very supportive family with 3 older brothers who adore her. She’s nervous and sad to move away from them but desperately wants to go to the school. Her family members all feel the same and the internal emotional struggle is very clearly conveyed in the writing and in the narrator’s portrayal of each character. She’s extremely bright and top of her class. She goes for the interview with her parents where she’s put through a rigorous day of questions, tasks and skill sets. She’s shown cards to describe what they are. Her final card, what her acceptance hinges on, is a simple card with a picture of cheese on it. She struggles to answer and her answer in the end will definitely make you smile. This is just a really sweet story about a family’s love for one another, a little girl trying to get the best opportunity and start to life she can, her family’s support and struggle with it and a really heartfelt ending.
This was the first time I’ve read Maeve Binchy.
The narrators do a great job with these stories. Each one is read by a different narrator.
I’m not sure how if the theme is supposed to be homecoming or if it’s just the title story. None of the other three are related to a “homecoming” so I’m assuming it’s just the title story. The stories range from heartbreaking to comical. Three were really fun, sweet stories. I did not like one of them as I didn’t like the plot or the characters.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the stories were well written without being overly dramatic or wordy.
Overall I recommend this book if you’re a fan of the author or new to her, if you need a quick feel good read, or something different to try. 3 star overall, but I’ve rated each story individually as well.
The Homecoming 4⭐️
A husband and wife run a restaurant owned by a young man who lives in another country. This is apparently a series. The couple run the restaurant well and everyone loves them and the restaurant dearly. The owner comes to visit with news that changes everyone forever. It’s a heartfelt story with a sweet storyline although it is on the sad side. I’d still call it a feel good story despite the sadness.
CW: homosexuality, alludes to AIDS, death
Telling Stories 3⭐️
This was a cute story but a little bit on the dragging side with an odd ending that wasn’t really plausible. A bride must deal with the groom’s cold feet the night before the wedding. She turns the tables on him in the end. While the idea was cute and comical, the story spent too much time on the couple’s conversation and the it felt like it dragged on and on. It was so repetitive. While the ending is comical, it’s really not plausible and the decisions made odd. Why anyone would want to marry someone who doesn’t want to marry them just didn’t make sense.
Needy 1⭐️
This story really just didn’t make sense to me and I found myself zoning out and not caring. A woman is overly obsessed with being too needy in a relationship yet she doesn’t know what “needy” means. She’s in a relationship with a jerk and she was very annoying and whiny so I couldn’t make myself care for her or the story. She meets a man who is just as much if not as needy as she is and the spin is that being needy is a good thing. It was just too much. Too…well, needy. I didn’t enjoy this one at all and couldn’t wait for it to end. Just an annoying story with annoying characters.
The Interview 4⭐️
A young deaf girl is trying to get into a school for the hearing impaired (possibly just a special needs school, I can’t remember now if it was specifically a school for the hearing impaired or for kids with special needs or leaning disabilities since it’s been a month since I read it). She’s young, I think she was under 10 and has a very supportive family with 3 older brothers who adore her. She’s nervous and sad to move away from them but desperately wants to go to the school. Her family members all feel the same and the internal emotional struggle is very clearly conveyed in the writing and in the narrator’s portrayal of each character. She’s extremely bright and top of her class. She goes for the interview with her parents where she’s put through a rigorous day of questions, tasks and skill sets. She’s shown cards to describe what they are. Her final card, what her acceptance hinges on, is a simple card with a picture of cheese on it. She struggles to answer and her answer in the end will definitely make you smile. This is just a really sweet story about a family’s love for one another, a little girl trying to get the best opportunity and start to life she can, her family’s support and struggle with it and a really heartfelt ending.
January 26, 2020
I use the library for the majority of my books and sometimes I am on a waiting list for them. Then there are times that a whole group becomes available. I am saying this as I have read many Maeve Binchy recently and some of these short stories are part of some of her larger novels but from a different viewpoint.
July 21, 2021
This was a collection of stories relating to previous books by Maeve Binchy. It was interesting, as it brought back memories for me. Maeve Binchy is still one of my favorite authors.
September 14, 2021
I am not sure how closely the stories in this collection fitted the theme of "homecoming" however I still enjoyed the individual stories. My favourite was a story about a wedding where the groom gets cold feet on the morning of the ceremony which had a fantastic ending.
This was a great introduction to Maeve Binchy's writing and has made me curious to try some of her other books.
This was a great introduction to Maeve Binchy's writing and has made me curious to try some of her other books.
September 3, 2017
Grabbed this off the shelf at the library in a hurry and got home to discover it was a SINGLE CD. Four stories, possibly written for a publication like WOMAN'S WORLD. (I had a friend who once had a similarly light-weight story published there.)
Not memorable, but OK to fall asleep to.
Not memorable, but OK to fall asleep to.
July 16, 2017
4 short stories
April 1, 2019
Perfect short nuggets for listening - really cheered my housework chores!
June 25, 2020
Short stories from a very gifted writer.
November 22, 2020
Book of short stories - some good ones.
February 3, 2021
very short collection of stories, but decent collection
June 24, 2021
It was ok, but not my cup of tea tho.
December 1, 2021
Four heartwarming stories from a most beloved author. I loved the first short story, “The Homecoming” the best.
January 7, 2022
Each story had great charcter building, but always left me wanting more
February 11, 2022
Audiobook
March 8, 2022
I was wanting something to listen to on the way home. There are 4 short stories on this audio book. I really only liked one story. Needy was a good story. Two were sad and the other so-so.
October 21, 2022
A BBC audio exclusive explains why I haven't read this before.
November 23, 2022
Audio version. Three short stories.
December 28, 2022
Lovely Maeve Binchy stories are perfect seasonal reading
July 28, 2023
I adore Maeve Binchy and this audiobook as I drove was a great diversion of comfort and warmth
March 19, 2024
The stories were good but too short
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April 26, 2024Pass .
November 6, 2024
Four lovely little stories about people and their lives, with a twist.
May 14, 2025
An enjoyable selection of short stories produced by BBC Audio.
June 8, 2025
A pleasant , easy read. Good story to listen to while doing the housework or going to sleep at night.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews