Blurb:
"When Darcy McCall loses her beloved Aunt Molly, she doesn't expect any sort of inheritance - let alone a small island! Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn't been lived on for years, but according to Molly's will Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit. It's a big shock. And she's even more shocked to hear she needs to persuade a village full of people to settle there too.
Darcy must leave behind her independent city life and swap stylish heels for muddy wellies. Between sorting everything from the plumbing to the pub, she meets confident, charming Conor and sensible, stubborn Dermot - but who will make her feel really at home?"
My thoughts:
I think most of us have, at some point in our lives, wished that we could escape to an island for a while and just clear our heads (I know I would love to do this right about now); however, when Darcy McCall finds herself inheriting a small island after the death of her Aunt, it seems like the last thing she wants to do. Of course, as with most things, there's a catch - in order to inherit her Aunt's estate, she must live on the island for at least a year, as well as finding a certain number of people to move there with her.
Thinking mostly about the money she'll inherit and all the beauty-orientated things she'll be able to buy with it and helped in part by various signs and the increasing guilt of not seeing her Aunt Molly more frequently, Darcy decides to take the plunge and move to Tara.
It's always wonderful to follow the lives of characters but it's even more rewarding when the character you're following blossoms into a strong, passionate young woman. "Breakfast at Darcy's" follows the life of Darcy, along with those chosen to live on the island with her. It shows her ups and downs but importantly her changing from an almost shallow, 'beauty is everything' woman into a sensitive, caring individual. She watches as those around her fall in love, as everybody seems to do on Tara, and hopes that it will happen to her - but does that come in the form of Conor or Dermot?
This book is incredibly well-written and easy to follow. It touches upon love, friendships, and the importance of being true to yourself. Although elements of the story-line are fairly obvious at times, it still makes for a wonderful read. The main characters are clear and well formed. They almost become like friends of yours.
This is the first book I've ever read by Ali McNamara and it certainly won't be the last!