Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyed it more than I expected..
Review: Just finished reading The Bingo Queens of Paradise and fell hook, line and sinker for it, so I wasn't sure I was really ready for something new--but I was, and I'm glad I bought and read Tara Road. Thanks for a great read Maeve Binchy.
Rating: 
Summary: Too predictable, simple, light
Review: I couldn't wait to finish this book, just so I could get it out of the way. 500 + pages of knowing what's going to happen is just too much. But, if you are looking for a light read, this is the one. The idea of house and culture switching held some promise, but was not nearly as interesting as it could have been. This book is no, "Mother of Pearl."
Rating: 
Summary: too much like a soap opera
Review: I felt the book was well written and moved along nicely, I however did not find it terribly enlightening or thought provoking.
Rating: 
Summary: Utterly compelling, I could not put it down.
Review: Maeve Binchy has made me fall in love with Ireland. Her characters are so well developed; her story lines so interesting and her writing style is magnificent. Each time I read one of her books I enjoy it more. TARA ROAD is no different. The characters could be us or our friends or neighbors dealing with problems that are so prevalent in our society: financial; infidelity; alcoholism. A great read with noteworthy characters most of whom will remind you of yourself or someone you know. Don't miss it!
Rating:
Summary: Maeve Binchy never lets you down
Review: This book had me hooked from start to finish. Everytime a new book by this author is printed, you think you have reached 'the best one yet' but she goes on to surprise you every time! The characters come to life and you feel like you are sharing their lives, problems and dreams. Maeve has the best grasp of 'getting into the characters' of any author I have ever read. The only complaint I have is that the ending comes too soon and leaves you waiting with baited breath for the 'next one'
Rating:
Summary: Good old fashioned storytelling
Review: Binchy's Tara Road is a keeper. The characters are richly developed and you get the feeling she took her time. I laughed, cried and did my own bit o' soul searching. Reading her work is rewarding.
Rating:
Summary: A truly treasured reading experience
Review: I've read all of Maeve's books and have always enjoyed the stories she paints. I use that word because she constructs her plots the way an artist creates a painting - lots of color, depth, and light. Tara Road has an interesting cast of characters and each one probably resembles someone in your life. You go through the ups and downs of life in the road and feel as though you're visiting with these people. As you get more into the story you really feel for them. You revel in their joys and despair in their woes. This is definitely her best book yet and all I can is....I can't wait for the next one!
Rating:
Summary: A wonderfully absorbing read!
Review: This is wonderfully absorbing book, hard to put down. The main characters are real and finely developed, the action moves rapidly from one crescendo to another, and the rapid scene shifts and multiple story lines left me feeling pleasantly breathless. But there are flaws which I found irritating. Did we really need Colm's sister? Her story was superfluous, over the top, and didn't tie in with the others in any way - the book would have been better without her. And there were a few too many coincidences - amazing how the same people kept meeting up, purely by chance, at the same two restaurants! Gosh, Dublin's a big city and there are more restaurants than Colm's and Quentin's! But these are minor criticisms. I thoroughly enjoyed Tara Road, and will be reading more Maeve Binchy.
Rating: 
Summary: I know now what Rip Van W. was Reading
Review: Excerpt teasers of "Tara Road" came out in some Coke cartons a few months ago. About the first 20 or 30 so pages. It seemed then like it looked reasonably interesting and when the book came out I went down and got one just before it did a first day sellout. This booooook goes on and on and on for over f i v e ~ h u n d r e d ~ p a g e s. It seems much longer. It's worth its weight in gold because there's sure cure for Insomnia on every single page. The last conscious brain cell cries out: "Ria! Marilyn! For God's sake, do something, anything. Harbor an IRA terrorist. Try an experimental fling at lesbianism, or maybe do a trois with Danny, or shoot Danny. Or each other. Even Danny's naughty-naughty with a nymphet doesn't pick it up. It keeps seeming like something will happen at the end that will give all this inactivity some meaning, but I could not tough it out and after every bout with this had to seek refuge in reread chapters of "Hannibal," or "American Psycho," or "A Cat's Full Nine" to jumpstart my feelings back into operation.
Rating:
Summary: a delightful read in the true Binchy style
Review: Tara Road combined the quaint Irish traditions typical of Binchy's writing with modern conflicts experienced universally. The unique turn of events in the story kept me captivated and enthralled. Way to go, Ms. Binchy--can't wait for the next best seller!
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