Semi-Sweet by Roisin Meaney

Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in her new business, she soon discovers that she's too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend ...or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake. But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice's is falling apart. Her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she's figuring out what's really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making. (Synopsis from Barnes & noble.com)

I really enjoyed this book.  Hannah is a likeable character, trying to make a success of her life and she keeps going even when she gets a big kick in the teeth from her philandering live-in boyfriend.  She has a supportive family, a best friend- Adam, and employees who care about her business.  Ms. Meaney juggles a lot of plots in this book and does an excellent job doing so. There is a thread about Hannah's romantic life and if it progresses or stays stagnant. We get a glimpse into the hard life of a person who runs their own business and the triumphs and pitfalls of that endeavor. Philandering Patrick gets a storyline which includes his now pregnant girlfriend. One of Hannah's friends has a personal tragedy that is related to Hannah's dad  through a friendship of his. Lots of things going on in this book....

Ms. Meaney weaves everything together so it all makes sense. Characters are not one dimensional and we see both sides of each one's story. There were characters that would be unsympathetic under less skilled hands but in this book we see both their flaws and their difficulties. There is one female character that is pretty despicable and hard to understand but we do get a small peek into her motivation for the things she does. (Still didn't like her!)

This is a good book to settle down with for the weekend and enjoy. I look forward to reading other books by the same author.

Library note: This book is available at RPL in the Adult New Book section as a trade paperback.

Once in a Lifetime by Cathy Kelly

Kenny′s Department Store, with its handsome Edwardian façade, is the jewel in Ardagh town′s crown.
TV presenter Ingrid Fitzgerald has watched her husband David, Kenny′s charismatic owner, pour his heart and soul into the family store, making it the epitome of boutique chic. She′s juggled family life and her glittering career admirably. Now, as their children fly the nest, Ingrid discovers a secret that will shake her world to its very foundations.
Natalie Flynn shares a flat with Ingrid′s daughter, Molly. As love blossoms in her life, motherless Natalie starts to ask questions she has never dared to before. But will they help her make sense of her life and who she really is?
Charlie Fallon is a passionate and motivated Kenny′s employee who adores her husband and son, but her eccentric mother seems bent on wrecking her life. Now it′s time to fight for her own happiness.
Free spirit, Star Bluestone, who handcrafts fabulous tapestries for Kenny′s, is the woman with the knowledge to help them all. Star knows from experience that the important things in life must be nurtured and treasured. She harbours many secrets and understands that the chance for real joy comes only once in a lifetime...
Warm, captivating storytelling from the heart - treat yourself to some Cathy Kelly time.
(Synopsis from HarperCollins.com)

I enjoyed reading this book-it was a slice of life in the Irish village of Ardagh. The stories of several women were woven together in a very satisfying book. Ingrid is a woman who seems to have it all, only to see her life unravel in front of her.  She has to take difficult steps to get back some semblance of normal in her life. Star is a woman who has lived life as a free spirit but paid the price in isolation, scorn, and loss due to that very lifestyle. She has worked long and hard to have balance in her life. Charlie is the daughter of a semi-famous woman's rights activist. Her mother sees no value in Charlie- only in Charlie's older sister. Charlie has a loving and supportive husband but is that really enough?

Like many works by Irish fiction writers, this book has so many aspects it is hard to keep up sometimes. The anchor is Kenny's Department store and to some  extent the owner, David. 
His interaction with many of the women in  the book drives the plot along for most of the book.
The interactions of the women with each other,known or unknown, adds to the enjoyment. All of the characters were realistic and easy to identify with on some level.  I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Library note:  RPL owns this book. It is shelved in  Adult Fiction under KEL. We have one other book by this author and several others are available for request in the Bibliomation system.