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Evening Class by Maeve Binchy

© Kathy Kehrli

Evening Class by Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy's Tara Road , was recently chosen by Oprah Winfrey for her Book Club. Because of this widely publicized distinction, Binchy has been garnering some well-deserved praise. No one can weave a tale, intertwining the lives and secrets of everyday characters, the way Maeve Binchy can. Evening Class is no exception to Binchy's storytelling talent.

Early on we are introduced to Aidan Dunne, an aging Latin teacher whose career has stalled and whose marriage is failing miserably. In a last ditch effort to realize a dream, he attempts to organize Italian 'evening classes', fulfilling a passion for the language and its culture.

In steps Signora O'Donoghue, the secretive redhead who has spent the past quarter of a century in Sicily, pining over a love who could never be hers. Attempting to mend a broken heart and earn a living, she returns to Ireland and is hired as the new Italian teacher. Her enthusiasm ultimately changes many lives for the better.

Along the way, we meet: Tony O'Brien, the rival who stole Aidan's promotion and who is secretly dating Aidan's daughter, Grania; Bill Burke, the struggling bank clerk and his superficial girlfriend, Lizzy, who wants more than he can give; Kathy Clarke, a determined teenager and her sister Fran, whom Kathy later learns is really her mother; Lou Lynch, the scowling innocent, wrapped up in the world of crime who joins the Italian classes as a cover for his secret activity; Connie O'Connor, the wife of Harry Kane, whose failing investments financially impact several lives; Laddy, the slow-witted but kind-hearted gentleman whose lifetime goal has been to cross the ocean; and Fiona, a friend of the Dunne family whose newfound self-confidence will alter many of the characters' relationships forever.

The ensemble comes together in a memorable excursion to Rome. In what should be the vacation of a lifetime, a mysterious stalker threatens the group. Their secrets and scandals will all be revealed. Will their demons destroy them, or will their dreams be fulfilled? I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out.

While the bulk of characters is at times a bit confusing, the flow of Binchy's words and the ease with which she ties so many plot lines together makes this book an enjoyable read. I highly recommend this, or any of Maeve's novels if you enjoy getting lost in an engrossing tale. To read more about the author, visit the following website: "http://www.randomhouse.com/features/binc..."