I started off this morning just wanting to read 1-2 stories from this book by Maeve Binchy, and I ended up reading 8!! I really like all the stories in This Year It Will Be Different so far. They’re not warm and fuzzy, but yet they’re not horribly depressing either. They are about people with flawed characters and lives just trying to make the best of things.
“The First Step of Christmas”
Jenny is a step-parent to Alison, who Jenny believes is quite a nuisance. Yet, it’s Christmas-will that feeling change?
“The Ten Snaps of Christmas”
Orla is a teenage girl who gets a Polaroid camera for Christmas. When she starts taking ‘real’ photos instead of the ‘fake’ ones people usually do, how will the family react?
“Miss Martin’s Wish”
Elsa is a teacher who has been jilted 10 days before her wedding. She spends years spending so-so Christmases at other people’s homes. Will this year be any different?
“The Hard Core”
‘The Hard Core’ is a foursome of obstinate, fussy geriatric patients in a live-in care facility. They’re so objectionable even their families don’t want them for Christmas. But yet, maybe it’ll be a good Christmas after all. . . .
“Christmas Timing”
A ‘perfect’ couple never gets to spend Christmas together. They each think the other is perfect, until. . .
“The Civilized Christmas”
A shy wife dealing with a step-son and her husband’s beautiful ex-wife has much to deal with this Christmas.
“Pulling Together”
Two teachers and a student pull together for the season.
“A Hundred Milligrams”
A couple ‘get to’ spend time with the wife’s fussy mother over Christmas. Will it pull them apart, or bring them closer together?
I really enjoyed all these and can’t wait to read the rest of the stories in this book. Hopefully I’ll be able to post more about them next week!
Oh…I was interested in this book. So glad to see you are enjoying it.
I Love Maeve Binchy! She’s like the modern LM Montgomery. I read this a few years ago, and maybe I even still have it here – I think it is my sister’s book. Have you read much Binchy?
When I lived in an apartment, our laundry room had an unofficial book swap in the laundry room. Someone donated a Maeve Binchy book (I forget the title) that I traded in for, and while it didn’t really appeal to me, I’d still read this one. Sounds great.
Raidergirl, Evening Class is my only other Binchy, and I enjoyed it very much.
I read this book practically every Christmas. What I love about it is that it doesn’t portray the Perfect Christmas television, movies, and songs do, until you wonder what’s wrong with you. This very real picture of very real Christmasses are comforting to me somehow.
I must get this I love Mauve Binchy, like your xmas look!
[...] Monday, I summarized the first half of the book, so look there if you’d like more info on all the stories in this book. This week, we [...]