This is a really good read. A heartwarming novel in so many ways: delightful characters, friendship and kindness all round, and beautifully written. Well done.

A captivating, beautifully written book that is charming and really draws you in.
The storyline was wonderful, the characterisation was fabulous, and the ending was simply lovely.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and almost didn't want it to end!

I absolutely loved this book! Emily was such a lovely’s character, after getting jilted at the church on her wedding day she leaves and sets up a restaurant in the premises her grandmother left to her. I loved the idea of it just having room for one big table and soon the locals would come to sit around it and chat and eat Emilys gorgeous culinary delights thus forging lovely friendships and getting to know the local community who soon came to rely on Emily’s restaurant for a lot more than the delicious food. But will the sudden appearance of Emily’s ex put an end to the restaurant?

Thank you to NetGalley and Róisín Meaney for the ARC of The Restaurant my review is honest and unbiased.

I read many books and every once in a while a story comes along that you can’t put down and don’t want to end, you kind of feel bereft when it’s finished and that’s the way I feel about Roisin meaneys book the reastaurant.
A beautiful tale of friendship and love, of over coming heartache and forgiveness.
This is the story of Emily who after being jilted on her wedding day decides to turn her life around when her beloved gran leaves her, her old hat shop and flat above.
Emily opens a single table restaurant called the food of love - a place for strangers to meet, the lonely to form new friendships and for anyone who just wants a bit of company.
This book tells the stories of several of the customers who come to dine.
Heather - Emily’s first customer who came to Ireland by running away from her home in America when she was 16.
Now 25 and a single parent to daughter Lottie and doing odd jobs for friends and neighbours, Heather is keeping a lot of secrets.
Bill whoose wife died of cancer several years ago and who works at the local care home. Who also harbours a secret crush on Emily, hasn’t told his friends about his drug addicted only daughter Christine who he is desperate to help.
Astrid - 93 years old. Austrian and Jewish.
Lost her whole family during the war when she was 11 years old. But still tells people she came to Ireland before the war.
All keeping secrets, all needing one another and all intertwining even if they don’t know it.
This is a wonderful story and had me hooked from the beginning to the end.
I loved it so much I’ve pre ordered Roisins next book called -it’s that time of year and can’t wait for it to arrive.

Emily has been jilted at the altar, Bill has problems with his daughter, Astrid has lived through the horrors of WWII and Heather has lost a loved one in her childhood.
They meet up time on time in Emily’s little restaurant for the comfort of her lovely food and each other’s company.
The Restaurant is the latest offering from Roisin Meaney and it lives up to the high expectations we have of her. The characters are solid and genuine and a pleasure to be in the company of. The writing is natural and elegant and as always, Ms Meaney does not shy away from real life issues.
The little twist revealed itself to me in that lovely time before you fall asleep at night, thinking over what you have been reading, but it wasn’t a tough one to crack.
The Restaurant is a joy. The writer indulges shamelessly in her obvious pleasure for glorious wholesome food, with descriptions sharp enough to make you hungry. It’s a page turner, a book you are sad to finish and I really look forward to the next.
With thanks to Netgalley and Hatchette Books Ireland

Thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Books Ireland and Roisin Meaney for this ARC in return for my honest review. Delightful book, an absolute gem of a book filled with relatable characters.

With sincere thanks to Hachette Ireland and Roisin Meaney for ARC in return for an honest review

I am now looking for a restaurant similar to the one in this book. The authors description makes it so inviting, not only for the great food but the warmth and companionship of the people you can share the table with. While being introduced to some of the regulars, very slowly and with compassion their lives and their stories unfold. I want more. I want to know what happened next. I want to visit The Restaurant

A thoroughly enjoyable read that I’m happy to recommend

A delightful read with relatable characters and come together through a wonderful restaurant in the spirit of community lunches run in my own village where loneliness is addressed. Essentially bringing people together over a light lunch or an evening meal each with their own lives and problems but overtime form into the character's own close knit community looking out for each other. Truly heartwarming and poignant at this time with it's message of looking out for one another with kindnesses and friendship. I would love to know what happens next and such a lovely thought to have somewhere like this to go.

Oh Roisin Meaney, what an absolute gem of a book you have written in writing The Restaurant. It’s a warm hug of a read that embraces you from page one and doesn’t relinquish its hold until the very last page. I’m a huge fan of Roisin’s books set on the fictional island of Roone and they will always hold a special place in my heart but this new book is an utter triumph and truly something very special indeed. This story follows numerous characters all interconnected by their love of the unique restaurant named The Food of Love which Emily Feeney has created.

There is nothing like it anywhere else and it’s a place which brings solace and comfort to those who need it and which provides many opportunities for love to find those who are crying out for it. The story is like a little series or snapshots into the characters lives and there was a danger that each subplot could have read as a little short story, therefore becoming disconnected and disjointed from the main plot, but thankfully this didn’t occur. Instead all the various storylines merge together into one wonderful read that I devoured in one sitting whilst spending a pleasant afternoon relaxing in the garden.

Such elegant, evocative, honest and emotional writing that deals with some pretty serious issues quickly transports you deep into the hearts and minds of the characters to make for one beautifully crafted read that deserves much success.

Emily inherited her grandmothers millinery shop and the flat above it but as she knew nothing about hats she decided to transform the small space into a restaurant. It’s designed to comfort the lonely and offer friendship and support where people can come and eat, chat and exchange stories. In doing this Emily feels that she is doing something right and worthwhile considering her own personal life and planned future fell apart when she discovered her partner Fergal was not all he was cracked up to be and she was dumped on her wedding day. Emily has decided there will not be a next time when it comes to Fergal. She has learnt her lesson and thinks hearts are best left in their owner’s possession. She will surrender to nobody and keep her heart safe and protected. Emily channels her anger, loneliness, frustration and sadness into this new venture and she feels that she is doing good in the world.

What sets this restaurant apart from the many others out there is that there is limited seating and Emily has put communal dining in place. So people may find themselves sitting beside or opposite any sort of character and will have to engage in conversation. The simple yet heartwarming concept of the restaurant was so unique and special and I think Emily knew she was on to a winner but little did she realise just how much her idea would prove to be so beneficial to so many people. In doing this, she was trying to heal her own heart after enduring such hurt and perhaps by helping others she would be able to help herself move forward. Maybe not so much in the romance department as she feels this has become a closed book but in other aspects of her life she would hopefully feel better about herself.

Yes, of course the descriptions of the food were fabulous and so carefully thought out but food wasn’t the sole focus of the book despite the title and themes. Instead the various customers that visit, some of which become firm friends with Emily, take centre stage and it’s the fact that the reader gets to hear each story told in alternating chapters from the different viewpoints that makes this read absorbing and deeply gratifying. All the little connections between everyone that slowly start to become apparent are so wonderfully woven together. The reader can join the dots but the characters don’t really until towards the end so this allows them to take things at face value where as I was making judgements far too quickly.

Bill feels like the restaurant is a home for him as he is widowed and his daughter Christine is more or less estranged from him. She is in a deep dark place that Bill can’t reach and although he tries his best to help her. Unless someone has reached that point where they are willing to accept help then all he can do is wait. Bill was really lost and he craved some love in his life as he feels so lonely. He is heartbroken and in pain and needs someone to put him back together again. He feels such guilt that the situation with Christine is all his own fault and over the course of the story he develops a fondness that morphs into something greater. But he harbours this to himself and all you really want to be able to say to him is Bill just go for it what have you got to lose? Bill writes to an agony aunt in a local newspaper and she offers him advice but it’s the restaurant and the people he meets, in particular the amazing 93 year old Austrian Astrid, that offer him the connections and advice he so desperately needs. I had my suspicions about the agony aunt letters the entire way through this book and I was proven correct, I thought it was so very clever and really helped the book come full circle.

Astrid was just the most amazing character, written with such compassion and warmth and including her family history from the war years went a long way in explaining how she feels at this stage in her life. Astrid was introduced to the café by Heather who was originally from America and who was actually the first customer that Emily greeted. Again Heather was another brilliantly written character, in fact all the female characters were excellent. They wore their heart on their sleeves and although I can’t say that they were strong all the time but they knew just what to say to each other to help each other out and by doing this it as like all their carefully packed away emotions came spilling out.

Heather is a single mum who is doing her best for her child. She works so hard doing odd jobs and is so independent and is like a jack of all trades. I loved how she always said what she thought and knows what she likes and doesn’t like. But despite an affluent childhood she was neglected and the lack of communication with her parents eats away at her. She has a lot to cope with but the past needs to be resolved before she can truly embrace the future. Heather almost seemed older and wiser than her years. She arrived in Ireland at such a young age but the way she went about things and her kind and caring nature particularly when it came to Astrid meant I had nothing but admiration and respect for her.

There is so much that happens over the course of this story that it could have all become rushed and forced with endless events and situations being flung at the reader leaving little or no time to digest anything but Roisin Meaney paced everything to absolute perfection. There are many complexities to deal with but it all felt so natural and it was like all the characters combined to make one big family unit with The Food of Love as their base. Admittedly halfway through the book I found Emily’s actions really went against everything she had professed in relation to her life as outlined in the earlier chapters. I thought what on earth are you doing? She looked to be making the biggest mistake of her life and I think Heather and Astrid could see this too, but they knew not to force things but rather to be there to deal with the fallout if indeed that did happen. If Emily had not come up with such a brilliant idea to transform her grandmother's shop than all this fantastic characters I got to read about would never have met each other and their hearts, souls, minds and problems would never have been exposed in the extraordinary and admirable way in which they were.

If you want a special read to take you away from the world in which we live in today and all the problems in it then I would highly recommend The Restaurant. I loved every minute of it and didn’t want it to end. It’s crying out for a sequel/catch up with all the characters or even to introduce new characters. Hint hint Roisin Meaney. Even if a full length book is not possible, a short story would make me very happy. It’s definitely one for the keeper shelf and it will take pride of place alongside all the other books from this talented Irish writer.

The Restaurant is such a gorgeous read that is one my favourite books of the year so far. I loved all the characters and I found the style of writing reminiscent of Maeve Binchy. An absolute triumph by Roisin Meaney, I can’t wait to read from the author in the future.

Really enjoyed this book, my first by Roisin Meaney and definitely won't be my last. What an amazing thought-provoking and at times heart wrenching read!

This book was an enjoyable read based around a restaurant run by Emily who had a vision for a communal local eating place. The book introduces various characters, dipping in and out of their stories whilst interweaving them all together. It touches on some tough issues but generally I found the book to be a feel good story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy for which I gave an unbiased review.

What a delightful, thought-provoking and at times heartwrenching read! Do we really know how much hurt/horror is hidden behind a smile? Do we take the time to really get to know the people around us? And finally....can a leopard change its spots......

The Restaurant is a story about; well a restaurant! But not just an ordinary restaurant. There is nothing ordinary about ”The Food of Love". This is a magical place that brings people together. A place people can forget their worries and share a bowl of soup and freshly baked bread. A truly special place.

This is a book that tickles your senses and makes you salivate! A must-read, feel-good story that will pull at your heartstrings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books Ireland for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Loved it!!! I think this is my favorite book by Roisin Meaney and I loved so many of her books. I hated that the story ended. I could have kept reading about all the characters. Each of their stories was interesting and they were all so different. I loved how they were all connected, pretty much the restaurant brought them all together. There's so much more I want to learn about each of them. I definitely knew what Emily's second job was, it really wasn't hard to guess. I want to be friends with all of them and eat at the restaurant. Emily was so frustrating. I wanted to shout at her when she was making all those horrible decisions. Her friends and family could see it was a disaster in the making. I couldn't believe she would just give everything up so easily. Astrid's life was very intriguing and I have many questions. I would love to know more about her husband and their life together, the time she spent hiding during the war and how she got to Ireland. She was such an interesting character. I loved how the book alternated between heather, Emily, Astrid and Bill.

Definitely recommend the book. I loved everything about it- the characters, story and writing style. It was full of friendship, love and forgiveness and so much more. I would love to read more about Emily, Bill, Heather, Astrid and all the others. There's got to be more to their stories. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hachette Books Ireland through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a really lovely read. I loved the characters, all with thoughtfully developed backgrounds and all relatable in some way. This is the kind of novel that reminds us to be kind to each other, to acknowledge everyone person has their own struggle. 

Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Books Ireland for the advanced copy! (This is my first Netgalley title and I'm so excited to sell it in store!)

This was a very enjoyable and at times emotional look into the lives of a number of people who own/frequent a restaurant. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and their history and found myself staying up late wanting to know more and more about them. I also enjoy any book that has a nod to food or baking so particular enjoyed reading about what was on the menu and the bread baking. Would recommend!
Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘The Food of Love’ restaurant is a unique eatery just off the town centre. It was envisaged by Emily when her lovely grandmother died and she inherited her business, a Millinery supplies shop. Emily knows nothing about making hats, but she loves baking and, although the shop is tiny, she imagines her business being a niche type of place somewhere single diners could use for lunch or dinner yet still eat in a friendly and happy atmosphere. She commissions a carpenter to make a bespoke table made of sturdy, solid wood in a long oval shape that is just right for the new venture and will encourage customers to mix and make new friends. She hires a chef and puts her heart and soul into it, launching with a minimal menu but delicious and warming food and desserts.
The customers soon flock in and real, meaningful friendships are made. Emily is both full of empathy and compassion as she shows her guests to their seats. Word gets around and soon strangers come to explore the new restaurant that Emily has worked hard to make welcoming. Her regulars like lovely but lonely widower Bill, who is not in regular contact with his only child, senior citizen Astrid, who made Ireland her home when she fled her homeland in Austria because it was threatening to a small girl whose parents had been taken away during World War two and Heather, a single mother estranged from her parents who lived in America. They all came to think of ‘The Food of Love as their safe, welcoming place to go to and to share with others. It is a Godsend for them and Emily is so welcoming as well.
Then Emily’s circumstances unexpectedly change and she has serious decisions to make. Should she take a risk on love and join her ex fiancé in his home across the sea or should she stay safe and keep pouring her energy and love into her business and the ‘family’ she has come to really care about? Ciara’s new novel will give you all of the answers!
I enjoyed this read immensely. I cared about all of the main characters and their involving stories, I thought the storyboard was original, intriguing and the four different stories were beautifully written, full of modern day issues that are relevant and heart-warming. It was the first novel I have read that was written by this author and was gratified to discover a great back-catalogue for me to explore. I really admired the final page or two when one of the threads that I really enjoyed had a final surprise that completely rounded off the novel in the most satisfying way.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Hachette Books Ireland through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you for my copy sent in return for an honest and unbiased review. This novel is a very good read and will keep you turning the pages, anxiously, excitedly and pleasurably. It is a 4.5* review from me.

This book took a bit of getting into. It jumped around a bit which I was too sure about. I loved the idea of a small eatery where you could got to eat on your own and find other people to talk to..
I found Emily difficult to warm to as a character at first but as the book got going I got more into it and there is a host of lovely interesting and individual characters with diverse back stories.
An interesting story of a community brought together by food and an oval table.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading. The Restaurant by Roisin Meaney is a delightful book to sit and relax and enjoy reading. It is the story of the people who live, work and enjoy eating in the Restaurant. It opens for lunch and evening meal 5 days a week. There is only room for one oval table, so everyone must sit together and eat and hopefully talk and enjoy other people’s company. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Highly Recommended.

A fantastic premise for a story. I really enjoyed this book. All the characters were likeable and well-developed. I loved the idea of the one communal table in the restaurant. Some heavy issues were covered, which added depth. The romance was gentle and unassuming, but touching all the same. Just one thing, the way the dialogue was done at times, as though it was being re-told, meant it was sometimes a little hard to work out who was talking. Otherwise, a good read.