Heart and Soul

By: Maeve Binchy

Narrated by: Sile Bermingham

With the insight, humor, and compassion we have come to expect from her, Maeve Binchy tells a story of family, friends, patients, and staff who are part of a heart clinic in a community caught between the old and the new Ireland.

Dr. Clara Casey has been offered the thankless job of establishing the underfunded clinic and agrees to take it on for a year. She has plenty on her plate already - two difficult adult daughters and the unwanted attentions of her ex-husband - but she assembles a wonderfully diverse staff devoted to helping their demanding, often difficult patients.

Before long the clinic is established as an essential part of the community, and Clara must decide whether or not to leave a place where lives are saved, courage is rewarded, and humor and optimism triumph over greed and self-pity. Heart and Soul is Maeve Binchy at her storytelling best.

©2009 Maeve Binchy (P)2009 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Interweaving the domestic narratives of a dissimilar collection of individuals is beloved Binchy's stock-in-trade, and once again, she does so with sublime ease, inventively engaging readers through a reassuring and persuasive combination of gracious warmth, gentle humor, and genuine affection." ( Booklist)

Excellent storytelling!!

Never wanted it to end. Love the characters and the interweaving of the stories. Plus great narration.

love Maeve Binchy but this falls a bit short.

this time the multiple threads she weaves so skillfully do not really hold together. still I love to read jer5

Love a Meave book

Love to hear about characters from all of her books, but the narrator was not my favourite. The Twins sounded like robots, very odd, they never sounded like that before. Also, too many new names, I had to keep going back to try to figure out who they all were.

Excellent Story

I can always count on Maeve Binchy to tell a heart warming story. I gave her 5 stars, but the narrator just 3 stars, hence the 4 star rating.

one of my favorites for this author

i was 50/50 about purchasing after reading the blurb about the story ... the book, however, is excellent and engagingly narrated.

Like a TV mini-series

Listening to this book was like watching a mini-series or a sitcom. We get sketches of the lives of the many characters in a modern city that felt like an old village. It made me want to visit Dublin. A pleasant read, but not a book that I’d re-read over and over again. Better than a 3-star but not quite a 4-star.

Another Victim of Poor Narration

I’ve listened to several Maeve Bunche novels. Her writing and style are always much the same and is good for idle listening. But with the exception of the narrator of Scarlet Feather, the narration is hard for me. Too chirpy, and worst of all she gives a far too liters interpretation of a set of twins describes as “somewhat robotic in speech” and she ACTUALLY talks like a bad impression of a cartoon robot when she speaks their words. Sigh. Overall I can power through, but heaven’s sake!

great book

I have always loved Maeve Binchy's books because of her characters. This book introduces us to new characters as well as pulls characters from other books. I was so glad to hear more about the old characters' lives. I love the feeling of community that comes across in her books.

Characters are vivid

You feel connection with the conflicts presented.that could be me!
Very beautiful resolution of problems.

always good stories

Mauve Binchy always writes good a story. easy yo become invested in her characters and their lives.