From Publishers Weekly
Four strangers cross paths in a tiny Greek seaside village in this thin but engaging new novel by bestselling Binchy (Quentins; Circle of Friends). When tragedy strikes the smalltown of Aghia Anna in the form of a devastating fire on a tourist pleasure boat—24 people are killed—elderly barkeeper Andreas and craft-shop owner Vonni find themselves host to a random assortment of travelers who watch the conflagration from Andreas's taverna. There is Elsa, the German beauty who is trying to flee from love; David, the quiet young Englishman whose demanding father wants him to go into the family business; Thomas, the American professor who struggles to share his son with his ex-wife's new husband; and Fiona, the Irish nurse who follows her abusive boyfriend despite the warnings of her friends and family. As these strangers become friends, the mysterious Vonni, an Irish woman whose Greek is fluent and whose respected position in town is unquestioned, explores her own memories of heartache, as does Andreas. Unwilling to see their new friends repeat their mistakes, Andreas and Vonni set out to influence the hearts of this motley bunch of foreigners before they leave the village. The setup is flimsy, and the bonds the characters develop are too slender to provide much emotional texture, but Binchy's fans will enjoy this summery page-turner. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Narrator Terry Donnelly more than earns her keep from the word "go." The novel's opening scenes require her to vocalize characters from England, Germany, Greece, Ireland, and the United States, and she applies authentic accents to each. As these characters--residents and tourists on a Greek island--witness a tragedy, they form unique bonds through which they come to resolve personal issues. Donnelly beautifully emotes the pain, regret, and joy Binchy's characters experience. She characterizes young and old, male and female with fitting, believable, and easily distinguishable voices. The author's pleasant, if protracted, story shines amid Donnelly's charming and spirited reading. J.J.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
In perennially popular Binchy's latest, four strangers on holiday in Greece band together after witnessing a tragic boating accident to become friends, and lovers, in an enchanting story that explores the mercurial nature of friendships and the elusive meaning of family. Residents of different countries, the four vacationers discover a commonality: a desire to escape contentious family situations back home. A newly divorced father, Thomas has taken a year's sabbatical to give his young son time to acclimate to his new stepfather. David, a timid Englishman, knows he's disappointing his successful father by not taking over the family business. Elsa, a glamorous German TV reporter, has walked out on a tumultuous love affair, while Fiona is defying family and friends in Ireland by running off with her rebellious boyfriend. Serendipitously, two locals, Andreas and Vonni, befriend the travelers and help them gain perspectives that will put their unsettled lives in order. A beloved storyteller, Binchy excels in the art of the character-driven plot. Although her characters are not necessarily complex, the stories she weaves around them are tales as compelling for their surprises as they are comforting in their sympathetic warmth. Redolent of the life-affirming enthusiasm that is Greek village life, Binchy's newest is a rich homage to meaningful relationships. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Four strangers, with nothing in common but a need to escape, meet in a Greek taverna high above the small village of Aghia Anna. From Ireland, America, Germany and England, they have each left their homes and old lives, when a shocking tragedy throws them unexpectedly together." "Fiona is a young nurse, trying to make her family understand her need to follow her own path. Thomas desperately misses his young son and fears that his ex-wife will come between them. Elsa abruptly left her career as a television presenter, but someone from her past refuses to let her go. And shy, quiet David is determined to make a stand against his overbearing father. With these four is Andreas, the taverna owner, who badly misses the son who left home nine years ago and has never returned." Nights of Rain and Stars is the story of one summer and four people, each with a life in turmoil. With the help of Vonni, a middle-aged Irish woman who lives in the village and is now a near-native, they find solutions - though not necessarily the ones they anticipated.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Binchy's latest work (after Quentins) would present a challenge to any narrator; the large cast of characters includes tourists from all over the globe who meet and become friends after witnessing a tragic accident in a tiny Greek village. But Donnelly rises to the occasion, delivering a virtuoso performance. The diverse cast includes shy Irish nurse Fiona and her abusive boyfriend, Shane; Elsa, a German TV reporter fleeing a lover she no longer trusts; David, a young Englishman who feels trapped by his parents' insistence that he join the family business; Thomas, an American who feels pushed out of his son's life by his ex-wife's new husband; Vonni, an elderly Irish woman who has lived in Greece for the past 30 years; and Andreas, the old Greek taverna owner who misses his long-estranged son. Even in dialogue-heavy sections involving multiple characters, Donnelly switches effortlessly among voices and accents without missing a beat. She brings each personality vividly to life, evoking the complex emotions within him or her. As a result, this compelling, though simple, yarn is especially satisfying in its audio form. Simultaneous release with the Dutton hardcover (Forecasts, July 19). (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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