For
my next book, I wanted to read something that was easy and light-hearted,
allowing for a blog post that would be a breeze to write. I may have struck
gold at the end of the rainbow when I came acrossed The
Tour by Jean Grainger.
This
is where we meet the kind, yet practical-minded Conor O’Shea. He's the type of
person you would want as a friend, which makes him the perfect guide for a tour
of Ireland. Early in the book, Conor receives a letter from an old girlfriend, Sinead,
that says She is coming home to Ireland after being away for over 20 years. Sinead
is the only woman Conor has truly loved, but he's not sure how he feels about
her now. In the meantime, I couldn’t help wondering if there could be
something between him and his friend, Anastasia.
As
Conor is grappling with the prospect of seeing Sinead again, he is leading a 7-day
tour with a group of Americans. On this life-changing trip is an array of travelers
who are in Ireland for different reasons and looking for different things from their
journey.
These
amusingly engaging characters will have unique and wonderful experiences, meet
unexpected people, discover new strengths, confront their past, and face harsh
realities about their lives. It could be said these individuals’ stories have
overly optimistic conclusions, but I say sometimes it’s good to read a book
that is positive and uplifting.
While
there's a bit of Irish history and culture mixed in here and there, The Tour
is mainly character-driven. There are some surprising turns in this book that
are somewhat dark. However, those disturbing instances didn’t stop me from
enjoying it. if you're in the mood for something that will put a smile on your
face, I suggest you take The Tour.
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