The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes

Valerie's comments:

This book begins with a mysterious spirit-like narrator who seems to be searching for a person to help among the tenants of an apartment building at 66 Star Street in Dublin, Ireland.   The spirit describes, Katie a strong, single woman who just turned 40; Lydia a twenty-something, vivacious cab driver who is currently living with two Polish men who fear and hate her; Jemima the kindly older woman who currently lives alone with her dog Grudge, but is hoping to see her adopted son soon; and Matt and Maeve a newlywed couple who seem to have some sort of dark secret.  As the book progresses, the tenants at 66 Star Street find their lives intersecting with one another as secrets are revealed, loves come and go, and lives are changed.

This is a slow read at first, but well worth the patience.  Keyes creates a vast array of characters that can at first be difficult to keep track off, but each is well-developed and relatable.   Keyes brings the reader in and it’s hard to not want to learn more about these characters, as relationships develop and secrets are revealed.  While Keyes does present some serious subjects in this book, she does so gently.  Overall though, this story is a light-hearted one with many laughs.  I highly recommend this title to fans of Sarah Addison Allen, Meg Cabot, or Sophie Kinsella.