''Tara Road'' is a novel by

Maeve Binchy Anne Maeve Binchy Snell (28 May 1939Born 1939 as per biography, ''Maeve Binchy'' by Piers Dudgeon, Thomas Dunne Books 2013; (hardcover), pp. 4, 280, 302; (ebook) – 30 July 2012) was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, colum ...

. It was chosen as an

Oprah's Book Club Oprah's Book Club was a book discussion club segment of the American talk show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', highlighting books chosen by host Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey started the book club in 1996, selecting a new book, usually a novel, for viewers ...

selection in September 1999.

Plot introduction

It is the story of two women, one from

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

and one from America, who trade houses without ever having met. They're both looking for an escape from their problems, but by running away, both come to discover a great deal about themselves. The book mostly concentrates on the life of Ria Lynch, the Irish woman, who has met her future husband Danny Lynch. The two end up getting married, much to Ria's shock and delight, and start a family together while Danny's career takes off. Many years into their marriage, Danny begins spending less and less time at home with his wife and children. Ria believes another baby is the solution, and is shocked to find out that indeed her husband is going to be a father...but to a child from an affair he has been having with another woman. Her husband's unfaithfulness is the event that leads Ria into her decision to switch homes with the lady from America. ''Tara Road'' was made into a film in 2005.

Characters

*Ria Lynch, housewife whose life collapses when Danny leaves her after he gets a girlfriend pregnant *Danny Lynch, a heartbreaker who has a woman around every corner *Rosemary Ryan, a beautiful businesswoman, best friends with Ria though sleeping with her husband Danny *Annie Lynch, Ria and Danny's first child *Brian Lynch, Danny and Ria's second child, known for his tactlessness

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

The novel was turned into a film in 2005. It stars

Andie MacDowell Rosalie Anderson MacDowell (born April 21, 1958) is an American actress and former fashion model. MacDowell's known for her starring film roles in romantic comedies and dramas. MacDowell has modeled for Calvin Klein and has been a spokeswoman ...

and

Olivia Williams Olivia Haigh Williams (born 26 July 1968) is a British actress who has appeared in British and American films and television. After studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School for two years followed by three years at the Royal Shakesp ...

. Written by

Cynthia Cidre Cynthia Cidre (born September 10, 1957) is an American screenwriter and producer. She is best known as a showrunner and executive producer of TNT prime time soap opera ''Dallas'' (2012–14). Cidre was the creator and an executive producer for th ...

and Shane Connaughton and directed by

Gillies MacKinnon Gillies MacKinnon (born 8 January 1948, Glasgow) is a Scottish film director, writer and painter. He attended the Glasgow School of Art where he studied mural painting. Following this he became an art teacher and cartoonist, and about this tim ...

makes a cameo appearance in the first scene at Colm's restaurant. 1998 Irish novels Novels by Maeve Binchy Novels set in Ireland Irish novels adapted into films {{1990s-novel-stub