Another lovely entry into the Finfarran series. I love how Hayes-McCoy lets us get to know multiple characters by shifting perspectives -- it's not an easy technique to employ without leaving the reader confused or feeling disjointed, but she is very good at it. The "main character" here is Cassie Fitzgerald, the free-spirited Canadian granddaughter of Pat and Ger, who are friends of Mary Casey, who is the mother of Hanna Casey, whose story began the series (in a small town like Lissbeg, you are never far from the core narrative). Cassie shows up in Lissbeg yearning for a sense of belonging, which she has failed to find in her driven, goal-oriented family. She quickly finds herself in the middle of all the small-town intrigue, charming some people and irritating others. She is annoyingly perfect, offering just the right attention to just the right people and situations, showing up to help just when help is needed, stuff like that, but just when you feel like you want to slap her perfect face, she shows her humanity by getting entangled with the wrong guy. This story is Christmas-themed, in that the plots and action are centred around the annual Christmas market, but I felt okay reading it in early November (especially since I will most likely be ignoring Christmas this year). As always, the small dramas of the Finfarrians are relatable and charming, the prose flows naturally, and it remains a place I wish I could visit -- and I suppose I always can, in my imagination! ( )

I didn't realize this was part of a series when I started reading it and although sometimes books can work as standalone novels, this isn't one of those. After 50ish pages fully-read and skimming the rest, I'm throwing in the towel.

Cassie Fitzgerald's father immigrated from Ireland to Canada. He's never returned to visit his parents. Finally they come over one year, and Cassie returns to Ireland with them. Christmas approaches on the Finfarrin Peninsula. While the characters from previous installments appear in this installment, one does not need to read the series in order for this Christmas installment. The plot is more about village life than anything else. It's somewhat lackluster--not really drawing one in to the place and not really giving a true sense of Christmas. ( )