Full House

 

A favourite Book

 

I found Full House by Irish author Maeve Binchy to be a rather unusual read. Dee and Liam are a happily married couple with 3 grown children who still live with them but contribute nothing to the home's running. Dee loves her children but a house full of grown children?

Rosie moved out when she married, but her marriage was seeing some difficult times, so she is back with her parents. Helen is a teacher but doesn’t earn enough to buy a place of her own. Anthony is a songwriter but has not been able to monetize his songwriting. All 3 children happily live at home with their parents without contributing a cent towards the upkeep of the house.

Then one day a crisis happens and Dee decides that things must change, irrespective of whether the change is acceptable or unacceptable to the children.  making the changes. The mother wrestles with guilt, but her supportive friends help her go ahead with the changes.

Dee subtly makes the changes. Rosie, Anthony and Helen are shocked. Didn’t mom and dad like having a full house? The threesome has to adapt to the changes and it is not easy.

The changes were instrumental in Anthony. Rosie and Helen having to face some hard truths of life and also in helping Helen find love while getting Rosie and her husband Ronan back together. The changes teach Anthony responsibility. 

Dee and her husband Liam gift themselves a trip to Sicily with the money the changes brought about. At their silver wedding celebrations, the three children were shocked to hear Dee saying that they wished their children every happiness and that the children had left like leaves falling from a tree.

That’s not how Anthony, Helen and Rosie remembered it. 

This captivating story teaches lessons of gratitude, responsibility, help and never taking your loved ones for granted.