A homebound friend of mine recently told me that she likes to read books written by Irish author Maeve Binchy. I quickly set out to find as many copies as I could at local used bookstores so that I could ship them to her. While I waited for more discoveries to surface, I picked up Quentins at random from the pile. I'm glad that I did.

Ella Brady is a young woman from Dublin, Ireland. In a way, this is her later-coming-of-age story. We follow her as she leaves her parents' home and strikes out on her own. She gets a decent job. She has some close friends that she can hang out with and can confide in. Then she gets involved with Don Richardson, a married man: a choice that may very well impact the rest of her life. Occasionally, Ella likes to eat at Quentins, a high-class restaurant.

To help Ella deal with developments in her relationship with Don, her friends Nick and Sandy ask for her help in producing their new documentary film. The group decides to focus on Quentins, on the kinds of people who work there and the kinds of customers who patronize the restaurant. Quentins holds many stories within its walls. The trio begins to collect them, in anticipation of including them in the film. Ella even meets with a potential financier who may choose to back the production.

Now, interspersed with Ella's story, other chapters share the small slices of the lives of Quentins staff and patrons. We discover the origins of the restaurant and its name. We learn more about Brenda Brennan, the hostess and manager, and her husband Patrick, the chef. We follow Patrick's brother Blouse as he comes of age in his own, unique way. We eavesdrop on conversations and relationships at various tables around the dining room.

Haven't you ever wondered about the lives and the intentions of the other folks in restaurants, when you've been out and about? Well, here they are.

This book is full of engaging and (mostly) likable characters. An easy-going vibe exists within Ella's circle of friends and neighbors. Many times, folks look out for and have concerns for one another. It's a nice community to drop into. Two main questions linger for the readers. Will this film about Quentins ever be made? And will Ella ever be able to resolve the complex situation created by Don Richardson?

I highly recommend Quentins as comfortable and satisfying entertainment for anyone at any time. Looking at the list of books that Maeve Binchy penned, I realize that I may have more reading to do. Her two previous releases before Quentins, Tara Road and Scarlet Feather, focus on characters who show up as minor players in this one. And darn it, I already packaged up those other two books and sent them on their way to my friend. Now I'll have to get to the public library to read more about Ella's associates. I can't wait.