***Yet another May 2011 backlog post. Dang…I was a productive little monkey a year ago <pops another Gummi Bear in mouth>***

There are some books just perfect for curling up on Mr Couch with Mr Blanky and Mr Cup of Hot Tea on a rainy afternoon. Heck, just about any of Maeve Binchy’s books does the trick. But this particular rainy afternoon in question was a) a longed for vacation day and b) the latest Maeve Binchy book Minding Frankie. Just a note. If you are married and thirty something the following could happen to you.

Me: (curled up on Mr Couch reading the first fifty pages of Minding Frankie with tears streaming down my face) “Oh my god…”

Blacklight: (fresh from Dunkee Cup): “What is it? Girl time or something? Geezzzz” (stomps off to his lair to watch some anime thing on Netflix)

Minding Frankie takes place in post economic collapse Dublin in the working class neighborhood where everyone seems to be from in any novel from Scarlet Feather onward. Cousin Emily Lynch is coming from America for an extended visit. Of course being a brisk and sensible Irish woman, things are going to change when Emily steps foot in St. Jarlath’s Crescent. For example, her younger cousin Noel whose just found out he’s fathered a baby with a fling whose is just weeks from dying. Can you say Noel’s gonna turn his life around. He has to, otherwise Baby Girl Frankie (yes, the Frankie of the title) is going into care (foster care that is).

So with a bit of money and magic and help from Emily, new dad Noel does begin to turn his life around and that changes impacts everyone he encounters. It’s like Baby Girl Frankie is a magic charm or cure for what ails you. Broke classmate with majorly messed up family needs a place to stay? Sure move in Lisa and do you know how to change a diaper? (Oh she learns!)

So Noel’s got his life in a better direction, cousin Emily is spreading magic and cheer. Our favorite young redheaded doctor is going from strength to strength at the heart clinic at St Brigid’s. The Lynch family is doing good for themselves. Noel’s news and Mr Lynch’s being laid off from his doorman job at a posh Dublin hotel didn’t crush them so way no how. But a dark specter is lurking in St Jarlath’s Crescent and it isn’t just the spots on Muttie Scarlet (father of Cathy from Scarlet Feather) X-rays. Like a bad fairy or those damn Downy commercials every three seconds when I was watching the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, social worker Moira wants to rip Baby Girl Frankie from her father’s loving arms and into a proper family without a recovering alcoholic single father. Moira comes off as rather damaged and a bit autistic. Everyone but her brother has the pitchforks and torches when they see her coming.

Will Noel go back on the sauce? Is Muttie Scarlet doomed? Will Lisa realize that hunky chef/restauranteur Anton is a user, loser and abuser? Will Moira break her robot programming? Can I lure Emily to my apartment to make sure I have a decent packed lunch and don’t  just eat candy and bacon at work (not at the same time….ewwwww)? If you have the cash, race to the bookstore and snap it up or download it on your e-reader. If you’re poor like me, put yourself with haste on the library’s hold list because Minding Frankie is heartwarming, cozy and twee Maeve Binchy.

Just try not to cry in front of doofy meanies who don’t understand sometimes you need a cozy, twee cry session like Blacklight okay?