The mistletoe matchmaker A novel

The latest novel in Hayes-McCoy series set on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula, following Summer at the Garden Cafe (2018), has a cozy Christmastime plot. Cassie, the granddaughter of Pat and Ger, was raised in Canada where her father emigrated. An adventurous youngest child who travels the world as a cruise hairdresser, Cassie impulsively decides to visit her father's birthplace, Lissbeg, as the village prepares for the annual Christmas festival. The new community collective on the former convent grounds provides an idyllic gathering place and a home for local businesses. Beyond the charming façade, there's also some drama, and Cassie finds herself getting mixed up in the residents' lives and relationships. She also tries to understand the history that has kept her father from returning to his homeland. In addition to the sweet family-centered holiday story, readers will be happy to catch up with Hanna and the library, her daughter, Jazz, and other characters and places from the author's previous novels.--Aleksandra Walker Copyright 2010 Booklist

Cassie, the youngest daughter of Sonny and Annette Fitzgerald, is the only family member without the drive for extreme success. As a teen, Cassie knew she wanted to travel, so she trained as a hairstylist so she could work anywhere. Inspired by her grandparents' visit from Lissbeg, Ireland, Cassie decides she'd like to see where her dad was raised and returns with Pat and Ger Fitzgerald. It's everything she could have hoped for and harder than she expected, but maybe the upcoming Winter Fest will be just the thing to bring holiday cheer to this small town and the people she's grown to cherish. VERDICT Readers will wish they could take part in the highs and lows of Finfarran Peninsula community life. Hayes-McCoy's quiet story of tight-knit relationships among family members and longtime friends will soothe readers' frazzled nerves. The expressions of respect and admiration, even when delivered grudgingly, are in tune with the holiday season. [See Prepub Alert, 4/8/19.]