Firefly Summer
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Firefly Summer
Buy for $24.28
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kate Binchy
-
By:
-
Maeve Binchy
About this listen
"Firefly Summer is warm, humorous, sad and happy. Reading it is a joy." (Irish Independent )
In the summer of 1962, an American millionaire arrives in a small, sleepy Irish town with far-reaching consequences.
For the children of the Ryan family, the long hot summers are usually spent playing in the ruins of a large, abandoned house. But when the American, Patrick O'Neill, buys the ruins, dreams are made and broken and secrets which should never be revealed are betrayed.
Firefly Summer tells interlocking stories of love lost and won during four fateful years in the life of a close-knit Irish community.
©1987 Maeve Binchy (P)2010 Audible LtdCritic reviews
"Totally engrossing.... Unforgettable.... An absolutely grand story.... A lyrical and compelling family drama.... Mountfern and its residents come vibrantly alive." (The Plain Dealer)
"The secrets hidden behind lace curtains, a young girl's first kiss, children's summer games, unexpected pregnancies, sudden deaths. She makes us feel as if we also know the place and the people.... One of those good, old-fashioned stories that are as comfortable and comforting as home itself." (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Related to this topic
-
Booked for the Holidays
- By: Liz Maverick
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky, Andrew Eiden
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 486
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 477
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 477
When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year. When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
What a gem!
- By Joanna N. on 11-14-24
By: Liz Maverick
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,132
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,737
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,736
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
Mr. and Mrs. Christmas
- By: Michelle Stimpson
- Narrated by: Marcella Cox, Ian Hackney
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 80
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved the book!
- By Amazon Customer on 11-15-24
-
Holiday Hideaway
- A Short Story
- By: Mary Kay Andrews
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 271
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 260
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 260
Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I ain’t afraid of no ghosts
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 10-31-24
By: Mary Kay Andrews
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41,409
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34,291
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33,872
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Fred271 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
-
Dead Med
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso, Scott Merriman
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 779
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 759
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 759
When Heather McKinley dreamed of becoming a doctor, she imagined curing sick kids and sporting pink stethoscopes. She never anticipated the sleepless nights, grueling exams, and endless labs. And she certainly never knew that her medical school earned the nickname Dead Med thanks to the tragic history of students overdosing on illegal drugs. But Heather would never consider doing anything like that. That is, until her longtime boyfriend dumps her, she finds herself failing anatomy, and her world starts to crumble.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Hmm
- By Morgan Meaux on 08-22-24
By: Freida McFadden
-
Booked for the Holidays
- By: Liz Maverick
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky, Andrew Eiden
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 486
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 477
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 477
When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year. When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
What a gem!
- By Joanna N. on 11-14-24
By: Liz Maverick
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,132
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,737
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,736
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Revelation!
- By wotsallthisthen on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
Mr. and Mrs. Christmas
- By: Michelle Stimpson
- Narrated by: Marcella Cox, Ian Hackney
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 80
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved the book!
- By Amazon Customer on 11-15-24
-
Holiday Hideaway
- A Short Story
- By: Mary Kay Andrews
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 271
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 260
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 260
Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I ain’t afraid of no ghosts
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 10-31-24
By: Mary Kay Andrews
-
The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41,409
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 34,291
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33,872
The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Fred271 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
-
Dead Med
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso, Scott Merriman
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 779
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 759
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 759
When Heather McKinley dreamed of becoming a doctor, she imagined curing sick kids and sporting pink stethoscopes. She never anticipated the sleepless nights, grueling exams, and endless labs. And she certainly never knew that her medical school earned the nickname Dead Med thanks to the tragic history of students overdosing on illegal drugs. But Heather would never consider doing anything like that. That is, until her longtime boyfriend dumps her, she finds herself failing anatomy, and her world starts to crumble.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Hmm
- By Morgan Meaux on 08-22-24
By: Freida McFadden
-
Home Is Where the Bodies Are
- By: Jeneva Rose
- Narrated by: January LaVoy, Cassandra Campbell, Brittany Pressley, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,019
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,903
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,903
After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Perfect Audio.
- By Black Women Read Too on 05-19-24
By: Jeneva Rose
-
Technically Speaking
- By: Michael Elliot
- Narrated by: Coco Jones, Keith Powers, Queen Latifah, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 50 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,280
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,264
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,264
Oakland-bred LaVeesha “Vee” Gilliam (Coco Jones) is a determined single mother of an autistic son and a gifted aspiring coder. When Vee loses her job as a food-services worker at the onsite restaurant at Grapengine, a large Silicon Valley tech company, she’s unable to pay for her son’s much-needed specialized education. By a twist of fate, mistaken identity, and her tech skills, Vee meets Troy Wilson (Keith Powers), the company’s wealthy founder and CEO and a wunderkind in the tech industry, who believes that Vee is a college-educated techie who works at his company.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Overdue Diverse Representation in Tech!
- By Jatai Pollock on 09-26-24
By: Michael Elliot
-
Ghost Stories: Stephen Fry's Definitive Collection
- By: Stephen Fry, Washington Irving, M.R. James, and others
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 640
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 550
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 550
As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, Halloween approaches. Come, brave listener, pull up a chair, and spend some time with master storyteller Stephen Fry as he tells us some of his favourite ghost stories of all time, in truly terrifying spatial audio. From the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow to the tortured spirits of M.R. James, from Edgar Allan Poe’s terrifying tale of a doppelganger to Charlotte Riddell’s Open Door that should definitely stay shut, join Stephen as he tells you some truly terrifying tales.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful narration. Mediocre stories.
- By Michael Fuchs on 11-07-23
By: Stephen Fry, and others
-
Fahrenheit 451
- By: Ray Bradbury
- Narrated by: Tim Robbins
- Length: 5 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 32,589
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29,004
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28,959
Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television "family."
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Wish I Hadn't Cliff Noted This in High School
- By Joel on 03-27-17
By: Ray Bradbury
-
Starship Troopers
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 900
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 857
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 857
Johnnie Rico never really intended to join up—and definitely not the infantry. But now that he’s in the thick of it, trying to get through combat training harder than anything he could have imagined, he knows everyone in his unit is one bad move away from buying the farm in the interstellar war the Terran Federation is waging against the Arachnids. Because everyone in the Mobile Infantry fights. And if the training doesn’t kill you, the Bugs are more than ready to finish the job.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The definitive version!
- By Kristopher G. Hesson on 10-03-24
-
Brain Damage
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Megan Tusing
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,915
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,801
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,800
As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now, she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her...before he finishes the job he started.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Who Else Laughed, Cried, and Shuddered?
- By Jennifer Chichester on 09-16-22
By: Freida McFadden
What listeners say about Firefly Summer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sue
- 06-14-15
Outstanding
Would you consider the audio edition of Firefly Summer to be better than the print version?
Had not read print version
What other book might you compare Firefly Summer to and why?
Any Maeve story or Cathy Kelly or Erica James
Which character – as performed by Kate Binchy – was your favorite?
Eddy such a loveable character
Who was the most memorable character of Firefly Summer and why?
So many to choose from. They were all very intricate and each character had a great story to tell.
Any additional comments?
Loved the long story and feel very sad I've finished. I shall miss the whole of The Irish country town.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Linda
- 05-29-13
Kate Binchy Is A Natural
Firefly Summer is one of those books that just takes me away. I am a huge Maeve Binchy Fan because I always feel like I am one of the gang. Kate Binchy's narration is nothing short of wonderful. I felt like closing my eyes and riding the wave.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Ed
- 04-26-09
Okay but not memorable
A good solid 'read' with well developed characters that transported me into a time of enormous change around the world. I did look forward to turning it on, but then when it was all done, I didn't regret that there was no more.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- M Kas
- 10-26-22
Loved it when I read it, enjoyed it again now.
Loved it when I read it, enjoyed it again listening to here. Worth a go.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elizabeth
- 09-29-20
Love the book, HATE the American accents
I’ve listened to several of Maeve Binchy’s books and love Kate Binchy’s narration, but her American accents in this book are painful to listen to. Especially Rachel Fine, the refined Brooklyn Jewish designer who instead is given the voice and accent of central Missouri trailer trash. She’s done passable American accents in other books, so I’m not sure what happened here.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Linda
- 08-22-07
Inviting
Maeve Binchy pulled me right in from the opening paragraph. I couldn't help but feel that the characters were my own neighbours and friends. It was a delightful story and one which I would highly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Penny Kavanagh
- 04-05-14
Not up to her standards
Is there anything you would change about this book?
The story wasn't exciting and there were too many characters
Would you be willing to try another book from Maeve Binchy? Why or why not?
I have listened to most of her books, but this one was disappointing.
What about Kate Binchy’s performance did you like?
She does a good job in changing her voice for the various characters.
Do you think Firefly Summer needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No please.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Paula
- 10-20-07
Annoying
I found the narrator's voice very annoying. Especially when she talks in the childs voice. I actually turned the story off as I couldn't understand half of what she was saying. Personally I felt this download was a waste of money and I should read the book instead.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Marlene
- 01-20-14
very poor quality audio--read far to fast
How did the narrator detract from the book?
The narrator spoke far too quickly, mumbled, used irritating voices especially for the children. I couldn't listen at all.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!