What do you think?
Rate this book
The Tour #1
The Tour
Every week Conor O'Shea collects a new group of american visitors from Shannon Airport from where they embark on a high end tour of 'The Real Ireland'. But this particular tour with its cast of unintentionally hilarous characters leaves seasoned tour guide Conor speechless for the first time in his life. Among this eclectic group are Corlene, a gold digging multiple divorcee on the prowl; Patrick, a love-starved Boston cop; Dylan, a goth uilleann piper; Dorothy, a poisonous college professor who wouldn't spend Christmas; Elliot, a wall street shark who finally shows his true colours, and then there's Ellen, back on Irish soil after so many years to discover a truth no-one could have guessed, least of all herself. And thats just a few of the colourful cast.
The locals they meet on their journey, eccentric West Brits, passionate musicians, Ukranian waitresses and Garda high flyers all help to make this a tour that nobody will ever forget. And of course, there's Conor, stuck in the thick of it all, solving problems and mending hearts, but what about his own?
The locals they meet on their journey, eccentric West Brits, passionate musicians, Ukranian waitresses and Garda high flyers all help to make this a tour that nobody will ever forget. And of course, there's Conor, stuck in the thick of it all, solving problems and mending hearts, but what about his own?
302 pages, ebook
First published February 5, 2013
14.9k people are currently reading
6,026 people want to read
About the author
Jean Grainger
102Ìýbooks1,425ÌýfollowersJean Grainger was born in Cork, Ireland. She has been a tour guide of her beloved home country, a teacher, a university lecturer and a playwright. She began writing fiction at the suggestion of her clients on tours, many of whom were sure all the stories she told them would make for a great book. Her first book, The Tour, has become a Number 1 bestseller on Amazon. It tells the story of a disparate group of American visitors to Ireland, who, along with their Irish tour guide have a life changing experience in the magical Emerald Isle.
Her second book, So Much Owed, is a family saga set during the Second World War. The story centres on the Buckley family of West Cork and how their lives are pulled in different directions as they become embroiled in the war. It is a sweeping family saga of intrigue and romance against the background of occupied Europe.
In her third novel, Shadow of a Century, she tells a tale of a battered old flag found in New York in 2016, a century after it was used during the Easter Rising, when Ireland made her final bid for freedom from Great Britain. This tells the story of a journalist who uncovers a story, one with much more to it than a flag.
Her fourth novel, due out in Spring 2016, Under Heaven’s Shining Stars, is set in the 1970s in Cork, Ireland and is a novel about friendship. Three boys, Liam, Patrick and Hugo, though from very different backgrounds are united in a deep but often times challenging friendship. As their lives progress, only by staying strong, can they prevail. Or fail.
Her novella, Letters of Freedom, tells the story of Carmel, stuck in a pointless marriage, when a figure from her past emerges and changes everything with a ‘like� on Facebook. This quick read will touch your heart.
She lives in Cork with her husband and her two youngest children. The older two come home occasionally with laundry and to raid the fridge.
Her second book, So Much Owed, is a family saga set during the Second World War. The story centres on the Buckley family of West Cork and how their lives are pulled in different directions as they become embroiled in the war. It is a sweeping family saga of intrigue and romance against the background of occupied Europe.
In her third novel, Shadow of a Century, she tells a tale of a battered old flag found in New York in 2016, a century after it was used during the Easter Rising, when Ireland made her final bid for freedom from Great Britain. This tells the story of a journalist who uncovers a story, one with much more to it than a flag.
Her fourth novel, due out in Spring 2016, Under Heaven’s Shining Stars, is set in the 1970s in Cork, Ireland and is a novel about friendship. Three boys, Liam, Patrick and Hugo, though from very different backgrounds are united in a deep but often times challenging friendship. As their lives progress, only by staying strong, can they prevail. Or fail.
Her novella, Letters of Freedom, tells the story of Carmel, stuck in a pointless marriage, when a figure from her past emerges and changes everything with a ‘like� on Facebook. This quick read will touch your heart.
She lives in Cork with her husband and her two youngest children. The older two come home occasionally with laundry and to raid the fridge.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,025 reviews
February 17, 2020
This is a very likable book, with interesting characters, some lively plot lines and lots of interesting historical tidbits about Ireland. It is an easy read, but again, ruined by the poor editing.
A book is not just the story, the plot lines, the descriptive passages. It also is the way in which it is presented. I am sure there are people who will find me nitpicking, but if the presentation is bad then it detracts from the story. For once I would like to find one of the Indie novels that is well-presented, where spelling has been checked and double checked, where words don't run into their neighbors, where sentences end with full stops, etc. I'd like to read a book where I am not aware of the words on the page, just the story.
Rant done.
A book is not just the story, the plot lines, the descriptive passages. It also is the way in which it is presented. I am sure there are people who will find me nitpicking, but if the presentation is bad then it detracts from the story. For once I would like to find one of the Indie novels that is well-presented, where spelling has been checked and double checked, where words don't run into their neighbors, where sentences end with full stops, etc. I'd like to read a book where I am not aware of the words on the page, just the story.
Rant done.
April 29, 2014
If you have been missing Maeve Binchey ( may she rest in peace ) , here is just the book to get you back to Ireland and all its characters.
I was a bit skeptical 're this book, thinking it to be another ho hum book about the Irish. I was delighted to be proven wrong. while the main characters weren't Irish , Ms.
Grainger did a great job of weaving their stories together as well as their inter action with the Irish. There was humor, melancholy and a nice happy ever after. If you were a fan of Maeve Binchey you will love Jean Graingers books. I have read several and found them to be good entertainment. Enjoy
I was a bit skeptical 're this book, thinking it to be another ho hum book about the Irish. I was delighted to be proven wrong. while the main characters weren't Irish , Ms.
Grainger did a great job of weaving their stories together as well as their inter action with the Irish. There was humor, melancholy and a nice happy ever after. If you were a fan of Maeve Binchey you will love Jean Graingers books. I have read several and found them to be good entertainment. Enjoy
Read
May 21, 2021This is a warm funny book that draws the reader into the world of the story. You feel connected to the many characters, who delight and appall the reader in equal measure. There are many laugh out loud moments but it also has a very poignant central story line that touches the reader on a much deeper level. The main protagonist is charming and lovable and the reader follows the lives of this disparate group over a short week, but by the end of the book you feel like you are leaving your friends. Well written and researched this is truly an unputdownable read.
November 22, 2017
I may have given a higher review to this, but felt the book wasn't as described. The review indicated the fact the group was traveling around Ireland to various points of interest. The book to me is more about relationships, a little bit too quick-solve, and barely mentions travels around Ireland. Simply not my kind of book. Hope I don't sound like Dorothy.
February 7, 2022
My friend Michelle asked me to read this book to verify that it was as bad as she thought. It is. I can't explain how it is rated 4.09 stars by 11,638 readers? How? Who are these people? What am I missing? You may be saying - you went into reading with a bias � maybe, but I tried to find something to like, honest. Below is a list of my disgruntled observations: (WARNING: There are lots of spoilers, so if you do want to read this book, stop here and take my 1 star review as my recommendation.)
July 5, 2017
Available Kindle Unlimited although I just have gotten it in a giveaway or one of my free books sites. Went to read it because got the sequel.
The blurb says A charming Irish bus driver. A group of disparate American tourists. One life changing week. Take a tour you’ll never forget as you navigate the stunning vistas of gorgeous Ireland along with the hearts and minds of a cast of characters who will live with you, long after you’ve finished the last page. During a routine tour of Ireland, tour guide Conor O’Shea finds himself on a journey of his own through the lives of his hilarious companions as together they navigate both the Irish countryside and the secrets of their individual lives.
A Wall Street banker, a divorcee, a musician, a cop, and a professor all enter Ireland with something on their minds, and throughout their journey with Conor as their guide, they each begin to show something of themselves against the spectacular backdrop of Ireland.
EXCEPT it was more chick lit type 'romance' than scenery, not much mention of that, and the terms used by both the American and others were not suited for them {terms used in America are not necessarily the ones used by the English or the Irish, etc}. Since the whole story was supposed to be wrapped around the tour/trip through Ireland would have been really 'nice' to have including more about that and the stops/scenery and not so much of the American type Dallas {tv show} or Dynasty {tv show} Housewives of {insert one of a dozen tv shows} with a smattering of 90210 angst. Then different endings and people were wrapped up too easily. NOTE the stars are not equal to their meaning; gave 2 stars on amazon and 2 here, since they are definitely not the same meaning but....
The Tour: A Trip Through Ireland
Safe at the Edge of the World: Sequel to The Tour
The blurb says A charming Irish bus driver. A group of disparate American tourists. One life changing week. Take a tour you’ll never forget as you navigate the stunning vistas of gorgeous Ireland along with the hearts and minds of a cast of characters who will live with you, long after you’ve finished the last page. During a routine tour of Ireland, tour guide Conor O’Shea finds himself on a journey of his own through the lives of his hilarious companions as together they navigate both the Irish countryside and the secrets of their individual lives.
A Wall Street banker, a divorcee, a musician, a cop, and a professor all enter Ireland with something on their minds, and throughout their journey with Conor as their guide, they each begin to show something of themselves against the spectacular backdrop of Ireland.
EXCEPT it was more chick lit type 'romance' than scenery, not much mention of that, and the terms used by both the American and others were not suited for them {terms used in America are not necessarily the ones used by the English or the Irish, etc}. Since the whole story was supposed to be wrapped around the tour/trip through Ireland would have been really 'nice' to have including more about that and the stops/scenery and not so much of the American type Dallas {tv show} or Dynasty {tv show} Housewives of {insert one of a dozen tv shows} with a smattering of 90210 angst. Then different endings and people were wrapped up too easily. NOTE the stars are not equal to their meaning; gave 2 stars on amazon and 2 here, since they are definitely not the same meaning but....
The Tour: A Trip Through Ireland
Safe at the Edge of the World: Sequel to The Tour
November 28, 2017
2.5 stars.
This starts at as a pleasant, lovely story about a small group of people taking a coach tour of Ireland. Had it stayed that, it could've been 4 stars easily.
But at about 60% of the way through it just gets over-the-top silly. Like teenage-diary silly.
Everything gets turned up not to 11 but to 13.
Speaking of teenage diaries--
The author has zero sense of dialogue. Every character, no matter their age or sex or nationality, sounds like a middle aged Irish woman. It's so grating to read a conversation between an "American Goth boy" and a "Texan Retired Construction Worker" that sound like a Kilkenny housewife talking to her imaginary friend.
I guess i halfway like it and I feel like the author has potential. But I'd like to see a book from her where the kid gets a scholarship to music camp instead of a check for $500K. That's the kind of beyond-the-beyond that drags this book down to 2.5 stars.
This starts at as a pleasant, lovely story about a small group of people taking a coach tour of Ireland. Had it stayed that, it could've been 4 stars easily.
But at about 60% of the way through it just gets over-the-top silly. Like teenage-diary silly.
Everything gets turned up not to 11 but to 13.
Speaking of teenage diaries--
The author has zero sense of dialogue. Every character, no matter their age or sex or nationality, sounds like a middle aged Irish woman. It's so grating to read a conversation between an "American Goth boy" and a "Texan Retired Construction Worker" that sound like a Kilkenny housewife talking to her imaginary friend.
I guess i halfway like it and I feel like the author has potential. But I'd like to see a book from her where the kid gets a scholarship to music camp instead of a check for $500K. That's the kind of beyond-the-beyond that drags this book down to 2.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2018
Interesting, but maybe a little more of ‘Touring� should be written
This was to say the least, an interesting book. Maybe I was going into it with a pre conceived idea that it would have the land, hills, and views described, just like a Jane Austen book. She always seemed to do that & managed to introduce so many characters and a beautiful love story. This was not the case.
Now I’m not saying Jean Grainger did not write a good book, but I was a bit confused. For example: When was this supposed to take place? There is a (no spoilers) woman who is so shy that it seems to hurt her to meet your eyes! She tells Connor, the tour guide, she was born in 1920? Now if I’m wrong on that, who was? The reason I’m saying this is because she doesn’t come across as someone born in 1920? But she’s on this tour so that she can find out more of her ancestry. That’s great...but it seemed like it came out of no where and I felt like I was being introduced to other characters and at this point I couldn’t keep up with the ones who were there?!
Yes it’s a tour through a part of Ireland, but I can honestly say the description of the book is NOT in the book. We are not introduced to the amazing beauty of Ireland. We are introduced to women, men and a boy that are all dysfunctional, well not all, but a lot. The title should be “The Tour and how it changed lives� because that’s exactly what it was about. Another example: Connor, a fantastic Irish tour driver, has a tour planned daily, plus room & board. It seems as if he’s ready to drop them off for their destination on the particular tour of the day, something crazy happens to one of them. Whether it’s crazy or an enlightenment is what the reader will see. I felt as if there were too many soap operas and a just so happens “a millionaire is in the bunch� ready to help that person who deserves it. It’s realistic to a point then goes off the deep end to you’ll say, “oh come on!�
So all is not lost. I would still recommend this book, but I would seriously take it slow and don’t fall asleep you’ll forget who’s who & have to start again 😂😂😂
This was to say the least, an interesting book. Maybe I was going into it with a pre conceived idea that it would have the land, hills, and views described, just like a Jane Austen book. She always seemed to do that & managed to introduce so many characters and a beautiful love story. This was not the case.
Now I’m not saying Jean Grainger did not write a good book, but I was a bit confused. For example: When was this supposed to take place? There is a (no spoilers) woman who is so shy that it seems to hurt her to meet your eyes! She tells Connor, the tour guide, she was born in 1920? Now if I’m wrong on that, who was? The reason I’m saying this is because she doesn’t come across as someone born in 1920? But she’s on this tour so that she can find out more of her ancestry. That’s great...but it seemed like it came out of no where and I felt like I was being introduced to other characters and at this point I couldn’t keep up with the ones who were there?!
Yes it’s a tour through a part of Ireland, but I can honestly say the description of the book is NOT in the book. We are not introduced to the amazing beauty of Ireland. We are introduced to women, men and a boy that are all dysfunctional, well not all, but a lot. The title should be “The Tour and how it changed lives� because that’s exactly what it was about. Another example: Connor, a fantastic Irish tour driver, has a tour planned daily, plus room & board. It seems as if he’s ready to drop them off for their destination on the particular tour of the day, something crazy happens to one of them. Whether it’s crazy or an enlightenment is what the reader will see. I felt as if there were too many soap operas and a just so happens “a millionaire is in the bunch� ready to help that person who deserves it. It’s realistic to a point then goes off the deep end to you’ll say, “oh come on!�
So all is not lost. I would still recommend this book, but I would seriously take it slow and don’t fall asleep you’ll forget who’s who & have to start again 😂😂😂
July 9, 2017
A charming story, with colorful characters, and some great interactions. Unfortunately, there are too many characters to ever feel very tied into one persons story. Ellen, who seems like such a big deal at the beginning, fades away after about half the book, with little mention made of her. Bert's only roll seems to be to function as deus ex machina for Dylan, and his mom, bailing Corlene out of her poor life choices. Conor seems like a lovely man, but is a little flat as a character. And the whole Sinead thing seems like a red herring. As for the rest of the group, they're all caricatures; the misunderstood goth kid, the busty husband-hunter, and the old crone, all of whom have miraculous changes of heart in a stunningly short period of time. But then we still have the jerk husband married to his work, and the loud, overbearing policeman. Nothing about them really added to the stereotype, or set them apart from it. And please forgive me, but I have an incredibly hard time believing that a woman would move to a new state to LIVE with another woman she met mere days ago—a woman who admittedly has had bouts of mental instability—to help her raise her brand new child. Seems like a solid plan.
I would have enjoyed a deeper look into at least a few of the more main characters, but overall, it was a reasonably good read.
I would have enjoyed a deeper look into at least a few of the more main characters, but overall, it was a reasonably good read.
February 8, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was lucky enough to travel to Ireland in 1985 with my Dad, who in every town looked in the phonebooks to find others with either Mullane or Connolly surname. Both of Dad's parents were 2nd generation Irish-Americans, their grandparents emigrated to the US during the Potato Famine. I saw quite a bit of my Dad in the Patrick character. Granted, Dad was born in 1914 and growing up heard a lot about the evil English and what they were doing to family still living in Ireland. In fact, in 1990 when I traveled to Europe with a friend and mentioned to Dad we'd have a layover at a London airport, he made me swear I wouldn't step foot on English soil! And my beloved Gram wouldn't wear the colors coral or peach (even though with her coloring she would have looked great) cuz they were in the orange palette--orange signifying protestant and English.
But I digress. I loved the characters in the book. I have fond memories of several places mentioned in it. And even though the dialog between the Americans sounded more Irish than American, and some of the events were predictable, I found this a very good read, indeed!
But I digress. I loved the characters in the book. I have fond memories of several places mentioned in it. And even though the dialog between the Americans sounded more Irish than American, and some of the events were predictable, I found this a very good read, indeed!
July 14, 2015
Too unrealistic.
No only do we have a small group of people who had life-changing events happen all at the same time, but because of the time the book took place, 1 week, the fact that those life-changing events were "solved" by the end of that week is just too far fetched.
And... one of the main plot lines that was mentioned quite a few times in the beginning of the book didn't really go anywhere. It "ended" sure but it was so rushed and really was a let down.
Actually most of the book was rushed.
I would not recommend this.
No only do we have a small group of people who had life-changing events happen all at the same time, but because of the time the book took place, 1 week, the fact that those life-changing events were "solved" by the end of that week is just too far fetched.
And... one of the main plot lines that was mentioned quite a few times in the beginning of the book didn't really go anywhere. It "ended" sure but it was so rushed and really was a let down.
Actually most of the book was rushed.
I would not recommend this.
February 2, 2021
I wanted to like this book. I think it just wasn't what I was looking for. I love all things Ireland, and so when I looked for a free Prime Kindle book in the YA section and this came up on the top of the list, I downloaded it. However, it's definitely not a YA book; it's more of a chic-lit beach read, which wasn't what I was looking for. The characters were very predictable and complete caricatures/stereotypes. The writing was readable, but the editing was not. The plot felt like a setup for a movie script or a sit-com. The coming together of such disparate folks in a tour group reminded me a little of the 80s movie High Spirits. I read about 1/3 of the way in, but couldn't see myself finishing it. It's just not what I was looking for.
June 24, 2017
This story of an Irish tour guide and one of his tour groups is a great comfort read: great scenery, pleasantly quirky characters, enough plot elements to keep you turning the page. It was 100% predictable, but the ride was so enjoyable that I didn't mind a bit.
July 3, 2021
"Maybe there is a master plan for humanity after all"
This book is described as "a feel-good Irish springtime read" which is exactly what it was, and exactly what I needed when I read this at the tail end of spring. 🌷
I adored this jaunt through the Irish countryside with this character driven story! This is one of those books that I’ve had on my Kindle for many years. I think I originally bought it with a gift card I received for my birthday.
Dorothy had me cringing, Juliette had me cheering, Dylan had me empathizing, Corlene had me eye rolling, Bert had me guessing, Anna had me wishing, Elliott had me fuming, Ellen had me hoping, Patrick had me head shaking, and Connor had me laughing!
This book is described as "a feel-good Irish springtime read" which is exactly what it was, and exactly what I needed when I read this at the tail end of spring. 🌷
I adored this jaunt through the Irish countryside with this character driven story! This is one of those books that I’ve had on my Kindle for many years. I think I originally bought it with a gift card I received for my birthday.
Dorothy had me cringing, Juliette had me cheering, Dylan had me empathizing, Corlene had me eye rolling, Bert had me guessing, Anna had me wishing, Elliott had me fuming, Ellen had me hoping, Patrick had me head shaking, and Connor had me laughing!
September 11, 2021
The Tour is a story that takes us on a tour of Ireland. The tour bus is driven by Conor, and on board are: Patrick, Bert, Ellen, Corlene, Dylan, Anna, Dorothy and Juliet. Each of these characters brings an “issue� along on the ride. Each of their “issues� brought about an extreme development in the book. Far fetched? Somewhat. Believable? Not really. The people we meet along the way are given traits, characteristics and names that can be portrayed as “only the Irish�.
Some implausible scenarios and conversations.
I found this book to be utterly ridiculous at times.
Some implausible scenarios and conversations.
I found this book to be utterly ridiculous at times.
June 25, 2020
This book was great! It was nothing like I've ever read. I saw the title of the series and said, "I'm going for it"! I went in blind & I mean so blind I didn't even know if it was a romance, lol. It was though, in fact it had a few. I really enjoyed it thoroughly & am excited about the second book in the series.
September 6, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My husband gave me this book for my birthday and I have to admit he really knows how to pick out books for me. He has never missed the mark.
This one was a very pleasant surprise. It was light hearted, humorous and full of interesting characters; most likeable, some not. They are all Americans on a one week tour of Ireland driven by tour director Conor O'Shea. He has never had a group like this one. Each one had their own story to tell. A fun book to read with some adventure and a good insight into both the historic and contemporary life and culture of Ireland. Entertaining and an easy read.
This one was a very pleasant surprise. It was light hearted, humorous and full of interesting characters; most likeable, some not. They are all Americans on a one week tour of Ireland driven by tour director Conor O'Shea. He has never had a group like this one. Each one had their own story to tell. A fun book to read with some adventure and a good insight into both the historic and contemporary life and culture of Ireland. Entertaining and an easy read.
April 29, 2020
A tour bus ride with a lovely cast of characters whom I have come to adore.
I now want to take that tour and drive around Ireland; experiencing new adventures and places.
I now want to take that tour and drive around Ireland; experiencing new adventures and places.
February 7, 2022
Ok, first of all, I love Jean Grainer and have read and enjoyed other series of hers. I usually like her writing style and her stories of Ireland ... big fan!
But, sadly, this first book in her tour series was a huge disappointment to me. It was unrealistic beyond belief. The people making up the tour group sounded like they came from a checklist: rebellious, disinterested teenager (check), divorcee looking for a new, rich husband (check), mousy widow who "finds" herself (check), grumpy traveler - not tourist she tells us - who is pleased with nothing and knows it all (check ... why is she even there?), the ex-Irish cop and more. Anyway, you get the idea ... mostly cringeworthy characters.
Plus, a hunky tour bus driver who is witty, overly involved with the tour members, unrealistically compassionate and romantically blind to the point of being used by a couple of women ... that whole plot line was a total head shaker and smacked of chic-lit. And all the BS with the money (who did and who didn't have any) and the Irish music scene and what not was just too, too out there and totally unrealistic.
The only character I thought was not a cartoon was Ellen. Her trip to uncover information about the family her father left behind in Ireland was moving and made sense. The others just didn't make sense at all. I lost track of all the people who were staying behind in Ireland and not returning ... yikes!
I won't be reading any of the subsequent books in this series.
But, sadly, this first book in her tour series was a huge disappointment to me. It was unrealistic beyond belief. The people making up the tour group sounded like they came from a checklist: rebellious, disinterested teenager (check), divorcee looking for a new, rich husband (check), mousy widow who "finds" herself (check), grumpy traveler - not tourist she tells us - who is pleased with nothing and knows it all (check ... why is she even there?), the ex-Irish cop and more. Anyway, you get the idea ... mostly cringeworthy characters.
Plus, a hunky tour bus driver who is witty, overly involved with the tour members, unrealistically compassionate and romantically blind to the point of being used by a couple of women ... that whole plot line was a total head shaker and smacked of chic-lit. And all the BS with the money (who did and who didn't have any) and the Irish music scene and what not was just too, too out there and totally unrealistic.
The only character I thought was not a cartoon was Ellen. Her trip to uncover information about the family her father left behind in Ireland was moving and made sense. The others just didn't make sense at all. I lost track of all the people who were staying behind in Ireland and not returning ... yikes!
I won't be reading any of the subsequent books in this series.
August 29, 2017
The Tour: A Trip Through Ireland is by Jean Grainger. This book is nothing like I thought it would be. I thought it would actually be a tour where they talked about the places they were visiting. Then I could remember those places that I had been to when I was there. Instead, it was a bus tour which dwells on the people on the tour more than on what they are seeing. Despite it being different from what I expected, I loved the book. It was very difficult to put it down when I needed to do mundane things like fix meals for the family. The bus tour is a very interesting way to tell a story and Jean Grainger makes it work. The details and background of the Irish that is told through the tour itself and through the character of Ellen who is looking for her past are amazing.
Each of the characters is very well-described and is very realistic. When you go on a bus tour, you never know who you will meet and Jean does a great job in deciding what characters to include. The friendliness and love the Irish have for tourists came through quite well. I could visualize some of the people I met on my trip through these characters.
I did not want the book to end and am looking forward to reading Jean’s next book and her novella. I can’t wait to return to Ireland with her.
Each of the characters is very well-described and is very realistic. When you go on a bus tour, you never know who you will meet and Jean does a great job in deciding what characters to include. The friendliness and love the Irish have for tourists came through quite well. I could visualize some of the people I met on my trip through these characters.
I did not want the book to end and am looking forward to reading Jean’s next book and her novella. I can’t wait to return to Ireland with her.
August 14, 2020
Conor O'Shea is a tour guide in Ireland. He is responsible for the visitors on the tour, setting up room accommodations, meals and other necessities to assure them of a comfortable visit in the Country. On this particular trip, he gets more than he bargained for. Husbands walking out on their wives when they learn the wife is pregnant, a cantankerous know-it-all College Professor who assaults one of the guests and tries bribing the Garda when she is arrested, a mother seeking a rich husband, her musical son obsessed with the uilleann pipes, a Boston Police Officer who is overly helpful, a Texan who has a secret, a retired school teacher who was born in Ireland and is searching for her roots. And if this isn't enough, besides dealing with the tourists, Conor has to deal with an old girlfriend from America who has designs on Conor and wants to move back to Ireland with her son, Conor's nephew. Oh, and did I mention the waitress from Ukraine whose mother back home has just been hospitalized with heart problems? Through it all, Conor keeps his cool and works through each situation as it comes.
January 5, 2018
Though this was a cute story with a pretty good plot, I agree with some previous reviewers who said this book could have used some proofreading. I also found the first few chapters confusing with all of the head hopping between characters. I think the author could have used some help with her dialogue, as many of the American characters were not speaking American English. As a speech-language pathologist who has traveled a bit, this was a little distracting at times. For me, the most powerful character (who kept me reading) was Dylan. I love the way you could feel his angst and passion. The main character, Conor, was a stand up guy, but I kept wondering whether he should have been a priest because he didn’t seem to be in touch with his libido at all. He seemed clueless and bland at times.
July 29, 2024
The cursing was unnecessary.
The notion that wives putting on makeup and high heels will prevent their husbands from cheating is absurd, archaic, and frankly messed up.
Also, the author's attitude toward any female character over 30 is this: Women over "a certain age" shouldn't lighten their hair, they need to chop all their hair off, they shouldn't wear too much makeup, if they try to look sexy, they're "desperate" ... but if a woman dresses too eccentric in the opposite direction with billowy skirts embroidered with flowers, she needs a makeover!!! Conform woman! Squeeze into that slinky cocktail dress! So what if beauty is pain and your new lover likes you as you are? If you don't wear high heels too small for your feet, straighten your hair, and wear makeup, your husband will eventually cheat on you.
These are horrible messages.
The notion that wives putting on makeup and high heels will prevent their husbands from cheating is absurd, archaic, and frankly messed up.
Also, the author's attitude toward any female character over 30 is this: Women over "a certain age" shouldn't lighten their hair, they need to chop all their hair off, they shouldn't wear too much makeup, if they try to look sexy, they're "desperate" ... but if a woman dresses too eccentric in the opposite direction with billowy skirts embroidered with flowers, she needs a makeover!!! Conform woman! Squeeze into that slinky cocktail dress! So what if beauty is pain and your new lover likes you as you are? If you don't wear high heels too small for your feet, straighten your hair, and wear makeup, your husband will eventually cheat on you.
These are horrible messages.
July 1, 2017
We read this book for book club and rated it an average of 2.5 stars. It was a pleasant book but lacked depth. Every story of the members on the tour culminated in a happy ending. While that was pleasant to read, it was unrealistic. We agreed that this was a good book for a much younger crowd. All of the characters were cliches and behaved way out of their expected behavior in the end after they underwent an amazing epiphany. Each one became a better, more compassionate person or was suddenly assertive after a lifetime of standing in the background or realized that they really deserved happiness. Not my cup of tea.
July 31, 2017
This book was okay. The story follows a bus tour group around Ireland led by Conor. The language and substance is fairly simple. What I didn't like about it was the way the author went from one character to another in subsequent paragraphs with no separation. I was expecting one to be somehow associated with the other, but no, the paragraph would just pick up that character's story arc and leave the previous one with no transition.
Many of the characters' stories were so predictable, you could see their conclusions as far as the Atlantic horizon off the Irish coast. Others were a bit more subtle.
This version had a few chapters from the sequel, but I doubt I'll give it a go.
Many of the characters' stories were so predictable, you could see their conclusions as far as the Atlantic horizon off the Irish coast. Others were a bit more subtle.
This version had a few chapters from the sequel, but I doubt I'll give it a go.
August 9, 2019
I thoroughly enjoy Jean Grainger’s charming writing style. The best part of The Tour is that, after you get emotionally attached to many of the book’s characters, you meet many of them again in the rest of the books in the series. I encourage readers to enjoy this book then work chronologically through the rest of the series. Ms. Grainger and her characters develop exponentially in each following novel.
April 21, 2021
A Page Turner, for Sure
This is a tale told by Conor O'Shea, the driver/tour guide for a prestigious travel agency in Ireland. On this particular tour, his charges are about a dozen tourists from the U.S., each with their own backstory and reason for making the trip, lending diversity to the group in age, personality, and economic standing.
You will have a love-hate relationship with the cast of characters and not want to put the book down.
This is a tale told by Conor O'Shea, the driver/tour guide for a prestigious travel agency in Ireland. On this particular tour, his charges are about a dozen tourists from the U.S., each with their own backstory and reason for making the trip, lending diversity to the group in age, personality, and economic standing.
You will have a love-hate relationship with the cast of characters and not want to put the book down.
October 29, 2017
Honestly, sometimes I just don't understand a book's many rave reviews.
I was just...SO...BORED!
The writing was mediocre, the characters were uninteresting, and the plot was just not engaging. When there was a plot, that is. I slogged through as much as I could, but honestly it was a relief to put it down.
I was just...SO...BORED!
The writing was mediocre, the characters were uninteresting, and the plot was just not engaging. When there was a plot, that is. I slogged through as much as I could, but honestly it was a relief to put it down.
May 15, 2021
Grainger gives us well drawn characters, especially tour guide Conor O'Shea, and a fresh look at the Ireland of today through a few well placed historical facts without being pedantic. I enjoyed The Tour and believe you will as well.
August 26, 2017
This was a wonderful book. It reads very much like a Maeve Binchy or Rosamund Pilcher with interesting characters and lives intersecting on a week long tour of western Ireland, a visit I made 10 years ago. I loved the references to some familiar places of one of my favorite vacations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,025 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.