Sarah-Kate Lynch: Finding Tom Connor

Random House

$24.95

Review: Penelope Bieder*

A week in the life of scatterbrained Molly Brown turns out to be a very long time. It's packed with disasters, late nights, tumultuous travel, sorrow, tears, humour and finally, of course, true love.

Here's a quick summer read for 20-somethings as they stretch out under the pohutukawa, blessedly inert as they read about Molly's frantic life.

A week before her wedding she discovers her husband-to-be, Jack White, should really be called Mr Black. With her emotions turning cartwheels, Molly, still in her wedding gown, pulls on her Robert Clergerie boots and heads off to Ireland (using Jack's credit card to fly first class) with strict Aunt Viv from New York, who is nursing big secrets of her own.

They plan to find Uncle Tom Connor, a long-lost relative, and discover that a veritable cottage industry exists in the village of Ballymahoe, helping members of Ireland's enormous diaspora track down family. In fact, this wee village bustles with such a long line of hilarious characters a girl could get mightily confused.

Sarah-Kate Lynch, ex-Viva food editor, ex-Woman's Weekly editor, and a journalist for 20 years, has produced a light and sometimes incredible tale, saved by its energy and earthy wit.

Everybody loves more than one drink down at the pub: " 'Bloody hell, what is in this?' she said, grimacing at the taste but taking another sip regardless.

" 'I don't know but whatever it is, don't drink it unless you want to wake up with party streamers in your pantyhose and no idea how they got there.' "

Here is a warm, human, harmless story from someone who loves her characters, refuses to judge them harshly, and eventually saves them from their hangups, their hangovers and their heartaches.

A funny coming-of-age story it may be, but Finding Tom Connor is in need of some authorial guidance.

It lacks an underlying philosophy, there is certainly no moral pushed here, and one is left with a slight uneasiness about Molly Brown and whether she has learned from her misadventures.

* Penelope Bieder is a freelance writer.