The Lace Makers of Glenmara Is Ready for Its Close-Up

Local author Heather Barbieri will be reading from her latest novel, The Lace Makers of Glenmara, at Third Place Books (LFP) on Tuesday, July 7, at 7 p.m.

The Lace Makers of Glenmara is one of those novels that you can bet on becoming a big film in the future. We can see it already, and are practically putting money on who would star. Let's see, we need a starring actress who is pretty but not beautiful; petite, not tall; with a lively wit to make up for anything lacking...and a leading man who is tall dark and handsome with an Irish accent. The movie just seems like a no-brainer.

And why is it a no-brainer? Well, you've got (as described above) a 26-year-old Seattle fashion designer devastated by the twin heartbreaks of her mother dying and her long-time boyfriend leaving her for a gorgeous rail-thin fashion model. She escapes to the rural countryside town of Glenmara, Ireland, in hopes of finding herself. As her mother had always reminded her, "You can always start again, all it takes is a new thread." So she leaves the rainy streets of Seattle for the rainy fields of Ireland, finds herself a sexy, brooding Irish man, and most importantly, the local lace makers society. She donates her fashion ideas to upgrade their "grandmotherly" lingerie, singlehandedly turning them into an international phenomenon (details would spoil all the fun).

You've got a beautiful countryside setting to boot; an angry priest who will stop at nothing to stamp out the fancy lingerie being made in his town; and the type of deaths and dramas that happen every day (yet seem to happen even more frequently in this novel), giving it that much-needed, always-adored, sap and cheese that would make anyone smile or shed a tear (we have to admit we did).

We're normally not a fan of "chick flicks," but given the deeper purposes, well thought-out characters, loads of romantic scenery, and schooling on Ireland's history, we wouldn't put this one past us. The book provides just enough drama to pull you in, but not so much that it might make it seem trashy or unbelievable. The Lace Makers of Glenmara also illustrates that Barbieri did her homework--not only in the language and Gaelic, but in the setting as well. It's a quick read, is truly heartfelt, and in all, is a charming story of one woman setting out to make something better for herself with no expectations of aid besides her own capabilities.