Chestnut Street by Maeve Binchy

In this collection of short stories that Maeve Binchy wrote over decades, the reader is transported to Chestnut Street in Dublin.  We meet solitary Mr. O'Brien (who lives alone for years until his niece Fay moves in) and Bucket Maguire, blind to his son Eddie's faults--even though Bucket's neighbors see Eddie's true colors.  There are also Cissy, Martin, Josie, and Louis, who become confidantes after spending one New Year's Eve together. Binchy explores love and loss in her usual cozy style, although the stories were too short for me to be truly satisfying. I prefer collections like The Lilac Bus, which explores characters' lives with more depth.  Chestnut Street will be published in April.