Heart and Soul

Irish author and journalist Maeve Binchy (1940–2012) gained worldwide fame after her debut novel “Light a Penny Candle.” Her works have been translated into many languages, repeatedly served as the basis for film adaptations, and her total circulation has exceeded 40 million copies. The novel “Heart and Soul” (2008), which was also included in The New York Times bestseller lists, is another moving story about how the trials of fate can suddenly turn into a real gift.

Dr. Clare Casey receives a dubious appointment: to head a cardiology clinic that is constantly short of funds. This difficult position, at least, helps her switch away from personal troubles—her husband has left for another woman, and it’s becoming increasingly hard to find common ground with her adult daughters… However, soon Clare is fully absorbed in work concerns, and chief among them is to assemble a team of skilled and caring people. At the clinic, a young doctor, Declan, appears—someone who lacks confidence; a quiet, diligent Anya, who was forced by the past to leave her homeland and begin a new life in Dublin; the striking and energetic nurse Fiona, who has no luck in love; and the honest, principled Hilary… And gradually it becomes clear: healing is needed not only for patients—every heart, whether the heart of a doctor or a patient, needs involvement, trust, and understanding. And, as surprising as it may sound, such a miracle can happen in the most ordinary clinic of Dublin’s nondescript district.