sentences:  Smaller plot points revolve around the background of Patrick and Brenda Brennan (the managers of Quentins), Ella's girlfriends Deirdre and Nuala, and many of the regulars at the restaurant; the main plot is interspersed with various vignettes in the lives of people who had been in contact with the restaurant in one way or another, these interweaving with each other and with Ella Brady's life in various unpredictable ways.The novel explores themes of love, family, friendship, and the benefits of hard and honest work.It also examines the "economy-driven Ireland" of the late 20th and early 21st century, as well as themes of celibacy and infertility.