The Pub That Changed Everything

A St. Patrick’s Day Love Story

One ordinary decision can change everything.

On St. Patrick’s Day, the James Joyce Irish Pub and Restaurant in downtown Durham, North Carolina, opens its doors for the busiest day of the year—and unknowingly becomes the setting for a quiet love story that unfolds over the course of a single, unforgettable day.

Regina Blair is weeks away from graduating law school and terrified of what comes next. Smart, driven, and navigating the world from her wheelchair, she knows how to plan for obstacles—but not for the possibility of unexpected connection. Clark Pappas is a Duke graduate student still recovering from a recent divorce, clinging to his dream of teaching and writing while wondering if stability and passion can ever coexist.

Brought together by a well-meaning friend, chance conversations turn into shared laughter, honest confessions, and a growing intimacy that deepens as the pub fills, the music swells, and night settles over Durham. Around them, a cast of unforgettable locals—bartenders, servers, a homeless former editor, and a lawyer with timely advice—move in and out of their story, reminding them that lives can change in quiet, surprising ways.