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readers_sea's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Emily and Kieran were perfect, but this book was also so much more!!
Emily has always lived in Martha's Vinyard, but needing change when an opportunity in Ireland presents itself, she cannot hesitate to take it. Out on a limp she had applied to be the assistant to her favorite author, Siobhan, who left her favorite series hanging for 10 years! Emily cannot think of a better idea than to be away from home and also helping conclude the series that helped her grow up.
What Emily did not expect was the broody bookshop owner - Kieran - who instantly seems to not be a fan of Emily. She is working part time at Last Chapter, which is a pretty famous bookstore while in Ireland for a year helping Siobhan finish the final book in the series. She soon finds out that Kier is the son of Siobhan and that they will continuously be in forced proximity. BUT Emily refuses to be like every other woman who falls at his feet due to his attractiveness (and ofc the accent).
I loved what a strong character Emily was. She came to Ireland looking for an escape but seeing her find a family she deserved was so heartwarming. She was so used to be a people pleaser, but when she first meets Kier, she immediately responses differently. She finds herself holding her ground and speaking out when she wouldn't usually.
Kieran is extremely hesitant to not only have Emily in the bookstore, but in Ireland and helping his mother write again. He doesn't think that this will be good for her (for valid reasons) and so he does what he can to push Emily out. He gives her the worst tasks in the shop and constantly defies her. Emily sticks it out either way and both Kier and Em figure out that there is more to the other person, and they seem to have a lot more in common than they would've thought.
I loved Emily so much. Watching her find herself and a new family who truly valued her was amazing. I do think the storyline of her mother fell off a bit, which was odd since that was the main reason of her going to Ireland. It was a strong story in the beginning about her mom and I understand that she was developing boundaries, but I feel like after some time her mother was never even mentioned lol.
Kieran was an amazing hero to root for. While he was broody and standoffish I don't think it was to an unreasonable extent. His feelings were valid and while he tried to resist it, he couldn't help but eventually opening up and falling for Emily like the rest of the town.
I loved seeing all the adventures they went on to get the creative flow going! It made me want to go visit Ireland (it is already on my bucket list lol). All the different personalities throughout the book with the staff and side characters added another fun layer to the story!
Overall it was such a fun time and I enjoyed my time in this wonderful Irish village with amazing characters!
Emily has always lived in Martha's Vinyard, but needing change when an opportunity in Ireland presents itself, she cannot hesitate to take it. Out on a limp she had applied to be the assistant to her favorite author, Siobhan, who left her favorite series hanging for 10 years! Emily cannot think of a better idea than to be away from home and also helping conclude the series that helped her grow up.
What Emily did not expect was the broody bookshop owner - Kieran - who instantly seems to not be a fan of Emily. She is working part time at Last Chapter, which is a pretty famous bookstore while in Ireland for a year helping Siobhan finish the final book in the series. She soon finds out that Kier is the son of Siobhan and that they will continuously be in forced proximity. BUT Emily refuses to be like every other woman who falls at his feet due to his attractiveness (and ofc the accent).
I loved what a strong character Emily was. She came to Ireland looking for an escape but seeing her find a family she deserved was so heartwarming. She was so used to be a people pleaser, but when she first meets Kier, she immediately responses differently. She finds herself holding her ground and speaking out when she wouldn't usually.
Kieran is extremely hesitant to not only have Emily in the bookstore, but in Ireland and helping his mother write again. He doesn't think that this will be good for her (for valid reasons) and so he does what he can to push Emily out. He gives her the worst tasks in the shop and constantly defies her. Emily sticks it out either way and both Kier and Em figure out that there is more to the other person, and they seem to have a lot more in common than they would've thought.
I loved Emily so much. Watching her find herself and a new family who truly valued her was amazing. I do think the storyline of her mother fell off a bit, which was odd since that was the main reason of her going to Ireland. It was a strong story in the beginning about her mom and I understand that she was developing boundaries, but I feel like after some time her mother was never even mentioned lol.
Kieran was an amazing hero to root for. While he was broody and standoffish I don't think it was to an unreasonable extent. His feelings were valid and while he tried to resist it, he couldn't help but eventually opening up and falling for Emily like the rest of the town.
I loved seeing all the adventures they went on to get the creative flow going! It made me want to go visit Ireland (it is already on my bucket list lol). All the different personalities throughout the book with the staff and side characters added another fun layer to the story!
Overall it was such a fun time and I enjoyed my time in this wonderful Irish village with amazing characters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Abandonment
jehansen127's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
kb33's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Child abuse and Abandonment
audreylee's review
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Atmospheric? A small, rainy village in Ireland, check. Witty? Witty and well-read, check. Great chemistry? Enemies to lovers passion, check. Add in nostalgia and grief and it becomes a five-star romance.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Grief
mollymcnew's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Audio book was fantastic!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
ianb's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This one was very much a cover and table purchase from my Local Bookshop and when I was Traveling this week, I decided that it was the perfect time to pick this one up and give straight in and what a book it was, I loved getting stuck and lost in this book and it was just the perfect romance book. There is nothing that won’t impress me when it’s a romance book set around books and in a bookshop; I could think of nothing better.
Emily Allen is feeling a bit stuck in her life where she works as a librarian in Martha’s Vineyard and decides that she needs to finally make a change to her life and after answering a job as an assistant and part time bookseller at a Bookshop only that this is the job of Emily’s dreams as it’s an assistant to her favourite author Siobhan Riordan, so of course Emily jumps at the opportunity. After arriving in Ireland though Emily gets a bit panicky about her big move and matters don’t get any better when she finds she’ll be working a lot of the time with Siobhan’s testy son. Determined to make the most of it though Emily settles in and does whatever is asked of her by both mother and son.
This is my first Jenn McKinlay read and I already know that I will be keeping my eyes open for any more of her work. This is one of those books that you just struggle to put down This is a must-read for any book lover who's ever dreamed of meeting their favourite author. It's heartfelt, it's touching, and it's filled with so much love and charm. And the Irish settings are so perfect that you will just wish to be there with all those characters! Highly recommended for fans of enemies to lovers and sunshine and grumpy tropes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent
infjkiki's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual content
readingwithmeredith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
Ch 18 open door but easy to skipsariereads's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content
hdunscombe's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Coming from a librarian, this is the perfect "booklover" romance. It made me giggle, sob, and daydream right along with Em and Kier, and Siobhan is the wise, motherly figure everyone longs to have in their corner - though she still has her flaws.
This is a great read for anyone trying to turn over a new leaf, learn to let go, embrace a new community, and/or navigate complicated parent relationships. It's awfully sad at times (keep the tissues on standby), but the lows are matched with swoonworthy highs, plenty of self-aware romance tropes, and dreamy romps through quaint villages, bookshop shelves, and castles. This will especially suit anyone who appreciates cozy and bookish settings (books + coffee + scones + rain), literary references, deeply lovable characters learning to be vulnerable, and a bit of spice to round things out. I legitimately wish the YA series that the plot centers on actually existed so I could read it. The details about Irish culture (slang, learning to drive, historic sites, pub culture) felt authentic, at least to an American reader.
The characterization is well-rounded and relatable, with representation of anxiety disorders, dyslexia, recovery from emotional trauma, blended families, and queer, immigrant, and differently aged and shaped characters.
I listened to the audiobook and really appreciated Pressley's commitment to the Irish accents. I found her to have great talent in bringing both playful and emotional voice acting, and her voices for Kier and Siobhan were stellar.
My only confusion: why is there a cat on the cover? The story has a great canine sidekick, but I don't recall any noteworthy cats.
This is a great read for anyone trying to turn over a new leaf, learn to let go, embrace a new community, and/or navigate complicated parent relationships. It's awfully sad at times (keep the tissues on standby), but the lows are matched with swoonworthy highs, plenty of self-aware romance tropes, and dreamy romps through quaint villages, bookshop shelves, and castles. This will especially suit anyone who appreciates cozy and bookish settings (books + coffee + scones + rain), literary references, deeply lovable characters learning to be vulnerable, and a bit of spice to round things out. I legitimately wish the YA series that the plot centers on actually existed so I could read it. The details about Irish culture (slang, learning to drive, historic sites, pub culture) felt authentic, at least to an American reader.
The characterization is well-rounded and relatable, with representation of anxiety disorders, dyslexia, recovery from emotional trauma, blended families, and queer, immigrant, and differently aged and shaped characters.
I listened to the audiobook and really appreciated Pressley's commitment to the Irish accents. I found her to have great talent in bringing both playful and emotional voice acting, and her voices for Kier and Siobhan were stellar.
My only confusion: why is there a cat on the cover? The story has a great canine sidekick, but I don't recall any noteworthy cats.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, and Self harm