‘… she’d been too scared to make the jump. To step out of the comfort zone that had cocooned her all her life. Had she shut down possibilities in life?’

I have read and enjoyed some of Julie’s previous ‘Romantic Escapes’ (this one is #8) as they offer great escapism in this time of continued armchair travel. Each of these novels are stand-alones and I was excited for a trip to Ireland with her latest offering.

“.. we can’t help how we feel, but we can choose how we react” …
‘We choose how we react?’ ‘Yes. You can choose to be pissed off and angry at things, but if you do that the only person who’s upset is you, or you can choose to move on and ignore those things. Focus on the positives.’’

As I have come to expect from the previous ‘escapes’, Julie offers a story filled to the brim, this is certainly no one dimensional romance tale. Yes, there is the requisite romance but I just relished how Hannah was determined and had no idea how famous Connor was. The cast of characters and locales add a real depth to this story.

‘This was living. For so long she’d been existing, which had been OK but it had been a black and white sort of life. Whereas now she was living in technicolour with sunshine pouring into corners that she’d left unexplored for most of her life.’

On this occasion Julie takes us to Ireland. With a few days sightseeing around Dublin, it is off to County Kerry and she immerses you in all things Irish. What’s not to love? If you are a foodie you are sure to lick your lips with all the scrumptious food and baking on offer at this cookery school with the added dimension of learning and appreciating where one’s food comes from. Hannah was definitely a character I could relate to. She wanted to challenge her comfort zone but at the same time, relished time alone. And it's funny! This is the first book that has mentioned Bridgerton … Julie has her finger on the pulse!

‘I live in hope that the man of my dreams will come and sweep my off my feet, but sadly the only men in my dreams are building surveyors, tax inspectors, and local historians, none of whom are my idea of Regé-Jean Page.’ ‘Who?’ ‘Lord, girl. The Duke of Hastings. Have you not watched Bridgerton?’

The Cosy Cottage in Ireland is the perfect recipe for light escapism. I like how Julie’s heroines tend to be at the crossroads of both career and love life, attempting to be bold enough to take strong steps to live their best. So, wait no more ... grab a drink and snuggle up in your favourite reading spot to spend a few hours up in the Emerald Isle with this comfort read. If you are pining to escape somewhere ... anywhere ... be sure to grab one of Julie’s romantic escape books.

‘This felt right. Finding roots to nature. Her understanding of the world around her expanded and she realised just how limited she’d become in her life. Although she was successful in the usual ways–good job, good salary, owning a home–they were colourless in comparison to the life she was leading here. It was a moment of realisation: she wanted more in life.’




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

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The Cosy Cottage in Ireland by Julie Caplin will whisk you away to the Emerald Isle, where it is almost inevitable that a cosy bit of romance awaits. I always enjoy reading a novel that transports me to faraway lands, and this one certainly satisfied, at least temporarily, my wanderlust.

Hannah needs a bit of respite from her busy legal career in Manchester. Enrolling in a cookery school in Ireland is a spontaneous decision, but one that holds the potential to change Hannah's entire life, particularly when she meets handsome local celebrity Connor. Sometimes life rewards us in the most unexpected of ways, if only we take that first step out of our comfort zone.

I enjoy this series of romantic escapes immensely, and am only left to wonder where in the world Ms Caplin will take us next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an ARC.

This was my 5th book from Julie Caplin's Romantic Escapes series, and it did not dissapoint. After Copenhagen, Tokyo, Iceland and Croatia this book took me to the beautiful Ireland's countryside. Idylic and sweet, it couldnt be a better choice after all the heavy reads I have been into lately.

The main character Hannah need a rest from her organized and busy life and on a whim books herself a 10 days culinary course in Ireland. Ofc she meets a guy and well....I wont spoil it. But its cosy, its warm and its sexy. And now I cant wait to read the three books from the series I have left - Swiss chalet, Paris patisserie and Brooklyn bakery 🥰.

Such a fun and cosy story! I loved hannahs character.
This is the first book I've read from this author so far but I will certainly be reading more from her.
There are so many things to pull you into this book, travels in Ireland, yummy food and romance.
Well written and a joy to read .
For me It was an added pleasure as it set on my doorstep, it was lovely to see places I knew pop up. It was well researched and captured Ireland and its people really well.


I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

'The Cosy Cottage In Ireland': 5⭐

(Unpaid Review: thank you to @netgalley, @juliecaplinauthor and the publishers for allowing me to read this eArc copy in exchange for a review.)

As an airline worker, I can't tell you how much I appreciated this book. I've always dreamed of visiting Ireland, and this book has amazing accuracy to the beautiful lands! I loved the story, plot and characters, super cosy and fluffy and it never disappoints!

This is a heartwarming romance set in beautiful Ireland. Workaholic Hannah Campbell decides that she needs a change in her life. She uncharacteristically books herself a place at the world renowned Killorgally Cooking School in County Kerry. Hannah does not cook at all so she is taking this class to learn to cook while most of the students are professional cooks and want to enhance their skills. The night that she arrives in Ireland she spends a night in Dublin before heading to County Kerry. She encounters a handsome stranger in Dublin and spends the night with him. When she arrives at the
Cooking School she learns that the handsome stranger is the son of the owner of the School. This book explores the activities of the students as well as the relationship between Hannah and the owners son. There is also a mystery to to solve. This is a great book that I highly recommend.

I just love this authors work. Every book is a real delight that takes me away to the setting. And is always ,inked to food somehow, so it is always warm and enticing. Can’t wait for the next one.

I have followed this series from the beginning in Copenhagen and each time I fall for the countries that the author describes so beautifully and with such knowledge, this one is just the same.

I found myself reading it until the early hours and then doing silent fist bumps as I didn't want to wake anyone up, the story writing just envelops you in a warm Irish hug.

I would love to visit Dublin, it sounds perfect 🥰 and like Hannah, would hire a car and visit the sea. Would love to take a kayak out too,

The food sounded absolutely amazing too, although I was hoping for Conor's Irish Stew recipe 😋.

Where will we go next with this series I wonder, my bucket list is growing.

The Cosy Cottage in Ireland is Romantic Escapes book 8, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. Each story in this series focuses on someone else and in a different location. This story is about Hannah who is in fact Mina’s sister. Mina was the main character in book 7. I already own nearly all books in this series, but this was the first one I have read and I am now very keen to go back and read the others, especially Mina who (book 7) as we heard a bit about her in this story.

Anyways… The Cosy Cottage in Ireland is just that….cosy! Hannah goes and stays in a cosy cottage in Ireland while doing a 6 week cooking course. Hannah is a lawyer and really into practical thinking and (over)analyzing everything, so therefore not spontaneous or eager to try new things that she may not be good at. I can completely relate to this, so I loved Hannah right from the start. Cooking is one of the things she is not good at and after many years she has finally decided to do something about it and not in halves…. but instead she goes to a 6 week intensive cooking course in Ireland.

What to expect:

✅ absolutely stunning setting in Kerry, Ireland. The descriptions are so brilliant that I can easily picture all the places like the farm, the local pub and the beach

✅ a relatable main character that is a really good person but far from a romantic!

✅ lots of food. Duh! Hannah is on a cooking course. Julie really goes into details so you can really picture and practically taste the food.

✅ a community with friends that feel like family

✅ romance between two completely different characters, lovers to enemies to friends to…?

✅ a mystery to solve, a bit of excitement… I could feel the fear in my stomach, that’s how caught up I was in the story

✅ a change of pace, working all hours of the day, haveing a place to live but not a “home” and not knowing your neighbors, versus slower paced life in Ireland surrounded by beautiful sights and really kind and warmhearted people. Can Hannah ever go back to how she lived before?

I was gifted my copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of Julie Caplin books because it always feels like a holiday and i need that, especially i the early hours. This time we are heading over to Ireland and once more, food is the focus and god i forgot just how good Julie writes food, you want to sample everything.

Hannah is after a change in her life when she realises she isnt good at cooking and on a whim she decides to book herself onto a renowned cookery course. When she arrives in Dublin she throws caution to the wind after a handsome stranger arrives in the bar and spends the night with him.

However, what happens in Dublin doesnt stay there when Hannah soon learns the man she spent the night with is more well known than she knew and he is going to be around for a little while.

I love books like this, with gorgeous descriptions of not only the food but the places, you feel like you sat nestled next to a fire sampling some delights. Honestly Julies writing has always just taken me away from reality for a little while and this continued to do that.

Julie Caplin is my own personal travel agent. Her brilliant and engaging prose of beautiful foreign lands, captivating characters, and glorious food immerses the reader into a wonderful sensory overload of a taste of Ireland.

There was something about Ireland that made her want to act out of character.

To her family's and colleagues' surprise, Hannah Campbell is taking a sabbatical from her law firm to attend the Killorgally Cookery School in County Kerry, Ireland. It seems that is not the only uncharacteristic thing she chooses to do when has a one-night stand with a handsome and charming stranger on her first night in Dublin. You see, Hannah is safe and sensible who lives by the book and doesn't take chances... until she comes to Ireland.

I adored this book from the gorgeous scenery to the lovely characters. Conor and Hannah are two opposites who really connect. Hannah is not your typical heroine. She's unromantic and practical. She's never had her heartbroken and she had no idea who Conor was when she first met him because she could care less about TV personalities. Conor Byrne is a world-famous chef who is tired of the limelight and is working at his family's estate to relax. When he first meets Hannah, he is intrigued by her interest in him as a person and not a celebrity. Conor is arrogant and charming and doesn't fraternize with guests at his mother's culinary school. However, fate puts him in close proximity to the one frustrating woman he could make an exception for.

The supporting characters are always a wonderful addition in Ms. Caplin's books. Conor's mother Adrienne is a force to be reckoned with and is a bit like Hannah with her practicality and work ethic. From her swear jar to her love of her ladies (chickens to you and I), she was my favorite character. In addition, Conor's brother Fergus was a hoot and I loved the other guests who had interesting stories of their own. Especially Izzy and her castle. What a great story that would be.

I realized that Hannah's sister, Mina, was the main character in The Little Swiss Ski Chalet which I had the pleasure of reading. For a taste of Japan, please also see my review for The Little Teashop in Tokyo.

If you love good company, delicious culinary delights, and beautiful scenery, please escape to the beautiful Emerald Isle in this delightfully heartwarming book. Yet another location to add to my bucket list.

Thank you to Ms. Caplin for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Julie Caplin has done it again! In this novel, we meet Hannah - the sensible sister to Mina who we met in The Little Swiss Ski Chalet. Hannah prides herself on being good at her job, and not doing anything without careful consideration. However, on a whim, she books herself into a six week course at Killorgally Cookery School in County Kerry, Ireland.

On her first night in Ireland, at a stop over in Dublin, she meets the irresistible Conor. Throwing caution to the wind, she had a wild night - after all, she’s only in Dublin for one night. Everything is not what it seems though, and over her six weeks at the cookery school, she is forced to self-reflect and really question what it is she wants out of life.

This was such a fun read. I was really invested in Hannah and the other people at the cookery school, and was eager to see how they would develop. The author also has a way of making the reader feel as if they are in the setting of the book, which is very welcome in this era of no travel!

I have added all of Caplin’s books to my tbr and can’t wait to read them!

Thanks to @netgalley and @onemorechapterhc for the arc.

I love Janet Caplin books and have read all of them so far. I was please to be asked to review this book.
It didn't disappoint. Form the very first time Hannah and Conor met I was hooked on this story.
I loved the setting of the cookery school and foudn myself wanting to vanish off to Ireland to do the same as Hannah. It was so lovely to see the course comrades come together from their diverse backgrounds and bond over the food that they created together, along with associated happenings. A thoroughly excellent book and defintely worth a read.
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC to review.

This is the next in the travel/food/romance book written by Julie Caplin in the series. Although there is a little cross over with some of the characters from the other books, we meet Mina's (main character in the last book) sister Hannah in this book, they are all stand alone novels. As you may well guess from the tittle this book takes place in Ireland. Hannah - a lawyer based in Manchester is restless and needs to do something outside her comfort zone for probably the first time in her life. Both her and her sister have been brought up by their staid aunt and uncle after their parents died completing yet another dangerous adventure. For all of her life Hannah has followed the most sensible route possible not wanting to cause her aunt and uncle any worry and to stop herself from behaving selfishly like her parents.
The reason she is in Ireland is to complete a six week cookery course at the famous Killogally cookery school in County Kerry - something her employers and family find difficult to believe. On her first night in Ireland she finds this new side to herself - Irish Hannah which is a little more daring and enjoying embarking on new experiences. This new bolder Hannah decides to have a one off night to remember in Dublin but, fate seems to have other ideas!
We follow the progress of Irish Hannah and she starts to realise that maybe safe and predictable can also mean boring and lonely. A beautifully written book showing how taking a risk now and again can bring happiness.

First off thank you to Harper Collins via Netgalley for preapproving me to read this book and thank you to Julie Caplin for writing another wonderful book.

I love the title first of all, it made me smile thinking about what the cosy cottage might look like, and that was even before reading the book.

The talk of all the food made my stomach rumble while I was reading this.

I liked the toing and froing between Connor and Hannah, they seem so well suited but I wasn't sure if they would get together or not so I was eager to read on and find out.

The Cottage that Hannah is staying in sounds beautiful.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this cosy, romantic, food filled read. It give a lovely warm feeling when you're reading it.

Hannah decides she’s had enough of being the sensible solicitor, taking time to think through all her decisions, and so she signs up for a six week cookery course at the Killorgally cookery school in County Cork. On a stopover in Dublin, she meets Connor and they share a no strings attached night out. But when Connor appears in Killorgally, Hannah has some thinking to do.

The Cosy Cottage in Ireland is another hit from Julie Caplin. As with all her books, there is so much more to enjoy than a simple story. We have the beautiful Irish scenery, so well described I can almost feel that I’ve visited there myself. There is also the cookery school, and the recipes and techniques used are again laid out in full, which brings Killorgally fully to life. And to complete the mix, there’s even the mystery of the neighbours, with a few scares and thrills to entertain.

All in all, a great read and one of her best!

I’ve been to Dublin so recognised places mentioned and I have been to a cookery school where the Head chef was a hard task master so empathised with Hannah. Nice bit of romance thrown in for a very enjoyable story

This is the eighth book in the ‘Romantic Escapes’ series, which I have to say is my favourite book series because I have loved each and every one of the escapes. I think I’ve valued them even more since going away has been so restricted. Although each of the books has a link with one of the others, the link is not enough to make each book need to be read in the correct order, these work perfectly as standalone books.

I loved Hannah, and her decision to attend a cookery school simply because of her need to be the best, and solely made because another talented lawyer at the firm could bake perfectly and she couldn’t. That competitive streak is something that I could really identify with! I loved her first unforgettable meeting with Conor, and the hilarious second meeting that she never expected to have. Although their initial meeting was so dramatic, their romance was a definite slow burn due to miscommunication and misunderstandings along the way.

The setting in County Kerry sounded so beautiful. The descriptions of Ireland really captivated me, and there goes another destination I need to add to my bucket list! I have to say I could picture the cottage and really want to live there, complete with sea view.

I can guarantee, with all the food being cooked, reading this will make you feel very hungry.

The creepy neighbour was the perfect balance of mean and menacing. The other characters were wonderful, some slightly difficult, and some with fantastic banter that really made them entertaining, and I loved the way everyone rallied round when disaster struck. I also enjoyed the fact that Hannah used her legal skills to their best advantage.

I’m hoping that I have worked out where we are going on the next ‘Romantic Escape’. Fingers crossed for that, but I’m sorry, I’m not going to share, my lips are firmly sealed! You’ll have to read it and see if you can work it out too.

4.5*
Hannah Campbell was enjoying kicking back and relaxing in Dublin, away from her frenetic life as a lawyer in Manchester. She still wasn’t quite sure what had prompted her to book a six week course at Killorgally Cookery School, apart from the fact she’s embarrassed about not being able to cook and being totally outshone by her sister in the kitchen. A bonus is that the cookery school isn’t far from where her best friends, Aidan and Sorcha, live.

Hannah was spending a night in Dublin before she collected the hire car for the drive to County Kerry. Relaxing with a glass of wine in the hotel bar after a day of sightseeing in the rain, the last thing she expected was an encounter that lead to much more with the charismatic and handsome Conor.

The next day finds Hannah on the road to County Kerry and the wonderful sounding Killorgally estate which, besides the school, comprises a working farm, gorgeous cottages for the students’ accommodation and beautiful views. There’s a great mix of characters, all well defined and individual with their own stories. I enjoyed the banter between them, the friendly relationships that developed and the way the farm was run with the students helping to tend the animals and crops.

Normally an extremely cautious person, always choosing the safe options, Hannah feels quite the opposite in Ireland. Her life in Manchester contrasts sharply with her feelings of release and pleasure in this new and different environment. That is until someone she didn’t expect to see again turns up. So much for thinking what happened in Dublin wouldn’t come back to bite her.

The Cosy Cottage in Ireland was a delightful, fun, emotional and altogether engaging story set in an idyllic location, which was wonderfully and vividly described. Although this is book eight in the series, I believe each is a standalone read with different characters.