I pretty much love any book that takes place in Ireland! This book was a fun & quick read! I found myself laughing out loud a lot with all of the family banter! The best part, the MC has the same name as me (well, first and middle names)...Shannon Marie!

This book is just lovely! The closeness of this family - you can feel the love that they have for each other through the pages of this book. The world definitely needs more people like the Kelly family! There is always a place at their table for anyone who is alone for the holidays. Not to mention the closeness that Shannon has with all of her patients (especially Maeve), it is just so endearing! You really do feel all the feels in this book...even like the book Shannon, I felt the happy-sadness.

I found myself reading with an Irish accent for all of the dialogue and had to laugh at the irony of Shannon making fun of James’s Boston accent. I loved most of the characters - even the crabby ones (let’s face it, all communities have them). AND Napoleon with his cattitude! I just love him!!!

I do wish the ending was a little more detailed instead of carrying over to a second book. I am impatient and want more now! I would definitely recommend this book to those who love a sweet Christmas romance with a great location - definitely a Hallmark movie waiting to be made!

Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley & Michelle Vernal for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book for my honest review!

As soon as you start reading this book you are transported to Ireland through the dialect and language used, it did take me a little while to get use to a few of the Irish phrases but as a big fan of Dublin and Ireland I found myself really enjoying this and could just picture myself there with Shannon. I loved the dynamic between the whole family, especially between Shannon and her sisters, that easy banter and just comfortable homely feeling of everyone chipping in, not to mention how good all of the food sounded!

The Shamrock Inn sounds like the perfect place to visit on a trip to Ireland, a traditional Irish pub without the bells and whistles and fanciness but roaring fires, locals a plenty and a few tales to listen to in amongst some Irish singing, this is the kind of place I'd always like to stumble upon on a visit. This part of Ireland reminds me of a film where the due end up in a little ramshackle pub with the floral wall paper and metal bed posts - it's going to bug me while I think of it now!

I really enjoyed my time reading this book and almost tried to drag it out so that I could stay in this world a little longer, it wasn't all happy and Christmassy as there were also a few rather emotive scenes, especially when we learn about Maeve's story. This bit was really touching and you just want to reach in and give her a big hug although her reaction to it all is really inspiring and it makes you feel grateful for what you've got.

This was my first read by Michelle Vernal but I shall be keeping my eye out for more books by her in the future, especially if we get to go back to Ireland!

A cute Irish Christmas.

I enjoyed this Irish set tale. Shannon is looking for her HEA after a break up, but embarrassing things keep happening to her with James, an American, getting a front row seat to her humilation. Her suspicions are riased when she finds out James is in Ireland for her neighbor.

4.5

My Review:
This is my first book by Michelle Vernal and it didn’t dissapoint. We follow Shannon Kelly on her move back home to a small village after breaking up with her ex boyfriend Julien. Her gorgeous pedigree cat Napoleon joins her on the return to her new old life. Her mum Nora and her nan Kitty play their part in her journey. I had to laugh at being reminded of Engelbert Humperdink and Blue Curacao. My heart melted at the rainbow sent from her granddad. An easy to follow, cute Christmas read.

Shannon Kelly just went through an unexpected break up with her boyfriend. It wasn’t the outcome she was expecting, so she is wondering if she will ever find true happiness. Christmas is going to arrive whether she is ready for it or not. The twinkle lights, the hot chocolate and the joy of the season isn’t exactly what she wants right now. Shannon’s huge Irish family is there for her and they are ready to turn her broken heart around. Shannon slips on the ice and James Cabot is there to catch her, she can’t help but wonder if he is “the one”. Shannon shows James around Emerald Bay and the more time they spend together, the more Shannon realizes that maybe this Christmas won’t be so bad after all.

This story was so heartwarming and I loved all the characters. They were well developed and very relatable. The conversations around the dinner table had me reminiscing about our family dinners when I was young. I loved the detailed description of the sights, scents and sounds of Christmas in the village. What a lovely experience of the snow falling and the inspiration of the conversations with the family and friends. I loved that this story hit all the feels and had me laughing out loud. I recommend this book to propel you to Ireland and straight into the Christmas season.

Thank you Michelle Vernal for such a fabulous story. I really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading more of your stories.

Christmas in the Little Irish Village by Michelle Vernal

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Thirty-four-year-old Shannon is heartbroken following an unexpected break up. Seasonal joy is the last thing on her mind, as she wonders if she’ll ever find the kind of long-lasting love she’s always dreamed of. Even the comforting distractions of her big Irish family can’t cheer her up. Then things get even worse when Shannon slips over on the ice and finds herself red-faced in the arms of a gorgeous American man…

Despite the embarrassing encounter, Shannon can’t help wondering who the handsome stranger is. She soon finds out when James Cabot takes a room at the Shamrock Inn. Their second meeting is equally disastrous when she gives James the tour – without realising her skirt is tucked into her knickers! Shannon isn’t sure how she’s going to survive living under the same roof when she has such a talent for making a complete eejit of herself, and resolves to avoid their new guest at all costs.

But when Shannon discovers James is in Ireland because he’s claiming to be the long-lost grandson of her elderly neighbour, Maeve Doolin, she is immediately suspicious. Shannon has known kind Maeve since she was a little girl and feels protective of her, so she’s determined to find out the truth. Even if it means spending more time with James…

My Opinion

This is my first book my Michelle Vernal but it probably won't be my last. This is a lovely sweet Christmas romance that shows how a village can come together at Christmas to avoid people feeling lonely. For me this was an easy book to follow, the only issue I had was the cliff-hanger it is left on.

Rating 4/5

I absolutely adored this book. It was a very sweet, wholesome Christmas read and the fact that it was set in Ireland was the icing on the cake for me. It’s set in a small Irish village where everyone knows each other and there are very few secrets. The banter between the main protagonist Shannon and her family and friends had me smiling so much throughout the book that my husband must of thought I was mad. It’s full of Irish slang and witty commentary from the older residents and then you also get a small budding romance between Shannon and James. I would have loved more of them together but that’s me being selfish given that this book wasn’t really based on that. Overall this was a great read that had me smiling like an idiot and wanting to up and move to this little village where everyone had each others backs. Definitely a must read so add it to the Christmas TBR pile.

Gorgeous Christmassy story set in Ireland and the first book in a new series, yay!

Shannon is the eldest girl of 5 and her parents run a pub. When she goes home after a romance gone bad, she thinks her life is pretty much over, but being a part of the big, loud Kelly clan pulls her out of her doldrums and when she meets American, James, she finds her life getting a little more complicated....

I am a sucker for stories set in Ireland and I absolutely loved all the banter and sayings etc between the family members and the villagers. There were so many funny moments that I am sure my son got sick of me saying: "hey, listen to this bit", over and over again :) The characters in this book were just so likeable and relatable, even the grumpy ones!

So happy that there is another book coming up too, as the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

You will get the full Irish experience while reading this one. Being that my ancestors came over on a boat from Galway I knew this one was the perfect read for me.
You'll be immersed in the authenticity of the Irish humor,foods and settings.
An American guy,an Irish gal snowed in together with an elderly neighbor it looks like love may be a blooming in this charming rom-com. When secrets are revealed though it just may send that fledgling romance south . This book is just lovely, so entertaining. The humor is great and had me laughing out loud. So heart-warming and charming, so looking forward to the next in this series.

Pub Date 14 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Breaking up with a boyfriend right before Christmas is hard enough but then having to go back home is even harder. Her family owns a pub in Emerald Bay where they rent out rooms. Will Shannon finally find happiness with her return to her small village in Ireland?
There is lots of fun interactions between the family members that brings a fun element to the story. The customers in the pub bring another element of humor to the story. Shannon’s cat, Napoleon, has a personality of his own and lets you know it!
Definitely a book you need to read if you are in the mood for Christmas romance, family dynamics, humor and mystery.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Christmas in the Little Irish Village by Michelle Vernal is such a sweet, heartwarming, laugh out loud, Christmas romance novel. I had a permanent smile on my face while thoroughly enjoying reading Christmas in the Little Irish Village.

The main character is Shannon Kelly. A very loveable and feisty, recently single 34 year old woman. Heartbroken, Shannon returns home to live with her parents at their family run Shamrock Inn. Not the most ideal situation for Shannon but she wants to have a fresh start and time to mend her broken heart. There is never a dull moment at the Shamrock Inn and it appears to be a great distraction for Shannon living with her very large Irish family and her beloved cat Napoleon. With Christmas a few days away Shannon is feeling anything but festive. However a chance encounter with a handsome American man might just be the medicine she needs to put her in a festive mood and mend her broken heart.

Thank you to @bookouture and @michellevernalnovelist for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

A heartwarming Christmas read with delightful characters, lots of humour set in a charming Irish village. Shannon is still smarting from her recent breakup and heads home to spent time with her family for Christmas and is determined not to get sidetracked by the handsome stranger staying at her family’s Shamrock Inn.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Michelle Vernal for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Christmas and Ireland? Yes, please! This is the first book I’ve read by Michelle Vernal and it certainly will not be my last. Her writing is fantastic. The details made me feel like I was watching a movie. . I did laugh a couple of times, and found myself saying "aww". I loved the characters, they all fit together. This is definitely one I will recommend.

Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher for an arc in lieu of an unbiased review. I love the O'Mara's series so was looking forward to reading this. I found it took a while to get into the story but enjoyed it. There are friendships within a local community, family issues and of course a hint of romance. Set around the village pub, look forward to a traditional white christmas with all the trimmings.

Struggled to get into this book I'm afraid.

The characters felt a little lacklustre and I didn't find anything that made them particularly engaging. The pace was slow, I was still waiting for something to happen over 50% into the story.

The characterisation of the village itself felt a little too stereotypically Irish.

Not for me on this occasion.

“Welcome to the little Irish village where Christmas celebrations are in full swing! Twinkling lights, cosy fires and big mugs of hot chocolate are in abundance as Shannon Kelly returns home to the Shamrock Inn. Will this be the year she finds the man of her dreams or is she destined to be forever unlucky in love?“

This quiet little story was such a treat.

I loved meeting all the characters, and family dynamics of Emerald Bay. There were a whole host of characters, and the author did a great job of keeping everyone straight in my mind. I loved the descriptions of the town and surrounding countryside. Even in winter, it all struck me as LUSH.

I was, in particular, interested in the “Magdalene Laundries” and did a self-appointed deep dive. It very much reminds me of the shame Canada bears in regards to Residential Schools.

Lastly, having listened, in part, to the audiobook, I found the narrator’s Irish accent added such depth to this already surprisingly substantial story.

7.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this Yuletide ARC.

I feel like this book was written with the idea of this being made into a Hallmark movie. There are a lot of characters and a lot of relationships to explore. I really enjoyed the wholesomeness of this book, as well as the relationships within the families. It’s nice to read about loving, welcoming families. It made me want to be a part of their family! I do, however, wish there was a little more romantic interactions in the book. I understood Shannon’s hesitation, but I think the hesitation was taken a little too far into the book. I wanted to feel more angst and more spark between the two characters. Overall, a very pleasant read!

After Shannon and her French boyfriend break up she is forced to move back to her childhood home in Emerald Bay. She discovers that an elderly neighbour has a visitor (James) claiming to be her long lost grandson, but Shannon isn't so sure and decides to uncover the truth, while getting to know James better and falling for him at the same time.

I'm so glad there's a sequel! Because the ending had me wanting more, a perfect cliffhanger ending for a sequel.
I loved the Irish-isms, the jargon, the banter, just every thing, I think I'm a sucker for Irish settings now.
This book has some drama, mystery and secrets and an impending romance.
The foods described sound mouth wateringly amazing. I'm so envious of the family/sister relationships and I adored the seriously relatable laugh out loud cringe worthy moments , and some teary moments. All in all delightful.

Read this if you love
Small town vibes
Christmas
Close knit family
Sweet romance (no spice)

Thank you netgalley and bookouture for this arc copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Shannon returned home after she split with her boyfriend to her parents, who own a pub in a small Irish village. There she meets an American tourist who she feels instantly attracted to, despite her recent heartbreak, however is concerned about his contact with her elderly friend Maeve.
A gentle story showing the positives and negatives of living in a small community and some of the historical mistreatment of unmarried mothers in Ireland. Set in the lead up to Christmas it is a cosy read that won't have you sitting on the edge of your seat, however sometimes this is just what you need to help you unwind. It does set the scene for a new series in this wonderful location.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "Christmas in the Little Irish Village" in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for a Christmas book set in Ireland but I was mostly disappointed. The story had its good points but it was so incredibly slow paced. A lot of the story just went on too long. The main character Shannon Kelly wasn't very likeable because she could be self-centred and selfish.

I did like the characters of Maeve Doolin and James Cabot. Their part of the story was very well written and very caring.