This book honestly surprised me a little. I was expecting a typical rom com book centered around a perfect little bookshop in Ireland while the MFL finds herself. But there were so many more themes to this story! McKinlay balances lighter romance scenes with some deeper/heavier scenes, particularly around family relationships, cancer, and death. I love when both main characters experience growth and development and both Emily and Kieran do. (side note: Kieran felt like such a stereotypical name for this setting). I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between Siobhan and Emily grow as well where Emily got to experience a more mother/daughter relationship when compared to her own personal situation. It was adorable that Emily and Kieran were able to fill voids in each other's lives on various levels. Their romance felt believable and like more a slow burn (which I appreciate). My main complaint comes from Emily feeling forced to keep Siobhans secret from Kieran. That trope is a pet peeve of mine but it was done in a less harsh way than I've read in other books and I felt like both characters'reactions were realistic.
As a librarian and book lover, I was definitely biased towards having the setting be a bookshop. Love! Add in the beautiful Irish scenery and it's such a lovely backdrop for the story.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and how heartfelt it was.

I’m currently reading The Summer Pact and their content warning included something that was hidden in the summary and that didn’t take away from the book. I think Love at First Book can do the same because I could see this hidden content warning being really triggering for some people. Read with caution if you’ve ever had someone in your family with a terminal illness

Regardless of that, I loved this book! The conflicts outside of the romance were ones I wouldn’t even know how to handle so it kept me turning the page to see how it would end. I never knew how some things would play out.

This is a slow burn, but with really fun chemistry that keeps you hooked on their early relationship.

Lots of book-talk since the FMC is a librarian and MMC is a bookstore owner and his mom in an author. Loved that!

The ending was a TEARJERKER so be prepared, but the book itself isn’t exactly sad.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 STARS

Thank you to the author, Jenn McKinlay, Netgalley, and Berkley for a #ARC in return for an honest review!

Lets first admire this cover because it is the first thing that caught my eye! This is not a rom-com, it is most defiantly a contemporary romance.

This was very much a Hallmark-type romance. A beautiful setting, IRELAND, and descriptive details of the location. You could imagine the green hills, the cobblestone paths, and the bookstore smells. A book within a book. It starts with the classic heroine fleeing her dull, messy life her and moving too a small Irish village. Her boss doesn't like her and tension begins...

This book was more than just romance and cutesy stuff. This truly had SO much emotion, charm, and rawness. This blended the lines of messy and romance and life and everything in between. I really enjoy books like that because life isn't all cute and insta-love. Quite cozy too! This had lots of tension and feeling out. It allowed the characters to feel more and connect and as the reader, I think that was really shown. Things happen in life. Feelings get hurt. We all have trauma. This is one that will tug at your heartstrings and make you think, but also swoon a bit ha!

Now some "negatives": I did feel like this felt quite repetitive and slow at times. It did take a while for things to push and move forward. More heavy on the non-romance aspects of the plotline. I personally did not feel the chemistry between Emily and Kieran. It felt a bit more forced due to the nature of why Emily was there: help her favorite author write a book. It wasn't a huge deal as I did like everything else, it just wasn't what I was really expecting!

Please check trigger warnings!!! Loss of a parent, cancer, lying, abusive parent relationships + more.

Read if you like:
-destination romances
-emotional subplots
-closed door romance
- slow paced romance

If a quaint Irish town is your destination of choice then get ready for a story filled with lots of books, a found family, and a bit of grumpy sunshine.

When Emily Allen meets Kieran it will be an enemies to lovers situation as they discover what they are meant to do and where they are supposed to be.

It's time to dream big and take a bookcation across the pond.

Read this book if you’ve ever wanted to travel to Ireland! It was the perfect backdrop to this slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance between Emily and Kieran. Their banter was so refreshing and beyond hilarious to read! Also how lucky is Emily to be an assistant to her favorite author in such a dreamy little town 😍 I also don’t know what it is about books regarding books in general but I LOVE them every single time. This book was incredibly heartwarming and had me ugly crying at least once. I’m so grateful to Jenn McKinlay and Berkley Romance for my gifted e-ARC!

This is such a perfect book for book lovers! A librarian heads to Ireland to help her favorite author finish the last book in a series and work in her bookstore. It also doesn't hurt that the author's son is gorgeous and her boss at the bookstore. I absolutely loved this book and want to read more of Jenn McKinlay's books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

I can't believe how much I LOVED this book - I couldn't put it down. AND after I was done reading it, I made sure to buy the audiobook and listened to it again. I know this is the book review but the accents in the audio version were amazing. I loved that this romance was set in Ireland. I hadn't read Summer Reading” before reading this book, but it went back and read it right after. This was a quick fun read and can't wait for more romances from this author!

I thought this book was absolutely adorable and I could not put it down. Emily was a character after my own heart - I loved her fiery attitude towards Kieran and finally learning to stand up for herself. The slow burn romance between the two was amazing - I needed more and Jenn definitely kept you hanging on the edge of your seat for those two to get together. Definitely loved this one!

Kieran & Emily are the cutest ever!!!!

This book had the perfect balance of light and dark topics, while still keeping the romance central. The character development was also *chefs kiss*! I'm so glad I read this one and had the chance to get to know these characters! <3

Read if you like
- Slow Burn
- Enemies to Lovers
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Irish Setting

CW: Spoilers ahead but some big triggers for people so you should be aware Toxic relationship with parent, hypochondria , breast cancer relapse, death (off-page)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Special Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Jenn McKinlay, for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This was cute and sweet. if you love cozy romances it's a must! I loved every minute of it. A total must read!

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This was such a cute read! I really enjoyed the plot. The way they needed to collaborate to write and they got closer together in the process was so sweet. I liked that the setting was a bookstore. It was so cute and I wished I was there!

Emily and Kieran’s personalities were so different. It was interesting to watch them get to know each other and compliment each other.

My favorite part, though, was watching Emily get a mother figure that actually cared about her and believed in her. Her mom was so horrible!!!!! I was so happy we did not get too many scenes with her. It was nice that Emily went to therapy and set boundaries with her mother. It was a part of her character that I really appreciated. Siobhan was a huge driving force in the book and a part of why I enjoyed it. I liked that she just wanted nothing but to finish her life’s work and for them to be happy. I would recommend this book for someone who loves reading about authors in books and Irish men!!!

I absolutely loved this book! Em has left her hometown to follow the dream of meeting her favorite author, which also getting some space from her overbearing mother. Set in small-town Ireland, we meet a wonderful cast of characters who establish a fantastic found family. Weaved into the story, we watch Em fall in love with a handsome local, who helps her grow in confidence and find her voice. An absolutely lovely and heart warming story.

I really liked this book and all the characters, and the contrasts in parenting styles amongst the two leads

DNF - 25%

I think this book would suit fans of contemporary romance very well - I went out of my comfort zone a bit with this one and found myself not enjoying it very much. That's on me.

I was fighting to get into this book from the very beginning, hoping I would come to love the characters, the writing style, the setting. It just never happened, as I found the writing and banter a bit juvenile and never connected to any of the main characters. I will say, the setting is described wonderfully, making the reader want to hop the next flight to Ireland without a second thought.

As I said, I would recommend this book to regular readers of contemporary romances; however, if that's not you, this isn't the one I'd recommend branching out on.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for access to this ARC.

Emily arrives in Finn Hollow, Ireland to escape her overbearing and toxic mother and to work with the author of her favorite book series, Siobhan. Siobhan's son, Kieran, isn't exactly thrilled about Emily's arrival and is hoping to drive her away with menial tasks in his bookstore where Emily will work. Cue the tension that is a cover for their mutual attraction. Emily is also hoping Siobhan will complete the final book to her famous book series with her help. It's been 10 years, and the series helped Emily get through her childhood. As Emily learns why Siobhan didn't write the final book, she creates a life in the town, developing friendships with those in and out of the bookstore, and turning Siobhan and Kieran into the family she always wanted.

This novel for those who understand how a book can have a lifelong impact on your world and for those who want to find their place in the world surrounded by friendship and love.

As a fan of Jenn McKinlay's Hat Shop Mysteries, I've been enjoying reading her contemporary romance. This one is the second I've read (the first was "Paris is Always a Good Idea") and I definitely think fans of "Paris" will enjoy this one as well. Both books are set in a beautiful location I would love to visit and their storylines are a satisfying mix of an enemies-to-lovers romance with deeper themes about family and grief. I would recommend to readers looking for a contemporary summer romance with some emotional weight.

Books set in Ireland?! And a romance?! Automatic five stars! But really, there are many reasons why I'd give this book five stars, and it's not just because I fell in love with the main location where the events take place.

The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance between was adorable from the beginning.I absolutely ate up their witty banter. Their palpable, fiery chemistry will make you sizzle!

Emily Allen appears to be an introverted librarian who has been psychologically abused by her narcissistic mother for years… She's suffocating, and the only thing that has helped her is her favorite book series.

Now she has landed a job as an assistant to her favorite author, which is a dream come true. However, she didn't count on also working with the author's brooding, grumpy son who is reminiscent of Mr. Darcy.

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming, inspiring, and genuine romance story. This might be my favorite book by the author!

Many thanks to Berkley for my ARC copy in exchange for my review!

This was such a charming read. It’s a book about adventure, self-discovery and finding love. I loved that the female MC was a book lover/librarian who left her life in the states to follow her dreams, and I adored the small Irish setting. It’s a not a cutesy rom-com. There was tragedy and family tension, but there was a HEA.

Thank you to Netgalley & Berkley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

I adored this book. It was so cozy, tension filled, and full of everything I need in a romance book. From the neighborhood dog to the pub where everyone would meet up, I fell in love with the little Irish town this is set in.

I think the chemistry between the two characters was so so good as well. I immediately wanted them to get together as soon and Kier started being mean to Emily. Angst to lovers is my favorite!!! & he had a good reason for having angst too which I appreciated so much, instead of just hating her for no reason.

Solid 4 stars. I def recommend this to the cozy romance lovers & book lovers bc it takes place in a book store w an author as an important plot point ✨

Okay y’all, I’d never bought a trophy physical book after finishing an ARC (or any ebook for that matter). Yet.

This book has changed that for me. It’s SO good that halfway through this, I knew I HAD to support the author more and just buy the actual book.

The banter. The setting. The plot. The side characters. The romance. The pacing. The writing style. All. Chefs. Kiss. 💯. No notes.

Highly highly recommend.

This author is going on the top of my auto-buy author list.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

You can look forward to
💖 Enemies to lovers
🇮🇪 Set in the Irish countryside
☕️ Cozy Bookshop
🧘‍♀️ Anxiety Rep
🗣️ The Banter