2 Stars

Love at First Book is a light and quick read, but it fails to stand out in the crowded romance genre. While the concept of a romance blossoming in a bookstore is appealing, the execution does not live up to its potential. The story's predictability, shallow character development, and lackluster writing make it a forgettable read. The characters in Love at First Book are disappointingly one-dimensional. The protagonist, though likable, lacks depth and growth throughout the story. Her love interest comes across as a typical romantic hero without any distinctive traits that make him memorable. The supporting characters, who could have added richness to the story, are underutilized and clichéd, failing to leave a lasting impression. Readers looking for a heartwarming and engaging romance might be disappointed by the lack of depth and originality in McKinlay’s novel.

the definition of a cozy romance!!! I will definitely reread this in the fall/winter time, and I think that’s when everyone should read this one.

emily and keir were such a lovely couple to read about. there is so much that happens in this book, but I feel like it’s truly a tale of growing up and what comes with adulthood—the good and the bad. love, change, grief… everything. it was lighthearted, heavy, fun, and sad all at the same time.

With the Irish bookshop setting and broody male hero, this book was a guaranteed hit for me. 

There were some hilarious moments in this book that still stand out to me--they added levity to a story that could, surprisingly, be a tad bit sad. Those moments typically revolved around the mishaps or silliness of Emily, the main character. As she moves across the world to Ireland to work under her favorite author of all time (think J.K. Rowling) and to help this favorite author in finishing up her beloved book series (think Harry Potter) much to the chagrin of the author's son--and bookshop owner--Kieran.

Kieran and Emily have immediate chemistry but there's more to them than that. There's a push and pull that was quite entertaining to read. 

Again, there were more serious topics in this one--the least of which was the rebuilding and understanding between Kieran and his famous-author mother. 

I really didn't want to put this one down once I started.

I just finished reading this book and had high hopes for it. I was not disappointed. The setting was great, and the characters were likable. I do wish there were more moments between the main characters and less focus on other things. The ending was unexpected, not as light-hearted as I had hoped, but well-written and emotional. If the book had more banter and less focus on minor details, it would have been perfect. Still, it was an enjoyable read! I will recommend it.

A bookstore in Ireland?! Say less.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times; I love when romance books go beyond the romance. We learn about our characters through the struggles with family, mental illness, etc.

I also love a slow burn romance that’s extra sweet!

“I took a quick loop around the garden, stuffing my feelings back inside like the innards of a child’s well-loved stuffed animal.”

Working in a quaint bookshop called Last Chapter in IRELAND?! Yes, please. And the banter between Kier and Em was perfection. The wit and humor of Siobhan was delightful as well.

This book encapsulated all emotions. I laughed and cried and cheered all of the characters on. What a sweet ending to a heartbreaking plot.

I could not get into this book. Maybe it was the wrong time, but I just couldn't feel a connection to the main character. It felt a bit flat and so did the characters. I DNF, but maybe I should try it again another time!

This book was honestly perfect! You can't go wrong with books, books, more books, a quaint Irish village, and a super hot Irish love interest. Cute romcoms set in bookshops are my thing, and this one was an absolute delight.

I also loved that this book took on some more serious topics like grief and toxic family relationships. By the end, I was in tears. I hope everyone else loves this one as much as I did!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was really enjoyable, but it was nothing new. The plot was very predictable to me, and it didn't really keep me engaged throughout the story. I liked the characters well enough, but they didn't make a lasting expression. All in all it was a decent read, but I can't heartily recommend it.

Love at First Book is a must-read summer book that is going to thoroughly entertain you with all the feels. It was humorous, heartbreaking, emotional and loving. Emily Allen is taking an opportunity to escape the confines of her life in Martha’s Vineyard, to work for her favorite author in Ireland as her assistant, and also work in a bookshop. What librarian wouldn’t love about this job? Emily has come a long way to put herself first after caring for her mother ever since her father left her mother years ago. With the help of her therapist, she’s off on an adventure for a year and she isn’t going to let anyone or anything deny her this chance to live a little. When she finds out that her bookshop boss is the author’s son, Kieran Murphy, she’s attracted but also annoyed that he doesn’t want her there, and is given the most boring job of cataloging inventory of the bookshop. Working for Siobhan Riordan is a dream come true since her series got her through her teen years and wants to help her finish it with one last book. When she is put in the middle between mother and son, she faces a greater challenge of keeping a secret. Falling in love wasn’t in the plans, but when the idyllic small town and its inhabitants slowly creep into her heart, she finally feels what a mother’s love is and what it means to stand on her own.

Love at First Book is an enemies-to-lovers story, a story of self-love, a story I couldn’t put down and one I didn’t want to end. I wanted to re-read it as soon as I was finished because it was leaving me with a ‘book hangover.’ I first met Emily in the author’s last release Summer Reading and she is the best friend of the protagonist Sam. She’s grown so much and learned to set boundaries with her mother that you see that she needs to start living her own life and not for anyone else. The working relationship with Kieran is tense at first especially with their banter to have the last word, and the challenges they play to out-quote the other with quotes of their favorite books. I’m such a book nerd that I loved it every time they did this. I’m totally gushing over this story because I loved it that much. It is a book that is an automatically on my list of best book of 2024 for this reviewer. Jenn McKinlay has done it again and a story I highly recommend.

Very cute book, reminiscent of Jenny Colgan's books. Scotland, bookstore, main character leaving her hometown to make a new start. It's a good, cuddle up with a blanket and hot drink sort of book.

A beautiful love story set in a quaint Irish village is a sure fire way to get me interested in a book! I thought Em and Kieran were both well-constructed, honest characters. As much as I don’t typically like a workplace romance, they were so magnetic that I wasn’t upset by it. I was also absolutely dazzled by the rest of the townsfolk. I loved to see the village come together for Siobhan.

My biggest issue with the book was not the book itself but the way it was advertised. If a book is going to heavily feature dying and grief I really prefer to know that going in. However, I thought the storyline was handled well and it certainly stirred my emotions. Siobhan was the highlight of the book.

Love at First Book was so cute. I will for sure buy for the collection. I know some patrons will love this.

This book was so so cute, and it was a great book to get me back in my contemporary swing! I have been trying to dip my toes more into the small-town romance genre, and this book was a perfect addition to this subgenre for me.
I have never been to Ireland, but I thought Jenn McKinlay did a fantastic job creating mental imagery for this setting - the town, food, and ambiance were very clearly portrayed to me.
Slow-burn and enemies to lovers are two tropes that I will eat up every single time, and this book was no exception to this. I found both Emily and Kieran to be charming and easy to like, and I wanted more of them by the end! They were both very realistic and complex, and their outside relationships were very relatable.
I would definitely recommend this book as an easy contemporary read!

But for the most part, it was lovely, charming little town, overflowing with books, and just beautiful! Em and Kieran are extremely cute and well suited to one another. What a lovely love story LOVE AT FIRST BOOK was! Adorable, literary, tiny towny, Irish, humorous, sparkling, sweet, and a little heartbreaking. Reading this was so much fun!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this wonderful book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

If you like a book with witty banter, charming Irish settings, and heartwarming romance this book is for you.
It will have your emotions all over the place.

A bookish romantic comedy - yes, please! Love at First Book takes place in a quaint Irish village and I loved the atmospheric setting. Librarian Emily Allen leaves Martha's Vineyard to take a job at a bookshop in an Irish village, and soon she finds herself facing off with the owner's grumpy son. Her role involves helping at the shop, but also serving as an assistant to her very favorite author, and helping her write her final book. Emily grows closer to Siobhan and her son both and finds herself fitting in and feeling like she has found a family by the end of the book. A great read with heartfelt moments galore.

So Jenn McKinley is known for her cozy mysteries or her romcoms, but this is neither--it is something much much better. It starts out as what the reader thinks is a typical romcom--haters to lovers, and the story of Kier and Emily (Red) is wonderful--their repartee is marvelous and I could listen (read) their conversations all day. But it is the overarching story of Emily's favorite author of all time (and Kier's mother) that makes this book special. I don't want to ruin this book for anyone, so suffice it to say I cried and cried during the last few chapters, first because I was devastated and then I was so happy. I think this is a new style of writing for Ms. McKinley and I LOVE it. The parent-child relationships are explored for a whole new dimension in writing. My only complaint and one that I can certainly live with is that Em's relationship with her mother is not resolved completely, but I guess that is ok as she will always have Siobhan to look to as a mother figure. This is a great read that absolutely one started, cannot be put down.

I thought Summer Reading was a great (and ir was!) but Love at First Book simply blew me away.

First, the small Irish town setting was perfection. The people Em meets both good and bad made the story come alive. It was wonderful time getting to see Em adapt to the small bookstore she was working in, as well as working with her idol to edit her final novel. The whole thing was a true experience. One filled with a lot of heartache, it made me sad at many times but brought so much joy and beauty around In the end. I loved watching. Kieran accept Em and then following their story. Love at First Book was a stunner. I loved it and it will be one I come back to for comfort down the line as well.

This is a really lovely, heartwarming romance book with a lot of depth. While the romance is super compelling and I was definitely rooting for it, the other plot points are what make this book truly great. The book deals with intense topics such as grief, toxic parental relationships, mental illness, and so much more. It is anything but surface level. I loved getting to see the main character navigate such a large life change, moving to another country and working with her literary hero, while also finding love. This book was honestly wonderful.