This one follows Emily (Em), as she travels to an Irish Village to help one of her favorite authors, and work in a small bookshop. She there encounters the manager of the bookstore, Kieran.

I immediately fell in love with these two. Both getting under each other skin in the cutest way. There interactions had me smiling ear to ear. The found family vibes had my heart smiling whilst pulling at my heartstrings.

I really liked this story set in Ireland - we get Emily Allen who is a librarian who wants and needs a change in life. She jumps on the opportunity and runs off to Ireland. She ends up having to work with her favorite author's grumpy son. We get the grumpy/sunshine trope or enemies to lovers trope in this story, some heavier topics like cancer. I'd say it's a story that will pull at your heartstrings. I loved the characters and the charm of this story. I also loved that the FMC is a bookworm. I'm definitely excited to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was another delightful romance from Jenn McKinlay. I loved the Irish setting, the grumpy bookstore owner, and the sunshiny librarian going to Ireland for a year to work at the bookstore and assist a famous author trying to write the next book in a popular series after ten years. I can't say I was expecting to be so emotional and cry with this one!

The premise of this is so sweet and genuinely made me want to drop everything to move to Ireland and work for a bookshop! I did also enjoy some of the engaging banter and cozy cast of characters. However, I struggled to believe that some of the things said in the book came from a protagonist in her thirties (she seemed much older at times) and there were a few phrases that completely took me out of the book--typically the commentary she made about her own body. And again, while I did feel the book was very endearing, it did feel quite flat at times. But overall, a sweet read!

📚💚📚
📖Review
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
📖Book 18/100
📚Love at First Book
💫Genre:
Fiction/Romance
✍️Author:
Jenn McKinlay

📝Synopsis 📝
Emily, an American librarian, gets the job to work on the last book of a series written by her favorite author. Of course she accepts it, packs her bags, and flies to Ireland. The catch though is she works part time at her son’s bookstore and the rest of the time being Siobhan’s assistant, but he is not happy about Emily or shall we say Red is there.

My thoughts 💭
Wow this was such a beautiful story. Yes I expected a love story, yet I didn’t expect the plot to tear me apart 😭💔 The relationship Kier and his mom have was a beautiful add on, and Emily’s character and her mother’s relationship was a great add on element too. I didn’t expect to love these characters all as much as I did. I love an enemies to lovers story, but this one was so unique and relatable….many of us book lovers always have a book packed in our purse or bags…heck I carry my kindle everywhere I go which has about 700 books in it😂 I wanted a little bit more of Emily’s mom, but I also feel there was enough of Siobhan. There was a little bit of spice, but it wasn’t heavy. So if your looking for a romance novel that has family drama, is going to make you sob, but has a happy ending, then definitely give this one a go!
✨✨✨✨✨

🤍Thank you so much @netgalley and @berkleyromance for approving this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

✨Publishing Date:
May 14, 2024

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I thought this book was really charming! The author did a great job of setting the scene and her descriptions of Ireland felt authentic (but also, I've not ever been so take this with a grain of salt haha). The descriptions of food, the town, the locals were so lovely and it felt like the author took care with these.

What stopped this book from being amazing to me, is that it felt mostly surface level to me. I want to be invested in the characters, but it's hard for me to buy in when they have little to no nuance. The relationship was fine, the characters were fine, everything was just fine but I wanted more.

Also, I didn't love the relationship with her mom, who is incredibly toxic and awful to her. I wish we would stop normalizing keeping these people in our lives. I know family relationships are often very complicated but...every time her mom called I was like ??? Why are we still talking to her or answering her calls???

Thank you to Berkley for the ARC!

I asbolutely adored this novel about a librarian who moves to an Irish village to help her favorite author write the final book in a series. Siobhan wrote a fantastical series that Emily adored growing up and she, along with many other fans, had to wait years for the last story. A letter from Emily sparks Siobhan to finish so she hires her to come help. Unfortunately for Emily, Siobhan's son does not want her to finish the series due to her health. Not to mention, he's not a fan of Em AKA Red. But as stories go, they quickly discover they are attracted to one another and once Kieran realizes that Em has his mother's best interest at heart, the two join forces to help her finish the last novel of the series before it's too lat.e. I loved these characters and their story.

A librarian, Emily Allen, needs a change in her life. She loves books and when she’s offered a dream job with her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, she jumps at the opportunity. She’ll have to relocate from her hometown on Martha’s Vineyard to Ireland.

Emily is excited for the opportunity of working part time with Siobhan and part time at her son’s book shop. The fly in the ointment is that her son, Kieran Murphy, is not happy about this arrangement. Emily can’t figure out why since he never met her before.

Emily is ready to help Siobhan write the last book in her successful series. When illness hits Siobhan, Emily is more determined than ever to help her finish the book. At the same time, she and Kieran are coming up with schemes to make sure Siobhan gets plenty of rest. She fights them, but it just brings them closer together.

This is a wonderful, emotional love story. It had a little of everything - humor, family drama, romance and many poignant moments. I was totally captivated by the characters and the setting. As grumpy as Kieran tried to be, I adored him. I couldn’t help but root for Emily and Kieran to find their way to each other.

Jenn McKinlay takes the reader to Ireland and it’s a beautiful trip. She has a knack for painting the perfect picture for her readers. I enjoyed every minute of my visit and look forward to this author’s next book.

Another book for me to add to my Best of 2024 list.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay is a delightful romance set in Ireland in a bookshop! Truly what else do you need to know to want to read the story? Emily Allen is a librarian who travels from Martha’s Vineyard to Ireland to work for her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, finish her final book. She will split her days between Siobhan and working in her bookstore. Kieran, Siobhan’s son, runs the bookshop and does not want his mom to finish. So much to be sorted out.

There is something enchanting about a book about people who loves books that draws you in as a reader. This was an absolutely delightful read. The chemistry, the book quotes, the banter and the sweet friendships made it a beautiful story. I was all in and enjoyed my time visiting Ireland and the Last Chapter bookstore.

This was a wonderful read and I highly recommend Love at First Book. It will be one of my favorites of 2024.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.








CW: Abuse, manipulative parents, breast cancer, and counseling. One open door scene.

A ROMANCE WITH BOOKS AT ITS CENTER IN IRELAND?!?! WITH MULTIPLE BOOK QUOTE REFERENCES?!

…okay.,.honestly… was there any other option besides me being obsessed with this book?

The enemies to lovers vibes, the literary banter (yes they banter in literary quotes), the MCs family complications and how they escaped to fictional worlds…it was just everything my soul needed. I flew through this book and I couldn’t put it down!

If you love books with…
ENEMIES TO LOVERS
COMPLICATED FAMILIES
BANTER GALORE
BOOKS AS A PLOT LINE
SEXUAL TENSION
BOOK LOVERS

This may be for you!

Love at First Book is the latest release by the super talented Jenn McKinlay. I loved getting to know Em and Kier and was rooting for them from the very beginning. Their characters felt so real and were easy to relate to as well.
It made me laugh and made me cry. Love at First Book will certainly pull at your heartstrings. I highly recommend this moving romance to anyone.

When Emily Allen leaves her librarian job in Martha’s Vineyard to help an author in Ireland, she gets more than she bargained for with the author’s grumpy son, Kieran Murphy.

This book was such a pleasant surprise. I absolutely adored the story, the characters, and the setting of a quaint Irish village. Em’s job was so cool. Who wouldn’t want to help their favorite author finish the last book in a series they adored? Plus getting to work in a bookstore too. Sign me up! There were so many great references to books throughout, and I adored how the book series they were writing played into the final parts of the book.

Love At First Book is part of an interconnected series, but it can totally be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed McKinlay’s writing style, so I plan to check out her backlist books soon.

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

I adored the small town, Irish setting of the book. Everything seemed cozy and the accents jumped off the page. McKinlay certainly did her research and included lots of Irish words and phrases.

The first 50% of this book just dragged for me and I am not sure why. It was a slow burn, which I like but it took me almost a full week to make it through the first half. It had all the tropes that I normally love, but I didn't connect with it. I have seen some friends who I trust their reviews rave about this one, so maybe it was just me. I enjoyed Wait for It by McKinlay, so I am bummed to not have enjoyed this one as much.

Now the second half of the book really picked up for me. The second half gave more interactions between Kier and Emily, which was important in furthering the romance. I really liked the parts where Siobhan was maternal towards Emily since that is something she doesn't get from her own mom. The bookstore staff and town members were endearing.

Please check trigger warnings before reading as the second half of the book is very emotional. The author did a beautiful job, but it may be challenging for some readers.

I don’t often cry from books but that ending, sad but hopeful.

Things
• Single POV
• Quirky librarian from Martha’s Vineyard X Broody, Irish bookstore owner
• Small town, Irish setting
• Illness anxiety disorder (also known as Hypochondria) representation.
• Navigating toxic parental relationships and setting boundaries
• Books about books
• An emotional ending

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the advanced copy.

A bookstore romance?!? Sold. I loved McKinlay's Summer Reading last year and when I learned that Emily would be getting her own book, I was incredibly excited. This book is touching and heartfelt (and will probably make you cry a bit) and I can't recommend it enough.

A romance that features books and bookish characters that is set in a quaint Irish village AND is written by one of my favorite authors? Yes, please!

Love at First Book was everything I hoped it would be and more. It’s heartwarming, charming, and just checks all of my boxes when it comes to my romance reads. What I honestly did not expect though was that this cute little book would also pack such an emotional punch. I shed quite a few tears, both happy and sad, while reading this one!

Emily Allen is a librarian who lands a unique opportunity to travel to Ireland where she will work part-time in a bookshop, while simultaneously serving as an assistant to her all time favorite author, Siobhan Riordan. Emily is eager to work with her because Siobhan is, after a ten year wait due to a debilitating case of writer’s block, finally ready to write the final book in her beloved series, a series that got Emily through some of the worst days of her life.

Emily and Siobhan had my heart from their first meeting as their rapport is wonderful and they develop an almost mother-daughter relationship as the story progresses. What really hooked me though is how angry and resentful Siobhan’s son, Kieran, is about Emily’s presence and that his mom is writing again. That tension made this such a page turner for me because I just had to know what his issue was. As much as I didn’t want to like him since he was so grouchy toward Emily, my heart broke for him once it’s revealed why he’s so upset.

I was rooting for Siobhan to finish her book and for Kieran to get past his pain. I was also rooting just as hard for Emily and Kieran to end up together because once they get past their initial bumpy start, they have amazing chemistry.

I really liked this book! Emily has finally left her toxic mother and goes to Ireland to work for her favorite author, Siobhan, and work in a bookstore part time.
I loved seeing Emily’s growth as she leaves her mother and finds a worthy substitute all while working on a sequel to her favorite childhood books. Her relationship with Kieran, Siobhan’s son, is complicated by her relationship to his mother. The descriptions of Ireland are beautiful and make me determined to visit there myself. I was sorry this one had to end! 4.5 stars.

From the publisher:
When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books.
Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.
Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of [this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

✔️ Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Workplace
✔️ Small Town
✔️ An American Abroad

This was a sweet read and reminded me of a Hallmark movie - a wholesome kind of romance with charming characters though both lean more romcommy than my usual preference.

I enjoyed the setup - it's hard not to enjoy a read set in a small town and throw in the abroad element and it's just doubly potent. Much like with Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year, the town/townspeople were the standouts for me.

If you're into books by Jen DeLuca, Lauren Kung Jessen, Lily Chu, this could be the book for you.

Steam 🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕

Love at First Book is perfect if you are looking for a cute, heart warming and swoon worthy contemporary romance.

Emily moves to Ireland after accepting a job assisting her favorite author. During her time in Ireland, Emily meets the author's grumpy son Kieran which leave to the beginning of a beautiful story full of adventure, self discovery, heartbreak, and love. I mean who doesn't want to read a story that involves a bookstore + Ireland? I have to admit that it did make me shed a few tears.

I will say that I did think the story was a little slow for my linking but at the end I was so happy with the story as a whole. I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a light hearted and beautiful story.

Thanks Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

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LOVE AT FIRST BOOK BY JENN MCKINLAY

I’ve read many of Jenn McKinlay’s mysteries, and all of her last four romantic comedies. She upped her game with her latest romcom, Love at First Book. It’s sexy, romantic, and gut wrenching. Of course, I picked this one up expecting to like it. It features a librarian who heads to Ireland to take two jobs, working as the assistant to her favorite writer, and helping in The Last Chapter, the local bookstore.

At twenty-nine, Emily Allen finally makes a move for herself. Her manipulative, demanding mother would have been content to keep Emily as her unpaid servant, waiting on her, and taking care of her as she has for nine years after Emily’s father left them. But, Em’s mother is quite capable. Emily spent all of her twenties trying to appease her, and it made Em a hypochondriac.

She can’t believe she’s going to work with Siobhan Riordan, the author whose young adult novels helped Emily survive her troubled youth. But, Siobhan never finished her series. She’s had writer’s block for ten years, and Emily wants a happy ending. She might not get one herself if it’s up to Siobhan’s son Kieran Murphy, the bookstore manager, who makes it clear Emily isn’t welcome in the shop, or with his mother.

Emily discovers a whole new personality when coping with Kier. She’s a fighter with a ready wit, and she won’t give in during an argument. It’s a side of herself she never saw, but she’s proud that she can go toe to toe with her handsome, sexy boss. Their attraction grows, until Em learns why Kier was reluctant to have her work with his mother. By then, it might be too late to save her heart.

Love at First Book is a love letter to bookshops, books, and loving mothers. As Kier and Emily banter, they challenge each other with their knowledge of book passages. But, Emily yearns for something Kier might not be able to give.

McKinlay’s latest is a romance about two people who need to be saved. It might just take book magic, and a charming Irish village, for them to find each other.

In Love at First Book, a woman takes a job in Ireland to work with the author of her all time favorite series (a Harry Potter kind of series) who is struggling to write the final installment. This book hit me in all the places. I laughed and cried. It was such a sweet romcom with so much more. With characters battling real life issues, confronting their past and learning to move forward. And it was all intertwined with the storyline of the favorite series. Oh, and the little town and cast of characters were all so endearing. And it made me want soda bread with Irish butter. Such a sweet book.