On the surface, Back to Belfast is a cozy sapphic office romance, centering on Claire and Stacie - both employees at the same company, who exchange positions for a short term work assignment, and step into each other’s shoes (and hearts).

What I did not expect was an honest, thoughtful novel about the realities of these women’s lives and circumstances - about the meaning of family (by blood or by bond), about the struggle to maintain meaningful relationships in a modern world, about the struggles of being one’s authentic self without being selfish… I found myself falling in love not just with the main characters, but with their friends, families, cats, and even house plants (seriously, the concern over Bennie made me giggle out loud). Claire and Stacie’s attraction to each other progressed out of friendship in a very natural way - the little acts of caring for each other (cooking a meal, taking care of a friend in crisis, etc) developed their relationship around respect and admiration. Fear not, there is some amount of spice, but it is definitely not the focus of the story.

Both women are strong, thoughtful, and extremely kind. And while we do get our happily ever after eventually, the story doesn’t fall victim to the typical romance drama - Claire and Stacie have to first overcome very real obstacles of moving countries, work visas, being full time caregivers, etc. It makes it all the more satisfying when they reunite, because they had to work to make it happen.

My only constructive comment on the story is that while the small time jumps kept the story moving steadily, it did sometimes feel rushed. I would have loved to see more of Claire and Stacie’s quiet moments, to enjoy watching their feelings develop , especially as they were getting to know each other after Claire’s sudden return to Belfast.

Overall, a very poignant story about very real people, finding the kind of love that wraps your heart in a warm, cozy blanket.

This novel was awesome! It’s super cute, lots of fun, and there is a cat (although only in a minor role). There were lots of emotions; happy, sad, and everything in between. There were a lot of elements that I’ll describe as clever, which is something I really appreciated and love to see in a novel. The romance was a sloooooow burn which I love, although it was also one with a doomed expiration date which I always find stressful and enjoy a little bit less. Regardless of that, the couple was delightful and they worked so well together. This novel also tackles some more serious issues including mental health issues and the struggles of being a full-time caregiver for a loved one. These heavier topics were handled respectfully and with care.

Overall, I think this was a well-rounded novel with romance, plot, and a core of solid substance. I would recommend.

Highlights:
-I loved the plot device of having the protagonists living in each others’ spaces/lives. This worked well to allow them to “get to know each other” prior to them actually interacting in any significant way. It was incredibly clever and well utilized. Little things like having the same favorite tea, becoming close with the others friends, and visiting the others favorite restaurants and sights.
-The plot felt very organic and realistic, instead of convoluted and contrived. I love myself a silly and wacky plotline, but I also really appreciate something more realistic and grounded.
-The protagonists were so sweet together, complimented each other well and were just a nice couple. I fully bought into the chemistry and see the attraction. Claire’s reactions when Stacie took care of her were heartfelt and hit the feelings right on the nose.
-I really felt for Claire and all of the struggles that she was facing in her life. The author did a great job depicting the reality of what her situation would be like, how hard it can be on a person, and how it would affect them long-term. This part of the plotline added a great deal of depth to the novel, beyond a standard romance.

Nitpicks:
-A large amount of the conflict and plot stemmed from one character not being able to express what they want to the other character. This wasn’t quite “miscommunication trope” but it annoyed me in a similar way. It made sense in the context of the novel, but I found this to be a weak plot point.
-A huge chunk of the novel doesn’t reeeeeeeally contain much in the way of romance, or even the characters interacting. I loved this earlier part of the novel and it laid the groundwork for what came later, but I feel like there could have been more interaction during this stage. The protagonists could easily have been calling/emailing/messaging/whatever each other (for work!) and beginning to form the foundation of their relationship prior to meeting in person. This somewhat happened, but mostly off-page which was a missed opportunity. As a result I found the overall romance somewhat rushed and I didn’t feel like there was enough development shown to support the eventual emotional stakes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Claire Brennan and Stacie Farran swap lives for six months—Claire moves from Vancouver to Belfast, while Stacie heads to Vancouver from Belfast. As they experience each other's worlds, they start to see their own lives in a new light. When Claire has to return home early due to a family emergency, she and Stacie finally meet and find that their online chemistry is real. But with Stacie’s stay in Vancouver coming to an end, they must figure out if their new romance can survive the distance or if they’re heading for a long-distance breakup.