I was given the opportunity to read this book before it was published so this is an early review. I thought the book was really cute. I'm not entirely sure at this point why I only gave it 3 stars but I would definitely recommend this book to someone who wanted a cute summer read that had Irish MMC. I read this book in one day. I think the reason that I couldn't given it higher than a 3 star rating was bc the FMC was a bit annoying. The MMC was fantastic though.

3.5⭐️ What a cozy book!

This was a fun book to start off some summer reading. It was lighthearted, and the Ireland setting lent itself to some beautiful descriptions. I easily got swept up in the adventures that Colin took Chelsea on, and watching their romance unfold was sweet. I liked seeing the actual romance between them, and the slow way it developed between dates.
The downside for me here was Chelsea’s attitude throughout a lot of the book. Her behavior felt pretty immature for someone who was supposed to be in her 20s, and it bothered me. I also didn’t like how she acted like she was forced to go to Ireland (which she wasn’t), and was having a pity party about getting to live in this beautiful place for the summer.

Overall this was enjoyable and lighthearted, and would be good for a quick summer read.

After reading this book, I would love an Irish summer myself. Chelsea has everything she thought she needed in Boston, but when the bed and breakfast she lives and works at is being sold, she has no choice but take a summer gig in Ireland. She learns quickly that Ireland is not exactly where she wanted to see herself and makes every effort to make her way back to Boston. Collin is determined to show Chelsea that she can fall in love with Ireland..... and him. There is some so fun about a summer fling that turns into more. This book made me feel many emotions and filled my heart. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

I unfortunately could not finish this story. I really wanted to like it. Ireland? Summer romance? Local cute boy? In theory it sounds perfect. However, I do feel like the pacing of the book was very staccato and didn’t feel like it flowed at all. Especially conversations between characters seemed fake, not at all with the rhythm and flow of natural conversations. I got about 30% in and I really wanted to read more but I really wanted to be more invested in the characters by this point. Chelsea is too ungrateful and annoying for an FMC.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.</i>

3 stars

There were brights spots in this but I had a hard time feeling invested in this at all. The main character is pretty bratty and complains a lot. Then the romance piece honestly felt kinda rushed?? Not much for build up.

"An Irish Summer" is a love letter to finding yourself and what you want out of life. While Chelsea falls in love with Galway you start to fall in love with Ireland as well. The never give up and care-free attitude that Collin has causes for some hilarious banter back and forth with Chelsea.

As someone who has a special place in their heart for Galway, Ireland I was instantly hooked by the Cliffs of Moher on the cover! An Irish Summer follows Chelsea who is less than thrilled with the circumstances that have taken her to Ireland. But little does she know there's a group of people awaiting her ready to change her mind. The sights are exactly as I walked through, and it was sentimental for me to read it back. The romance of the story moves quickly, making it an easier read. Perfect for a beach weekend or getaway vibe.

What I wished for reading it was less redundancy, as sometimes Chelsea was moving forward with the adjustment to a new place just to step backward the next chapter. I guess that's life though. I definitely found myself relating to her best friend trying to be her voice of reason.

I overall enjoyed the quick read and all the nostalgia it brought me to be back in Galway, Ireland!

I thought this book was alright! I just felt like I had a hard time relating to the main female character 😭

I had a lot of hope for this one but had a hard time connecting with FMC. Her jokes came off more mean than lighthearted. Overall it was a fine story and quick read. I just wasn’t completely bought into the love story and it was difficult to get past how much the FMC seemed to hate being on this trip.

An Irish Summer is a sweet, uplifting story about stepping outside your comfort zone and discovering unexpected joy. Alexandra Paige brings the charm of Ireland to life while exploring themes of change, friendship, and finding love when you least expect it. With a relatable main character and a cozy, feel-good vibe, this is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys lighthearted romance and a touch of adventure.

I could not for the life of me get into this book. I tried so hard but I couldn't follow along with the FMC attitude toward the situation she found herself in. Who, as an adult, goes to Ireland to complain the whole time they are there? Like maybe just don't go? I get there needed to be conflict but she could have found herself in Boston or at least stopped complaining. I DNFed at 50 percent. I found myself skimming pages more than actually reading them.

However, I will say Alexandra Paige's writing is fabulous the story just didn't vibe with me.

Chelsea had her life plan in place but then it imploded. She has been working at O'Shea's B&B for over a decade, but with the owners' upcoming retirement, she found her future was no longer within reach. With no job and no home, she decided to take a seasonal position at a hostel in Ireland while she figured out her next steps. Though her plan was always for Ireland to be a temporary home, Chelsea found the country and the people there quickly claiming a piece of her heart.

I found An Irish Summer to be quite a fun story. It had a lot of great elements which kept me entertained and also invested in Chelsea's personal journey. Readers have expressed some frustration with Chelsea, however, I think it's a bit unfair. She had all her ducks in a row, and then one conversation obliterated her present and future. That can be very unsettling, and it took her some time to accept it and to realize that maybe her dream had changed.

Thank goodness Chelsea connected with some wonderful people in Galway who were there to support her on her journey. Flo and Ada were fantastic cheerleaders, but I credit Collin with really giving Chelsea that push towards all the growth and change she experienced.

Collin was determined to make Chelsea fall in love with Ireland, and he appointed himself as her personal ambassador to ensure she was able to experience Ireland to its full extent. These outings were some of my favorite parts of this book. I was familiar with some of the experiences from my own trip to Ireland but some were new, and I adored getting that peek at the sights and sounds of these new-to-me locales.

Overall, I had a wonderful time at The Wanderer watching Chelsea fall in love with Ireland (and Collin) as she reimagined her future and took steps to make it happen.

Chelsea is being let go at her current job, but is offered to help out at the sister property in Ireland for the summer. Not knowing what else to do, she takes it and most of the book takes place in Galway, Ireland. I loved getting to travel through the area with Chelsea and Collin. But I have to admit, I was annoyed with Chelsea for most of the book. She didn’t really want to give the area a chance, nor the people she met. And while she does eventually open up to everything, it seemed like such a waste of time there. She didn’t have much of a life outside her work and one friend back home, so why was she trying to get back to that so hard? I wished we had a few chapters from Collin to maybe see what light he saw her in that he kept trying to get her to stay and enjoy Ireland? Because I couldn’t see it. I enjoyed the story, but just wish Chelsea was a little more fun or the book spent less time telling in inner monologue and more time showing with the story.

Bottom Line: Could be a fun summer read to visit somewhere new.

**I received a copy of Irish Summer from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

This was a cute quick summer romance and a great palate cleanse. Heavy on the romance, light on the spice and an ode to Ireland and to the the value of taking a chance.

Chelsea is a mid-20’s only child with a plan. She’s going to work at the B&B she’s been at for years, living in the apartment upstairs and eventually take it over when the owners retire. No deviation. When her boss announces they’re closing the B&B, she loses her job and her home and her whole life is upended. Faced with the choice of moving back in with her parents to work at their podiatrist practice, she makes what is likely the only spontaneous decision in her life and accepts a temporary assignment at a hostel in Galway for the summer.

Collin has worked at the hostel for years, leading tours and helping out in all capacities, leading a life embracing what comes. From the moment he meets Chelsea, he’s eager to embrace her too and to teach her to embrace life’s spontaneities more. No one has ever needed to learn to roll with the punches more than her.

For the first 40% of the book, I was so frustrated with Chelsea. She was so incredibly closed off. I don’t know how you can travel to new places and not want to explore them. She gradually loosens up, makes friends and accepts Collin’s offer to be her personal guide to all that Ireland offers. Will she accept what he offers as well or is she too focused on getting back to her “real” life in Boston to give him a chance?

I didn’t feel a ton of chemistry between Chelsea and Collin, but I did feel the love for Ireland throughout the story. The depictions of the landscape, the people, the stories and the culture were so well portrayed.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own

What a fantastic book.
The author paints a picture of Ireland like no other. I really felt like I was in the scene looking out at the beautiful land. I wanted to go to Ireland before reading this book … now I NEED to go.lol


The book was really good. I just loved it and you will too.
Romantic.
Flirty.
Sexy
Beautiful

Solid 4.5 book!
The perfect cozy summer read! I devoured this book in one sitting. Ireland is definitely on my bucket list now. I really enjoyed the main characters and their banter.
Did I mention I cried?
If you want a lighthearted summer read, this is it!
Thanks Net Galley for the Arc

This book was so cozy and romantic it truly is the ideal summer romance book for the year! It also had me dreaming of taking a trip to Ireland! The story is light hearted and the characters are all incredibly loveable!

3.5⭐️/5

The setting in this book was beautiful. I have been to Ireland and could picture the many places Chelsea and Collin traveled to.

The story was good. I liked the journey Chelsea went on to discover more about herself and what she wanted in life. I liked that Collin didn’t give up on her but challenged her to try new things and to step outside of her comfort zone. I felt like her constant job searching and wanting to go back to Boston was redundant and annoying. This story was fun to read, but a little forgettable.


Favorite Things:
🐚Seaside picnic
💃🕺Ceilidh
🧚Fairy stories
🏏Hurling date
🍺Dublin pub date

This was a perfect light summer read for those that don’t love the typical beach read. I prefer a European adventure and absolutely fell in love with Ireland when I visited a few summers ago. This story made me want to go back and stay even longer. It was nothing extraordinary but the perfect palette cleanser in between heavier books.

The star of this novel was Ireland itself - beautiful scenery and charming stories made me itch to visit. While there was plenty of banter, the MMC seemed just as likely to take home any other hostel guest as the FMC, whose life crisis about needing to find a new job with "security" was just as exciting as listening to someone talk about their 401k. While certainly not terrible, there's many other "relocate to Europe and find yourself" novels I'd recommend before this one.