*3.5
A very quick, fun summer read! Nothing much more than that though, so I wasn’t completely drawn to the characters and plot, and nothing groundbreaking. Plus, Chelsea’s thought process got a little repetitive with her constantly going back and forth on what she wanted to do. That, and her very negative perspective, made her a somewhat annoying main character, but I think that was the point and helped show her growth in the long run. But otherwise I had a good time with this and would recommend it as an easy, vacation read! The summer vibes and Irish setting were stunning ⋆ ˚ ☘︎ ｡⋆

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Love all things Irish this book is for you. The main character has lost a job she enjoyed for several years when the owners, getting on in age, decide to sell their inn. But the owners offer an alternative to the young woman to go to Ireland for the summer and work at the female owner's sisters hostel. At her wits end the young woman takes a chance and goes to Ireland. The setting is the town of Galway and the hostel is not what was expected. As the story progresses the young woman becomes involved with an interesting Irish young man who makes it his job to show her just what she's missing by not accepting the job as an adventure rather than a holding place for her to regroup and find a new job back in Boston where she was from. The reader is treated to all kinds of Irish traditions and adventures as the young man introduces the young lady to what she's missing by shutting herself off to amazing landscapes, tales of Ireland and participation in some amazing adventures. Romance blooms and the young woman finds herself wondering about her going home to Boston to a job she thinks she might like or staying in Ireland and accepting that she really does love Ireland ahd her young man. Decisions are made and the story ends very happily. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

An Irish Summer offers a charming, lighthearted escape filled with picturesque settings and a sweet summer romance. Chelsea’s journey from reluctant expat to someone beginning to appreciate a new life is relatable, though at times the story feels a bit predictable and leans heavily on familiar romantic tropes. The depiction of Galway and its quirky characters adds warmth, but the plot occasionally lacks the depth or conflict to truly stand out. A pleasant read for fans of cozy, feel-good stories about finding yourself and love in unexpected places.
Thanks, Netgalley, for an early copy!

I got about 40% in and I'm very bored. The pace of this book is far too slow for my liking. The story is fine but it isn't drawing me in at all and therefore I've decided not to finish it.

flew through the book and enjoyed this Irish take on a beach read.

With that said, I didn’t love the main character, so that detracted from the book. She annoyed me! And I wish she had grown to be more introspective by the end. I also wanted more out of her event planning and to hear how she grew.

The love story was predictable - but I enjoyed it anyway!

I loved the descriptions of the scenery and the Irish slang thrown in. It definitely made me put Galway on my bucket list!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This just might be my favorite read of 2025 so far! I felt like I was spending a whirlwind summer in Ireland while reading it! Chelsea takes a chance and moves to Galway to work for a hostel there for the summer. But only for the summer, then it’s back to reality where she will work in hospitality in Boston, make more money, and eventually move to the suburbs. She’s all about a good plan. Then she works at the Wanderer for the summer where she makes close friends, meets the charming and persistent Irishman Collin, and finds that being spontaneous maybe isn’t all that bad. A beautifully written (and paced!) book where our heroine starts to question if the ‘real’ life she’s fighting to get back to in Boston might not be as wonderful as the ‘fake’ one she’s living currently across the Atlantic.

An Irish Summer is a delightful romantic comedy that captures the essence of self-discovery and the magic of unexpected adventures. The story follows Chelsea, a Boston native whose structured life is upended when she takes a summer job at a hostel in Galway, Ireland. Initially resistant to the change, Chelsea’s journey through Ireland’s charm and her interactions with the charismatic tour guide, Collin, lead her to reevaluate her life’s direction.  

The novel shines in its vivid portrayal of Ireland’s landscapes and the authentic development of Chelsea’s character. While some plot elements are predictable, the heartfelt moments and the chemistry between characters make it a compelling read. Fans of Sophie Cousens and Beth O’Leary will appreciate the blend of humor, romance, and personal growth. 

Overall, An Irish Summer is a heartwarming tale that reminds readers of the beauty in embracing change and the adventures that come with stepping out of one’s comfort zone. 

This was really well written and had solid pacing and plot. I did not connect with the FMC which threw me off from rating this highly. But I think people who enjoy these kinds of travel romance stories will really enjoy it! And I loved Collins.

An Irish Summer is a light and enjoyable read—perfect for the beach! The story follows Chelsea, who suddenly finds herself without a job or a home when her employer decides to sell the building. Through a stroke of luck, she’s offered a summer job in Ireland, expecting it to be just a temporary fix.

Instead, Chelsea ends up discovering so much more: a deeper sense of self, a new direction in life, and an unexpected romance with Colin. Their relationship grows slowly and naturally, and it was lovely to watch Chelsea grow and open up over the course of the summer.

It’s a feel-good story with beautiful Irish scenery, likable characters, and a satisfying emotional arc. While not groundbreaking, it was definitely a decent read and made for a great summer escape. Would recommend it as a solid beach read!

When the bed and breakfast Chelsea has worked and lived at for the past six years is unexpectedly sold, she’s left stunned and uncertain about her next steps. This wasn’t part of the plan. Her boss offers a lifeline: Chelsea’s sister runs a hostel in Ireland and could use the help. But how can Chelsea leave Boston—the only home she’s ever known?

Telling herself it’s just for the summer, Chelsea heads to Ireland with the intention of returning to Boston as soon as possible. However, Ireland isn’t what she expected. She quickly finds a place at The Wanderer, the charming hostel, and even though she thrives in this new environment, she keeps sending out job applications back home. Despite her success abroad, Chelsea struggles to silence the inner voice insisting her real life—and real goals—are still in Boston.

Will new friendships and the spark of an unexpected Irish romance be enough to change Chelsea’s mind?

An Irish Summer is a gentle, meandering read. The pacing lags at times and doesn’t fully draw the reader in, but it ultimately poses a poignant question: Do you have the courage to leave behind everything familiar in search of true happiness?

This story is a charming, cozy romance filled with witty characters and heartfelt moments. The author beautifully crafts lovable and relatable characters, set against the stunning backdrop of Ireland.

Life throws Chelsea an unexpected twist, forcing her to make a life-changing decision—one that could be the best she ever made… or the hardest. With her life rooted in Boston but her heart lost in Ireland, she faces a choice that will redefine her future.

This captivating story explores the chapters of life, self-discovery, friendship, and love. With vivid imagery and a storybook setting, you'll find yourself longing to pack your bags for an Irish adventure of your own.

In The Irish Summer, Chelsea, a Bostonian looking for her next job after being unexpectedly laid off, ventures to Ireland to work in a hostel. She begrudgingly sparks a friendship with Collin, a jack- of-all-trades who works at the hostel and has an obvious romantic interest in her. Eventually, Chelsea returns his feelings, and they begin a fling. Ultimately, Chelsea goes to Ireland to attain more marketable experience to eventually land a hospitality or event planning job back in Boston. Collin, and the other cast of characters she meets at the hostel, make her think twice about the decision to return to the US.

Without spoiling anything, this romance hits the spot for a feel-good, transportative read that you can enjoy on autopilot. While I thought that Chelsea sometimes read younger than her age (mid-20s) due to her resistance to new experiences at the hostel, she becomes a well-rounded character. Collin can come off as a too eager to get to know Chelsea at times, but the author strives to demonstrate that he has Chelsea's best interests at heart. The author additionally gives Collin more substance with a family backstory that appears in the latter half of the book to explain his personality, making him more than just "the love interest."

The setting was also a delight as Collin takes Chelsea on a tour throughout the country to help her enjoy her summer there. I sometimes wished that there were more descriptions of the scenery and Irish events the duo attended, but the pacing of the story didn't allow this because Collin had to cram a lot of sightseeing in the few weeks that Chelsea had for a summer in Ireland.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the sweet ending which gave me all the feels. It was easily a 5 star read for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Three stars for a fun setting and interesting premise with good prose. Unfortunately, the female main character didn’t connect with me (to such a degree that I was surprised any of the other characters on the book were invested in her as a person at all). The chemistry was lacking as a result, and I just could suspend my disbelief enough to really enjoy An Irish Summer the way I wanted to. Why was everyone trying to get her to move to Ireland? Why was doing that for the summer even a remotely sane option?

I’d be willing to read more of Alexandra Paige’s work - she definitely has some really strong skill and a passion for the story she’s telling. This was just not a story I could connect to.

Recommended for folks looking for a quick, easy, palette cleanser.

I love a book set in Ireland! The joy of An Irish Summer is that you feel like you are fully experiencing Ireland and Collin is an excellent tour guide! It took me getting through about half of the book before I was all into the story and being excited to see where it goes. Chelsea's unbending need to find the perfect job, in the only location she could ever consider to check all of the boxes she is so adamant to check really took away from the first part of the story. Once she was willing to finally appreciate what she had and where she was, it was a delightful story that I enjoyed. That's where it moved from 2 to 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in return for my honest review.

This wasn't bad by any means, but I just had a difficult time getting invested in their romance because the FMC was kind of insufferable. She was soooo stuck in her ways and hard-headed lol. I loved the setting, and the imagery that accompanied it was wonderful. I just found myself wanting a little more overall!

I didn't love this book. The main character is pretty insufferable, and it made it really hard to pick up this book. She's given the opportunity to work in Ireland for a summer and complains 75% of the time. She's super rude to Collin for no real reason when he is only ever friendly to her. It didn't make sense to me that they'd fall in love. Collin also often felt like a caricature of an Irishman, and it seemed like the author just used every Irish slang phrase she could think of whenever he spoke.

I was also pretty confused by the descriptions of Boston. As someone who has lived there, it felt like the author had never been there herself because the descriptions of the city don't really match the city itself (also lol at pretending there is no history in Boston when it has some of the oldest historical sites in the country). I know that's probably just a me-thing, so I won't dock points away for that.

The descriptions of Ireland were fun, and it did make me want to book a trip, but unfortunately, it didn't save the story for me.

This was a sweet, slow burn story between fish out of water Chelsea and a proud Irishman Collin who was intent on making Chelsea fall in love with Ireland. The story felt like a love story to Ireland as well as between the characters and Chelsea’s self discovery journey was relatable and satisfying. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for the ARC.

Five stars! I loved this story.

Starting over isn’t easy, especially when you already have one foot out the door. Chelsea has worked at the B&B forever but when the owners tell her they are selling, she has option to work at a hostel in Ireland for the owners sister. Chelsea has goals and this unplanned snafu isn’t on it. But once she’s there, she meets people who become friends and one that becomes even more. Collin. She is only here for the summer. and nothing will change her mind. Only the months there have changed everything for her.

This story was entertaining. I laughed a lot and I loved hearing about Galway and Dublin. The author sets the scenes and you can’t help but fall in love. The author puts us on a journey of finding what we’ve been looking for and finding what true love is. The ending will have your heart so full!

Thank you to Harper Collins Publishing and NetGalley for the copy of this book.

So what I did like- The main part of the story centering on the hostel was good. There was a good set of supporting characters and a unique setting, it was written in a way that was easy to picture in my mind. However, what I. didn’t care for in this book was main character Collin. He was a bit much for me. Felt cliche. There were some sweet moments between the man characters, but overall, I just didn’t feel the romance between him and Chelsea.

I absolutely loved this story. This was one of those feel good romances that you end up kicking your feet throughout the story. The story follows Chelsea, who finds out the hotel she works out is closing. The owners give her the option of working at a hostel in Ireland for the summer. She decides to take up the offer (eventually) and meets Collin, who works at the hostel. The story follows the two of them as Collin takes her on tours of Ireland, while Chelsea has to decide if her heart is in Ireland or Boston.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book and the romantic tension between Chelsea and Collin. I also loved how this story highlights that not everything has to go according to plan for it to be the right decision.
This was a 4.5⭐️ read for me.