I feel like I need to take a trip to Ireland now! The author did a great job describing the scenery throughout the book. This book was a slow burn romance. Chelsea has been recently laid off from her bed and breakfast job and unfortunately she’s not great with change. Now she’s been offered a summer job at the sister hostel, sounds great until Chelsea is told it’s in Galway, Ireland!! Once she decides that it’s her only option for a job at the moment. Chelsea arrives at the hostel and meets Collin. He’s the gorgeous tour guide who’s also works for the hostel. It’s the last thing on Chelsea’s mind to make friends and to embrace this new experience. However, Collin makes a deal with Chelsea that he will show her all there is to offer about Ireland before her contracts ends. She just needs to give it a chance, so will she??
I enjoyed the book, but it did take me a couple weeks to finish it. It was a little slow for me and I felt like I needed more. Overall, it was cute!
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for my honest review and opinions.

I want more!

4.5 ⭐

I loved the characters, setting, growth, stories. I loved them so much, I want more of them.

Chelsea is a born and raised Bostonian who loses her job and apartment at a cherished bed and breakfast and gets offered a summer job at the sister hostel in Galway, IE. She's determined to hate it, despite the resident tour guide's best efforts to show her the magic of his beloved country.

I think each part of the story could have dug a little deeper. More exploring the country, more digging into Collin's family and all that entails, more about the side characters, more of their love story. Just more! Maybe it's just because the parts that were there were so good. Beautiful storytelling and scene descriptions.

The romantic scenes are open door, but vague, so low spice.

Read it! You'll be swept away!

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Alexandra Paige for this eARC.

I made it to about 40% of this book and did not finish it. I didn’t like the personality of the main character or think the chemistry building between the FMC and MMC was particularly believable. I found that the book was missing the humor and banter that usually attracts readers to this genre of novel.

First off, I found a new author to obsess over! Great writing! Amazing imagery of Ireland, I opened my book, began reading & slipped away into the story! Perfection!!

An Irish Summer by Alexandra Paige is a heartwarming, beautifully written romance that makes you smile and makes you want to read more by this author!

Shout out NetGalley for the ARC!

Reading this book was hard, it’s so hurtful to read about someone living your dream. A whole summer spent in Ireland? Living out the Ed Sheeran Galway Girl fantasy? Hot guys with accents? Sign me tf up. Both in books and in real life if possible.

Our main character Chelsea is having the ultimate 20-something experience of a whole “wtf am I doing with my life?” crisis. Girl, been there. She struggles through the idea of changing her life plan. Of wanting something just because she’s always wanted it and not because it’s right for her anymore. I think that’s a universal experience (though I have to agree that it does seem to be overwhelmingly an American issue).

Enter, Collin Finegan and the whole crew at The Wanderer hostel in Galway, Ireland. Chelsea has to adjust, she literally doesn’t have another option. She’s hesitant to explore all Ireland has to offer (completely unrelateable, personally I think she’s nuts) and has moments of snobbery in my opinion. But through this little found family she has over the summer, she finds herself opening up to new people and new ideas of what she needs in life. What’s important.

The whole time I was yelling at her, like girl WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? Maybe it’s cause if presented with an easy option to get tf out of here, I absolutely would. But it’s so clear to the reader that leaving at the end of the summer is not what serves her anymore. And you’re sitting there just WAITING for her to figure it out.

I've never read anything from this author before but that changes now! I enjoyed this book but not really the main character. She wasn't bad but she wasn't great either. I loved all the Irish scenery since I just went to Ireland a year ago. Totally missed Galway though so I guess I need to go back! Overall, a very enjoyable read! I would read more by this author. It was a fast read too and a great romance.

This was a cute romance with likable characters and a happy ending. I enjoyed how the setting and various well-known sites around Ireland were incorporated into the books, as well as the hostel environment and the cast of characters there. It wasn't quite as engaging as other books I've read in the genre, it felt like the backstory and motivation for both of the main characters could've been more developed and that would have made me more invested in their attraction to and relationship with each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon and Harper Voyage for providing this ARC. Overall my rating is 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the setting and the cast of supporting characters, but struggled to connect with the FMC.

At the start Chelsea was easy to understand - caught unemployed and struggling to accept moving home with her parents, she chooses a uncomfortable (for her) solution and moves to Ireland for a summer. I could empathize with the situation and even understood her initial unhappiness and unwillingness to allow others in. For me, that unhappiness and surliness continued far too long to be completely believable or enjoyable. Because she was generally so displeased with the situation, it made the chemistry with the MMC less believable as well.

As mentioned, I did enjoy the setting, and the supporting characters, in particular her friends (Ada, from Boston, and Flo, who she meets in Ireland). I ended up wishing she had listened to some of their advice much earlier on.

Unfortunately, I found Chelsea too unlikable to enjoy this. She was constantly mean and rude, which apparently the other characters found cute and sassy, but I sure didn't. Meanwhile the Collin was so over-the-top pleasant to her, which loses its charm when you realize she never indicated she was interested in him, so he was just not taking no for an answer. Plus it bothered me how his Irishness had to be mentioned in every line about him, and he kept speaking for all Irish people like they're all the same and they're all happy all the time (!?) because Ireland is beautiful and they only listen to Irish folk music...and how Chelsea could never think of a single thing she liked about her hometown Boston.

I loved this book so much, it felt like I was actually in Ireland. The romance was so adorable and I loved their witty banter.

I LOVED this book! The author's writing style was fluid and quick-paced, a beautiful blend of romance and self discovery set against the lush, magical backdrop of Ireland. Chelsea's life is upended when the B&B she works for closes. When the owners offer her the opportunity of a lifetime to work at a hostel in Ireland for the summer, she begrudgingly accepts the invitation. Her attitude made it hard to believe she was in her late 20s and not fresh out of high school. I enjoyed her early interactions with the staff....and Collin (*swoon*). The dialogue/banter was hilarious and charming, and it was heartwarming to see the transformation Chelsea went through once she got out of her own way. I'm a sucker for the friends to lovers trope, and I thoroughly enjoyed the escape.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

God I love Ireland so much. This story swept me away to familiar places in Ireland. I haven’t yet been to the Cliffs of Moher and now I’m dying to. Collin and Chelsea were a delight. I believed in them and was fascinated and swept away. This is a solid book and the author will be on my watch list.

This book had everything I could have wanted and I loved it from start to finish! Chelsea, the main character is so relatable if you’ve ever struggled with living the life your expected to live instead of asking yourself if it’s really who you are!

Chelsea’ is a Type A chick to the max who moves to Ireland for the summer after she loses her job unexpectedly. Despite telling herself every step of the way this was not for her and counting the days until she’s back to her real life, you see how she changes as she embraces the experience of this trip.

Of course there is love and their dynamic is just the best! It’s romance, it’s classic romcom, but it’s also incredibly meaningful and heartfelt as you explore the themes of chosen family, letting go of who you thought you were, and letting go of societal expectations to embrace what life is really about!

What a stunning book. This is a story of personal growth. I related so much to Chelsea, as a person who also fears change, this story spoke to me. I don't know if I would have been as courageous as Chelsea to leave everything I know for a whole new life even if only in her mind temporarily, but she overcame her fears and succeeded in her new world. The story was engaging, although I would have enjoyed a dual point of view; however, a single point of view did not make the book feel less. I happen to be nosy and want to know what everyone is thinking in the story. The location was beautifully described and became another character for the story. The relationship between Collin and Chelsea felt very organic in that it seemed like a natural progression to their romance. I was so invested in the outcome of the story I stayed up far too late to finish, just to know how it ended. This is a new author to me, but I will for sure look for more stories from her. Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Adorable story, beautiful setting, and such fun relatable characters. I adored every page. Loved this book!

I wanted to love this book, but could not connect with the main characters. Fairly enjoyable read overall, but did not meet potential.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for honest review.

I appreciate NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book. This novel presented a cute, light, quick, and easy read with a Hallmark summer vibe. However, the characters' behavior did not align with their supposed age, as they acted more like individuals in their early to mid-twenties. Additionally, the beginning of the book was challenging to engage with due to the main female character's annoying demeanor, which included excessive whining. Nevertheless, the book eventually became a pleasant and easy read, although there were moments when I wished the main female character could overcome her self-absorption.

Irish Summer by Alexandra Paige, NetGalley ARC review

This book was a cute and quick read. Major themes are:

-Found Family
-Travel
-Summer Romance
-Closed Door romance

Chelsea Gold’s life in Boston takes an unexpected turn when the bed and breakfast she works for shuts down. Offered a summer position at their sister property, The Wanderer Hostel, in Galway, Ireland, Chelsea reluctantly agrees. A meticulous planner, she had envisioned a stable job, marriage, children, a good salary, and living close to her parents and best friend. The idea of spending a summer in Ireland was never in her plans, but with no job prospects, she decides to go. From the moment she arrives, Chelsea is determined to find another position back in Boston, shutting herself off from the wonders of Ireland and its people. But will she open her heart and embrace a new path to happiness?

Collin Finegan, a tour guide at The Wanderer Hostel, is passionate about sharing the culture and beauty of his homeland. He loves his job, the people, and the sense of community at the hostel. When he meets Chelsea, he becomes determined to show her that life isn’t just about sticking to a plan; sometimes, it’s about following your heart and embracing change.

This charming story captures the journey of finding one’s true path and the importance of letting go of expectations to pursue genuine happiness.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC. This book will release in July 2025.

I really enjoyed this Cody romance books! It gives all the vibes I was looking for. This would be a great summer read for someone who was traveling. The characters chemistry was sweet and hot which is something I’m always looking for in a good romance. What an amazing found family book too. The story and plot were low risk which is why I would call this a great cozy romance book to read. She in the journey of discovering herself and same goes for Collin (MMC) he a sweet tour guid who knows how to do a little bit of everything with a personality that makes you LOL out loud. 4 stars because I wasn’t expecting an epic novel from this it gave me Everything I thought it would be.