I received this book as an ARC and I am a day late posting my honest thoughts. Don’t be mad. If I had a dime for every book set in Galway that I read this year about a woman finding her way I would have 20 cents. It’s so odd that there were stories about the magic of Galway that I’m now convinced I have to go visit. Two scenes where the Cliffs of Moher transform a person. Two Irish men who fall in love with an American. What a coincidence for this year.

Regardless, let’s focus on this book which has Chelsea from Boston who lives the most well-planned life ever. She has a vision for what she wants in life. She wants to stay in the Boston area, have a stable job, be near her family and friends, get married and have a house in the suburbs. It really isn’t a foolish or wild dream/plan. It’s reasonable and I get it. She loses her job and gets an opportunity to work at a hostel in Ireland. She initially resists but goes and things happen. She meets Collin who is a hot tattooed Irishman who begins teaching her about Ireland. She makes good friends and begrudgingly tries new things. I want you to know it was up to here that I was all in and committed to the story however shortly after this I was wincing occasionally. Maybe it’s because I’m 40 and reminiscing about my life and wishing I had taken more chances to explore the world alone while young. Maybe who I am is coloring my view in this story but this woman was just incessantly resistant to living a fun new life and being in the present. There were times where I just thought she was rude and I’m not sure why Collin even liked her. I also think that Collin is not a safe bet. Why is resisting the idea of a reasonably paying job wrong? She is a foreign national and has bills to pay. Let her be ok with her choices as well! Their conflict frustrated me but it was odd how rarely they discussed or fully fleshed out this conflict. It was just always on the edge of the story.

The story was pretty well written and I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed the journey and loved experiencing Ireland in this book. I did feel transported. This was also a bit of a torturous slow burn. The love scene was slightly disappointing as well. I do feel in my heart that the couple in this book won’t last when this story ends. I didn’t buy in but I would recommend this book for anyone who loves Ireland or are visiting. I am inspired to start planning a trip for real.

If you’ve ever visited Ireland, I think you’ll enjoy this book! It took me some time to get into this novel, and I also didn’t love the main character, Chelsea, as she felt so stubborn and resistant to her incredible opportunity to live and work in another country. I am glad I kept reading because the experiences and places Chelsea and Collin visited left me so nostalgic for my own Irish vacation, and it was great to see Chelsea realize her error and return to Ireland at the end.

Recommend for those who have visited Ireland and wish they could go back! In particular, that scene at Glendalough was lovely!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥☄️ (0-5) (great kisses, only one steamy scene)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 I love how captivating, exciting, and fast paced this story feels.
🤩 Such a great summertime binge read. I was 100% living vicariously through Chelsea!
🤩 I adore the Ireland adventures plus the hostel fun, found family, & forced proximity.
🤩 Those playful touches and nudges.
🤩 Chelsea and Collin have amazing flirty banter.
🤩 He falls first.
🤩 The event planning is so fun! Someone plan us a hen do in Galway!
🤩 Oh, Collin, tell me a fairy story.
🤩 I actually felt all the feels at the end, and I cried twice.
🤩 Natural and lovely LGBTQIA+ representation (side characters).

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 The ceilidh and Collin in a red plaid kilt definitely should have been on the cover—it would have sold itself!
💫 Chelsea and her getting back to her life focus did get old.
💫 I was hoping for some touching and cuddling and kissing on the train ride, both ways, and we got none.
💫 The timing for the steamy scene was a bit off for me. And then the nothing in the days after seemed off too. And the second half of the book just lost the feels and tingles for me.
💫 The steamy scene was open door but with less details, and weirdly no details about their clothes. I really wanted to know if their clothes came off or if they were @ in their pants. Either way is great, I just would have liked to know.

I loved her debut Weekends with You.
When I seen An Irish Summer by Alexandra Paige I immediately hit that request button!
This was a fun romantic story!
Which was absolutely delightful, and a captivating page turner!
Alexandra‘s writing is a perfect mix of character, setting, love and laughter. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these characters.
I just found the whole book really interesting and charming.

Thank You NetGalley and Avon for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Chelsea doesn’t know what to do when she loses her job working at a bed and breakfast in Boston. After striking out finding a new job, she takes an opportunity to work at a hostel in Galway, Ireland. It is only for the summer, and Chelsea goes into the job with that attitude. The other workers at the hostel slowly chip away at her resistance, especially tour guide and storyteller Collin. She and Collin have a slow burn romance and by the end of the summer, Chelsea is doubting her plan to move back to Boston. The author does a good job of weaving in Ireland, but sometimes it seems forced and a little cliché. The book has a HEA.

This was an entertaining book. It kept me reading and I enjoyed it, though the female main character did not have a great attitude for most of the book.

Thank you to Avon Books, Alexandra Page, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
This was a perfect summer read. There is a journey, self-discovery, learning self-awareness, travel, starting a new life in a new place, and of course, romance.
Chelsea was our FMC. She is living in Boston when her job at a B&B is gone because the owners decided to sell. She ends up finding a temporary job at a hostel in Ireland. I love a story set in Ireland.. can't help it, it just always makes me feel good!
Collin is the handyman at her new job. He is carefree, and I love the banter he has with Chelsea.
Chelsea is a planner, Collin is a fly by the seat of his pants kind of guy.
Without giving away too many details, this book turns into Chelsea finding a new life and happiness in her new life, and of course, a SLOW BURN romance happens with Collin.
The characters are well-developed. They are also relatable for the most part.
The plot is well structured, and the pace is slow-burn.
I also want to point out that some of the supporting characters were so fun, I loved seeing their friendships with Chelsea blossom.
I highly recommend adding this to your summer TBR for a feel-good read!
Happy Reading!

🍀Review🍀
3.75🌟
📖Book: 43/78
📚 Title:
An Irish Summer
✍️Author:
Alexandria Page
📄Pages: 320
💫Genre: Fiction•Romance
••••••••••••••••••••••••
📝Synopsis 📝
Chelsea’s life changes from one minute to the next since the bed and breakfast she works at gets sold off. She gets an invitation to work at a hostel in Ireland for the summer. It takes a her a while, but she takes on the assignment with every intention to come straight back to Boston. And then she meets Collin.

💭My Thoughts 💭
This was such a light and cute summer read, but it started a tad bit slow. Halfway through it began to get so good. All the right steps into falling in love with a country and a cutie. I wish there was a bit more romance to this slow burn, but the details and visualization were spot on and had me feeling I was there 🇮🇪
•••••••••••••••••••••••

I absolutely loved An Irish Summer! It’s one of those books that feels like a warm hug. Alexandra Paige did such a great job bringing Ireland to life—I could totally picture the green hills, cozy pubs, and salty ocean air. It made me want to book a trip immediately!

The story itself is sweet and emotional, with just the right mix of romance, heartache, and personal growth. The characters felt real and easy to connect with—I was rooting for them the whole way through. It’s a story about healing, finding yourself, and letting love in, all set in the most gorgeous location.
If you're looking for a feel-good read with depth, charm, and that perfect hint of wanderlust, this is the book for you!

✨Thank you NetGalley & Alexandra Paige for the ARC! ✨

This book is exactly what you would think: a cute, summer romance set in Ireland. I loved the summer and cozy vibes. It was such a fun combination. I also was obsessed with the MMC and the found family in this one. Overall, it was just such a fun time and I flew through it!

This was Alexandra Paige's debut novel and I absolutely loved it! I didn't want to put it down--it was a quick read at under 250 pages but it had all of the connections between characters. The pages brimmed with laughter and love. I read it in one sitting and could 100% relate to the FMC (type A, planner, organized). This is more like the grumpy/sunshine trope with the female being the "grumpy" one without it going overboard; it's 'just right.' 4 stars...a perfect summertime read! *I received a complimentary ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I liked the plot of the story, but it got monotonous in the middle. The storytelling was mediocre for me. The bantering between Chelsea and Collin was a bit much and became annoying really fast. However, I thought the characters were the best part of the story. I really enjoyed watching Chelsea’s character develop over the course of the summer in Ireland as she realized what was most important to her. I also liked the sense of community at the hostel and the happy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

An Irish Summer was the perfect slump-buster of a rom-com for me to read.

Chelsea has been working at O'Shea's Bed and Breakfast since graduating from college, but when she finds out it will be closing in a matter of weeks, she has not only lost her job but also her home. Not looking forward to the prospect of being homeless and jobless over the summer. she takes a job working at a hostel in Galway, Ireland.

Galway is a gorgeous setting for this story and while I found Chelsea a bit grating at times, I ultimately found this to be a sweet, simple narrative, perfect for when my mind is having a hard time focusing.

🅰︎🅽 🅸🆁🅸🆂🅷 🆂🆄🅼🅼🅴🆁
𝚋𝚢: 𝙰𝚕𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚊 𝙿𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚎

𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 🫶🏻 Avon for the free Arc  #AvonHarperPerrenial All opinions are my own.

𝔽𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕢𝕦𝕠𝕥𝕖 💕
“You can be excited and scared at the same time you know.”

𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪 ✏️
The bed and breakfast in Boston where Chelsea works is being sold and with less than a month to find a new job and apartment she is left scrambling. So when a summer gig in Galway is offered, Chelsea has little choice but to embark on a new adventure.

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 💭
Beautiful irish setting, check, cute romantic potential, check, a handsome MMC playing tour guide, check. An Irish Summer checks so many boxes but there is one major drawback. Chelsea, the main character, is unfortunately insufferable for most of the story. It’s like she is determined to be miserable despite all of the sweet and kind people who are so welcoming to her.

That said, I’m glad that I kept reading because I really did enjoy many other parts of the book and all of the other characters. I love Collin and his positive attitude as well as the growth Chelsea shows by the end. I just really wish that she had gotten over herself much earlier on.

ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 📖
✩ Found Family
✩ Small Town Irish Setting
✩ Workplace Romance
✩ Forced Proximity
✩ Self growth/discovery

The concept of the book was great, but the FMC fell short. Her development wasn't a slow, steady, natural preogression. It was very black and white. Everybody was saying they could see what she wanted, but neither her actions or thoughts expressed it to me as the reader. I also found the end to feel a little incomplete. I think there are readers who will adore this book, it just wasn't me.

This was a cute fast read. Chelsea is working at a B&B in Boston living out her dream working in hospitality and event planning when the rug gets pulled out from under her. The owners tell her that they are selling the B&B and she will need a new job, and place to live in under a month. Chelsea panics and runs home to talk with her parents who make her feel worse by offering that she can move back home, and have her childhood bedroom and answer phones for them in their office. When faced with that option, Chelsea takes the owners up on their offer to go to Galway Ireland to live in and work at a hostel that the owners sister owns there. From the moment she arrives, Chelsea hates everything about the place and doesn’t hesitate to let everyone there know that she is counting the days until she can go back to Boston. The tour guide Collin at the hostel decides to make it his mission to get her to fall in love with Ireland and the hostel and its people. While Chelsea is resistant, she does agree to explore Ireland and tries to gain what experience she can from the work. I loved the idea of this story, and love Ireland, but I struggled to connect with Chelsea. Her whole personality was that she had a plan and couldn’t deviate from her plan, and she lacked the growth I wanted to see from her. She also seemed 0% appreciative that she was presented with not one, but two safety nets of work and housing that people would kill for. But I loved the setting, the side characters, the plot, and Collin. A fun summer read. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

I started reading this in utter disbelief that someone could NOT want to drop everything and spend a summer in Ireland. To be honest, I just really couldn't get into the story or relate to the FMC (I found her to be a bit frustrating). Nonetheless, I loved the vibes and the Irish setting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 starts. As someone who traveled to Ireland and got to explore Galway where the book takes place, I really enjoyed getting immersed in the setting. However, I did have my expectations set up a little too high and was expecting something similar to Alexandra Kiley's Kilt Trip because the MMC is a tour guide. I loved how Alexandra took you to different locations in Scotland and told you the history, and sadly that just didn't happen here. I liked the fairy story approach and how it ended up getting them back together in the end. Also, I enjoyed the lead up to their trip to the Cliffs of Moher and how he explained it's almost a spiritual experience.

Their relationship had great banter, but I think I just needed more of them actually falling in love. I definitely needed more side character interaction since they seemed so fun when we first get introduced to them. Overall this is a fun, summer read with a great setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an arc!

Thank you Alexandra, Avon, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An Irish Summer was such a cute, easy read. Chelsea was a loveable character and was so relatable. Her storyline really hit home with her being in her late 20s and feeling like she is behind in life. It worth having a character show those feelings I think there are a lot of people in their mid to late 20s that can relate to that same feeling.


I loved the setting! I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland and this book helped me feel transported there. All the architecture around the city and other events that were explained really just helped the book feel like you were actually a guest at the Wanderer and were out exploring with Chelsea and Collin.

I absolutely adored the banter and little friendship moments between Chelsea and Collin as their relationship developed. The found family with the rest of the staff at the Wanderer was also so sweet to read about. Overall, this book just further fueled my love for Ireland and my hopes to go there. It was a fun, lighthearted, and easy read

This was a super cute book! Losing a job as a new adult and having to face going back home to your parents or going to work in Ireland sounds like a no brainer question for me, but as I read on, I found how I related more and more to the main character. Learning to let go of our past plans and expectations when they no longer serve us is a lesson I could learn a lot from and it’s written so well into this story.