3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book and would pick up another of the author’s books.
I enjoyed the world-building and feeling like I got to spend some time in a small town in Ireland. I wish the writing was more show-not-tell, but overall it was an enjoyable light read.

Ireland is one of my favorite settings of a book. The romance was very fun to read and the plot was fast paced and easy to enjoy

The Half of It follows Juniper as she navigates her complicated relationships and struggles with her past while trying to find her place in a small Irish town. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque location, the book beautifully explores themes of family, self-discovery, and healing.

The small Irish town setting immediately transports you to a cozy vacation destination, and I loved how it added such charm to the story. The diverse group of characters brought richness to the narrative, and Juniper, while occasionally frustrating with her inability to move past her circumstances, had a beautifully satisfying character arc by the end. One of my favorite characters was definitely Evvie, Chloe’s mom, whose loving and supportive nature stood out. The theme of family being more than just DNA resonated deeply, especially as the characters grew and took steps to seek help and heal. This story was heartfelt, and I truly enjoyed the journey of self-discovery and healing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Theresa Christine for the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book!

Publication Date: March 11, 2025

First I would just like to say a huge thank you to both Netgalley as well as Theresa Christine for this e-arc !

In honour of saint patrick’s day I sat down and absolutely was GLUED to this book I can’t recommend it enough. I love a good slow burn romance and The half of it was one of my favourites of the year thus far.

The half of it is a small town slow burn romance based in a small town of the County Kerry within Ireland. it is a feel good romance book that had be giggling, swooning and was a tear jerker but so so good nonetheless the less

content warnings :
- childhood neglect
- death of a parent
- parent battling addiction
- emotional cheating of partner
- passive aggressive remarks to member of the LGBTQIA+ community
- sexist remarks within the work place

(I would rate this a 2.5 but half stars aren't available.) This really had potential! It grabbed my attention right from the start, and I flew through the first half. I think that was largely because the story focused more on the FMC’s family storyline and the family dynamics. We got glimpses of the MMC—just enough to build anticipation for when he and the FMC would eventually connect—but for the most part, the book was dedicated to world-building and character development.

Normally, I get antsy during world-building and really settle in once FMC/MMC dialogue takes over, but in this case, I almost felt the opposite. It was as if the decision to make this a romance was a little forced. I think this story would have really shined if the family plot had been the central focus, with the romance as a (closed! door! (I got the ick, I’m sorry!)) cute little subplot.

For a romance to work for me, I need a lot of "show, don’t tell"—the slow build of tension, chemistry, and yearning between the love interests. If there are spicy scenes, I want them to feel like the tension that was build is snapping, while still reflecting how the characters talk and interact with each other up to that point. The writing here just didn’t portray that for me. That could be entirely my perception/preference, but I found myself losing interest, and honestly, I might have DNF’d this if it weren’t an ARC.

That said, I really hope Theresa Christine writes more, maybe with an editor with a difference style when it comes to romance or in a slightly adjusted genre. I’ll definitely be looking out for her next release because I loved the sister/family storyline and the entire cast of characters!

*The Half of It* by Theresa Christine is a touching and inspiring story about love, self-growth, and having the courage to face the unknown. The author’s writing is heartfelt and easy to connect with, making it a book that pulls you in from the start.

Juniper, the female main character, feels very real, and her struggles and successes are written in a way that makes you root for her. The story mixes deep, emotional moments with light, fun parts, so it doesn’t feel too serious or too silly—it’s just the right balance.

The settings in the book are amazing! Each place is described in a way that makes you feel like you’re really there. It almost feels like the places themselves are part of the story, which makes everything even more engaging.

That said, the pacing could be a little off sometimes. Some scenes felt like they dragged on, while others went by too fast. But these small issues don’t ruin the book as a whole.

If you like stories about personal growth and finding your way in life, you’ll enjoy *The Half of It*. It’s a book that will leave you with hope and remind you to enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

Okay, so I just finished *The Half of It* and I am OBSESSED. Like, if you’re into small-town romances with dreamy settings, found family vibes, and a hot Irish guy who will absolutely make you swoon, this is your next read. Trust me, you’ll want to pack your bags and move to Ballygrá by the end of it.

The story follows Juniper Martin, a tough-but-tender NYC journalist who’s had her fair share of struggles. After a rough day at work (and maybe one too many cosmos), she impulsively sends in a DNA test her boss gave her instead of a bonus. Big surprise—it turns out she has a half-sister, Cara, living in a charming Irish town. Cara invites June to her wedding, and before you know it, June’s on a plane to Ireland, ready to meet the family she never knew she had.

Enter Aidan McCarthy. *Sigh.* Where do I even start with this man? He’s Cara’s childhood best friend, a loyal son running his family’s pub, and a secret photographer with dreams he’s put on hold after a tragic loss. Oh, and did I mention he’s Irish? Because yes, the accent alone is worth it. Aidan is the kind of guy who’s not just a love interest but a whole vibe—he’s kind, protective, and has this quiet strength that makes you want to root for him from the very first page.

The chemistry between June and Aidan is *chef’s kiss*. It’s slow-burn, friends-to-lovers perfection with just the right amount of spice. But what I loved even more was how real their relationship felt. They both have their own baggage—June’s trust issues and Aidan’s struggle to balance his dreams with his family responsibilities—but they help each other heal in the most beautiful way.

And can we talk about the found family trope? Because this book does it SO well. June’s journey to finding her place in Cara’s life and the entire town of Ballygrá is heartwarming and emotional. The way the community rallies around her, especially when things get tough, had me tearing up. Also, Cara’s grandma? Iconic. I would 100% fight her, but I also kind of love her.

The plot has this perfect mix of romance, drama, and a twist that had me STRESSED. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say June’s world gets turned upside down, and the way everything resolves is so satisfying. It’s messy, it’s real, and it’s exactly what the story needed to keep you hooked.

Oh, and can we get a spin-off about Cara and Yaz? Because I need more of them in my life.

This book gave me all the warm fuzzies, a few tears, and a serious case of wanderlust. 10/10 would recommend—just be prepared to fall in love with Aidan and never want to leave Ballygrá.

This was a cute slow burn romance set in a small town in Ireland. I really enjoyed the small town/found family aspect of the storyline. However the big confrontation in the book fell a little flat for me. I didn’t find June and Aidan’s connection to really pull me in. I did, however, love Aidan. He had a good amount of character development throughout the story. All in all it was a cute story about finding your chosen family and healing from the past.

A writer with a troubled family past finds a connection through a DNA test to a half-sister she never knew about and travels to Ireland to meet her attend her wedding, and get to know her long-lost family.

This is a unique story that felt nostalgically reminiscent of the movie "Leap Year" with Amy Adams, and at times I could easily visualize it playing out as a movie in my mind's eye. I really liked Danny's character, and I felt the story had a lot of good ingredients for a great book. I especially feel like it would make a really good movie.

I appreciated how the characters in the story had hard things experiences (both past and current) in their lives, and were making the best of things and still finding hope and courage in their lives.

However, as a book, I struggled as a reader with the writer's first-person present narrative style, which intermittently made it feel hard for me to connect with the characters and feel depth in the story. The narration also fell into the "telling" trap: instead of" showing, not telling" through the writing, telling the narrator's thoughts instead of allowing them to emerge alongside action and dialogue. The writing sometimes drifted into passive voice instead of active voice within the first person narration, which felt unnatural and further detracted from the narrative style.. Occassionally, when there was a scene change within a specific character's POV chapter, sometimes I had a hard time realizing it and would have to go back and re-read the previous paragraphs, feeling like I had missed something when I actually hadn't recognized the scene shift.

Review: Struggled to Read Due to Formatting Issues

I was really looking forward to reading The Half of It, but unfortunately, I just couldn’t get through it—not because of the story itself, but because of the book’s formatting. The text was oddly off-center, the color was off, and overall, it was just really difficult to read. It’s disappointing when something as simple as formatting takes away from the reading experience. I’ll keep an eye out for the Kindle version in hopes that it’s available in a more readable format because I still really want to give this book a chance

A moving debut about a NYC writer who takes a DNA test and discovers she has a half-sister, Cara living in Ireland. When Juniper (June) pitches the story, her online magazine agrees to pay for her trip and June is off to Ballygrá, Ireland to meet her sister and help with her upcoming wedding. Of course there's a hot bartender, Aiden, who is Cara's best friend and he offers June a place to stay while she's in town.

With tons of forced proximity, great queer rep and a lot of emotional depth, this indie romance hit all the right notes for me and is perfect for fans of books like The Irish goodbye by Amy Ewing, Off the map by Trish Doller or Last call at the local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz. Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: loss of a sibling, drunk driving, parental abandonment, grandparent with dementia

Imagine turning in your DNA testing kit only to find out you have a half sister and a whole family in Ireland. Your half sister is getting married in two weeks so you quickly plan a visit across the world. You meet a her cute guy best friend and immediately hit it off. Then you get an interesting call that shakes everything up.

As much as this story was slowly progressing towards a romance I would say it’s more about found family with a hint of gender inequality at work. It was a very easy read. I did think it was a smidge dramatic at times but I loved the DNA testing aspect a lot.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Spice: 🌶🌶
Darkness: ●

Quotes:

“I’ll go anywhere with you.”

“It means a lot that you’d ask me to stay. Nobody’s ever asked me to stay before.”

“Our laughter subsides, and we’re breathless and sopping wet and grinning like fools. The scenery around me blurs out of focus. No more thrum of the rain, no narrow road, and no biting wind. My world shrinks to me and June and the air between us.”

Short version:

A sweet, cozy slow-burn that explores love in all its forms.

Full review below:

Tropes:
- Slow Burn
- Sister’s Best Friend
- Forced Proximity
- International Romance


Plot Summary:

After a DNA test connects Juniper with her half-sister who lives in Ireland, Juniper finds herself flying across the pond to meet Cara and attend her wedding. There, she meets a handsome bartender, Aidan, that turns out to be Cara’s best friend. Sparks fly, but are both Cara and Aidan too scarred by their pasts to let it move forward?

The Good:
I really like the author’s writing style. It’s descriptive without feeling like it’s trying too hard. She adds background to each of the characters without feeling like she’s exposition dumping. The pace of the story feels natural. I had no idea this was a debut novel when I picked it up, and I’m very impressed at her talent!

As for the characters, I thought they were all well-developed, including the side-characters within the story. The character development over the course of the novel was evident and well-done. I appreciated that many people helped heal Juniper, like her relationship with her sister. Her progress wasn’t entirely dependent on her relationship with Aidan.

The accents were fitting but they weren’t too over-written to the point of annoyance (this is a common gripe I have with a lot of international romance novels set in Ireland or Scotland, specifically).

Finally, I’ll disagree with some of the other reviews here. I don’t think Aidan and Juniper’s chemistry fell flat.


The In-Between:
At times, the “will-they, won’t they” back and forth, and the main characters’ inner monologues about their reservations towards the relationship got to be a bit repetitive.

The Bad:
I do think this book was trying to accomplish too much in a short novel. This resulted in some of the storylines being more surface-level than I think they deserved to be, and others resolved more quickly than I would’ve liked.

Spicy Chapters: 19, 22, 23
Cheating: No
Third-act Breakup: Yes
HEA: Yes
OWD: No

TW:

mentions of addiction, homophobia, and sexism

The Half of It was a beautifully written and cozy romance that was very easy and enjoyable to read. The setting was perfect for the vibes of this book and I felt like I was actually in Ireland while reading about June's adventures.

I loved how both June and Aidan recognised and tackled their problems realistically, especially Aidan with his grief and his family's grief, if felt real and raw. I do love that June was an imperfect character and the silly decisions that she made were understandable and aligned with her character but as a reader it was still frustrating to read how the events played out.

A lot of the secondary characters I felt were almost too trusting and forgiving, particularly Cara, so it would have been nice to expand on her character towards the end of the book a bit. Additionally, the romance between the characters did feel a bit cheesy and not quite as developed at times, particularly at the end of the book and I wish more time was put into their relationship rather than the slow burn at the beginning.

Overall a fun and light read and I'm excited to read more by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an early digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the perfect romance for March! I was swept away and completely enamored by the Irish setting. It had me reminiscing of the time I spent in Ireland! If you are looking for a heartfelt small-town slow burn romance with a gorgeous setting, this is for you!

This is an adorable debut book and I will absolutely pick up the author’s next book. Juniper and Aiden are both well-crafted characters, especially Aiden! Ultimately the chemistry between the two of them fell a little flat for me, but overall I really enjoyed the story. I was really drawn to the family scenes - I’m a sucker for found family stories and the author hit the nail on the head in that aspect.

I really enjoyed this book and absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a cozy, light-hearted romance -especially if you enjoy slow burn, found family, and a cozy setting! Thank you NetGalley, Theresa Christine and Victory Editing for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley, Theresa Christine and Victory Editing for the ARC.

This story follows Juniper as she flies to another country to meet her half-sister she discovered after taking a DNA test. Once arriving in Ireland, she meets Aiden who happens to be her half-sister's best friend. Aiden is helping to run his family's bar after the death of his older brother but has dreams of becoming a photographer. Sparks fly between Juniper and Aiden, but they try to remain friends as they help with wedding planning. June is also writing an article about her whole experience with meeting her half-sister.

This is a slow burn romance that gives you all of the feel good vibes. It was a slow start at first, but picked up in the middle. I really enjoyed learning about all the relationships in the book and glad Juniper was able to open up to others.

This was my first Theresa Christine book and I was quite happy with it. It was super cute and the story was lovely and well paced. Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this cute read

i was unfortunately unable to read and review this by pub date, as life gets in the way (as it will do in the case of good books) but i would absolutely recommend this to those looking for a sweet and steamy irish romcom!!

Solid 3.8⭐️ This is an amazing debut novel for Theresa Christine! I was so exciting to receive The Half of It as my first ARC!

The Half of It immediately grabbed my attention with its gorgeous cover, and I couldn’t wait to dive in, especially since my husband and I visited the exact location during our honeymoon. Ireland is one of the most enchanting places I’ve ever been. The rolling green hills and the experience of stepping into a castle for the first time left a lasting mark on me. The author, Theresa Christine, does an amazing job capturing the feeling of Ireland, particularly through June’s eyes as she experiences it for the first time. It brought back so many personal memories for me!

The story itself is warm and cozy, a sweet small town romance with just the right touch of depth. While the plot offers a light, charming narrative, it also touches on more serious topics that added layers to the overall story. Juniper’s journey to find a sense of family was especially moving. She’s such a well rounded character, and I was instantly drawn to her. From the moment she meets Aidan, I knew he was a total green flag. The found family trope really shines here, and it’s by far my favorite part of the book. June’s evolving relationship with her Cara is incredibly authentic and lovely to witness. The connection between them felt so real, and I found myself invested in their growing bond. The author did a fantastic job crafting relatable, dynamic characters that are easy to root for, even the supporting characters were seamlessly integrated, making each one memorable.

That said, while I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing when it came to the romance between Juniper and Aidan. It was sweet, but it didn’t quite spark the chemistry I was hoping for.

All in all, it’s a charming, easy read that beautifully captures the magic of Ireland. A solid 3.8/5 for fans of small-town charm, slow-burn romance, and a touch of Irish magic!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Victory Publishing for this early digital ARC in exchange for my honest view!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I really loved June! I would have rated this book higher but I wish the ending was different. I really liked all the characters and how welcoming they were to June. I also wish we got an epilogue but overall it was a cute love story