3 stars
A light, fun read about Boston Irish! what is not to love!!

I liked Fallon a lot and I LOVED Connor! A great book and I can't wait to read about Jack and Sean!

I remember stumbling upon Magan Vernon with her YA My Alien Romance series and My Paper Heart. I'm beyond excited to read something a little different from her and Straight Up Irish is definitely a step up!

The fake wife trope is trending and this is the first story I've read under the NA umbrella. Fallon moved to Ireland for a temporary job. She has student loans and her grandmother's care as financial burdens, so when her boss' hotshot younger brother proposes marriage for a big payout, she's all in. Connor Murphy's family owns a pub business. When his father dies he stipulates in his will that his three sons must marry within the year and still be married six months later, or they'll lose control of the business. This is an insanely difficult task for a womanizer like Conner, but somehow he and Fallon work out an agreement that benefits both of them.

Straight Up Irish is written at a pace that moves a little distractedly every now and then. When Fallon and Connor got together the narration turned more towards the what ifs that concerned them. What if their ploy isn't convincing? What if Fallon falls for Connor and he doesn't reciprocate, and vice versa? Valid concerns, yes, but they're on constant repeat while I'm waiting for the plot to continue moving forward. I didn't feel as though I got to know the characters beyond the drama and their fake relationship. And their constant worry over the arrangement they came up with takes the excitement out of seeing them finally work through it.

I loved being transported to Ireland for this adventure with Fallon and Connor! With Magan Vernon's flare for creating characters with snark and chemistry Straight Up Irish will keep you tied up for a few hours of flirty, romantic fun!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

In order to save his family's pub empire from ending up in the wrong hands, the Murphy boys need to marry and stay married for six months. However, Connor never wants to get married, so all he needs to do is find someone and propose and make sure the woman he chooses understands that their marriage will only be one of convenience. But when Connor finds the perfect woman in his brother's assistant, Fallon Smith, will he be able to say goodbye at the end of the six months or will he want to make their relationship permanent?

What a wonderful start to this series this book was where the main characters kept me entertained from start to finish, as the hero and heroine do everything they can to stick to their arrangement, even though it's palpable they're falling in love; and the dialogue was a compelling blend of intense moments due to the main characters backs stories and teasing banter that had me loving the main and secondary characters.

As for the way this story started, it drew me in immediately, and had me smiling at Connor who is a total playboy and isn't afraid to tease Fallon the first time he interacts with her. However, in saying that, I did feel sorry for the woman Connor was with, as it goes to show that he's not good at putting a name to a face. Yet, it was the moment where the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time where things get very interesting, as it seems like Fallon should be more Connor's assistant than his brother's with everything she does for him. Otherwise, Connor would never be on time for anything he needed to be when it came to his family's pub empire.

Both the main characters were enjoyable and utterly engaging due to their back stories, their growing relationship, and the obstacles they face on their journey to happy ever after including whether the pair can stick to their arrangement or whether they make their relationship permanent; and whether one of the main characters can handle a jerk of an ex that needs to be put in their place and understand that the relationship is over. Furthermore, the heroine was resilient and I liked how determined she was to help her grandma, even though she knows she could very easily fall in love with Connor and their arrangement could blow up in her face if she isn't careful. While the hero, he's confident, cocky and very tenacious in his pursuit of winning the heroine over because he and his brothers are determined to keep their family's pub empire in the hands of family. I also liked everything Connor did for the heroine, which shows her how much he appreciates her. Then again, it's palpable that he's falling in love.

Overall, Ms. Vernon has delivered a really good read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was intense from the moment they met and just kept increasing the more they interacted; the romance was nicely-detailed and had me liking these two together; and the ending had me smiling because Connor is determined to prove to Fallon how much she's come to mean to him. I would recommend Straight Up Irish by Magan Vernon, if you enjoy the opposites attract trope, workplace romances, the fake relationship trope, the marriage of convenience trope, or books by authors Christina Phillips, Robin Bielman, Cindi Madsen and Jennifer Shirk.

3.5 stars of sweet Irish bliss or man candy...

Straight Up Irish has the slang and accents to turn me to putty. Seriously, this bird was ready as soon as Connor opened his mouth. Even if he calls me Not Erin, yeah I would.

The Irish play boy and the American assistant sounds like a bad death match but makes for an entertaining arrangement. It's sweet with some very naughty fun and plenty of Whiskey to wet your whistle.

when connor murphy learns that the only way he'll inherit his third of his family's distillery is by marrying a girl and staying married for six months, he's got the perfect solution. his brother's assistant, fallon, needs money and is the only woman who challenges him.

the unholy attraction between them is going to make this whole platonic wedding of convenience thing difficult. connor doesn't just up and marry fallon. they take some time to get to know each other. they date. and soon this fake relationship feels awfully real. but neither of them is ready to admit it.

the blend of humor and sexual tension makes this relationship so much fun to read about. connor is truly a delightful character and fallon is his perfect match. i'm not always a fan of the reformed man-whore trope, but connor is fun enough to allow you to forget the skeeviness he starts with.

**straight up irish will publish on february 19, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publilshing (embrace) in exchange for my honest review.

First time author for me and I was hooked from the beginning, the story kept my attention and it was well written and the characters are well developed

I rec'd a copy from Netgalley and voluntarily leave my own thoughts

Rcvd and ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) We meet Connor Murphy who has returned to Ireland because his father died, he had been in the US running part of the business but now that has to change. Connor and his family were due to a rude awakening, his father made a clause in the will that they he and his brothers had to get married and stay married for a half a year to get ownership of the company. In comes Fallon who has been supporting her nana in the US and paying for her school loans, and really had no one since her parents were not really good people. So did they make it to the six month trial? Did there relationship stay fake? You tell me my friends, read it ..Enjoy!

LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I saw the cover and thought I love it. Then I read the blurb and had to request it.

I loved everything about this book. The characters were amazing and loved the story xx

It's a very engaging story and it's well-written too. I quite enjoyed reading it. Romance side of the story is perfect, characters are amazing, and chemistry between them is exceptional. In short this book is immensely entertaining and enjoyable read for romance lovers like myself.

3 Bucket List/Life List Stars
* * * Spoiler Free
What do you do when presented with a situation which cannot be changed, adjusted or ignored...
Well, the Murphy Brothers have been thrown for a loop. Not only have do they have to deal with the loss of their beloved Da... but he has put a huge condition for the brothers to inherit and carry on the family's business... the Murphy Pub Legacy. All three brothers must marry within a year of the Da's death and remain married for at least six months... otherwise the board can buy/sell the company out from under the sons.

None of the sons saw that coming....
None of them have a steady gal... or ever wanted one...
But these men are not about to lose the family's business.

Fallon Smith's life was never picture perfect. Had parents which would have been considered users...and not in a good way. Her only saving grace was her Nana and best friend Leah. With her Nana, Fallon has made all the sacrifices she can to make sure she is in the best assisted living arrangement. Fallon has made her education her priority and when she finally had finished her masters...she took the best position she could find to cover her expenses and piece of mind.

Because her situation in Chicago was not the best...between her parents thinking she was now going to support them and a dud of a boyfriend who she should have left long ago... going to Ireland sounded just perfect.

Fallon's position as assistant to the CEO of Murphy's Pubs was not easy. She had to deal with a taskmaster as a boss. He was an alright sort but could be very demanding and in the past went through assistants like tissue paper. The good news was Fallon was able to deal with him and all the other responsibilities thrown at her... including keeping one of the other brothers in line...

Yes, Connor Murphy was one of the high points of this job...Fallon was constantly emailing and calling him to make sure he was available for all of the necessary conference calls, arranging travel needs and any other marketing issues the company was planning. She also had reached him when he was "indisposed" and it wasn't her favorite times...

But now Connor and all the other brothers are here in Dublin and they are presented with this new obstacle their Da laid at their feet. Fallon hadn't met Connor in person but had been communicating with him for months, so when they finally did meet... all the little sparks and interests seemed to take hold in a way...

And when Connor takes Fallon for a "I'm Sorry I Split Coffee All Over You" dinner...before you know it, Connor is thinking he could help Fallon with her situation with Nana and College Loans...and she could be his Fake Wifey for the required time... each doing each other a solid...

Now both of these two are drawn to each other... and Connor can be rather fun...His way of teaching Fallon how to Golf and work a Stick Shift was quite yummy, heh heh....He had a way with his hands to name a few....

The only hiccup for me was the way the marriage of convenience kept being referenced and how Fallon was obsessed about the money issue...I got it... it was just how it was phrased for me...Nana was sweet, Fallon's friend Leah feisty... and probably the next one to be with a brother in the future.

This is the start of the series and each brother will have to belly up and find a wife if they plan to save the company for the family. There is the tough brother... Jack and the Rugby player, Sean and of course, Ireland.


A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

3-3.25 stars. This book was only okay for me. This is Connor and Fallon's story. Fallon is an American living and working in Ireland for the Murphy family's whisky company. Connor is one of the three Murphy brothers who recently moved back to Ireland after handling the company's American division. When Connor's father dies, he leaves the company to his sons in his will with the stipulation that they must be married within a year and remain married for at least 6 months. Connor meets Fallon in person at the office after communicating with her by phone for a while from overseas for company matters. He decides that she would make a good potential temporary fake wife. Fallon is pretty poor, spending all of her money on her ailing grandmother's medical expenses. So when Connor asks her to temporarily marry him in exchange for money, she agrees. The two begin fake dating with the plan to fake marry soon and Connor helps show her around Ireland. They find they like each other, but they are afraid to take their relationship from fake to real, although they do finally give in and admit their feelings.

This book was pretty slow burn and I didn't feel the chemistry enough to feel any burn. I liked Fallon and Connor for the most part. Fallon had very poor self esteem and could not imagine why Connor would possibly be interested in her. That bothered me a good bit. Connor was okay, but definitely was a manwhore before Fallon and had no plans of ever marrying or being monogamous. It was hard for me to imagine what their relationship would look like in the future because they were such an odd couple. The writing and the story was only okay for me, as well. There were a lot of plot holes and I didn't really feel the love or connection between the couple. Still, I did like the Ireland setting and the side characters.

This is the second fake marriage trope book I have read lately and I'm starting to think this trope isn't for me. I just don't get why two people that are attracted to each other and going to get married wouldn't at least try to see if they can make the relationship real. If these two would just have communicated, it all would have been okay. Even at 96%, they were afraid to admit they liked each other and there was no talk of staying married. All they could think about was how they were only going to be married for 6 months. It's all wrapped up by simple I love you's at 97%, but still very little communication beyond that. The epilogue is a same day epilogue, as well, with no glimpse into the future. It all wrapped up way too close to the end.

Overall, I didn't love this book, but I enjoyed a few parts of it. This was my first read by Ms. Vernon but I may try her again in the future.

I love the idea of a modern day marriage of convenience being forced upon someone and it turning into much more. Characters who are so convinced of what they think they're capable of and what they think they need to be happy, but find that the thing that they keep resisting and fighting is what they truly need. There was so much chemistry between Fallon and Connor from the very beginning and I adored their banter. This was an incredibly fun and sexy read and I'm excited to see who Connor's brothers will end up with. Highly recommend!

Both Connor & Fallon have honourable motives for a fake marriage, but when their very real feelings get in the way, a second, long and hard look may be needed to iron out previously ignored details.

I liked this story. This is sweet & steamy romance with a lot of Irish charm that will leave you wanting more of Connor & Fallon. Connor's easy-going humour helped the story flow and seem less forced, as did Fallon's feistiness and witty comebacks.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book, which I received via NetGalley & Entangled Publishing.

copy received for honest review
The story started off pretty good. I noticed a few people did not like that Connor was with someone other than Fallon in the first scene. I did not have a problem with that. It gave an insight into who he was prior to Fallon. Also, they had never met face to face. They both had lives prior to being with each other. I would not even consider them as friends at that point. Fallon worked for his brother in Ireland and Connor was living in Boston. After meeting Fallon and getting to know her, there was no one else. The story was a slow burn and took a while to get to the romance. I liked that they got to know each other. The marriage of convenience actually working out is more believable after watching the relationship grow. I enjoyed the story and the characters.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

Straight up Irish is the first book in the Murphy Brothers Series from Megan Vernon.

Connor needs a wife if he wants to help save his family's billion-dollar pub empire. There's just one problem: He never planned on marrying. So, he needs someone who understands that this is just another business deal. He doesn't do commitments. And his brother's executive assistant Fallon Smith, fits the bill.

Fallon needs help with her grandmother's expenses and her pretending to be Conner's fake wife is a way they can make that happen. She's not his biggest fan, but we can help each other and then go their separate ways. That she is beautiful and he enjoys spending time with her doesn't matter. When all of this is done, she is heading home to America, and he has got a company to run. A fake wedding a a whole lot of whiskey. What could go wrong?

Oh my goodness I swear this is the best romance I have read so are in 2018. I had so much fun reading this book. First you will fall so in love with Fallon and Connor. Connor is such a playboy and has been with a lot of women. He has no intention of changing his playboy ways ever. However the death of his father has brought him back to Ireland and the clause in his father's will is about to blow his future into the water. Fallon came to Ireland from America on a one off chance when she applied for a job as the assistant to a Pub company. She had to get away and is in a mess with all her grandmother's bills for her nursing home care and her student loans from getting her MBA. Her boss Jack is also not the nicest guy in the world and lately she has been having to contact his middle brother Connor to keep him from missing important meetings and schedules. Everything changes when the will is read and Connor literally runs into Fallon. This is the beginning of all the fun that this book holds in store. These two could not be more different and yet they just work. But their fake wedding is a business arrangement.....right? I loved every second, ever interaction, ever touch, and every single second of this book. Add in Fallon's grandmother who is precious and her best friend Leah and your going to have a ball. This is one you do not want to miss.

This was my first Megan Vernon book. I am so happy that I discovered her and this book. The way she writes will have the worlds playing in your head like a movie you never want to end. I can not wait to read about the other two Murphy Brothers Jack and Sean. I need those books in my life asap. However I am going to say that Connor has stolen my heart and I am just not so sure that any of the other brothers can succeed in stealing it. These three men couldn't be more different if they tired and I am so excited about this series

Fallon Smith is an American girl who is currently working in Ireland for Jack Murphy and his family’s distillery. Although it seems a majority of her job is taken up by Connor Murphy, Jack’s brother, and the resident playboy.

Connor is in Ireland for his father’s funeral and reading of his will. Connor and his brothers are in for the shock of their life when the will is read and they learn exactly how they can become owners of the company. Connor has only spoken with Fallon via phone but when he meets her in person, he becomes smitten with the American girl who could help him save his company.

I really enjoyed this story. Even though Connor comes off as a playboy, he has some redeeming qualities and has a heart of gold, especially when it comes to Fallon. Fallon has had a hard life, with parents who are less than stellar and a Nana whom she is taking care of back in the US. Fallon is not used to the lavish attention and it seems to always be a bone of contention between her and Connor. Their banter was fun, sexy and sweet and I loved how their relationship grew from friends to lovers. The ONLY thing I didn’t like was that I felt it ended a little too abruptly for my liking. However, I did enjoy Straight Up Irish and I look forward to more hot Irish men and whiskey ;)

I am new Ms Vernon writing style and I don’t think it’s my style. The blurb sounded amazing and I was looking forward to this book. I had a hard time liking Connor. He sleeps around and doesn’t take much seriously (case in point Fallon has to call and wake him before a lot of his meetings) but within a couple chapters of the book he is ready to be monogamous in his “fake” marriage. I didn’t feel emotional connection or chemistry between Connor and Fallon. Just was hard to read, they both seemed disinterested. Then WTH the ending not necessary for the ex to get involved at that point and just made the story seem even more ridiculous.

I’ll get straight to the point, folks. I’m always a fan of seeing a couple who don’t think they can be together come to their senses and get their HEA. Though frustrating, it was nice to see Connor, the hero, fall for Fallon upfront but he was stubborn about admitting to himself they could and should make their relationship permanent. For years, this guy couldn’t see past the free flowing whiskey and loose women falling at his feet to realize he was cheating himself out of true happiness by being a rich, self-entitled, self-serving, Good Time Charlie. Everyone, including himself, kept saying he’s been with so many random women in Ireland and Boston he couldn’t keep count of them all. This was quite evident since he never remembered their names or faces. He seemed to never have guilt or qualms about these conquests either. Despite knowing most of them wanted and expected a second date, he seemed not to have any guilty conscious.

Fallon is the hardworking assistant to Connor’s brother who sacrifices her fiances in order to pay for her Nana’s assisting living/medical costs. In addition, she has a mountain of student loan debt still to pay. Though it is sweet to be sweet, I did think she needed more of a backbone at times. Recently ditching a loser, but long time boyfriend by instant messenger while living abroad in Ireland, well, that was cowardly. So was not putting a stop to his constant emails, texts, etc. The reason she packed up and headed for the Emerald Isle reinforces that notion.

At first, Fallon does try to convince herself she won’t fall for such a player, but Connor’s constant acts of kindness to help seal the deal he’s proposing endears her to him. She’s certainly starting to give Connor a reason to explore a side to himself he didn’t know existed. To actually think of someone other than just himself.

The storyline slowly unfolds at a very leisurely pace. Around 60%, I started to feel their conversations were becoming somewhat overly drawn out and not saying a whole lot. Even when the steamy, smexy scenes escalated around 70%, I felt I wasn’t as engaged with them as a real couple as I expected to be at this point. Likely because Connor was still set on letting her go at the end of their arrangement, while Fallon was full of “What ifs?”

I’m conflicted on how to rate this one, folks. I’m glad this Good Time Charlie became a caring Connor committed to being a one woman man. At least that is what I hope continues to happen. I did like seeing this main couple spend time together. I’m keeping my fingers crossed Fallon’s feisty friend from America becomes the love interest of Connor’s older brother in the next sequel. You see, he’s all business, quiet, and brooding, and she’s more of a loud, lets her hair down, tattooed, life of the party kind of gal. Just what he needs to spice up his life.

Title: Straight Up Irish, Series: Murphy Brothers (Book 1), Author: Magan Vernon, Pages: 309, stand-alone but part of a series, first person/dual POV, unapologetic manho who stumbles into love, sweet/caring heroine, very steamy scenes, brief ex-boyfriend drama.

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

This was a fun read, with a bit of a tour of Ireland – mainly Dublin and Galway, with a trip to the Cliffs of Moher. This is the first in a trilogy focused on the Murphy brothers, who have inherited the international Murphy Pub chain from their father.

Connor is, to put it mildly, a playboy – one character calls him “Hottie McLucky-abs” – and the middle of the Murphy brothers. So much so that he wakes up the morning of the reading of his father’s will in bed with a woman he doesn’t even remember picking up. That he’s – almost – on time for the meeting at all is thanks to Fallon, his older brother’s assistant. Fallon’s been on the job for six months, and it’s not the first time she’s had to play nanny over the phone for Connor. Connor’s in for a day of surprises, though. First, when he bumps into Fallon (dumping coffee all over her) and realizes that the nagging voice on the phone belongs to a beautiful woman, and secondly, when he finds out that the conditions of his father’s will state that, to inherit the company, each of the brothers must marry within a year. After dinner and drinks (as an apology for spilling coffee all over her), Connor’s beginning to think that a marriage of convenience to Fallon is the answer to his problems. Though they seem like complete opposites, they both want to do what’s best for their families, and, in this case, that entails marrying each other. For Connor, it fulfills his part of the requirements of his dad’s will so he can keep the company in the family, and for Fallon, she gets the money to keep her beloved Nana in her nursing home.

“When it was just us joking around like this, I could forget about ex-boyfriends, his former flings, and impending marriage contracts.
This was how I liked us. How I always wanted it to be.
Stop thinking like that. There is no always."


Overall, I liked Fallon. I loved that when she gets anxious, she, in her words, word vomits. However, she was a bit too perfect and selfless to be truly believable. Between student loans and paying for her Nana’s nursing home, she’s completely broke, and lives on PB&J at her company-supplied flat where the only furniture is a rickety twin bed that came with it and a desk she’s cobbled together. She’s so nice, she can’t even properly break up with her deadbeat boyfriend back in America. I had the same issue with Connor – it was hard to believe he’d go from complete playboy to devoted boyfriend in a few months. I mean, it’s not an exaggeration to say that one of Fallon’s worries about every Murphy pub they go to, she has to wonder if he’s shagged their waitress (spoiler he probably has). He also has a tendency to buy things for her, from fully furnishing the flat to ordering the entire room service menu at their hotel room, plus a set of pink golf clubs (because he wants to go golfing) and lots of clothes.

"Nothing was holding me back from him. Nothing but possible regret I was sleeping with a known player I was in a fake relationship with. But what was marriage without a little fun?"


While I thought the sexual tension throughout the book was great, the first sex scene was strangely unappealing to me. It was more of a “count the orgasms” thing than actually sexy. I also didn’t care for the event that triggered their big feelings reveal to each other. It felt entirely over the top and a bit out of left field and seemed to take the focus away from Connor and Fallon and their relationship.
So, while I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book, I found the second half a bit of a letdown. Overall, I did enjoy it though, and I’ll probably pick up Jack and Sean’s books.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.