It's a good book, heartwarming, but it has many characters and keeps jumping about from one time period to another. Sometimes I was a bit confused.

This is a very cute read for small town romance fans (especialy for those stories set in Ireland).
I read it as a standalone and that seemed to be a big miss - I felt I would enjoy it way more, if I got the background from the first book.

Imogen, who now lives in Dublin with a thriving interior design business, returns to her hometown, Emerald Bay, for a design job at Benmore House. She hopes to confront past feelings for her childhood sweetheart, but on her way there, she narrowly avoids an accident when she stops for ducks crossing the road. To her surprise, the other driver involved is her former school rival, Ryan O'Malley. Though their reunion starts off tense, it turns out Ryan is also working on the Benmore project as a builder. Over time, their relationship becomes friendly, and Imogen realizes there's more depth to Ryan than she thought. He returned to Emerald Bay from London to care for his ailing father and has embraced the comforts of village life.

The story revolves around families, self-discovery, and fresh starts, featuring a witty narrative and unique characters. Imogen, a successful businesswoman, grapples with finding her true love. Her journey is peppered with choices between various men and is backed by the unwavering support of her close-knit family and best friend. It's a delightful read filled with heartwarming moments.

Apologies for the delay in this review, i have been battling ill health.

Great story, lovely setting, enjoyed the charcters and the story very much. I thought it flowed really well and it was a really good read.

Packed with humor and warmth, this feel-good romance made me smile and warmed my heart right to the very end. I loved the cast of quirky characters and was easily transported to the quintessential village of Emerald Bay with its Irish charm and meddling townsfolk. Imogen is such an endearing character and is exactly the type of person I’d like for a friend. Truly an uplifting story about coming home, family and new beginnings, this one made me feel as though I was wrapped up in a cozy blanket, which was exactly the escape I craved. When I’m sad to leave the characters behind at the last page, I know it was a great story.

A perfect read for fans of Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella. I look forward to read more from this author.

A hearty thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy of this story in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a charming, cozy, heartwarming book. I enjoyed it a lot!

The Irish know how to live and love. This rom com tells us all and it is a great book from the first page, I didn't want to put it down. 5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

I fell in love with the cover and liked the story, heartwarming and sweet.
Imogen and Ryan are two well plotted characters, I rooted for them and I liked to travel to Emerald Bay.
High level escapism, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I felt like I was in the thick of an Irish family with all its comings and goings.

Imogen is an interior designer and she has worked hard to be where she is. However, there are things she needs to settle in the little village where she grew up and so when a job comes up that she can't refuse, she goes and spends some time with her family, as well as trying to put some ghosts of her past to rest,

Ryan was a trouble maker at school - I can relate to the bra pinging thing myself - but he seems different now. And when Imogen discovers there are hidden depths to him, she is intrigued. However, what is she going to do about her boyfriend, who has more baggage than an airport carousel!

Such a charming book. So many Irish sayings that had me chuckling out loud :)

5 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Feel-good romance fans are going to be completely charmed by Michelle Vernal’s enchanting new novel, New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village.

Thirty-two year old Imogen Kelly should feel like she’s on top of the world living in Dublin – unfortunately reality proves to be far different. Miserable and lonely, when the opportunity arises of a job in idyllic Emerald Bay, Imogen jumps at the chance – especially as it will mean working at Benmore House, where she had spent an idyllic summer with the heir to the majestic estate, Lachlan Leslie. Hopeful and optimistic for the first time in a very long while, Imogen cannot wait to return to Emerald Bay. Only on arrival, she finds herself face to face with a rather unwelcome figure from her past who will be working with her in very close proximity: Ryan O’Malley.

At school, Ryan had delighted in playing practical jokes on her and within minutes of being in his company, Imogen realises that he hasn’t changed much. Only, rather than a cheeky schoolboy, he is now a drop dead gorgeous man who makes her heart skip a beat. Forced together by fate, Imogen and Ryan quickly begin to grow close – even if romance should be the last thing on both their minds with St Patrick’s Day celebrations fast approaching and Benmore House to get ready. As Cupid’s arrow strikes at the most inopportune time, will Imogen seize this chance at a fresh start with Ryan? Or will seeing Lachlan again force her to confront some shocking truths about that long-ago summer that could end up derailing her future?

Michelle Vernal’s New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village will leave readers with a great big smile on their face. Heartwarming, hilarious and wonderfully romantic, New Beginnings in the Little Irish is an enjoyable and uplifting tale that will steal every reader’s heart. Michelle Vernal blends emotion, intensity and humour in a gorgeous contemporary romance that will go down a treat with Christie Barlow and Tilly Tennant fans.

This is a light hearted and fun read which has some memorable scenes which bring a smile to your face. Who can forget Imogen's arrival into her home village, for starters! There is a great sense of community in the village where nothing goes unnoticed. Family is so important to Imogen and her sisters all add to the mix. As Imogen arrives back into Emerald Bay from her city life in Dublin, she sees the stark difference between the two parts of her life. As the story develops, she has to decide which way of life means the most to her.

Imogen also finds that she has to face up to the reason she left the village years ago. In doing so, she has to reconcile herself to a few home truths. There is a slow burn romance throughout the book which you are willing to burst into life. Ryan turns out to have some hidden depths and a strong sense of duty and affection for his family who he puts above everything. The pace of the story carries you though the story which is a great read.

In short: family, friendships and romance

What the publisher's description doesn't mention is that Imogen actually has a man in her life already - she has a relationship with her rather older boyfriend, Nevin - "there's a bit of an age difference." In fact, Nev comes with rather lot of baggage as he has a previous marriage and grown up daughters who are still curiously dependant on their Dad to rescue them from various scrapes. He wants no further children and Imogen has acquiesced, seemingly happy to pursue her career in interior design. Her business is doing well and her success in Dublin is what leads her to accept a commission in her home village, giving her the the opportunity to visit her family and perhaps, at last, introduce her man to her childhood home.

Michelle Vernal has truly written a feel-good story, as warm as the community of Emerald Bay. Imogen is very much a contemporary protagonist, seeking to find happiness and fulfilment in her chosen career and her personal life, yet not so lost in the glamour of life in the big city to have moved beyond her early life. There is gentle humour and a great sense of place in the glorious Irish countryside, beautifully and wittily described. I greatly enjoyed spending hours in Imogen's company as she adjusted to living back in her family home, coping with the fierce interest in her affairs of the community she grew up in, while dealing with her exacting employers, getting contractors to meet deadlines and specifications, her distant and demanding lover, her first real boyfriend and the disconcertingly multi-faceted man the classroom pest has grown up to be. A deft and entertaining, compulsive read. Thanks, Bookouture, for the opportunity to read this enjoyable book.

General Thoughts 🤔

Everything about this book screamed cutesy and quaint and after reading it, I can confirm that to be true. The beautiful cover looks like somewhere I would love to live (in fact it looks quite similar to my village) and I knew that I would feel comforted by the setting of this story. It was one of the things that I really enjoyed about reading it. I loved Emerald Bay and all of it’s lovely residents and I don’t know why Imogen ever thought that the grass would have been greener in Dublin.

Characters 👫👭👬

Imogen was the main character in this story and I warmed to her from the beginning. Although she badged herself as a city girl, I think everyone but her knew that she really belonged at home in Emerald Bay. Not only in the village, but with her family as she seemed to really be at ease when around her parents, Nan and siblings.

Ryan was an absolute sweetheart and really played into my love of fictional labourers/handymen. The vision of Ryan on site, tool belt in place, belting out 90s power ballads was enough to make anyone weak at the knees. I think that Imogen knew deep down that there was a connection between herself and Ryan, but admitting that would have meant admitting that she was wrong about other things; not something I think Imogen could do easily.

Writing Style ✍️

This was such an easy breezy, warming and entertaining read. The author was able to make me feel comforted and cosy throughout and it was a pleasure to follow these lovely characters around such a beautiful setting. I liked that the writing was no frills, classic romance fiction with a linear timeline, no big surprises and a cookie cutter happy ending. Sometimes this is exactly what I’m looking for when I want some escapism and to be reminded that there can be loveliness and cuteness in the world.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

I binged this book this weekend and it was such an easy story to dive into and get lost in. Emerald Bay was the cutest little village that made me want to instantly hop on a plane to Ireland. I loved all of the gossip and meddling the villagers engaged in and I think that main character Imogen secretly did too. If you’re looking to give your brain a break from doom and gloom and want to feel warm and cosy this bank holiday, definitely add this book to your shortlist.

I was so happy to be returning to Emerald Bay, Ireland. Imogen Kelly an interior designer. She lives in Dublin but is in need of a change and when offered an interior design job in a lavish country manor in Emerald Bay, she jumps at the chance. She loves the thought of returning home to see her family and friends including her first love, Lachlan Leslie, who also happens to be the heir to Benmore House. Imogen would love to do the redesign but what she would love more is to see Lachlan. But when she arrives in Emerald Bay, she discovers that the builder on the redesign is Ryan O’Mally who just happens to be the class prankster from school. Imogene finds Ryan to be just as annoying now as she did when they were in school together. However, the more time they spend together the more they begin to enjoy each other's company. But what is she to do about Lachlan? Does she follow her heart or her head?

New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village by Michelle Vernal was a fantastic get-away to the Irish coast. I thoroughly enjoyed the quirky characters and the wittiness of the conversations between them. Again I loved the author’s detailed description of the sights and sounds of the Irish coast. As I returned to Emerald Bay, the villagers felt like I reconnected with old friends. I enjoyed this heartwarming tale from beginning to end. This sweet story of family, friends both old and new, second chances and new beginnings was exactly the escape I needed. I definitely recommend this one.

I loved this book! The perfect cosy romance, with all the trimmings. It was really funny, and the Irish colloquialisms were the icing on the cake. I can’t wait to read more about Emerald Bay, and the other series from Michelle Vernal.

A lovely and lively rom-com set in the delightful village of Emerald Bay. Imogen is happy to leave Dublin behind and take on an interior design project which doesn’t always go to plan, especially working with builder Ryan. A heart-warming read!

New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village is such a fun story! I loved it from start to finish! It is a warmhearted romcom set in the small village of Emerald Bay where everyone knows your business and nobody seems to mind that it's that way.

Michelle Vernal has delivered a whole town of quirky and lovable characters. The story is just as much about the whole town as it is about the main character, Imogen Kelly, one of the five Kelly sisters.

Imogen, a highly successful Dublin interior designer, has returned home to Emerald Bay to complete an interior design project at Benmore House, the home of her first love Lachlan Leslie. A high school romance she still hasn't found closure with. Whilst at home surrounded by her family Imogen reflects on her own lifestyle choices and her current romance with a man 27years her senior.

New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village is a light read, a feel good story with plenty of humour at Imogen's expense. Imogen takes all the mishaps with good grace and is even able to have a laugh at herself, making her a very endearing character.

I really enjoyed this story about families, celebrations, reconnecting with your true self and new beginnings. I loved getting to know all the townsfolk of Emerald Bay and Imogen's large and loving family. I am looking forward to reading Christmas in the Little Irish Village and being back with them all again.

We're back in the little Irish village of Emerald Bay. this time it's Imogen's story. She almost literally gets run over by an old class mate Ryan while trying to rescue a duck family, which immediately made me like her. She lands up by working alongside him at an interior design job. A design job at an elaborate house. When her past and present collide she needs to let go of her past and rewrite her future. With the help of the 'forced proximity ' she discovers that what she thought she wanted isn't actually it anymore.

I love this series! I love the whole family and reading the various sister's stories, I really hope there'll be more books for the other sisters 😉. I love that there was a bit of catch up with Shannon and James and the rest of the Kelly family. It felt like a bonus epilogue.

I loved the descriptions of this little village and the colourful characters that pop in and out and the sense of community and how people just pull together to help each other. This was a comforting and feel good read that I loved.
If you like small town, forced proximity/ friends to lovers, family, then you'll love this. You don't have to have read the first book in this series but it will add to it and make you love it even more.

Sweet story of coming home, family, and new beginnings. Imogen left her home village of Emerald Bay and moved to Dublin, where she has a successful interior design business. While she has friends and an older boyfriend, Nevin, there are days when she feels something is missing. When offered a job doing up several rooms at Benmore House, the big manor in Emerald Bay, she jumps at the chance, hoping to see her childhood sweetheart again. Not that she wants to start anything up again; after all, he broke her teenage heart, but it would be nice to finally close the door on that chapter of her life.

She nearly has an accident on her way to Benmore House, stopping quickly to allow a family of ducks to cross the road. Then she's almost hit by another vehicle as she attempts to help a straggling duckling join the rest. The other driver is Ryan O'Malley, her school nemesis and class prankster, who has grown up to be a very handsome man. I loved their encounter, with Imogen trying to be the sophisticated city girl and Ryan being his usual teasing self. Then she discovers that Ryan is the builder also working on the project.

Though there is some tension between them initially, it doesn't take long for them to form a friendly working relationship. Ryan is a nice guy who rarely lets anything rile him up. He left behind his job and his girlfriend in London to come home when his dad had a stroke and has happily settled back into village life. As they spend time together, Imogen discovers there is more to Ryan than she expected.

I liked seeing Imogen readjust to village life. Her observations about the other residents were fun and realistic, as life in a small village means everyone seems to know what is happening with everyone else. I enjoyed seeing Imogen cope with everything from riding on the back of a scooter to being commandeered as Ms. Leprechaun for the St. Patrick's Day parade. She's also nervous about introducing her boyfriend to her family - not least because of the age difference between them.

There's no end of drama as Imogen deals with decorating issues at Benmore House, seeing Lachlan again for the first time since she was sixteen, and dealing with Nevin. Imogen has terrific self-confidence regarding her work, and I enjoyed seeing her deal with everything from delays to messed-up deliveries. Her meeting with Lachlan was quite an eye-opener for her. The author did a marvelous job of giving him the right amount of smarminess to make him unlikeable. The descriptions of Nevin and his attitudes made me wonder what Imogen saw in him, especially the more I saw of Ryan.

One of the things I liked about Imogen is her big heart. She isn't rude or obnoxious, even when she's frustrated by gossip and nosiness. I enjoyed seeing her empathy for Ryan over his worry about his father. When Mr. O'Malley's illness worsens, Imogen finds a way to help the family. I also loved how close she was with her family. There is plenty of love to go around, along with a fair helping of advice, wanted or not. I enjoyed catching up with Shannon and James <i>(Christmas in the Little Irish Village)</i> and the antics of Napoleon, the cat. I also liked seeing more of the family, especially the grandmother, Nan.

I liked watching Imogen and Ryan grow closer as they worked together. It's easy to see their friendship becoming more even though Imogen was blind to it for a long time. There are some sweet scenes of them together, from sharing lunches to escaping too much family drama. I loved the auction at the end of the book and seeing Imogen go after what she wanted.

A sweet and easy read, NEW BEGINNINGS IN THE LITTLE IRISH VILLAGE by Michelle Vernal is a light-hearted romance set in a picturesque, small Irish village where some of the characters felt a little familiar!

Imogen isn't happy and at thirty-two, her life is definitely not turning out as she had planned. So when she gets the opportunity to work in a big old country manor in Emerald Bay, she jumps at the chance. After all, this place holds so many memories for her, including when she dallied with love and heartbreak for the first time with Lachlan Leslie all those years ago.
Could first love be rekindled? Well, Imogen wouldn't mind finding out.
But like everything else in her life, her plans never seem to go quite to order. Instead of looking glamorous on arrival and stunning Lachlan with her beaming smile, she arrives flustered and out of sorts to see the class prankster, Ryan O'Malley, ready to work with her on this project. However, she soon finds out that Ryan has grown and changed in many ways and is surprised when she begins to have feelings for him. But will the arrival of Lachlan scupper their chances? Or is Lachlan the man of her dreams?

​Cute characters in a pretty setting, NEW BEGINNINGS IN THE LITTLE IRISH VILLAGE is the kind of romance that will make you smile and warm your heart to the very end. A well-paced story with a laidback vibe, this book should find its way into your suitcase for your next holiday.