I would like to thank netgalley and Alcove Press for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Entertaining, with a lovely setting.

The Irish Goodbye is a feel-good romance that deals with grief and loss.

Cordelia is mourning the loss of her father and finding herself without her usual knack for creativity in her career. To reset herself, she travels to Inishmore Island to stay in a cottage for 3 months and keep an eye on a local’s grandmother while she stays.

Amy Ewing did a lovely job on the descriptions of Inishmore and the residents, I really felt the warmth and joy emanating from them. The imagery of the scenery was so evocative, this could be the world’s best travel advertisement! Not to mention Róisín was an absolute delight, she was that sassy, gritty grandma we all need in our lives.

Where this lost me was the lack of emotional connection between Cordelia and Niall. Although they spoke of their connection and the characters themselves were well developed, I think the novel lacked some scenes to build that bond between them. They seemed to go from 0 to 100 and it felt so rushed that the third act breakup basically gave me whiplash.

I was not a big fan of this enemies to lovers romance. It is my favorite troupe and with the setting being in Ireland I thought it would be perfect. I will say I did love the crazy old neighbor. She was super feisty and full of life. I didn't enjoy the story of Niall being the let down son to his parents. As someone who has lost their dad at a young age, I can relate to Cordelia's grief and how she experienced it. The romance between Cordelia and Niall happened very quickly and seemed odd. Didn't enjoy the third act break-up either. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my ALC of this story which will release on 6/4/24.

“The Irish Goodbye” by Amy Ewing was a cute and quick read, perfect for summer. I studied abroad in Ireland almost 15 years ago and reading this just made me want to go back.

I really enjoyed this book overall. The first half of the book was fun and funny. I laughed out loud and grinned like crazy throughout the book. I loved the side characters and I thought it followed some deeper themes as well with grief and parent-child relationships in a realistic way. The second half of the book I didn’t love as much. I don’t think we got to really experience Cordelia and Niall in their relationship. It was all sexual chemistry. Also they so easily communicated in the first half of the book, but then the 3rd act came and they didn’t.

I would definitely recommend this book to friends or book clubs for a fun summer read. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC! 3.5 stars!

4 stars!

"The Irish Goodbye" by Amy Ewing is a wonderful, cute, emotional book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. While it can be frilly and fun at times, it also has a lot of mature, serious undertones to it. It has a lot to say about grief and moving on, about loss and second chances (in love AND in life). I enjoyed the main female character, Cordelia, who lives in New York City and jumps at the chance to flee to Inishmore, Ireland for a summer gig so she can reconnect to her life and soul after the loss of her father. I also loved Niall, a grumpy chef who has had his life and everything in it snatched from under him after multiple simultaneous heartbreaks at the hands of the same person. At first, you really don't like Niall at all. He is brusk, curt, and a bit of a jerk, but second chances are such that his grumpiness is explained away, so you see his point of view and come to understand what made him standoffish and made him have his walls up so high. You feel for both of them. Niall's world has crashed down around him, and he must heal from his losses. Cordelia, who has a lot of internet success with her photography, feels disconnected and untethered after her dad's death. As they embark on their own healing journeys, they find solace in each other where they once saw only the worst in one another. Cordelia and Niall also rediscover their passion and love for photography and cooking, respectively, as they fall in love with each other. There's quite a lot of complexity in this book! The romance aspect takes its time to get going, but I enjoyed Cordelia and Niall's journey from enemies to lovers. It's sweet, and often bittersweet, but frequently swoon-worthy. The travel and wanderlust aspects here are excellent as well. You really get the sense of the community of Inishmore and the country of Ireland, from the people to the weather to the customs and connections. All of the secondary characters are well-written and don't feel like random characters who come and go as they please. They are integral to the plot and to Niall and Cordelia's stories. A wonderful little book that I encourage you to read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Ewing, and Alcove Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

This book is one of the best contemporary romances I've read in a long time! Perfect setting, perfect characters, a bit of angst but not too much.... the ending felt a little like slow torture but it gave me what I wanted eventually! You will not be disappointed if you want some swoon and read this book!!

The Irish Goodbye comes out next week on June 4, 2024, and you can purchase HERE! I love this book!

He laughed and she raised the camera again. He tried to ignore it—he wanted to be a good sport. And okay, maybe it was nice knowing that she was looking at him, piecing him into the minor adjustments she made as she crouched or turned or stepped to one side. The clouds roiled overhead and thin drops of rain began to spit down on them. Cordelia pulled up the hood of her raincoat.

"D'you want to go back?" Niall asked.

"What for?" she said. "It's just a bit of rain." She took one more picture, then tucked her camera away inside her jacket.

A swooping sensation looped around his ribs. He rubbed his chest and remembered the iron spring that used to live there, winding tighter and tighter until he could hardly breathe.

When had it disappeared? He couldn't quite recall.

But as he climbed over the rocks, bantering with Cordelia and tossing stones out into the ocean, he found he wasn't missing it one bit. He kept himself together now.

Healing, Cordelia had called this place.

Well, he thought as he watched her pick up a stone and throw it out into the sea, maybe she was onto something there.

Meh this was average. Nothing special. It had some solid points but nothing to run home to mama about.

Second chances. Cordelia and Niall are both in Inishmore because they're struggling with grief and pain. And they're opposites. Can an American find happiness with an Irishman who doesn't like her one bit are first? Fans of the genre will enjoy the banter and the slow move to romance. It's also got a great setting! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A pleasant read for a lazy day.

Cordelia is looking for a change.  She hasn't been the same since her father passed away. She decides to rent a cottage on a small Irish island, hoping for some inspiration with her photography.  Her initial weeks there don't go well.  A stranger bumps into her and breaks her father's camera, she gets home sick, it's always raining, and her elderly neighbor continues to avoid her.  But the island, its people, and a grumpy stranger welcome her and help her come back to life.

Thoughts 💭
This story has a lot of charm. I love stories that involve cute destinations, and Inishmore fits the bill!  Even though it was rainy most of the time, this is some place I'd love to visit.  The setting on this small island, in a cottage, made it feel so cozy! The found family trope with a sassy older neighbor made this even more delightful to read.

Cordelia and Niall are so cute!  They start off disliking each other, and after a few encounters, it's clear there is chemistry there. They were both a little broken but found what they needed in each other.  They were absolutely adorable. They only thing I questioned was why it was ok for one person in the relationship to uproot their lives and move but not the other.  It just seemed a little silly to me. I still highly recommend adding this to your summer reading list.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My thoughts



Narrative and Plot


We follow Cordelia who lives in New York but goes on a break to Innishmore in Ireland to take a break from life in general after grief struck her big time. Then we have Niall, who is returning to Innishmore from Dublin after his life turned upside down.






Grief and pain are a big part of the book, especially during the first half. It is all about how two broken hearts mend each other and find love. The narrative is a bit muddled as it shifts from Cordelia to Niall in the same chapters. Other than that, the pacing was good, and it didn't overstay its welcome.



















Characters and Conflicts




This is one of those stories where hate to love is executed in the right manner. Cordelia and Niall are in a bad place at the beginning of the book and hate each other because of their own narrow view of the world. As they begin to heal, they see the world and each other in a new light.

This gives them an opportunity to try a second chance at happiness. The story has a rich ensemble cast that keeps things entertaining, to say the least.

The final conflict is realistic, but it came with a lot of flair and drama. But sometimes, things are dramatic in life too, especially where relationships are considered.





Conclusion





Overall, I enjoyed this romance. It was a quick and easy read. If you are looking for a novel that talks about healing and moving on with a bit of an Irish charm and romance, this is your pick.

Oh, this was such a cute, beautiful story 🥹 it reminded me of the series ‘Virgin River’. I really liked the storyline and the characters, Roisin was so funny! I hope that there will be a next book because I want to see how things continue for Cordelia and Niall and I don't want to say goodbye to these characters yet. Highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a small town romance based in Ireland! 🇮🇪
Thank you Netgalley and Alcove Press for this arc.

Another promising romance that unfortunately went downhill for me. But I think if you're looking for a story to settle a sense of wanderlust, this is a good option. Delivering a fill of Irish folklore, history, and local dialect, the setting of Inishmore was super lovely.

With a grumpy attitude resulting in a broken camera, I really liked the initial hostility between Cordelia and Niall, too. But it was short lived. The hate towards one another was resolved rather quickly, resulting in an overly fast timeline with a questionable romantic development.

In a nutshell, it crammed in a lot of emotions and conflicts for two characters that hardly knew each other. I needed more time spent with Cordelia and Niall as a couple. The intensity of their feelings, especially after a mere one month together, was a little ridiculous and unbelievable for me.

4.5 Stars!

Cordelia James was at the top of her game, until the sudden death of her father. His passing left a huge hole in her heart and Cordelia found herself just going through the paces of life. But when Cordelia sees an ad for a summer opportunity in Ireland, she jumps at the opportunity. The last thing Niall O’Connor wants to do is return home to Inishmore. His heart’s been broken, leaving him grumpier than ever. The last thing he has time for is dealing with sexy American tourists. An instant hate blooms between Niall and Cordelia. It isn’t until fate decides to intervene, that the tide begins to turn…

The Irish Goodbye is a sexy and sweet romance that will capture readers from page one. Cordelia and Niall’s story starts with a hate-at-first-sight vibe but quickly turns into something completely unexpected. The chemistry between Niall and Cordelia was like a bunch of fireworks just waiting to explode. Their banter kept me glued to the pages, wondering what would happen next and when they would finally give in to what’s been building between them.

If that isn’t enough to win you over, the picturesque setting of Inishmore, Ireland definitely will. Its description is like something you’d see in a fairytale and is the perfect small-town setting. Yes, it does fall victim to typical small-town life in the fact that everyone knows everyone and each other’s business, but when someone in the town is in need, the islanders aren’t afraid to step up and offer their support.

The characters in this story are complex and intriguing. There’s more to them than meets the eye, especially the quirky, meddlesome Rosin. Rosin is one of the most unique characters and she definitely steals the show. I loved her fiery attitude and the wild stories she would tell.

The Irish Goodbye is a story of self-discovery, loss, and healing. Naill and Cordelia were searching for something and found love instead. If I had to make one complaint, it would be that the ending felt a bit rushed. I was so consumed by Naill and Cordelia’s story and wasn’t quite ready for it to end.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming romance with the perfect amount of steam, drama, and romance, you won’t want to miss this must-read romance. I hope you’ll give The Irish Goodbye a chance and fall head over heels for Cordelia and Niall just as I have.

Thank you NetGalley, Amy Ewing, and Alcove Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautifully written, emotionally gripping, and wonderfully heartwarming contemporary romance that whisks you away to the charming small island of Inishmore in Ireland!! Journey alongside two souls in search of love, healing, and belonging as a jilted Irish chef and a spirted American tourist collide in unexpected ways. Amidst breathtaking landscapes, tantalizing cuisine, exquisite artwork, and a tapestry of culture richness, this slow burn unfolds, promising to captivate not just your senses but your heart and soul. Overflowing with palpable tension, witty banter, the comforting embrace of found family, undeniable chemistry, poignant heartache, unwavering love, passionate scenes, heartwarming romance, and a captivating array of secondary characters, this story guarantees an immersive experience with its dual point of view narrative. I absolutely cherished this indulgent escape to Ireland!! 🩷🩷🩷💗

<I>Tropes/Themes:</I>
☘️Hate at First Sight (Enemies to Lovers)
☘️Second Chances at Life
☘️Slow burn (so worth the wait)
☘️Small Irish Island
🔥Spicy Scenes

<I> Synopsis: </I>
Once at the peak of her career, Cordelia James was a renowned street photographer with a massive social media following, gallery showings in Chelsea, and a lucrative book deal. However, after the sudden death of her father, Cordelia can barely muster the strength to leave her apartment. That is until she stumbles upon an ad for a summer job at a cozy cottage on Ireland's picturesque Inishmore island. Without hesitation, Cordelia books a flight. As soon as she sets foot on the island, she collides-quite literally- with Niall O'Connor, a grumpy local who has returned home to Inishmore from Dublin. Nursing a broken heart and attempting to piece together a shattered life, Niall has little patience for posh American tourists. The more Cordelia and Niall cross paths, the more they seem to aggravate each other. But as their interactions intensify, their mutual animosity is poised to ignite, heating up the cool coastal nights of Inishmore.

Cordelia and Neill's love story was truly captivating! What transpires is a summer of healing for both of them, where they discover the essence of happiness, trust, and embracing their passions once more. It's a story that beautifully depicts the beauty of second chances and the hope of fresh starts. Despite their individual brokenness, they find solace and completeness in each other.

In conclusion, this is a fun, delightful, and spicy romance that ends with a satisfying ending! I highly recommend and it is the perfect summer read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was a little hesitant to read a first time novel by an American writer set in Ireland as those can be a bit cringy and distract from the story but I thought this was well executed. This has the enemy to lovers, sunshine /grumpy tropes covered.

First of all, who could say no to this cover? It’s flipping adorable and perfectly captures the vibe of The Irish Goodbye (although, perhaps a little too sunny, haha).
Honestly, this is one of the best contemporary romances I’ve read in years. It felt both comfortingly homey but new and exciting (like travel should be) at the same time. I actually found the voice in my head was reading with an Irish accent! If you’re a foodie, be prepared to have some serious cravings! I was literally drooling over the descriptions of every single thing Niall cooked. The side characters were everything: Pocket the border collie is an absolute cutie; Roisin is the wisest most badass lady with all the best stories; Colin, Allison, and Liz the best friends anyone could ask for; and, while complicated, Niall and Cordelia’s families are so loving and supporting.
I devoured this book. And I was so fondly reminded of my honeymoon in Ireland. While we only spent one day on Inishmore, it was the best day and I always wish I’d been able to stay longer. The Irish Goodbye is the cosiest, most heartwarming reading experience. I highly recommend snuggling up in a wooly knit with a glass of cabernet to fully immerse yourself in this incredible romance.

I'm always down for a book that takes place in Ireland, its one of my favorite places. This one hit all the check boxes of what you would want for a small town spicy romance, but set in Ireland. With the customs and ways of the Irish makes this a great read. And it's not just set in Ireland, but Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands, so we get an extra small town!

Two of my favorite things appeared in this book, photography and some Irish dancing. I'm always hoping for an Irish dance scene when the story takes place in Ireland, and the ceili scene in this one was just simply perfect. I could picture the fun and hear the music in my head. As for photography, our main girl Cordelia is a photographer from New York, who is spending three months in the summer renting a cottage, to escape after the recent passing of her father. There she literally bumps into Niall stepping off the ferry, who thinks she is just a dumb tourist. They soon find out they are neighbors and on this small island and can't escape not seeing eachother.

One thing I learned is what an Irish goodbye is! I was uncertain of the title of this book, if it wasn't going to have a happy ending, but I can assure that there is definitely an HEA and an Irish goodbye does not keep these two characters apart!

Overall it was a quick read and would recommend for a small town romance that takes place in Ireland and don't mind a little bit of insta-love.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

Obviously, this will make everyone want to plan a trip to Ireland - that's a given. What I didn't expect to love so much were these characters and their stories! Not just Cordelia and Niall but Liz and Roisin, and Owen and Collin. They really created this place and time and I love them!
What really captured this story for me was the plot and pacing. No misunderstandings here, and no love at first sight. I think getting a chance to see these characters grow and change as well and fall in love was perfect! This is the perfect summer, winter, or anytime read!

Cordelia James was once at the top of her game—a renowned street photographer with a massive social media following, gallery showings in Chelsea, and a lucrative book deal. But after the sudden death of her father, Cordelia can barely force herself to leave her apartment. That is, until she sees an ad for a summer gig at a cozy cottage on Ireland’s picturesque Inishmore island. Cordelia is on a plane before she can talk herself out of it.
The moment she steps off the boat, she crashes—literally—into Niall O’Connor, a grumpy local who’s just returned home to Inishmore from Dublin. Niall is nursing a broken heart and trying to patch up a broken life, and he has no time for posh American tourists. The more Cordelia’s and Niall’s paths cross, the more they make each other’s lives hell. But as with all rivalries, their hatred is about to reach a tipping point—and it’s going to heat up their cool coastal nights.

What a sweet, layered romance! Both MCs had really rich and complex emotional burdens and arcs that added a nice layer to the romance of the story — a romance that was steamy and wonderful. The atmosphere of small-town Ireland was well-drawn and I loved the cast of quirky side-characters especially Roisin.

Really enjoy this book.

Now, if it only came with a complimentary ticket to Ireland...

If you enjoy
-Steamy
-Enemies to Lovers
-Quirky side characters
-Swoony HEA's

then this one is for you!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.