3.5 stars rounded up!

This was a cute story about Emily, who travels to Ireland to work as an assistant to the author of her favorite childhood book series, and work in the local bookstore. Emily meets and falls in love with the people in the little Irish town, and with the brooding, grumpy bookstore owner.

I found this story to be pretty slow, but enjoyable! There was more to it than just the romance, and it was very bookish and emotional. The only pieces that bothered me were Em and Kier's path to romance. I really didn't get it. Nothing remarkable happened that I thought drew them together (except proximity) and I didn't understand what Kier loved about her. I think chapters from his perspective would have been helpful, because it really just felt like suddenly he's in love with her and I didn't buy it. Also, Em is American but the entire book is written from her POV and includes Irish/UK slang almost immediately, so I kind of hated her for it lol

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review!

Jenn McKinlay crafts a charming and heartfelt romance in 'Love At First Book,' a delightful tale that will enchant book lovers and romantics alike. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Martha’s Vineyard and the Emerald Isle, the story follows Emily Allen, a librarian whose passion for literature leads her on an unexpected journey of love and self-discovery.

From the moment Emily receives an offer to work for her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, in Ireland, readers are swept away on a whirlwind adventure filled with romance, banter, and literary magic. McKinlay deftly captures the essence of bookish charm, weaving together themes of friendship, family, and the transformative power of storytelling.

One of the highlights of the novel is the dynamic between Emily and Kieran Murphy, Siobhan's son and manager of the bookstore. Their banter is witty and engaging, sparking a palpable chemistry that leaps off the page. Emily's journey to overcome her illness anxiety disorder is portrayed with sensitivity and authenticity, adding depth to her character and highlighting her resilience.

As the story unfolds, McKinlay skillfully navigates the complexities of love and friendship, exploring themes of forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. The Irish settings are vividly rendered, transporting readers to quaint bookshops, cozy cottages, and windswept cliffs.

Overall, 'Love At First Book' is a heartwarming and enchanting romance that celebrates the magic of literature and the joy of falling in love. Jenn McKinlay's evocative storytelling and endearing characters make this novel a delightful escape into the world of books and romance. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A librarian, a quaint Irish village, and a love story all make Jenn McKinlay’s Love at First Book a charming book that will carry you right off to Ireland!

Don’t we all at some point dream of just leaving our lives behind to take a job in a small village in Europe? I certainly do! And Finn’s Hollow is the exact type of place that I was picturing. Beautiful scenery, a community full of characters, historic castles, and mouthwatering food all lend a fairy tale quality to this book that absolutely charmed me.

We are transported to Finn’s Hollow alongside our heroine Emily when she packs up her life in Martha’s Vineyard to move to Ireland and accept a job as the assistant to her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan. In the mornings she works with Siobhan and then in the afternoons she helps out in a bookstore. It isn’t long after arriving that she meets Siobhan’s son Kieran Murphy.

Kieran makes it clear her doesn’t want Emily there. It doesn’t matter that his mother starts writing again, this seems to make Kieran dislike Emily more. But as they say, hate and attraction are right next to one another in the brain, and it seems Kieran may be covering feelings for Emily by acting out as though he hates her. Perhaps that hate can turn to love before all is said and done!

I find enemies-to-lovers stories to be hit or miss for me. Sometimes they are great, but more often than not I find them to be tedious. Love at First Book definitely fell on the positive end of the spectrum. I didn’t find it overly manufactured the way that trope can be, and the characters had a lot of depth that made them more sympathetic. The banter between Kier and Emily was a fun part of the book that kept it light even in heavier moments. I also loved Siobhan and her relationship with Emily.

In every great romance, the characters bring out a new side of one another. Kier makes Emily more relaxed and go-with-the-flow—things that the somewhat uptight librarian did not lean into at the beginning of the book. Emily helps Kier be more open to feelings and happiness. I found the story heartwarming and the setting charming. Jenn McKinlay writes some of my favorite romance books, and this was another wonderful one!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

DNF 60%

I have been pushing myself since I started this to keep picking it back up. Really disappointing because I was really excited about the premise of this book (who doesn't want a romance set in Ireland? In a bookstore?). But there are so many things not working for me.

The writing is not as engaging as I'd like it to be, almost seems a little juvenile. I was not connecting to either MC's and as a result wasn't feeling their relationship at all. And the cherry on top was the FMC getting hit with information about the author she's working with (the MMC's mother) and being told that she can't tell him. This is already an annoying trope for me personally but then almost right after she learns this information, she's sucking his face. Jesus, absolutely no shame, and I don't enjoy FMC'S who can't seem to control themselves even when the situation is extremely complicated.

So I just couldn't get behind this one with the issues that I was seeing, especially since I kept coming across new ones the more I read.

There were definitely some cute and funny moments, but this was a no for me dawg.

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay is a wonderful enemies to lovers standalone novel. We meet Emily Allen at the start, when she arrives in Ireland. Emily is a librarian in Martha’s Vineyard, who is obsessed with her favorite author’s books. After writing a letter to the author, Siobhan Riordan, Emily was offered a job to be her assistant in helping her get out of her writer’s block, which has been 10 years since she last wrote another book in the Tig McMorrow series. Emily jumps at the chance to leave home, as she feels suffocated and dreams of going to Finn’s Hollow in Emerald Isle, and working with her hero, as well as helping in the bookstore.

Before she gets to meet Siobhan, she meets her boss at the bookstore, who turns out to be Siobhan’s son, Keir, who is broody, grumpy and treats her badly, determined to get her back to America; but Emily manages to bring out her sassy side giving the same back at him. In a short time, things will change, as the fiery chemistry between them escalates, with both eventually finding themselves falling for each other. The banter between them was fun and witty; with Keir unable to resist Emily’s charm.

Emily is thrilled to meet her hero, Siobhan, which was a dream come true. Siobhan was a terrific character, being so sweet and happy around Emily, taking her around the town. Finally, with both discussing things, Siobhan begins to find her muse, and starts to write again. I really loved Siobhan, and her closeness to Emily. Emily was the perfect person for Siobhan, as they both became close, with both having so much love and passion in working on the book.

We learn more about why Keir is so protective of his mother, and when Siobhan’s health takes a turn, she is more determined to finish the final book. Emily learns the secret that she has to keep it from Keir, and understands why he always wanted her to rest. Emily made a promise, and can she hide the truth of Siobhan’s health until she finishes the book?
When Keir learns the truth about Siobhan’s health, he pushes Emily away, and tells her to leave Ireland when the book is done. As we get closer to the end, all three of them work together to finish the book, to a successful conclusion. Keir will realize that he loves Emily, and they will find their way back together.

What follows is a wonderful heartwarming story, with love, romance, friendship, great secondary characters; and lots of Ireland. I loved how the town all adored Siobhan, especially those who were part of the book shop and house. This book covered a lot of issues along the way, such as emotions, grief, love and family. Love at First Book was so very well written by Jen McKinlay.
Love at First Book was a fantastic read, which I thought was the best one yet from McKinlay. I loved the book from start to finish. I suggest you read Love at First Book.

A warm, cozy hug of a romance, and a tribute to books, writers, and booklovers
Librarian Emily Allen arrives in Ireland to spend a year working as assistant to her favorite author, a YA novelist who hasn’t published a book in 10 years. Or rather, she’ll be spending her mornings as Siobhan Riordan’s assistant, and her afternoons working in the village bookstore owned by Siobhan and her son Kieran Murphy, a bookseller with romance-hero looks and a surly manner.

Kier soon makes it clear he doesn’t want Em there — neither in the bookstore nor helping his mother get over her decade-long writer’s block. But Em, who has spent her life trying to please her narcissistic, domineering mother, discovers a stubborn streak and a fierceness she didn’t know she had. She refuses to let Kier drive her away from Siobhan, from the bookshop, or from Ireland. And soon she begins to wonder if Kier might be as reluctantly attracted to her as she is to him.

I loved a lot of things about this book. Em and Kier’s banter is great, especially because Kier brings out a feistiness in Em that she never knew she had. Em’s illness anxiety disorder is handled compassionately and accurately (to the best of my knowledge.) Em herself is kind, likeable, enthusiastic, and good at solving problems. It’s a pleasure to watch her bloom and become more courageous and outspoken after spending much of her life trying to keep her (terrible) mother happy.

Kieran starts out as a fairly generic hero (in the handsome-but-grouchy vein), but as he opens up more, his character becomes a bit deeper and more complex, and thus more compelling. it’s easy to see why Em’s initial, physical attraction evolves into something more. Siobhan is a delight, and her acceptance and caring are healing for Em. And as a reader for whom several series were deeply important to me in my childhood and young adulthood, I loved seeing Em get the opportunity to work closely with her idol. I also enjoyed the bookstore staff, the village, and the Irish countryside, and wished we got more time with them.

Most of all, I loved how bookish this novel is. McKinlay describes the Last Chapter bookstore in loving detail. Throughout the book, Em and Kier have an informal competition, each weaving literary quotes into their conversation for the other to identify by book and author; the books they quote range from children’s classics to adult literature. And Siobhan’s fictional Tig McMorrow series has much in common with the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series, following Tig’s adventures in a magical world as he grows from child to young adult. (Siobhan’s last name clearly pays tribute to Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan.) But because the series remains unfinished, with Tig literally in limbo at the end of the last book published, Em’s need for closure will also resonate for fans of G. R. R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss. Finally, Em makes references to several romance novel tropes… and daydreams a few scenarios involving Kier.

I admit, there are a few things I wish Ms. McKinlay had done differently. The prose sometimes has more of the tone, flavor, and lightness of a cozy mystery, particularly at the beginning. (Not surprising, given that McKinlay is best known as a cozy mystery author.) Em narrates in the first person, which means we never experience Kier’s thoughts and feelings directly; that’s not unheard of in a contemporary rom-com, but I think I would have been even more invested in their relationship if I had seen it from both sides. Given the serious nature of one of the plot lines, I also would have appreciated deeper character and relationship development overall. Not that there was no depth of feeling! On the contrary, the book had me in tears at least twice, and only once were they happy tears.

The book takes place during late summer, fall, and winter, but it’s such a delightful wish-fulfillment romance, I highly recommend sticking it in your beach or vacation bag this summer.

Book with plot around books?! Yes please, sign me in! From the beginning, I was drawn in by the plot's premise and the incredibly likable characters, and I was quickly captivated in the story itself.

The main character, Emily Allen, feels like representation of every bookworm. Dreaming of travel and adventure while cozying up with her favorite books? Ugh, I relate to this so much!! And then, she gets this once-in-a-lifetime chance to work with her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, in Ireland! I swear, personally I have at least a few or more names of authors I would like to work like that! It’s truly bookworm dream!

But obviously, not everything is working as Emily wanted to. Disturbance in her bookworm dream is Kieran Murphy, the brooding bookshop owner who's not exactly thrilled about Emily crashing their literary party. The way he called Emily "Red" was kind of adorable too, even if she didn’t like that at first. And OMG, the banter between these two had me grinning like a maniac!

But apart from the romance part of the story, there's some real depth too issues like toxic relationship with parent and dealing with the anxiety. And I loved Emily's growth and journey to finding her independence and helping Siobhan find closure with her series.

"Love at First Book" is a must-read for any book lover who's ever dreamed of meeting their favorite author. It's heartfelt, it's touching, and it's filled with so much love and charm. And the Irish settings are so perfect that you will just wish to be there with all those characters! Highly recommended for fans of enemies to lovers and sunshine and grumpy tropes!

Guys, this one won me over at the end. The beginning of the book felt a bit typical and actually kind of reminded me of Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz with its Irish cozy setting. The middle felt kinda long but the last part of this book is where it all came together and became its own book for me. The emotions, the relationships, the love.... I was definitely won over! I think book lovers will really enjoy this as it has to do with a woman who goes to be an assistant to her favorite author. The audiobook was also excellent, recommend in either format!

I totally enjoyed Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay, a heartwarming story about starting over. This story follows Emily moving to Ireland to work for her favorite author and help her with writer’s block; and also deal with the author’s broody son

Librarian Emily (Em) Allen needs to escape from her toxic life; a life with an absent father, emotionally abusive mother, trapped on a small-town island, and suffering from hypochondria due to the stress from her family issues. This is why she finds herself in Ireland, after writing a letter to the world-renowned Siobhan Riordan who inspired her and kept her sane during her earlier years. That letter forced her out of her comfort zone and provides her with an invitation to visit the author in Ireland with the possibility of helping as an assistant to her favorite author while working at a local bookstore. For the first time in life, Emily takes a chance, flies to Ireland and shows up at that small bookstore. What she didn't count on was working with the author's brooding, grumpy son, Kieran (Kier) Murphy, who treats her like the bane of his existence, calling her "Red" and doing everything in his power to make her leave without looking back.

Kieran brings out a feisty, impulsive side of Emily as she has no intention of giving up, even though Kieran gives her the impossible task of working on the inventory of the store with an ancient stocking system and a computer that may have been transported from the early ages. She cannot figure out why Kieran is so protective around his mother; even thought he cannot resist the charm of Emily. What follows is an absolutely delightful, cozy story filled with the love of all things Ireland, books, friendship, and romance; lost and found. . I loved the way they used the literary quotes in their little game of comebacks, one-upmanship and flirtation.

Ms. McKinlay wrote a wonderful story has all the feels: heartwarming, great banter, humor, silliness, and lots of emotions that made me laugh, cry, feel heartbroken and loving this book so much that struggled to put it down.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #Berkley

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay is a new contemporary romance novel with some humor but also some heartbreak. The story is one of a grumpy/sunshine or enemies to lovers romance set in the Emerald Isle, Ireland.

Emily Allen is feeling a bit stuck in her life where she works as a librarian in Martha’s Vineyard and decides to finally make a change. Answering an ad for a job as an assistant and part time book shop work Emily finds the one placing the ad is one of her favorite authors, Siobhan Riordan, so of course Emily jumps at the opportunity.

After arriving in Ireland though Emily gets a bit panicky about her big move and matters don’t get any better when she finds she’ll actually be working a lot of the time with Siobhan’s testy son. Determined to make the most of it though Emily settles in and does whatever is asked of her by both mother and son.

Starting off Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay I really thought this was going to be a run of the mill rom com but boy was I wrong. The story gets much deeper with cancer being at the center of one of the characters motivation so it really really pulled at my heart strings having just dealt with my own family member cancer scare. There was a good balance of the light and darker topics in the book and while i may have passed this by knowing the deeper topic was to come I’m certainly not sorry I read it and got to know and enjoy these characters and their stories.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Have you ever wanted to move to an adorable village in Ireland and work in a bookshop that has three floors, its own cafe (with whiskey shortbread), a hot boss, and a writer-in-residence who wrote your favorite (ever!) books? Welcome to Love at First Book--total wish fulfillment. I, personally, fell in love with the setting the moment Em stepped onto the page, and my love for the characters quickly followed. This is a Romance, but even more so is UpLit--full of quirky characters and meaningful connections that leave you crying at the same time you feel like they're your own community. Perfect read for a rainy afternoon (or a sunny one!)

I fell in love with Jen McKinlay’s books with Paris Is Always a Good Idea. Her writing is swoony and romantic, they draw you in a just don’t let go. Love at First Book is very much the same. Emily is so lovable you just can’t help but root for her as she travels to Ireland to start her life fresh working as an author’s assistant. And prickly Kieran wins you over quickly once you understand why he’s so grumpy all the time. The story is a bit slow at take off as it sets the scene and you get to know the characters, but a couple of chapters you feel as if you live in Finn’s Hollow and you’ll be popping into the bookshop for a cup of tea each day. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I absolutely loved Em and Kier’s story.

Not having read Summer Reading, I could tell this was somewhat of a sequel, but I can attest that reading Summer Reading doesn't seem necessary to enjoy Love at First Book. I really enjoyed this and appreciated the depth that it had. I went into it expecting a cute little Irish romance that would be a fun time but not particularly emotional, and boy was I wrong. This book had me WEEPING for the characters, which isn't something I expect from a romance except from like, Emily Henry. I thought it was really well written, and I think I'll definitely go back and read some of this author's backlist.

When a librarian moves to a small Irish village where her favorite novelist work, the last thing she expects is to fall for said author's grumpy son! Emily Allen is a librarian on Martha's Vineyard. She dreams of adventure and traveling, so when her favorite author offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily immediately says yes. Emily then gets a job at a local bookstore, owned by said author's grumpy son who wants her to stay away from his mom. Emily begins helping Siobhan write her final book in her acclaimed series, after a 10 year hiatus, she begins to also spend more time with the author's son and her new boss, Kieran. Emily and Kieran are completely different yet they begin to fall for one another... but as Emily helps Siobhan she discovers a secret that could ruin her new relationship with Kieran if he finds out and she didn't tell him. Can she make this new chapter in her life work or was it a doomed romance from the start. This was a book that featured anxiety and hypochondria representation, but it just didn't feel really well fleshed out. I was really hoping to love this one as I adore small town romances and cute bookshop tropes, but this one just kind of felt bland and boring and I just didn't really see the romance as being that convincing. This one fell flat for me and despite that, I think that if you enjoy small town romances then you should give this a go!

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay is a delightful and emotionally rich novel that is filled with passion. This enemies-to-lovers tale is a must-read for any romance enthusiast. It is both hilarious and deeply moving, making it a truly captivating read. The book is sdazzling and willleave a lasting impression on readers.

a cute and sad and heartwarming story. the two main characters chemistry build up wasn’t really there and then it happened so that was a tad off. banter was a bit aged it felt like? but a really sweet book nonetheless, i really enjoyed it. thanks netgalley for giving me the chance to review this ARC!

𝟹.𝟺 ͙͘͡★
"𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘙𝘦𝘥, 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨."

I wanted to read a cute quick romance book, so why am I lying on my bed at midnight bawling my eyes out????🥲🥲

If you want to read a cute romance book but also bawl your eyes out, this book is perfect for you!!!😭🫶🏼

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘙𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

!!𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 & 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗲𝗻𝗻 𝗠𝗰𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!!

I found this piece to be exceptionally well-crafted, and I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to delve into more works by this author. Given its potential popularity among our library patrons, we're certainly looking forward to adding it to our collection

4.25

A hot, well-read Irishman in a close-knit Irish village is pretty hard to mess with in a romcom and Jenn McKinlay certainly didn’t mess this up!

When I first started reading, I realized that this was a continuation of last year‘s “Summer Reading”, but even though I went back to refresh my memory, you don’t really need to have read it. And that’s coming from me, the spokesperson of reading books in order.

But first, you should know that you need to have a box of tissues next to you. My family thought I was having some sort of sinus problem and wanted to give me nasal spray.

Emily is a bookworm librarian who goes to Ireland on a supposed one-year work visa. I think those really only exist in college for summer jobs, but anyway. She is the number-one fan of a series writer reward who left readers hanging, having not finished the last book in the series. Her son Kieran is the owner of the bookshop where Emily will work part time after helping his mother. It’s partly formulaic, but the characters are sweet and there’s another storyline to invest in rather than drawing out the will they, won’t they? Of course they will!

If you like Jenn McKinlay, especially the romcoms (misnomer from what I have read lately), then this will probably be one of your faves. The only thing that bothered me is how all mention of her mother and any interaction seemed to vanish when other stuff picked up.

I usually go to warm places in the winter but I’m tempted to choose freezing in Ireland rather than freezing at home next winter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This is my first book by Jenn McKinlay and she did not disappoint! It was a little predictable but I loved the emotion it evoked and the story of Emily. I laughed, I smiled, I got teary-eyed. You'll get all the feels reading this one. It was nice to see Em's growth. AND the banter between Kieran and Emily?! SO GREAT. Librarian and bookstore owner, name a better combo.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for an ARC of this title!