Cute from hate to love story. Who wouldn't want to visit Ireland and fall in love? A couple of explicit sex scenes. Good character development.

ARC REVIEW: the irish goodbye by amy ewing!!

it’s hate-at-first-sight when a jilted Irish chef returns home to Inishmore and immediately clashes with a mouthy American tourist 🍀

this was a fun romance that also contained many mature & serious topics- second chances, grief, family problems and moving on. the romance took awhile to get going but once it did, I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers arc!

the first kiss scene and some of the little moments had me cringing but it didn’t take too much away. the irish goodbye is very comparable to the catch by amy lea, just a bit heavier.

I want to cozy up with all of these side characters & drink a cup of tea with them. thank you dreamscape media for an advanced listening copy 🇮🇪 3.5 stars!

I got this book as an advanced audiobook from @netgalley and I recently listened to it.. But truly I had to try hard to remember anything from this book as I found it to just be OK.

The dynamic between the two main characters was interesting at times but I found the story to be boring most of the time. The characters pivoted from hating each other to liking each other so quickly to me and it seemed really farfetched. Especially considering that they were each going through things at the time.

I did like the setting but some of the characters that were voiced in the audiobook felt like nails on a chalkboard to me. Particularly the older woman that the female MC, Cordelia, was tasked with “looking after”. It made those parts of the book hard for me to listen to.

I very much appreciate the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - it just wasn’t my fave.

I really enjoyed this "hate-at-first-sight" romance! I found the characters to be so relatable and fun, and it reminded me a lot of the romance of Kilt Trip and the small town from Witches Get Stuff Done! Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Alcove Press for the audio ARC!

Amy Ewing's "An Irish Goodbye" is an adorable story of found family, unexpected soulmates and dreams - of many kinds - reimagined.

The dual narration by Keval Shah and June DeBorahae in this audiobook was so right for this story. Shah’s portrayal of Niall was exactly what I pictured and endears a would-be gruff MMC to listeners. And, let me tell you, DeBorahae’s Cordelia was one of the best FMC narrations I’ve heard - one thing that sticks out was the way she captured laughing and crying in the dialogue. Perfection.

Dual POV
Found family
He falls first
Sweet, nosy neighbors and a meddling pup
Irish lore and landscape

Overall, I highly recommend this audiobook - but, as for the story itself, some readers may wish for a warning re: a pretty brutal third-act breakup and borderline insta-love (which I think was easier to accept while listening to the book via reading it).

Fans of Alexandra Kiley’s "Kilt Trip," Breea Kennan’s "Plot Twist," and Tarah DeWitt’s "Savor It" will adore "An Irish Goodbye."

I loved the storyline of this book and I loved how many times I giggled because of the characters. It was such a bubbly love romance that it made me so happy and totally crushing on Niall and made me envy Cordelia and Niall’s relationship. So if you are looking for a bubbly lovable romance and a little humor this audiobook is for you!

Two characters, a photographer and chef, in Ireland literally collide and embark on a quite the journey. This read has heartbreak, grief, and re-direction of one’s career. Overall, this book left me wanting more…more banter and more love for the small town. The main characters were not memorable and the story felt a bit generic.

Audio on Netgalley.

Cordelia is a successful street photographer in NYC. After the sudden death of her father, she sees an ad for a cozy cottage rental on the island of Inishmore in Ireland. Stepping off the boat on arrival, she is crashed into by Niall, a local chef returning home with a broken heart. It’s hate at first sight.

I love a book set in Ireland and this one, set in a small island town, did not disappoint. The setting is absolutely beautiful- the coast, the hills, the town. I fell hard and fast for the quirky town folk and the town dog. I really enjoyed Cordelia and Niall turning from hateful strangers to friends to more. It was such a sweet progression. The first kiss melted me. This delightful slow burn romance also has undertones of grief and loss. It is an emotionally steamy story of rediscovery and love (plus art and so much delicious sounding food).

I listened to the audio book which is narrated by two new to me narrators: Keval Shah and June DeBoraha. They did a fanatic job bringing this book to life.

such a sweet story! i really enjoyed the narration and storyline, these characters were so relatable.

I loved this so much! Cornelia and Niall were so cute. I loved how obsessed they are with each other.

Their relationship was so beautiful and I loved getting to see them grow together.

Niall's grandmother also cracked me up. There was so much humor in this book and it made the story all the more charming.

The narrators did a phenomenal job at making this book feel like an escape.

4.5/5

3.5 rounded up.
This was simple and adorable and a fun read. It didn't necessarily bring anything new or different to the table as a romance but I did find myself appreciating the ending since it hinted but didn't quite solidify the complete happy ending which made it feel a bit more real. I would gladly read another book in this setting and with these characters, really hoping for this to be a series.

This book was an absolute pleasure to listen to. The narrators were so excellent and I loved their accents and voices which made it so fun to listen to. Cordelia Is a gifted photographer who got stuck in her own grief and decides to spend the summer across the sea in Inishmore. Niall returns to Inishmore like a dog with tail tucked between his legs after his dreams fall apart in Dublin. The two of them quite literally collide and their animosity blooms. However, they are forced to interact quite frequently on the small island and slowly learn how to value the other. While there wasn’t explosive chemistry, Cordelia and Niall had a quiet friendship build that fell into a romance. They both had massive growth throughout the book and their journeys were incredibly sweet. The supporting cast really added to the storyline and contributed some humor as well. I think the book was a touch too long, but did really showcase Ireland well. Overall, this book is so well done and I would highly recommend listening to it since the narrators did such an excellent job! 4.25⭐️, 2🌶

Give me all the romance audiobooks set in Ireland. Actually, just take me to Ireland. 🍀🧡🇮🇪

Like how can I get the gig that Cordelia got? Free lodging for the summer on the Aran Islands! A disaster meet-cute with a hot Irish chef! A meddling octogenarian mentor! A beautiful summer love story! Sign me up!

Special thanks to @dreamscape_media for the ALC. This one comes out on Tuesday, June 4.

Light and fun enemies-to-lovers plot with a gorgeous backdrop of the Aran Islands. I was not a fan of how quickly things progressed from hate to REALLY steamy sex, falling in love, and a proposal I generally prefer a little slower burn--this one was more like flicking a switch and all of a sudden, poof, they were in love. In any case, I think my favorite character was Roisin (not sure if I spelled that right, since I listened to the audio version...)--she was hilarious. The narrators of the audio version did a fairly good job, although the male narrator's interpretation of Roisin's voice was so high pitched it hurt my ears.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ALC. Róisín and the audiobook narrators really steal the show here. The main conflict for the 3rd act breakup was a bit of a stretch, but ultimately this is sweet choice for readers in it who are in it for setting.

This book gave me warm fuzzy feelings 🥰
Absolutely fell in love!

Inishmore, Ireland is a beautiful location to set this small town romance. Did I look up the place when it was mentioned to see if I could visit? Yes I did. Ewing did a wonderful job capturing Inishmore’s ancient beauty & cozy atmosphere.

But I didn’t just love the setting. I fell in love with Cordelia, Niall & all the townspeople. I felt the main characters were relatable. Both are navigating life after loss & find happiness with each other. They had a meet cute gone wrong first encounter which made their love story even sweeter! I felt I really knew the characters by the end.

Niall & Cordelia are a slow burn but watching their dislike turn into love was worth it. The hike they took together was when I started falling. I mean *swoon* Plus the spice was super unexpected. The kitchen scene was 🥵

The story has a nice blend of heart & humor. I had to stop myself from laughing while listening in public 🤭

I’m so happy I picked this up. It’s a summer romance set in Ireland. You’re gonna love it. Highly recommend the audiobook!!!

Rating: 5/5
🌶️ Rating: 3/5

This was a delightful romantic comedy set in Ireland with a cast of cooky characters. Overall, a great listen.

Going into this I was nervous it would be another "Highland Fling" which I DISPISED. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how cute this story was! Two people healing and hurting in different ways, coming together to understand each other and complete the other. Yes, it had the dreaded third-act breakup *shudders* but it fit with the story. Fun, summer/vacation read.

Cordelia has struggled with her photography since her father passed two years ago. She decides she needs a break from the city and finds an opportunity in Ireland for the summer. Immediately upon arriving, a grump Irishman bumps into her, causing her to drop and break her beloved camera. Niall, the grumpy Irishman, keeps popping up everywhere. Niall has a reason to be grumpy- he sank everything he had into his dream of opening his own restaurant. Only to find his fiancé and business partner cheating on him. Having lost everything, he is home for the summer. The more time Cordelia and Niall spend together, the more he realizes she isn't a flighty American and she realizes he has a reason to be grumpy.

I found this to be a light, fluffy read. I really enjoyed the secondary characters a lot. I did find it extremely predictable- I correctly assumed the trajectory very early on. If you are looking for a bit of fluff with an open door romance, this would be perfect.

Keval Shah and June DeBorahae narrate the audiobook. I always appreciate when multiple narrators are used for multiple POV stories.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ☆ a sweet, cosy and spicy romance set in a small town in Ireland. I listened to the audiobook which I thought was really good, the narrators were great, I loved the accents and it was just a fun listen so I would recommend the audiobook over a physical book (I don’t know if I would’ve enjoyed it as much). Niall and Cordelia were cute and although it wasn’t insta love, their love story is over 3 months so it’s on the quicker side. I also really enjoyed all the side characters, they were hilarious, especially roisin. I didn’t love the third act break up or epilogue, personally I wouldn’t call it an epilogue as it was just the next morning and it all felt very rushed. however, if you’re looking for a quick summer read, this is a good one!

tropes:
- dual pov
- hate to lovers
- chef x photographer
- close proximity
- found family

thank you NetGalley for the arc ~ releases June 4th.