Overall, I enjoyed reading this cute romance set in Ireland but the writing was mediocre. I liked the friendship between Nora and Brie, the chemistry between Jess and Owen, and the backstory of Amy and how she died. However, the foreplay scenes got a little spicy, and the characters were always talking about sex or having sex with someone which isn't really my thing. The story also ended abruptly and awkwardly which was a disappointment. I don't feel I can recommend reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book wasn't for me. I thought I was really going to like it. I struggled the most with not knowing words since it is not set in the USA. For reference "Fish and Chips" when I think chips i think potatoe chips. Yes. I know "chips" mean French fries for us in the USA. I think I would really enjoy this if I knew the slang.

In The Little Irish Farm, Jess relocates from New Zealand to Ireland, pursuing her dream of becoming a newspaper columnist. Her fascination with children's fairy tales leads her to collect these enchanting books. When she discovers one with a poignant inscription, she feels inspired to write the story she has longed to find.

Determined to uncover the identity of the little girl behind the inscription, Jess's quest takes her to a farmhouse in a quaint Irish village, where she unravels a heartbreaking twist. Grumpy farmer Owen reveals the tragic story of his little sister, leaving Jess to question whether this marks the beginning of their journey together or the end.

This beautifully crafted narrative weaves together elements of joy and sorrow, offering a poignant exploration of life and loss. Highly enjoyable, The Little Irish Farm will resonate with anyone who cherishes the power of storytelling.

The Little Irish Farm is heart-warming and hard to put down, making it such a great book. I loved the characters and the setting was perfect. Highly recommend.

You can count on a book by Michelle Vernal having plenty of heart, a community of friends and a healthy dose of morality to boot. This book had all of this in spades as well as mouth watering yo-yo's, a murderous goose, a runty piglet, a tragic history, wine stained teeth and a little black dress!

The story was a bit slow to get off the ground. It was either a stand alone book or the start of a series and all of the characters were new. I could not work out for a while whether Jess was actuality in Auckland or Ireland and where she grew up vs where she was now. It did become apparent later on in the text.

Journalist Jess had a lovely idea to follow up on a child's inscription inside a book to find out what became of the little bookworm. She finds a tragic story there alongside something else that she can't quite put her finger on. The main gist of the story wasn't quite touched on until a little way through the book, rather Jess' dating life and her friends antics were given the front seat. Once the story did kick off, it had a lovely home grown feel to it.

I enjoyed the story once it really got going and there was a lot going for it, including some amazing friendships, tales of staying true to yourself, standing up for who you are and what you believe in.

Thanks go to Netgalley, Bookouture and Michelle Vernal for a lovely read. All opinions expressed are my own.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I read this as an ARC on NetGalley. This book was so fantastic that I could barely put it down! I wanted more! Took me right to Ireland!

I have read all tof Michelles books and love her style of writing. Easy reading, romantic, funny and fun reads.

This tells the story of Jess who escapes New Zealand and moved to Dublin away from her overbearing and annoying mother. Jess is a journalist working for the local paper and is a collector of illustrated childrens books. I resonated with Jess because i too collect the same kind of books.

Jess buys a book in a charity shop that has an inscription in it and there lies the story. Jess decides that she is going to track down the original owner of the book and write a story about them and how she found them to return the book.

A very charming story, i liked Jess and her main love interest. Woven into the story is the sad story of a child that was killed during the troubles which is quite heartbreaking.

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

This was a wonderful, cozy book. I loved it so much!

An easy to read story about a journalist in Ireland. Michelle Vernal is a new author to me. I look forward to reading more of her novels.

Good book with an interesting storyline. Jess is a New Zealander who moved to Dublin to work as a journalist. She has a weekly column in the newspaper and is always looking for interesting things to write about. She also collects children's fairy tale books. Jess's latest find has a little girl's name in it and she gets the idea to track down the previous owner and see what she's doing now. She connects with the little girl's brother, Owen, a gruff, moody pig farmer, and learns about Amy's tragic fate.

Jess has two good friends, Brianna and Nora. Brianna is married with a small son, and Nora is single and constantly looking to set Jess up with blind dates. I loved the fun they had together and how they had each other's backs, whether they needed support or a kick in the pants. In this book, Nora is dating a film star, and sets Jess up with his friend, Nick. Nick is a handsome, wealthy property developer who wines and dines her. Jess wonders if Nick might be The One. At the same time, she feels a connection with Owen as she spends time with him, learning about Amy.

I enjoyed watching Jess with the two men in her life. Nick is smooth and flashy and rather full of himself. She's pretty taken with him, but I had reservations about him, mainly when he talked about his work. Being around Owen was like being on a roller coaster. He could go from grumpy and curt to charming and talkative at the drop of a hat. He has issues from his past that make it difficult for him to trust, and Jess frequently bumps up against those issues. Owen and Jess have some work to do before fully trusting each other.

Another part of the story deals with the tension between Jess and her mother, Marian. Marian can be quite pushy when "encouraging" Jess to get out and find a man. I laughed at many things she said, but I was also glad I wasn't the one on the receiving end. Jess panics when Marian visits Ireland because she knows what her mom can be like. Matters come to a head when Jess and Marian visit Owen. This time, Jess's insecurities are creating problems. I loved the emotional scene in the car when Jess and Marian finally clear the air between them. The ending was sweet, and I loved the epilogue.

Jess's treatment of Amy's story was terrific. I loved the mix of innocent young girls caught up in events beyond her control and its effect on her family's lives. That touch of sadness was a good foil for the amusing parts of the story and gave a good balance.

A pretty decent read to curl up with. Jess was a bit annoying most of the time. Clueless about Nick and then pretending to not know even after multiple people warn her. And don’t even mention that she decided to blindside her best friend like that. Just terrible. I kind of felt like Owen should have ran far and fast.

Jess is a journalist living in Dublin and enjoying life to the fullest. Her mother continually sets her up on dates but Jess likes being single. While working on her recent column she finds a vintage children’s book with a dedication to a little girl. In the midst of research she finds herself at an old dilapidated farmhouse in an Irish village. The owner of the old farmhouse is Owen, who is grumpy and mad at the world. He wants nothing to do with her questions and refuses to answer them. She can’t seem to figure him out and then he invites her to stay at the farm. They soon become the talk of the village leaving Jess with a decision to make. Does she stay at the farm and continue to search for answers or does she return to Dublin?

The Little Irish Farm, written by author Michelle Vernal is a wonderful story of following your dreams and never giving up. I loved the amazing way that Vernal described the Irish village and the farm. I felt transported to Ireland and feeling the warm sunshine on my face is exactly what I needed. This wonderful tale hits all the feels and with the perfect amount of a toasty romance, I flew through the pages. I really enjoyed Jess’ story and Owen was extremely likeable as well. They were a great combination and their chemistry was felt throughout the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous story and I highly recommend it.

I enjoyed the Little Irish Guest House books by the same author and was looking forward to reading this. It was a different style of book and I really enjoyed it but felt it did not have the same humour as the other series. I would still recommend it as it had a very moving storyline linked to the recent history of Ireland.

From New Zealand to the Emerald Isle
Jess Báre moved, to stay for a while.
Escaping her Mum and her matchmaking dreams
Making new friends and a fresh start it seems.

Jess collects Ladybird fairytale books
But only ones at which children have taken looks.
She likes the pre-loved and the messages within
And one of these is where this story will begin.

Jess is a journalist and is really intrigued
By the inscription in a pre-loved book that she reads
She decides to investigate what the child is doing now
Hoping to connect with her somehow.

A heartbreaking tale, with a journey to take
To discover more and connections to make.
A gorgeous read of friendship and following dreams
Although there's also grief and history it seems.

I really enjoyed this moving read
And hope it is also one that you need.
An anniversary, memories and events from the past
Let's hope their sharing brings peace that will last.

For my copy of this book I say a huge thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

The Little Irish Farm by Michelle Vernal.
I did really enjoy this book. I loved the cover. I did like Jess. I adored little Harry. Especially when on the phone with jess. That was my favourite part. I couldn't put it down. I loved the story and characters. This was an easy and quick read. I did like the ending.

Blurb.
When a childhood secret leads Jess to an Irish country cottage, sparks fly with grumpy farmer Owen… but will she find what she’s searching for amidst the rolling green hills?

Thirty-four-year-old Jess is perfectly happy living the single life as a journalist in bustling Dublin – if only her mother would stop trying to set her up. She has the perfect escape when, working on her next column, she finds a vintage children’s book with a mysterious dedication to a little girl. Her research leads to a tumbledown farmhouse in a tiny Irish village. But grumpy, infuriatingly handsome owner Owen is a spanner in her story…

One minute Owen is scowling and refusing to answer her questions. The next his luminous grey eyes light up and a smile transforms his rugged face: and Jess is shocked when he invites her to stay on the farm.

Walking together across the fresh green fields, Jess’s heart melts when she discovers he is hiding a tragic secret…one wrapped up in the history of the farm, and the very same little girl Jess is here to research.

But with gossip about Jess and Owen flying around the tiny community, cheeky escaped piglets and muddy country lanes to contend with, and her job calling her back to the city, Jess must decide: does their story end right here at the farm? Or could following her heart help her find the truth – and set her and Owen on the path to happily ever after?

#thelittleirishfarm @michellevernal #SmallTownRomance #Women'sHumorousFiction #ContemporaryRomanceFiction #Bookouture #netgalley

The Little Irish Farm is a slow burn romance with a resistant heroine who states more than once that a woman doesn’t need a man to be happy. Jess Báre is a journalist and collector of children’s books. By Michelle Vernal, this is not an instant love or lust story more of a slow burn romance. Jess’ research leads her to a small Irish village then to a rather sad farmhouse. Here she finds what she finds answers but also secrets.

I liked Jess and Owen, loving the relationship building that went on between these two. However, it was the relationship Jess had with her friends, Nora and Brianne. This first book to be read by me written by Michelle vernal is a pleasant one, transporting one to Ireland.

Another lovely story by this author set in Ireland with a great mystical feel and plenty of humour. I loved Jess the main character and it is definitely one of those books that leaves you with a nice warm feeling

Books with strong female friendships are my favourite books to read. I loved the dynamics and friendships in this book. It was gorgeously written, sensitive and Jess and her friends had real depth and fun. I loved the descriptions of the farm and of Dublin. Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Little Irish Farm was a lovely, romantic story.
Main character, Jess, is a journalist who enjoys collecting children’s fairy tale books.
I found the beginning to be a bit slow. The pacing picked up and I started to enjoy the story more.
There are some emotional moments within the story as well as funny and spicy moments.
A fun small town, contemporary romance that will have you in tears a few times.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.