The premise of this book grabbed me right away, and I was eagerly checking my inbox for a NetGalley approval after requesting it. Both characters were relatable, and I appreciated being able to understand both sides of their conflicts, which made the story more engaging. Instead of just rooting for one "good" character and their love interest, I saw them as real people. While the book started strong, I felt my excitement fade as it went on.

The romance seemed caught between insta-love and a slow burn. The miscommunication, along with the third-act breakup, became frustrating when all you really want is for the characters to be together already.

Despite that, Back to Belfast could be a delightful read for someone else! It's funny, cute, and a great debut novel. The concept of swapping work lives was so interesting, and I did like seeing how it played out.

This was an unexpected pleasure. My first time reading a McGeown novel and I really enjoyed this quirky story set in Northern Ireland and Canada.. Both Stacie and Claire were interesting , likeable and easy to love characters. It wasn’t your typical sapphic romance which made for a nice change.

I look forward to reading more from this author and will definitely seek out her previous books.

*Back to Belfast* started strong for me, especially in the first 20-25% of the book. The office culture described in the Belfast office felt very relatable, and I enjoyed the authentic way the work environment was portrayed. The two main female characters were also vividly described, and I could easily visualise them, which added depth to the narrative. I appreciated the inclusion of real-world events, such as the Ukraine war and the coronavirus pandemic, which grounded the story in the present day.

Unfortunately, as the book progressed, it started to lose its appeal. By around 50-60%, the story became too predictable, and I found myself no longer gripped by the plot. The promising start didn’t fully deliver, and the second half lacked the same tension and intrigue that initially drew me in. While the book had potential, the latter half didn’t live up to my expectations.

Claire (from Belfast) and Stacie (from Vancouver) get the opportunity to swap jobs (therefore, move countries) for a while; both - for their own personal reasons - jump at the opportunity.

They were never intended to meet in person, just swap apartments and communicate via emails/text/calls, however a family emergency brings Claire back to Belfast - unannounced...

As much as I enjoyed the plot/setting, it was confusing at first with the swapping, but once I wrapped my head around it, the book turned into a page turner! I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

I really liked this book. It was a quick and easy read. Characters had great chemistry and I liked the writing style.

I enjoyed the story but hated the business aspect of it. I loved the romance and how it developed overtime between Claire and Stacie. I was hooked from the beginning. Well done Emma.

Thank You NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC.

They were never supposed to meet, but fate made sure they did. Can they forget again when reality comes crashing down?

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

Claire’s life has never been easy. As the oldest daughter of three kids it has always been her job to take care of her mentally unstable mom and her twin sisters. Working as an account manager for a global firm at least gives her financial security. It does make Claire feel stuck. When one of her twin sisters announces she is getting married and the other is expecting her first baby, Claire feels more than ever like she is just spinning her wheels. A new job opportunity is bound to break her out of that cycle. Six months of whipping the Vancouver office into shape. A Canadian colleague will take her place in the Belfast head quarters in the meantime. Claire jumps at the chance and switching roles with Canadian Stacie sounds perfect. Come to think of it, Stacie will fit right into her life.

Stacie is working her butt off in her role as an account manager but it seems like she is the only one of her colleagues trying to give her best to the Vancouver office. Headquarters seems to have noticed as well, because they offer Stacie a chance for a six month exchange with a colleague from the Belfast office. This Claire is tasked to bring the Canadians up to standard. With the few emails and videocalls they’ve had before the switch. Stacie decides that Claire is charming and she would have loved to have met her in person. That’s not the plan though. They will change lives for half a year before returning back to their own countries. Stacie has no problem integrating into Claire’s office life and is enveloped by her work friends immediately. Belfast feels like home. It all makes Stacie feelings stronger that she would have really liked Claire. Her theory is about to get tested when Claire unexpectedly returns home because of a family emergency. While they share Claire’s apartment Stacie’s gut feeling about her Belfast counterpart are proven right. Too bad it’s all just temporary…

This story is told from both Claire’s and Stacie’s perspectives and that setup really gives you an intimate look into their inner worlds. Claire is a strong woman but she has been forced to be. Taking care of her mother and sisters is a role she was forced to adept to. It is one she plays with enormous grace and responsibility. I loved the way she inherently felt like she could trust Stacie with her inner fears and doubts. It also made it clear why she acts the way she does sometimes. That being said her lack of honest communication towards Stacie in the end made me want to hurl the book at her head.

Stacie starts the story being in a long distance relationship with a woman who clearly doesn’t give her what she needs. I was counting the pages for Stacie to get the strength to end that farce. For me she took a little too long to do it, but the timing of her break up and Claire’s arrival was perfect. Stacie’s life in Vancouver was kind of perfunctory. Yes, she worked hard and got recognized for her efforts, but I got the sense that she wasn’t tethered to her hometown in Canada. It all became clear when she immersed herself in the Belfast life that this is supposed to be her home. When her unexpected connection to Claire turns out to be real, it’s easy to see Stacie would want to uproot her life for good. If only Claire could have the same guts to go for it.

I loved Claire’s friend group! Jonny is the ultimate gay man showering everyone with bitchy but right on the mark comments. Underneath it all he sees everyone so clearly and his care for his friends is amazing. Jane and Nuala are in a secret relationship that has some similarities with Stacie and Claire’s. The friends speak hard truths but also support each other, it’s heartwarming!

While Claire’s relationship with her family is complicated it is based on a deep love. When Stacie picked up on that immediately, I knew the connection between the two women was strong. It wouldn’t be a sapphic romance if there wasn’t a third act break up, but luckily Claire got to her senses in time! I would have loved to see more of their growing relationship when they both returned to Belfast, maybe in an epilogue.

I had fun spending time with Claire and Stacie. I believed in their connection and I feel like I really got to know them. If I’m ever in Belfast, I’ll be sure to look for them at the bar on Fridays!

How did I feel reading my home city? Big heart eyes! I think, from the start, Emma McGeown was always going to get the stamp of approval from me, because of how authentic her representation of Belfast is. Belfast is the city they’re fighting over! Belfast is where everyone wants to be! I love that. Why shouldn’t we be the city of people’s hearts and dreams? And how much did I love reading the queer side of Belfast! I couldn’t have felt more at home with these characters. I was already wholeheartedly, unabashedly all-in with them when I looked up and saw that I was only at 20%.

Straightaway, I could see that one of McGeown’s strengths is in managing the switches in a dual point-of-view narrative. McGeown will often have Stacie, at the start of her chapter, finish a thought that Claire is having as we exit her chapter, or she’ll open Claire’s perspective with her saying or thinking something contradictory to what Stacie has just felt or thought. And this REALLY WORKS! It drives you on.

Gosh, how joyous it feels to write a glowing review. There’s nothing in this novel that didn’t please and fulfil me: I was so chuffed to be reading Sapphic characters outside of their twenties; workplace settings act effortlessly as the backdrops; and the normalising of same-sex coupling is done expertly. McGeown writes with such warmth towards her characters: compassion and empathy are key to McGeown’s representation of women struggling under church-imposed sexual repression. She also writes with striking clarity of perception when it comes to examining the impact of alcoholism on individuals and upon a family. Her character insight and sensitivity of portrayal extends to by-lines of friendship dynamics, sibling relationships, anxiety disorder, and a particularly delicate portrayal of loneliness living away from Northern Ireland:

'As long as I was here, she was there.'

In stark contrast to some novels where you question, "why are they in love with them?", where an author just smooshes two people's lives together without providing the build-up of interest, Emma McGeown tracks both women's thoughts and feelings so that Stace and Claire's attraction is substantiated and relatable.
I also appreciated the speed of the ending: everything feels rushed at the close of the book because Claire’s emotions all rush in on her, and the months when we are lifted out of the action leave us gasping for information and an update, and that brief, brief glimpse of the women’s ‘final’ life, as things end up, is made all the more tenderly intense by the cutting-off-short of it.

This isn’t a spicy novel. There’s no voyeuristic or frivolous content. What heat there is, is key to the plot; physical intimacy is written into the characters’ development. So, I’d say that ‘Back to Belfast’ is more of a character novel than anything. Ultimately, it’s a ‘coming-out novel’. Above all else, it deals with the diverse and often traumatic experiences of women in Northern Ireland who must confront not only family shock, regret, or disownment upon coming out, but the compounded threat of church intervention, religious approbation, and conversion therapy, which is very much alive in the far-right, church-governed culture here. McGeown makes a deep dive into the effect of homophobia and hatred within a family – “[Hate] like that ... Eats you alive”, exploding outwards to the fallout from a North-American devout Muslim coming out. I admire Emma McGeown for giving airtime to both crushing situations.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this novel. I would’ve loved to have been able to recommend it to my younger self. I also wish I could’ve given it to myself in my last relationship, where I was Nuala and she was Jane. It’s so important to read your own stories:

‘That Jane had to stay in the closet or risk losing her family and that Nuala had to hide their connection or risk losing her girlfriend.’

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books for the absolute pleasure of reading an advanced review copy.

To differentiate the characters in my head I kept reminding myself one is with the alcoholic mentally ill mother, and the other had a terrible long distance relationship. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing that that is the key to telling Stacie and Claire apart. Their work situations and relationships were interesting. Overall cute story that was written well, but forgettable.

Great first chapter. Back story for one main laid out. A few lines and accurate details about office life made me smile. The same with the other main in chapter 2.
25% in and I'm loving it. I often find with dual P.O.V. that the change can be jarring, I'm wanting to know more about one P.O.V. and it changes to the other. Not with this book. It's almost like the chapters are complete episodes rather than cliff hangers. Well paced, well written and amusing. I did wonder about the No dating at work policy but other loose ends nicely tied. Rounded up to 4.

Claire Brennan is being sent from Belfast, Ireland to Vancouver, Canada to try to fix the Vancouver office of the company.

Stacie Farran is one of the few staff at Vancouver actually making her targets, so is sent to Belfast as Claire's replacement.

Now each has to operate in the others home, while dealing with each other's jobs and friends. And zoom calling, as they gradually get more attracted...

As a Vancouver resident, I will admit I was worried there would be a detail that was hugely wrong. Thankfully the author peppered in a few references and locations, and avoided anything that would trip them up.

Good story and characters, good plot and the romance worked pretty well.

*Back to Belfast* by Emma McGowan is a charming and introspective romance that explores the thrill of new experiences and the unexpected connections that can emerge from them. Claire Brennan, feeling stuck in her daily routine, seizes the opportunity to move to Vancouver for six months, hoping for a much-needed break. Meanwhile, Stacie Farran, always eager for a new adventure, jumps at the chance to trade jobs and lives with Claire, finding herself in Belfast. The novel captures the excitement of change as both women navigate their new environments and discover more about themselves.

McGowan weaves together the two characters' separate journeys with skill, as Claire and Stacie each gain fresh perspectives on their careers, relationships, and personal goals. Although they live in different countries, the distance allows them to connect from afar in a way that feels organic and natural. Their growing attraction, despite never having met, builds a sense of anticipation that keeps readers hooked. The chemistry between them is palpable, and when they finally meet, the spark is undeniable.

As the story progresses, the looming question of distance and the temporary nature of Stacie’s stay adds tension to their budding romance. McGowan thoughtfully explores the challenges of long-distance relationships and the sacrifices that come with them. Fans of contemporary romance will find this novel a delightful read.

This is a story about Claire Brennen who works for an international marketing company headquartered in Belfast, Ireland. She is asked to swap jobs with a Canadian woman, Stacie Farran. Claire leaves behind her mentally ill mother whom she has been taking care of for years. This was handled very well.

Claire struggles in Canada and misses her family and friends back in Ireland. while Stacie ends up loving Belfast and easily assimilates into the workplace there where everybody is nice and friendly and she doesn't want to leave.

Its complicated when Claire comes back early and they finally meet in person after the calls and video chats. The whole story was set up nicely, but the third act breakup was predictable and consistent as most books have them and this one was no different. I adore Ireland and really enjoyed the parts set there, but maybe I'm biased.

Overall, a decent book. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to the publisher for giving me this advanced readers copy. I am not usually a romance reader unless it is a sapphic romance. I think because being able to relate to the romance makes it more interesting to me. I really loved both the characters and the story. I think the only thing that I did not enjoy was the business aspect. I'm not really interested in business. But it wasn't the central point of the story.

This was a pretty messy story at first, definitely original, and all in all, it was interesting from my point of view. In it, two women swap jobs within the same company, having to move from Belfast to Vancouver, giving up their apartments and client base for a month, so that the Vancouver office can increase its productivity.

Initially, this change means they won't meet in person, but they will talk on the phone and video chat to discuss any issues that might come up with the switch. Claire is the one moving from Belfast to Vancouver to boost productivity at the Canadian office. She'll find a pretty cold and unfriendly atmosphere there at first. Stacie, on the other hand, is moving from Vancouver to Belfast and she's super excited about it because it's a major upgrade.

From the beginning, they talk to each and connect somehow. Claire finds it harder to fit in in Canada, while Stacie is welcomed and embraced by Claire's environment as if she were one of them. But an unexpected event will make Claire have to return hastily and ahead of schedule, which will cause conflict, first at work for having to go back to the initial situation but also personally, because that can't be easily reversed.

The story's got some rough patches, and the whole situation is gonna make things hard for them. But if they really want it, they can overcome anything.

I cannot begin to express how much I loved this book. From the beginning, I was sucked into the plot and these characters. I loved how there was so much more here than romance - friendship, travel, family were all explored. I particularly appreciated how the issue of mental illness was woven into the story in such a supportive manner. Few books talk about this issue from different angles and this one got it right. And then there was the romance, which was swoony and awesome and made me laugh out loud. More please!

This is my first book by Emma McGeown, and I now have a new author to follow. I enjoyed the storyline. The angst was expected. I love how it was remedied, but wish there was a little more to the explanation of why the MC was holding back. The resolution was timely, we were set up that it would take time. I am happy with the way it was done.
The chemistry was great, it was felt throughout the book. I loved how they met and grew their relationship.
The secondary cast of characters were valued and well defined. They were a good support system. I liked how it was one MCs friends that was consistent with both MCs and helped them both equally.
Although I felt that some scenes were rushed, I will continue to.follow the autjor and look forward to new releases that come our way. This is my first book by Emma McGeown, and I now have a new author to follow. I enjoyed the storyline. The angst was expected. I love how it was remedied, but I wish there was a little more to the explanation of why the MC was holding back. The resolution was timely. We were set up that it would take time. I am happy with the way it was done.
The chemistry was great. It was felt throughout the book. I loved how they met and grew their relationship.
The secondary cast of characters was valued and well defined. They were a good support system. I liked how it was one MCs friends that was consistent with both MCs and helped them both equally.
Although I felt that some scenes were rushed, I will continue to follow the autjor and look forward to new releases that come our way.

I mainly wanted to read this book because I recently visited Belfast and was hoping to relive the experience. The plot seemed interesting enough too - Claire has the opportunity to leave her home and job in Belfast to take on a similar position with the same company in Vancouver. Stacie, who holds that position in Canada is to switch with Claire and move to Belfast for 6 months. The two women become friendly through online chats and get to know each other through the eyes of their friends. Circumstances find them both in Belfast and sparks fly instantly.

This book was a quick, sweet read. It wasn't a story that blew me away, but it was satisfyingly readable. And the author did a great job of painting the book with glimpses of Belfast.

In this cross country sapphic story told in a DOV, Claire and Sadie find themselves switching lives in order to help their global marketing company. Claire lives in Belfast Ireland, is a hard worker, great friend, steady big sister, and caretaker of her mother who suffers from mental illness. Stacie lives in Vancouver Canada, mostly works from home because no one on her team bothers showing up at the office, loves plants, not close with her family, doesn’t have many friends, and is in a complicated long distance relationship. When the two get the opportunity of a lifetime to literally switch lives, it seems like a win win. But when Claire’s mom’s mental health spirals out of control, she is forced to get on a plane back to Belfast to help take care of her. Even though Claire and Stacie have talked on the phone, emailed, and texted, something changed when they met in person. Unable to be apart from each other and instantly becoming friends, the two find out just how hard it is to not fall for each other. But with Claire returning early and doing such a great job getting the Canada office up and running, it threatens Stacie’s job and forces her to either be deported, or tell Claire how she really feels and hopefully find a way to stay.

I found myself admiring much of Claire’s character because it seemed like she was forced to group up at such an early age and was burdened with more responsibility than she should have been. Not only having to take care of her mentally ill mother, but had to go through the death of a parent, a divorce, and basically raise her younger twin sisters. She always has to put on a brave face to keep her family together, which is probably one of the reasons she has trouble expressing her emotions and letting herself be vulnerable. When Stacie enters the picture, it makes Claire do and feel things that she never let herself feel in the past. Stacie helped Claire realize her worth and that its okay to lean on people in times of need and not always hold in your emotions. Stacie was exactly what Claire needed, which is why I think their relationship was so special. I wish we had more time with the two of them romantically together instead of so much focus on the job. I also thought there wasn’t enough information given about Stacie’s past, like why she doesn’t have many friends or what exactly went down with her family and life growing up in Winnipeg.

In terms of side characters, I didn't connect to anyone or care about anyone on the Canadian side, but I absolutely loved Jane, Naula, and Jonny. Jane and Naula especially had such an interesting story and dynamic. I loved them each individually and together, you could and clearly feel how much they loved and cared about each other. I definitely wouldn’t object to them having their own book to learn about how they met, the story behind Jane’s homophobic family, and what the future holds for them. Jonny was hilarious, and I love how much he took care of Claire and how he welcomed Stacie immediately into their group. Even though I found a lot of the office scenes boring, their group dynamic made it a little more tolerable. It would have been nice if Stacie had a friend or someone other than a married man to confide in (Luke), while she was in Canada.

My biggest critic was the lack of romance and spice. I honestly could have cared less about their job and would have liked for their chemistry to have been built up more and more swoony dates or bedroom action. It was too much of a slow burn for me, especially in regards to their limited timeline, which made everything feel extremely rushed towards the end. The storyline was thought out, but I think because it was so plot heavy, it didn’t allow for a fully fleshed out romance and subplot action or detail. Even though the plot was incredibly predictable, I still felt emotionally connected to the characters and rooted for them to have their happily ever after.

I do think the author did a great job portraying the reality of Claire’s character and her circumstances regarding being the power of attorney and caretaker of her mother. Both the ups and down of everything involved with loved ones dealing with mental illness and how much it truly affects a family. Jane’s character was also extremely heartfelt and relatable, not all families are as understanding and supportive of their child when they come out, so it was understandable why she felt the need to hide her sexuality. Homophobia is not an easy subject to tackle, so in regards to Jane and her relationship struggles with Naula, I think they were done with great care and respect, while also depicting the hate and worries that people still face and experience everyday. Claire and Stacie both also were hit with the reality of how hard it is to get a work visa, what some companies have to go through in order to keep or attain employees, and how hard it is to uproot your life in the pursuit of a job or love.

Overall, the story had substance, likable characters, and a solid storyline, but the lack of romance and overuse of the workplace made me feel slightly disappointed that Claire and Stacie never developed into something truly memorable.

Stacie, career-driven, is living in Vancouver, Canada and in a long distance relationship that has mostly unsatisfying when an opportunity presents itself to trade places with her counterpart in the company and move to Belfast for 6 months. Eager for the change and break from from less that satisfying relationship, she jumps at the opportunity!

Claire lives in Belfast and is feeling stuck under the weight of family responsibility when she is tasked with the job of moving to Vancouver for 6 months to bring the office there up to par. She jumps at the opportunity and is ready fr a change. Claire only dates casually and isn't looking for a relationship.

She and Stacie decide to swap apartments to make the moves easier. As each settle into their new environments they form a friendship through facetime and support each other with the changes. As time goes by, they become closer and enjoy each other's company even if they are across the ocean from each other. When a family emergency occurs, Claire hurries back to Belfast and the meet in person and end up sharing Claire's flat together until Stacie has to return to Vancouver. They become even closer friends and realize their is more that bonds them than the job. Will they be able to open up to each other and overcome obstacles in their path?

This is a sweet, slightly angsty love story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved both main characters and the side characters only serve enliven the story more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the arc. I leave this review voluntarily