When it comes to Christmas romances Debbie Johnson really excels.. This book has some great secondary characters, in particular Eileen, the matriarch of the village and Roberts who basically ran the Bancroft estate. I really loved the almost immediate bond that springs up between Cassie and teenage wannabe hellraiser Georgina..There are plenty of laughs to be had but there are also some moments that had me reaching for my box of tissues. The question surrounding whether Cassie would choose charming English gentleman Charles or hunky Irish handyman Ryan is almost overlooked by the rest of the story. I know who I wanted her to choose but no spoilers here you'll have to read the book for yourself.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. I have recommended it to everyone I know!

This was so cute. Honestly, I'd love to give a more comprehensive review but there really are no notes. I enjoyed the story, the pacing and very much enjoyed the romance. Debbie Johnson is a delightful storyteller and this was a hit.

For a quick, easy, lighthearted festive read, this does the job. It’s not groundbreaking, in either it’s storyline or characters, but it is a tried and tested trope.
It was an ok read, that did what it was meant to do for the festive period.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc.

Noooope. I am so sorry but nope. This book is literally set in England and they go to Cork for like 5 pages. Change the title lol

A lovely festive story with romance, hope and reality. I really enjoyed this read, Debbie is a fantastic storyteller.

A Very Irish Christmas is a cosy Christmassy read with strong Hallmark vibes.

I found the romance to be more of a secondary storyline, and found the outcome of the love triangle to be a bit confusing based on the relationship development. However I really enjoyed the small town and the country estate, with its quirky upper class family. This story was more one of self discovery rather than romance, and the search for Nana Nora’s roots was heartwarming and engaging.

A lovely one to pick up for anyone looking for a light and comforting escapist read.

Thank you Storm Publishing for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

This is a lovely festive read, Cassie comes to the UK in December, She needs to escape and leave behind traumatic memories,
The characters are all likeable, and the book reminds me of a Hallmark movie, which is perfect this time of year.

This was the perfect Christmas read!! I really enjoyed this book. It was giving The Holiday vibes and I absolutely adore that movie. I highly recommend if you want a cute holiday read!!

This was like a Hallmark movie in book form. It was sweet and focused a lot on community. The romance/love triangle actually felt like a secondary plot, which was refreshing. I liked both guys well enough, but I did sort of feel like she picked the wrong one. I liked everyone in the colorful cast of characters though and found myself smiling throughout.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

“A Very Irish Christmas” by Debbie Johnson is a heartwarming holiday romance that whisks readers away to the enchanting English countryside. Cassie O’Hara, heartbroken after a failed engagement, embarks on a journey of self-discovery in a quaint Irish-influenced village, hoping to reconnect with her roots.

Her stay is unexpectedly complicated by two charming men: Charles, the dashing English aristocrat, and Ryan, the ruggedly handsome Irish handyman. While the romantic tension between Cassie and both men is a key element of the story, the romance itself felt a bit subdued.

Despite this minor drawback, the book offers a delightful escape with its charming setting, heartwarming characters, and festive atmosphere. Cassie’s journey of self-discovery, coupled with the heartwarming community spirit of the village, makes for a cozy and enjoyable read. “A Very Irish Christmas” is perfect for fans of Hallmark movies and those seeking a lighthearted escape with a touch of holiday magic.

A Very Irish Christmas is exactly what I wanted it to be--a sweet, funny, easy read with likeable characters perfect for the holidays.

In it, native New Yorker Cassie has decided to take a break from life and spend a month in a cute little cottage in a small English town for the holidays (my dream!). It's a cute town with two especially cute citizens--the lord of the manor that lives in a mansion on the hill and the flirty handyman with a secretive past.

It's sweet and funny and heartwarming and although it is predictable, Johnson does a good job making it a little unclear which man she was going to end up.

A solid holiday romance choice.

Book: A Very Irish Christmas
Author: Debbie Johnson
Format: Digital
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Holiday
Places Featured: England, Ireland
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.0 ⭐️

My thoughts on this book are a mixed bag: on one hand, I loved the Christmas feel it had, the settings were lovely and I really felt I was there. Some parts reminded me of the film “Your Christmas or Mine”, and I always love a village of side characters that sometimes take over - oh, and the dog.
Sadly, I felt it sometimes verged towards cliché when it came to the English and Irish characters. Yes, they drink tea, yes, they drink Guinness, but I just wanted a more layered approach. It so nearly had it, I was almost there, but not quite. I’m happy to forget all this because of the cozy vibes, but the thing that most turned me off the novel was the negative, sometimes flippant disregard for mental health, especially medication and therapy.
This quote from the start pretty shows what I mean:

“I can’t even call Suzie, because I’d rather die than give her the satisfaction of knowing she was right – that maybe I should be at home, chewing down antidepressants and arranging appointments with a shrink, just like she suggested. No, I tell myself, I will not be defeated so easily.”

While I understand this was written in the characters pov, it’s not something that was discussed in detail or challenged throughout the novel and I feel that is a disservice to mental health. Taking medication or getting therapy is not being defeated. Period.

A different type of Christmas read but extremely enjoyable all the same, full of humorous and witty characters that were great to learn more about

A cute festive rom-com. I enjoyed the setting, although I was hoping for more in Ireland and less n England. I'm not a fan of the love triangle so that part wasn't my favorite.

Cassie gets an inheritance and decides to use of it to get way for a month long stay at a cottage in a little Irish town. While there she is able to re discover her own happiness. While there Cassie has a dilemma with now knowing who she wants to be with. Both men seem to be great for her but you can tell that she was leaning more to wards one then the other. This was a cute romance to read with Irish humor. This was a lovely Christmas read.

In this fun and charming Christmas romance novel, readers follow Cassie O’Hara on a wintery Irish adventure that is definitely not what she was expecting. Instead of arriving to a beautiful and cozy cottage, the house she has booked is drafty and in dire need of repairs, but she does run into a cantankerous stray dog and two local men interested in her attention -- Charles, the local aristocrat, and Ryan, the local handyman with a tragic past. As the novel unfolds, Cassie grows used to the slower wintery pace of life in this beautiful village and discovers some of Nana Nora’s secrets and, perhaps, what her grandmother wanted her to get out of this spontaneous trip back to her homeland. With charming characters and an idyllic setting, readers will love the tropes and atmosphere of this fun and enjoyable new release, and Debbie Johnson has successfully brought Bancroft Manor and its village to life in arresting and immersive detail. Cassie is a brilliant and relatable protagonist, and her different relationships with Nana Nora, Charles, Ryan, and other inhabitants of the village are the star of this novel, as Johnson uses the characters and their relationships to really build up this world to make it vivid and enjoyable.

I love this author but this book was much too slow for me. I think she has a good helping of romance in most of her books and this one lacked the romance (despite the cover). I did enjoy the setting and the holiday!

Debbie Johnson's A Very Irish Christmas is a heartwarming holiday romance that transports readers to the enchanting English countryside. The story follows Cassie O'Hara, an American who, inspired by her late Nanna Nora's adventurous spirit, decides to spend the month leading up to Christmas in a quaint English village. Upon arrival, she encounters a charming yet dilapidated cottage, a stray dog, and two captivating men—Charles, a British aristocrat, and Ryan, a flirtatious Irish handyman—each potentially vying for her attention.

Johnson's vivid descriptions and engaging prose bring the picturesque village and its endearing inhabitants to life, immersing readers in a festive atmosphere brimming with Irish charm and wit. Cassie's journey of self-discovery, as she uncovers secrets about her grandmother's past and navigates a love triangle, is both relatable and uplifting.

While the love triangle adds an element of tension, some readers may find the resolution a bit predictable. However, the novel's strength lies in its delightful character interactions and the cosy, feel-good ambiance that makes it an ideal read for the holiday season.

After a terrible year that started with being left at the altar, Cassie O'Hara heads to a quaint English village for a Christmas getaway, using money left to her by her late Nanny Nora. Expecting charm and relaxation, Cassie instead finds a dilapidated cottage and two attractive men vying for her attention. As she helps aristocrat Charles with his family estate, she forms a deeper connection with Ryan, the mysterious Irish handyman, all while uncovering secrets about Nora's past. With her return ticket soon approaching, Cassie must decide whether to embrace the love and belonging she’s found in the village, or head back to America empty-handed.

In the vein of all good Hallmark Christmas movies, a conventionally attractive American leaves her sad life for Europe and is instantly embroiled in a love triangle involving an aristocrat and a working class man. The romance was fine, but I was much more intrigued by Nora’s history and how she came to live in America. Cassie was awfully naive for being a thirty-something New Yorker, and there were some things I found hard to believe, such as her not knowing what a Swiss Army knife was. I did appreciate the happy ending that came full circle with Cassie’s wedding, as it felt only right for her to have ended up with the Irish man, as a way of rediscovering her identity.