Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author Debbie Johnson for this eARC

I love Johnsons Starshine Cove series, so when I saw that she had written a christmas romance I had to read it. And I was not disappointed!
As always Johnson writes mature, well rounded characters that you can't help but fall in love with.
It gave me "The Holiday" vibes, which I loved, as it's my favorite christmas movie and I watch it every year.
It's a heartwarming, fluffy feel-good story with lots of charm and christmas cheer and I loved every second of reading it.

This was such a fast, fun, cozy and sweet read.
I love the small-town trope!
The FMC Cassie is someone I could easily relate to and I enjoyed her journey. Every character is likeable and I especially loved Nana Nora (who passed away, but still plays a wonderful part in the story). I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Cassie and her love interest(s) but that was the only thing lacking. It didn't take away the joy tho.
The scene settings were wonderful and give you that extra cozy feeling. I found myself smiling throughout the story and loved the Irish humour. It isn't the most spectacular read, but I definitely enjoyed the light-hearted, fun story.
If you are looking for a quick read that warms your heart this season, look no further!!


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

Cassie decides she needs a break from New York and decides to use the money left to her by her beloved nanna for a month's stay in a quaint English village. There she meets Charles, the local aristocrat complete with manor house, and Ryan, the local handyman.
The setting, in the lovely Cotswolds, sounds wonderful even if the weather leaves a bit to be desired. The village is known as little Ireland , with the local population including a large proportion of Irish. Charles is the epitome of an English aristocrat, but with a strong sense of responsibility towards his tenants in the village. Ryan has the reputation of being a ladies man, but doesn't get along with Charles. When Cassie, who is an events planner, offers to help come up with a plan to save the family estate she is torn between attraction towards the two men.
Debbie always writes stories that give the reader that warm fuzzy feeling that I enjoy so much and this story is no exception.. Read it and enjoy.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

3.5 ⭐️

This was a solid Hallmark Christmas story in the form of a book, and I appreciated that and enjoyed.

In this book, we follow our FMC who has been living the past few years literally in the past and wallowing in the fact that she was jilted at the alter by her then groom. After being talked into it by her best friend, she cashes in the inheritance she got from her late grandmother and goes on a journey of finding herself to Little Ireland.

I enjoyed the writing of this book.
The setting is a small town in England called Little Ireland where all Irish people go and make it home after they leave Ireland.
It was very cozy and had exquisite cozy Christmas vibes.

The characters we meet in this story feel like actual people you would meet.
The characters also have their own problems. Some are dealing with trauma in their own way, others are dealing with grief. There is also representation for Alzheimer's patients. There is also mention of death in multiple instances, so do check TW on these topics.

What made me rate this book 3.5 ⭐️ is the fact that I did not feel the chemistry between our FMC and either of the two love interests. I felt that it lacked. I would have liked to get a little more on the romance front.

As someone who loves Christmas Hallmark movies, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this as a Holiday read by the fire.

3.5 rounded up because I'm nice and would now also like to visit the Cotswolds. This is a fun novel but the romance kind of springs from nowhere. Would like to be friends with all the townsfolk, though. Definitely one where you can't think too hard about the plot or the loose ends.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley.

Such cozy village, and a charming community vibes with Christmas to boot! While this book didnt have as much romance as I was anticipating the sense of community and heartwarming story-telling made up for it.

Cassie was still reeling from being jilted at the altar three years ago by her boyfriend of sixteen years. Her grandmother had also died six months before present day and left her a nest egg which she didn't want to touch.

An impulsive decision had her going to England for Christmas with the inheritance to find herself. The tiny town filled with mostly Irish residents was a wonderful place to be.

There was a love triangle. Cassie was torn between Ryan, the flirty Irish handyman who was a self-proclaimed player, and Charles, the charming British aristocrat and owner of a failing manor.

I wasn't really invested in either of the potential romances but found myself leaning towards one simply because the feelings were clearly communicated. I guess at the end, it all came down to bravery for Cassie to face the unknown.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. It releases on 30th October.

Rating: 3⭐
Steam level: 1🌶️ Kissing only

A very Irish Christmas by Debbie Johnson

This is a fun romantic comedy focusing on New Yorker, Cassie O'Hara, who following a bad break up goes to "little Ireland" in England for a month. While there Cassie becomes part of community and is charmed by aristocrat Charles and the handyman Ryan. From the title I expected it all to be set in Ireland but perhaps that is a lesson not to judge a book by it's title. I found some of the Irish stereotypes a bit grating but once I let that go I enjoyed the storyline. There were some serious themes in the book but overall it felt like a lighthearted romance.

Thank you to negalleyuk, the publishers and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very Irish Christmas is out on 30th October.

#Scottishreader #irishbookstagram #netgalley

This was truly adorable, a cozy christmassy read. Loved Cassie and Ryan and Charles and crew. It was all very sweet and lovely. Very 90s rom com nostalgic. No spice but tons of adorable moments. Definitely would’ve loved more interactions between Ryan & Cassie together to justify ”love” being thrown down but it was truly so sweet. Enjoyed it!

Free courtesy of netgalley

Cassie O'Hara is in a slump, she had an awful experience 3 years ago and just doesn't seem to be able to get over it and all her confidence has gone. On top of this her beloved Grandmother Nora has passed away, a few weeks before her 100th Birthday.

Encouraged by her best friend she decides not to go to her sister's house for Christmas and face being ridiculed by her, or staying in New York on her own she books a beautiful cottage in England instead. She just wants to be closer to her Irish Grandmother Nora, who left her a nest egg she will use to travel.

When she gets to the cottage not everything is how she dreamed it would be as Whimsy Cottage is a damp and unloved dump and she doesn't know what to do, so she decides to decamp to the local pub to think about it. She is then waylaid by the local stray dog Eejit and landing on her ass in a puddle she receives help from the local Casanova and the lord of the Manor. The village helps her to get back on her feet and put the last 3 years behind her but is she brave enough to find Love again

This felt very much like a short story, but it was very well written and I would have preferred it to be a much longer book. I would recommend this lovely Christmas book, to get into the spirit of community and Christmas 🎄

This was a heartwarming feel good Christmas story with plenty of Irish humour and a lovely romance I really enjoyed it and would recommend

A Very Irish Christmas is a heartwarming journey of healing, self-discovery, and festive magic wrapped up in Debbie Johnson’s signature warmth and wit. Cassie O’Hara, a New Yorker with Irish roots, finds herself heartbroken and burned out. After a disastrous end to her last relationship and career setbacks, she decides it’s finally time to take a break. With her late Nanna Nora’s inheritance, she books a holiday in a quaint UK village known as “Little Ireland”—an escape that’s supposed to be peaceful but instead kicks off with quite a few surprises.

Arriving at Whimsy Cottage, Cassie finds a run-down, chilly spot rather than the cozy retreat she’d envisioned. This mix-up leads her to Charles, the dapper English lord, and Ryan, a lively Irishman with charm to spare. With an invitation to stay at a local manor while her cottage is sorted, Cassie is drawn into the lives of the community, forming new friendships and even learning more about her beloved Nanna’s past. Between snowy landscapes, Irish charm, and moments of humor, Cassie slowly rediscovers what truly matters.

Johnson has created a vibrant cast of characters with genuine warmth, charm, and banter that feel like real friends. The wintry English village and Cassie’s later journey to Ireland beautifully capture the spirit of the holidays, making this novel both cozy and festive. Cassie’s story is a delightful blend of laughter, romance, and emotional depth, especially as she finds the courage to follow her heart and embrace new beginnings.

For fans of holiday tales with romance, humor, and a touch of Irish magic, A Very Irish Christmas is an uplifting read that feels like a warm, festive hug.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy.

Oh I loved this book so much. Full of wit and charm. And a delightful seasonal read. This is exactly the type of book us romance lovers want.
Not too cheesy it makes you giddy or thinking about it's believability. Just the right level of cheese, lol.
Such a cosy read. And the main characters all had my heart in different ways.

I loved this book. It was a perfect story for the festive cheers. Just the right amount of seasonally goodness. Great characters and a good story line. Definitely worth adding to your seasonal reading list this year.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading this book.

Cassie isn’t having a good year so far, or the past couple of years, having her wedding not taking place, then she has her hours reduced at work and on top of that, her Gran passes away.

She feels like she’s got no confidence to do anything, or in the mood to do so.

Her friend encourages her to use the money that her Gran left her and find out more about her in Ireland.

But, instead Cassie books a place in Wiltshire Cotswolds, England. When she reaches the place, she meets new people, making friends, someone she likes and also, her confidence is back in her own life and she then helps her friends to promote the manor house.

I loved the characters, setting and the dog.

I highly recommend this book.

This had potential to be a very cute story, but it was just very slow and I had trouble pushing through this book. I did not feel chemistry with Cassie and either of the male leads. It was just very odd. I liked that it was reminiscent of The Holiday, but that’s where it ended for me. I didn’t like the way Cassie spoke or her phrases. As an American they were not accurate to our dialect.

A cute Christmas story. Cassie lives in New York and is struggling having been jilted at the altar and the loss of her Irish born Nan.
She dreams of getting away from it all, with work slow she decides to use the small nest egg her nan left in her will to head on a month long holiday to England. The title of the book threw me a bit however its because its a very Irish town she's chosen to visit.
The dreams of a quaint "The Holiday" esk cottage she'd booked wasn't quite what she walked into on her first night, it was a musty falling apart mess.
In steps Charles, distraught she rented one of his cottages which was in the midst of a renovation he offers her accomdation at his Manor House whilst Ryan the local handyman completes the repairs.
Here begins the love triangle, I wasn't totally convinced with the sparks which were described but overall did enjoy the setting of the book, plot and overall ending.
Thank you NetGalley, Debbie Johnson and Storm Publishing for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

The cutest X-Mas read! I found myself in the Christmas spirit much earlier this year and this book was perfect! I loved the story so much. It was such a cozy and cute read! It felt like I was watching a rom-com in my head and I loved every second!

I literally couldn't put this book down. What a beautiful story. For the life of me. I couldn't fathom the outcome... It was brilliantly written and I actually shed a tear at the end. Wonderful way to spend a rainy day.

A cozy Christmas read, really enjoyed it. It’s a quick read with some special characters. A perfect setting in the country in the UK and Ireland.
Cassie wants to know about her grandmother so embarks on a trip to the UK and Ireland to find out where she came from. She ends up at her rental house and it’s bad, but the villagers are on hand to help out. A cozy 4 star read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.