It was somehow and entertained and quick reading. I really wish the characters had more depth and the end was more elaborated (looked like the author just decided to stop writing).

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

This is a good and enjoyable romance. It's short, it's relatable, and it's fun showing a great deal of growth.

Elva is incredibly relatable; the epic beatdown that she does to herself in her head followed up by her messed up antics and just nose dive... well, I think most 20 year olds have been there (and 30 year olds...)

Patrick was not my favorite - I figured, hey, he would grow on me but he did not. As the pages turned the only characters I found myself flat out loving were Elva, Grandpa Charlie, and Harry (oh and Danny, but we didn't get near enough Danny!). Patrick seemed like a bit of a using tool - I mean, just the boss/employee thing...well, he just seemed to be looking out for himself and himself only. Elva put her family first; she truly was there for her family in all the ways that mattered and wow - what a glow up she had! Her empathy and compassion are amazing, and what a kind soul she has. She's very much a human, and her self-love journey is a good one. I wish the ending had been different, but have hope that she can continue on her journey of growth.

Thank you to Rachel Rafferty and NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for my honest review

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!!

Elva Maguire gets caught kissing the bartender & her fiancée, Patrick sees it happen and essentially wants them to take some “time” to figure things out. He’s also her boss…well until she essentially gets fired…so there’s also that. As Patrick figures out what his future is going to be like with Elva, she heads to Chicago to see her brothers, Harry & Keith, mainly to see Harry and help him through some of his alcohol problems. Elva & Patrick have the potential to be great characters, but I feel like this book was reallllllly rushed and not as well planned out as I thought it could be. Plus I feel like Elva settled with Patrick, even though she really did love him.

This book was great! The writing was very easy to read and the plot was very well thought out. I would highly recommend!

Thankyou NetGalley for the free download and opportunity to read this book.

A Relatable Journey of Self-Discovery and Redemption
As someone who has faced the consequences of bad decisions after binge drinking, I found the main character of this book incredibly relatable. Her journey from reckless nights to self-awareness and redemption mirrors my own experiences of cleaning up my life. It’s refreshing to read about a protagonist who doesn’t shy away from her mistakes, yet you can feel how deeply she wants to be a better person. Her inner struggle is raw and real, and I appreciated how the author showed the difficulty of changing patterns while also staying true to who you are.
A story of accepting yourself and others with the flaws that make them who they are and loving them anyway!
Her dedication to her family was another part of the story that resonated with me. Despite her personal struggles, her loyalty to those she loves is unwavering, which shows the depth of her character.
Overall, this book was both a fun and meaningful read, encouraging me to keep embracing a healthier lifestyle while also reminding me that it’s okay to relax and explore life a bit. The story was not only enjoyable but also a subtle reminder that redemption is possible, and honesty—especially with ourselves and those we love—can open up deeper, more understanding relationships

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance free ebook in exchange for my honest feedback.

I have many thoughts about this book. I love the ideas behind it. I have read and loved many similar books of a similar style and it was easy to read. But it is not without flaws.

Let's start with the positives.

There are quite a few funny scenes in this book and it's easy to just keep reading.

I like the intriguing opening scene. I feel like this author very much has taken on board the common writing advice to start with the action. This book is full of events.

However, it moves too quickly for us to get to know the characters. It's not until three quarters of the way through the book that I had some understanding of why the main character fell in love with Patrick in the first place.

There are some missing details from the first few chapters - they both work at this mysterious business, but it's not until later in the book that we find out what that business actually is.

Elva never properly grovels and apologised to Patrick for cheating on him at their engagement party. She just creates disaster everywhere she goes and worries about winning him back.

Also, what is with this "best friend" character Sam? It's an absent character - we don't even know their age, gender or occupation. The main character texts Sam throughout the book and they only meet in person in the last five pages of the book. How is this person their best friend, but wasn't invited to either of the two engagement parties for Elva and Patrick?

I wish there were more details about the settings. I have never travelled to Dublin, or Chicago. There's no mention of scenery or atmosphere. It's just assumed that the reader knows that. I feel like I could not imagine what it was like. I couldn't paint a picture with my mind, using the author's words.

The main character is portrayed to be an ex alcoholic, but when she goes to Chicago, she drinks a beer and stops at one drink. But there's no mention at all of her self control or her having a relapse. If she is really truly an ex alcoholic, she should regret having one drink and be proud of herself for stopping drinking.

I feel like there also needs to be some more editing done with this book. There are some grammatical errors with punctuation and line spacing. In one chapter, the love interest's name is spelled incorrectly (how could you get THAT wrong?) and there's some parts that just don't make sense. I still have no idea what kip is supposed to be - maybe some Irish slang word for sleep? Why not just say sleep?

I prefer to read books with a strong female lead and this main character missed the mark for me. She only grows a backbone in the last 10% of this novel, which is accompanied by some unusual writing about rain and pouring.

I feel like there's a lot of potential with this author in terms of great ideas and event packed writing. But if this book was instead made a lot longer and more detailed it would improve immensely.

This is a captivating read for anyone who's ever navigated the complexities of love, identity, and self-discovery, and will resonate with fans of character-driven stories that explore the intricacies of relationships, personal growth, and the pursuit of one's own happiness.

The pacing of the book is a bit slow in the beginning, but it picks up.

Elva is trying to figure out her life in her thirties. After years of binge drinking and being irresponsible, she gets cleaned up and finds herself a fiancée, Patrick. However her fiancée is her boss and she manages to screw up her engagement. I’m not the biggest fan of that relationship because of a power imbalance.

Their relationship didn’t give me any feelings, it seemed like it was convenient. Patrick seems to use her for his image. He doesn’t know what he wants himself and lets others sway him. There was no communication between the two of them. For being engaged, they didn’t really know each other. He needed to be gone after the third chapter.

As Patrick determines what his future with Elva will be, she goes to Chicago to help her brother Harry. He’s fallen in the same patterns of her old self. She doubts her own ability to be of help, but I think there was no one better to relate to him.

Elva goes from being this completely irresponsible and careless person to being a problem solver. She begins to mend her relationships with her brothers, Harry and Keith. Along with mending their relationship separate of her. She holds a lot of empathy and compassion for them. Her Grandad is my favorite character. He was a constant. He wanted the best for her and treated her with care rather than anger.

Overall, you can see the growth Elva has. She is constantly learning how to be a better person in any role she has—sister, daughter, fiancée, granddaughter, caretaker. The people surrounding her aren’t the most supportive, but that’s why you can see how growth as a character so much. I still think she could’ve learned to value herself more and be with someone who loved her better, but that’s the life she wanted.

Becoming More Engaged by Rachel Rafferty is a good, and enjoyable coming of age romance read. The story has a good entertaining story line. The characters are good, relatable, likable, and they have good chemistry. This story was very entertaining.
I found myself completely immersed in Elva’s journey.
Now I need to go and read book one Escape Plan.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

First book of Rachel Rafferty's that I have read and it won't be my last.
It is a great holiday read. Elva was relatable, you can feel her upset and frustration.
I loved the parts set in Chicago, while helping her brother you can feel her realising how far she has really come since her drinking days and how much she cares for her family. I would have loved a bit more with Danny, the barman in Chicago, though.
I was torn about her relationship with Patrick. I felt that as much as his sister felt Elva wasn't deserving of him, it was Patrick that wasn't deserving of Elva.
Yes she messed up, and it would have been understandable to finish with her. But I felt the way he treated her left a lot to be desired.
The best relationship in the book is Elva and Grandad Charlie. This author makes the love between them so clear. And it shows the caring side of Elva. I feel Charlie was who Elva needed, just as much as he was who she needed.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance, with a lot of calamities on the side.

When I started to read the piece Elva’s voice matched my own . However once discovering that Elva hailed from Ireland a truly terrible Irish accent took over not only Elva’s voice but own inner voice . I’d like to say my new found Irish lilt had a sophisticated ring to it but sadly ‘Twas a dreadful attempt at Nicola Coughlan’s Clare Delvin from Derry Girls . I’m quite certain my Irish ancestors did a number of spins in their graves …..
Rafferty charmingly illustrates the every day and sometimes troubled day to day of our heroine Elva . Rafferty writes her side characters in a way that will have readers jumping ship from one team to the other as Elva muddles her way through navigating supposed adult relationships.
Find yourself charmed by Elva’s expat brothers , or better yet bond over petty meddling in-laws in this coming of age tale set in delightful Dublin .
Settle in to the fall season with a cuppa Lyons Goldblend and a copy of “becoming more engaged “.

Are you looking for a book about second chances? Becoming More Engaged is just the book for you. A great read!

Great book!! Interesting characters and believable plot. The book was just the right length to tell the story. Would read another book by this author.