My heart exploded over this adorable romance! So much whimsy, adventure, love, self-discovery, culture, and joy in An Irish Summer. I read this in December so I can only imagine how much I’d love it in the summer on the beach or by the pool or sipping coffee on a cafe patio!

Highly recommend for 20-something’s stuck somewhere between their desire for stability and adventure, figuring out what they want out of life and love and career.

A quick read perfect for the summer by the pool or to take with you on your travels, especially if it's Ireland! Chelsea and Collin had a sweet love story and I found it refreshing that their relationship developed slowly. I did have a hard time with Chelsea, at times it felt like she was in her early 20s as opposed to being in her late 20s. I loved all the side characters--Ada, Flo, and Lars!

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Sweet Summer Read

An Irish Summer is a cute and cozy book that's perfect for a lazy afternoon. Chelsea's move to Galway is a classic fish-out-of-water story, and watching her adjust to Irish life is both funny and heartwarming.

The romance between Chelsea and Collin is sweet, but it could have been a bit more sizzling. Still, it's a good choice for anyone who loves a good old-fashioned summer fling.

I wanted to love this one but, honestly, I couldn’t.

Many of the culturally or geographically Irish bits were off to the point of throwing me out of the story. I don’t know what the author’s background is but who lives in Boston, historically one of the largest concentrations of Irish immigrants, and doesn’t know what things like a claddagh ring are?

Why would an Irish native take someone to the Temple Bar, a huge tourist trap? And how is someone driving from Dublin to Galway and, in the same morning, dropping off a car and catching a train to Limerick in time for lunch? Especially after staying up late drinking the night before?

In terms of characters, I just couldn’t connect with Chelsea. Somewhat for personal reasons - I cannot comprehend someone not wanting to travel to Ireland. But, the whole storyline of people in the hostel revolving their lives around making a stick in the mud and rude American fall in love with Ireland, and make her want to to stay, wasn’t believable.

Also, most of the story was “told” to the readers rather than describing the setting, the characters, and what they are experiencing. I was told Chelsea fell in love with Ireland and its people in the span of a couple of months but I certainly didn’t feel it.

What gal wouldn’t love a dreamy Irishman to be their personal tour guide all summer long? This book was fun and sweet and a quick read, but don’t expect an open door romance with this one.

Chelsea’s life is turned upside down when she suddenly loses both her job and apartment. However when the chance to work at a hostel in Ireland is presented to her, and she has nowhere else to go, she finds herself moving 3,000 miles away from home for a temporary summer job.

But will her feelings for the people she meets, Ireland herself, and for the sexy Irish tour guide remain as temporary as she thinks?

Collin was absolutely dreamy, supportive, funny, and a perfect book boyfriend. By comparison, Chelsea somewhat got on my nerves. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her, but she figures it out by the end. I did expect more conversation between Chelsea and her mom at the end of the book since her mother was such a large part of the pressure she felt for her life and career goals, but overall I enjoyed this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this wonderful book!

This is a wonderful book full of self-discovery, friendship, love, and adventure. I absolutely enjoyed getting to know Chelsea and Collin, and following along the journey of their relationship. Like many possible readers, we're all like Chelsea and have our mind set on these standards or ideals of what makes someone successful. But as Collin reminds us, those things can change and it's important to understand that change can be good.

I loved the relationship between the characters and really appreciate how personable they all were to me as I read. This was a fun read that included fairy stories, Irish slang and dialogue that had me swooning, and also wanting more. With this being the first book I've read by Alexandra Paige, I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for An Irish Summer. I’ve never read anything from this author before but I was pleasantly surprised. The book had great flow and was a very easy, pleasant read. I’ve never been to Ireland *sigh* but I felt like I have through the vivid, detailed visualizations in this book. I enjoyed the character transformation and developing relationships throughout. I’ll definitely be following Alexandra Paige’s future writings. Add this one to your must read list for 2025!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

I did not connect with the heroine in this novel and therefore could not get into it. She felt juvenile and whiny to me.

3.75 stars. This is an ARC from NetGalley. This is a fairly standard romance with Hallmark movie vibes. Even though the ending was predictable, I found this to be a light enjoyable read. The MFC was supposed to be mid to late 20s, but overall this felt a bit YA with her coming off more early 20s. The main arc of the story was regarding her ability to give up control and always having a plan, and embracing the life in front of you. The internal angst/delimina was a bit overplayed, and caused the remaining characters to drastically disappear into the background. Was this story anything groundbreaking or memorable, no, but it doesn't try to be. If you want a feel good Hallmark tale in a book this story is for you. #netgalley #anirishsummer #romance #hea

Unfortunately I’ll have to call it quits and DNF this read. I cannot connect with Chelsea. Not to mention she is just plain rude. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This one was really slow to start. The idea was fun but there was way too much prep before she even got to Ireland. And I honestly didn’t understand why she was so against 3 months working in a foreign country. Like does she not know how hard those kind of opportunities are to come by? Idk it just seemed unrealistic for her to be so against it to me… It was hard to relate to the character, and I was overall just bored.

I get that she was sad to lose her job but c’mon how often do you get an opportunity like this?

Living and working in Ireland for the summer is the stuff dreams are made of…just not Chelsea’s. When she unexpectedly loses her job in Boston, her choices are moving back in with Mom and Dad or packing her bags for a summer job at a hostel in Galway, Ireland. Chelsea reluctantly choses Ireland, determined not to fall in love with the country or anyone in it. But that’s before she meets Colin, bartender and tour guide extraordinaire.

This novel was filled with rich descriptions of the Irish countryside served with a side of fairy stories and Irish brogue. I enjoyed seeing Chelsea express her creativity in her new job at the hostel (although some of her ideas seemed more suited to a hotel or resort setting). I was a bit disappointed by the ending, but all in all this was a sweet story.

A fun pick for those who have studied abroad, backpacked through Europe, or ever dreamed of doing so.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager) for allowing me to view this advance reader copy of An Irish Summer, by Alexandra Paige.
This story of adventure, new places, and finding yourself is a delight. It has comedy, romance, found friends and family and I found myself feeling as if I knew Chelsea, Collin and Flo and wanted to be apart of their team. I first related to Chelsea as a fellow Red Head and Curls, as well as thinking I have a structured plan for life. Chelsea is stable in her life in Boston, her best friend, her family, and a great job. She works at a bed and breakfast until she is notified that the Bed and Breakfast is being sold and she has less than a month to find a new job and apartment. A lady at the Bed and Breakfast knows of a summer job at the Bed and Breakfast sister hostel in Galway, Ireland. It is an adventure, and with reluctance she decides to go. It is so hard to leave your home and life, but for Chelsea her co workers at the Wanderer are determined to change her mind, especially Collin, the tour guide.
The landscape of Ireland is artfully described and had plenty of Irish lore. I found myself wanting to be apart of this team as I so enjoyed each character. Reading this book I felt transported back to my 20's traveling, places, so close to my best friend everyone thought we were sisters, and young love. I highly recommend this book for young adult and older adult.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Chelsea has the perfect life. She lives and works at a charming B and B in Boston close to her family and friends and has a plan for her future. Too bad that all goes awry when the owners of the B and B decide to retire and sell. Now without a job or place to live, Chelsea has a choice to make: live in her parents’ home and work reception at their podiatry practice or spend a summer in Galway at the sister hostel of the B and B. It seems like a no brainer, but for a planner like Chelsea the idea is daunting. Deciding she doesn’t have much of a choice, she heads to Galway with the plan of adding new skills to her resume in order to find work back in Boston. But when she meets the charming tour guide, Collin, her best laid plans fall to the wayside. Can this planner follow her heart or will she be beholden to the course she set for herself?

Chelsea was really off putting. I couldn’t connect with her at all. She had a very immature vibe, and I found her to be unkind. Everyone who worked at the hostel was kind and really tried to genuinely get to know her, and she completely closed herself off and at times was downright rude. I can see what the author was going for, but I think her execution failed. I wanted to see Chelsea fall in love with Ireland and Collin, and I felt like it took longer than it needed to for that to happen. The characters in the book had more patience with her than I did. She does eventually come around, but it took about 70% of the novel.

I didn’t quite feel the chemistry between Collin and Chelsea and that could be because she was closed off for a good portion of the book. I didn’t believe she would choose Ireland and him. I did enjoy the Irish backdrop and the secondary characters were fun and well developed. I think the heroine just took the fun out of it for me.

This is a very charming (does it get more charming than Ireland??) And fun read. Collin is a great love interest. He goes above and beyond, and the grand gesture near the end really enamored me to him. Chelsea is a true pessimist, who goes through the gambit of emotion. The story does seem a bit shallow, it's not super emotional and a bit predictable, but it's fun anyways, and I don't think the point was super deep emotion, but just a fun, light read.
This would be a great vacation read.
Great if you love an American Abroad story.
Great if you love Ireland.
Will probably end up being a great audiobook

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a great book! This was a first for me by this author and I really enjoyed her writing style! I will definitely be reading more books by her. I enjoyed the plot and the characters in this book. They worked so well together! I had a hard time putting this book down.

An Irish Summer by Alexandra Paige is a heartfelt, romantic novel set against the stunning backdrop of the Irish countryside, capturing the allure of both the landscape and its people. The story’s central romance is charming, with chemistry between the leads that keeps the pages turning, but at times the relationship dynamics feel overly idealized, lacking the complexity and conflict that could elevate the plot. The pacing is uneven, with some sections dragging in overly descriptive passages while others rush through key moments, leaving character development feeling somewhat shallow. While the book excels in creating a picturesque setting, the predictable storyline and reliance on familiar tropes may leave readers craving something more original. Overall, An Irish Summer is a pleasant escape for fans of light romance, but it doesn't push the boundaries of the genre or deliver anything particularly groundbreaking.

The B&B where Chelsea works is closing down - and with it goes her apartment. The two owners who owned it give her a lead on a new adventure - a receptionist in a hostel in Galway, Ireland. Chelsea didn’t see Ireland on her bingo card for the summer, but unable to find anything else, she hops a flight to the Emerald Isle and pushes herself out of her comfort zone. Enter Collin, bartender/farmer/tour guide who immediately sets off to welcome her to the area, much to her chagrin.

Well, I’m a sucker for an American-in-Europe novel and set it in Ireland and I’m in heaven. Not only do we get plenty of Irish lore, but Collin is dead sexy on the page - a perfect archetype of the Irish charmer with scruffy hair and tattoos. I feel like he is a better main character than Chelsea, but the way Ratcliffe shows Chelsea opening up to new things and getting out of her previously perceived notions, by the end of the novel I may have not really liked her as much as Collin, but I felt for her and understood her. I think the character development is spot on and I found myself wanting to be dropped into this world, in my 20s again, and enjoying the freedom and chaos that is that time/this situation. I enjoyed her previous novel, Weekends with You, but I think this one is much better, and I found myself inhaling this novel! I think it wraps up pretty quickly at the end, but all in all, delicious MMC, a delicious read, and a super fun setting. I highly recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Oh my goodness this was such a cute, fun romance! I finished it in less than a day because I just didn’t want to put it down! So cute!

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager) for the advance reader copy. This was my first time reading a book through NetGalley, and I am beside myself with how much I have enjoyed this process and the ease of getting lost in this story: An Irish Summer.
Any book that highlights self-discovery, travel, romance and the varying depths in relationships from friendship to love is a book I will happily yank off any shelf to read. This particular story hit me in my sentimental core, having honeymooned in Ireland and explored the towns, coasts, hills, people and culture first-hand years and years ago (also a pint or several of "the dark stuff"). :) The main character, Chelsea, was so well-written that I wondered if she was someone I knew, and had conversations with in another life about goals, big dreams, and what we truly want out of it all. Whether you are a planner, a dreamer, cynical or an eternal wanderer in your soul, this story will have elements that tug at your heartstrings and make you wonder what it is that drives you, fuels you, through this crazy life. Is life about a grand plan that can be wrapped in a pretty bow, or is it about moments and experiences we accumulate to give us meaning and purpose? I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to get lost for a bit, both in the mind and as a traveler to some place new. You will not regret picking this one up. Sláinte!