Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay

 

5*

This story is an absolutely heartwarming and heartbreaking delight. Full disclosure? I’ll always love a book about books set in a small Irish village. Add a steamy, slow-burn romance between a handsome, black-haired, blue-eyed Irishman with a sexy accent and a ginger-haired librarian from America on a year-long, working holiday in his Last Chapter bookshop, and all my fantasies are fulfilled.

However, this book is so much more than an enemies-to-lovers, small town romance. Kier (aka Kieran Murphy) and Red (aka Emily Allen) both carry baggage from difficult, abusive childhoods that have left her with anxiety attacks and hypochondria and him with a strong aversion to change and a sense of abandonment. Yet, it’s their devotion to famous author Siobhan Reardon that binds them together. Siobhan’s Tig McMorrow fantasy series provided comfort, support, and escape throughout Em’s adolescent years, so she’s thrilled when asked to be her assistant as she writes the conclusion to the series after a ten-year hiatus. It’s also an escape from her stifling life and opportunity to break out of her shell. On the other hand, Kier is fiercely protective of his mother, and is resentful of and worried about how she blocks out the world when she’s fully-engrossed in the writing process. So, they almost immediately butt heads, not just over how to handle Siobhan, but also with the changes Em proposes to bring the bookstore into the 21st century. As Siobhan’s deadline fast approaches and the chemistry between Kier and Em heats up, will the last chapter have a happy ending? You’ll have to read it to find out.

McKinlay paints a vivid picture of this quaint Irish village and its colorful and kind inhabitants, builds great tension between Kier and Em, and sensitively portrays the damage done by narcissistic, neglectful, and abusive parents, while still maintaining the fine balance between witty, lighthearted scenes and heartbreaking moments. Don’t be surprised if, like Em, you find yourself daydreaming about epic romance and grand gestures as you read this wonderful story. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Romance through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.