Michelle Vernal's New Beginnings in the Little Irish Village was published on May 4th by Bookoutre.
Welcome to the little Irish village of Emerald Bay where the
sun is shining, the locals are gossiping, and romance is in the air. But will
returning home be the fresh start Imogen Kelly needs?
Thirty-two-year-old Imogen Kelly is meant to be living her
best life in Dublin but the bright light s of the city aren’t making her truly
happy. So she leaps at the chance to take on an interior design job at the big
country manor at the edge of Emerald Bay. It also gives Imogen an excuse to
return to the place where she spent an unforgettable summer with her first
love, Lachlan Leslie, the heir to Benmore House.
Imogen’s heart is full of hope at the thought of seeing her
childhood sweetheart but on the way there she nearly has an accident on the
winding, muddy country road. She arrives at Benmore House late and flustered,
only to discover the builder working with her on the renovation project is none
other than Ryan O’Malley – the class prankster who was forever pinging her bra
strap at school.
Within seconds it’s clear he’s still a cheeky charmer, even
if he’s transformed into a gorgeous guy who unexpectedly sets her pulse racing.
Forced into close proximity with relentlessly cheerful Ryan, who’s forever (badly)
singing rock ballads at the top of his voice, Imogen at first finds him an
annoying distraction.
With St Patrick’s Day celebrations in full swing, Imogen has
her work cut out to keep the job on track. Spending more time with Ryan, she
discovers that, behind his warm smile and generous ways, he’s nursing
heartache. But when she finally sees blue-eyed Lachlan again, Imogen has to
face up to the truth about the secret summer romance they shared.
My Thoughts
This is a light hearted and fun read which has some memorable scenes which bring a smile to your face. Who can forget Imogen's arrival into her home village, for starters! There is a great sense of community in the village where nothing goes unnoticed. Family is so important to Imogen and her sisters all add to the mix. As Imogen arrives back into Emerald Bay from her city life in Dublin, she sees the stark difference between the two parts of her life. As the story develops, she has to decide which way of life means the most to her.
Imogen also finds that she has to face up to the reason she left the village years ago. In doing so, she has to reconcile herself to a few home truths. There is a slow burn romance throughout the book which you are willing to burst into life. Ryan turns out to have some hidden depths and a strong sense of duty and affection for his family who he puts above everything. The pace of the story carries you though the story which is a great read.
In short: family, friendships and romance
About the Author
Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories
that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of
their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her
books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to
Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for
the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Award
for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.
Ypi can follow Michelle here: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Book link: Amazon UK
THanks to Michelle Vernon, and Jess Readett of Bookoutre for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
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