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When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading. Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence. Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around. Emily persists, and spending her days bantering with the annoyingly handsome mercurial Irishman only makes her fall more deeply in love with the new life she’s built – and for the man who seems to soften toward her with every quip she throws at him. But when she discovers the reason for Kieran's initial resistance, Em finds herself torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her now undeniable feelings for Kier. As Siobhan's novel progresses, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.
When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading. Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence. Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around. Emily persists, and spending her days bantering with the annoyingly handsome mercurial Irishman only makes her fall more deeply in love with the new life she’s built – and for the man who seems to soften toward her with every quip she throws at him. But when she discovers the reason for Kieran's initial resistance, Em finds herself torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her now undeniable feelings for Kier. As Siobhan's novel progresses, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Excerpts-
From the cover
One
Em, are you all right?" Samantha Gale, my very best friend, answered her phone on the fourth ring. Her voice was rough with sleep and it belatedly occurred to me that nine o'clock in the morning in Finn's Hollow, Ireland, was four o'clock in the morning in Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Damn it, I woke you up, didn't I?" I asked, feeling awful about it.
"No, it's fine," Sam said. "I told you when you left that I'm always here for you." There was a low grumbling in the background and she added, "And Ben says he's here for you, too."
That made me laugh. Sam and Ben had become couple goals for me. Not that I thought I'd ever find anything like the connection they'd made, but they kept the pilot light of my innermost hope aflame.
"Thank you and Ben," I said. "I'm going to hang up now. Forget I ever called."
"Emily Allen, don't you dare," Sam said. Now she sounded fully awake. Oops.
"No, really I-" I began but she interrupted me.
"Tell me why you're calling, otherwise I'll worry." There was more grumbling in the background. Sam laughed and said, "Ben says he's begging you to tell me so that I don't drive him crazy with speculation."
I grinned. She would, too. Then I grew serious.
Glancing around the Last Chapter, the quaint bookshop in which I was presently standing, I noted objectively that it was a booklover's dream come true. A three-story stone building chock-full of books with a small café, where the scent of fresh-brewed coffee, berry-filled scones, and cinnamon pastry permeated the air. I felt myself lean in that direction as if the delicious aromas were reeling me in.
One of the employees had unlocked the front door of the shop, and I had trailed in behind a handful of customers who'd been waiting. I'd been agog ever since.
This was it. The bookshop where I'd be working for the next year. My heart was pounding and my palms were sweaty. The black wool turtleneck sweater I was wearing, in an attempt to defeat the early November chill, felt as if it were choking me and I was quite sure the pain spearing through my head meant I was having an aneurysm.
"I'm supposed to meet my boss in a few minutes, and I think I'm having a heart attack or potentially a stroke," I said.
There was a beat of silence then Sam said, "Tell me your symptoms."
I listed them all and she noted each one with an "uh-huh," which told me nothing whatsoever as to what she thought about my condition. I was three thousand miles away and starting a new job in a bookshop, having put my career as a librarian on Martha's Vineyard on hold to chase some crazy fantasy where I traveled to a foreign destination and lived a life full of adventure.
"I think I'm going to throw up," I groaned.
"Inhale," Sam said. "You know the drill-in for eight seconds, hold for four, out for eight."
I sucked in a breath. Ouch. "I can't. It makes my head throb. See? Aneurysm."
"Or a lack-of-caffeine headache," she said. "Have you had coffee yet?"
Come to think of it, I had not. I'd been too nervous to make any before I left my cottage this morning so the potential for this skull splitter to be from coffee deprivation seemed likely.
"No," I said. "And I see where you're going, but I still have brutal nausea and I'm sweating. I bet I have a fever. Maybe it's food poisoning from the airplane food last night. I had the beef stroganoff."
"You ate airplane food?" Sam sounded as incredulous as if I'd confessed to eating ice cream off the bathroom floor. She was a professional chef, so not a big surprise.
"I know, I know," I said. "It's...
Reviews-
March 1, 2024
A librarian on an overseas adventure gets much more than she bargains for in this emotion-laden love story by cozy mystery writer-turned-romance novelist McKinlay (Summer Reading). Emily Allen moves to a lovely little Irish village to assist her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, who is suffering from a severe case of writer's block, and work in the local book shop. Of course, Siobhan's son, who manages the store, looks like a romance novel cover model, but Em and Kiernan don't get along initially. In many romances, their tension might feel superficial or forced, but as the story unfolds, the characters' motivations become clear--and make a lot of sense. While the romance at the center of this novel is largely built on banter and cute situations, like Em learning to drive on the opposite side of the road and trips to the comfy local pub ("Love at First Book"), the story features some distressing plot points about illness and child abuse that may dismay readers looking for a comfort read. However, relationship-fiction fans who don't mind a little heat will be pleasantly surprised. VERDICT This moving romance will leave readers smiling and swooning through their tears.--Jenny Kobiela-Mondor
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 1, 2024 Working as an assistant to Siobhan Riordan is a dream come true for librarian Emily Allen. Siobhan's Tig McMorrow books helped Emily through some rough patches in life, and Emily will do whatever she can to help Siobhan deliver the series conclusion fans have been eagerly awaiting for more than a decade. However, assisting Siobhan is only part of Emily's new life in the small Irish village of Finn's Hollow. The rest of Emily's time will be spent working at the Last Chapter. The quaint little bookshop is owned by Siobhan's son, Kieran Murphy, who not only seems hot under the collar about Emily being in Finn's Hollow but who is also making Emily a bit hot herself. With her latest whimsically wonderful and wryly witty book, McKinlay (Summer Reading, 2023) puts readers through an emotional workout, but the end result is worth it. This is a swoon-worthy romance that has not only a great deal to say about self-love, forgiveness, and the importance of living in the moment but also celebrates the undeniable magic of books and the important place they hold in a reader's life.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
April 15, 2024 A woman from Martha's Vineyard accepts a year-long position in Ireland helping her favorite author finish the last book in a famous series. Twenty-nine-year-old Emily Allen grew up with Siobhan Riordan's books about Tig McMorrow. The characters were like a family to her as her parents' marriage imploded due to her mother's abuse and narcissism; her father married a woman Emily went to high school with, and she spent years meekly taking care of her mother although nothing was wrong with her. One day she writes to Siobhan, begging her to finish the final book in the series, which the world has been awaiting for 10 years. Siobhan replies, offering her a part-time job as her assistant and another part-time job working at her bookstore, the Last Chapter, in Finn's Hollow, Ireland. Sparks fly as soon as Emily meets Kieran Murphy, Siobhan's adult son, who manages the bookstore and didn't think hiring her was a good idea. This is a cleverly written forced proximity romance for book lovers; Emily and Kieran frequently banter about books and authors, and McKinlay winks to romance readers through Emily's daydreams and flirtatious conversations between her and Kieran about what they'd be doing if they were characters in romance novels. The book gains emotional depth as the reason for Siobhan's failure to write for 10 years comes to light, and though, of course, there's a happily-ever-after, grief and happiness are entwined. Romance meets bookstore cozy in this well-told story.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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