Jenn McKinlay's Love at First Book is a cozy, bookish enemies-to-lovers romance set on the charming Emerald Isle. Emily Allen has accepted a job assisting her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, in finishing her acclaimed book series 10 years after the last book ended on a cliffhanger. The quaint village of Finn's Hallow offers Emily the chance to find closure with the book series that guided her through adolescence, to add adventure to her life, and to escape Martha's Vineyard, Mass., where her overbearing mother demands constant attention.
Emily's new position--working mornings at the Last Chapter, a bookshop owned by Siobhan's son, Kieran Murphy, and assisting Siobhan in the afternoon--quickly reveals Kieran's lack of enthusiasm for Emily's arrival. Determined to help Siobhan finish her series and get to the bottom of Kieran's resistance, Emily falls in love with her new life and learns the value of seeing her task through, no matter how many obstacles are in the way. Kieran's mysterious opposition to Emily working with his mother and pointed quips create witty banter, captivating tension, and undeniable chemistry. Emily's strong will demonstrates her strength and slowly softens Kieran's hard exterior.
Along with their own complex connection, Emily and Kieran both navigate rocky relationships with their mothers, developing a strong bond between them as McKinlay depicts their hardships and the difficulties of familial love. McKinlay (Summer Reading; Wait for It) writes lovable characters, a picturesque setting, and a perfectly swoony love interest, and she fills the pages of Love at First Book with welcoming pubs, warm afternoon tea, and burning romance. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer