Just ok
I tried to get into the story in this book, but just couldn't stay interested in this one. I've read other books in this series and enjoyed them.
The book is well written, with no obvious grammatical errors. If you haven't read the prior book, you may have some questions about the main character Grace.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cozy, heartwarming, delightful book. I enjoyed it a lot!

Grace Kelly, drawn to Emerald Bay, reconnects with childhood friend Christopher Dorrance as they become flatmates. They plan a music festival to help another friend, Clara Casey, whose home was destroyed by rain and whose son, Alfie, has leukemia. Grace hides these plans from her family due to a longstanding feud. Despite familial tensions, sparks fly between Grace and Chris. As they rekindle their friendship and navigate obstacles, they hope their fathers can reconcile. The story is compelling, highlighting the family's history and the blossoming romance. Although part of a series, it stands well on its own.

I made the mistake of not knowing this was part of the series. Still enjoyable. But I know it would have packed more of a punch if I was smart enough to read them in order. HOWEVER. I am now so emotionally invested in Emerald Bay and Grace that I have already purchased the first 3 books. I assumed this would be a breath of fresh air, which it was, but it also was full of emotion. Chris and Grace melted my stone cold heart.

📱E-Book Review📱

Secrets In The Little Irish Village
Michelle Vernal

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I feel like this really could have been a 5* read for me, except that I totally missed that it was a book 4 in The Little Irish Village series.
Not that this changed too much - I just really wanted to have had that history in the character development that I felt I'd missed out on.

Grace and Chris were well presented from the start and I definitely had that inkling about what was to come - but this didn't spoil the read at all for me.
I loved to see their relationship develop and sympathised with the struggles that occurred through no real fault of their own.

The feud was intriguing and I was totally invested in seeing how this progressed and whether they'd be able to sort things out after all this time, for the sake of their children's happiness.

The writing style flowed beautifully and I loved how descriptive this was.
I was totally transported to Emerald Bay with it's stunning scenery - I could almost feel that ocean breeze.

This was a real joy to read - but I really feel I want to catch up on the rest of the series before the next one comes out.


💕Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

I love the Kelly family and I enjoyed this story. This boisterous family of five sisters leaves me with such a warm feeling! They feel like friends and I want to be part of their circle. Add in the quirky, caring residents of Emerald Bay and I am ready to move there. This book focuses on Grace. Grace is alone in London after her twin Ava gets married. She needs someone to help cover the rent. When she runs into Christopher Dorrance from Emerald Bay it seems like a perfect solution, except for the fact that their father’s are in a bitter feud. Grace and Chris decide to keep it secret from everyone in Emerald Bay until a local tragedy has them heading home to help. Will the secret destroy Grace’s relationship with her family? Is there more between Grace and Chris than friendship? This is a story of family secrets, letting go of the past, and learning to follow your heart to create a future you love. It is a part of the Little Irish Village series but can be read as a stand-alone, but once you read one you will want to spend more time in Emerald Bay with the Kelly family.

We are back in Emerald Bay again and with the lovely characters and setting. The Kelly family are having a few problems that need solving so read this to find out what happens.
4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC

I enjoyed the 4th book in this series. Michelle’s characters are interesting and she describes the scene of Emerald Bay and its local community very well. Once again there are mishaps within the Kelly family which are brought to a satisfying conclusion

Grace Kelly has always had a heart for Emerald Bay. She grew up there and loves the wonderful people, and of course the beautiful sparkling sea. The sun hits the sea and dances like little diamonds on the water. She could use some help with rent at her London flat and does not want to ask her family. She reunites with Christopher Dorrance a friend that she hasn’t seen or talked to in eight years. He happens to need a place to live so he moves in. They haven’t told their feuding families back home in Ireland, knowing that they wouldn’t approve. But when a mutual friend, Clara and her son Alfie lose their home because of a flooding rain storm, Grace and Christopher decide to help them. They decide on a village charity concert to raise money for Clara and her son. Alfie has leukemia and needs to keep up with his treatments. So, all the money raised from the concert will go to him. However, this concert could also be exactly what the feuding families need to bury the past hurts once and for all?

Secrets in the Little Irish Village written by Michelle Vernal is a lovely tale of new beginnings and seconds chances. This light hearted story will have you flipping the pages at a rapid rate. I couldn’t put this one down until I got to the end. I love this fabulous series and this last installment was fantastic. I too am drawn to Emerald Bay as the author does a fine job of describing how wonderful it is to live there. I would definitely add this little beauty to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it.

Grace Kelly has always felt drawn to Emerald Bay. One person she is renewing an acquaintance with is Christopher Dorrance. They were childhood friends and haven’t seen each other for years. They are about to become flatmates and Grace is not sure how that will go, especially with their families. One touching and not surprising thing about this story is that Grace had always been called by her nickname, “Princess Grace”.

When another childhood friend, Clara Casey, has just lost her home due to torrential rain, Chris and Grace come up with a plan to fundraise by means of a music festival to help Clara and her son, as well as the school in Emerald Bay,

Clara’s son Alfie has leukemia. Grace is worried about the loss Clara and Alfie have experienced all while worrying about Alfie’s treatment. As Chris is the front man for a group called The Shamrockers, they will be the basis of the festival that should be able to help Clara and her son.

This flatmate situation and the upcoming festival are things that Grace feels impelled to keep from her family, especially her father due to a longstanding family feud that seems like it could go on forever. However, sparks begin to fly between Grace and Chris so they definitely have some hurdles to overcome. Will their fathers be able to bury the hatchet for the good of the families, but especially for Grace and Chris? After all their friendship in the past has definitely not lost its spark.

Although this is the fourth book in a series, and having not read the previous books, I was still really drawn into Grace and Chris’s story. Finding out what caused the family feud in the first place, as well as watching their romance bloom despite the feud, kept me riveted to the story from beginning to end. In fact, I inhaled this book in one siting. While Michelle Vernal might be a new name for me, I won’t be so quick to let her books pass by me in the future.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

When Clara Casey home is ruined after a storm her good friend Grace Kelly suggests to her flatmate Chris that they should organise something to raise funds to hep her and son Alfie. Once it’s decided to do a music festival it’s all hands on deck to arrange it.
The biggest hurdle being that their fathers will realise that they have been keeping secrets from them because it’s well known in the village that the two men don’t speak. This only makes Grace all the more determined to find out why, but no one is speaking.
This is my first by this author. I enjoyed the mix of characters my favourite being Grace.
I like the blessings mentioned. I’m sure I shall read more of this author.

This is the second book I read in the Little Irish Village series and it was the right book at the right moment.
I needed some escapism, a good and honest enemy to lover story, and a lovely setting. There's also a very funny pet but you have to read this book to know more.
I had fun, rooted for the characters, and had some good time in reading this heartwamring and cute story.
4.5 upped to 5
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Secrets in the Little Irish Village is brilliant! Really threw me back to when I lived in Ireland for a year - I kept hearing the phrases in this book in Irish accents in my head. Absolutely fabulous.
I think my favourite side character has to be Napolean the klepto kitty - this little storyline had me in stitches as I could very well believe a town meeting being called because of this.
I've not read any other Little Irish Village books by Michelle Vernal, but I will definitely be checking them out!
Chris and Grace's story was great and although you knew what would happen by the end, I couldn't help but thoroughly enjoy the journey. I would love to find out what happens for them later down the line.
This is a great comfort read that gave me all the warm and fuzzies. 100% recommend!

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

It was good to be back in Emerald Bay.

I loved the quirky characters that you begin to like. The story was funny in places, had secrets that were kept and grievances that were held between families.

I recommend this book.

The Kelly family is back in another heartwarming tale from Emerald Bay!

This time the focus is on Grace, who has flown the coop to work in London. By sheer chance she meets the only other Emerald Bay resident in London - musician Chris Dorrance, the son of the only person her publican father has a feud with - and they become roommates as Chris moves into the room vacated by Grace's sister Ava in the previous book. When they receive word that Emerald Bay has been hit by a freak storm, damaging the school and the home of Grace's bestie, Grace and Chris decide to throw a fundraising festival to raise money for the repairs.

In amidst the planning and the preparations, Grace still needs to broach the subject of rooming with Chris to her dad. Will she be able to run the festival and repair her relationship with her dad before it's too late?

This is another heartwarming Irish romcom/slice of life tale from Michelle Vernal, that drops you into the warm, welcoming heart of Irish village life, full of gossip and a strong community. This hearkens back to 90's boom in Irish women's fiction, with an update for the 21st century.
Ms Vernal is fast becoming one of my "buy on sight" authors.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

A nice gentle read, which is set mainly between London and Ireland, if a little predictable/slow moving at times.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Charming, romantic, and sweet are the words I use to describe Michelle Vernal's lovely Secrets in the Little Irish Village. This sweet story was effortless to predict from the start, but this aspect makes it perfect for a light-hearted romance. This book will make an excellent little beachy read if you are looking for something to relax and plunge into. The relationship between love interests is charming and uncomplicated, refreshing. Funny enough, I could hear the story in an Irish lilt while I read the words on the pages. I loved how authentic the voice(s) of the story allows readers to immerse themselves in this story.

I'm grateful to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. It was just the sweetness I needed.

Once again, it was so nice to be back I Emerald Bay with all the familiar faces and places.

This is the 4th book in the series. It's not crucial to have read the others, but it's nice to have the background and be familiar with the returning characters.

Grace is such a strong and sweet character with a heart of gold. When her childhood friend's house and the local school computers get damaged in a storm, she makes plans with Chris (her flatmate and son of her father's nemesis ) to raise money.

I loved the flashbacks to get the history behind why Grace and Chris' fathers had a fallout. As well as how Grace and Chris 'met' officially as kids.

Grace is hilarious with her descriptions and observations, and I feel like each sister becomes a new favourite - they're all so lovely. But then i just love the whole Kelly family.

Read this if you like
Slow burn
Small town
Close knit family

And if you're a Marian Keyes fan and love the Walsh family, you'll love the Kelly family.

Secrets in the Little Irish Village by Michelle Vernal is the next installment in the Emerald Cove series. The next of the five Kelly sisters to look for a man is Grace, but she really only needs someone to share her rental now that her sister has moved out. That man is Christopher Torrance, a long time acquaintance from home, but she never mentions his last name because her father has been embroiled in a long term feud with his father. When an awful storm hit home and destroys her best friend's home, along with damaging the local school, Chris and Grace put their heads together to hold a fundraiser for their hometown, but will it bring them closer together in spite of the family feud? An enjoyable read for the fans of the series! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Irish Romeo and Juliet without the drama....

A rather sweet contemporary, Irish hint of Romeo and Juliet (feuding fathers) tale. Grace Kelly has a flatmate in London, Chris. They keep that they are roommates on the downlow due to their feuding pops. But when her bestie and her ill child needs a new roof, its back home to raise the funds. Where Chris and Grace become maybe more than roommates....
Recommend.