Clumsy, quirky, and utterly charming, Bethany Spinner is a human whirlwind of catastrophes. While she is no stranger to embarrassing situations, getting publicly dumped at her grandmother’s funeral is a whole new kind of embarrassment. Deciding she’s had enough, Beth takes a page from her favorite Irish romance novel and sets off to find her real-life dashing hero.With her well-worn book in hand and infectiously positive attitude, Bethany boards a flight heading to the wild shores of Ireland. But her adventure is already off to a rocky start when she is seated next to Aidan, a grumpy curmudgeon who is none other than the author of her favorite Irish romance. And he is the most seemingly unromantic man she has ever met.Aidan Turner is in a slump. How can a romance author write when he doesn’t believe in love anymore? It’s no wonder his publisher rejected his recent book. And the last thing he needs is the wide-eyed, idealistic woman chatting beside him as a reminder. No matter how adorable she is.After landing in Ireland and a series of mishaps (who knew you had to drive on the wrong side of the road?), it seems Bethany's luck may finally be turning around. Especially when she sees Aidan again at a wedding and he offers to be her tour guide. She may be a walking disaster, but no one deserves a poor experience when visiting such a beautiful country.As Bethany sees the man beneath the gruff exterior, and Aidan experiences his world through her eyes, fiction and reality blur. Life may not play out like a romance novel, but sometimes, you’re given the opportunity to re-write your own love story.
Jude McLean, a lover of whiskey and chocolate, vividly depicts her passion for sensory experiences within the pages of her Irish romance novels. Known for her boisterous laughter, she assures her readers that they’ll never be deprived of laughs, gasps, perhaps a tear or two, and a heartwarming smile.
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This was a re-read for me with my bookclub and we absolutely adored it! What a clumsy but sweet mess Bethany is! We loved the banter between Aiden and Bethany and oh how wonderful her best friend Lauren is!!!!! I cannot wait for our full discussion next week!
I was excited to read this book after meeting the author at RTD. It started out well but then just seemed all over the place. I didn't care for multiple characters' thoughts and conversations happening in the same paragraph. The story has a solid plot line, but it just needs more depth, better story flow and character development, and written from a duel perspective.
"Clumsy, quirky, and utterly charming, Bethany Spinner is a human whirlwind of catastrophes. While she is no stranger to embarrassing situations, getting publicly dumped at her grandmother’s funeral is a whole new kind of embarrassment. Deciding she’s had enough, Beth takes a page from her favorite Irish romance novel and sets off to find her real-life dashing hero.
With her well-worn book in hand and infectiously positive attitude, Bethany boards a flight heading to the wild shores of Ireland. But her adventure is already off to a rocky start when she is seated next to Aidan, a grumpy curmudgeon who is none other than the author of her favorite Irish romance. And he is the most seemingly unromantic man she has ever met.
Aidan Turner is in a slump. How can a romance author write when he doesn’t believe in love anymore? It’s no wonder his publisher rejected his recent book. And the last thing he needs is the wide-eyed, idealistic woman chatting beside him as a reminder. No matter how adorable she is.
After landing in Ireland and a series of mishaps (who knew you had to drive on the wrong side of the road?), it seems Bethany's luck may finally be turning around. Especially when she sees Aidan again at a wedding and he offers to be her tour guide. She may be a walking disaster, but no one deserves a poor experience when visiting such a beautiful country.
As Bethany sees the man beneath the gruff exterior, and Aidan experiences his world through her eyes, fiction and reality blur. Life may not play out like a romance novel, but sometimes, you’re given the opportunity to re-write your own love story."
Met this author at Auburn Author Expo and wanted to try this book since it takes place in Ireland.
There were lots of places where I laughed out loud. But, for me there were some really uncomfortable moments.
Beth loved her Gram, and after her death, Gram left orders to go to Ireland and enjoy life. Beth is a nurse who is in her thirty’s. That should mean she is pretty familiar with the world. And nurses are trained to take charge and be people with presence. The continued descriptions of Beth being too shy to deal with life, seemed rather out of character.
I wanted Beth to be more assertive. Not as assertive as her friend Lauren. That was over the top for me. Except pushing the jerk into the open grave was a brilliant move.
Beth is very beautiful. On the long plane ride, she meets Aiden. He happens to not be in the mood for a connection to anyone and especially not anyone who is as clumsy as Beth. She injures him painfully and often.
There is humor and sexual attraction and interesting descriptions of Ireland. It is as though it were written to be an enticement to draw tourists to the beautiful country. I was ready to go see the beauty and meet the very kind people.
Bethany Spinner gave up her job as a nurse to care for her Grandmother, who had taken her in and brought her up when her parents died in a car crash. She is encouraged by her best friend Lauren to abide by her Gram’s last wish to visit Ireland, after receiving her Gram’s estate following her passing.
Beth is nervous about travelling alone, but literally bumps into Aiden at the airport. He is grumpy, and not best pleased when he finds himself seated next to Beth on the flight to Ireland.
I loved this book, and I laughed out loud a lot while reading, as well as being brought to tears by Gram’s last letter to Beth.
Beth’s first impression of Ireland is very negative, and she wants to go home, but she is persuaded to stay by Lauren, via the telephone.
The storyline, and characters are so well drawn by the author, and are very believable, and include a car accident, a wedding, and two handsome men vying for her attention. I loved that the author brought in characters from her earlier books too.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Though this is one of the funniest books I have read in a long time, it's missing a little bit more of the romance. This is a clean romance, which means it's a sweet bell pepper book. The best parts of the book are the interactions between the main character and her best friend. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars because the ending seems abrupt and doesn't completely flow with the rest of the book. I did love the overall story, I loved the description of the scenery, and the banter between characters. If you are looking for a book that will have you laughing out loud with a little romance thrown in, I'd give this book a shot!
I hope this helps you find your next Tantalizing Tome.
I absolutely loved this book. Beth and Lauren’s friendship is magical. Beth’s quirky klutzy ways are hysterical. On a whim after her grandmother passes away, she is off to Ireland to live a fantasy vacation. Starting with Aidan her grumpy seatmate the trip is off to her typical misadventures…luggage dropped, spilled drink, wayward elbows, etc. Her first days in Ireland are dreary, unending rain and not the picture perfect Ireland in her favorite novel. She just wants to go home! Randomly she meets(actually hits him with her car)Roan, Irish hospitality kicks in and she starts to wonder would the luck of the Irish turn things around? I received a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions in this review are my own.
This book makes me feel like twilight all over again are you team Adain the author or team Roan the sweetheart. I am personal team Roan because he is such a sweet heart and I’d love to get flowers at random on a month long vacation to Ireland. I love that there’s a character called Danny with the ugly BMW, but I don’t enjoy his character. And calling gram a cow had me busting out laughing! And the pink squirrel drink and both Lauren and Beth hate it, but Gram made it for them. But my favorite piece of encouragement was Lauren’s letter to Beth, while Beth was headed to Ireland. This was a cute quick read. That didn’t end the way I thought it would. This was an enjoyable grumpy sunshine romance and a quick read on KU. Perfect for a buddy read. I’m excited for book two.
I guess I am in the minority. I thought the book was silly and boring. Some reviews said hilarious, nope. Some reviews said romantic, nope. How can you be romantic with only 2 or 3 kisses in the whole book?
I've been to Ireland many times by myself. Even with the rain I always enjoyed everything. It was always so peaceful. Once I walked out of the Shannon airport I felt all my cares lift. Beth did not like the rain and was ready to leave. She did not seem to like anything until there was sunshine.
I assume Aidan was from Ireland and had an Irish accent, but this was never mentioned.
This story was a funny read. It started out so sad and continued with a quirky theme. It was so funny reading about Beth and her initial losses, her upheaval in her quiet same old same old existence. Both her BFF and her recently deceased grandmother conspiring to force change. So often we get in ruts and can’t seem to figure out how to get out of them and it takes an observer to see the need and force change. In this case. Beth is sent to her favorite fantasy location: Ireland. She finds love and happiness although at great risk and peril from those guys that show an interest in her. Love it.
Jude has done it again! I love everything she writes. This fun and clutzy and heartfelt love story about Bethany Spinner and her adventure to Ireland where she goes to fulfill her Gram’s final wish was the warm and fuzzy novel I needed. Having two men interested in Beth, all the while she is unsure of either’s intentions fits Beth’s character to a T. I also love that Jude brought in characters from The O’Briens series! Jude really puts a touch of sparkle and magic into her writing that I cannot get enough of. I highly recommend this and Jude’s other novels!
Special thanks to Jude McClean for sharing Arse Over Irish Teacup with me in exchange for my honest review.
I read all you O'Brien series and thought they were ok, I didn't plan on reading another of your books as they just didn't work for me. This one did and I will try another one. This book made me laugh, cry, smile, everything! This was a great story and had great characters. Maybe find a way to turn this into a series. Kenmare is my favorite town in Ireland. We stay there for at least 4 days each year for the last 16 years. Sneem is a great little town also, cute stores coffee shop and the venue you used for the wedding is fabulous! Again, great story, keep them coming.
So much potential with some editing. I love the story concept but the characters need to be fleshed out more and, heaven help me, the ever changing point of views gave me whiplash. It was a struggle to keep up with whose thoughts you were reading since the POV changed several times sometimes in the same paragraph. I would love to see this written as a dual POV instead which I think would also help with the character development and flow of the story as a whole. There are a lot of portions that were sort of repeats or just unnecessary to the story along with a lot of unanswered questions in the character/plot development. Again, great concept just screaming for an epic edit.
This was such a cute and wonderful story. Definitely a Rom-Com that could be a movie. It was what I needed this weekend, something light and sweet. It made me laugh and cry a little and it definitely made me swoon 😍. I do wish there was more of what happened after the kiss. But I guess I'll have to wait to see if this story continues. Like always, Jude made me feel like I was there and experiencing everything happening. From the small town vibes to the summer rains to everything in between. I can't wait for what else Jude cooks up in her next books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I loved this book, but it took me time to get into it because of the lack of editing. The characters were well drawn but a bit clumsy in their actions. And I don't mean Klutzy Beth! Except sometimes she did really stupid things; like going outside naked, that didn't add to the story. The house owner (I've already forgotten his name) plays such a scary role that I kept waiting for him to hurt or obduct Beth. Hey Author, clean it up and take away the unnecessary stupid actions!
OMG I loved this book!! It was a light, funny, romantic romp that I needed. All the characters were so well formed I felt like they were real life friends -Gram, Lauren, Beth, Aiden, Mr Jameson - I want them in my life! I’m so glad I read this book and you should all read it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This charming book had me giggling & just smiling wide as I read. Jude McLean does what she does best & spin a tale that touches the heart & warms your smile. You have the irish charm & crazy banter with hilarious clumsiness every step of the way. This is a book you cannot help but enjoy. Honest review!
You know when books say hilarious, and they are so not. Well, this one had me rolling. Aiden and Beth together were a riot. From the moment they met at the airport , and every interaction since. I could have done without the Roan part, but I loved the rest. Best laughs in a long while
This book was flawed in a lot of ways. I think a good editor could have helped refine the characters and the storyline build and made this a really enjoyable read. The chopping and changing between perspectives sometimes paragraph by paragraph was also difficult to follow. Having said that, if you’re looking for something short, sweet and a little ridiculous, this will tick your box.
I really wanted to absolutely love this book but it disappointed me. It was an okay read but what should have been hilarious just wasn’t. The accidents were described more like a statement than in a way to make the reader laugh out loud. This could have been so funny if written in the right way.
Nice little story. "Clean" as is in no bedroom scenes, but there is some language & suggestive wording. I didn't like the way the author switch between characters thoughts from paragraph to paragraph & sometimes within the same paragraph with no warning. It got a little confusing. I agree with others that I would like a longer ending. It just seemed to end.
Loved it! First book I e read by this author and it was absolutely delightful. The characters were described well and so believable, the romance was engaging and funny, the descriptions of characters’ feelings and thoughts was perfect. And, to top it all off, there was an irresistible deaf white cat.
I will definitely be exploring more books by this author.
If you're looking for tons of laughs, two very attractive Irish men, epic disasters, and a fluffy white cat, this book is for you. Jude McClean connects the beauty of Ireland (once you fight through the rain) with the clumsy mess of Minnesotan native Beth Spinner. This novel is full of hope, hilarity and love.
As a really clumsy person I related with this book so much!! As always Jude’s writing is just amazing! This book got me out of my slump! Such a cute meet cute and frenemies to lovers! I couldn’t put it down!
This book was wonderful. It made me laugh so many times. I definitely fell in love with the characters. Bethany and Aiden were so good together. Well written and now I need to look up any other books by Jude McLean!
I never try to leave bad reviews however this book needed a lot more work. Seems like a first draft with ideas . There could be a great and funny story here about a lot didn’t make sense and there was no flow. Please get an editor . Again some good ideas here just needs some more work.
I liked the way Beth is a walking disaster you can't help but love. The way this book wants me to keep reading to see what can happen next and how anyone she meets can't be mad at her! Such a sweet fun love storym
I LOVED this book!! It was not only a great story but it had me laughing until tears rolled down my face! I can totally relate with Bethany. I, too, am a klutz. However, she has me beat. I never fell into an open grave.😂 I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a good story with lots of giggles.
Initially a little slow, I persisted and ended up finishing this book very quickly. Some sweet and cheesy moments, some laughing out loud ones too. It was a nice easy read and gave me a yearning to travel to Ireland