Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Men of the Isles #2

Driving Maisie Crazy

Rate this book
“What happens on an Irish bus tour stays on an Irish bus tour…”



This is the second book in the clean and sweet romcom Men of the Isles series by Deborah M. Hathaway. Although this clean, road trip, forbidden romance is a stand-alone novel, the books are best enjoyed when read in order.

Don't miss the other novels in this series!
Book 1: Winning Winnie's Hand
Book 2: Driving Maisie Crazy - 2025
Book 3: TBA 2025
Book 4: TBA 2025

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2025

25 people are currently reading
215 people want to read

About the author

Deborah M. Hathaway

22 books508 followers
Deborah M. Hathaway graduated from Utah State University with a degree in English and Creative Writing. As a young girl, she devoured Jane Austen's novels while watching and re-watching every adaptation of Pride & Prejudice she could, entirely captured by all things Regency and romance.

Throughout her life, she wrote many short stories, poems, and essays, but it was not until after her marriage that she was finally able to complete her first romance novel, attributing the completion to her courtship with, and love of, her charming, English husband.

Deborah finds her inspiration for her novels in her everyday experiences with her husband and children and during her travels to the United Kingdom, where she draws on the beauty of the country in such places as Ireland, Yorkshire, and her beloved Cornwall.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
117 (65%)
4 stars
50 (28%)
3 stars
8 (4%)
2 stars
3 (1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
Profile Image for Bree.
450 reviews26 followers
March 6, 2025
4.5 ⭐️

•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•

{𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐬: Book 2}

“𝙸𝚐𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗' 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗'.”

🌳 Release Date: March 17, 2025 🌳
.
.
.
Y’all, this book was incredible! It was honestly such a treat to read and I was so impressed with it! Not having read book one, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I ended up loving it so much 😍 So if you haven’t yet, you should definitely go check out this lovely series!

Finn O’Meara was the epitome of a Norn Irishman, as he put it. His humor was top-notch and wholly entertaining! I’m not typically a fan of the instant connection/attraction trope, but it was done so well in this book that I didn’t even mind it! From the instant Finn first laid eyes on the beautiful face of Maisie King, he was an absolute goner, nevermind the fact she had been late getting on his tour bus and had held everything up 🤭

Maisie King was an absolute delight! She was one of those fun characters that you can’t help but immediately like because of her bubbly charisma. I love the fact that she was such a foodie! It made me feel like I too was enjoying the succulent delights of Northern Ireland as she described each new dish she tried along her journey. I was also a big fan of the way the lovely sights of Ireland were detailed in this story, as it felt like I could see them clearly in my mind’s eye.

The flirting and lively banter between Finn and Maisie filled this story with such amusing entertainment! Their ✨chemistry✨was highly palpable and positivity sizzling at times. These two were absolutely destined for each other from the start! Oh, and I can’t forget to mention Finn’s Irish brogue 🤭 It definitely made his character all the more enjoyable to read about with all of the “wees” and “achs” slipped into his sentences.
.
.
.
Thank you, Deborah, for allowing me to read an arc of your new book 🩵
Profile Image for Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee).
800 reviews372 followers
March 1, 2025
4.75 stars!

This was a terrific story! I loved it! Maisie is a foodie and documents all of the food she tries in a journal complete with drawings. I thought it was neat how the author included the actual pages in the story. Finn is an Irishman and a tour bus driver and guide. He is also helping his parents and family out during tough times. I loved how he conducted his tours and interactions with the passengers on the bus. While it is against the rules to strike up a romantic relationship with a passenger, the instant attraction is there between Maisie and Finn. However, they keep to friendly interactions with a little flirting. I loved their relationship it was so cute and fun. As it progresses, the chemistry is so good. I also enjoyed Finn’s family. And of course seeing Finn’s group of friends again. I definitely recommend this story!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Fiction with Phoebe.
73 reviews13 followers
November 30, 2025
Blog Post: https://fictionwithphoebe.com/driving...

4.5 stars

Maisie King is supposed to find some Northern Irish soups for her aunt’s new restaurant, not fall in love with her tour guide. A task which would be much easier if Finn O’Meara weren’t so attractive.

It was fascinating to get a peek into Maisie’s foodie mind. I loved seeing her thought process and how much she enjoyed trying new dishes. And a food journal is a clever idea.

While I’m usually not a fan of romances that unfold over such a short period of time, Maisie and Finn had such great chemistry I just couldn’t help but adore them together 😊

Finn’s natural charm, humor, and genuine love for his country made him an expert tour guide! I loved learning more about Northern Ireland, through both his and Maisie’s eyes.

Favorite Moments
🚌 Maisie’s food journal
🚌 bike ride
🚌 Maisie singing on Bob
🚌 the rope bridge
🚌 Boatswain’s Bar
🚌 Finn tending Maisie’s cut
🚌 Finn seeing Maisie’s journal entry
🚌 reunion

Content Notes:
noticing and awareness, kissing, touching, mention of banshees, some very mild innuendo, mention of “a fling”
Profile Image for Anna Christine.
Author 6 books32 followers
February 22, 2025
Oh my I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this one!! I love soft romances where the two leads just seem to “get” each other and be friends and just so genuinely love each other, and Finn and Maisie were just…*happy sigh*

Not only was this book super sweet and romantic, but I’ve been in love with the UK for a long time now, and it is one of my favorite things to be able to visit it in books! I fell in love with North Ireland while reading. Lowkey want to go on a bus tour now.

Overall, this book was just a delight. And I’m very excited for the next installment in the series, too!!
Profile Image for Susannah.
312 reviews6 followers
March 29, 2025
Thank you Deborah for this ARC!!

This book gave me all the 2010 European romcom vibes!!

I lived out all my Ireland solo traveling dreams vicariously through Maisie 🥰 I loved her as the main character! She was so warm, creative with her food journal, and had ambition and dreams. I loved Finn, our Irish tour guide full of adventure and charm. They were such a cute duo and I had so much fun following each of their stops around the Island. I’m going to need to book my own trip soon (the village that they biked around and the CASTLES sounded amazing 😩).

I’ve really enjoyed the Men of Isle’s series and am looking forward to the next one! The fact that Deborah is a clean romance writer makes it all the better. While I enjoyed the first book (it gave all the Renaissance vibessss), I think I related to Maisie as the main character more, so this one would have to be my favorite so far!!

Till next time, Men of the Isles 🚐☘️🤭
Profile Image for Katie (hiding in the pages).
3,523 reviews333 followers
March 17, 2025
“Stragglers had always been the bane of his existence. But this one, perhaps, had been worth the wait.”

This is Book 2 in the Men of the Isles series and they don’t necessarily need to be read in order. I loved getting Finn’s story because not only does he love to bend the rules a bit, but he’s a magnetic charmer and his tale is set in Northern Ireland.

Maisie is a foodie and is on a quest to find the best dishes to serve in her aunt’s upcoming restaurant in the States, and she is everything bright and sunny. The way these two mash up on BOB the bus is brilliantly sweet, amusing, and inevitable. Every tourist stop led to some delicious flirtatious behavior that warmed my heart like a bowl of Irish stew.

These characters are realistic with their hardships, flaws, and strengths, but it’s the relationships that were everything to me. From a lively, found-family friend group to a lonely, single aunt, this vivacious duo stole my heart, even with their snippets of forbidden love.

I love cruising around the British Isles and getting to know these men intimately and watching them fall in love, so…I can’t wait for the next installment!

Content: mild romance

*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*
Profile Image for Julie Carpenter.
1,900 reviews238 followers
March 4, 2025
It was so delightful to be back in the Men of the Isles series. This group of friends are truly so delightful and funny. And I’m already anxiously awaiting the next book. Hee Hee! They’re just so much fun that I can’t help it! After meeting Finn in the first book and trying to figure out more about him, I loved getting to read his story and see what made him tick and more about his family. He’s such a happy and lighthearted character that has you laughing with his humor and antics.

The first meeting between Finn and Maisie had me giggling. She gave him back just as much teasing as he gave her. It was perfect and I knew that I was going to love their story! Maisie is a spunky yet sweet character. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right and to help those around her. Between her and Finn, the other passengers on the bus tour are definitely in good hands.

I loved all the Irish things in this book, and since they’re touring Ireland, it’s a lot!!! Woohoo!!! It made me so happy. Ireland is definitely a bucket list item for me. I can’t wait to go visit. Part of it is the accent. I love the Irish accent. It’s so lyrical! I thought that the author did a great job in portraying it in the book.

The other passengers on the bus tour were so fun. A couple of them you might not find to be quite so, but those sweet ladies and their antics brought a lot of laughter to me and to Maisie and Finn. They kept it an adventure for sure!

All of the food aspects had me wanting to eat all of the food! I was like time to go make a snack, cook a meal and try these yummy foods! Or go find somewhere that makes them…guess it’s time for my trip to Ireland! *winks*

Finn and Maisie have some things that are keeping them from saying too much regarding their feelings for each other, but oh my heavens, when they finally do say something…that sweet kiss and those sweet words will have you melting!!! I just love them and their story!!!

Content: Clean. Sweet and wholesome romance with just some kisses and nothing further.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!
Profile Image for Stevie.
29 reviews
March 3, 2025
ARC Review - I just smiled the entire the entire time I read this. A perfect, wholesome, rom-com, Maisie and Finn were the sweetest.

As an American living in the UK, I loved all the Britishisms that I have come to know and love. And have definitely been on the receiving end of some similar jokes at my expense. 😂

I so enjoyed more of the whole gang from Winning Winnie’s Hand.
Profile Image for Regency_Fan_ Michelle RegencyFanMichelleAndMore.
610 reviews15 followers
March 12, 2025
I Loved It! It is a Swoony Award winner for me! 💗
A 5🌟 read for me
The Northern Ireland backdrop was absolutely captivating. I thoroughly enjoyed the charming romance that developed during the tour bus adventure. The clever exchanges between Fin and Maisie were simply outstanding. I adore how sweet, kind, and passionate about food Maisie was! The story had me laughing, swooning, and thoroughly enjoying every moment. Discovering Irish ☘️ sayings added a delightful touch, and the novel is filled with genuine heart. The characters face challenges that lead to personal growth, all while hope shines brightly throughout. The writing is exceptional, and every tender kiss is portrayed perfectly. Kudos to the author for delivering a clean, romantic novel that evokes all the warm, swoony feelings! I can't wait to buy a paperback copy as soon as it’s available!
🍀 It was cracker!
Profile Image for Shayla Riley.
630 reviews23 followers
March 17, 2025
Driving Maisie Crazy
Men of the Isles Book #2
by: Deborah Hathaway

-I give 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~As her American luck has it, Maisie’s plan to get anything done at all is promptly thrown out the window the second she spies the group’s tour guide-the too-attractive-for-his-own-good Finn O’Meara…

“Have zero regrets when you come home. Don’t be afraid to live your own life.”

-My dear friends, Driving Maisie Crazy is such a delightful must read, worthwhile story that has such heart, such swoon, such humor, with so much sparkle and none of the spice, and is set against the beautiful and dreamy backdrop of Ireland. It’s a dear story that completely charmed me from page one till the very last page. There is so much I thoroughly enjoyed about this beautifully weaved tale. I love how dear Maisie, came to the beautiful country of Ireland for the food, the sights, and the recipes, and to where her ancestors have roots with a job yet, it’s dear Finn O’Meara who is able to capture her full attention and quite possibly her dear heart because every second she’s with him, she’s completely happy, not just going through the motions. I loved that even in a short window of time, these two endearing characters spent hours with each other, getting to know each other’s wants, likes, desires, but also their deep down concerns and fears, and sorrows. Watching these characters want to not only pursue but, cling to what matter’s most was so beautiful! I loved seeing them not just settle but, to reach their dreams fully! This adorable story has just the perfect touch of sweet witty banter and depth! It is so worth the dear read anytime! @authordeborahmhathaway I adore this story, and anything you write! I am here for it, all!
📚☘️💯

“He’d caught her in his net, and she was powerless to escape.”

Content: kisses only!

“Counterfeit dreams are nothing to the ones that reside deep in our hearts.”

-I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

“I’m right here. I promise you, I won’t let you fall. You can do this.”

#drivingmaisiecrazy
#allsboutthebestreads

“You are worth it.”
Profile Image for Kristalyne, love.lovely.books.
240 reviews45 followers
March 15, 2025
“Ignorin’ dreams makes you miserable. But hope is what makes life worth livin’.”

OK, let me just tell you how much I love Finn and Maisie! They are amazing. They have such fun personalities and they jumped right off the pages! Finn is a hoot! He is a confident flirty tease and I loved reading his accent! Maisie is such a sweetheart who is just plain adorable.

I loved their meet cute! I loved the instant attraction between them, and watching them fall for each other was such a dream. There were also so many memorable moments that stood out to me that I can’t wait for you to read! Deborah captured the feelings of falling in love so beautifully! The romance had me smiling and swooning so soo much!

I absolutely loved taking a bus tour through Northern Ireland with them! It was amazing seeing the sites and getting a little taste of this beautiful country and culture. I felt like I was there, and I really enjoyed the adventure!

I also enjoyed visiting with characters from book one! We get a little introduction to book 3 and I really can’t wait to read it! This series has become a favorite for me. It’s so unique, clever and enjoyable to read! Being set in the UK makes it extra magical!

Favorites:
🍀Irish Romcom
🍀Rear view mirror glances
🍀A taste of Northern Ireland
🍀The pub
🍀The journal entries
🍀Amazing characters
🍀Visiting the sites!
🍀The family
🍀Hope
🍀First kiss!
🍀The romance!!!!
🍀Wonderful adventure!

This book is the cutest! I absolutely loved it, and yes it did give me goosebumps, just like Maisie…iykyk! Maisie and Finn are amazing and I think they’re going to steal your heart just like they stole mine!
.
.
.
Thank you so much to the author for the arc copy. All opinions are my own. Releases on March 17th!!🍀

Content: kisses only
235 reviews
February 18, 2025
This is such a relaxing and soothing book. I adore the imagery of Ireland’s country and all the food talk. Her sketches and descriptions of the food are pure perfection. I enjoyed it so much.

Maisie is just pure sunshine and I loved all of her quirks and her personal descriptions of the food and scenery. She is just so sweet and I loved how she treated others. She was such a gem!
Finn is just so adorable and charming. I love that he was so good at making everyone laugh and that he had a deep love and respect for his family.

Seeing the friendship between all of the men was one of my favorite parts. I love that they care about each other and through all their joking they really have each other’s backs. I loved seeing a bit more with Winnie and Matthew too!

All in all if you need a gorgeous story with happiness and that is full of light this one is for you.

I am SO excited for Cedric’s story!

CW: closed door (kisses only), mentions of struggles with finances.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Carly.
79 reviews
February 20, 2025
(First off, internally screaming that this was my first ARC!!) and secondly, can I just say this is one of the most fun/funny/sweetest/easy books I ever read? Finn and Maisie are the perfect example of “if they wanted to, they will”. I am left happy and giggly after reading this 🥹
Profile Image for Kristy.
1,759 reviews10 followers
March 8, 2025
This was the most darling story I've read in a while! The Northern Ireland tour bus setting was perfection...now I'm itching to go on a bus tour to see all of the sites mentioned!

Swoony romance, adorable family members, a really touching father-son scene, and characters you can't help but root for combined to make this a most wonderful reading experience.

This is the 2nd in a series of connected stories. Characters from Winning Winnie's Hand show up a few times, but you don't have to read Winnie to appreciate Maisie. But you should read Winnie.

I wasn't expecting the teaser for book 3 to be at the end of the epilogue, and it was quite a gut punch (no spoilers!).

I received an advanced copy of Driving Maisie Crazy from the author, but I already pre-ordered this book all on my own. I'm thinking I need this one in paperback in addition to kindle! Publishes 3/17/25, naturally. ☘️
Profile Image for MK.
470 reviews13 followers
March 8, 2025
If you like nice clean heart warming romcoms, this is for you.

I had just finished some heavy books when I picked up this book to read. I loved this book with jaunty banter, adorable scenes, and a line of depth that brought it to the next level as a romcom novel.

Maisie has been traveling Europe with her aunt looking for recipes for a restaurant she is going to open with her aunt. She and her aunt are close, but Maisie has different dreams for herself than her aunt has her for. Can Maisie ever have her whole dream or should she shelter herself from possible disappointment and live the life her aunt envisions for them both?

Finn is the tour bus driver in Ireland. He and Maisie have a great time together, but she’s off limits due to his job. When friendship looks like it could turn to more, does he risk his responsibilities?

I love that both characters had great character growth. I loved the fun and banter. And I enjoyed the happy scenes and ending. Just what I needed to read.
Profile Image for Nina van Lil.
25 reviews
March 18, 2025
This book gives you the same feeling as being under a cozy blanket, sipping your hot drink of choice and watching your favourite 2000's romcom. It was extremely cute and utterly enjoyable!

The story follows Maisie and Finn: After months of traveling through Europe with her aunt to gain inspiration for their new restaurant, Maisie ends up in Northern Ireland on a tour bus driven by Finn. They both immediately feel some sort of pull between them, but also know they can't act on their attraction. Over the span of two weeks, they get to know each other better and realise they have to confront their fears. Am I making the responsible choice for once? Am I following my own dreams or someone else's?

This is the second book in an interconnected series and you are definitely able to read this as a standalone (which is what I did). It's funny, there is great banter between the two main characters and the tension is palpable from the start. Finn's Irish accent on page was a nice touch and the whole book was a breeze to read. I had not previously read any books by this author, but I'm most certainly picking up the first book in the series and will read the third when it is released.

If it wasn't clear already, I had a great time reading this book and would highly recommend! Thank you to the author for providing me with this ARC for review! All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Sophie Toovey.
Author 11 books85 followers
March 19, 2025
Slow to get started, but the final third went in an interesting direction and stakes were high. It's a lovely setting and I hope readers look up clips of the northern Irish accent because it is so rich and warm. The best word to look up is 'mirror' which sounds like "murgh".
Finn and Maisie were sweet together - although the realist in me wonders how the cultural clash would work out beyond the honeymoon period.
I particularly appreciated the author's notes at the back of the book and the threads of real life experience plus the political history. If anyone's interested, the book Guard your heart is a fantastic YA novel about the current ongoing divisions between Protestants and Catholics.
Driving Maisie Crazy is a fun, sweet read.
Profile Image for RD.
817 reviews18 followers
March 15, 2025
Dreamy, romantic, and hilarious! What a blast touring Northern Ireland with Maisie and Finn! Descriptions of castles, islands, and coastal towns brought the Ireland adventure to my couch. Maisie’s special interest in food and the descriptions of her experiences are tantalizing.

Finn and Maisie have amazing chemistry from their first interaction and it gets better with each page. They are such vivid characters with uniquely fun personalities and compelling personal lives, it’s easy for the reader to become invested in their story. With witty writing and superb storytelling, this is the most enjoyable book I’ve read in a long time!

I received an early copy of this story. This is my voluntary review.
Profile Image for Kelsey Dicou.
39 reviews
February 22, 2025
This was my first read by Ms. Hathaway, and I was not disappointed!! I couldn't put this story down, it was so good! This was also my first ARC read, so thank you Deborah for this opportunity!!

I love Maisie and Finn so much, I already know I'm going to be thinking of this book months/years from now. Their instant connection was so sweet and it made me root for them the whole time. I'm definitely going to go read the first book of the series to find out what I've missed out on!

Amazing story y'all!! Go check it out!
Profile Image for Modern Miss Granger.
1,189 reviews132 followers
March 20, 2025
🤍 Thank you @authordeborahmhathaway for the arc of your next release!

I am obsessed with the setting of this book and I felt instantly transported to the Irish countryside!

Finn and Maisie had undeniable chemistry and their instant attraction was paired with forbidden tension that had me dying for them to just kiss already!

I can’t wait for the next book and would recommend this book to anyone who loves:
• lots of banter
• yummy food
• mishaps
• resisting attraction
And more
477 reviews9 followers
March 17, 2025
Goosebumps ✔️

This story was the absolute BEST. Finn and Maisie are delightful, and their sweet romance makes my heart sing.

There is SO much to love in this story: from the amazing food to the adorable journal entries or from the beautifully described scenery to the complete joy in the interactions between Finn and Maisie, I had a smile on my face throughout it all. Deborah captured Northern Ireland's landscape, dishes, and accent so well. If it wasn't already on my bucket list, it would be now.

The overall tone is light and joyful, at least where the romance is concerned. It is a slow burn instalove and even a touch forbidden, but I loved how the HEA comes about. It isn't without some bumps, and that is what gives it a special quality and makes it feel so relatable. Everyone will be jumping at the opportunity to find their own Irish tour guide to love after meeting the incredible Finn.

After reading almost a hundred books this year, this one is easily in my top 5. Absolute perfection.

I did receive a complimentary copy of the author's story to read and review. All thoughts contained here are my own.
1,294 reviews13 followers
March 12, 2025
Highly entertaining! Maisie and her aunt have been traveling through Europe, collecting data and recipes to take back to Boston and open a multicultural soup and bread restaurant. The last leg of their trip is Northern Ireland. Maisie has been looking forward to this part of the trip from day one and she is going to get her socks knocked off.
Finn O’Meara loves his job and interacting with tourists. He drives a tour bus around his beloved stomping grounds. He is witty, charming, and available, although there are strict rules to not date, flirt, or fraternize with any passengers on the tours. And he desperately needed this job and was hoping for a promotion.
This story is charming from first page to the last page. Wonderful characters, great banter, humorous scenarios, and of course that one troublemaker. The romance is sweet and swoony. The author does a wonderful job of describing the scenery, the food, and the characters so you feel like you’re right there with them. This is the second book of the series, but can be read as a standalone. I recommend reading the series for pure enjoyment. The author writes clean, wholesome stories with mild kissing and no swearing.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,059 reviews
March 17, 2025
A fun and entertaining read from start to finish! I love the way the author captures the chemistry and tension between Finn and Maisie, the luscious landscape of Ireland and multifaceted relationships of the tour bus as well as family and friends. Every time I had to set this book down I looked forward to picking it back up again!

Read if you enjoy:
☘️ travel romance
☘️ forbidden romance
☘️ tour guide + tourist
☘️ Irishman + American
☘️ forced proximity

Romance: sweet and swoony kisses

Many thanks to the author for an advanced copy of this story. All opinions are my own. Looking forward to reading the next installment of this series when it’s ready!
Profile Image for Ella B.
64 reviews3 followers
February 25, 2025
This was such a cozy read, I loved every second of it. From the beautifully written scenes of Northern Ireland to the flirty interactions between Finn and Maisie. It had me giggling and kicking my feet.
The premise of the story is Maisie, an American, going to Northern Ireland on a work/vacation with her aunt. After some unforseen circumstances, she ends up going on the bus tour by herself. Finn and Maisie strike up a friendship based on mutual attraction. It was so fun to see how this relationship developed with each adventure. Just goes to show that love really is a choice.

Maisie was a fun character to read about. She had such a sunny personality. I can also relate to her love of food and adore the idea of a food journal. Especially when Finn tries to get an entry,
" “Sorry,” she said. “If I haven’t tasted it, it doesn’t go in the book.”
“Aye, if that’s the only qualifier, I reckon we can sort that out between the two of us,” he said." LOL

Finn, what a flirt and charmer, those moments had me giggling. But he did have his serious moments, especially when it came to his relationship with his family and friends. I especially love how each interaction he had with Maisie was a perfect mix of teasing and encouraging. But man, the way he just kept showing up for her was perfection. 🫠

Overall, this was a solid 4.5 star read for me. It was cute, swoony, and funny. Do yourself a favor and definitely read this whole series.

Tropes:
Strangers to lovers
Love at first sight/ insta attraction
Opposite attraction

All opinions are my own. ARC review
Profile Image for Kaitlin M.
103 reviews4 followers
March 1, 2025
Driving Maisie Crazy is an absolutely delightful forbidden romance, forced proximity, travel romance story. If you’ve never been on a bus tour through Northern Ireland before this might just convince you to book that trip, especially if Finn is your guide!

Maisie is such delightfully happy, genuine, and kind person and seeing the way she handles her frustrations and fears with grace and kindness was such an inspiration. Despite her own disappointed dreams and struggle with staying hopeful at times, she nearly always kept a positive attitude and clung to her hope for her dreams in the future. In situations where others were unkind, she treated people with compassion and comfort, and even when confronted with a person intent on dwelling in their own unhappiness and forcing it upon others, she still managed with grace (and perhaps the tiniest amount of satisfying snark).

Finn is an absolute dream from the moment he first appears. Despite his own past mistakes, and guilt he feels because of them, he still does everything he can to support and care for his loved ones. He was absolutely hilarious, sweet, and cheeky in his interactions with Maisie, supporting and encouraging her when she needed it and being supported by Maisie’s light as well. The ending was so satisfying as we got to watch everything work out in a way that was totally believable for real life.

Seeing Matthew and Winnie again was also lovely! I hope we’ll continue to see all of them as this series continues. This friend group is delightful and entertaining!

Maisie’s family and Finn’s family were so awesome as well. They all cared for each other and wanted what was best for each other. It was also nice to see Aunt Daphne start working on becoming a better support to Maisie, even when their dreams don’t align.

Thank you to Deborah for always writing such delightful and realistic stories! This will definitely be a top favorite read of the year for me!

Thank you to Deborah for including me on her ARC team! All opinions expressed are my own and a positive review was not required.

I hope everyone will read and love this story as much as I did!
Profile Image for Tiffany (Work Kids N Books).
296 reviews5 followers
March 20, 2025
Oh my gosh, Northern Ireland has my heart! I visited with one of my best friends as a graduation gift to myself and this book made me want to go back so badly! All of the sights (Giants Causeway, Dark Hedges, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, etc) were seamlessly included and made for an epically romantic tale!

This story also made me want to go on a food tour yesterday! I am by no means a foodie, but the descriptions made me smell the delicious dishes and look up recipes. (Don’t worry, there are recipes included in the back of the book)

Finn is Irish and as handsome as he is charming. He consistently sings for the tour bus, christened the bus Bob, and connects on a personal level with his group. His procedure for “punishing” late to the tour bus is harmless yet hilarious and absolutely captures his character.

Maisie is American touring Europe for recipes to help her aunt open a restaurant in the States. She is wholesome, comfortable in her own skin, and shines as brightly as her white Kiziks! Her awareness and kindness to others sets her apart.

Basically, they are the perfect couple and you can’t help but root for them!

Read this book if you like:
🚲 Traveling
🚲 Food Journals
🚲 Bob the Bus
🚲 Norn Iron
🚲 Fifteens
🚲 Oh-so-attractive-and-flirtatious Tour Guides
🚲 In Bus Entertainment
🚲 Performing
🚲 Meeting the Family
🚲 Braving the Bridge
🚲 Surprises
🚲 Food Journal Entries

Content: financial struggles, setting boundaries, romance- kisses only.

I received a complimentary copy; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Heather (heathers.clean.reads).
165 reviews62 followers
March 17, 2025
This book right here… it defines why Deborah will always be one of top favorite authors of all time!! Y’all…it’s the cutest book ever!

I CANNOT get enough of Finn and Maisie! Not only did he drove Maisie crazy, but he drove me crazy! With that accent, and all his “wee’s”…he was just dreamy! 🫠 He stole my heart from the beginning! He’s funny, witty, and boy can he flirt! He has the biggest heart and loves big! You can’t help but love him in return!

Maisie was the sweetest, most down-to-earth gal. I loved her fun personality and her little quirks were adorable. Her food journal was so interesting and I loved her style! I need white kiziks in my life now bc of her(and Deborah, too! 😉)

I loved the instant connection these two had. It felt right and flowed so easily. Their banter made me smile so much my cheeks hurt! I literally couldn’t get enough! The swoon factor was OFF. THE. CHARTS!

One of my fav parts of this book was learning so much about Northern Ireland! Looking up all the places as Maisie visits was so much fun! It helped me visualize what she was seeing and made the story that much sweeter! Now, I just need to go and have my own tour to see it all in person!

Finn’s family was a hoot! They definitely gave some laughs and made my heart feel so full!

It was so much fun visiting with all the friends from book 1 and the teaser for the next book has me so excited! I literally can’t wait!!

My favorites:
☘️The bacon butty
💙Finn’s flirting
☘️White kiziks
💙Food journal entries
☘️Grandfish
💙The Bike ride
☘️That bandage scene
💙The bridge scene
☘️Night at the Pub
💙Granny and Niamh
☘️THAT KISS!!!!
💙Finn and the journal entry😆
☘️Bob

This is book 2 in The Men of the Isles series and in my opinion, you will enjoy these stories best read in order!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for jennie.and.books.
401 reviews4 followers
March 15, 2025
I loved this book so much!!!

Such a fun adventure in Norn Iron (Northern Ireland) and I absolutely loved the main characters! Finn is such a goofball, but also such a sweetheart! Such a great family man and people person!
Maisie and her cute little quirks were so relatable in so many ways! Loved her!

A great story that melts your little heart and you are truly cheering them on the whole book!
Profile Image for Abby Huffer.
786 reviews12 followers
March 17, 2025
Loved this one so much! Such a rich story that lets you picture yourself right there in Northern Ireland. Loved Finn & Maisie together so much. When it feels like everything is against them, fate has other plans. Really enjoying his friend group🤎
Profile Image for Lisa.
753 reviews8 followers
May 25, 2025
I love reading contemporary romance that takes place in the UK. this story has great imagery and great clean romance. I enjoyed the teasing banter.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.