The Little Irish Farm

by Michelle Vernal

Jess Báre moved to the Emerald Isle to chase fairy tales. But when one takes her to an isolated farm in the clover-covered countryside, will she find the happy ending she’s been searching for? Or are some tales best left untold?

Pursuing her dream life in Ireland, twenty-something Dublin newspaper columnist Jess is now half a world away from her family and feeling pretty lonely. At least she has her childhood collection of antique fairy tales. But she longs to be out exploring all the old stories Ireland is famed for.

So when she finds a heart-breaking dedication to a little girl in a new addition to her collection, Jess knows that the story behind it would be perfect for her next column. And, when her research takes her to a tumbledown farmhouse in a tiny Irish village, she can barely contain her joy. The endless rolling hills surrounding the small cottage are just like the scenes in Jess’s favourite novels.

She even warms to the dark and brooding farmer hosting her, Owen. He may come off a little grumpy, but it doesn’t take long for Jess to be swept up by his dark eyes and quiet charms as they walk together across the fresh green fields of the farm. And Jess’s heart melts when she discovers he is hiding a tragic secret…

One wrapped up in the history of the farm, and very same little girl Jess is here to research. But, with the demands of her job calling her back to the home she hates, she must does their story end here at the farm? Or could following her heart heal the wounds of a devastating past, and set her and Owen on the path to happily ever after?

Perfect for fans of Rachel Hanna, Trisha Ashley and Debbie Macomber, this gorgeous and heart-warming romance will sweep you off to Ireland.

This book was originally published as Second-Hand Jane.

What readers are saying about The Little Irish Farm:

‘I am seriously in love with the whole story!… Amazing… Who could not fall in love… What a fantastic story… I highly recommend this one!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wonderful… Really makes you feel you are in Ireland… The twists and turns kept me reading all night long.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow. Fantastic… I loved this… 5*, but it would have 10 if I could.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Superb. This story gave me goosebumps… Loved it all.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brought laughs and tears and unexpected joy. I loved every minute of it.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I love this book!… I laughed and smiled throughout… I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys humorous, feel-good novels with a lot of heart.’ Goodreads reviewer

Readers love Michelle

‘LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE, LOVED IT!!!… Absolutely stunning!!!… I was completely swept away!!… Had me in stitches…

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Irish Literature, Contemporary Romance

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 28, 2024

About the author

Michelle Vernal is a bestselling author of warm, witty, and uplifting Irish fiction. Born in England to parents from Liverpool – often called “Little Ireland” – she grew up on her mum’s tales of Iocal families, music, and humour. Later, she lived, worked, got engaged, and travelled extensively in Ireland, experiences that inspire her much-loved novels, including the hilarious Guesthouse on the Green series. Her stories, filled with heart, humour, and unforgettable characters, have earned her a loyal readership worldwide.

For updates on Michelle's latest book releases you can follow her here: https://www.amazon.com/author/michell...

Reviews

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet read with lovely funny characters. This book was very relaxing to read and the story just meandered along ar a gentle pace. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had way to much TMI in it for me.

[Vicki F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty dialogue. Interesting characters. Great friendships. Focus on what's important - family, friends.

I would have rated this a five-star except it had some open-door scenes which I would have preferred as closed-door.

Releases Aug. 28th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[cait ʚ♡⃛ɞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Irish Farm by Michelle Vernal

*spoiler free arc review*

Thank you so much to Michelle Vernal and Bookouture for providing me with my first arc to review through NetGalley!

This was just the kind of wholesome romance I needed. I originally applied for this as I grew up in Ireland and have an Irish stepdad so was hoping it would give me all the nostalgia. Much to my surprise the FMC is a kiwi (like me) who moved to Ireland (like me once upon a time) and a lot of the story takes place in towns I regularly visited so nostalgia was easily checked in the first two chapters.

The friend group reminded me of my late Mum and her girlfriends when they would spend days or nights together and I would get to tag along and watch a movie with the other kids or happily eat what they were having and listen in on all their adult conversations.

Michelle brought me back to a home I yearn for most days but instead of me being an 8 year old girl I felt like present day me living my life through Jess’ eyes.

If you're after a feel good romance that's addictive to the end, don't hesitate to pick this one up.

4 ⭐️

[Dawn Probert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books with strong female friendships are my favourite books to read. I loved the dynamics and friendships in this book. It was gorgeously written, sensitive and Jess and her friends had real depth and fun. I loved the descriptions of the farm and of Dublin. Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Vikki ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet and funny read with some lovely characters. True friendships are hard to find. Relaxing yet witty read and the gentleness of Jess’ findings on Amy’s story was lovely. Good balance of emotions.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with an interesting storyline. Jess is a New Zealander who moved to Dublin to work as a journalist. She has a weekly column in the newspaper and is always looking for interesting things to write about. She also collects children's fairy tale books. Jess's latest find has a little girl's name in it and she gets the idea to track down the previous owner and see what she's doing now. She connects with the little girl's brother, Owen, a gruff, moody pig farmer, and learns about Amy's tragic fate.

Jess has two good friends, Brianna and Nora. Brianna is married with a small son, and Nora is single and constantly looking to set Jess up with blind dates. I loved the fun they had together and how they had each other's backs, whether they needed support or a kick in the pants. In this book, Nora is dating a film star, and sets Jess up with his friend, Nick. Nick is a handsome, wealthy property developer who wines and dines her. Jess wonders if Nick might be The One. At the same time, she feels a connection with Owen as she spends time with him, learning about Amy.

I enjoyed watching Jess with the two men in her life. Nick is smooth and flashy and rather full of himself. She's pretty taken with him, but I had reservations about him, mainly when he talked about his work. Being around Owen was like being on a roller coaster. He could go from grumpy and curt to charming and talkative at the drop of a hat. He has issues from his past that make it difficult for him to trust, and Jess frequently bumps up against those issues. Owen and Jess have some work to do before fully trusting each other.

Another part of the story deals with the tension between Jess and her mother, Marian. Marian can be quite pushy when "encouraging" Jess to get out and find a man. I laughed at many things she said, but I was also glad I wasn't the one on the receiving end. Jess panics when Marian visits Ireland because she knows what her mom can be like. Matters come to a head when Jess and Marian visit Owen. This time, Jess's insecurities are creating problems. I loved the emotional scene in the car when Jess and Marian finally clear the air between them. The ending was sweet, and I loved the epilogue.

Jess's treatment of Amy's story was terrific. I loved the mix of innocent young girls caught up in events beyond her control and its effect on her family's lives. That touch of sadness was a good foil for the amusing parts of the story and gave a good balance.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Irish Farm is a lovely contemporary romance by Michelle Vernal with a small town feel even though most of the story took place in Dublin.

Jess Baré is a journalist living in Dublin, having moved there from New Zealand to get away from her mother and her overbearing, matchmaking ways. Jess is relatively content with her life, writing and spending time with her close friends and indulging in her passion of thrift shopping for vintage goods. Her greatest passion is collecting old children's books, and when she completes the set of one of her favourite series', she is inspired to look up, and write about the original owner of the book, after finding an inscription and the child's name inside.

Owen Aherne is the brother of Amy, the books original owner, and when Jess reaches out to him and finds out about Amy's tragic story, she is even more determined to write about her. After meeting the moody Owen, she has a hard time getting him out of her mind, and from there we watch a sweet romance unfold.

One of my favourite things about this book was the support and friendship between Jess and her two best friends, Nora and Brianne. They were so supportive of each other, even when they were being snarky and sarcastic with each other, it was refreshing to see such a great relationship between a group of women.

I found Jess's mother both funny and frustrating. I could understand why Jess was so annoyed by her mother at times, as she seemed to have a one track mind about how her daughter should live her life. It was nice to see them work out their differences by the end of the book.

If there was one problem I had with the book it's that I would have liked to see more of Jess and Owen together. I did enjoy their few interactions, but would have liked to see them together more.

Although this is on the funnier side, do have a box of tissues handy, because Amy's story was moving and had me in tears. I recommend this as a light, slightly emotional read for anyone who loves a good small town romance.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sree Jayaram · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC Review ✨

3.5/5

The Little Irish Farm by Michelle Vernal is a sweet rom com with interesting characters with a visual beauty of Ireland.

So the good parts... Even though it took me quite time to adjust with the slang/language of the book, once I did I really started to enjoy the book. There are colourful, lively characters, who never let us get bored along the story. Jess was lovely. The best friends, Brianna and Nora, Jess's mom Marian, and especially her dad! He is someone who can read his daughter like book, and is as supportive and encouraging as he can be! Amy's story was told very well. It did give a nice touch to the story. And Oh my god, Wilbur... He is definitely a cutie...

Now for the not so good parts... As I said it did take me quite a while to enjoy the story. And I felt like the author might have taken too much time to pave down the story foundation. And this by default makes the first few chapters lag the entire story. There are too long sentences, quite a lot, which eventually make the reader wander off sometimes. And it might be my total imagination, but I felt at first, Jess and Nick had far more chemistry than her with Owen... That the author is trying too hard to connect Jess and Owen... Though later that thought was quickly swiped away.

3.5/5 stars for me since I ended up enjoying the story more than I expected.

And if these tropes excite you,
🐷 Irish Romance
🐷 Small Town
🐷 Childhood Fairytales
🐷 Farmer × Writer
🐷 Unexpected Love Interest
🐷 Tragic Backstory
🐷 Power Trio
Might well try this one.

Thank you Author Michelle Vernal, NetGalley, and Bookouture for sending me this ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Caroline|Page~Turners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jess is a journalist living in Dublin and enjoying life to the fullest. Her mother continually sets her up on dates but Jess likes being single. While working on her recent column she finds a vintage children’s book with a dedication to a little girl. In the midst of research she finds herself at an old dilapidated farmhouse in an Irish village. The owner of the old farmhouse is Owen, who is grumpy and mad at the world. He wants nothing to do with her questions and refuses to answer them. She can’t seem to figure him out and then he invites her to stay at the farm. They soon become the talk of the village leaving Jess with a decision to make. Does she stay at the farm and continue to search for answers or does she return to Dublin?

The Little Irish Farm, written by author Michelle Vernal is a wonderful story of following your dreams and never giving up. I loved the amazing way that Vernal described the Irish village and the farm. I felt transported to Ireland and feeling the warm sunshine on my face is exactly what I needed. This wonderful tale hits all the feels and with the perfect amount of a toasty romance, I flew through the pages. I really enjoyed Jess’ story and Owen was extremely likeable as well. They were a great combination and their chemistry was felt throughout the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous story and I highly recommend it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can count on a book by Michelle Vernal having plenty of heart, a community of friends and a healthy dose of morality to boot. This book had all of this in spades as well as mouth watering yo-yo's, a murderous goose, a runty piglet, a tragic history, wine stained teeth and a little black dress!

The story was a bit slow to get off the ground. It was either a stand alone book or the start of a series and all of the characters were new. I could not work out for a while whether Jess was actuality in Auckland or Ireland and where she grew up vs where she was now. It did become apparent later on in the text.

Journalist Jess had a lovely idea to follow up on a child's inscription inside a book to find out what became of the little bookworm. She finds a tragic story there alongside something else that she can't quite put her finger on. The main gist of the story wasn't quite touched on until a little way through the book, rather Jess' dating life and her friends antics were given the front seat. Once the story did kick off, it had a lovely home grown feel to it.

I enjoyed the story once it really got going and there was a lot going for it, including some amazing friendships, tales of staying true to yourself, standing up for who you are and what you believe in.

Thanks go to Netgalley, Bookouture and Michelle Vernal for a lovely read. All opinions expressed are my own.

[April Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Little Irish Farm by Michelle Vernal, Jess Báre (pronounced beret), a transplanted New Zealander by way of Australia, who moved to Ireland for her career, finds herself in the middle of writing an article about a tragic event that happened 30 years prior. Jess’s adventures begin when she gets the idea to follow a child’s name written in a book that she purchased to see how the child had grown up and along the way, she learns about true love and finds herself and her career.

In general, the characters are believable, if not a little trite. You have a trio of friends, the married one, the fashionable one and Jess, none of the above. You have two love interests, the selfish, self-absorbed millionaire and then the one who is not. The situation is believable and interesting. The story of Amy, the child, is very interesting and is a good glue for the rest of the story. However, the love interest part of the plot is not new, and it is very easy to see who Jess will end up in the end. The pacing of the story is pleasant, and it is easy to read, fun, cute, but predictable. Parts of the story are very funny, especially the parts about Jess’s mom and her occupation, both literally and figuratively with undergarments. The intended audience of this book is rom-com readers, and it is a cute, fun version of your typical rom-com. I gave the book 4 stars for its humor and the sub-plot of the story of Amy. I would recommend this book to those who like sweet, fun, cute rom-coms.

Overall, The Little Irish Farm was a fun, quick read that gives you the feel-goods.

[Colin Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jess is a journalist who writes a weekly column for a newspaper in Dublin. As a hobby she collects second-hand children's fairy tale books, in her latest she finds a dedication to a child called Amy. Intrigued she decides to look into the background of Amy and to follow up with where she is now. She manages to contact Amy's brother, Owen, only to find a tragic end to her story.
This was a bit of a slow burner for me, I struggled to get into it but then did start becoming involved in it. Amy has some great friends, a meddling mother living on the far side of the world and a poor taste in boyfriends. There is mention of The Troubles on Northern Ireland and how it affected those living there at the time. Countering the sadder parts of the book are some humorous moments to lighten the mood and some spicy moments to raise the heat level slightly. A book that I am glad that I persevered with and did enjoy.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

From New Zealand to the Emerald Isle
Jess Báre moved, to stay for a while.
Escaping her Mum and her matchmaking dreams
Making new friends and a fresh start it seems.

Jess collects Ladybird fairytale books
But only ones at which children have taken looks.
She likes the pre-loved and the messages within
And one of these is where this story will begin.

Jess is a journalist and is really intrigued
By the inscription in a pre-loved book that she reads
She decides to investigate what the child is doing now
Hoping to connect with her somehow.

A heartbreaking tale, with a journey to take
To discover more and connections to make.
A gorgeous read of friendship and following dreams
Although there's also grief and history it seems.

I really enjoyed this moving read
And hope it is also one that you need.
An anniversary, memories and events from the past
Let's hope their sharing brings peace that will last.

For my copy of this book I say a huge thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

[P.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️




✨Small Town Romance
✨Irish and Kiwi personalities
✨ A feel good rom-com
✨Slow paced



✨Jess is the main character in this story. Coming from New Zealand and moving to Ireland is quite a good adventure and start of a new life .She is a writer and started to write things what happen in the past life of growing up to find herself.
✨ I love how she finds a true bonding of friends and having the close bond to her mum. It feels like close to home.
✨There is some slow paced in the story that makes me confused a little bit, going from a rom com to troubles of Ireland but that makes the story even more reality.
✨ Her love interest though is predictable and it wasn’t cheesy but more funny an mature. Both bc haracters are easily likeable.


✨ Overall, it’s a good read. It was just very slow paced with some repetitive words.


✨Thankyou bookouture for the opportunity to read this arc for a honest review.





🫶🏼shaye.reads

[Sara Clifford-gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Little Irish Farm, Jess relocates from New Zealand to Ireland, pursuing her dream of becoming a newspaper columnist. Her fascination with children's fairy tales leads her to collect these enchanting books. When she discovers one with a poignant inscription, she feels inspired to write the story she has longed to find.

Determined to uncover the identity of the little girl behind the inscription, Jess's quest takes her to a farmhouse in a quaint Irish village, where she unravels a heartbreaking twist. Grumpy farmer Owen reveals the tragic story of his little sister, leaving Jess to question whether this marks the beginning of their journey together or the end.

This beautifully crafted narrative weaves together elements of joy and sorrow, offering a poignant exploration of life and loss. Highly enjoyable, The Little Irish Farm will resonate with anyone who cherishes the power of storytelling.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Irish Farm is a slow burn romance with a resistant heroine who states more than once that a woman doesn’t need a man to be happy. Jess Báre is a journalist and collector of children’s books. By Michelle Vernal, this is not an instant love or lust story more of a slow burn romance. Jess’ research leads her to a small Irish village then to a rather sad farmhouse. Here she finds what she finds answers but also secrets.

I liked Jess and Owen, loving the relationship building that went on between these two. However, it was the relationship Jess had with her friends, Nora and Brianne. This first book to be read by me written by Michelle vernal is a pleasant one, transporting one to Ireland.

[Bianca Duthie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet read with lovely characters and plenty of heartwarming as well as humorous moments.
I really liked the idea of finding out the history of the names in the book. It was a very emotional part of the story.
I loved Wilbur and all the time spent on the farm, Jemima gave a few good giggles.
The friendship between Jessica, Nora, and Brianna was really lovely most of the time, but there were a couple of moments that Nora didn't come across the nicest.
There was lots going on throughout the tale, and the pacing was quick, which made it a really fast read.
Set in beautiful Ireland, this is a must-read for country romcom lovers.

[Carolyn Shalhoub · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize this is a new book, 2024. There are several "Little Irish _____" books. I have enjoyed them all so far. This one introduces Jess and her best friends. Jess and Nora are single, Breanna is married with a small son. Jess and her family are from New Zealand. Her mother and father still live there, and get on Jess' nerves. Breanna is looking for Mr Right. She writes for the newspaper and does a feature on a children's book she found with a child's name written inside, and she wants to meet the grown up child and talk about the book and her life. She locates family of the child and finds out the child is dead. I don't want to give too much away, but it is a very good story.

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Irish Farm was a lovely, romantic story.
Main character, Jess, is a journalist who enjoys collecting children’s fairy tale books.
I found the beginning to be a bit slow. The pacing picked up and I started to enjoy the story more.
There are some emotional moments within the story as well as funny and spicy moments.
A fun small town, contemporary romance that will have you in tears a few times.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Kristin- Kristin's Bookstack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed reading this cute romance set in Ireland but the writing was mediocre. I liked the friendship between Nora and Brie, the chemistry between Jess and Owen, and the backstory of Amy and how she died. However, the foreplay scenes got a little spicy, and the characters were always talking about sex or having sex with someone which isn't really my thing. The story also ended abruptly and awkwardly which was a disappointment. I don't feel I can recommend reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[cindy zukowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely worth the read

The first couple chapters were difficult to get through, super fast paced and words got jumbled. Thoughts of giving up on it and finding something else became all too real, however, I persisted and FELL IN LOVE. This book improved beyond compare. The characters become real and I found them endearing, I couldn’t put the book down. Stick out the beginning, perseverance will guide you to a wonderful story you’ll love.
Must read!

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Irish Farm by Michelle Vernal.
I did really enjoy this book. I loved the cover. I did like Jess. I adored little Harry. Especially when on the phone with jess. That was my favourite part. I couldn't put it down. I loved the story and characters. This was an easy and quick read. I did like the ending.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty decent read to curl up with. Jess was a bit annoying most of the time. Clueless about Nick and then pretending to not know even after multiple people warn her. And don’t even mention that she decided to blindside her best friend like that. Just terrible. I kind of felt like Owen should have ran far and fast.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming and funny in places type of story,, I assume this one s a stand-alone but if the author was to revisit, I hope she includes Gemma as her character while only being very minor has the possibility of being funny and a strong non nonsense type that makes any romantic story more appealing for me.

[Rachel Stansel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet romance but lt around a journalist wanting to find the owner of a children's book. I enjoyed the characters and story, though a few sections felt a bit repetitive.

Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Barbara Lack · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice story, although I found it a little slow and things were repeated a lot. The characters were interesting and funny. A journalist looking for the original owner of a fairytale book and wanting to write her story was different. I loved the happy ending.

[Sally Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely story by this author set in Ireland with a great mystical feel and plenty of humour. I loved Jess the main character and it is definitely one of those books that leaves you with a nice warm feeling

[Margaret lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have almost peed myself

So many lol moments I got strange looks on the bus I might be certifiable , love Wilbur a great cast of characters some very sad bits but a brilliant book can't wait to start the next book, I highly recommend this book a well deserved 5

[Tammy Wozniak · Rating 1 out of 5]

No farm in site till a third of the way thru. Just meh book about girl picking between 2 guys and you knew who it was going to be all along. One story line had promise of depth but boy trouble detoured it.