When in Dublin

by Tracy Avery

Jessie Dunhour has a checklist for her life and a plan for everything. At almost twenty-eight, she’s mostly on her dream promotion within reach, a house under contract and the chance to finally prove that hard work and staying the course pays off. Sure, her relationship timeline hasn’t unfolded the way she expected, but that’s something she’ll figure out once her career is firmly in place.

There’s just one complication. The path to promotion comes with a mandatory year-long relocation to Dublin, Ireland. Jessie doesn’t even have a passport, let alone a desire to upend her carefully curated life.

Thrown into a world of brightly colored Georgian doors, relentless rain and coworkers who actually take lunch breaks, Jessie struggles to find her footing—until she meets Aidan. Charming, spontaneous and well-travelled, he is everything she isn’t. As her assignment ticks away, he pulls her further from her comfort zone and into a life she never one filled with adventure and a future that doesn’t fit neatly into a spreadsheet.

But when her time abroad runs out, Jessie faces the most important choice of her life—return to the path she always planned, or take a chance on the one she never saw coming?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance

333 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 20, 2026

Reviews

[Romulo Perez-Segnini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for the ARC in return for an honest review.

A twenty-eight year old woman ponders the course to follow regarding love, career and her priorities in life.

Jessica Dunhour has a clear career path plan. By age 30 she expected to be a home owner, married, kids and climbing the corporate ladder. The love portion is not following the plan but she has a down payment on a house in Tampa, FL, where she lives and has been offered a position to fast track her promotion to Associate Partner. There’s a catch though the assignment requires a one-year stay in Dublin, Ireland. She doesn’t even have a passport and she’s about to buy a house.

That one year in Dublin is an eye opener for Jessie. She finds a new love interest and starts to question her whole career path plan.

It’s a well written novel with unexpected twist-and-turns, a distinct voice, amusing anecdotes and a heartwarming ending.

Overall very entertaining.

[Georgiana Harn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s be completely real for a second... when I first started this, it was a very slow start up. The main character, Jessie, was honestly frustrating me at first because she was just so Type A, stuck in her own head, and clinging to this rigid timeline of where her life "should" be. BUT! If you just push through that slow buildup... oh my god, it becomes truly incredible 🙌😭. Once it takes off, it doesn't stop.

​Here is why you need to read this:

The Accents!! 🗣️ What was SO cool is how Tracy writes the dialogue. She somehow perfectly captures how people actually speak with an Irish accent. It’s wild—it literally feels like you can hear their voices in your head while you're reading!

The Ultimate Glow-Up: Watching Jessie step out of her comfort zone, completely reinvent herself in Dublin, and learn to finally live a little was so inspiring. I was cheering for her the entire time!

Immersive Vibes: The description of Ireland will make you want to pack your bags right now. But the best part? It’s not just a travel romance—it's a deep, relatable story about finding yourself when life doesn't go as planned.

I’m only knocking off half a star because of that initial slow start, and because I desperately need a short side story of Simon and Orla!😍 What a stunning debut, Tracy. I can't wait to see what you write next ✨

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Book Review: When in Dublin by Tracy Avery ✨

📖 What it’s about:
When in Dublin follows Jessie as she travels to Ireland, expecting a structured and carefully planned experience—but quickly finds herself swept up in unexpected adventures, new connections, and a different way of living. As her plans unravel, Jessie is challenged to step outside her comfort zone and embrace the spontaneity of life.

💭 My thoughts:
I loved how Jessie evolved throughout the story—from a very Type A personality to someone who decides to truly live a little. Her growth felt natural and inspiring, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. While I am definitely not 'Type A', I did find myself feeling all the feels for Jessie as she stepped out of her comfort zone, took chances, and learned to trust herself. There's a touch of romance in this one, but romance is not the focus. It's more about self discovery and deciding it's ok to do hard things. The setting was absolutely fantastic—it made me want to pack my bags and visit Ireland immediately.

🙏 Thank you:
Thank you to the author and Literary Media Tours for the ARC! This one hits the shelves on May 20th.

📚 Read this if you love:
• Travel stories with strong character growth
• Books set in charming, immersive locations
• Stories about stepping outside your comfort zone

[Ashley Flippin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and Heuston Press for the ARC of this title.
Jessica was such a lovable character and her development throughout this book was beautifully written. She starts out as this rigid woman with set goals and timelines. But the end she’s a little spontaneous and going outside her box. I loved it. Kinda makes me want to travel abroad. Very quick and fun read.

[Morgan Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I’d love to thank Tracy + Literary Media Tours for this beautiful ARC.

This is Tracy’s debut novel, and honestly, the only reason I know that is because I looked it up half way through the story because I thought to myself…. ‘There’s no way this is a debut’ as the story was flowing so well and I was so invested in Jessica’s journey.

As a corporate girlie working the ladder who has had many ‘what is all this for’ type moments, I felt a lot of myself in the main character and I really think Tracy did a great job making her relatable in an imperfect way.

The peeks into Ireland brought me right back to my time there, and brought some of the happiest memories back, and also may make me book my next trip there ASAP.

I especially loved how Jessica’s journey is the main takeaway of this book, and to me her romantic partners are just a small piece of what makes her who she is and how she evolves. It felt like a really refreshing take, and added meaning to the story for me.

This book surprised the heck out of me for what a smooth, fun and relatable read it was, and I’m incredibly happy I got to be a part of it!

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful debut!! I loved Jessie’s story, and while she was originally shoved out of her comfort zone, the growth throughout the story felt more intentional. The Dublin backdrop was so much fun, I immediately wanted to book a flight.

The career portion was well executed and relatable. I loved getting to know her co-workers and how the friendships you didn't choose can make such an impact on your life.

My favorite part was that I never knew where the story was going, yet I was extremely satisfied with the ending.

[Marissa C · Rating 2 out of 5]

“When in Dublin” follows the adventures of 28 year old Jessica Danhour, who has a plan for the track of her life. Unsurprisingly, this does not go as expected and follows her first international travel as well as her love life and career.
I started this book whilst I was experiencing my first time in Dublin, so I enjoyed reading all the references to stores and pubs that I visited!
Whilst I appreciated her acceptance regarding the status of her life at the end, I found the ending to be unbelievable. She had previously never traveled, and claimed not to enjoy travel, but found herself traveling to Morocco and throughout Ireland. She didn’t seem to fall in love with travel so the implication of continued travel seemed unbelievable to me. In addition, there was multiple references to taking a gap year after college, but it didn’t make sense to me that she had the means to explore that option at age 28.
I didn’t like the character of Aidan most of the book, nor did I like her friends. They didn’t seem to reflect a healthy example of relationships (I.e.not having important BIG conversations before commitments).
This was a light read, though predictable, and fun to read whilst I myself was in Ireland.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Daniela Nunes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 ✨ I loved this book!! Now I feel like going to Dublin 👀
Full review coming soon
-

ARC Review of When in Dublin by Tracy Avery 🍀

Thank you to NetGalley and @tracyavery.books for the chance to read When in Dublin early in exchange for an honest review 💚

This is not just another travel romance book. The whole time I kept thinking about the quote from (500) Days of Summer: “This is not a love story, this is a story about love” and honestly, it fits this book perfectly.

At its core, this is a coming-of-age story for people in their 30s. It’s about reaching the age where everything is “supposed” to be figured out - careers, relationships, milestones - while still trying to understand who you are and whether you even want the same things you dreamed about in your 20s. It’s about taking chances, finding yourself, and meeting people who completely change your perspective on life.

I picked this book up after seeing @eliisereads review, and I’m so glad I did (thank you bestie 🫶)

I loved every second of it - even the moments where I was internally screaming, “sweetheart, run away!! he’s a walking red flag!!!” 🚩🤭

What a debut, Tracy. I already can’t wait to read whatever you write next ✨
and HAPPY RELEASE DAY 🥳💕

[Sarah (bookofsari) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Heuston Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Tracy Avery's debut opens with a character who has a plan for her plan. Jessie has a promotion on the horizon, a house under contract, a life moving in the direction she intended. Then Dublin happens, and not by choice.

Avery handles the fish-out-of-water premise without leaning too hard on it. Jessie's adjustment to Ireland feels less like a montage and more like the actual slow grind of being somewhere unfamiliar, where even small things require more effort than they should. That specificity is where the book earns its keep.

The writing is unshowy and confident. Avery doesn't over-explain or over-describe, and the story moves at a pace that respects the reader's time. Dublin itself is rendered with obvious affection and enough detail to feel like Avery actually knows the place rather than researched it from a distance.

Where I started to lose the thread was with Jessie. Her guardedness makes sense early on, but there were moments, particularly in the first half, where her perspective felt less like defensiveness and more like a kind of low-grade contempt for anything outside her normal. It made her harder to be around than the book seemed to realize.

As for Aidan, I wanted to like him more than I did. He's framed as the spontaneous counterweight to Jessie's rigidity, but underneath that he read as self-serving and a little too pleased with himself. The kind of person who mistakes world travel for wisdom. I never fully bought him as someone worth upending your life for, which made Jessie's arc in the final act harder to invest in.

There's something genuinely good here. Avery can write, and the bones of this story are solid. I just wish the ending had matched the promise of everything before it.

[Bel lvndrgms3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴.”

Jessie is a type A personality who knows exactly what she wants her life and career to look like, and believes she’s firmly on that path. When her boss at her consulting agency says she’s needed in Ireland, she isn’t excited at first. To be fair it comes out of left fiend, and she’s in the process of buying a house. But she ends up going because it’s good for her career.

I was a little concerned that Jessie would fight the opportunity and not be excited, and that I’d be left with a dour FMC. But once she’s there she starts to embrace her experience. Making friends, meeting a guy, she’s slowly exploring the world she’s been too busy to see.

I liked how Avery shows us Jessie’s growth and gradual evolution. Every step makes sense for her even if she falters along the way. I admire Jessie for being strong, and also learning to let go of her tunnel vision long enough to recognize who she’s becoming.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻 is a delightful. While there’s romance, it’s really more about Jessie’s self-discovery. It gives you pause to check in with your own dreams and ask the same questions Jessie asks herself. Opportunities arise, plans can change, and so can we. I enjoyed this a lot!

Thanks to Houston Press & @netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this book.

There’s nothing wrong with this book, but it did feel unoriginal. However, I am an avid romance reader so I might feel differently than others who aren’t in the same boat. I also didn’t enjoy Aidan and occasionally Jessica was hard to relate to for me. All in all, I think this is just for a different type of reader than myself.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally wanted to read this because I absolutely love Dublin, everything about the city. I loved Jessie and her outlook on life, I also love a good "you can't plan life, life just happens" type of book. When she gets the opportunity to go to Ireland for work, she takes the chance after losing everything she hoped for. Feel good-when life gives you lemons type feelings. I really enjoyed Tracy Avery's writing style and I look forward to more from her!

[Samiksha Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

When in Dublin by Tracy Avery was a perfect 5⭐️ read for me because I related to this book so deeply.

The story follows Jessica "Jessie", a 27-year-old corporate consultant from Tampa, Florida, who relocates to Dublin for a year-long work assignment. What I loved most was Jessie’s journey of personal growth, reinvention, self-discovery, and learning to balance career ambitions with personal happiness.

I also liked the office side characters and the friendships Jessie builds along the way. Orla and Simon were such memorable characters, and Simon, in particular, felt like a mentor figure, constantly encouraging Jessie to stand up for herself and grow with confidence.

One of the strongest aspects of this book was the immersive Dublin atmosphere. Tracy’s descriptions of the city, its beauty, charm, and landscapes made me feel completely transported.

I also appreciated that the romance in the book didn't overshadow Jessie's personal journey, but rather complemented her growth.

This ended up being the most relatable book I’ve read this year. Having left my own country for work, living in the UK for three years and now residing in the Netherlands. I completely understood Jessie's mix of nervousness, excitement, and homesickness. Leaving behind family and friends to build a life in a completely new country is a massive undertaking. Reading Jessie's story made me look back and realize just how much I have grown and changed in my own personal international journey.

If you enjoy stories about moving abroad, self-discovery, personal growth, found friendships, and learning to build a life far away from home, then When in Dublin is definitely a book you should pick up.

[Lynn Krueger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Literary Media Tours and Tracy Avery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely LOVED this book. What a phenomenal debut from Avery, I truly cannot wait to see what she does next. I am admittedly not a regular romance reader, generally because I find them to be formulaic and predictable, but I loved that this book was not! I truly didn't know what was going to become of this foreign romance with Aiden, what she would do about here career, and how all of the side characters would develop (and help Jess develop!). I literally could picture every person, every scene, every place. The writing was descriptive but not burdensome and it was such a fast and easy read, that I read from 30% to the end in one day! I was hooked and could not wait to see what would happen next! I loved the short chapters which were distinct scenes so to speak, so the end of each chapter made you want to go right into the next scene to see what would happen next! I literally LOVED this book and loved that it was completely and totally relatable. Even me, a 40 yo married woman with kids, could 100% relate to young Jess and it brought me back to my younger days of traveling abroad. This story was amazing and I loved that it still had all the wonderful parts of romance books but with enough unpredictability to keep it super interesting and I was fully invested, not just in the romance but in Jess and the side characters. Bravo Tracy! I cannot wait to see what you come up with next! Auto-buy author status!!

[Nicki]

4 stars!
I really enjoyed this contemporary debut novel that I found as a ‘read now’ on NetGalley recently. I was initially drawn to it because of the cover, and because it was set in Dublin.
The story is told from Jess’ point of view, as she gets sent to Dublin by her employer in Florida. It follows her as she navigates work and socialising, which is very different to what she’s used to back in the US.
I liked Jess, but found her quite frustrating, as she was quite fixed in what she wanted out of life. She had a plan of where she wanted to be workwise and relationship wise by a certain time in her life, which makes me cringe just thinking about it now. I’m totally the opposite, so you can probably understand why I was a little frustrated with her. However, I loved reading about her adjustment to a new country and culture, and how she had to decide if she wanted to plant new roots in Ireland or go back to her old life in Florida.
I really enjoyed watching her character develop throughout the book with all the twists and turns that she navigated, especially whilst she was with Aidan, and having fun with her new work colleagues.
There was a big plot development in the second half of the book that I wasn’t expecting, and I was a bit disappointed, but then it made a lot of sense, because this is not a romance novel, but a book about self discovery.
Highly recommended if you enjoy contemporary novels about reinvention and self discovery.
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for my digital copy.

[Brittany Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I want to thank Tracy Avery and Literary Media Tours for giving me the opportunity to read When In Dublin.

Honestly, when I started this book, I didn’t know if I was going to like it. The main character, Jessie bothered me in the beginning. She was so in her own head and doubting everything. But she really grew through the story and I really grew to like her. She redefined her life for what worked for her and not a timeline. She found herself in Dublin and I’m so proud of her for that! Not to mention her best friend Simon. He was the best and told her how it was. That’s the kind of best friend you need in your life! I really did enjoy this book. I would have liked more about Jessie life after (maybe a short story, follow up on her) but no spoilers, so I can’t say what I needed more of, but if you read it you’ll know!

[Zainab · Rating 3 out of 5]

When in Dublin is a self-exploration story following Jessie as she moves to Ireland in pursuit of achieving the "perfect life" she had envisioned for herself and realizing that the goals she had set for herself may not be what she wanted.

I loved the themes this story explored including how difficult it can be to more abroad and live on your own, the panic that sets in, and the fear that you've made the wrong choices, and the scramble to make new friends who can make it a little easier on you. The setting in Ireland was fun to read about and the work challenges Jessie faced had you rooting for her to succeed.

SPOILERS BELOW

Where this book missed the mark for me was the romance subplot with Aiden. I hated the shift in Aiden after their trip to Morocco that ultimately led to their breakup. It felt too sudden and came across as a story ploy. I also felt Jessie's descriptions of Morocco a bit rude. Instead of being open to a new culture, she is uncomfortable the entire time and everything is weird to her which is completely disrespectful to the culture. However, when she goes to Spain, also a place she's never been to before, she loves everything about it and describes it as charming and quaint.

Barring the romance and trip to spain, it was a good read. Thank you to Netgalley and Heuston Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded up to 4
Jessie is assigned to a job within her company, the only catch, she has to leave Florida and live in Dublin.
She’s so focused on moving up in her company that she will literally do whatever she is told and if moving across the world makes everyone else happy she is willing to do it.
I love a book where the main character finds themselves, while there is a subplot of romance this book is truly centered on becoming your own person.
Let’s take a minute to talk about this cover😍
Give me more cover art like this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Heuston Press for an ARC of When in Dublin.

[Courtney Autumn]

Rtc

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

i was excited to read this book... young woman takes a chance on a work opportunity to get outside of her comfort zone and move to ireland for work. however, as a canadian who is well traveled, this story was not for me. unfortunately, it was riddled with that 'american arrogance' you see on social media (or in real life) of many (not all of course) americans travelling where they look down at anything outside their norm. although avery was relatable at times, overall, i found her to be very unlikeable with no payoff in the resolution. avery is unbearably critical, judging people's attitudes, appearances, and making assumptions about them to dictate how she treats them. i dont feel like she experienced enough growth to warrant labelling this as a "self-discovery" story. she literally ends up right where she begins.

**SPOILERS below**

some other things i had a problem with:
- her reactions to morocco were incredibly distasteful. people like this should not travel.
- her connection to aidan made no sense to me. like, why is she choosing to extend her stay because of aidan when they haven't exchanged "i love yous," been intimate, and never had the conversation about her staying longer?
- aidan introduces her to his family, implies he loves her before she does, takes her on a trip only to dump her because he believes she feels more for him than he does her? that doesn't check out but i'll try to give it a pass because, men.
- judging someone's face thinking they need botox, thinking that an exclamation mark in the dairy company's marketing was "beneath her" were all near the conclusion of the book and quite frankly, made me feel like this woman hasn't changed at all. i would not want to be friends with this person.

i was pretty disappointed with this book because it sounded so promising. but i can't enjoy a story about an arrogant MC who has no growth by the end.

thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc so i could give an honest review. #whenindublin

[Angela Muro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy Avery’s When in Dublin feels less like a traditional romance and more like a deeply personal journey about rediscovering yourself when life stops following the carefully color coded plan you thought you wanted. And honestly? That’s exactly what made this story so memorable for me.
Jessica is the kind of heroine so many readers will recognize themselves in…ambitious, structured, career focused, and convinced that success only counts if it happens on schedule. Her move from Tampa to Dublin for a promotion opportunity completely uproots the life she thought she was building, and watching that unraveling happen in such subtle, believable ways was one of the strongest parts of the book.
What I loved most is that Tracy Avery never forces dramatic transformations or over the top revelations. Jess’s growth happens gradually through awkward moments, missed expectations, friendships, heartbreak, work frustrations, and the simple act of learning how to exist outside her comfort zone. It felt incredibly realistic. This book understands that personal growth is rarely glamorous… it’s messy, emotional, and often uncomfortable.
And Dublin absolutely shines here. The setting doesn’t just exist in the background; it becomes part of Jess’s transformation. From Temple Bar to Trinity and the everyday rhythm of Irish life, the city feels immersive and alive without ever reading like a tourist brochure. You can tell Avery genuinely understands the culture and atmosphere, which made the entire story feel authentic and warm.
The romance is beautifully restrained and complements the story instead of overpowering it. Aidan challenges Jess in ways she desperately needs, and their relationship feels real…imperfect, frustrating at times, but grounded. I appreciated that the novel focused just as much on friendship and found family as it did romance. Simon and Orla especially stole so many scenes for me.
What surprised me most was how reflective this book became. Beneath the humor and travel experiences is a thoughtful story about burnout, ambition, identity, and questioning whether the life you planned is actually the life you want. It’s the kind of book that quietly sneaks up on you emotionally.
For a debut novel, this is incredibly polished. The pacing works beautifully, the emotional beats feel earned, and the ending left me genuinely satisfied. It’s heartfelt, introspective, funny in all the right ways, and ultimately inspiring without ever feeling unrealistic.
If you love character driven stories, transformative travel experiences, subtle romance, realistic relationships, and stories about choosing fulfillment over perfection, When in Dublin is absolutely worth the trip. And definitely don’t skip the

[AnnieTheBookDragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything Ireland. And yet, I’ve never been. I’m 33% Irish, and I have never had the opportunity (yet!). But in this book, Tracy Avery took me there without having to even pay for the expensive plane ticket!

The journey Jesse went on in this book was one of self-discovery. Watching her journey to discover what she wanted not just from a romantic perspective, but from a professional one as well. The boy in the slutty little green shorts may not have been the one for her, but he taught her so many things about herself.

Jessie is also very much like me. The fear of ending up alone. Of not reaching your goals. Of being too overwhelmed by all the things. Of clowns. Of waving awkwardly like Forrest Gump… That is all me.

Finding comfort in just being honest with herself about who she is and what she wanted. Putting herself first and not following someone else’s idea of a “perfect timeline”. It was such a beautiful journey to be part of. Not being afraid anymore. Of the future, of her goals, of herself. And I will absolutely take this journey with her again!

Favorite Quotes/Moments

“The true measure of parenting was whether your grown kids still wanted to spend time with you.”

“He looked different from the day of the race. It was the way people look different the more you get to know them.”

“My heart raced, and the city faded until all I could see were the brightly colored doors of Dublin mixing behind my closed eyes. Among all of the doors, the red one washed all the others out.”

“I knew the high was destined to fade but wanted it anyway.”

“I was about to be a sheep murderer and break my boyfriend’s car in one fell swoop.”
- My anxiety level in relationships

“I’d take a thousand scars to protect you”

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an ARC for my honest opinion.

When In Dublin is a warm, emotionally grounded romance that leans into its setting in a way that feels both inviting and quietly meaningful. From the very beginning, there’s a strong sense that this is a story about timing just as much as it is about love—about the ways people stumble into connection when they least expect it, and how a place can shape those moments more than we realize.

What makes this book work so well is its emotional honesty. The characters aren’t written as larger-than-life romantics, but as real people carrying doubts, past disappointments, and the kind of hesitations that make new beginnings feel risky. Their connection develops in a way that feels gradual and believable, with tension that comes less from dramatic twists and more from uncertainty, miscommunication, and the quiet fear of getting things wrong.

Dublin itself feels like more than just a backdrop. It adds so much texture and atmosphere to the story, the shifting moods of the city, the feeling of movement and possibility, and the way certain places hold emotional significance for the characters. Jessica was such a strong character, and I loved getting to watch her grow and truly come into herself while in Dublin. Her journey isn’t smooth or easy, especially with everything that comes from leaving home and starting over, but that’s part of what made it feel so authentic. The story does a wonderful job showing how different relationships, whether friendships, romance, family, or even past relationships shape who we become. It really highlights the idea that just because one door closes, doesn’t mean another won’t open.

Overall, this is a romance that feels sincere without trying too hard to impress. It’s about connection, timing, healing, and learning how to meet people where they are. By the end, it leaves you with that steady, slightly bittersweet satisfaction that comes from a story that understands love as something built over time, not simply found.

I would like to thank Literary Media Tours and the author for the opportunity to review this book.

[Yelitz Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an ARC provided by NetGalley.

Jessica is a 27 years old woman tracking her life with a checklist.
She is focus in a work promotion and close to buying a house. It seems that all she wanted and needed is finally becoming a reality. Though her romance life is not fulfilled yet, she is focusing on her career first. But what happens when that goal is in another country? Dublin, Ireland.
There, she meets Aidan, a spontaneous man who helps her experience life. Everything seems to work out until life makes her choose between returning to the path she always planned or start a new one.

I really liked this book and enjoyed it!
Let me start with the fact that the story starts in Florida. That made me connect right away with Jessie. Who doesn’t want to be professionally successful? Who doesn’t have a life accomplishments checklist? Who doesn’t like to discover new horizons? And who doesn’t risk, fail and start all over again?
This book took me from Florida to Ireland, Morocco and Spain. I was seeing everything through Jessie’s eyes. I saw a little bit of myself in her too. It was enjoyable seeing her grow as a person in every chapter by making decisions, trusting herself and getting out of her comfort zone.
The book has romance, but is not centered on that. It emphasize on self discovery and learning how to balance life and prioritize yourself. It is the love that Jessie found in herself. I also need to add that the author did a good job by bringing two characters from different backgrounds to attract each other.
It was an easy good reading book with a great ending. I will look forward to reading more titles from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Heuston Press for this ARC!

[Alex Sedrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessica has a plan for herself and life-make associate partner by thirty, buy a house, and get married. Her relationship ended, she’s waffling on buying the house, and now to get considered for the promotion she has to move to Ireland for a year while working on a major project at her consulting firm. It’s made very clear that her hard work and late nights aren’t enough, she needs to really show she has the charm and confidence and connections to be a partner not just the technical acumen & data analysis she is known for. Her office rival (also put on the project) and the CEO of the entire company will be heading it. She agrees even though she absolutely does not want to go and finds herself feeling like a fish out of water in Dublin. Everything that can go wrong does. She slowly makes two office friends, Orla & Simon, and through them begins to branch out and take some confidence lessons at work and in life. She meets Aidan through Orla at a work event 5k & after a couple weeks the two begin sending flirty emails, then texts & calls, and eventually begin dating. Through him she really embraces Dublin, meets his family, begins making future plans, and plans a trip to Morocco for her birthday with him. But he begins to behave hot and cold, starts to fight with her & talk down to her, she withholds a huge promotion that would make her leave Ireland for the states early, & a final blow up in Morocco seals their fate. Her best friend Lindsay visits from Florida with her boyfriend and Aidan calls to break up with her on her birthday. This and the fact that she turned down the promotion she wanted all her career, sends her into a tailspin. She needs to decide what is it that she wants & who does she want in her life as she figures it out. While there is some romance in this book it is a secondary element to the story of Jess pushing past her comfort zone & figuring out what she really wants. Loads of consulting buzzwords that didn’t hit for me even when used in the context of the career plot line but the characters like Orla, Simon, & the rivalry with Raya helped. A self-discovery story with a secondary romance plot line, I enjoyed Jess’ growth even if this wasn’t my normal brand of romance.

[Patricia N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When in Dublin
by Tracy Avery

Rating: 5 stars rating

I really liked this book, When in Dublin. It’s about Jessica Dunhour traveling to Dublin for work, but the trip ends up changing her life in ways she didn’t expect. The Ireland setting made the story feel real, fun, and makes want travel for a visit.

The romance was interesting because it felt messy and realistic at times. Jessica starts seeing a guy Aiden in Dublin, but he keeps giving mixed signals and kind of leading her around emotionally. There were moments when it felt like she cared more about the relationship than he did, which made parts of the story frustrating in a believable way. It added a lot of emotional tension because you keep wanting Jessica to figure out what she truly deserves.

Later, after that relationship ends, someone from her past comes back into her life, which makes her reflect even more on love, trust, and what kind of future she wants. I liked that the book focused on her personal growth just as much as the romance.

The ending wrapped things up nicely. She makes important job and life choices, and she does some traveling. If you like romance stories with travel, emotional ups and downs, and realistic relationships, this is definitely worth reading. I really enjoyed this book.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Heuston Press, and Tracy Avery for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley
#HeustonPress
#TracyAvery

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[Wildrose Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When in Dublin” by Tracy Avery 🏡🇮🇪🍺❤️
📘 Format: eBook
📚 Pub Date: 05.20.26
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

“When in Dublin” by Tracy Avery is a heartwarming story about a young lady named Jessie who finds herself on an unexpected journey of personal growth.

In spite of her extremely detailed goal list for her life, Jessie comes to realize that she really hasn’t been very aware of what she truly wants. While chasing her organized life plan, she begins to feel differently than she imagined she would after achieving some of her biggest goals.

I felt like I was experiencing in real time how Jessie pivots her own expectations for herself. It’s an interesting concept to consider that once we reach our goals we may not feel the way we imagined we would.

After years of being structured, ultra-organized and having her life goals strategically planned, Jessie begins to embrace the deviations to her life plans and see where her path of self discovery will take her.

I honestly didn’t know where the plot was headed for the majority of the book; which felt like an adventure! I would never have been able to predict the storyline. A thoroughly enjoyable and unpredictable story.

As someone who has always been very organized and results oriented, I felt that I personally really related to Jessie! 🤭 I love how Jessie learns to accept aspects of her own personality, while still compelling herself to change, in order to achieve the kind of life that she realizes that she wants.

This debut novel is a fantastic read. I’ll be watching for more from Tracy Avery in the future.

Thank you to Tracy Avery, NetGalley & Heuston Press for access to this Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.


#WhenInDublin
#TracyAvery
#NetGalley
#HeustonPress

[Kristen Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a super fun read ❤️

I was hooked from page one. I always wanted to sit down and read it. I feel like Tracey just took me on the most fun roller coaster I could go on in a book!

In the beginning of the book, I was going back and forth between laughing out loud, cringing in second hand embarrassment for the sweet MFC, and being impressed by her courage to move to a new country for work—something I can’t even imagine doing.

In the middle of the book, I was going back and forth about the romance and new Irish hottie that came on the scene. I wanted to scream warnings of red flags one minute but then Tracey did such a fantastic job of showing the realness/imperfections of a relationship that the next minute I was ready to give said hottie grace.

And the end, oh the end! Such a sweet ending of self-discovery. So much so that it prompted me to do some reflection on how and why I make my own choices. And also really gave me the travel bug!

I loved it so much.

I received this as an ARC read and these are my own and honest thoughts.

[Roman Edits · Rating 2 out of 5]

1 star in my heart. 2 stars because I've read worse, but I can't genuinely say I liked the book.

I received the ARC.

I almost DNF’d at 38%.

I don’t expect romance novels to pass the Bechdel test, but I often hope that outside the romance plot, they make an honest attempt. No such attempt was made by “When in Dublin”.

Based on the blurb, I expected Jessie and the setting to be the priorities of the narrative. Unfortunately, the beast of a romance devoured the story. I did not expect a book about a woman’s self-discovery to center men as heavily as this book did.

I hesitate to even call what occurred in this novel “romance”. This was a test of will and my endurance to witness our main character, Jessie, people-please and “cool girl” herself through a toxic situationship.

This was not a story about Jessie finding herself. This was about men finding Jessie for her. Men were the crucible for her transformation. Everything she achieved was through men or her relationship to them. Her confidence was from Simon’s lessons. Her desire for travel and reinvention were from her relationship with Aiden. Traveling to Spain was something Brad wanted. The first real thing that could have been wholly her own, her new agency, was instead launched with the involvement of both Brad and her old boss, Mr. Townsend. There is nothing in this book that is truly hers.

After her relationship with Aiden ended, Jessie thinks the phrase, “I wanted to be the cool girlfriend”. I wish that by the end of the story, she learned to eradicate that desire from her mind, body, and soul. I suffered through her relationship with Aiden hoping the pay-off would be her choosing herself and decentering men. I wanted her to learn that she was allowed to have wants and needs, and she did not need to act like she didn’t to be “cool” to anyone, let alone a guy that belittled her. I wanted her to learn that she does not need to perform for men’s favor. She is allowed to just be, and to live for herself.

Her metamorphosis occurs in the last 10% of the book, but despite my hopes, I’m not sure the lessons above are the ones Jessie learns.

In promising to provide both romance and self-discovery, this book failed to provide either.

Other items worthy of note:
1.) The odd commentary on other countries.
2.) Some unaddressed judgmental, and at times hypocritical, thoughts from Jessie.

A flawed main character is excellent when crafted well. However, I’m not sure this book knew Jessie had these flaws, nor do I think this book could bear the weight of a flawed main character with Aiden and the suffering narrative stacked against it.

For those interested in the toxic situationship receipts, here are Aiden’s red flags:

1) He is genuinely mean to her. I had a bad feeling from the start when she called him smug, and that feeling cemented with the scene about her legs Negging is not a form of flirting; it’s a manipulation tactic. Negging whittles away your self-worth without you noticing until it’s gone.

2) He dampens her excitement because what she likes or enjoys is “so American”, or because she’s “a typical tourist”.

3) Aiden completely ignored where Jessie wanted to go on a trip for HER birthday, for HER first passport stamp, so HE could go to the place HE wanted to go for HIS bucket list.

4) Aiden has an “I know best” mentality. Most of their conversations followed this formula: “You think you want this, but really, I know best and you actually want this.” This is another tactic that leads you to second-guess your own judgment so you start defaulting to theirs.

5) He didn’t respect her “no” about driving stick shift. Then he was angry and disappointed when she couldn't do it the first time. When she tried again and succeeded, she was proud. He just said, “See? It’s really not that hard.”

6) He’s condescending. He belittles her goals, her dreams, and her, personally, for liking a steady office job and a safe, comfortable life.

7) He harps on everything she doesn’t know and makes her feel stupid. He even has to correct her over the meaning of “sláinte” in front of his family at the dinner table.

8) He lovebombs her. They barely know each other, but he immediately invites her to meet the family and makes big plans for the future.

9) He isolates her from her family and friends. He knows just how much she misses her family in Tampa, and how much Christmas means to her family, yet he asks her to stay with him and his family for Christmas instead.

10) He calls her “out of shape” AND brings up her office job to do it. No man is that dumb. He knows what he’s doing.

This book was like witnessing your best friend get engaged to someone who doesn’t treat her right. When she leaves, you finally breathe a sigh of relief. You suggest she focus on herself. Figure out what she wants without the influence of another person. Stay single.

And a week later she bashfully admits to you that she’s already talking to someone else.

[Mary M · Rating 5 out of 5]

his is a beautifully written story following the POV of Jess as she navigates uprooting her life in Tampa to pursue a promotion opportunity in Dublin. She does this with the support of her family and best friend Lindsay. This book is written beautifully. I loved the authors writing style. It was so funny but wasn’t trying too hard. It was easy to read with just enough description to make this book really enjoyable. There are some really lovely phrases in this book my favourite being “nothing good happens after midnight” and “Your holding on to a memory. I like who I was that night”. This is not your typical romance which I loved. The romance complements the story but doesn’t overwhelm it. Some people may not like this but I loved it. It really is a story about how when one door closes another opens. This is symbolised well in this book as there are lots of references to doors. The beautiful book cover even has doors reflected in Jess’s sun glasses.

This book really focuses on friendship. There was an element of rivalry between Jess and Raya but this was written so well it didn’t over power the story. While Lindsay was Jess’s best friend she developed a really close bond with her co workers which I loved. Orla and Simon were such great side characters who really complemented the story. While this book was about romance the author really spent time developing friendships and emphasis the importance of family. I loved the airport scene with Lindsay and Jess’s parents waving her off.

My favourite part of this book was the way the author dealt with the Irish culture, It was written in a funny manner but was never mocking. Being Irish I really enjoyed and appreciated this. You can really sense she had a proper understanding of Ireland and its culture. In the acknowledgments she does say she lived in Dublin for 6 years. I like all the references to Ireland which some readers may not get. The author did take time to explain some things and she was spot on. The author has really done the Irish proud.

There is good representation in this book Irish, American, UK, LGBT+, difficult family dynamics, cancer, single parent, step parent, women in the corporate world to name a few. These topics were all dealt with well.

There was some great pacing. The time jumps worked very well. We got a real feel for Jess’s journey without things being dragged out too much. I like the time jump of the last chapter. Without giving anything away it really tied things up nicely. The pacing was just right.

The relationship with Aidan was written perfectly. It hit just right for me. It was just so real. About 50% through I started hating him and was screaming for Jess to move on. When she made a big decision based on her relationship with him I was so disappointed in her but also for her. I am so happy with how everything turned out. Jess’s character growth In this book was developed so well and naturally, While she grows and develops as a person it wasn’t completely over the top. I think the Jess in the last chapter of the book would have maybe spoken up sooner than the Jess in the beginning of book in her work and personal life. I really like how Simon helped boost her confidence while never seeking credit or anything in return.

I think I enjoyed this story so well as it was written realistically. There were some lovely romance scenes but it wasn’t a case of love at first sight, married in 6 months and kids 12 months later. It was a real relationship. This was the same for the entire book. The friendships were real, life was real. No luxury penthouse just a regular flat in Dublin. I like how this translated to Jess’s career. Without spoilers not everything worked out but at the same time Jess didn’t up and change her entire career because of this. She just tweaked her path a little bit which came across more natural and real than in other books I’ve read. In a lot of books everything works out in the end or if they don’t the characters change their careers/life entirely which is not real life or even a possibility for most of us.

This is not your typical, predictable romance which I loved!! The discussion questions and playlist at back of book were a lovely touch.