After falling head over heels for Ballybeg in Love and Shenanigans, I was both stoked and a little scared to read Love and Leprechauns (I skipped Love and Blarney, #2 and a stand-alone novella). I loved the world and Zara Keane‘s writing style so much in the first installation that I was afraid the next full novel wouldn’t live up to the first. But let me tell you: this one was just as good!
The setting of this installation is the same Ballybeg as in Love and Shenanigans (read my review here), but the hero and heroine, Jonas and Olivia, are quite different from Fiona and Gavin–and from each other.
We meet Olivia and Jonas in Love and Shenanigans, but we really get to know them in this book. Jonas is a single father and writer, struggling to balance his writing career with parenting a special needs child. Olivia dreams of starting a cafe and obtaining financial independence from her abusive husband. When Jonas has the space Olivia needs for her business, and rent money from Olivia can help keep Jonas’s boat afloat, the two warily join together and sparks fly! But can new feelings overcome past hurts?
I loved the artful blend of mystery, romance and comedy, and thought Keane did a fantastic job of handling the issues of abuse and autism. This installation was a bit heavier than Love and Shenanigans, but it was all the better for it and suited the characters. Even with the weighty topics, I spent a good deal of time laughing.
And since I know you are amped to read Love and Leprechauns, here’s a handy link to the book on Amazon!
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