Heartwarming, full of hope and joy!
I believe that this is the follow-up to Freya Kennedy's previous book; The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn, now I haven't read that book (why ever not, I keep asking myself) but I don't think you really need to I followed this story easily enough as though it was a stand-alone but I am interested to see where the story started.
This is such a warmhearted cosy and utterly adorable story, it has a beautiful message about following your dreams no matter how scared or out of your comfort zone you are. and it's something we can all relate to.
I loved the characters, they are so relatable, I loved getting to know Jo she is in one word; lovely, she could be any one of us, your sister, best friend, neighbour.
I really loved this one, I liked the flow, the romance was a little bit of a slow-burner but it worked well for the characters.
Comforting and cosy!

Found this book too slow and the start did not entice me, and it was thus a slog throughout. The main character also left me terribly meh, and I kept wondering who the plot is actually about and if it wouldn't have been more enticing if it had been some other character's, for example Emily. Just did not capture me, unfortunately

Lovely read!!! this book is a page turner and really easy to read. The writing style is very nice and fluid. This is the second book I read from Freya Kennedy and she is starting to become one of my favourite authors!!! The characters are really lovable and the romance in this book is slow but beautiful! There is also a bit of drama that makes this book even better! 4 stars out of 5 for me! You will have a good time with this one!

I read this as a standalone book and didn't realise that it was part of a series.
Jo's world revolves around her family, friends and community in the small Derry town that she lives in. Part-owner of the local pub, Jo's ultimate dream is to become a writer. This is a book about hopes and aspirations and being able to turn them into reality with a little help, faith and confidence-boosting from those around you

A lovely romp of a read set in the here and now with tentative looks back and hopefully throws forward. A lovely book and great author thanks

I really did enjoy this. I was definitely in the mood for this kind of read, a cute, charming story with a slowly played out romance which demonstrates how it is importance to follow your dreams, whilst being sweet, kind and appreciating the smaller details of life and what we are surrounded by.
Nice to catch up with characters I had read before - don't worry too much though it can be read as a stand alone.
The writing style is light, flowing and the author has created likeable characters. A great, light hearted read.

I loved this book it was a brilliant read right from the first line to the last. It was not predictable and as hard as you try to guess what is going to happen next you are wrong. The characters came to life and it made me feel all the emotions which transpired. This is a book well worth reading.

I love this couldn't put it down, had me hooked from the first word right through to the end and I loved the story plot and the characters so much, everything mixed so well, I was not disappointed at all with this book, definitely a must read

This was such a heartwarming story that had such lovely characters. Although the romance took a long time to come to fruition, I still really enjoyed the book. I found myself connecting to the characters so I really enjoyed this book.

Received a copy of this book for review. Overall it is a good read for me. Love the chemistry between the main characters. Love all the characters. What I love is that each of them does make a difference to the story as it developed. Like to read how the characters In the story are interrelated to each other. It make the story more exciting to read. The setting of the story is nice and is fit nicely to the story.Story plot are well penned out, with a slight twist to it in the end

This is a super fun read. I really enjoyed this one!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A lovely, light-hearted read. Enjoyed this and was so easy to get into.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

In Pursuit of Happiness was truly a delight to read! If you love the Derry Girls show on Netflix, this book also takes place in Derry, Ireland. I adore the show and knew I'd love the setting of the book right away! The main character in this book also has a much younger sister, which I related to having the same. The relationship is so special and different and I loved the representation of it in this book. Our main character is Jo Campbell and she co-owns a pub with her brother, Noah, but it's not her dream. Her dream is to become an established author but she has never had thought this was an option. Libby, her brother Noah's fiance, owns a bookstore and encourages Jo to let her send her novel to a famous author that is coming to her bookshop for a signing. Jo knows it's time to step out of her comfort zone and agrees!

Meanwhile, Jo meets Lorcan. Lorcan is Harry's (who owns the shop in town and is loved by them all) grandson and Jo isn't so sure about him because he did not show up when Harry had a heart attack. But the Lorcan she thought she knew and the Lorcan she meets are two very different people. She feels an easy connection with Lorcan and can't understand why he would not have come to his grandfather's side in his time of need. Lorcan also just got out of a long-term relationship, which complicated things further.

Jo finds herself facing so many life changes in this book and I feel like she navigated them as well as anyone would. She is a very likable character and her relationships with her family and especially her six-year-old sister, Clara, were so heartwarming and comforting. The conflict and events in the book were straightforward and didn't drag on, which I really liked. Also, there's an adorable Border Collie named, Patty, what more could you want?

This entire book felt like a warm hug! I adored all of the characters and the setting so much and Freya Kennedy's writing was well-paced and endearing. I highly recommend it to anyone that wants a comforting and fun read!

In Pursuit Of Happiness was a light quick read.
Set in Northern Ireland, it contained alot of the Northern Irish lingo and for me coming from here I loved.

I really enjoyed this book, it was my first Freya Kennedy but probably won't be my last! The characters were relatable, interesting and unique.
This book held my attention from page one! I will definitely be recommending

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

It was great catching up with Libby Quinn and the gang, and this is a lovely addition to the series.

The subplot with Ewan was well thought out and I enjoyed reading about the start of Jo's writing career.

But what I enjoyed the most was the blossoming relationship between her and Lorcan.

What a delightful story.

This was such a beautiful read!.
As always, Freya Kennedy brings us a cast of interesting, and loveable characters. The characters within this story are well developed and relatable, and their own individual stories are equally intriguing.
The setting is also brought to life so vividly, you can picture is clearly in your mind, which for me really adds to the depth and connection with this wonderful story,

With a bit of drama, and various events taking place, there is certainly no chance of you losing interest in this story, and when the slow burn romance kicks in, I truly found it impossible to part with this lovely book.

Lovely read!!! this book is a page turner and really easy to read. The writing style is very nice and fluid. This is the second book I read from Freya Kennedy and she is starting to become one of my favorite author!!! This book is really well written and is full of events, you will never be bored while reading this book! The characters are really lovable and the romance in this book is slow but beautiful! There is also a bit of drama that makes this book even better! 4 stars out of 5 for me! You will have a good time with this one!

I couldn’t connect with this at all, I just found it to be a bit flat for me, the characters I held no empathy for and I just found it hard to stay interested.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

When I reviewed The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn, I commented that I was hoping for a return trip to Once Upon a Book, Libby's wonderful bookshop. Well, my wish has been granted. This time the focus of the story is Noah's sister, Jo, a would-be author who has constructed a life she feels confident with but who realises in order to fulfil her ambitions, she will need to step out of that comfort zone. You get to find out quite a bit about why she is as she is. Her relationship with her adopted little sister, Clara, tells you everything you need to know about her character. Family is everything to her. I found her to be likeable and spirited, with a kind heart.

The community around Ivy Lane rallies around its inhabitants and they look out for each other. Feeling protective of one of its older members, Harry, leads Jo to regard his grandson with a suspicious eye. How their story unfolds has a few surprises- enough said! This story centres around people who are taking a chance and starting again. The lovely, inclusive setting in Derry adds to the warmth the book emanates. What an enjoyable read!


In short: Follow your dreams!