This was a pretty messy story at first, definitely original, and all in all, it was interesting from my point of view. In it, two women swap jobs within the same company, having to move from Belfast to Vancouver, giving up their apartments and client base for a month, so that the Vancouver office can increase its productivity.

Initially, this change means they won't meet in person, but they will talk on the phone and video chat to discuss any issues that might come up with the switch. Claire is the one moving from Belfast to Vancouver to boost productivity at the Canadian office. She'll find a pretty cold and unfriendly atmosphere there at first. Stacie, on the other hand, is moving from Vancouver to Belfast and she's super excited about it because it's a major upgrade.

From the beginning, they talk to each and connect somehow. Claire finds it harder to fit in in Canada, while Stacie is welcomed and embraced by Claire's environment as if she were one of them. But an unexpected event will make Claire have to return hastily and ahead of schedule, which will cause conflict, first at work for having to go back to the initial situation but also personally, because that can't be easily reversed.

The story's got some rough patches, and the whole situation is gonna make things hard for them. But if they really want it, they can overcome anything.

I cannot begin to express how much I loved this book. From the beginning, I was sucked into the plot and these characters. I loved how there was so much more here than romance - friendship, travel, family were all explored. I particularly appreciated how the issue of mental illness was woven into the story in such a supportive manner. Few books talk about this issue from different angles and this one got it right. And then there was the romance, which was swoony and awesome and made me laugh out loud. More please!

This is my first book by Emma McGeown, and I now have a new author to follow. I enjoyed the storyline. The angst was expected. I love how it was remedied, but wish there was a little more to the explanation of why the MC was holding back. The resolution was timely, we were set up that it would take time. I am happy with the way it was done.
The chemistry was great, it was felt throughout the book. I loved how they met and grew their relationship.
The secondary cast of characters were valued and well defined. They were a good support system. I liked how it was one MCs friends that was consistent with both MCs and helped them both equally.
Although I felt that some scenes were rushed, I will continue to.follow the autjor and look forward to new releases that come our way. This is my first book by Emma McGeown, and I now have a new author to follow. I enjoyed the storyline. The angst was expected. I love how it was remedied, but I wish there was a little more to the explanation of why the MC was holding back. The resolution was timely. We were set up that it would take time. I am happy with the way it was done.
The chemistry was great. It was felt throughout the book. I loved how they met and grew their relationship.
The secondary cast of characters was valued and well defined. They were a good support system. I liked how it was one MCs friends that was consistent with both MCs and helped them both equally.
Although I felt that some scenes were rushed, I will continue to follow the autjor and look forward to new releases that come our way.

I mainly wanted to read this book because I recently visited Belfast and was hoping to relive the experience. The plot seemed interesting enough too - Claire has the opportunity to leave her home and job in Belfast to take on a similar position with the same company in Vancouver. Stacie, who holds that position in Canada is to switch with Claire and move to Belfast for 6 months. The two women become friendly through online chats and get to know each other through the eyes of their friends. Circumstances find them both in Belfast and sparks fly instantly.

This book was a quick, sweet read. It wasn't a story that blew me away, but it was satisfyingly readable. And the author did a great job of painting the book with glimpses of Belfast.

In this cross country sapphic story told in a DOV, Claire and Sadie find themselves switching lives in order to help their global marketing company. Claire lives in Belfast Ireland, is a hard worker, great friend, steady big sister, and caretaker of her mother who suffers from mental illness. Stacie lives in Vancouver Canada, mostly works from home because no one on her team bothers showing up at the office, loves plants, not close with her family, doesn’t have many friends, and is in a complicated long distance relationship. When the two get the opportunity of a lifetime to literally switch lives, it seems like a win win. But when Claire’s mom’s mental health spirals out of control, she is forced to get on a plane back to Belfast to help take care of her. Even though Claire and Stacie have talked on the phone, emailed, and texted, something changed when they met in person. Unable to be apart from each other and instantly becoming friends, the two find out just how hard it is to not fall for each other. But with Claire returning early and doing such a great job getting the Canada office up and running, it threatens Stacie’s job and forces her to either be deported, or tell Claire how she really feels and hopefully find a way to stay.

I found myself admiring much of Claire’s character because it seemed like she was forced to group up at such an early age and was burdened with more responsibility than she should have been. Not only having to take care of her mentally ill mother, but had to go through the death of a parent, a divorce, and basically raise her younger twin sisters. She always has to put on a brave face to keep her family together, which is probably one of the reasons she has trouble expressing her emotions and letting herself be vulnerable. When Stacie enters the picture, it makes Claire do and feel things that she never let herself feel in the past. Stacie helped Claire realize her worth and that its okay to lean on people in times of need and not always hold in your emotions. Stacie was exactly what Claire needed, which is why I think their relationship was so special. I wish we had more time with the two of them romantically together instead of so much focus on the job. I also thought there wasn’t enough information given about Stacie’s past, like why she doesn’t have many friends or what exactly went down with her family and life growing up in Winnipeg.

In terms of side characters, I didn't connect to anyone or care about anyone on the Canadian side, but I absolutely loved Jane, Naula, and Jonny. Jane and Naula especially had such an interesting story and dynamic. I loved them each individually and together, you could and clearly feel how much they loved and cared about each other. I definitely wouldn’t object to them having their own book to learn about how they met, the story behind Jane’s homophobic family, and what the future holds for them. Jonny was hilarious, and I love how much he took care of Claire and how he welcomed Stacie immediately into their group. Even though I found a lot of the office scenes boring, their group dynamic made it a little more tolerable. It would have been nice if Stacie had a friend or someone other than a married man to confide in (Luke), while she was in Canada.

My biggest critic was the lack of romance and spice. I honestly could have cared less about their job and would have liked for their chemistry to have been built up more and more swoony dates or bedroom action. It was too much of a slow burn for me, especially in regards to their limited timeline, which made everything feel extremely rushed towards the end. The storyline was thought out, but I think because it was so plot heavy, it didn’t allow for a fully fleshed out romance and subplot action or detail. Even though the plot was incredibly predictable, I still felt emotionally connected to the characters and rooted for them to have their happily ever after.

I do think the author did a great job portraying the reality of Claire’s character and her circumstances regarding being the power of attorney and caretaker of her mother. Both the ups and down of everything involved with loved ones dealing with mental illness and how much it truly affects a family. Jane’s character was also extremely heartfelt and relatable, not all families are as understanding and supportive of their child when they come out, so it was understandable why she felt the need to hide her sexuality. Homophobia is not an easy subject to tackle, so in regards to Jane and her relationship struggles with Naula, I think they were done with great care and respect, while also depicting the hate and worries that people still face and experience everyday. Claire and Stacie both also were hit with the reality of how hard it is to get a work visa, what some companies have to go through in order to keep or attain employees, and how hard it is to uproot your life in the pursuit of a job or love.

Overall, the story had substance, likable characters, and a solid storyline, but the lack of romance and overuse of the workplace made me feel slightly disappointed that Claire and Stacie never developed into something truly memorable.

Stacie, career-driven, is living in Vancouver, Canada and in a long distance relationship that has mostly unsatisfying when an opportunity presents itself to trade places with her counterpart in the company and move to Belfast for 6 months. Eager for the change and break from from less that satisfying relationship, she jumps at the opportunity!

Claire lives in Belfast and is feeling stuck under the weight of family responsibility when she is tasked with the job of moving to Vancouver for 6 months to bring the office there up to par. She jumps at the opportunity and is ready fr a change. Claire only dates casually and isn't looking for a relationship.

She and Stacie decide to swap apartments to make the moves easier. As each settle into their new environments they form a friendship through facetime and support each other with the changes. As time goes by, they become closer and enjoy each other's company even if they are across the ocean from each other. When a family emergency occurs, Claire hurries back to Belfast and the meet in person and end up sharing Claire's flat together until Stacie has to return to Vancouver. They become even closer friends and realize their is more that bonds them than the job. Will they be able to open up to each other and overcome obstacles in their path?

This is a sweet, slightly angsty love story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved both main characters and the side characters only serve enliven the story more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the arc. I leave this review voluntarily

I love following this romance and seeing how it developed overtime, I was really rooting for Claire and Stacie,

The cutest long distance romance ever!

Claire cannot ignore the opportunity to switch places with Stacie from the Vancouver office and just get away from all the responsibility she has for a little while. But that is short lived when a family emergency drives Claire back home and she and Stacie end up getting a chance to really know once another before Stacie has to return home herself.

I loved every second of this. It had such an excitement to start, and both Claire’s and Stacie’s reaction to their exciting adventures was infectious. From the first moment they spoke, they seemed to have a spark and just got one another, so living in each other’s homes, albeit for a short while made them feel closer and then it was almost like a dream when they got to spend time together in person when Claire came back early. The reasons for Claire’s return were heartbreaking, but I was in awe of how Stacie supported her, even if she didn’t know her that well yet, and this all had an impact on the length of her stay.

When they really got to spending time together, their connection was undeniable, and a part of me hoped that Stacie wouldn’t even have to consider going back to Vancouver. She’d not just been falling in love with Claire, but also Ireland, in a way that allowed the reader to fall in love with it too, so in the end I was just wishing and hoping for things to work out. It wasn’t all plain sailing though, and realisation of that broke my heart the way it did theirs, but with the love they had, I had hope.

Such a sweet and lovely romance, perfect for anyone who loves a cute story with two adorable characters who more than deserved the happiness they found together.

Claire and Stacie are swapping jobs for six months; Claire hails from Belfast and Stacie from Vancouver, Canada. They don't see each other until Claire returns home to care for her mother. The story centers on how Claire and Stacie are hesitant to develop feelings, knowing that Stacie will eventually return to Vancouver. It's a tale rich with emotions and feelings as they navigate life and love. This book comes highly recommended for fans of romance.

Was hoping for a bit more character development, as the plot seemed to grow more than the characters did in the story.

thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book !

this story follows two working girls who switch jobs and never come across each other, until they finally meet after a lot of texting and calling.

at the beginning, i was a bit skeptical to where the story was going, i thought there was a looot about just work and not really involving the characters but then it got way better.

throughout the book, we learn more about every single characters and their story, it’s not just focusing on both main characters! all side characters were so enjoyable like jane, johnny and everyone. seeing how they were reacting to long distances, how they had difficulty to come clean about their sexuality or their feelings, it was a very interesting and enjoyable book.

This is a story about Claire Brennen who works for an international marketing company headquarter in Belfast, Ireland. She is asked to swap jobs with a Canadian woman, Stacie Farran. Claire leaves behind her mother whom she has been taking care of for years. Her mom has serious mental health issues and is on medication to stay on track. Claire is a natural leader and caretaker. She struggles in Canada and misses her family and friends back in Ireland. Stacie loves Belfast and easily assimilates into the workplace there.

The POV alternates between the MCs in each chapter. This book had several funny parts playing off of many lesbian tropes . It was well written and brought out a lot of emotion from both MCs. All the friends and family members were fully developed and part of the story. It also dealt with mental illness in a compassionate and meaningful way, which increased the depth of the story.

I thought the ending was fairly predictable and I would have liked a more unique finish to the story.

Overall a good book and I’d recommend it to my book friends.

ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

「 ✦  ARC REVIEW ✦ 」

« back to belfast – emma l. mcgeown »

☆☆☆☆/5

▪︎ queer relationship
▪︎ mental health rep
▪︎ home exchange vibe
▪︎ found family

☄️🧡🌞🦊🍁
be ready to be bombarded by characters and get lost in between the two cities but after a few chapters is gets better and everything settles.

i really love Stacie and how much of a helper she is. she deserves much more than melissa and she's starting to realise it.

Claire is dealing with a shit tons of issue. whether personal or professional, she never catches a break until she meets stacie in real life and finally realize what it's like to be wanted and unconditionally loved.

i really liked how many real issues were talked about and dealt with. loss, grief, mental health, queerness. and it was done so beautifully.

stace is so vocal about lgbtqia+ rights and i love her for it.

this is such a wholesome romance and i loved it.

BACK TO BELFAST COMES OUT SEPTEMBER 10TH.

thank you @netgalley, @boldstrokesbooks and Emma L. McGeown for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange of an honest review

Thank you NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. 4.5 ⭐️ rounded up. What a fun romcom! I loved the workplace “The Holiday” like premise, though there were times I got a bit lost and almost bored with the business side of it. Overall, I absolutely loved this story, the character development, the dual settings, and the chemistry between the characters. In such a short book, McGeown was able to add a lot of depth and development that made it enjoyable and something I did not want to put down. A really fun ride and I will definitely be reading her backlist and look forward to new releases in the future!

A charming trading places, f/f romance. Claire Brennan is good at her job in Belfast. Her company decides to send her to a struggling branch in Vancouver, Canada for six months. She decides it is a good time to take a break from watching over her mom who suffers from “the Troubles”. Stacie Farran enjoys her job in Vancouver and is surprised when she is picked to cover in the Belfast office for Claire. To make things simpler they decide to rent each other's apartments.

Claire struggles feeling homesick and trying to make friends in the less friendly office. But she is improving their numbers when she is called home for family issues. Stacie welcomes her back to her own place and the pair decide to share it till her time in Belfast is over. There are very sweet friends pushing them together even if it is temporary. I’ve read a couple of the author’s previous books and love how she brings Ireland in almost as a character itself. (The other books were set in Dublin.) Beyond the naturally progressing romance there are drinking and mental health issues covered and also coming out in religious communities. I enjoyed the story and characters, except maybe the overtop male (gay) friend who could be too outspoken.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Claire and Stacie both work at the same company but different part of the world. Claire is task to go Vancouver where the branch is struggling while Stacie is surprise to be pick go Belfast to takeover Claire office as they swap lives. Claire’s struggles while there but she been doing well improving the branch but then she has return home for emergency because she is caregiver of her mom and that’s when we really get into Claire and Stacie romance as we see how Stacie fits well in Claire life even though she dealing with relationship problems as they both grow closer I like how they were honest and communicate with each other and learn things about themselves. Overall good read.

This was a nice and easy read.

The set up and context was well fleshed out and I could easily picture both characters lives in my head. I kind of found I was more invested in the office aspect than the romance, it just felt more well thought out.

I enjoyed the characters and the romance of it, don’t get me wrong, but it felt like the plot devices thrown in to break them up were a bit weak so that took me out of the story a bit. The ending was also wrapped up way too quickly. It was also quite insta-love which always feels a little bit unrealistic to me, but I suppose this was a very short book so it had to be that way.

There were a few typos and inconsistencies like whether Stacie was flying on Saturday or Sunday, minute details but it still annoyed me nonetheless. Also the fact that Stacie lands in London, in Northern Ireland. Surely it should be Londonderry or just Derry. Given how much the Troubles was mentioned, you’d feel like you wouldn’t call Londonderry “London”.

Reading this made me want to go to Northern Ireland and learn more about their history.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing me this ARC!

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

claire and stacie work for the same company though not in the same country but when the opportunity came up that they could swop roles for 6 months they both took the leap of faith

claire was sent in to sort out stacie office they were underperforming and could likely face closure

stacie was the best of the group and was trusted with claires clients for the 6 months

what they hadnt expected was how well stacie fitted into claires life with her friends and work colleagues

claire was struggling though with loneliness and the morale of the office she was trying to sort out... and they werent willing...

but it was the interaction between claire and stacie that started and when claire had to do an emergency back home visit that thing between then zinged....

but with claire home stacies days were numbered.... if only....

well it kept my attention right to the end i loved the little things that the author subtlety added to make the story more life like. will be keeping an eye out for more from this author

Back to Belfast started with an interesting premise. Claire and Stacie both work for the same company. Claire at the main office in Belfast and Stacie at the struggling Vancouver office. The company decides to send Claire to Vancouver temporarily to get the office in shape and Stacie goes to Belfast to cover for Claire as part of the work visa exchange. In addition to changing job locations, they swap homes as well.

The first third of the book focused heavily on Stacie and Claire adapting to their new lives. There was not a lot of interaction between the two. For a romance, I was expecting, even with the distance, more moments of connection between Claire and Stacie earlier in the book. That said, the challenges, feelings, and relationships that both Claire and Stacie encountered with the life swap were compelling and relateable. Stacie is dealing with a long distance relationship and Claire is a caregiver for her mom. The side characters, especially Claire’s friends, were interesting in their own right and helped drive the story forward.

Once Stacie and Claire began to have more contact the book really took off. They had strong chemistry and I appreciated that there was a lot of honesty, self realization, and communication. There was still struggles and missteps but the characters made the effort to work through it.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It did a good job of balancing sweet and real.

Thank you NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books, and Emma L. McGeown for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 + 1/2 ✨ (3.5)
If you’re ok w workplace romance or if you enjoy that, then I’d def give this one a try. It’s an overall cute ambience and story. I did struggle to get into it at first but I’d say that around 30% I felt committed enough to keep going without it feeling like I was making myself read.

The end felt a bit rushed and I think I might’ve discovered I’m not a fan of workplace romance… so that’s why it’s 3.5 for me, it just kinda felt weird at the end (iykyk)