This was my first read by Theresa and I was absolutely blown away! As someone who has always wanted to travel but never found a way, this story really spoke to that part deep inside. Juniper was refreshing as a FMC because, yes, she was complex, but in a very human way. Aiden stole my heart from the first moment and I was rooting for him the whole time. The entire cast of characters really showed that family is who you choose, familial relations or not. I would love a novella of Aiden and Junes adventures and to see them grow even more!

ahh i'm not sure where to begin. First, thank you Netgalley and Theresa for the opportunity to read this ARC! I love being able to share my thoughts with others and the opportunity to do so.

Like I said, where do I begin!! Kicking and screaming because I do not have the option for half stars, but The Half of It truly deserves a 4.5 in my eyes.

I've never been much of a slow burn reader because sometimes I'm way too impatient to wait for the main characters to actually do something. But, this book was perfect. We start off with our main character Juniper (June), and find out just how much she's been through throughout her life. From losing family to trying to move up in her career, the silly DNA test kit she was given at work and the unexpected results that comes up turns out to be the change in luck she actually needs.

She sets off to Ballygrá, Ireland where she meets her half-sister, Cara, that she never knew about and meets the loyal friend of hers, Aidan. As June finds herself figuring out her new relationship with Cara and the wedding she is now involved in and helping Cara prepare for, you can't just sit back and deny the chemistry that is going on between Aidan and June. And, while Aidan has his own thing going on and navigating the hardships of losing his brother, you feel for him as you get a glimpse of his emotions and internal struggle. Of course, not all good things get to last but I'll leave that to you to read and find out.

Overall, this book had me captivated in the most unexpected ways. Like I said, I am not much of a slow burn reader so I wasn't necessarily gravitated towards this book where I needed to read it all in one sitting. But, I was surprised to find myself constantly thinking about it when I wasn't reading it and looked forward to the moments I did have time to pick it up again. This book had everything you could ask for. A good amount of spice, the tension between our two lovers, and the found family that anyone deserves.

I will say the only thing that kept me rating this book at 4.5 stars is because I do wish we had just a few more pages of June and Aidan's love story to unfold and get more glimpses of them together after everything happens.

Overall, this was such a great read, and I highly recommend to others if they want a feel good book that makes you emotional over found family, small town, and slow burn romance. ALSO, I'm not sure what's not to love about Aidan. He's such a green flag and perfect gentleman that I'm going to be thinking of this hot Irish hunk for a while.

I hope everyone gets to enjoy this book as much as I did. I plan to publish my opinion on Amazon as well on release day!

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC copy, I will be giving my honest and unbiased review

“I’d take you anywhere to see you smile like that,” I say, barely loud enough to hear over the breeze”

Tropes
- small Irish town
- found family
- slowburn
- forced proximity
- golden retriever MMC


The Half of It is a story set in Ireland, and if you know me, you know that anything set in Ireland is right up my alley. I appreciated the care and detail that went into the writing of this novel a lot, it was clear that the author knew the things she was describing and the language that was being used, and because of this she was able to paint truly beautiful pictures of Ireland with her words. One of my favourite elements in this book was the found family trope, Juniper’s journey was definitely something new and interesting to read about, but most of all, as a sister myself, I really enjoyed how the relationship with Cara evolved. All those family scenes were incredibly cosy and so enjoyable to read. June’s struggles in going from being alone most of her life to finally part of a family felt very raw and realistic, and I found myself very emotional in a couple of moments.
Unfortunately though, it was June and Aidan’s romance that did not fully draw me in. I felt that there was not much chemistry between the two and that something was missing. Aidan’s is a very well-crafted character and definitely swoon-worthy, but his relationship with Juniper fell a little flat to me and especially after what happened in the third act of the book.
Overall, even just to enjoy the beautiful Irish setting and the comforting emotions that only a good found family trope gives you, I would recommend this book as a light and fun read!


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

This was the perfect March romance book 🥹🍀. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this ARC and devoured it within two days! The romance and found family in this are so sweet, and I appreciated the realistic portrayal of love, friendship, and family dynamics. We navigate through career struggles, celebrating a new marriage, grief, the excitement of a new relationship. This book offers a bit of everything, and I couldn't get enough! It will make you want to take a road trip to Ireland and soak up the scenery. Found family is one of my favorite tropes, and this family is one of the sweetest. The pacing was great, and I had a wonderful time with this one!

Thank you NetGalley & Theresa Christine for a copy of this ARC

"The Half of It" is a story of found family - literally. When Juniper takes a DNA test and finds out that she has a half-sister that she never knew of, she finds herself arriving in Ireland to meet her new family member and attend her sister's wedding. While visiting, Juniper is also collecting stories and documenting her personal journey with the plan to write a personal narrative for the online magazine for which she is a journalist who aspires to move up in her career. What Juniper doesn't expect is to have a strong and immediate connection with her half-sister, Cara; to develop romantic feelings for Cara's best friend, Aidan; and to receive unexpected news that could tear her new family away from her before she's even had time to accept their place in her life.

This book includes many layers and discussion of multiple serious topics, including alcohol & drug misuse, infidelity, foster care, family estrangement, divorce, the intricacies of family relationships, and more. This will allow many readers to find <i>something</i> that they relate and connect to while reading. The book also puts a focus on resilience, strength, independence, and ability to persevere in the face of struggle.

Overall, my rating for this book is closer to around 3.5 stars. While I enjoyed the book and was invested to get through the story in its entirety, I did feel like there was *something* missing that kept me from feeling completely invested or connected to the main characters and the romance between Juniper and Aidan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Theresa Christine for providing an early digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

When I saw the words "A Spicy Small-Town Ireland Romance", I added this to my TBR so fast because it sounded like a perfect combination. And it was. I really enjoyed this book, it's the first time I've read this author so I didn't know what to expect. I enjoyed her writing style, and the plot of this book was amazing. The characters were fantastic, and I loved the setting. Very highly recommend, especially if you're in need of an easy romance pallet cleanser between your other books.

Thank you to @netgalley @victoryeditingngc @theresachristinewrites for the opportunity to read the eARC of this book!

Spoiler free review :)
I loved this book! It is a sweet slow-burn small town romance set in Ireland where Juniper (the FMC) is visiting her newly discovered half-sister, Cara, leading up to her wedding. Juniper goes through a series of ups and downs in this book while revisiting her traumatic childhood and navigating some unexpected personal and career related situations. I truly felt for her every step of the way and found myself wishing to be in this book to give her my own advice or tell her to listen to her best friend the first time lol! Aidan (Cara’s best friend) is the MMC who is also going through his own self-discovery journey while he and his parents navigate the grief of losing his brother. I truly believe people come into your life right when you need them and every character in this book needed Juniper to come into their life as much as she needed them.

Now the slow burn aspect of this book is TRULY a slow burn, half way through the book i was DYING for them to finally get together, the tension, the flirting and the yearning!!! Oh my goodness, but Juniper and Aidan are the sweetest couple and they balance each other so well. Their relationship was not rushed at all and they truly became great friends before becoming romantic which I feel is the best foundation to any romantic relationship. At the heart of this book though, lies a chosen family, and the transformative power of love in all its forms to heal even the deepest wounds of the heart and soul❤️ Please please please read this book when it comes out on March 11th, 2025!! Just 5 more days til you can get your hands on it and you won’t regret it!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing the ARC.

I was immediately interested in this book because of the premise. I was very interested in reading a story about an orphan discovering her family and finding that piece she's felt missing her whole life. And while the book was well written, to me it just felt very dry.

I couldn't get into any of the characters. June was so closed off and untrustworthy, whereas Cara and Aiden were almost too open and willing to trust this stranger. And while some of what happened could be written off as an error, there was a lot that happened that I felt needed to be addressed sooner than it did in the story.

I also felt like the ending was wrapped up too neatly after everything that happened. But that's also because I felt like there was a gross overreaction to the eventual problem that it was hard for me to find any kind of resolution satisfying.

Overall, not a bad book. Just not suited to my tastes.

I really liked the setting and the scenery of the Irish countryside but I do have to be honest and say I did not feel the chemistry in this book. There’s some cute moments and the ending was nice, but some of the transitions were sudden. It’s a cozy romance that I think lots of people will enjoy just fine, just not my favorite story.

Thank you to Theresa Christine and Netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

“The Half of It” by Theresa Christine is a heartwarming journey of self-discovery, found family, and unexpected love. Juniper’s spontaneous DNA test leads her to a half-sister in Ireland, where she meets an Irish bartender, Aidan. Their connection was very charming, like the relationships between many of the characters. I loved how the story balanced emotional depth with lighthearted moments. Juniper’s growth felt real, and Aidan was the perfect mix of brooding and kind. The family dynamics were touching, and the setting made me want to book a trip to Ireland immediately. This book was the perfect cozy, heartfelt read!

I loved this! A slow burn romance set in beautiful Ireland- gorgeous setting and gorgeous characters! I love a slow burn romance and the found family trope was an added bonus! Gorgeous!

Small town spicy romance with a hot Irish MMC? I am the exact target audience for this 😂

Through a DNA test done on a whim, Juniper discovers that she has a half-sister, Cara, who lives halfway around the world and is about to get married - and she wants Juniper there. It presents the perect opportunity for June to write an incredible personal piece for the magazine she works for, and get one step closer to writing the type of work she's always wanted to. So she hops on a plane and travels to beautiful small town ireland to meet her. But who does she meet first? Aiden, the hot photographer/barkeep who just so happens to be her half-sister's best friend.
As Cara's wedding looms closer, Juniper and Aiden are thrust together in wedding prep (and living quarters) and the journey they go on together tugged every one of my heart strings.
I found myself getting emotional as June started to learn what family *really* is 🩷

Thank you net-galley and Theresa Christine for the e-Arc! 🩷

this book had me on a roller coaster of emotions!!!! I am OBSESSED.

I don’t want to talk TOO much about the plot, because I don’t want to spoil anything, BUT to give you a taste - June learns she has a half sister, Cara, through a DNA kit service and heads over to Ireland for her wedding. Before even meeting Cara, she meets Aidan, bartender at his family’s pub who also happens to be Cara’s best friend.

Tasked with prepping the wedding, June and Aidan spend more and more time together and find it increasingly difficult to deny their attraction to one another, even though they’re not sure it’s the best idea what with Cara being June’s sister and Aidan’s best friend. But they understand each other in a way that most people don’t. They see each other, and for June who’s never had a proper family of her own, and for Aidan who feels like he’s living in his late brother’s shadow and trying to hold his family together, that sort of connection is a BIG DEAL.

the evolution of their relationship felt sooooo well done, and was beautifully paced. Nothing felt rushed, and their connection was realistic, both of these being qualms I typically have with shorter contemp romances. But what really got me was June’s relationship with Cara and everyone else in Cara’s life - finally realizing that she’s worth and deserving of the love she never received growing up. it made me incredibly emotional and yes, certain things transpire that threaten everything she’s found, but when you love someone, do you give up?

Love love loved this book, easy 5 stars and I hope everyone picks it up on 3/11!

Thank you to NetGalley and Theresa Christine for the advance copy to review!!

Tropes:
🍀strangers to lovers
🍀slowww burn
🍀small town Ireland
🍀found family
🍀a hint of mystery

Online magazine writer, Juniper, is in for the trip of a lifetime across the world to meet her half sister that she found through a DNA ancestry website in small town Ireland. There, she meets Aidan, her half-sister Cara's best friend, barkeep, and genuine great guy. The two hit it off right away, along with Cara, as they prepare for her wedding with her partner Yaz. The book highlights the challenges with meeting new family members later in life, small town life, and figuring out what someone wants in their lives.

This is my first book by Theresa, but one that I really enjoyed! Having lived in Ireland for a summer, I felt instantly transported back there when I started the book and loved reading it through the newbie perspective that Juniper had. The book was definitely a little slower paced than I am used to, but such a FEEL GOOD, cozy book that makes you feel good. And really a great representation of the found family trope, where family is not necessarily the people that you are blood related to. I loved seeing Juniper and Aidan's relationship develop throughout the story, DESPITE the slow burn. Those two are absolutely perfect for each other and fought tooth and nail for their relationship to work, despite everything thrown at them. My heart broke at the third act break-up with just all of characters, but what is family without drama, right?

I cannot wait to see what Theresa comes out with next!

*Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC!*

Can you imagine finding out you have a sister that lives in a whole other country? This book really tugged at my heart strings🥹 The story was so original and pulled you in right away.

This was definitely a book that you would want to cuddle up with on a rainy day and read in one sitting. June was such a great character and you immediately fell in love with her and felt for her. And Aiden, oh that sweet summer child. He was just so sweet and just a typical Irish gentleman.

This also has a bit of spice to it! When I go to the spicy scenes I was like”Oh okay, I see you Juni girl, I see you!”

🌶️🌶️/5

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Half of It.

This book is a feel good romance about found family and the relationships that develop as a result of this. The chemistry between the main characters builds throughout the story with just the right amount of spice!

My favourite relationship within the whole book was June and Cara’s - it was so beautifully written.

Would definitely recommend for any romance lover!

The Half of It is a spicy romance set in a small Irish town, but it is so much more than that. It's about found family, self-discovery, grief, and acceptance.

First and foremost, I loved Juniper and Aidan. They had both emotional and physical chemistry, and all of the dialogue between them was well-written. I also especially enjoyed the side characters, namely Evvie, Cara, and Lis, and could really feel through my Kindle screen how much they all cared for the main character.

The writing was accessible yet descriptive, with some evoking metaphors. My favorite is the one that compared June's beating heart to a ball in a pinball machine. That was quite lovely.

The setting was one of the strongest features, as the reader really feels like they are there, with Cara's family and friends, in a quaint little town in Ireland.

There was a perfect amount of spice to develop June and Aidan's journey, while still emphasizing their emotional connection.

Overall, it was such a pleasant read, and I'm grateful to have received this ARC :)

A spicy small town Ireland romance? Say no more! I knew immediately upon reading the description this book was for me. I loved Juniper and the slow burn aspect of the romance. I love a found family trope and anything set in Ireland. This had me hooked from the beginning. Look forward to reading more from this author.

Juniper travels from New York City to Ballygra to meet her newly found (thanks to a DNA test) Step-Sister. Juniper has had a rough upbringing, not knowing her father and not having a relationship with her mother, so to find any family is thrilling. When Juniper and Cara meet, Cara immediately folds her into her family, inviting Juniper to be a part of the wedding and introducing her to Cara’s best friend Aidan (Danny).

Juniper tries her best trying to navigate newly found family and friendships while also attempting to write an article about her experience finding family from a DNA test for her job back in NYC. But right when she is starting to settle in and feel comfortable, she gets a phone call that may just upend absolutely every aspect of her life.

This book was a fun read. I always love reading books that allow you insight into other cultures. Theresa does a great job writing Irish accents. I have found that typically, about halfway through books, I will lose the accents in the voices in my head. This time, through Theresa’s uses of the slang and her spellings of various words, I never lost those accents in my head. I imagine that this book would translate beautifully into an audiobook.

I will say, this story was a bit predictable, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. It is a slow-burn romance with pining, and there is a third act breakup. There is spice in this book but it has a great blend of plot and spice, so the spice does not feel out of place or forced.

Juniper Martin works as an exploited journalist for one of the “click-bait” companies. Her company collaborates with a DNA company, and she finds out about a half-sister in Ballygra, Ireland, a fictional, rural town near Cork. The book opens with her arrival in Ireland, and the first person she meets is Aidan McCarthy, who is bartending in his family’s pub. As luck would have it, Aiden is best friends with Cara, Juniper’s half sister. Cara is about to get married, and she warmly and lovingly folds Juniper into the family, an experience which is meaningful but foreign (pun intended) to Juniper.

The found family in this book shines as a strength. As Cara introduces Juniper to her fiance, community, and parents, Juniper learns to value family and joy. These scenes could have been a cliche, but they are not. Christine captures the warmth and hilarity of Irish culture, and the banter and love feel very authentic.

The other strong element in this book is the chemistry between Juniper and Aiden. The two end up rooming together, and while they try to delay the inevitable, they cannot deny their incredible attraction. Their scenes together are engaging, and the author shows great strength in the way she builds chemistry. Christine also incorporates the Irish scenery and atmosphere into their relationship, including a classic “stuck in the rain” moment that offers peak romance.

While many elements of this book work well, the book utilizes the “big secret” trope, and this brings stress to the end, and it causes the reader’s esteem of the heroine to lower. This secret is major, and while the heroine certainly holds on to it for too long, the other characters have an extreme reaction to it. This overwrought strife at the very end weakens what would have been a very sweet, heartwarming book.

I love Irish literature and culture, so this book still provided a fun escape for me. I want to thank @netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity. As always, these opinion are mine alone.