Diary of a Galway Girl, by Kevin Kelly, tells a romantic story. Bridget Kennedy is ready for a night out with her best friends, when she locks eyes with a stranger, Conor, and changes her whole life. She feels instantly like she’s always known him, and as the story unfolds, their bond continues to grow and to surprise.  (Also, “Feckin’ wind,” and “It’s feckin’ freezing, girls!” are amazing opening lines for any romantic heroine. I liked Bridget from the very start of the book!)

I recommend listening to this one, instead of reading it.  There are so many sensory details in the descriptions, and the gentle Irish lilt of the voice actress really sets the scene. Just in the opening, the sights and sounds of a promising night out completely come to life. In later chapters, the same attention is paid to describing casual scenes of every day life and intense moments of romance. The romance is central to the book, but warm friendships also come to life here. Bridget’s closest friends, Laura and Rosie, are an important part of her life, with moments of realistic banter and chat between the good friends. There’s a lively Irish flair to the story for armchair travelers to enjoy, too.

The first chapter is available free as audio or text on the Diary of A Galway Girl book club site. From here, readers can join and get 52 weeks of unfolding chapters in Bridget and Conor’s story.  This format works like a buddy read, as everyone reads a chapter together and can chat about what’s happened and guess what might happen next in the ongoing story in a warm, welcoming bookish community.

Diary of a Galway Girl is a romantic read, with a unique social aspect in the book club format. Romance readers and general bookworms can read along and discover Bridget and Conor’s developing love story together.