We chat with author Alexandra Paige about An Irish Summer, which is a new romantic comedy in which a young woman embarks on a summer adventure—and summer fling—in Ireland, perfect for fans of Sophie Cousens and Beth O’Leary.
Hi, Alexandra! Welcome back! How has the past year been since we last spoke?
Hi! It’s great to be back. Thank you for having me! The past year has been a dream come true. I got a new job, moved to a new apartment with the cutest little office, got engaged (!!!), officiated my brother’s wedding, travelled to Ireland (of course), started planning my wedding, got back into a serious writing routine that’s really working for me…all good things!
Your latest novel, An Irish Summer, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Heartfelt, relatable, adventurous, flirty, fun
What can readers expect?
Readers can expect a tour of Ireland, a story that follows an FMC who pushes her own boundaries and opens herself up to the possibility of love, and an MMC who’s proud of his culture and determined to show her the magic of the Emerald Isle. They can expect witty banter, lots of flirting, fairy stories, relatable side characters, and to be Googling flights before the book is over.
Where did the inspiration for An Irish Summer come from?
I took a trip to Ireland for the first time when I was 26 and living in London, and before I was even off the plane I knew it was the setting of my next book. My friend and I took a day trip to Galway on a Wild Rover tour, and the tour guides told us fairy stories on the bus as we drove through the hills. It was magic. One of them recommended Eddie Lenihan’s Meeting the Other Crowd, which I devoured over the course of a few afternoons in Hampstead Heath, and the story started to take shape.
A bartender in Temple Bar of all places was the inspiration for Collin (visually, anyway), and Chelsea was born in an attempt to write a FMC nothing like myself. Once I had a setting and the characters (and my own daydream about moving to Ireland), the rest of the story fell into place!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing the fairy stories. The research, finding the perfect story for each moment, using them for inspiration and to drive to plot and to give us a little glimpse into Collin and Chelsea and what they were feeling. It was so dreamy.
I also loved the challenge of writing Chelsea. Sometimes my own personality slips into my characters, but in this case it slipped into Collin, if anyone. It took me a while to fully understand Chelsea and to get inside her head, which only made me love her more.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
This book came pretty naturally! My biggest challenge was getting to know the characters and their motivations. I had to continually ask myself why they were making certain choices and how those choices would raise the stakes, but it was a nice exercise in character development! I overcome most (if not all) of my writing challenges by getting a massive cold brew and either going out and living life and letting my inspiration come from my experiences, or hunkering down in the library with a moody playlist and a self-imposed deadline.
What led you to writing romance?
I love love. And I wanted to write books that make people feel good, that take people away from the throes of everyday life, that make people believe in love and possibility and self-discovery and connection. I wanted to give people a reason to stay up late for one more chapter, hoping the characters finally kiss or make up or profess their love. I want to show people the kind of love that’s out there and hope it inspires them not to settle for anything else.
What’s next for you?
What’s next for me…might be a secret? I’m not sure what I’m allowed to share just yet, but there is something exciting in the works coming this fall! And in the meantime, I’m working on a dual timeline, small coastal Scottish town romance that regularly makes me swoon, even if it’s coming from my own brain. It’s intimidating, getting the story right, but I’m having a whole lot of fun trying. Stay tuned!
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
My top two books so far this year are Swanna in Love by Jennifer Belle and I Want You More by Swan Huntley. Two gorgeous reads. And I’m in the middle of Old Enough by Haley Jakobson right now, which is another strong contender.
And I have Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s Catalina on my shelf, which I’m super excited about picking up next!
