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A Touch of a Brogue
Eric Rossi isn’t a bad person. But he’s been talked into doing some pretty regrettable things by the man he thought he loved–like write a fake review of a pub he never stepped foot in for a food magazine that makes or breaks restaurants in Portland. He’s since dumped the boyfriend, but he can’t undo the review or the damage it’s done to the Irish Sisters and its passionate owner, Colm.
When Colm paid to have his family pub shipped from Ireland to Oregon, he put his savings, his heritage, and his sanity on the line. Now he gets so few customers, he notices each one. Especially the sweet, shy man who is dragged into the pub by his pink-haired niece. He calls himself Mark, and he is a chef’s dream, a man who completely enjoys everything Colm cooks. What Colm doesn’t know is that the man he’s falling for is the critic who’s almost cost him everything.
Eric didn’t mean to fall in love with the Irish Sisters or its blue-eyed, Irish-American owner. He definitely didn’t mean to lie about his identity. He’s already done enough damage, after all. Now he must make things right for the restaurant and disappear from Colm’s life before Colm learns the devastating truth, because the last thing Eric wants to do is destroy the chef’s heart, too.
When Colm paid to have his family pub shipped from Ireland to Oregon, he put his savings, his heritage, and his sanity on the line. Now he gets so few customers, he notices each one. Especially the sweet, shy man who is dragged into the pub by his pink-haired niece. He calls himself Mark, and he is a chef’s dream, a man who completely enjoys everything Colm cooks. What Colm doesn’t know is that the man he’s falling for is the critic who’s almost cost him everything.
Eric didn’t mean to fall in love with the Irish Sisters or its blue-eyed, Irish-American owner. He definitely didn’t mean to lie about his identity. He’s already done enough damage, after all. Now he must make things right for the restaurant and disappear from Colm’s life before Colm learns the devastating truth, because the last thing Eric wants to do is destroy the chef’s heart, too.
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First published November 19, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 29, 2018
Very sweet, low steam story of someone who makes a big mistake and works toward redemption.
My only issue is what Eric did seemed SO contrary to who he was and I never understood why he would have done that. We needed to see more of the interaction with his ex, Tyler, to really understand. But I did really like both Colm and Eric.
My only issue is what Eric did seemed SO contrary to who he was and I never understood why he would have done that. We needed to see more of the interaction with his ex, Tyler, to really understand. But I did really like both Colm and Eric.
July 4, 2021
"A Touch of a Brogue" is a sweet holiday story with a HEA featuring a pub called The Irish Sisters and a food critic whose bad review of the place has brought it to the brink of bankruptcy.
Christine Danse does a lovely job here of describing a pub that I think most of us would love to visit. The Irish Sisters pub has been painstakingly brought to America and reconstructed and is full of old-country charm and a menu of old favorites with a new twist. All they need is customers ... but a bad review in a prominent Portland publication plus loads of bad Yelp reviews are keeping the customers away.
Although the first part of this tale is a bit slow, Danse sets the scene by giving us a feeling for this pub and what it represents to Colm. Eric's personality is perhaps less developed, and I cannot honestly understand why this kind man who is passionate about food would have written a fake review because his boyfriend (owner of the bar down the street) asked him to do so. But when Eric learns what he has done, he strives to make it right, and the result is a sweet story of second chances. There is little on-page sex but the budding romance between Colm and Eric is nicely done.
4 stars for "A Touch of a Brogue."
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Christine Danse does a lovely job here of describing a pub that I think most of us would love to visit. The Irish Sisters pub has been painstakingly brought to America and reconstructed and is full of old-country charm and a menu of old favorites with a new twist. All they need is customers ... but a bad review in a prominent Portland publication plus loads of bad Yelp reviews are keeping the customers away.
Although the first part of this tale is a bit slow, Danse sets the scene by giving us a feeling for this pub and what it represents to Colm. Eric's personality is perhaps less developed, and I cannot honestly understand why this kind man who is passionate about food would have written a fake review because his boyfriend (owner of the bar down the street) asked him to do so. But when Eric learns what he has done, he strives to make it right, and the result is a sweet story of second chances. There is little on-page sex but the budding romance between Colm and Eric is nicely done.
4 stars for "A Touch of a Brogue."
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
December 22, 2018
Eric Rossi isn’t a bad person. But he’s been talked into doing some pretty regrettable things by the man he thought he loved–like write a fake review of a pub he never stepped foot in for a food magazine that makes or breaks restaurants in Portland. He’s since dumped the boyfriend, but he can’t undo the review or the damage it’s done to the Irish Sisters and its passionate owner, Colm.
When Colm paid to have his family pub shipped from Ireland to Oregon, he put his savings, his heritage, and his sanity on the line. Now he gets so few customers, he notices each one. Especially the sweet, shy man who is dragged into the pub by his pink-haired niece. He calls himself Mark, and he is a chef’s dream, a man who completely enjoys everything Colm cooks. What Colm doesn’t know is that the man he’s falling for is the critic who’s almost cost him everything.
Eric didn’t mean to fall in love with the Irish Sisters or its blue-eyed, Irish-American owner. He definitely didn’t mean to lie about his identity. He’s already done enough damage, after all. Now he must make things right for the restaurant and disappear from Colm’s life before Colm learns the devastating truth, because the last thing Eric wants to do is destroy the chef’s heart, too.
Review:
It is quite possible that I am grading this story on the curve so to speak, but I had a terrible luck with the holiday stories this year, heck I only finished three and out of those three only one was what I would call more or less good. This is an example of what I am looking for in my holiday stories. True Magic of Christmas as I see it and I don't even celebrate Christmas.
Eric, sweet guy who is also mostly a decent person and a good restaurant critic got talked into by his boyfriend to write a fake review about the restaurant whom his boyfriend (now Ex) imagined to be a competition worthy of sabotage.
At the beginning of the story Eric's niece Jamie drags him into the restaurant and of course Eric recognizes right away where he came, but unable to give a good reason to Jamie why he does not want to go inside , the reason which won't make Jamie scream at him that is.
The food is amazing. Eric loves it and and the owner makes an impression too. After looking up the restaurant online Eric finds weird bad reviews and realizes that restaurant is struggling and feels even worse about what he did.
"The Irish nachos turned out to be fresh, homemade potato chips topped with pulled pork, cheese, and other fixings. It looked absurd and decadent and utterly delicious. He took a bite. The chip crunched and the pork dissolved in his mouth. The cheddar was in that perfect state of melted but congealed enough to pull into strings. Before he realized he was finished with his coffee, another was sitting beside it. The second was just as good as the first and went down even smoother and quicker. He buzzed pleasantly on caffeine and alcohol."
As an aside, I don't know if the author made/makes a living as a food critic on the side, but her descriptions of food sure made me hungry.
Colm, the owner and the chef of "Irish sisters" also notices Eric or Mark as Eric called himself when asked for introduction.
"COLM WAS WAY too pleased to see his blushing patron appear again that night. He hadn’t consciously recognized it until then, but the man had remained in his thoughts since the day before. He was just as charming and shy that night, though growing less shy as time wore on. The coffees brought such an absurdly pleased expression to the man’s face that Colm made sure he kept them coming. He’d already decided to “lose track” of them after the first. He figured he could do that, being the proprietor of the establishment. The man had utterly demolished the nachos. Now—most surprising, and most pleasing—he was singing. Colm found that ridiculous and endearing. And he wasn’t a half-bad singer. A little hoarse on some of the notes, but even those rasped Colm in a pleasurable way."
I really liked this charming novella. It was not overwhelmingly sweet as holiday stories often are for me, but it had a lot of real kindness in it. It also had a character, who was full of remorse for what he did and while he did not go about it in a perfect way, he was determined to make up for what he did and help Colm and his establishment to bounce back from his fake review and attempted campaign of sabotage Colm's ex-boyfriend attempted to do.
Erik *works* to fix his mistakes, he does not just say he is sorry and expects to be forgiven, and does not really stop when they reconcile. The story also shows us that decent people could do bad things and it is ok to be confused as to how to reconcile overall kindness and caring of their natures with stupid/cruel thing people can do.
The story is a beginning of their romance really, because Colm gets to say "Nice to meet you Eric" at the end of the last chapter, just before the epilogue however I was rooting for them to have a happy future ahead.
B+
When Colm paid to have his family pub shipped from Ireland to Oregon, he put his savings, his heritage, and his sanity on the line. Now he gets so few customers, he notices each one. Especially the sweet, shy man who is dragged into the pub by his pink-haired niece. He calls himself Mark, and he is a chef’s dream, a man who completely enjoys everything Colm cooks. What Colm doesn’t know is that the man he’s falling for is the critic who’s almost cost him everything.
Eric didn’t mean to fall in love with the Irish Sisters or its blue-eyed, Irish-American owner. He definitely didn’t mean to lie about his identity. He’s already done enough damage, after all. Now he must make things right for the restaurant and disappear from Colm’s life before Colm learns the devastating truth, because the last thing Eric wants to do is destroy the chef’s heart, too.
Review:
It is quite possible that I am grading this story on the curve so to speak, but I had a terrible luck with the holiday stories this year, heck I only finished three and out of those three only one was what I would call more or less good. This is an example of what I am looking for in my holiday stories. True Magic of Christmas as I see it and I don't even celebrate Christmas.
Eric, sweet guy who is also mostly a decent person and a good restaurant critic got talked into by his boyfriend to write a fake review about the restaurant whom his boyfriend (now Ex) imagined to be a competition worthy of sabotage.
At the beginning of the story Eric's niece Jamie drags him into the restaurant and of course Eric recognizes right away where he came, but unable to give a good reason to Jamie why he does not want to go inside , the reason which won't make Jamie scream at him that is.
The food is amazing. Eric loves it and and the owner makes an impression too. After looking up the restaurant online Eric finds weird bad reviews and realizes that restaurant is struggling and feels even worse about what he did.
"The Irish nachos turned out to be fresh, homemade potato chips topped with pulled pork, cheese, and other fixings. It looked absurd and decadent and utterly delicious. He took a bite. The chip crunched and the pork dissolved in his mouth. The cheddar was in that perfect state of melted but congealed enough to pull into strings. Before he realized he was finished with his coffee, another was sitting beside it. The second was just as good as the first and went down even smoother and quicker. He buzzed pleasantly on caffeine and alcohol."
As an aside, I don't know if the author made/makes a living as a food critic on the side, but her descriptions of food sure made me hungry.
Colm, the owner and the chef of "Irish sisters" also notices Eric or Mark as Eric called himself when asked for introduction.
"COLM WAS WAY too pleased to see his blushing patron appear again that night. He hadn’t consciously recognized it until then, but the man had remained in his thoughts since the day before. He was just as charming and shy that night, though growing less shy as time wore on. The coffees brought such an absurdly pleased expression to the man’s face that Colm made sure he kept them coming. He’d already decided to “lose track” of them after the first. He figured he could do that, being the proprietor of the establishment. The man had utterly demolished the nachos. Now—most surprising, and most pleasing—he was singing. Colm found that ridiculous and endearing. And he wasn’t a half-bad singer. A little hoarse on some of the notes, but even those rasped Colm in a pleasurable way."
I really liked this charming novella. It was not overwhelmingly sweet as holiday stories often are for me, but it had a lot of real kindness in it. It also had a character, who was full of remorse for what he did and while he did not go about it in a perfect way, he was determined to make up for what he did and help Colm and his establishment to bounce back from his fake review and attempted campaign of sabotage Colm's ex-boyfriend attempted to do.
Erik *works* to fix his mistakes, he does not just say he is sorry and expects to be forgiven, and does not really stop when they reconcile. The story also shows us that decent people could do bad things and it is ok to be confused as to how to reconcile overall kindness and caring of their natures with stupid/cruel thing people can do.
The story is a beginning of their romance really, because Colm gets to say "Nice to meet you Eric" at the end of the last chapter, just before the epilogue however I was rooting for them to have a happy future ahead.
B+
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2018
What a delightful story this turned out to be! I had high hopes based on the blurb because it contains several of my favorite ingredients: marvelous food, a man who made a major mistake and has no idea how to make up for it, and a dedicated pub owner who is determined to make his family’s establishment a success. Both Eric and Colm stole my heart within the first few pages, and I loved seeing them deal with their predicament around the unexpected twists and turns the author added. The more I read the more I loved it!
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
December 26, 2018
Very good
4.25 ⭐️
I really enjoyed this one. I liked Colm’s dedication to making his business work. What happened was unfair and I was glad with how Eric tried to fix it. I liked that Eric knew he made a mistake and took steps to fix it. I never really understood why he did it, but it still worked.
4.25 ⭐️
I really enjoyed this one. I liked Colm’s dedication to making his business work. What happened was unfair and I was glad with how Eric tried to fix it. I liked that Eric knew he made a mistake and took steps to fix it. I never really understood why he did it, but it still worked.
August 9, 2020
Book Reaction: https://neverhollowed.com/2018/11/28/...
Rating: 4 Stars - minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Rating: 4 Stars - minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
November 15, 2018
This book was provided by the author via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review.
Eric drops a negative review of Colm's restaurant at the request of his boyfriend, who owns the competing Scottish pub nearby. His food review has a major draw, and sandbags Colm's pub before it can get off the ground.
This was an excellent read, I liked Colm right away.
The story is about Eric making a mistake, facing the consequences of his actions, both by finding out how he hurt Colm, and by taking responsibility for it.
I enjoyed the foodie bits, as a major fan of Gordon Ramsey's cooking shows, I wanna eat everything Colm makes.
The only thing that threw me was Eric's job wanting him to write a review about a non-existent Italian chef without a restaurant.
(You'll see.) That just didn't make much sense.
But I'd read this again probably with some cookies and a big blanket.
4.5/5
Eric drops a negative review of Colm's restaurant at the request of his boyfriend, who owns the competing Scottish pub nearby. His food review has a major draw, and sandbags Colm's pub before it can get off the ground.
This was an excellent read, I liked Colm right away.
The story is about Eric making a mistake, facing the consequences of his actions, both by finding out how he hurt Colm, and by taking responsibility for it.
I enjoyed the foodie bits, as a major fan of Gordon Ramsey's cooking shows, I wanna eat everything Colm makes.
The only thing that threw me was Eric's job wanting him to write a review about a non-existent Italian chef without a restaurant.
(You'll see.) That just didn't make much sense.
But I'd read this again probably with some cookies and a big blanket.
4.5/5
December 12, 2018
My favorite of this holiday season. This story touched my heart. Eric does some despicable things and Colm is a sweetheart, but once Eric realizes how he's been duped, his true nature shines through. It's really a great story and I highly recommend it.
My review is honest though, full disclosure, I work for the publisher.
My review is honest though, full disclosure, I work for the publisher.
January 29, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
This short story is a fun, quick read. As you have likely guessed, the biggest trope in the story centers on Eric trying to hide his real identity from Colm. I really enjoyed the way Danse handled Eric’s situation. Initially, Eric’s in a position where he just wants to introduce himself and (reasonably?) assumes he can just give a fake name and thank the chef and never go back to Colm’s restaurant again. But of course, the atmosphere, the food, the chef…they all draw Eric back and he’s stuck keeping up the charade. Watching Eric and Colm interact was bittersweet because you know when the truth comes out, there’s going to be Consequences (with a capital C).
Despite the third-person narration, I felt like I got a better picture of Eric as a character moreso than Colm. Eric has his niece and they have a tradition of hitting local eateries on Fridays; he has a horrible ex; he has a job he loves; he falls for Colm. The interactions with these people and his work situation made Eric pop for me. For Colm, I felt like there was more on-page time dedicated to explaining his backstory and where his sidekick/restaurant helper Robin came from, but it didn’t feel like it deepend Colm’s character.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
This short story is a fun, quick read. As you have likely guessed, the biggest trope in the story centers on Eric trying to hide his real identity from Colm. I really enjoyed the way Danse handled Eric’s situation. Initially, Eric’s in a position where he just wants to introduce himself and (reasonably?) assumes he can just give a fake name and thank the chef and never go back to Colm’s restaurant again. But of course, the atmosphere, the food, the chef…they all draw Eric back and he’s stuck keeping up the charade. Watching Eric and Colm interact was bittersweet because you know when the truth comes out, there’s going to be Consequences (with a capital C).
Despite the third-person narration, I felt like I got a better picture of Eric as a character moreso than Colm. Eric has his niece and they have a tradition of hitting local eateries on Fridays; he has a horrible ex; he has a job he loves; he falls for Colm. The interactions with these people and his work situation made Eric pop for me. For Colm, I felt like there was more on-page time dedicated to explaining his backstory and where his sidekick/restaurant helper Robin came from, but it didn’t feel like it deepend Colm’s character.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
November 9, 2018
I received this charming tale as an ARC thanks to Net Galley and Nine star Press!
A Touch of Brogue is a sweet charming and beautiful tale Christmas my favorite time of year! of Portland not far from my own home and so close to my heart! Love, lies and redemption and most of all food! this movie was like a Hallmark Christmas movie crossed with Ratatouille I gave me so many feels and made me so hungry!!
I Love this charming tale and can't wait to see what Christine Danse has in store for us next! thank you and Merry Christmas!
A Touch of Brogue is a sweet charming and beautiful tale Christmas my favorite time of year! of Portland not far from my own home and so close to my heart! Love, lies and redemption and most of all food! this movie was like a Hallmark Christmas movie crossed with Ratatouille I gave me so many feels and made me so hungry!!
I Love this charming tale and can't wait to see what Christine Danse has in store for us next! thank you and Merry Christmas!
November 10, 2018
Eric is a food critic. He writes for a well known Portland publication and is taken seriously for his reviews. When his former boyfriend asked him to write a bad review for a new Irish restaurant that was his direct competition, Eric did it. Six months later, he's ashamed.
Colm literally moved his Irish restaurant across the world to Portland and now it's failing because of a bad review months ago. No matter what he does, he can't seem to get ahead. But when he meets Mark, there's an instant connection and he finds that maybe things could work out for him, at least in the personal aspect. That is, until he finds out that Mark is really Eric, the man who ruined his business.
I enjoyed the story. I liked how badly Eric wanted to make up for his poor choices and how he ultimately did, and paid a high price. I found the story to be somewhat slow in the first half, however. The end made up for the slowness, however I'd have liked to have delved a bit deeper into their connection.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and it was quick and fun.
*Arc provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Colm literally moved his Irish restaurant across the world to Portland and now it's failing because of a bad review months ago. No matter what he does, he can't seem to get ahead. But when he meets Mark, there's an instant connection and he finds that maybe things could work out for him, at least in the personal aspect. That is, until he finds out that Mark is really Eric, the man who ruined his business.
I enjoyed the story. I liked how badly Eric wanted to make up for his poor choices and how he ultimately did, and paid a high price. I found the story to be somewhat slow in the first half, however. The end made up for the slowness, however I'd have liked to have delved a bit deeper into their connection.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and it was quick and fun.
*Arc provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
November 17, 2018
Une histoire toute douce, où la romance existe à peine.
Ce qui est mis en valeur ici, c'est l'amour de la nourriture, le lien entre souvenirs familiaux & petits plats. L'ambiance du pub est très sympa, et la relation simple qui se construit entre Eric & Colm est douce comme tout.
Il est quand même difficile de croire qu'un mec passionné comme Eric ait pu se laisser embobiner à ce point par son compagnon, au point de lui faire jeter au feu toute sa déontologie ... Mais bon, cette nouvelle se laisse lire, on passe un moment doux et tranquille, sans aucune prise de tête. :)
Ce qui est mis en valeur ici, c'est l'amour de la nourriture, le lien entre souvenirs familiaux & petits plats. L'ambiance du pub est très sympa, et la relation simple qui se construit entre Eric & Colm est douce comme tout.
Il est quand même difficile de croire qu'un mec passionné comme Eric ait pu se laisser embobiner à ce point par son compagnon, au point de lui faire jeter au feu toute sa déontologie ... Mais bon, cette nouvelle se laisse lire, on passe un moment doux et tranquille, sans aucune prise de tête. :)
January 2, 2019
Loved this. It was sweet but with an edge because as a reader you're aware of the conflict and as Eric digs himself deeper into a hole you know the fallout is coming.
I adored Colm from the beginning, Eric was harder to like, no that's not true, Eric was just as easy to like as Colm, which made his original act hard to understand.
The setting was very evocative, both the pub and Portland, and I'd love to experience both.
And the scene at the zoo was brilliant.
No steam with a HEA.
I adored Colm from the beginning, Eric was harder to like, no that's not true, Eric was just as easy to like as Colm, which made his original act hard to understand.
The setting was very evocative, both the pub and Portland, and I'd love to experience both.
And the scene at the zoo was brilliant.
No steam with a HEA.
November 11, 2018
It was short but it packed a little punch ! I really loved it !
November 17, 2018
Cute and sweet, I just wish it had been more.
August 8, 2019
3.75 stars
November 14, 2018
Absolutely delightful read! Fun, sweet, and quick. Colm and Eric are adorable. Plus, any stories centered around food and family are a win in my book! This is a perfect evening read in front of the fire with coffee or cocoa!
I did wonder how Eric could be so blind to his ex's manipulation, but felt enough was covered to get the gist of it.
Would love to see a follow-up with Robin and Jamie's story too!
The writing is smooth and mostly error-free!
I did wonder how Eric could be so blind to his ex's manipulation, but felt enough was covered to get the gist of it.
Would love to see a follow-up with Robin and Jamie's story too!
The writing is smooth and mostly error-free!
November 15, 2018
I really liked the writing and pacing of this. It felt longer than it was (in a good way). I really enjoyed the characters and found them to be generally realistic and relatable..The food aspects were also great and made me extremely hungry, and also very sad there aren't any Irish restaurants anywhere near me.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews