Mixed bag
I ordered a custom keepsake‑style book as a Mother’s Day gift and started working with James at Book Print Ireland in early March 2026.
I first emailed the updated Word document on the night of Thursday 5 March and, after some initial delivery issues, James confirmed on Saturday 7 March that he had my details and sent a Stripe payment link, which I paid that same day.
From the outset, I was impressed by how friendly and positive the email communication was.
James clearly understood the idea, offered thoughtful suggestions on layout and design, and on Tuesday 10 March told me the digital preview would be ready and shared with me “tomorrow”, which gave me confidence we were on track for Mother’s Day.
In hindsight, I recognise I should have started the process earlier for such an important, time‑sensitive gift.
However, I still feel that the timelines and assurances I was given created a reasonable expectation that the book would be ready, or at least that I would have seen and approved a digital proof before Mother’s Day.
Unfortunately, the actual experience hasn’t matched those early assurances. After I sent the Word document again on Saturday 7 March and it was confirmed as “well received”, I heard nothing further on the layout until Friday 13 March, when I was told that the images were becoming pixelated in formatting and was asked for “internal pictures” without a clear explanation of what that meant.
This back‑and‑forth, especially over a vague request, was frustrating – particularly as I was away for a relaxing weekend without my computer, had already supplied everything in the format they suggested, and had made it clear I couldn’t spend all day troubleshooting.
Despite clarifying things on 13 March, confirming that they should proceed with the materials they had, and later that afternoon approving a draft cover (with the simple request to remove my name from the front), I still did not receive the promised digital proof “tomorrow” or at any point over that weekend. By the morning of Monday 16 March, the day after Mother’s Day, I was still emailing for an update, and the book that was meant to be the centrepiece of my gift simply wasn’t ready, even though I engaged them early in March, responded quickly to emails, and paid upfront on 7 March.
The concept, tone and willingness to customise are all strong, and I believe the final product could be lovely. However, for a time‑sensitive, emotional project like a Mother’s Day present, reliable timelines and clear, proactive communication are just as important as print quality.
Based on my experience, I would only recommend Book Print Ireland if your deadline is flexible and you are prepared for potential delays and some confusion around the production process.
16 marzo 2026
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