“We’ve all had our hearts broken, and we’ve all had someone cut us some slack because of it”

I enjoyed this so much. I don’t have any complaints so ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

I went into this with no context and think this book is best to know as little as possible. It grabbed my attention from the first chapter and had me invested until the end. I love coming-of-age stories mixed with romance so if you do too, I highly recommend picking this up.

‘The Rachel Incident’ takes place in Ireland and we meet present-day Rachel as she finds out horrible news about her college professor. She then takes us back in time as she retells us the story about her 20s and her connection to this professor (prepare for a great plot twist because it's not what you think 🤭)

An easy read that is funny, thoughtful, and well-written. There are relationships that define you, friendship and romantic and this story covers both. We see the financial troubles Ireland is facing and Caroline smartly ties in reproductive healthcare and class politics.

One of my favorite aspects which made it unique was her retelling. Witnessing young people finding their way can be frustrating (while also relatable lol). But since Rachel is speaking from the present day, she acknowledges moments of ignorance or bad decision-making. As a reader, this was satisfying because as long we both know this is a bad decision, carry on!

This is worth all the praise! I loved the ending. Thank you @aaknopf @czaronline for the copy! One of my favorite reads of the year 🥹💕

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

A very good book. Our heroine remembers her time as a young woman finding herself. As we all know, there are a lot of terrible ideas when we are young. Many mistakes of the heart. But one constant in the heroine's life is her best friend.
Excellent writer who managed to wrangle some difficult characters into an engaging story.

This is a journey of self discovery, mistakes and missteps and exactly what finding yourself should be about! I would love to see this as a tv series.

Thank you #knopf and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Very entertaining read about a woman trying to adult amid friendships, partying, and paying the rent. Great laugh out loud moments and very satisfying ending.

The Rachel Incident focuses on Rachel, both as a uni student in the past and her older self in the present, as well as her best friend James and the two's relationship with Rachel's professor, Dr. Byrne.

I don't think I really knew what to expect when I read The Rachel Incident. While the synopsis is accurate and the events listed do happen, I guess I expected it to be more plot driven. But The Rachel Incident is much more character driven, almost memoir-like in its writing style. All in all, I think it was really well written and I enjoy the story very much, but it took me a little white to fully connect with the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

This one was slow and intimate in it's exploration of what happened between Rachel, her roommate and her professor. I absolutely couldn't put it down. The spot the author put Rachel in was so deliciously uncomfortable.

Perfect for fans of Rooney and sad girl lit fic, The Rachel Incident will be a top 10 read of the year. What separates it from some of its contemporaries is the heart it carries throughout.

I couldn't get into this one unfortunately. I'm thinking Irish litfic might just not be my genre. There was nothing inherently wrong with this book, it just didn't captivate me!

It is hard not to compare this book to Sally Rooney’s novels. On the surface, they have much in common – young Irish protagonist living the literary life. I think Rooney’s books are a little less focused on plot and more philosophical. I enjoyed listening to this novel that centers on an abortion and how it effects the lives of five people.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue has been on my TBR since it released this past summer, but I kept putting it off for some strange reason. When one of my very favorite authors, J. Courtney Sullivan raved about it on her instagram page recently, I immediately made it a priority, and started reading it the very next day. This book was everything that I was hoping it would be. It’s dark, edgy, gritty, cheeky, snarky, hilarious, and wildly entertaining. It follows Rachel and James, two wonderfully flawed characters who work at the same bookstore together in Ireland. They become fast friends, and then roommates. The trouble these two get into, and the chaos that they create is equally comical and jaw-dropping. They will make you bust a gut. I rolled my eyes multiple times at Rachel, tsk-tsked, and shook my head at her idiotic decisions and impulses. But then I kept reminding myself of her age, and I remembered all of the impossible situations that I got myself into as a university student. Yikes. How did I survive my early twenties? The pacing is somewhat on the slower side, but the little twists and surprises along the way more than make up for it. I sucked my breath in more than once when multiple chapters ended in a shocking cliffhanger. This book is damn juicy! The drama is endless, and had me tap, tap, tapping my kindle screen well into the night! 4.5/5 stars for The Rachel Incident! It’s a super solid read!

This book really got me. Rachel and James are two characters who will stay with me for a long time. They're both messy, complicated young people who try to do their best but often fuck up in the process. I love their friendship and how much they support each other but they're also the person able to do the most damage to the other. It's easy to compare the book to the works of Sally Rooney, since it's about Irish millennials and the malaise of life but that's a bit reductive. O"Donoghue's work stands on it's own, there's room for everyone! I found O'Donoghue's writing engaging, funny, and more than a little heartbreaking. I encourage you to pick this one up if you like stories about friendship, dating, and figuring out what the hell to do with your life. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the arc I'm very late to review!

Such a fun read! It was light, cute, and somewhat predictable - but I still enjoyed it and it came at the perfect time in my life when I needed something a little "rom com" ish.

Thankful for the ARC!

Initially I was not enjoying reading this book. The beginning felt drawn out and rather anticlimactic. As the story continued to unfold, it reminded me of reading someone’s diary - where their innermost thoughts and struggles were voiced without concern to withhold the thoughts that are dark or could be negatively perceived. I enjoyed how the story came full circle and let me with a senes of satisfaction. The ending was mature, well done, and felt like the perfect conclusion. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it!

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

This book is about a college age Irish student as she transitions from student to adult. Struggling financially, she lands a job in a bookstore. This store forms the backdrop for the story. The main character and her roommate, James, are sometimes a bit stereotypical for me. This is a story about friendship, crushes, love and everything between. It reminds one of our own sometimes cringeworthy journey to adulthood. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rate3.5

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. The Rachel Incident explores the complexities of relationships and friendships in that very confusing time after college, floating looking for a sustainable job while piecing together money for bills with a bunch of part time gigs. Set against the backdrop Ireland during financial collapse, this is a highly relatable novel about anyone who's loved indiscriminately, fell in love with the wrong person at the wrong time, or the right person at the wrong time.

This was a totally gripping, immersive, emotionally nuanced, FUNNY novel. I'm obsessed with O'Donoghue's work, and this is her best yet, in my opinion. A total joy and page-turner from start to finish.

I'm actually deeply surprised by how much I liked this book (and by liked I mean LOVED). Rachel was equal parts annoying and unbearably relatable. All of her relationships were so messy and real, and I kept wanting to find out what was going to happen to her next. The last half of the novel flew by and I screamed (literally) when a certain character appears at the end of the novel. Though it was surprising, a definite five-star read and one of the best books I've read this year.