OH OH OH OH OH! I loved this book, it was incredible, it was heartfelt and sad and brittle and warm and LOVELY. I read it in its entirety in one night and I cannot believe it took me so long. I will sing this one's praises.

Well this book had me obsessed like a friendship with James Devlin!

Compulsively readable and relatable, especially for those who also struggled to find their place in their early twenties, and who clung to their friendships like a life jacket.

This was my first book by Caroline O'Donoghue and I'm now seriously interested in reading everything else she's done, and will do.

i am a big fan of Caroline O'Donoghue so i was really hyped for The Rachel Incident. but this...was not it. it felt surprisingly formulaic and generic.

Some authors have voice and Caroline O’Donoghue is the epitome of twenty something Rachel Murray in her last year of University figuring out what it means to navigate life and adulthood. Rachel is “every girl” with her insecurities, friendships, heartache, and sexual partners; her story was so relatable and I felt somewhat transported back to that time of my life.
Rachel forms a fast friendship with fellow bookstore coworker, James Devlin. It’s love at first site and they become joined at the hip in that way that someone still in University can. So of course as roomies, Rachel tells James about her crush on her college professor, Dr. Fred Byrne who she in a spur of the moment decision decides to host his book launch at their store. O’Donoghue captures the feelings of what it’s like to have a crush and feel so compelled and entitled to own that imaginary relationship brought on by lust. When Rachel’s crush is unrequited, the one person she wants to discuss it with, James, becomes entangled in the relationship between Rachel and Dr. Byrne. Putting is plainly, Rachel’s life is a mess, but isn’t that what the twenties are for? Multiple relationships come and go throughout the book and I loved how unexpected the final arc was. Rachel becomes entwined with Dr. Byrne and his wife, Deenie as she seeks career connections. Her unreliable second James, James Carey, is boyfriend extraordinaire, and also some of the most difficult aspects of Rachel’s life. Through it all, the city of Cork, and Ireland itself felt like a character in Rachel’s narrative and the dream of going to America with James is the bright spot they can cling onto when life doesn’t quite go as planned.
I loved the storytelling and the pacing which very much felt like a story within a story. I wish I got just a little bit more from James Devlin’s final moments in the book, but I would recommend this to anyone looking for a story of friendship, love gained and lost that feels like an epic journey. Put The Rachel Incident on your list of books to read now. I received this advanced copy from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

CWs: Abortion, miscarriage, drug use, alcohol use, marital infidelity

I loved this book. Loved the minimal amount of characters and loved Rachel as a whole. Such a warm story - as messy as it was at times it all just felt comforting

I don't have a lot to say other than I really enjoyed this one! It had all the themes that I love... coming of age, hot mess twenty-somethings, dating, best friends, and a little scandal. I cannot wait to continue reading Caroline O'Donoghue for years to come.

Rachel is a vividly drawn, likeable funny protaganist. I feel like a lot of us will be able to see ourselves in her, and love her journey. The story took a different and more interesting path than I expected! Kept me turning pages.

I loved this one! There was so much buzz about this book and The Rachel Incident did not disappoint. I'm a sucker for any coming of age tale, and this one delivered beautifully with humor and relatability. Excellent writing that evokes those emotions of the complications of growing up and some added chaos of questions of morality and unrequited love. I'd definitely read anything by Caroline O'Donoghue again!

Engaging and immersive. This is a recommended purchase for collections where women's fiction is populalar.

I love the writer's style and the way the narrative flowed. But I couldn't relate to the characters; I didn't like them' I didn't want to know them better; I didn't think reading about them would add anything to my life. I dnf'ed the book about half way thorugh.

If you liked Normal People -> You'll love The Rachel Incident

The story follows two friends, Rachel and James, navigating their young love lives in Cork. When Rachel crushes on Professor Fred, James tries to help her impress him, and the three become tangled into a whirlwind of good, bad, and ugly. This book focuses on love, friendship, lies, secrets, consequences, and growth. Overall, I liked it but didn't love it. If you were a fan of Normal People, you'd be a fan of Caroline O'Donoghue's work.

So...I have very mixed feelings on the book.

Is it a lovely coming of age story? Yes.
Is it complex and layered? Absolutely. I adore Caroline O'Donoghue, which is why this was a must read.

But...did I love the characters? Not so much. I struggled with the book the entire way through - I wanted to care more about these complicated people, but found I just...didn't.

I loved the Rachel Incident, the main friendship was so nuanced and complicated. I appreciated the author's portrayal of being in your 20's and the chaos that often occurs.

Nope. No thank you. This was not the book for me. I did not enjoy the story at all; I found it poorly written and trying too hard. The content was just over the top for me as well. Such a disappointment because it came very recommended.

Adored this funny and fresh novel so much! Voicey, punchy and full of heart, The Rachel Incident is one of my favorite books of the year.

Rachel meets James at the bookstore that they both work at. Their friendship blossoms quickly and soon they are roommates. When Rachel tells James that she has a crush on her professor, they devise a plan to have a book signing at the bookstore. That is when things begin to change and the three lives are forever connected.

This is a great plot with great characters. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I thought this book was sensational. I was a bit put-off my comparisons to Sally Rooney but those are well-deserved and I'm still thinking about this book a long time after reading. It really captures that time of your life where you're so uncertain about so much. The characters were really well drawn and I really liked the framing narrative of Rachel in the present day thinking back.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue.
The Rachel Incident is a slice of life book about Rachel and her experiences from her twenties. There are a few funny phrases that made me laugh, but overall the book was slow and did not keep my interest.

I loved this coming of age story set in Ireland. The friendship and relationships were so well written.

The Rachel Incident was, hands down, my favorite novel of 2023.

Trust me- you need to check this one out. I’ve already purchased two copies as gifts.