Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of To Hell With It by Claire Frances

This book is both a messy and funny debut that pulled me in with Pearl O’Reilly’s charm and didn’t let go. At nearly 28, Pearl’s life is a patchwork of rituals and rigid routines—thanks to her OCD—but her voice is so sharp, hilarious, and vulnerable that you can’t help but fall in love with her. When a one-night stand turns into a catalyst for an international adventure, Pearl does the unthinkable: she says yes. What follows is a journey filled with honesty, friendship, mishaps, and a sh*t ton of antibacterial spray. The romance is sweet, but this is really Pearl’s story. It’s not about fixing her OCD, it’s about finding joy in spite of it—and sometimes because of it.

very well written story that's so effectively done. our protagonist is absolutely awesome, too, and the ending is great. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I devoured this book- read it in one sitting! I felt such a connection to Pearl and felt invested in her journey.

27-year-old Pearl O’Reilly has debilitating OCD. She’s only ever left Ireland once in her entire life, and her time is consumed by her rituals. But one night leads her to meeting a man from New Zealand and falling for him, and he invites her to come visit him when he leaves. Pearl embarks on a life-affirming adventure in which she must overcome the adversity she faces due to her OCD.

I don’t know anyone with OCD, so I can’t vouch for the accuracy of Pearl’s experience. If the writing style—chaotic, repetitive, dull—is a reflection of what it’s like to have the disorder, the author did an excellent job.

Pearl’s friends were far more interesting characters than she is, and I was deeply disappointed seeing Pearl express admiration for JK Rowling in 2025. I thought we as a society had decided to move on, but I guess not.

I also HATED the reveal of the root cause of Pearl’s OCD. Literally disgusting.

I enjoyed Pearl’s New Zealand adventures themselves (I want to go to the glowworm cave), but this book is just not it.

This is a very fun, sweet, and uplifiting read. I really enjoyed Pearl's character and her journey. I thought the author had great humor throughout the writing. I do not personally have any experience with OCD so it is hard for me to say definitively, but I feel like the descriptions and depictions of OCD were approached with respect and it was a positive representation.
I do think this is more of a contemporary fiction than a romance novel, so that was a bit misleading but overall I really enjoyed this.

Someone else compared this to a Dairy of Bridgette Jones and it has a very similar feeling to Bridgette Jones. FMC is a mess has OCD everything has to be clean and she carries hand sanitizer with her. She is also a hopeless romantic. Very relatable

4.5 stars!

This book surprised me in a lot of ways! I could tell by the description I would enjoy it but I ended up loving it more than I thought I would. This was a seriously solid read.

I’m not a person with OCD, however, I am neurodivergent and I found so many parts of Pearl’s story relatable. It can be so isolating, lonely, and overwhelming.There’s a lot of joy in our differences too, and all of these feelings were perfectly portrayed through Pearl’s experiences.

This book had a lot of heart and balanced the seriousness of Pearl’s OCD with humor and understanding. Getting to know Pearl as a character was such a joy. She had incredible growth and every time she overcame an obstacle, no matter how big or small, I was cheering! I got emotional, I laughed and fell in love with Pearl as a lead (and also loved Niall, and her woodlice, and everyone honestly). Pearl showed us that bravery comes in small steps as well as big adventures, and those are the best types of stories to read.

Most of all, I loved when Pearl would speak directly with the reader. It was a unique narration style and I enjoyed feeling like I was having a conversation with a friend. Pearl’s voice was strong throughout the book and made it even easier to root for her.

Overall, the neurodivergent rep in this book was amazing, I loved the adventures, and I’m so happy to share this review with the world. I love the nod to Pearl’s butterflies on this absolutely stunning cover too! This is a must read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was adorable and I was so pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. Pearl was a delight and her OCD was definitely part of her charm. Even though she was in her late 20's, this is a coming of age book with romance, a great friendship and travel all wrapped up with a ribbon.

This is a fun rom-com about an Irish woman who has OCD. The OCD element in this book was well executed because it greatly affects the main character, Pearl. I also like her as a character, and her relationship with others in the book. Plot-wise wise I did enjoy how she went to New Zealand and discovered herself. This book was funny just cause how ridiculous some of the plotlines were and how they were handled. I enjoyed the majority of the characters, minus Jack; he was just crusty to me. I did not think I was going to like Niall, but I ended up loving him so much. One thing I did like about the story on how others were kind to her even though she struggled so much with her OCD. She did have really good support from other characters in this book.

The one thing I felt could have been done better was the romance part, it was a bit of a slow burn. I wish there were more interaction with them. I just wanted to see more of their relationship as a couple. That's more of just a nitpick, but overall it's a very enjoyable book that I think many readers will enjoy who like rom-coms.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an eARC in exchange for a review.

Claire Frances has crafted a perfect metaphor for romantic attraction that teeters on the brink of obsession in this offbeat tale of a twenty-something young woman navigating OCD and trying to make sense of her world. Pearl is on a path to having been "Born and Dead in Drangan," a tiny village in County Tipperary, according to her best friend, Una. And Pearl doesn't really mind her routine life. The routines she establishes around her OCD ensure safety, in her mind: the salmon pink jumper she wears, switched for a salmon pink polo in warmer weather; the ritual of counting the stairs as she descends to the kitchen, starting over again if she doesn't get to the bottom before thinking sexy thoughts; the antibacterial spray she keeps in her bag so that she can disinfect her shoes before she starts up her car. When she falls hard for Jack, a handsome young wayfarer from New Zealand, she realizes she will need to step out of her very limited comfort zone into the rest of her life -- even if it feels insanely unsafe. This is a charming, disarmingly relatable tale of finding love, finding oneself, and navigating neurodiversity. Truly lovely read.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

To Hell With It by Claire Frances is an absolute rollercoaster of chaos, charm, and unexpected heart! From the first page, I was hooked on its witty dialogue, laugh-out-loud moments, and the kind of chemistry that sizzles off the page.

The story blends humor and heart effortlessly, giving us a protagonist who’s equal parts fierce and relatable. Whether it’s the fiery banter, the unexpected twists, or the perfect balance of snark and sincerity, this book keeps you entertained from start to finish.

If you love a sharp, fun, and slightly unhinged romantic adventure with a devilish twist, To Hell With It is a must-read. Claire Frances has delivered a story that’s wickedly fun and impossible to put down! Can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley for the book!

An adorable read! I loved the inside look at a person with OCD. I don't have OCD, so I can't attest to how accurate it is. It's a sweet and adventurous read. The ups and downs of the adventure were entertaining and moved the plot along nicely! The characters had a nice depth and you're rooting for the main character throughout the book. Definitely a fun read!

I went into To Hell With It hoping to have my eyes opened to the life of someone with severe OCD—but what I found was a stream-of-consciousness style that felt more like chaotic bouncing than intentional storytelling. There were moments that hinted at depth, but they got lost in the scatter of disconnected thoughts and narrative threads that never quite came together.

The final straw for me, though, came when the author openly expressed admiration for J.K. Rowling. In 2025, when so many of us are working to protect and uplift trans voices, it's incredibly disappointing—infuriating, even—to see someone still publicly applauding a person known for her transphobia. That one sentence was enough to make me DNF the book.

Wow, wow, wow! Dare I say this is my favorite read of 2025 so far? "To Hell With It" is an incredible story that follows the adventures of Pearl O'Reilly. Pearl is a quirky, relatable woman with OCD who breaks the mold of her own life by facing her fears with remarkable bravery. I was a big fan of "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine," and this story rivals (or even surpasses!) my love for that book. I 100% recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper collins publishers for this ARC. To start, I love the cover art! It really is perfect! I was surprised the find this book was loaded with OCDs and really seemed to trigger my discomfort in the beginning and by the end I was cheering. Some amazing characters in this book and I loved the way it wrapped it all up in the end. I would definitely recommend this book

I was lucky enough to receive an E-Arc version of 'To Hell With It' and I can honestly say that I enjoyed it. A lot.

This book is about Pearl, who suffers from OCD and basically how her daily life looks like.
Her OCD is so severe, that even small tasks, such as walking down the stairs, is a lot harder for her.
While a lot of people think, that OCD is just flicking a light switch ten times, this book proves that (in a lot of cases) it's a bit more complicated and diverse than that.
I personally felt, that it was a very realistic description of what it really looks like.

Pearl appears to be totally fine with the way she is, until she woke up to a stranger, who changes her life instantly.
She finds herself challenging herself and doing things that are way other of her comfort zone. Growing and finding herself in a place, that is far away from what she's been used to.

The first part of the book is really hard to get into. It's repetitive and almost seems too slow and boring. I struggled a lot with keeping myself motivated.
But then, close to the second third of the book, it started to pace up and I caught myself not being able to put the book down.
It was very beautiful to see her exploring, facing challenges and growing bigger than she had ever believed to.

The writing was good. You find yourself understanding her character and her choices very easy, while also wishing for her to be more adventurous.
The characters are written interesting, each of them being very different from the other. I liked, that this book was solely about Pearl and her way of finding herself, rather than an actual love story.

The description of this book is what intrigued me, and I think it was apt. I'll be honest and say that after reading the first third, I almost DNF'd it, but when reading an ARC I don't think that's fair consideration (not to mention, I have so much respect for anyone who actually gets a book to this point). I'm glad I continued on. The last two thirds - while predictable - were sweet and worth the read.

This is a funny, relatable, and beautiful story about someone who has to live with mental illness and their attempt to overcome what they can do to make a life with it. Pearl has OCD and it has impacted so many aspects of her life, as mental illness does.

I think the author did a fantastic job showcasing mental illness, but did a better job showcasing being in the mind, or headspace, of someone with OCD. It’s done tastefully with splashes of humor woven in.

It was an emotional journey to see Pearl’s struggles and triumphs as she moved throughout the book. The character growth was wonderful and as always, I love a good book that can make me cry: whether that’s from happiness, sadness, in laughter, and even all three.

I will always root for Pearl…and the woodlice.

This is without a doubt a 5/5 rating from me!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for a review.