Thank you to NetGally for giving me an ARC of The Rebound by Catherine Walsh.

I rated The Rebound 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book but at the end I was wanting more from Abby and Luke! I loved the story and how light it was but I did feel like Abby’s secret went on a little too long.

This was a really fantastic read. It has everything you’re looking for in the genre (and more!) From a romance perspective, I absolutely adored the chemistry and the building of tension was superb. Perfect comic timing throughout had me seriously giggling. The secondary characters are brilliantly written too and I was rooting for all of them! I just didn’t want this book to end but when it did (and no spoilers!) the ending was perfection. Catherine Walsh is a really exciting new voice in this genre and I can’t wait to read what she writes next! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My first 5* read of 2022, I really loved it!

Abby had a great life in New York. However, when her fiancé suddenly decides he isn’t sure if he loves her anymore and breaks off their engagement and then the company she works for goes bust Abby is left with no job and no place to live. So, she makes the reluctant choice to return to her hometown of Clonard in Ireland to stay with her sister, Louise. The sisters never really got on and with their relationship on shaky grounds Abby plans to stay only for a few weeks but then she runs into a gorgeous stranger who turns out to be Luke the boy who used to live next door to her when she was younger. As she starts to rebuild her relationship with Louise and with Luke catching her eye Abby starts to pine less for New York and enjoy Clonard more. However, when a new job opportunity arises Abby has to make some tough decisions, does she go back to the life she had or build something new?!

I really enjoyed this story, and it didn’t take me long to be immersed in the plot. For me the mark of a good rom com is when reading it makes me feel good, and this one certainly did that. I laughed out loud twice (seatrain got the first giggle), which is a rarity for me when reading a book. By the time I got half-way through I found myself so desperate for Luke and Abby to get together, but at the same time I loved the anticipation. I found myself reading a lot slower as I neared the end of the book as quite frankly, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the characters and now I do feel sad as I will miss them a lot.

All in all, a really good read and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone who enjoys a rom com. I loved it and can’t wait to read another book by Catherine Walsh.

Thank you to Netgalley, Catherine Walsh and Bookouture for my advanced reading copy. Due out 14th February 2022.

3.5 STARS!!!

Abby has lost her job, fiancé, and swanky apartment in New York all at once. With no where to go, she ends up back in the rural Irish village she grew up in; With her cantankerous sister, nosey locals, and last but not least, her childhood neighbor/friend Luke, who had a serious glow up after puberty.

After a while, Abby starts to get comfortable and worries less about saving face and escaping, and truly lets herself relax and enjoys her time with those around her.

The story has a good thread about getting over yourself and embracing life as it comes. Not how you can micro-manage and control it.

I liked the couple, I wish they had more time together on the page.

The banter was my favorite part of everything. Not just between the love interests, between all of the characters. There were definitely some laugh out loud moments.

It did seem to be a bit long, I feel like some of the lesser story lines could be shaved down a bit to keep the pace swift or focus on more important things/characters.

Overall, this was a cute and fun read! I really enjoyed the dry wit and dark humor sprinkled throughout. I liked all of the characters and the setting of the village was a character in and of itself, very well done.

Really want to take a trip to Ireland now!

Check it out, when it hits shelves, 2/14/22!
A big thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun, sweet story! I loved the relationship between Abby and Louise and was so shocked to hear that Catherine Walsh had originally not even planned Louise as a character! That was one of my favorite dynamics of the book. The eventual realization of who Luke was and how that played out was endearing and I loved how they "knew" each other but still had to learn each other so much.

This was one of those books that I read late into the night (early into the morning) and finished in two days (nights? EEK!).

Highly recommend to anyone who loves stories from Emily Henry, Josie Silver, Elle Kennedy, Ali Hazelwood and Abby Jimenez ...

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book to review!

#netgalley #therebound

This was LOVELY! Abby’s life has been turned upside down, so she heads home to Clonard, Ireland to lick her wounds and figure out her next steps.

When she runs into an old childhood friend, Luke, there is instant chemistry, but Abby knows she isn’t staying home forever, and she fights the attraction.

I love how Catherine didn’t make Luke a “rebound” Abby’s entire life is literally the rebound. She’s trying to find a new job, make some new friends, fix her relationship with her sister…

The banter in this book is excellent. It’s hilarious and feels natural and it really helps you fall for the characters even more. Abby and Luke are both career driven and know what they want from life. The characters are quirky and loveable.

I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC!

Catherine Walsh follows up her debut ‘One Night Only’ with ‘The Rebound’, another sharp romantic comedy.

Abby Reynolds‘ high flying life in New York has come to a crashing end after she’s lost her finance job (and savings) due to her company’s demise, and her fiancé has left her. Upon returning to her hometown in Ireland, Abby reacquainted herself with Luke, the boy next door. Of course pride comes before a fall and Abby cannot bring herself to admit her glossy New York life is no more.

Walsh’s strengths as a writer is her relatable but full of foibles characters. Abby can’t let go that her old life is no more. She’s ashamed and a little spiky. As with ‘One Night’ stand, it’s also refreshing to have women unabashed by their sex life. She’s a modern woman who enjoys it, which a lot of romance books I’ve read tend to love the heroine being celibate until the hero comes alone (but he can be a manwhore of course).

Another strength of this book is the developing friendship between Abbie and her sister Louise. Not close before, Abby is forced to get to know her sister more.

This book was another delight to read. If you like to read stories about ambitious young women finding their way in life after some hurdles, with love interests who are well-rounded men, The Rebound should be on your TBR pile.

This was a light and easy read. There were some parts which made me laugh, but it didn't have me gripped or wow me and at times I contemplated just skimming. Feel like maybe this could have just been a short story instead but well written and a happy ending so overall quite good.

3⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

The story line was fun and a great second chance romance. Full of great characters, Irish countryside, and character growth.
I enjoyed the reconnection or old friends and the journey they found themselves on. Abby has run back home after a breakup and job loss. She ends up running into an old friend, Luke. Luke has defiantly changed since they last saw each other, and it seems Abby has too. They have some fun circumstances that propel their relationship forward.
I really liked all the side characters present in the book. The family was adorable, and their friends were a blast. The only side character that I didn't like was Abby's sister... which eventually was ok, but most of the book I found her very annoying.
Sometimes I found the writing to be a bit confusing during conversations, but overall enjoyed the book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

3.5 rounded up to a 4 because I liked it but it didn't wow me and left me wanting more.

Things that I liked:
Abby and Luke. They made me laughed. And I liked their story, how people can change over time. And that you can see them in a different light. Also, I liked how sometimes you can find yourself and what you truly want when everything seems to go wrong.

What I didn't like:
Abby's secret lasting so long. It was annoying and created unnecessary drama for everyone in the story. The ending didn't do anything for me...they got together and then the epilogue. I wanted and needed more.

Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture for the chance to read The Rebound in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis sold me on this book by new to me author Catherine Walsh and I went in knowing that this was going to be more women’s fiction than romance and I was okay with that and in fact it was the life journey of the heroine that really saved this book because honestly, the romance was a bit weak. Let me start by saying I enjoyed this book, I think it covered some tough subjects and dealt with them very well. It was an easy read and the plot was good, the main characters just didn’t grab me in fact I found myself focusing on the secondary characters and wanting to know about their stories which I’m sure was not the author’s intention.
Abby Reynolds returns to her small hometown in Ireland after her fiancé dumps her, her high powered career ends in shambles, and she is basically left with nothing because the bank she worked for where she housed all of her assets has gone under. She feels she has no choice but to go to Ireland and stay with her estranged sister and brother in law while she regroups and tries to figure out what’s next. She just doesn’t expect to have to depend on a ride from a sexy man to get her to hometown or to find out that man is the boy she was childhood friends with all grown up and looking fine.
Luke Bailey is a bit amused that Abby doesn’t recognize him when he offers her a ride and he knows she is just as interested in him as he is in her, but he knows the night she’s spent the day traveling isn’t the time to reveal who he is. He has no time for a relationship but he can’t stop thinking about the Abby he knew long ago and the woman she’s become.
I never really connected to Abby or Luke in this story. I didn’t hate them or anything, I just felt a bit indifferent towards them and I think that’s why I didn’t really care if they got together or not. The fact that they went round and round with the romance between them actually got old very quickly. I’m not a fan of miscommunication and because they both seemed to have issues telling the other basically anything, it led to so many hurt feelings and spats that I could have done without.
I felt Abby’s character was pretty well crafted and we see her change her attitude towards her hometown, her sister, and even what she wants out of life. Luke on the other hand, I don’t felt like we really got to know him very well. He seemed like a great guy but it was all surface, not much depth.
The secondary characters were varied, fun, and interesting and honestly I looked forward to the scenes they were in, especially Beth, Jess, and even Rory and Sinead. Abby’s sister, Louise while a bit of a pain, was way more complex than the two main characters.
I appreciated Abby’s journey in this book as she tried to process what happened in her life, the mistakes she’d made along the way, the appreciate she gained for her hometown and her sister, what she wanted in her career, and most importantly what she wanted her life to look like down the line. This was the part of the story that grabbed me even if I wasn’t all that enamored with Abby. She faced her truths, did some soul searching, and realized that what she thought her life should look like wasn’t necessarily what she wanted.

The Rebound by Catherine Walsh is romantic comedy novel. This is one book that is definitely aptly named as the main character is coming off an engagement and is now beginning something new.

Abby Reynolds grew up in rural Ireland but left home the first chance she had to head to New York. Abby’s life in New York had been wonderful, a thriving career and a fiance, that is until it wasn’t. Abby’s fiance broke it off and a few short weeks later she was out of a job.

Now Abby finds herself in a run down station waiting for a ride to her small town in Ireland when a stranger offers to take her after finding Abby read the schedule wrong. After arriving Abby finds out that handsome man giving her a lift was her old childhood friend, Luke Bailey and boy did he sure grow up.

The Rebound by Catherine Walsh was certainly a fun story to read as it did have me laughing over and over again. The characters were likable and the setting a very charming rural town with more wonderful people to get to know along the way. I loved that Abby’s relationship with her sister was also one involved and watching as Abby and Luke got to know one another all over again. Definitely an author that I will keep an eye on in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Rebound by Catherine Walsh

Another entertaining book from Catherine Walsh! When Abby’s life seems to be falling apart around her she packs up and heads back to her hometown to stay with her sister. With all the time in the world to reflect, she starts to discover how lovely this town is and how kind and charming all the locals are - especially, the now grown up and handsome, Luke.

I just love an Irish setting! I loved the small town vibe and all the side characters. They were so relatable and fun. I actually really loved and was the most interested in her relationship with her sister! Would love to revisit her sister in another book.

Definitely look out for this one, out on February 14th! Thanks to @bookouture for my copy.

thank you so much Netgalley and bookouture for this brilliant arc, such a cute read, light hearted fun and funny. i love a book thatt makes me smile

Firstly, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, light, easy read. Very easy to get into and that made it difficult to put down! The characters are funny, likeable and relatable from the get go. The romance didn't seem forced and everything flowed so well.

Overall - 4 stars⭐

Well wow! Can this be a series because I don’t want to let go of Abby and Luke’s story!! I thoroughly enjoyed this Irish rom com. It was sweet, steamy and super cute. The tension was off the charts, and I couldn’t get enough of Abby and Luke together! 100% would recommend.

Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital arc.

This was an okay read.
My first book by this author and I would be interested in reading other books by her.

Abby comes back home to Ireland to her small town after her life in New York implodes. She needs to rectify her relationship with her sister with whom she is staying. What was supposed to be a shortstop to regroup turns out to be so much more.

The romance part was the weakest, in my opinion, because the drama between Abby and Luke is dragging unnecessarily. I disliked the constant interaction while she tried to finally tell the truth. It was way too repetitive. I feel like I needed to root for her more for me to enjoy and connect to the story.

Loved the small-town vibe.

This is the second book I’ve read of Catherine Walsh and I must say I’m a big fan. When they say the book is hilariously funny they mean it! It’s not just one dimensional jokes either. Some characters just have sarcastic or witty or snarky personalities and it makes the book so entertaining. I love Abby as a character because she owns her mistakes and isn’t perfect, but she is also very independent, strong and ambitious. Luke is just a steamy hot cinnamon roll. The story line is in depth yet easy to follow and the entire cast of characters is entertaining. A truly hilarious and fun read. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love starting a new book. The Rebound has a woman who has lost everything—and I think we can relate to the feeling of everything going wrong.

When Abby arrives in Ireland, she starts flirting with this man, and it was so fun and adorable. Then disaster strikes again! He wasn't a stranger like she thought. She's mortified and on uneven ground. It's Luke Bailey, her childhood neighbor!

I love how Abby's uncertain and doesn't know what she wants and grows to be sure of herself. This was a character arc that made a lot of sense to me. Luke is also tossing back and forth, trying to figure out what he wants. Both have had heartache and disappointments. I didn't feel like Abby's best friend was as fleshed out. I was surprised when she was described as a womanizer when I didn't feel like it was setup earlier. But she was secondary and didn't matter too much to the thread of the story.

The setup for this romance was great as well as the pressure dynamics of family and friends.

There are a couple of steamy scenes, and this romance is best for adults.

3/5 ⭐️s

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Jobless, homeless, and newly single, Abby returns home to Ireland to reevaluate her life. When a handsome stranger swoops in to save the day when she’s stranded, the attraction is immediate. The only problem? Luke’s not as much of a stranger as she thought…

This was a cute book, and I especially loved the side characters! Beth was absolutely adorable, and I’d kill to read her book. Louise’s relationship with Abby was my favorite part of this book - I loved how they grew closer as sisters while Abby was staying with her. And Louise’s husband, Tomasz was just the best. I needed 100% more Tomasz in this book.

Funnily enough, I didn’t really like Abby and Luke. Abby’s initial decision to lie to everyone was really grating on the nerves, but she became more likeable throughout the book. Luke was hot and cold for me the entire time. It felt like he didn’t have a lot of respect for Abby’s feelings. Their chemistry was only meh too.

Overall, I enjoyed this to start off my February reading, but I doubt I ever come back to reread it.

Spice Level: 1.5/5 🌶s