As a first time reader of Catherine Walsh I was unsure what to expect from The Rebound, but it's safe to say that I fell in love with it from the first page!

I love the relationships in this book, not only between Abby and Luke, but also with her sister/old friends as she navigates returning back to her home town after losing her home, job and fiancé all at once.

The tension between Abby and Luke was great - my only complaint being that I wanted to see more of them! The story as a whole was so romantic and funny, and has left me eager to read more of Catherine's books asap!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date Feb 2022
3.5 A very cute friend-to-lovers romance set in Ireland. An enjoyable way to spend a day.

The Rebound by Catherine Walsh starts with a classic romcom meet-cute but quickly progresses into a story with more depth and heart than expected.

When Abby’s life is turned upside down and she feels forced to flee back to hide at her sister’s house back in her native Ireland, it’s expected that there are going to be some bumps along the road and potentially a host of interesting side characters. While that is definitely true of the book, I did not anticipate connecting to the book as much as I did. Oftentimes, siblings are portrayed as BFFs or mortal enemies, but the very real middle ground is not represented as much. Abby and Louise are very different from each other and not overly close. Even as adults, they fight all the time. It reminded me of the relationship I have with my own sister, and so it meant something to me to watch the sisters slowly start to understand each other a little more and form their own version of a sisterly bond.

Similarly, Abby and Luke’s relationship in the book is a breath of fresh air. Sometimes I feel romance heroes and heroines border on (or completely cross over to) toxic levels. There’s passion, yes, but it’s not always the healthy kind. For Abby and Luke, it’s mostly about Abby not being honest and missed opportunities paired with the fact that they both genuinely care for the people in their lives and aren’t willing to heart each other or anyone else. It was a refreshing change to read a book about two kind, imperfect people trying to figure things out.

This book would be great for people who love sexual tension and connection (but maybe don’t want more detailed sex sense) and those looking for a multi-layered story to connect to.

The Rebound was a fabulous rom com. It was a quick and easy read and had all the things you could want from it.

The Rebound centres on Abby who has found herself back in her rural hometown in Ireland having lost her job, fiancé and apartment in New York. When she arrives the first person she meets is the very handsome Luke, who gives her a lift back home. Only Abby doesn’t realise that this Luke is actually the Luke she grew up next to. Can Abby figure out what to do with her life next? Can she repair her relationship with her sister? And will Luke be the perfect rebound, or could it turn into much more?

In her author’s note Catherine Walsh explains that she wanted to focus on unashamedly ambitious women in her novel, and she does so brilliantly, in different ways throughout the novel. You have Abby who was once a high flyer but is now lost, yet still retains her ambition and doesn’t want to settle for anything other than what she knows she can do. There is her sister Louise, who is focused on her activism and trying to make a difference. Finally there is Beth, a business owner who is able to acknowledge when things are not going to plan. Beth takes ownership of her decisions, even if that means acknowledging her failure and moving forward. I loved Walsh’s portrayal of each of these women, none of whom are perfect, but they’re so working hard to achieve their own very different dreams.

I also loved the different types of relationships portrayed within this book. Of course this is a romance and I really enjoyed reading about the building tension between Abby and Luke, who together I thought made a great pair. Their chemistry sizzled on the page. But I also really liked the evolving relationship between Abby and her sister Louise, who had previously been frosty with one another. Additionally I thought the portrayal of female friendships between Abby and Beth, and Abby and Jess added so much to this story. The friendships between them served different purposes but each helped them with their own journeys.

I really enjoyed The Rebound, it was everything I was hoping it would be. It was a a really fun romance, with great humour, heart and some brilliant female characters.

This is my first time reading something by this author and I really enjoyed it. The story caught my attention from the beginning and held it all the way through. This is a sweet and romantic comedy and I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters were wonderful and felt so relatable, I couldn't help but fall in love with them. The storyline had a nice smooth flow and the romance was wonderful and there were plenty of humorous moments that had me laughing out loud or just generally left me with a smile on my face. Abby comes back home to a tiny village in Ireland after making it big and essentially losing everything in New York, including her fiance. She initially doesn't tell anyone about her losses. After spending some time with her family, she sees them in a new light and they might be exactly what she needs to help her get her life back together. She also reconnects with her childhood friend, Luke, and major sparks go off between them. While the budding romance was well played out, I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between Abby and her sister Louise. It was nice to see their relationship grow as well. I really enjoyed this book and I will be looking out for more books by this author!

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The last thing Abby expected is that she would be back in Ireland living with her sister Louise. Wait- the real last thing is that she would find love with Luke, the boy next door she left behind. These two were friends from the beginning of time but their long separation meant that Abby didn't recognize him at first. So trope-y but so fun. Louise is a hoot and their bickering will resonate with sisters everywhere. Luke, well, he's a good romantic guy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers but no one will be surprised if there's an HEA.

I LOVE that this book is being published on Valentine's day! I love a childhood friend turned "something more" situation. It is the perfect book to read during the month of love!! I love that Abby is a strong, smart woman and Luke is so beyond sweet. The humor was on point as well as the banter. I loved the supporting characters too! I think this book was a definite win for me, and I will definitely be reading more from Catherine Walsh!!

*arc for honest review* this is one of my favorite books so far this year. from the first chapter i got me so excited to just keep reading and i was obsessed throughout the whole book! and it’s a slowburn. one of my favorite tropes! they didn’t have much scene’s in the middle but it was totally worth it! as well as the progression with her sister’s relationship i just loved it! abbyluke are now one of my favorites! can’t wait for more books from this author

This was the first time I’ve read a book by Catherine Walsh, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a charming and sweet story full of my favourite tropes: returning home, slow-burn and unrequited love. However, I personally feel that when it comes to the returning home trope of the main character going back to their tiny hometown after some sort of crisis/failure, the novel doesn’t always deliver everything it promises to. And I’m often left feeling disappointed by the ending. But Catherine Walsh is an exception. She actually makes it work.

I really enjoyed the level of detail in this novel, in terms of all the circumstances that led Abby to returning home and all the different consequences of what going back actually meant for her. From repairing a rocky relationship with her sister, and reconnecting with everyone and everything she had once left behind, to realising it was okay to start over, and cultivating a newfound appreciation of her hometown. It was beautifully layered by Catherine Walsh, whilst still being an entertaining, light-hearted and comforting read.

I particularly loved the characters. Literally all of them (with the exception of a certain New Yorker). Especially Abby. She was straight up a BOSS who knew exactly what she wanted, and had an unmatched drive and ambition, right from when she was only a teenager. She worked extremely hard to deserve every opportunity she got, and every penny she earned - and it was so inspiring and empowering being able to read about such a strong female protagonist. And Louise. Whilst she’s the polar opposite of Abby and that’s why the sisters have never really been able to see eye to eye, I love how their relationship blossoms from something nonexistent to a sweet, sisterly bond. And as someone who has a younger sister who’s my extreme opposite, I found myself relating to Abby and Louise in that sense, which made them more real to me. Which gave me all the more reason to love watching their journey from a strained relationship to sisters realising while they won’t always like each other, they’ll always love each other.

Luke. My heart MELTED at the unrequited childhood love, and just being able to read about the man he became was amazing, since he is easily the most caring, loving and sweet character. Like Abby, he also works hard to get where he wants. But the most admirable quality about him had to be his willingness to make sacrifices for the people he loved. I really appreciated the relationship between Luke and Abby - from how they reconnected as friends, and how they were there for each other at a time when both of them felt a little behind everyone else in the race of life, and as though they had failed in some sense. Luke is the knight in shining armour EVERY GIRL needs. He will literally make you want to take a trip to rural Ireland in hopes of finding him there to give you a lift.

But what I loved most was that it didn’t revolve entirely around the romance - and that Abby and Luke both still had a life, and other relationships to maintain, and other goals they wanted to reach. They sort of fit together and complemented each others’ lives, rather than just letting the romance consume them and throw everything else out of the window. And the final thing that I absolutely loved was the wholesome and holistic ending - in that EVERYONE (who deserved it) got their happy ending, and not a single character was left behind. There were no loose threads, and that gave me the closure I needed when I finished reading it. It was one of the sweetest reads ever, and if I ever do happen to go to rural Ireland - this is definitely the book I’m taking for the trip.

This was a fun romance read in a refreshing setting. The pacing felt a little slow at times, but I did enjoy the characters a lot and liked the banter. My biggest complaint is that I prefer my romance books with more spice (definitely a personal preference).

A quick read about picking yourself up after your world falls apart and finding your way again. Took a while to into it and to warm to the main character Abby and I was not blown away by the chemistry between her a Luke. Still worth a look (2.75 ⭐️)

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my E-arc.

God I loved this.

I loved Catherine Walsh’s debut, so was so thrilled to be approved for her second title.

Abby had a high-flying career at a big bank until one day they went bust. After being kicked out of her apartment at the bank, being dumped by her fiancé, and having nowhere to go, Abby moves back home to Ireland to stay with her sister Louise.

By chance, she runs into her old childhood best friend and several misunderstandings ensue. This was hilarious, and whilst I loved the romance one of my favourite parts was the relationship she had with her sister Louise. Both Louise and Abby bicker and don’t quite understand each other - but really, though they don’t admit it to each other, want to be closer.

This is a funny, heartwarming story about moving back home and feeling like you’ve failed, and accidentally finding your way to something that was more than what you hoped for.

i loved this book! i loved her first book and was so excited to read this one. I found both abby and luke so likable. childhood friends can be a hard trope to navigate, but walsh did a great job of it.

This is a great fun read. The first book I’ve read by Catherine Walsh and won’t be the last.
Abby leaves New York her ex fiancé and her wonderful life behind when the company she works for goes under. She moves back to her home town in Ireland to contemplate her life and what she should do next.
There she tries to make amends with her sister who she’s never seen eye to eye with and meets the handsome Luke who she falls in love with.
It was great meeting all the characters in this book with a story that had good pace and kept me turning the pages right to the end.
I would thoroughly recommend this book and would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. It was an absolute pleasure.

This book in 3 words: Darling. Relatable. Amusing.

Abby Reynolds seems to be living the life in New York with her dream job and handsome fiance... until her company goes under and she's forced to return home to her small town in Ireland.

I found this to be mostly character driven, as the plot is a little slow with some gaps. I did enjoy this read but some of it was lacking a bit for me.

I thought Abby was relatable and endearing. There were struggles she went through that I could tie back to my own experiences and I found that comforting. I love when a main character feels authentic. I also think the relationship between Abby and her sister, Louise, was 10/10. I have siblings and some of the details we encounter about their dynamic are wholesome and realistic.

Abby and Luke's interaction and dynamic throughout the book is cute and kept me engaged. Some of their conversations and encounters made me smile and laugh out loud, which is always a plus.

All in all, this is an enjoyable romance. I wish the pacing was a bit different but I'd still read more from the same author.

wow! After reading Catherine Walsh's previous book, One Night Only, I knew I had to pick up the next book she would publish and am very grateful to have been able to read and review The Rebound before its release date. This book made me smile from the beginning when we met Abby and Luke, all the way through laughs and tears all the ways towards the end. I simply could not put the book down after turning the first page!

This was such an enjoyable read! Perfect palate cleanser to mix things up.

Abby returns to her hometown with her life in shambles, trying to figure out her next move should be. While she’s there, she discovers some unexpected connections that have her questioning everything. It was fun getting to know the quirky town and some of its residents and traditions.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this work.

Abby Reynold's seemingly perfect life is in for a major disruption when she loses her job mere weeks after being dumped by her fiance. When left jobless, and practically homeless, she has nothing left to do except return home to Ireland after leaving at 18 without looking back. Abby must live with her hostile older sister as she is hopeless to get her life back in order. What will she do when she starts to fall for the boy next door?

Upon her return home, Abby runs into Luke, her childhood best friend, and neighbor; saying their first encounter wasn't awkward would be generous. Abby finds herself in a web of lies as she tries to cover what looks like a failed career.

Landing themselves in a childhood-friends-to-strangers-to-enemies-to-lovers relationship, Abby and Luke must work out their differences while catching up on years lost.

Slowly. Very slowly. Walsh has a knack for witty banter and building relationships readers will attach to, however, as good as slow-burn romances are, there were many setbacks throughout the plot, dragging the build-up on for longer than need be. Some readers enjoy the chase, and others, like myself, are shamefully impatient which affects the reading experience.

In this rom-com, Abby has to work for her goals, accept her setbacks, say goodbye, and reconnect with her roots. Is it all for a happy ending?

Thank you Bookouture for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is due for publication on 2/14.

The Rebound was a really fun read. I thought the character development was done really well and I enjoyed watching Abby’s relationship with her sister improve. I loved her banter with Luke but the miscommunication between them got a little old after a while. Once they were together, it was great. I just wanted to shake Abby and tell her to just be honest with everyone. I loved that they took their time in their relationship and weren’t rushing things, even in the epilogue. All in all, it was a funny read that I flew through. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC!

This book took me a while to get into, while I like idea of it, something about it just didn't grab my attention right away. But it turned into a cute, quick rom-com with fun characters and a fantastic setting!