A really fun and interesting queer story. I got through it pretty quickly and just loved it from start to finish

Wow, this book. I absolutely loved the character development and descriptions. The story does a deep dive into a certain early 20s time for 2 friends. Their codependent relationship is exceptionally well written, as well as the eventual growing apart of the two as life continues on. I really enjoyed everything about this book and am adding O'Donoghue's other titles to my reading list!

What a great novel. It's deeply concerned with coming-of-age, but it also asks the bigger life questions about love, friendship, and what's important. It's a great combination of plot-driven and character-driven. It's funny while still having tons of heart and tenderness, and some heartache. It's quiet but also energetic at times. Rachel was such a well-rounded character even though she was understandably self-involved. She loved hard and just wanted to be loved and understood. I loved the ending so much, too. Excellent read.

Rachel is a student finishing up her English degree and trying to find her way in the real world. She moves in with a new friend, James, and the story follows their first year as friends while they work at a local bookstore and flounder through life. I found the bouncing back and forth between present day and that first year very strange and jarring. It feels very random and makes the story hard to follow. I also just found that while many things happened, I wasn't fully invested in any part of the story. I think it's just not the book for me, but I could see how others would like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC of this book.

The Rachel Incident is a very relatable tale for anyone who was in their early twenties in the 2010s, between the plight of education, recessions, romances, and more. The book follows the main characters of Rachel and James, two best friends who ultimately move in together and take on Cork, Ireland in 2010. Rachel. They both work at a bookstore and when Rachel finds out that her professor has a book coming out, she orchestrates an event for him to celebrate. At the event, Rachel (who also has a massive crush on said professor), finds him and James in the stockroom.

From there, a series of events occurs ultimately leading to what is known as The Rachel Incident.

One thing to note, infertility, abortions, and miscarriage are a large part of this story too, so something to keep in mind.

There were times that I was a bit bored and the story either stalled or moved a bit too slow for my liking. As a whole though, I enjoyed the characters, the drama, and ultimately, how the story wrapped up.

Thank you A.A. Knopf and NetGalley for the eARC!

The story focuses on Rachel Murray and the dynamic she has with her roommate and best friend James. The two meet while she's working at a bookstore and she becomes enamored with him, but he is gay and the friendship is platonic. I believe in friendship soulmates 100%. Rachel is in college and soon falls for English professor, Dr. Byrne. Dr. Byrne is married, but that doesn't stop him from being front and center of the drama between Rachel and James. However, the story goes a lot deeper than that once you start turning the pages (and you'll see what I mean especially at the end of the author's acknowledgments).

This book is so Irish and so good. It reminded me of Normal People which I loved. I could feel the world the characters were living in. All of the characters were well developed. At times I wanted to scream at Rachel to grow up and stop withholding but then I realized she was only 21 and I could relate. This is a book to keep coming back to. I feel like I would take in more with a second read.

Sally Rooney is my all time favorite author, and The Rachel Incident is so reminiscent of those novels in the best way. The characters felt so accurately messy and full of passion and love and misunderstanding. That feels true to me and the characters truly bared themselves to us. Additionally, I adored the flash forwards to current Rachel, giving us the opportunity to sneak peeks at her growth. This is a new favorite.

The Rachel Incident is a novel about a young woman and her best friend trying to find their places in the world and navigating young love. Rachel has a crush on her married professor, but is shocked to find him kissing her best friend James. From there, the lives of the professor and his wife become intertwined with Rachel’s, until she has to make a harsh life decision. The novel is filled with angst, early 20s self doubt and exploration, and the real true love of best friends.

I recommend this novel for fans of Sally Rooney, though I argue that O’Donoghue has actually done the genre better.

4.5 ⭐️ On the surface this book appears to be a Will and Grace Irish edition, however underneath the humor and deeply good writing is so much more. There are twists, turns, social and economic commentary that is built into the story in such a way it doesn’t come across as preachy, instead informative. The characters are developed brilliantly. We meet them during their coming-of-age/hot mess phase but we also see them grow up strong and not entitled. They work so hard for everything they have and it is clear that their struggles are part of what puts them down the right path eventually. I didn’t expect this book to be as literary as it was…but I loved it. I love Irish fiction and this one is great.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Had difficulty getting into the story, just wasn't for me. I think the style just didn't jibe with me, but nothing wrong with the book at all!

What a delightful mess this story is. I somehow did not put together until the acknowledgements that this is the Caroline O’Donoghue who created the Sentimental Garbage podcast?! I love her, I love that she sounds like an Irish Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and I love the way she talks about "women's" things.

It’s not going to be for everyone, especially people who feel as though they need to find a character likeable or understand all their choices. Sometimes humans make silly, weird, odd, stupid choices. Judging by some of the reviews already, there are going to be some people who have a hard time forgiving Rachel for some actions she takes. I think that pairs exquisitely with the intersection of the weird parasocial relationship the community has with Rachel, looking at her and seeing a person they think is the mistress of a much beloved community member's husband. But for anyone who wants to lean into that messiness, and who is up for the content, I really really loved this coming of age tale with a happy ending. I haven't actually read any Sally Rooney, but from my understanding, this would be for the same kind of reader.

Rachel and James meet at work. They become friends, in the ways of early 20-somethings, quickly, deeply, and immersively. They move in together, two wildly different people who find safety with each other. This is the story of their friendship, the lengths they are willing to go for each other, how their other relationships are changed by their partnership, and ultimately how to become oneself within this intense tangle.

Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest feedback.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue was a slow burn, character driven story. I didn’t really like this one. I didn’t find Rachel’s character very likable and I struggled with the packing, and it was hard to tell if the chapters were the past or Rachel’s present.

I seem to be in the minority for this one though.

Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. set in cork, ireland, a comedy of errors about a young woman trying to manage her friendships and her relationships, most notably her infatuation with her married professor, who has eyes for her roommate. the characters in this book were really easy to root for, and felt really well developed. also the ending! focussed mostly on rachel's relationships, less plot based.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-ARC! I enjoyed reading The Rachel Incident, and enjoyed Rachel and James and their friendship. The strength of the book is in the ways the connections between the characters are written, but so many of these descriptions are passed over or rushed through as the story goes on. Because we witness James’ and Dr. Byrne’s relationship from Rachel’s perspective, we don’t get much insight into that relationship, only how it affected their lives at the moment. I also found myself disappointed by the 2021-2022 plot line as a conceit for justifying the structure of the novel. I liked hanging out with the characters when they were present in a moment, but the distance of Rachel’s memories took away from some of that connection for me. A good read, but I was left wanting more.

Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Thoroughly enjoyed! Recommend for anyone that wants a fast(ish) read on a weekend day.

Absolutely loved every page of this colorful - very human story of flawed characters. Delighted with the plot "twists" and the tropes - hidden secrets, the "laws" of attraction, unrequited love, the lies people tell - all in literary quality prose.

This was such a thinker, and that's why I loved it. What a hilarious, they emotional way to question my ethics and what I would do in a unique situation. It grabbed my attention much more than I had anticipated it would, and I quickly was hooked. The relationship between the queer characters in this book was so nuanced and believable for me. I really felt connected to Rachel too, and I felt her love for James through these pages. It was a gorgeous story about friendship, love, queerness, and the choices we make for those important to us.

Thanks so much to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an eGalley of this one in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This one was very hyped and I was so excited to read it. Unfortunately, I found all the characters to be just too unlikable to truly enjoy. It was very well written, which is why I kept reading, but it just wasn’t the book for me.