Such a fresh voice! I loved O'Donoghue's YA series All Our Hidden Gifts, and I loved this one just as much! A great, fast-paced summer read!

If you had asked me midway through my read of The Rachel Incident what I thought of if, i would have said it was fine. Not particularly memorable. But somehow, in the second half of the book, I found myself really connecting to the characters and now I’m sad to leave them behind.

The Rachel Incident is told from Rachel’s present-day perspective, looking back to her last year of college when she met and quickly became inseparable with James, her gay BFF. Rachel recounts that year in Cork, when she and James were messy 20-somethings making a pile of bad decisions and nearly self-destructing, but loving each other powerfully though it all.

I’ve seen this book compared to Sally Rooney, Dolly Alderton, and Fleabag, and I actually can see all those comparisons. To me, the commonality goes beyond the surface similarities of messy young people, it goes to the heart of the characters, their friendships, and their determination to find their paths.

Besides Rachel and James’ relationship, I won’t easily forget the romance that came as a surprise to me later in the book. Caroline O’Donoghue writes nuanced, hard-earned growth beautifully, and I just loved where these characters ended up.

This s tory of friendships, unrequited loves and coming of age will keep you entertained from the moment you meet the chaotic, entitled undergraduate student Rachel. We follow Rachel as she meets James, her new colleague and soon to be best friend. They decide to move in together and share stories and secrets as they experience love, heartbreak, loss, and ambition. This has unexpected twists (so no spoilers) with big highs and some crushing emotional blows. Highly and enthusiastically recommend!



Thank you to #NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Reading some early reviews comparing this book to those of Sally Rooney, I was sort of regretting getting my hands on an early copy. I just don't connect with Ms. Rooney's characters or writing style. Perhaps I'm just not her target demographic. But for those of you 40-something GenXers like me, please do give The Rachel Incident a chance. I just fell in love with Caroline O'Donoghue's portrayal of a hot-mess Irish 20-something who makes so many naive mistakes but who learns and grows and somehow bravely finds her successes in her 30s. While Rooney's characters some off a whiny and why-me, O'Donoghue's characters admit they don't have their crap together and show so much reflective insight as their older selves. I loved the character growth and the little pieces of fate mixed in. This is a coming-of-age story, a starving college student/new adult story, a friendship story, a coming out story, and an Irish story all interwoven within a couple of very messy love stories. the characters were real, faulted, quirky, and funny in their own unique ways... just how I like the people I surround myself to be.

In the end I was all set to give The Rachel Incident a strong 4 or 4.5 star review. But then Caroline O'Donoghue did a thing. She dropped a bomb named Naegleria fowleri. Any book that caters to my love of parasites deserves an extra star! And I never saw it coming.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

“In short, if you’ve ever been young, you will love the Rachel Incident.”

Such a good contemporary fic read!!! Fans of Sally Rooney’s Normal People will love this - has a little less romance and a little more friendship. Rachel moves in with her gay coworker James and together they face job loss, unrequited love, affairs, and everything else that comes with being 21 and living on your own. 💛 THE RACHEL INCIDENT is out tomorrow and has a place on my favorite books of the year. 💗

Review: The Rachel Incident by Caroline O' Donoghue

The Rachel Incident is a story of friendships, love, and finding oneself. This book takes on some extremely important topics with a touch of humor and a dose of reality.

Rachel, who has been brought up in life by her parents without worrying about finances, suddenly has to pay for her college on her own. She finds herself in a new world of roommates, workmates, sexuality, alcohol and simultaneously studying. Her world changes when she gets caught in a situation that is not exactly of her making.

This book is completely character driven, and when I started reading it, I was not sure if I would like it. But after I am done, I find that I really like it. It's a raw portrayal of the world we live in, even though the book itself is set in the early part of the 2000s.

Thank you, Knopf Publishing and Netgalley, for this book.

CW: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Abortion, Infidelity, and Infertility

Calling all Sally Rooney fans! ☎️

Let me start off by saying that I had a feeling I would love this book, and I was totally right!

I’ve had a copy (in some form) of this novel sitting on my tbr for several months, and earlier in June, I decided to give the audiobook a shot.

I got to say, the audiobook is fantastic! I loved the narrator!!! She really captures the voice of the novel and is so easy to listen to!

Rachel is a university student working in a bookstore and living with her best friend, James. When she accidentally decides to put on a book release for a professor she has a crush on, her life takes a turn.

I really don’t want to say more because I feel like the twist is just so well done. Know it happens rather early on in the book since it’s a HUGE plot point.

I will tell you though, that this book has fantastic, atmospheric writing that will transport you into Rachel and James’ lives.

This is a great coming-of-age novel, and I can’t wait to for more people to pick this one up! Definitely add it to your tbrs!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for sending this book for review consideration in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Rachel, a college student in Cork, Ireland and primarily focuses on her relationship with her best friend turned roommate James, a closeted gay man she met working at a bookstore. The book shows them both experiencing falling in love, heartbreak, and the 2008 recession. Entangled in these events is one of Rachel's college professors and his wife, a publisher Rachel interns for - both of which Rachel maintains a complicated relationship with throughout the novel. While the book is primarily character driven, the last 20% provides a few plot twists I definitely did not see coming. I really enjoyed this not only as a coming of age novel, but a well-written, thoughtful reflection on friendship, family, forgiveness, and all the various forms love can take. It was a fairly quick read & I think will be very enjoyable for fans of Sally Rooney or books like Cleopatra & Frankenstein!

CW: infidelity, miscarriage, abortion, alcohol, homophobia, infertility, death of a parent

Thank you Knopf and Netgalley for my ARC of The Rachel Incident.

Rachel meets James in her early twenties and nothing in her life is never the same! They are fast friends and even faster roommates. Soon after meeting each other, James gets entangled in a messy affair that requires Rachel’s secrecy. When Rachel finds romance for herself, her relationship with James tends to complicate matters.

Honestly y’all, I have sat on my feelings for this book for a while and I am still unsure about how I feel. It was very well written, but written on the first person and an awareness of writing to an audience - almost like breaking the fourth wall in television and movies. The book is almost entirely character driven except for on thing and that is “the Rachel incident.”

THE RACHEL INCIDENT by Caroline O’Donoghue is an engaging and humorous coming-of-age story about friendship, love and finding one’s way in the world. The novel opens in present day Ireland, but the main story mostly takes place in 2010 in the city of Cork. Rachel Murray is in her final years of university and working at a local bookstore, trying to make ends meet in the face of an economic downturn. There she meets co-worker, James Devlin, and the pair strike up an unexpected friendship that will have a life-long impact on both of them. James is gay, but is still “in the closet” with his friends and family. James invites Rachel to be his roommate and they are soon enjoying a wildly unconventional relationship. Rachel is infatuated with her married college professor, Dr. Fred Byrne, but Dr. Byrne has other ideas. Soon Rachel and James’ lives become intertwined with those of Fred and his wife, Deenie in ways they could never have imagined. The lives of the characters are portrayed in all their messy chaos and questionable decision-making. There were definitely some cringe-worthy moments, but the story is told with sensitivity and compassion and made me feel I knew the characters personally. Despite some serious topics, the story was entertaining and endearing. I enjoyed THE RACHEL INCIDENT and thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Oh my. What a terrific read this is. It's the depths of the Irish financial crisis, Rachel and her BFF James are living and working in Cork as she finishes college, and then Dr. Byrne comes to their bookstore. Sure Rachel's been lusting after him but it's James he wants and this sets off a chain of events that will resonate into the present. O'Donoghue has created an immersive read with terrific characters. Carey, who Rachel loves but struggles with, especially when he ghosts her, will confound you. Deenie, Fred's wife exists in her own bubble. And then there's James, who wants to write for TV and who lives large and loves Fred. This has unexpected twists (so no spoilers) with big highs and some crushing emotional blows. It's much more than I expected and yes, while it's set largely during Rachel's last year of college, she feels older, perhaps wiser (maybe because it's written in hindsight). Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Terrific storytelling and an actual page turner.

The intro was a little too over the place. Had to DNF but def going to attempt reading a physical copy of the book.

This is one of those books that when you out it down you will feel sad the journey of reading this wonderful book is over. It's a story about two friends Rachel and James living in Ireland in their twenties. It's a story a lot of us will be familiar with. It's about friends who love you and friends who disappoint you. I often found myself lauging out loud and also feeling deep pain when the characters hurt each other unitenionally. The writing is lovely to read because the author makes you feel like you're a fly on the wall of their lives. (Think Coco Mellors Cleopatra & Frankenstein. ) It's a perfect summer literary read and great pick for a book clubs. Lots to discuss about marriage, homosexuality, bad boyfriends, cheating husbands, the literary/publishing world. I'm so excited to see what Ms. O'Donoghue writes next. Will definetly be in my top 10 of 2023. Thank you to #knopf and #netgalley for the ARC. Will be recommending this book to all my friends and bookstgram friends!

I adored this book! I first came across Caroline O'Donoghue's work earlier this year when I read her All Our Hidden Gifts trilogy and eagerly awaited her adult debut. And this did not disappoint.

The Rachel Incident closely examines how abortion laws in Ireland affect women, specifically through the story of Rachel and James. It's a novel about friendship, growing up, loving the wrong people, and making decisions when you are back into a corner. It's funny, a bit suspenseful, and so incredibly human.

I've realized that I love novels told from the perspective of an older character remembering past events. Some of my favorite novels this year have been in the format, and The Rahcel Incident is another to add to the list. Rachel is telling the story of her early 20s through the lens of motherhood in her late 30s. I loved the writing; the setting, the dialogue, and the characters became so real to me so quickly.

Comparisons to Sally Rooney (specifically Conversations with Friends comes to mind), Curtis Sittenfeld, and Katherine Heiny all feel spot on for this stellar debut.

4.5 stars! A dual timeline narrative mostly set in 2009, Rachel Murray's last year of university in Cork, Ireland. Rachel is working at a bookstore when she meets James Devlin and they become fast friends. When Rachel falls for her married professor, Dr. Fred Byrne, both James and Rachel become entangled with Dr. Byrne and his wife, Deenie, who works in publishing. This is only the beginning of Rachel's tumultuous year and it is truly a coming-of-age story. Counterpointing and narrating 2009, is the voice of older Rachel, now in her early 30s, living in London and pregnant with her first child. She's still friends with James (mostly via texts), who lives in NYC and works as a comedy writer on a late night TV talk show. Present-day Rachel has news for James that she's not sure how to share.
I love a good story set in Ireland. You will fall in love with Rachel (and James).

*Special thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for this e-arc.*

I"m sad to say that this book fell a little flat for me. James was a hoot and I kept wishing that he was my friend in real life. The novel was a little too historical and political for my taste. The issues at hand were extremely important, but it felt too much like I was reading a nonfiction instead of a fiction. I craved more character interaction and development. I also thought the ending was incredibly rushed and honestly didn't provide any closure for me. I did enjoy the overall premise and would definitely read another book by O'Donoghue!

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
Published: June 27, 2023
Knopf
Pages: 293
Genre: LGBTQ+ Literary Fiction
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Caroline O'Donoghue is a New York Times bestselling author and podcaster. Formerly a journalist, Caroline has written for The Times, The Guardian, and most of the Irish press. Her award-winning podcast, Sentimental Garbage covers "the culture we love that society can sometimes make us feel ashamed of" and tops the podcast charts internationally. Caroline lives in London with her partner and her dog.

“You love the whole person.”

Rachel meets James while working at a small bookshop in their hometown. They build a random and, at times, an unhealthy friendship that spans their young adult lives. Together they go through finding partners, the drama that can sometimes have, and having secrets that can often be devastating.

This read like a memoir, which was creative. I enjoyed how the story was told and how it led from adolescence to adulthood.

Rachel was remarkably ordinary. She came from a middle-class family, went to university, and was doing things as she was supposed to. James was vibrant and charismatic and destined for more.

Together they grew up. They laughed, cried, and discovered who they were. This was a life story and how sometimes things we can’t control. There were some very realistic themes covered, and the story had a genuine vibe that would resonate with readers of all ages.

This book kind of jumped all over the place with a stream of consciousness style of narrative and I just couldn't get into it at all. I ended up DNF'ing at 10% sadly. Recommended still to people who enjoy authors like Sally Rooney (who isn't my fav at all either lol). Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rachel and her best friend, James, are roommates in Cork, Ireland. Rachel is a student and bookseller whose life becomes messily entwined with one of her professors and his wife. I love the friendship between Rachel and James and appreciate how the two stuck together, even when things became difficult. This book dragged a little bit for me in the middle, but it wrapped up nicely and won me over in the end. Readers who enjoy Irish lit or coming-of-age tales about people in their 20s will enjoy this lighthearted look at relationships in all their forms.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book.

I picked up this book based on the description sounding like it could be a fun mix of Fleabag and Normal People (or some other Rooney book I have yet to read). It did not disappoint (though I would classify it closer to a Rooney than with Fleabag). This novel was such a fun and funny novel about being a new adult and figuring out life, making and keeping friends, finding life, and finding yourself.

What makes this book fun while also keeping it realistic and contemporary is that it is full of questionable moral characters. Just like in real life, no one is perfect. They fall in love with the wrong people and make the wrong choices all the time. They learn and they grow while trying to figure out their own selves, their own bodies, and also the huge world around them.

I love the format that this is written in, a journalist looking at her own past and the question of truth in her narration. The author writes vivid and heartfelt relationships that kept me coming back for more and I almost finished this book all in one sitting. The prose is excellent and detailed while also being witty enough to not be slow or overdone. I can't wait to read more from this author and would recommend this book to anyone who can't wait for the next Sally Rooney novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!