Even though this was the first book I've read by this author, I'll happily be checking out their other work soon because this was definitely one of my favorite general fiction reads so far this year. It was a dark, funny and hard to put down. It tackled some heavy subjects in an honest and effortless way. I loved Rachel and both of her James'. The character development and relationship building (between ALL of the couples) was perfection. Damn, now that it's over, I'm realizing I really didn't want it to end and I feel like I could go into a bit of a book slump after this. Also, I wish I could read another novel about James Devlin. He was my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for this early read! I wasn't quite sure what I was in for when I started and it took me a bit of time to grasp where the story was going. Once I got used to the back and forth in the timeline and a better understanding of the characters, I couldn't put the book down!

Knowing this was also based on a real experience, it read more like a fictional story which lent to the speed in which I felt like I could read, almost like I was able to suspend reality and not be so annoyed sometimes with the antics of early 20-somethings just getting out of school. I was one of them once before so I can't judge too harshly.

I loved how the story came full circle to the present day, how life has a way of showing us eventually why we go through certain conflicts to become the people we are today. Worth the read!

Loved it, a great read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

The Rachel Incident was a slow burn. I really liked it. The relationships and characters were easy to connect with. Rachel is floundering. She grew up in an upper class home, but her parents have fallen on hard times. Now, Rachel is struggling to find her place as she nears college graduation--how will she learn to navigate the world? Then, she meets James Devlin. James is obviously queer, but closeted, and Rachel is immediately enamored of him. The two quickly become codependent, but in the way of the very best of friends. Rachel and James work and live together, but never tire of one another. Their bond is wonderful to read about, even if it teeters on unhealthy.

Things get complicated when an affair starts with Rachel's college professor. Rachel and James get ever-more-involved in the lives of the professor and his wife, which becomes a focal point of the story. Another focus: Rachel's unplanned pregnancy and abortion access in Ireland pre-2018 legalization. Last focus: the love story between Rachel and James Carey.

Overall, this book felt meaningful and thought-provoking. While it moved slowly, I was never bored. Highly recommend.

Favorite quotes:
"'Your clothes,' a fashion editor once told me, 'have a sense of humor, don't they?'"

"He was hospitalised, and we were stuck in South Carolina for weeks, and we thought he was going to die, and being sick in America is like staying at the Ritz Carlton and ordering everything on room service every night, money wise."

Hilarious, bittersweet, and full of heart. Perfectly captures the delicious and terrifying angst, uncertainty, passion, and reckless stupidity of youth. I devoured it and enjoyed every minute.

I noticed a lot of people loved this book, i and I read it up to 49%, but I unfortunately just couldn’t get into it and had to dnf it. I thoroughly appreciate the author for giving me the chance to read and review the book. I just didn’t like any of the characters, I especially found Rachel a bit too…rough around the edges for my taste. I thought she might grow on me, but I often was just frustrated with the things she said and/or did. I did very much feel bad for her at times, but I ultimately just couldn’t connect with her the way a lot of others have. I also couldn’t get into the storyline. It just wasn’t my thing, but I think a lot of people will love this book based on other reviews I have read.

Rachel Murray is a university student in her hometown of Cork, Ireland. She likes her bookstore job but is otherwise bored and cynical in the way that 21-year-olds often are. And then she meets James, who immediately becomes her new best friend. The two move in together, sharing a shoddy house on Shandon Street. The next year of their lives is a lot. The two become entwined in the lives of Rachel’s English professor, Dr. Byrne, and his wife Deenie. There are secrets, of course, and they come out in the worst possible way.

There’s more to this story, too: there’s first love and loss, and Rachel and James do a lot of dreaming and growing up. While the events with the Byrnes were pivotal to the story and change the lives of Rachel and James, these other glimpses into their lives were my favorite parts of the book. When James and Rachel would sit together and talk about their future, I got a major hit of nostalgia. Mostly, this is a story of best friendship and it’s beautiful.

I kind of feel like my feelings about The Rachel Incident mirror much of the state of mind of the self titled protagonist. In the story a slightly older and wiser Rachel is reflecting back on a defining and somewhat morally hazy period of her life. Not surprisingly, this was when she was in uni, figuring out who she wants to be, while forming deep relationships with the charismatic James and the irresistible James (henceforth known by his last name of Carey, because there’s too many deep relationships with people of the same first name). When the book starts, Rachel has the unsurprising crush on her married English professor, Dr. Fred Byrnes. Her attempt to appeal to him (seduce doesn’t quite seem to be the right word) leads him into a collision course with James, who is also her roommate. When the two begin a closeted affair it sets the stage for the dynamics between James and Rachel, and Fred and his wife Deenie, and ultimately the spazzy Carey as well. It may also lead the reader to question why they should care about people who make bad choices. A misunderstanding between the group eventually leads everyone upon different paths, some happier or more fulfilling than others. The story definitely reminded me of how that first taste of freedom for young people can be all consuming as well as self destructive. It is in this story, and while you as the reader may want to bang your head against a wall for some of the things that Rachel and James do, you (I’m presuming you’re a self-respecting adult) have to wonder why in the world Fred wants to get in the middle of that train wreck? He may feel trapped in his life, but getting involved with James is not ultimately a good alternative. When Rachel finds herself in a difficult situation she capitalizes on this, and the reader is forced to contemplate the fact that this is about the only way she can fix the situation she’s in. A lot of this book drove me crazy because I wanted to grab Rachel, shake her, and tell her to make better choices. But ultimately I really enjoyed how the book ended, when she begins to grow up some and begins making said better choices. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story transported me back to my own days of undergrad when I was struggling to find who I was and what it meant to be a woman within the world. I loved every word O'Donoghue put forth in Rachel's journey. I highly recommend this book for all young women.

Capturing the days of university life where friendships are strong, emotions are deep, and money is tight, Caroline O'Donoghue has written a wonderful novel in The Rachel Incident. Rachel and James meet while working at a bookshop in Cork and decide to hold a book release event for Rachel's professor, with hopes that it will lead to a little fling. Never in their wildest dreams do they predict the relationships that will happen and how they become entangled in the lives of the professor and his wife, Deenie. Ten or so years later, a pregnant Rachel reflects on this time on her life and how it led her to where she is now.

This coming-of-age story took me a bit to get into as I didn't initially connect to the characters, but as I continued to read I enjoyed the dynamic between Rachel and James as it is a realistic portrayal of friendship and finding your identity and place in the world. I will check out others books written by this author. Thank you netgalley for this ARC.

Rachel is an Irish girl finishing up her English degree and living with her best friend James, a closeted gay man. She isn't living her best life yet, and isn't sure when it will begin. When Ireland falls into economic depression in 20008, she is even more desperate for change. Without giving too much away, I will say that this is a book that will capture your heart. I loved Rachel and Jame's. relationship and never tired of the stories. O'Donoghue has a way with words that take you back to your own nostalgic "Uni" days, while still including the very real issues of abortion, homesexulatily and women's freedom in general in Catholic Ireland. If you remember your college years fondly, if you miss your best friend you ever had, or you just want to read a fun novel that is realistic and memorable, The Rachel Incident is for you! #TheRachelIncident #CarolineODonoghue #Knopf #Panthoen

I'd had a streak of disappointing books in the last two weeks, most of which I was barely able to make it through
- so thank you to Caroline O'Donoghue and her editor for breaking my run of bad luck with this belter, which has been attached to my hand all day.

Tall Rachel Murray and short James Devlin meet while working in a bookshop and decide to live together in a run-down student house on Shandon Street, in the aftermath of the Irish economy's collapse. Rachel wants to do something in publishing, and James wants to go to America and be a famous comedy writer, but as a working-class Irish gay man with no connections, the odds are stacked against him. When they fall for the same man, it brings them closer together as well as exposing the gaps between them and their relative advantages and disadvantages in terms of gender and class privilege, as well as how these would be viewed differently by both James and Rachel in 2010 vs. 2023.

Sounds heavy, but with a light touch and some passionate references to Barbara Trapido (whose first novel Brother of the More Famous Jack this is a bit of a nod to, I think) South Park, Maeve Binchy and Will and Grace, this to me is far stronger than O'Donoghue's own first novel and will go to the top of my 'gifts for others' list for 2023.

this book was hilarious, heartwarming, incredibly relatable, and just all the good things books like this should be.

This was my first time reading Caroline O'Donoghue, and although this isn't the type of story I normally read, I'm still thankful I gave it a chance. There are some political hot topics in this book, namely homosexuality/sexual identity, so if you don't have an open mind, then I don't recommend it. The best way I know to describe this book is to say it's a coming of age story. Remember the dumb things you did in your early 20's and what a confusing time it was? Well...welcome to Rachel's world! It's a bumpy ride but worth it.

This was a brilliant coming-of-age story! THE RACHEL INCIDENT centers around Irish university student Rachel, who is finishing up her undergrad in Cork and nursing a secret crush on her (married) English professor, Dr. Byrne, when she meets James, who becomes her best friend and housemate. Soon, Rachel and James’s lives intersect with those of Dr. Byrne and his seemingly-perfect wife, Deenie, in unexpected ways.

I absolutely loved the writing style of this book—it was so witty and just compulsively readable! It handled some important topics with a thoughtful yet light touch. I really enjoy stories where the narrator is telling the story as an older, wiser version of themself and flashing back in time/recounting those events with the benefit of knowledge and maturity. As such, I thought it was a great choice to have Rachel sharing everything retrospectively. I think the friendship between Rachel and James was the highlight of the book for me, but everything was very well-done. This was my first book by Caroline O’Donoghue, and I can’t wait to read more of her writing! Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC.

I feel like this novel shouldn't work as well as it does, because a few of the plot beats feel inorganic or contrived enough to threaten to sink it, but in some ways those flaws are also what make it such a pageturner and nearly impossible to put down. It somewhat annoyed me when chapters ended with cliffhanger plot revelations (especially when it happened multiple chapters in a row), but I can't say it didn't work. Beyond all that, though, O'Donaghue's writing style is so effortlessly witty and allows the character of Rachel to become a rich and well-examined one. It's not an especially long read, just a hair over 300 pages (ostensibly-- I read it digitally), but it feels like quite the journey. The first portion of the novel, outlining a devious bookstore-related plan to court a professor, feels like a good, lighthearted trial run for what the rest of the novel would be, which was a lot of reading through parted fingers due to awkwardness or spiraling decisions.

I find it a little funny that the cover to this book looks considerably like a reversal of the cover of My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin (a book I loved, and to be honest I think the main reason I requested this one was due to the cover similarity sparking recognition in me) both featuring a painted girl but one facing forward and the other backwards. In a way, that's fitting, because My Last Innocent Year is about a college student having an affair with her professor and this one is, well, to avoid spoilers, I'll just say it's like multiple reversals of that concept.

I loved this book! The author also wrote the book Promising Young Woman. If you're familiar with that you'll get a sense of her writing. It's dark humor and a gritty but very believable story. I really loved all of these characters even with their flaws. I struggled at the end of this book because I didn't want to say goodbye. This is my favorite book so far this year!

Thanks a million to NetGalley and Knopf for sending me a copy of this ebook!

I liked this story. Several reviewers are calling it a coming of age story (and I guess it is), but that designation took me by surprise. I usually think of coming of age stories starting with children. This one starts with a 20 year old named Rachel. I had to remind myself that she was only 20 as I read the book and got frustrated with some of her life choices......but, didn't we all do stupid things at that age?

Rachel's friendship with James was a beautiful thing and was probably my favorite relationship in the book. They went through some pretty serious situations together. It was nice to follow their lives for a while together and satisfying to see where they ended up later on.

I'm grateful to NetGalley for letting me read an ARC of this book. I felt transported to Ireland while reading it and would love to read more from this author.

Comparisons to Sally Rooney & Donny Alderton are warranted in this relatable Irish coming-of-age story. As her editor beautifully describes, this book is about "authenticity, about being gay in a conservative society, about sex and bodily autonomy, about coming of age in an economic recession." But it is also about finding joy and one's self.

Rachel and James are inseparable friends, trying to maintain their bohemian lifestyle amidst the threat of an impending financial crash. When Rachel falls in love with her married professor, Dr. Byrne, James helps her devise a plan to seduce him through the only way they know how- by leveraging their roles at their local bookshop.

In an elaborate scheme, they convince the shop owner to host a book signing for his new academic work, and Rachel can't wait for the night to end when she can finally act on her feelings for the professor. When she wanders into the back of the shop, though, she discovers her best friend is kissing Dr. Byrne, and this will be the beginning of many years of secrets, deceit, and compromise that threaten their friendship and a marriage.

It is also a kiss that Rachel, strangely, feels a part of because of the claustrophobic way these two friends love each other. In many aspects, their lives are so intertwined, their moments relived so often together, that they become the same person. Rachel often backtracks to clarify to herself and the reader that some of these things didn't happen to her, but they feel like it when they relive every intimate detail together until the wee hours of the morning.

As the financial times become increasingly lean, she leverages this secret to create small bits of financial security through emotional blackmail. It could be as small as the grocery deliveries the professor sends with gourmet cheese and wine, or as big as landing an entry-level position in the literary world. All of this cannot happen without consequence, as it all comes to a dramatic end that sabotages Rachel's reputation and alters the course of her young adult life.

What I loved about this was the reflective nature of this journey. This story is told through Rachel's new adult viewpoint, where she can see her immaturity, vulnerability, and manipulation. She also isn't entirely sure if the world was that fixated on her saga or if it was just because she only thought about herself, something we all could understand. It wouldn't be as compelling if told in the present timeline.

More importantly, I appreciated the journey of how identity looks differently through these decades. For James, coming out is optional for his generation. So why does he need to make any proclamation? For Dr. Byrnes, he didn't know his world could look any different.

Speaking to "queer men of a certain vintage," O'Donoghue writes, "They state their age, and they wait. They let you do the math. They look at you with an expression that says: I was born in 1972. I was a teenager in the eighties. Think about the things I've seen, the news stories I was terrorised with, the deadly body I was told that I might become."

Later, James decides to live out proudly, while Dr. Byrnes must continue his secret affairs. James never expected his decision to be tricky for his lover to navigate, but the professor wants James to rein it in and worries over his lifestyle. It's a contrast that would make a phenomenal book-buddy discussion.

I could not put this book down and finished it in a single day. Don't miss this emotionally complex tale if you love a character-driven story with moving coming-of-age themes.