After her life has fallen down in New York, Abby goes back to her hometown in Ireland. On the first night, she is helped by a gorgeous man who gives her a lift.
But the next morning she finds out he was not a stranger. He is Luke Bailey, her next door neighbor. The one she used to play with. The one she used to take baths with.
Little by little, Abby remembers what being at home feels like and she starts to think about Luke all the time. But being with him would be a terrible idea, right? At the end of the day, her life is in New York...
I liked this book. It's sweet, easy to read and perfect for this time of the year. I also liked the descriptions of the Irish landscape. They helped me to created my own images in my mind.

This was a quick cute rom-com. Abby moves back to Ireland after going through somethings. I felt like the chemistry between Abby and Luke wasn’t as strong. I also didn’t like how Abby wasn’t as honest with Luke. I felt like conflict could’ve been resolved if they talked it out . I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope hence the three star rating.

The Rebound was a cute rom-com about Abby, who moves back home to her small town in Ireland after losing her job and breaking up with her fiance.

I loved the setting and loved Luke, although I would have liked to learn a bit more about him. My favorite part was how Abby rekindled her relationship with her sister Louise, and how she learned to love her town again. Her new best friend Beth was also a great side character!

However, the whole plot could’ve been resolved with a few honest conversations. I didn’t understand why Abby would hide that she had broken up with her fiance, especially when it hurt Luke. This type of plot is always frustrating to me. I just want the main characters to be grownups and talk to each other!

Read this book for a lighthearted escape to small-town Ireland, but if you get irked by plots that could be resolved by a simple conversation I’d give this one a pass.

OMG this book was just what I needed. A fun light-hearted rom-com that kept me turning the pages and reading late into the night.

Now for me, a lover of all things thriller-ish with some historical fiction thrown in, that’s saying something 😊 I really did love this one. It was just so easy to read, and I absolutely loved Abby, she was so much fun.

Abby’s world is turned upside down. Not only does she lose her job at a leading financial firm in New York when it collapses and goes under, taking her life savings with it, but her fiancé breaks up with her. So now she is left with no job, no partner and no home. Desperate to escape for a while she boards a plane and heads home to Ireland to spend time with her sister Louise.

Tired, cranky, and feeling like she’s landed in the middle of nowhere, Abby realises she’s stranded with no way of making it from the airport to her sister’s house. Suddenly, it feels like things might be turning around for her when she meets the seriously gorgeous stranger Luke who her offers to drive her to Clonard, after all he’s heading that way anyway.

After some harmless flirting, Abby arrives at her sister’s safe and sound, wondering if she will ever see the handsome stranger again.

Fast forward to the next day, a lunch with the neighbours, and who should arrive on the doorstep…..Luke. Turns out Luke isn’t a handsome stranger after all. He’s her old next-door neighbour. No longer the awkward scrawny kid next door, he’s all grown up and with chiseled looks to prove it, and he knew who Abby was all along.

What unfolds is a fun upbeat look at lives and relationships. It was like drinking a great big warm mug of hot chocolate, I just loved it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this one.

A bit predictive at times, but sometimes (and especially in this genre) it's just what I need. The main characters, Luke and Abby, were quiet enjoyable. Their chemistry wasn't as strong as the other couples I've read from the genre, but they still worked pretty well together. The only detriment that kept me from fully enjoying the story was the miscommunication between them. I dislike this trope, and it was used a lot here. Apart from that, the atmosphere of this book is quaint, thanks to the beauty of the described Irish countryside. If you need a cute, light, palate-cleanser in between heavy books, then this is the book for you.

Solid 3-3.5 stars for me. For romances I now pretty much expect at least one trope and a few stereotypes and while this book did have some of these, it also discussed family dynamics and learning to grow as a family unit. It was a cute, easy read that I read very quick! I thought Abby as a main character was likeable yet wasn't perfect or "quirky" in the annoying way that some romance novels tend to make their leads. Overall would recommend for a light, easy read with some fun Irish details. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a fun and uplifting rom com about finding your true home. I loved the relatable and complicated family dynamics between Abby and her sister. Sometimes we see ourselves as a victim when we've been ignoring what was around us all along. Abby has lost her fiance and job all at once and is forced to confront her past after she moves back home. This story has all of the classic laugh out loud moments you would expect from a small town homecoming. And of course, there is an undeniable chemistry between Abby and the "boy" next door she had long forgotten.
This is a wonderful feel good story that i would recommend to any of my romance reading patrons.

This book was such a quick and easy read!! Loved the easter day creativity and that it took place in Ireland. It was super cute and fun and i’m glad I got the chance to get an ARC through Netgallery!! I enjoyed connecting to the characters and watching Luke and Abby reunite and Abby and Louise slowly acting as sisters.!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review!

After Abby faces the downfall of her company and a break-up with her Fiancé, she flees home to Ireland to face her family for the first time in years. She isn’t sure what she wants or where to go and the fear of disappointment from her parents paired with her sister she doesn’t get along with is a bit overwhelming.

I absolutely loved this book. A slow-burn romance filled with diverse family dynamics and finding your way. Sometimes not knowing your next step is the best way to break free and discover what really makes you happy. Catherine Walsh does a wonderful job at creating characters you fall in love with and want to cry, celebrate, and mourn with.

this is a very cute and lighthearted romcom! however, i would go into it knowing that the romance isn’t the entire plot and that there’s a lot of found-family aspects to it. which is very good and i love her sister and brother-in-law and her friends!!! it’s just not romance-heavy and leans more towards women’s fiction/self-discovery type story. it would be a perfect light read for a beach or on the plane. i would be all for a beth and jessica book, though, anyone else?? 🥺

this book depicts the story of Abby, who, after losing everything, reluctantly goes home to live with her sister until she can get back on her feet. Abby understands that returning home isn't all awful as she reconnects with old friends and meets new ones. And it's possible that the family she despised will be the one to put her back together.
To me, this felt like a conventional rom-com. It was unquestionably pleasurable. The plot is somewhat predictable, which I appreciate on occasion, especially when I just want to read a cute, pleasant novel.

This is a very fun, lighthearted story that follows Abby's journey home and back to herself, with the help of her family and some old and new friends. Abby is a down on her luck and begrudgingly returns home to pick up the pieces after she loses her job, her fiancé and her home. I found it strange that she headed to her sister, with whom she had a horrible relationship, and her hometown, which she was so happy to escape and never visited. Eventually they mend their strained relationship but it took a beat too long. Luke is charming and selfless and I thought Beth was a great sidekick. It was an easy, enjoyable read.

I am still on a quest to break out of my comfort zone. I tried another romance. That said, again the story was ok. It was entertaining. But it didn’t do it for me. I think someone who is into romance would like it. I believe when you try to read outside of your comfort zone, it’s a bit like Cinderella and the glass slipper; you have to keep searching for the right fit.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

Sweet rom-com set in Ireland. Abby Reynolds thought she had bid farewell to her small hometown in Ireland for the bright lights of New York City! But, then her fiance dumped her and her employer imploded. She has no choice but to head home to the town she thought she'd left forever. There she learns important lessons about family, love, and most importantly, herself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

A lovely book again from Catherine. You get all the emotions in this one love, tears and laughter. It tells the story of the relationship between Abby and Luke and all the twists and turns it takes. Lovely imagery of a small seaside town in Ireland.

The setting in Ireland was new for me, interesting and fun. This is the first Catherine Walsh book I’ve read and it’s got me interested in visiting Ireland. And maybe it’s the name Luke, too…but this book gave me warm, cozy Gilmore Girls vibes with its small town, witty banter, and love for coffee. Definitely need to read more Catherine Walsh!

I enjoyed the instant attraction between Abby and Luke, but I still wanted more. I actually didn’t think they had that much chemistry in some parts of the novel. It felt like something was missing at times. I couldn’t connect with Luke much and would have liked more time with him on his own and with Abby. The evolving relationship between Abby and Louise, however, felt so real and relatable.

**4.5 stars**

I want to start by thanking NetGalley and Catherine Walsh for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Release date February 14 2022

The Rebound tells the story of Abby Reynolds returning to her childhood home Conrad in Ireland where she swore she would never return after she finds herself suddenly unemployed, homeless, and "fiancéless". As she is reintroduced to old childhood friends including her next-door neighbor, who doesn’t look at all like what she remembered she quickly realizes that maybe Ireland is not as bad as she thought!

Thoughts: This rom-com was my first book by Catherine Walsh and OMG I adored every single moment of it(finished it in a day)! I saw another reviewer compare it to Gilmore girls and I 100% agree with that(Conrad as Stars Hollow, the Easter fun day as the many festivities in Stars Hollow and Beth giving me a lot of Sookie vibes)! Catherine Walsh's writing was perfect, it felt like she was my best friend telling me a story(does that make sense?)She talked about all kinds of subjects, some more serious than others while adding the right amount of humor. The Characters were also very likable especially Luke, there’s no way to not fall in love with him! Finally, the pace was perfect, the plot easy to follow and somewhat predictable but didn’t make it any less enjoyable.

Overall, this was a cute, fun, and funny read and I highly recommend adding it to your TBR and saving the date for the release! Catherine Walsh and NetGalley thank you again!

This adorable romance is a childhood acquaintances(?) to lovers that is based in Ireland and I could not get enough of it!! I loved these characters from the moment I met each of them and there is just something so romantic about being in the Irish countryside! I was a bit concerned about possible cheating at first (a big no for me) but no worries here! The characters are completely in the clear!

Side note: the epilogue is one of my favorites I’ve read in awhile as while we see our main characters again and where they are (HEA) we also get some information on a supporting potential couple we get glimpses of through out the book!

I can already see myself pulling this book out again in the summer to read by the pool (or hopefully on a beach somewhere)! Highly recommend checking it out if you’re a sucker for an adorable romance when it comes out on Valentine’s Day (Feb 14th), 2022 - could the release date be any more perfect??

Thanks letting me read, it was difficult to get into but it wasn't to bad after you got a few chapters in I like Luke and Abbys relationship I was rooting for them the entire time and I'm glad they ended up together it was a super Irish story and I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Romantic comedies can go either way for me-- I either love them or hate them. I loved this one!

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting too much from this book.  I was hoping for a light-hearted read, and that’s exactly what I got.  I read it very quickly once I got started.  

Abby has lost everything- her money, her job, her apartment, her fiance. She retreats to her hometown of Clonard, Ireland to regroup and hopefully bounce back. However, Abby can’t bring herself to be fully honest with her sister or her parents. The one person she was honest with she happened to forget who he was– her childhood friend, Luke.

Luke helped her get home when she arrived in Ireland, and she was so surprised when she saw him arrive for lunch at her sister’s home. Thus begins a renewed friendship and maybe something more. Abby spends the book figuring out what she really wants, both professionally and personally.

It was refreshing to see a female protagonist who is ambitious instead of waiting or settling. Abby loved her job. She was good at it, and she isn’t afraid of the work involved. I also appreciated the sibling dynamic between Abby and Louise. They both envied each other for different reasons, but in the end, they worked it out by communicating more clearly. I have to say I loved their sisterly relationship more than Abby’s romantic relationships.