I fell in love with this book quickly, from the very first chapter, fully intrigued by Rachel and James’ relationship and the messy antics of 20-year-olds living in Cork, Ireland. Told from the perspective of a mature Rachel looking back on that time in her life, this story is about friendship and sex and love and identity and I loved it so much on audio (thanks for my copy @prhaudio!) that I wasn’t even halfway through before ordering myself a copy, knowing that these were characters I’d want to revisit again and again.

This is a great coming of age novel about a young college student named Rachel and her best friend, James taking place in 2010 but flashing back to the future. It’s such a beautiful novel about young adults finding themselves and the strong friendship between James and Rachel. I really enjoyed reading it snd was disappointed when it ended.

At its heart, this is a story about friendship but the author layers in elements of growing up, sexuality, keeping secrets, and making tough life choices. I adored the relationship between best friends Rachel and James. They are truly nonromantic life partners. I also found the other relationships in this story so realistic and messy, in the best ways. I think this would make a great book club choice because I finished reading with so much to discuss and so many questions I wanted to explore. Thanks to Caroline O'Donoghue, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, and NetGalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

In 1998 (stay with me, here), a movie starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd came out called “The Object of My Affection”. In a rough nutshell, it’s about a woman who gets pregnant and decides she’d rather raise the baby with her gay best friend than with the father of the baby and the gay best friend agrees. The issue is, of course, that committing oneself to being a surrogate parent and platonic significant other at the same time is a lot to ask of someone who comes to realize they want to fall in love for themself.

I thought of that movie while I was reading The Rachel Incident not only because they both involve a straight woman and a gay man being platonic besties, but also because their friendship is also as codependent as the one in the movie. And there’s a quote in “The Object of my Affection” that serves The Rachel Incident well:

“Don't fix your life so that you're left alone right when you come to the middle of it.”

This quote, I think, sums up part of the problem and the solution for besties Rachel and James in O’Donoghue’s dramedy, set largely in Cork County, Ireland, starting in 2009 and goes on into the late 2010s but ends somewhat nebulously prior to COVID. Rachel and James meet one day when she comes into work at the bookshop she’s worked at for two years and James is a new employee. They hit it off and become roommates. He tells her he’s straight, she thinks he’s lying but lets it go. She has a crush on one of her English professors anyway. One night at the bookstore after a book signing, she finds out for sure her roommate is gay when she sees him in the arms of someone unexpected. That night sets off a chain of events that deeply affects both of their lives for the next two years at least, sometimes testing their friendship to the breaking point. In the end, it’s Rachel who ends up paying the most for that sequence of events, even though she ultimately had nothing to do with it except keep a secret for her best friend who wasn’t ready to come completely out of the closet yet.

O’Donoghue has a great talent for dialogue. I found myself swinging from laughing to tearing up at some of the dialogue passages in this book. Her talent for writing Rachel’s inner narrative and keeping the character consistent while allowing for growth and development was also very nice. What I found myself not liking was how the book swung back and forth in time and tense without warning, since it was being told like Rachel is telling someone a story. That particular narrative structure just doesn’t fit the book well, especially when O’Donoghue doesn’t always tell us readers what year it is when she goes back to talking about the past.

There’s also somewhat of a cultural barrier, due to this book being based in recent Irish history not many international readers (like this US one) would be familiar with. I can keep up with the Irish and British slang just fine, but I know nothing of Irish politics because I’ve been too busy worrying about the mess we have over here. So a lot of the nuances of what the characters are talking about when it comes to laws and referendums was lost on me. Now, the debate about abortion and birth control is something that’s timely no matter where you are in the world, I think, because those are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights. Human rights are a global issue. So I definitely picked up on all of that, but when it comes to anything else political in Ireland I’m pretty much useless. That could’ve affected my reading experience, I’m sure.

If you want to read about everlasting friendship, unrequited love, loving the wrong person, loving the right person at the wrong time, second chances, how English degrees don’t prepare you for a career in which you can use it, and how people grow into becoming the people they’re meant to be, this is a great book. Just beware that if you don’t know that much about Ireland you might either need to just accept that for what it is or look it up.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under:Coming of Age/ Literary Fiction/LGBTQ Fiction

For something that I was so unsure about when starting out, I was completely sucked into Rachel’s story and fell in love with these characters. This is such a touching coming of age story of friendship. It is humorous while still tackling tough and hard hitting issues in a considerate and emotive way. I genuinely did not expect to enjoy nor feel so much empathy towards this story as I did, but I am so glad I read it and can’t wait to read more of Caroline’s work.

Rachel Murray finds herself with a brand new best friend as soon as James Devlin comes into work with her at a bookshop in Ireland in 2010. They are inseparable, quickly becoming each others life lines in the strange world of young adulthood, spending all their time together. Through Rachel's finishing up her studies in English at the university and James coming to terms with his sexuality, the readers are spending some of the most pivotal moments in their lives. When Rachel attempts to seduce one of her English professors, things took a turn that causes ongoing twists. Through examining her life 10 years later, we learn how her friendship with James affected the rest of her life.

This was just a splendid story about friendship and what it is like to come of age in a hard time in Ireland. The author spends a lot of time examining the friendship of James and Rachel. After reading this book, I feel like I was friends with them as well. Their relationship was so important to Rachel that she didn't even realize that it was affecting other parts of her lives, including her romantic life, which was telling towards the end of the book. I feel like many readers will have this resonate with them, especially if they have found themselves in a friendship in which you almost take on the identity of the other individual. I went to college at the same time of Rachel, making us the same age, and this story truly resonated with me. I felt like I could be in this story, the characterization was so complete, and I truly enjoyed the time I spent reading this book. It was poignant and heartwarming at times, made me actually laugh out loud, and I will be recommending this book to all my friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

I got this one as a 'read now' email so i didn't really know what it was about when I started it. It's not my usual genre choice but I did end up enjoying it. This story mostly just follows Rachel except that every time I thought I could guess what was going to happen with her next, I was completely wrong. The twists and plot of this story were all over the place (not like logically, just totally surprised me at times). I don't know that I could say I like any of the characters, but I was absolutely sucked into the drama and chaos of Rachel's life.

What a unique spin on a literary fiction coming of age centering around an inappropriate relationship with a professor! I went into this thinking how could this be any different than the other stories I've read with similar themes, but honestly I can say I have never read anything like this.

I loved how the story didn't focus on the relationship with the professor but instead the best friend relationship between Rachel and James. The way the story shifted was so intriguing and fascinating to read and I love how it felt both slow and fast at the same time.

Also the cover?! I would 100% purchase this book solely for the cover but bonus points for how great the insides were as well!

Rachel is a student working at a bookstore where she meets James and falling madly in love. They run all over the city of Cork together until Rachel falls in love with her married professor. Then James helps set up an opportunity for Rachel to seduce him. This sets in motion a series of secrets and incidents that intertwine all of their fates.

A humorous novel about love, friendship, and self discovery. I loved it.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Rachel Incident is a quirky, humorous coming of age novel about early adulthood and the struggles that college students go through as they find their footing both in who they are as people and those that they surround themselves with.

Rachel is a broke English major who befriends James Devlin, a closeted gay man who works at the bookshop with her. Together the two of them navigate their twenties and their individual love affairs.

I absolutely loved how real the characters were and despite not being Irish, I could still relate to Rachel. As an English major who searched for a job with a seemingly “useless” degree, I completely understood Rachel’s fear navigating life post-university and her age at the time period the novel takes place at about the same time I was in my mid-twenties.

Recommended for English majors and any millennial who has survived their twenties.

Thank you to NetGalley, Caroline O’Donoghue, and Knopf for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for this glorious ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Rachel Incident jumps between Rachel Murray in her twenties and her thirties. In a whirlwind, she and her best friend, James, go through love, heartbreak, friendships, breakups, makeups, and all hell breaking loose. I loved every minute of it.

I guess I skimmed over the synopsis when I requested it on NetGalley because I thought this was a book about lesbians; also, no clue that it took place in Ireland. Nevertheless, I was hooked from the moment I started reading. The characters were intriguing, their successes and mishaps entertaining, and there was a never a dull moment. It was hilarious, shocking, heartbreaking, and everything in between. Yes, everything was tied up quite nicely in the end, but I enjoy that every now and then—and I especially enjoy a flash forward.

Would recommend this to anyone who likes general adult fiction. If this book gets adapted into a movie, I will definitely be first in line to see it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked how the story begins in present day, but much of it is told reflecting back on what happened in 2010, when Rachel was a young 20-something in school. The author does a great job of making the characters realistic and relatable (to their age group) - many parts in the books you want to scream at the characters. But than you realize they are going through a time in their life where they are growing and transitioning from childhood to adulthood. O'Donoghue does an amazing job of clearly bringing you back in time, where hindsight and time can show the lack of experience in your decision making. Overall, a well done book that hits on all the emotions. You will laugh, you will cry.
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

A story about young adulthood set in 2010's Ireland, focusing on Rachel and best friend James, and their fascination and involvement with Rachel's professor Dr. Byrne and his wife Deenie.

I really enjoyed this book, and it was fantastic on audio. I loved Rachel and James's friendship; they were quirky, sarcastic, gave each other a hard time, but ultimately had one another's backs through everything. Barely scraping by, figuring out what they want to "do" with their lives, trying to find love, making mistakes and questionable decisions, what young adulthood is all about... just figuring it out. Not always pretty, but in Rachel's case entertaining.

One thing that kept me turning the pages was the writing. Even when there wasn't much "happening" by way of plot, Rachel drove the story through immaturity and life's setbacks to learning from experiences.

Definitely one of those books where you're not sure exactly where it's going but you're enjoying the ride so you stick around to find out what happens.
Looking forward to seeing more from Caroline O'Donoghue!

I am so on the fence about this read as I loved parts and found myself wanting to skip others. Loved the interactions between Rachel and the “original” James. Wishing every woman could have a best friend like him. The other James certainly played a major role in her life but I found myself disliking him, and becoming frustrated with Rachel for not seeing the forest through the trees. I am sure this ambivalence was desired by Caroline O’Donoghue to show the maturity level of young Rachel.
The love story between James and Fred was so heartbreaking but loved the connections between James, Fred, Rachel, and Deenie.
I appreciated the dichotomy of social standings and the role they played in this read. Also interesting was the social climate in Ireland, which I know little about. At times I almost felt like a voyeur watching Rachel navigate life.
Many thanks to Caroline O’Donoghue, Knopf, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this recently published book.

With a loveable, misfit cast of characters, this story follows Rachel and her relationship with her best friend, James, both in their early 20's, as they navigate the real world and drama of their own making. The witty self reflection makes it easier to put yourself in their shoes... even if they're making some pretty silly choices. I really enjoyed this one, though the pace was on the slower side of what I typically prefer. It was an excellent, and entertaining look at how choices made in your youth can change the trajectory of the rest of your life. The friendship between Rachel and James is what dreams are made of and loved reading about what those two had found in each other.

TW: miscarriage

Rachel is a student who works at a bookstore, there she meets James and it’s love at first sight. They hit it off instantly and James asks Rachel to move in and become his roommate. This changes the course of their lives. Rachel than falls for a married professor, and James makes it his goal to help her. Their fates all intertwine in a hilarious romp of a story.

This is a story about friendship, love, and all the in-betweens we feel. All the characters are complex in their own ways and unique. Rachel wants love and it seems she’s always falling for the wrong one. James is most favorite as he’s hilarious and the best friend you’d want by your side.

Not sure I was the right audience for this novel. Their lack of adulting annoyed me and I found it painful to read at times. I am sure that it will resonate with the generation that dealt with similar issues.

<b>"I have read nothing whatsoever on the trauma of when your English professor decides not to fuck you." </b>

I knew I was going to love this the moment I read the first page. Fans of Sally Rooney will equally find themselves captivated by O'Donoghue's writing. It's evocative and shocking in a way that doesn't isolate the reader but perfectly renders the sharpness and detail and uncomfortability that can be found in the mundane and everyday life. At times, you wonder if O'Donoghue has managed to pry loose the secret thoughts living in your brain that may appear unseemly, crass, or dramatic, yet feel so very human. There's a rawness, a truthfulness, an insightfulness here that feels very personal, like exposing the scars you've acquired just by living, just by trying to make it through to the other side.

<b>"Our relationship had shifted its feet, adjusting for the amount of weight it was now holding."</b>

At it's heart, Rachel's journey is one about a woman coming into her own when everything around her is complicated, still murky, and unknown. The economy has crashed (The Great Recession, 2008), her family is struggling financially, her views on politics, agency, and feminism wax and wane by a lack of challenge and need, she lacks a sense of grounding everywhere around her and finds herself gravitating towards the magnetic and charming James Devlin. University and young adulthood become the battlegrounds where Rachel finds everything about herself pushed and pulled, challenged and remade, as what happens for so many of us. While the story certainly focuses on Rachel and James' friendship -- it's ups and downs, the toxicity and codependency that can often arise in friendships during this period in your life when you're finally "on your own" but you also don't know "who you are", there's also much more to the story here. There's Rachel's own failed romantic aspirations and relationships, the difficult life choices that are not uncommon for many women all over the world, and the sticky yet alluring dark circumstances that culminate into shocking secrets and reveals that leave marks on everyone involved long past the dust has settled.

<b>"I felt like we were playing cover songs of our own conversations. We just didn't enjoy each other in the same way."</b>

There are moments of genuine laughter and joy, passion and wanting, and heartbreak and shame. I went through so many emotions reading this. O'Donoghue's range and ability to seamlessly take us through Rachel taking the piss out of herself, to a heartfelt conversation between lifelong friends in a language that's intimate yet accessible to the reader, to the vividness of sexual encounters, and THEN to the bone aching pain of loss is a marvel. It's truly hard to go into further details without spoiling anything, yet suffice to say that this will feel very intimate and personal. It feels like reading a memoir as Rachel walks us through her life and choices, the good and ugly, while also letting the reader have room to have their own opinions and judgements.

<b>"It was bad, but it was familiar, like a fairy story at its most savage and transcribed from the original Danish." </b>

Elegant but restrained, refreshing yet accessible, thought provoking and memorable, O'Donoghue really hit it out of the park with this one. Big thanks to Knopf for my galley and PRAudio for my free audiobook. This is a fantastic story that belongs on your TBR and I highly recommend the audiobook which brilliantly brings Rachel's voice to life.

Infatuated with her married college professor, 20 year old Rachel and her new found, equally as chaotic closeted friend James, hatch a plan to draw Dr Byrne into their world. The three of their lives become entwined, but not in the way they initially intended.

Against the back drop of Ireland in the early 2000’s, it’s economic depression, abortion rights debate, and mental health taboo, all of these themes play a prominent roll in the storyline. Told in reflection, with Rachel’s narrative voice critical of her own former self and societies values her inner and outer world reflected.

Moving through her college experience in typical fashion, in a haze of nights out, codependent friendships, uncertain relationships, political angst and anxieties about the future, The story was compelling in the familiarity and nostalgia it induced. The story’s array of unlikeable and self-absorbed characters, and their messy relationships and web of secrets, juxtaposed to the sad political landscape, were exciting.

Rachel, self involved as most young adults are, friends and lovers alike, she prefers only the comfortable. When emotions are low, or anxieties high, always considering abandonment or isolation the only resolution. My only gripe, with these and other selfish tendencies i found it hard to empathise, or feel any satisfaction in the hail-mary ending events of the story. Otherwise, a compelling coming of age novel with intriguing political insight.