A sensible and thoughtful novel about friendship, loyalty, and surviving young adulthood.

This is a novel filled with very flawed characters and their flaws made me love them so much more. None of us know what the f we are doing, and it is always reassuring to read books that accurately recall the struggles of growing up.

I thought O'Donoghue managed to make these characters feel like real people and I thought the writing flowed perfectly. The story was original and enjoyable, and the ending was wrapped up nicely.

*Many thank yous to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book to read.

I've read a couple books sort of like The Rachel Incident lately - coming-of-age stories, slices of life, young adults drinking and having a lot of sex.

While I'm finding that these really aren't for me - whether it's because I'm 41, or because I got married at 22 and didn't have that kind of young adulthood, or it's just not my jam in lit - The Rachel Incident definitely has some memorable characters and a unique tale.

Rachel immediately clicks with James, a new coworker, and they find themselves as new roommates and best friends. Rachel's trying to finish college, and finds her professor pretty fascinating.

Apparently so does James, after Rachel finds them en flagrante in the bookshop storage closet.

What follows is the story of their affair, Rachel's falling apart over the rest of the school year, and the story of a friendship.

No one in this book is particularly likable, so if that's a sticking point for you, beware. I also don't know how much personal growth we really see from Rachel, which to me is a little disappointing ... but she is pretty young for the whole story. (I now look back at myself at 23 and I pretty horrified.)

If you love stories like Dolly Alderon's Ghosts or Jana Casale's How to Fall Out of Love Madly, I think you'll really enjoy this. It is well-written and totally readable - just not my cup of tea.

The Rachel Incident accurately depicts the messiness of early adulthood. And for our FMC Rachel, and those around her, it is especially messy. As Rachel recounts the story that led her to her current situation, you are introduced to her various loves in her life and how they evolve. From bookstore clerk to trying to find her way through the publishing field... From a loveless relationship to every other possible type of relationship.. Rachel finds all the drama.

This book was damn good. I loved how well it showed how self doubt and the precarious nature of early adulthood can lead way to toxic attachment. Each relationship, both platonic and not, alters throughout the story in ways you won't see coming. I found myself sucked right into this one!

4.5/5

3.5 Stars

I came across this one via a marketing email from the publisher. The book's about a young woman living in her native Cork, Ireland and struggling financially during a recession. She finds a job in a bookshop where she makes the acquaintance of one James Devlin. This is a flashpoint in Rachel's life, as she and James spark a unique friendship and incredible bond. James is quite the character and is obviously gay, although he hasn't come out to his family and friends. They suddenly decide to get a place together, revelling in their unconventional but thriving relationship. Life becomes quite complex when Rachel's professor at college integrates into she and James' personal lives, causing a bit of controlled chaos. There were some shocking and hilarious moments that made me laugh out loud and took me by surprise. This was a fairly quick and pleasant read that was a mixed bag of humor, the complicated road of love and sex, navigating employment in publishing and entertainment, and the serious discussion of unwanted pregnancy.

Thank you to the publisher Knopf who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

DNF @22%
I can't tell if I'm not liking the book, or if I'm just not in the mood for it. It's slow and boring and I don't care about the characters.

This book follows a 20something millenial struggling in friendship, love and career. It took me a bit to get into but once it gets into the “love” story o was more connected to the characters. I liked the look back at early 2000s to take note of how things have changed, or haven’t. Someone mentioned this was reminiscent of Rooney and I will say there were parts that also reminded me of Adelaide as well. It’s a bit meandering but I think it will resonate with those that are in this phase of life or more recently left it behind..

Multiple times while reading this book I wondered if I wasn’t the right audience. I’m a textbook first born child Virgo and reading about Rachel and James’s winging it/no plans nature was making me itch. Then I got to the meat of this novel and it was gold. Character development and overall story was well developed and executed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for granting me early access to this book!

This was my first time reading a book by this author and I was not disappointed! I found it to be really powerful and interesting, thoughtful and funny. A coming of age story full of love, lust, and mistakes. Trigger warnings for abortion and miscarriage.

This is a coming of age story that follows Rachel Murray, in her last year of university, and meets James, a new employee at the bookstore she works at, who is a closeted gay man. They quickly become friends and move in together, beginning a transformative year for both of their lives.

Rachel has a deep crush on one of her married professors, Dr. Byrne and comes up with a plan to interact with him more. While that relationship does not unfold as she hopes, her life becomes more intertwined with James, Dr. Byrne, and Dr. Byrne's wife. 

The book is narrated by Rachel, about 10 years after the events from this year have passed, offering some introspective commentary. Rachel comes off as insecure, desperate, uncertain, and just trying to figure out what she wants to do and be. I found the three (and a half) main characters to all be greatly flawed and now always likeable. I didn't always support Rachel's decisions or the way she communicates but did try to remember how young and lost she was.  This book is quite reminiscent to Sally Rooney books - which is to say, I am not a big fan of Sally Rooney.

Recommend if you enjoy
Contemporary Irish fiction stories
Queer coming of age stories
Sally Rooney stories
Abortion politics

When 20-year-old Rachel Murray meets James, the new employee at the bookstore she works at, she is immediately drawn to him, desperate to be his friend. The two coworkers quickly hit it off and move in together, thus beginning a transformative year for both of their lives.

Rachel is in her last year of university and has a deep crush on one of her married professors, Dr. Byrne. In true young adult best friend fashion, James is completely supportive of Rachel's fantasies about an affair with Dr. Bryne and schemes with her on how to make it happen. Though Rachel's relationship with her professor does not unfold as she hoped, both James's and her lives become intertwined with those of Dr. Bryne's and his wife's in ways they could not have foreseen.

I absolutely loved The Rachel Incident. The plot is jaw-dropping yet believable, and O'Donoghue does an excellent job of portraying the characters as deeply relatable, if not always likable. Narrated by a remarkably introspective Rachel ten years later, The Rachel Incident perfectly captured the insecurity, uncertainty, and, at times, desperation, of your early 20's as you try to figure out who you are and what you want your life to become.

AHHHHH! I am so thankful to Knopf Books, NetGalley, and PRH Audio for sending me digital and physical copies of The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue. This contemporary Irish fiction details 2010-come up in university while struggling to find your place and be involved. Our dear MC, Rachel, longs to work in publishing and meets many of her friends through the bookstore she works at along the way.

As she comes to know her future roommate, James, she takes one too many bullets for him and the trouble he gets into. James is sleeping with one of their professors, and later down the line, Rachel takes the blame for it to protect the professor's queer journey and the privacy of her close friend.

I found myself wanting to shake Rachel to better stand up for herself against those who so frequently take advantage of her, but perhaps that's a part of growing up -- you have to figure things out the hard way.

The Rachel Incident is set to hit shelves on June 27, 2023, and I can't wait!

I'm presently living with a twenty-one year old so this book hit home and made me consider my own youth despite not having grown up in Ireland where this book is set. Loved the characters in the book - I think I would've been friends with Rachel and James in my twenties - or at least wanted to. The flow of the book really worked for me and I liked the glimpses into the future where you knew Rachel had landed but still wondered about what got her there. Caroline O'Donoghue masterfully incorporated some big issues such as infidelity, miscarriage, abortion and the Repeal movement in Ireland (of which I wasn't very familiar and looked up). This book didn't disappoint and I'm looking forward to Caroline O'Donoghue's next offering already. Read this! It's a banger! (4.5)

First book i've had from this author and it was a refreshing change from the books that I normally read. This is a coming of age story that transports one to 2010. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Yes, it’s pretty much chick lit. But it’s so much fun. Rachel will make you laugh and cry.

Rachel Murray is a young college student finding her way through a college degree in English. She works in a bookstore where she meets the friend she’s always wanted. James Devlin. James is so camp, and so clearly gay. Though he claims he’s just camp and not gay.

And then Rachel is in Dr. Byrne’s class. Dr. Byrne is every college girl’s dream Large. Handsome. All about the literature. So when he shows up at the bookstore one day to enquire about the release of his book, Rachel swoons. Immediately drafting James into her world to help her get the bookstore to do a book launch.

Rachel and James move in together and chaos ensues. They are the Will & Grace of their time. Best friends suffering through all the good and bad together. Their flat is essentially a hovel, but it’s their hovel. For a bit more than a year it is their refuge. James & Rachel build a partnership that simply defies incursion by anyone else. Not James’s lovers. Not Rachel’s boyfriend. It is them against the world.

Until it isn’t. And suddenly, James & Rachel will have to face the real world and learn how to stand on their own two feet without the other’s constant support.

I loved this book for so many reasons. We are so young in our early 20s. Does any of us really know what we’re going to be in a decade? Rachel exemplifies this so perfectly. She has one vision of the world, but the world is not what she thinks it is. James is the same. An ideal foil for Rachel’s uncertainty, James always seems certain about everything.

This truly is a fun, enjoyable read. There are surprises. Cannot wait to read another of O’Donoghue’s novels.

Cute coming of age story follows college grad, Rachel, as she navigates adulting with her best friend, her boyfriend and her/their crushes. THE RACHEL INCIDENT by Caroline O’Donoghue is witty and timely, including abortion politics, gay best friends, unexpectedly expensive college and confusing sexual desires. The audience for the book likely skews young-ish as the issues are decidedly 20-something. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I loved The Rachel Incident. It’s the perfect story to really capture that finishing uni, early twenties messiness and I think if you’re within that stage of your life then it’s a great read. Rachel’s friendship with James is just perfect and shows how unexpectedly but passionately and quickly the trusts friendships in your life form. It has the perfect mix of drama, cultural awareness (for example, the running thread of Irish abortion laws) and romance and keeps you so engaged - I also love nothing like a nice happy ending and this book ties everything up SO well (the physiotherapist?! I audibly gasped). It’s a deeply layered late coming of age novel with humour, sweet sentimental moments and the perfect portrayal of the slippery messiness of those borderline immature decisions you make at this age and how quickly you have to take responsibility. It’s certainly a new favourite of mine and I’ll be reading more Caroline O’Donoghue asap!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book was an easy read... it was very fun and also overwhelming at times. It reminded me a lot of Conversations With Friends, but I found myself rooting for Rachel to find her footing. It's definitely a bizarre story. Not for everyone. But great writing and entertaining themes!

This turned out to not be for me, and I abandoned it at 37%.
I actually really enjoyed the first part, but when Rachel started dating and re-dating Carey I was just grossed out, annoyed, and exhausted. I couldn’t see where we were going and I stopped caring. The content of this book is not something I want in my mind, although I loved any references to Irish culture and history.
Thanks for the opportunity to try it.

Rachel is a student in her last year of college in County Cork. She works in a book store where she meets James and her life is forever changed., In 2008 with the recession in Ireland in full swing, there are not many open avenues for employment. as the young and fearless often do, Rachel moves out of her parents home in in with James, who is a closeted gay man, as one must be in the conservative parts of Ireland,.

They share everything (well, almost) and become the closest of friends, Rachel tells James that she has a bit of a crush on her English professor, Dr. Byrne. James comes up with the idea to host a book reading of Dr. Byrnes new book at the store. Given the topic, this would never have happened on it's own. James tells Rachel to seduce Dr. Byrne after the event, Needless to say, this did not go as planned.

This story covers the whirlwind of a time in life that your early 20's are. How you can lose yourself in a friend or a lover. The highs are so very high and the lows so very low. There were moments of laughter and tension and secrets and exhilaration of living life without a net. Consequences be damned. Can broken trusts be mended? Can secrets long held be forgiven?

The characters are greatly flawed and not always likeable, but isn't that the human way? This is compelling read and I will be looking for more of Caroline O'Donohue's work.

My thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book and not just because my name is in the title. It’s smart and funny literary fiction and the plot was interesting and unique. I felt some Conversations with Friends vibes (older couple’s inappropriate friendship with early 20-somethings) but this was less pretentious and the writing is more relatable (and this is coming from a huge Sally Rooney fan). There was just something about the main characters (best friends Rachel and James) that had me rooting for them even as they made absolute bone-headed decisions. I think that’s the beauty of having the story told as a remembrance by a more mature Rachel. We can all empathize with making stupid choices in our early 20s but Rachel is able to look back with some humor and grace.

And what a special character was Carey! Just loved him and his journey.

Just a delightful read that I will come back to again and again.