This is the story of 2 best friends in their twenties growing up in Cork and figuring out the complexities of life. Although Rachel is a bit of a shit show at times (aren't we all?) the characters were relatable and likable.

This book was seriously so good! I enjoyed every page of it, and while Rachel made a lot of questionable choices, I felt like I could empathize with the bad choices she was making.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.*

This was a great read and will definitely recommend!! The cover is also so cute. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review. I wanted to love this book and I know a lot of people who do but it just didn’t do it for me. It took me a bit to get through it and it was fine. I struggled a bit to relate to the characters though I really wanted to. Am I glad I read it? Yes. Is it the best book I have read lately? No.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I absolutely loved this book so much and can't wait to tell all my friends to get their hands on a copy ASAP! This book has all the feels of starting out and growing up in your 20's and made me think of my younger self. Great read and I can't wait to read more by this author in the future.

I'm a sucker for Irish contemporary, and though it's easy to say young woman/older professor is an overused trope, it always works for me. Fantastic, scratched the literary/contemporary (dare I say Sally Rooney-esque) itch.

This book has stuck with me like glue. Rachel and James navigating early adulthood is heart wrenching yet their love story was magnetic.


If you like books featuring…
Platonic love stories
Nineties Irish politics
Coming of age stories

Great for fans of…
The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel
Happy Couple by Naiose Dolan
You’re the Worst (FX)

I had a hard time connecting with this book. I enjoyed the overall story but this was more of a me issue on what I didn’t enjoy I think. I think if you are a big fan of literary fiction this will be a great read, it was just a bit slow for me.

The was in my top five favorite books of 2023. I honestly think that Caroline O'Donoghue is better than Sally Rooney. This book was funny, heartfelt, and really excellent.

I was so surprised by this book the description didn’t do it any justice. The Rachel Incident perfectly captures that particular time in a young person's life when they’re experiencing their first platonic love, first romantic love, financial struggles, not knowing what to do with their life and how that all feels. Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I finally got around to this one and I’m so mad at myself for waiting this long! It was AMAZING. I inhaled it. Everyone was right - If you’re a fan of Sally Rooney you’ll love it. 10/10 recommend!!!

I absolutely loved this book. A perfect depiction of when our past collides with our future and life works out for the best. I felt like the character of Rachel perfectly depicts the struggles so many of us go through and allows us to see what the beauty that life can bring by coming full circle. I would recommend to anyone who has experienced life as a young something and has come through it. This was a breath of fresh air and appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

Caroline O'Donoghue's "The Rachel Incident" feels one-part Sally Rooney novel and one part narrative nonfiction. The novel follows 20-something Rachel, a young woman who has fallen in love with her male professor. In the midst of this, Rachel and her life become upheaved leading us down a path of self destruction. O'Donoghue expertly crafts a tale of finding yourself in your 20's--or at least attempting to do so--and the qualms that come with a decade bound to change you.

After meeting at a bookshop, Rachel and James become fast friends. At the heart of their friendship is their desire for a bohemian lifestyle and utter disregard for the world around them. Rachel and James become infatuated with her married professor and insinuate their way into his life, the catalyst for the story. From there, the two wander through their early twenties, sowing chaos all the while.

O'Donoghue captures the frenetic decade that is your twenties without prettying it up. You'll sigh and scoff and groan and gasp at the things Rachel and James do in the same way you would 20-year-old you. The dry humor and fascinating friendship will keep you hooked.

If you're a fan of characters in the vein of Sally Rooney and Dolly Alderton, you'll probably love this book.

Oh this was stunning. I had expectations going into this and it subverted all of them. Just an absolutely gorgeous narrative. An impactful statement on the power of love, friendship and the complications of life and circumstances of time.

A story of young, uncomplicated love as it grows and turns into adult, messy love, if that makes sense! An enjoyable and tumultuous read.

“The Rachel Incident” is the first adult novel by Caroline O’Donoghue that has been published in the United States, but I do not understand why. This book has all of the attributes of a great book: the characters are deep and deeply flawed. Ms. O’Donoghue’s writing is excellent, and the plot is interesting, different, and very timely.

I am reviewing this book VOLUNTARILY. I was given an advanced reader’s copy, and I very much enjoyed reading it. As in any good book, the plot contains twists and turns, and several of them made me cringe. There are many scenes where the characters find themselves in awkward situations, scenes where people don’t allow themselves to speak their truths, and scenes of misunderstandings and miscommunication. All of these scenes, however, reflect normal parts of life. Fortunately, the book has a happy ending. I am not disclosing any secrets here, since we learn from the beginning that the main protagonist is happily married, pregnant and employed and that her best friend is widely famous and content and that most of the book is a reflection on the past.

Since the book’s publication in June, it has received many well-deserved accolades, including being named a Best Book of the Year by Time, NPR, and LitHub. It’s a book a highly recommend, but I suspect it will appeal much more to women than to men. I look forward to reading more fiction from this terrific author.

such a fun book! irish literature is such a great genre (?). i cannot wait to see what else caroline o'donoghue writes

I was so surprised by this novel - I felt like the description didn’t do it justice. I adored it, and I have recommended it to several of my friends. Definitely recommend to anybody who enjoys Sally Rooney.

I tried with this book several times and it just wasn’t for me. I always feel guilty when I am gifted something to read for free (thank you NetGalley!) and I don’t enjoy it. I ended up skimming just to see if it would pick up later, and I would like it more, but didn’t happen. It just moved too slowly for me and I felt like there were a lot of “fillers”; for example the number of times Rachel’s height is mentioned. I’m not sure what that actually adds to the plot or why I need to be reminded of it repeatedly. I do think perhaps I misunderstood what the book was going to be about, my fault not the author’s. I was hoping for more My Dark Vanessa vibes… So if you go into it knowing it’s more of 20s coming of age (a very slowly developing coming of age) novel, this may very well work for you. And it is set in Ireland, which is always a plus. I should also know that I am very much a mood reader, so perhaps I will revisit this at some point.