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.

Thank you to Little Brown and NetGalley for the Arc!

A coming of age story taking place in Ireland centers around Rachel, her best friend James and their young adult life in a small town. It captures that early-twenties excitement of figuring out life, relationships - familial, friendly and love, how young people idealize their future and the stakes of being a young person finding their way in the world.

It made me laugh, it had heart breaking moments, and it had you rooting for characters to make better decisions as they grew. Itll be a book everyone is talking about this summer.

The Rachel Incident so well written a coming of age story that completely drew me in.The characters the dialogue was perfect.the people come alive the dialogue a wonderful read.#netgalley #therachelincident

This coming of age story resonated with me so so much and I will be thinking about it for a long time. The book perfectly portrays the trials and tribulations that are your 20s. Perfect for fans of Coco Mellors or Sally Rooney.

Thank you Knopf and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book!

Reading the description of the book, I thought I would enjoy this, and was invited by Netgalley to review an advanced copy.

I did not enjoy the first third, but am not of the age that I understand metrosexuals. I do get finding roommates that you have nothing in common with to save money while in college and enjoyed parts of it. Once ensconced in the characters, I was able to enjoy the rest.

It is a good read if you have an open mind, and the character development is key. The ending was very well done.

Rachel is coming of age in Cork during the recession in the early 2010s, with an English degree and vague publishing aspirations. Most importantly, her best friend James is by her side. Here’s the thing — I know that synopsis could be about so many coming of age books. But this book felt different. Gorgeously written, and so full with nuance that I felt empathy for characters I’d judged pages before. I adore Rachel, Carey, James, and their orbit. In Rachel’s story, I felt keenly the stark difference between the under-heated, disheveled, beloved shared apartment of my early 20s and my day-to-day even now. Heavy topics — recession, abortion, infidelity, complex relationships, depression, coming out — are handled with delicate humor and grace. Cannot recommend enough.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

“A brilliant….novel about friends, lovers, Ireland in chaos, and a young woman desperately trying to manage all three.” [taken from Knopf]

I both enjoyed and disliked this book and my complicated relationship with it feels a reflection of the novel as a whole. Is it because Rachel’s capricious, wistful neediness reminds me of a past version of myself? Likely. But I pointedly did not like James (to be clear not “Carey” but *the* James). He was needed for the story but his own journey, his static “I am the sun” persona, was unsurprising and trying. Or is that only because I relate to those traits too?

This book has all the pieces you’d expect- a setting in conservative Ireland, the gambles of putting a name to one’s sexuality, promiscuity, friendship, recession, crisp and witty story telling. It’s a coming of age that is relatable even with an unreliable narrator. I rooted for Carey, I felt embarrassed by and connected to Rachel, and mostly I felt quieted by the mere fact that so many of our experiences are not ours alone.

The Rachel Incident is expected to be published June 27, 2023.

Funny, insightful, and real. Full of interesting relationships, self awareness, and what it takes to grow up.

The Rachel Incident is a case of a not right now book because I just could not get into this one. The writing is great, but for me the main characters were not relatable. There are so many rave reviews - but this was a miss for me. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to preview The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue. I didn't know what to expect when I received a recommendation from the publisher based on my review of Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. I loved that book with all my heart, so I took a chance on The Rachel Incident. I'm very glad that I did!

As a 40 year old woman, I related so much to Rachel unflinchingly looking back on her 20s and the events that shaped her future. Everyone felt real; the best friend/roommate, the professor and his wife, the flaky boyfriend...I felt like I knew them in the way that Rachel knew them. I appreciated that although Rachel clearly has main character syndrome (didn't we all in our 20s?) that she doesn't cut herself much slack. I could see so much of myself in her and the way I felt about myself at her age.

I don't have much else to say other than to strongly recommend this book, especially for those of us a few years or decades past our 20s.

I thought THE RACHEL INCIDENT was a great read -- a quiet, polished, and unexpectedly thought-provoking coming-of-age drama centring the character of Irish uni student Rachel Murray and the significant (and variously intimate) relationships she develops with three different men during her last year of undergrad study in Cork. It so beautifully captured that uniquely-twenties excitement and idealism for the future, despite the contrary feeling of being constantly overwhelmed by the limitless possibilities ahead of you, despite feeling constantly on the brink of something but unable to take any meaningful steps forward because you haven't figured out quite how the world works yet.

Rachel was an imperfect yet sympathetic character, whose tendency towards accidental self-destruction struck many familiar chords. Her friendship with James, the focal point relationship around which this entire book moves, was compelling and all-encompassing, but I found his individual development lacking in a way that was enormously disappointing. His character was of equal significance to hers, his own romantic relationships and sexuality forming one of the book's most important plot threads, but his voice, though extremely funny and aware, wasn't nearly as strong. I also think there was so much left unsaid between the two of them by the end of the book that it sapped some of the emotional pay-off.

It was an enormous relief to me that Caroline O'Donoghue didn't do the obvious thing of turning the whole 'academic scandal' plotline into an over-the-top soap opera; this made Rachel's experiences more realistic and relatable, and I suspect it will afford readers a better opportunity to genuinely connect with her as a character. The political engagement, likewise, was unexpected but so sensitively accomplished; in particular, I will never not love a plotline, a book, an author who speaks so frankly and uncompromisingly about abortion, about choice, and about the realities and difficulties attached to being a woman in a world that men have gotten stupidly used to being in charge of.

My main criticism (and the reason I can't bring myself to give this five stars) is because there was something about the tone of the book that held me at a remove from the real human feeling of it. Which isn't to say the writing was bad, because it wasn't: this was a superbly well-written book. I suppose I just mean that the telling of the events was much more straightforward and much less emotive than I would have expected. A lot of reviewers have been comparing this to Sally Rooney's novels, which is absolutely fair and right -- but whereas Rooney's novels always leave me in bits on the floor by the end of them, I just couldn't make the same emotional connection here.