To Hell With It by Claire Frances is a compelling read that offers a realistic portrayal of OCD. The main character, Pearl O’Reilly, struggles with the disorder in a way that feels deeply authentic. Her compulsions are time-consuming, frustrating and something she fully recognizes as irrational, yet she can’t stop them. The book does a great job of showing the shame and isolation that often come with OCD, making Pearl’s struggles relatable.

Pearl herself is a well-developed character who feels like a real person rather than just a collection of symptoms. Her emotions are complex, and her experiences abd thoughts are engaging to follow.

However, the pacing of the novel was inconsistent. Some storylines felt rushed, while others dragged on, which sometimes made the reading experience uneven.

One aspect that didn’t sit well with me was how Pearl’s therapist and best friend handled certain situations. In particular, it was concerning that her therapist didn’t seem alarmed when Pearl brought home a man she barely knew. This is something that, realistically, any mental health professional would be worried about. These moments took me out of the story and made the relationships feel less believable.

Overall, To Hell With It is a solid read with a strong portrayal of OCD and an engaging protagonist. Despite some pacing issues and questionable character interactions, it’s a book worth reading for those interested in a honest story about mental health, hope, change and love. 3.5 stars.

Though I don't suffer from OCD, I know people who do and I think this is a very well done book that captures what a day in the life of someone with OCD goes through. I can imagine it is very mentally exhausting and I think Pearl is a real gem and handles it with grace. I really liked Pearl's character throughout this book and I think the author does a great job of showing her strengths and weaknesses and she is a bit silly and quirky to boot.

I really enjoyed this book not only for the representation but the love story as well.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Engaging and immersive with excellent OCD rep. A recommended purchase for collections where women's fic is popular.

I suffer from mild OCD and loved the representation of the condition in an honest but often funny way. This book is a warm rom-com with Marian Keyes vibes and the setting and theme worked well. Great cast of characters and the story wasn't just an issue with a plot loosely hung on it but worked well as a compelling plot. Highly enjoyable reading.

This book was great. It gave me Marian Keyes vibes, Pearl reminded me of the Walsh sisters.

I really enjoyed Pearls story and the progress she makes throughout supported by her friends. I really loved the supporting characters too, Una and Bunty in particular!

I loved the imagery throughout with bugs and butterflies taking particular importance but in such a way you only think about it afterwards!

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what else this author produces. Will there be a 2nd story featuring Pearl in the future?

Mein Leseerlebnis

Das Buch enthält eine frische, besondere Geschichte um eine Frau, die mit OCD (Zwangsneurose) lebt und die anfängt spontaner zu leben sowie mehr zu wagen.

Im Roman gibt es zudem eine Liebesgeschichte, die sich für mich leider teils wie ein Fremdkörper angefühlt hat. Das lag vor allem daran, dass der Held im Vergleich zur Heldin etwas blass blieb und ich bis zum Ende des Romans von ihm kein klares Bild entwickeln konnte.

Es hat auch nicht geholfen, dass es mir schwer fiel, mit der Heldin warm zu werden. Ich empfand sie anderen gegenüber teils als recht wertend.

Im Buch gab es allerdings auch so einige Szenen, die mich mitten ins Herz getroffen haben und die ich berührend fand. Zudem fand ich den Schreibstil angenehm und die Energie in den Dialogen hat mir gefallen.

Das Buch hat mich definitiv mit gemischten Gefühlen zurückgelassen und ich habe mich wirklich schwer damit getan, es zu bewerten.

🖤🖤🖤 1/2

PS: Wie realistisch die Details zur Zwangsneurose der Heldin sind, kann ich persönlich nicht beurteilen.

Für wen?

Wer Geschichten mag, in denen es neben einer Liebesgeschichte vor allem darum geht, dass die Hauptcharaktere sich dem Leben öffnen und mehr wagen, für den könnte das Buch einen Versuch wert sein.

I really enjoyed reading this book, I was engaged with what was happening with Pearl. It was everything that I was wanted and was engaged with everything that I was looking for. I was engaged and enjoyed the overall concept and enjoyed the romance that was happening.

Set mostly in Ireland in the present time. Pear O’Reilly suffers badly with OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder and intrusive thoughts.

Pearl is always counting and cleaning. She is afraid of germs and body fluids. She has lots of fears but her biggest problem is intrusive thoughts that she tries to suppress by thinking of trees.

Pearl’s best friend Una encourages Pearl to take a trip to New Zealand.

I loved the humour and the twists and turns. This was about friendships and life in a small Irish village. I loved the description of her best friend Una and the characters she met on a trip to New Zealand.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher One More Chapter for a chance to review this E-Book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I really loved this book and found it easy to read despite it being about a serious subject (living with OCD). Claire has managed to write it so nicely and I thought it was witty in places too. I loved Pearl and Una’s friendship so much, I feel that Pearl definitely needed Una in her life to push and challenge her. I actually enjoyed all her relationships with the side characters (minus Jack obvs). I’m glad Pearl managed to free the butterflies and to hell with it is a pretty good mantra, thanks Bunty 🥹

To Hell With It by Claire Frances is an emotional and raw journey that left me speechless. This debut novel offers an incredibly realistic and thoughtful portrayal of living with OCD, and I couldn't be more impressed with how well the author tackled such a sensitive subject.

The story follows Pearl, a woman navigating life with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the way Claire depicts her struggles with intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and the toll it takes on her life is both heartfelt and eye-opening. What truly sets this book apart is how the challenges Pearl faces are not romanticized, but instead treated with the care and respect they deserve. It’s a beautiful and honest representation of mental health.

Pearl’s journey toward healing and finding her inner strength is moving, and the characters around her are equally well-crafted. Her best friend brings just the right amount of chaos and tough love, and her therapist's gentle but impactful advice (“Do your best, your best is good enough”) really struck with me. I also adored the no-nonsense wisdom of Bunty, a character who delivers memorable lines like “Send it to hell, whatever it is.” And of course, Niall, with his care and bluntness, added depth to the story.

This book is a perfect blend of humor, love, and resilience. It’s deeply inspiring, and as someone who deals with anxiety, it made me feel seen in ways I didn’t expect. Claire Frances has written a beautiful, emotional debut that I won’t soon forget, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I was really excited about this book after reading the synopsis, but unfortunately, it left me feeling disappointed. To be fair, it started off incredibly strong—I was laughing out loud and completely intrigued, eager to see where the story would go. However, as I progressed, pacing issues became a significant problem. A good 60% of the book revolved around the Pearl chasing after a man who clearly wasn’t interested in her. While I understand that this was a necessary part of her journey, I couldn’t help but feel that this storyline could have been resolved much sooner, perhaps within the first half or even the first quarter of the book. This drawn-out pursuit left little room for her to develop a meaningful connection with the guy she eventually ended up with, which was one of my main issues with the story.

That said, considering this is the author’s debut novel, I think she did a commendable job. Her writing is captivating, witty, and engaging, and I truly appreciated her thoughtful representation of OCD, which felt authentic and well-researched. Despite its flaws, the book managed to balance fun, serious, and exciting moments, making it an enjoyable read overall. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what she writes next, as I believe she has a lot of potential to grow and refine her craft.

My rating is 3.75

Thank you to neutrally and the publisher for this arc. The arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.

Heartfelt, refreshing emotional. To Hell With It is a breath of fresh air. I love Pearl so much and her friends are hilarious. Such a warm and hopeful book.

This was sweet and overwhelming all at once, and I think it was written perfectly to demonstrate the exhaustion of Pearl's OCD. I found her earnest and comforting and I loved the opportunity to follow her on her journey and milestones. The small moments that linked together throughout the story were my personal favourites (the woodlice, and Pearl's grandmother), and I truly felt content when I finished the last page.

We follow the story of Pearl, who has OCD, her coping mechanisms and how she faces her fears. It really is a really good book, with an accurate portrayal of what it feels like to deal with OCD. I loved the community around her!
It really reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant which is one of my absolute favourite books, so I loved this one as well.
It really is a very good debut novel, and I'm excited to read more by this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 stars 🌟 This book surprised me in a great way. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in and ended up unable to put it down.

I don’t know a lot about OCD but this was a great insight into how hard it must be to have this condition. Pearl has many rituals she must do in certain situations and lots of intrusive thoughts that control her life. Whilst I don’t have OCD I know what anxious thoughts can do to you and I really sympathised with Pearl and rooted for her throughout the book.

Pearl goes on a journey through this book and I was with her the whole way, and as a kiwi living in the UK I loved the New Zealand references which I wasn’t expecting.

The writing was raw and honest and confronting in places which I loved. I also really loved the different friendships / connections Pearl has with different characters in this story - both old and new.

This book will be published on the 19th of June 2025 and I would highly recommend it! Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to HarperCollins/One More Chapter and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of To Hell With It by Claire Frances.

This story follows Pearl, our main character, and we are introduced to her various routines related to her OCD. We also get to meet her friends and several other members of her community. Pearl steps outside of her normal routines around the time her attraction grows for a visitor. This event starts a series of adventures, big and small, which prompt Pearl to take steps outside of her normal routines.

Pearl is such a lovable character. I enjoyed her relationship with her best friend who knows Pearl so well and their mutual love for each other is apparent. This book is primarily about Pearl and her journey but you’ll also enjoy some of the other individuals she meets along the way. Following Pearl on her adventure is what makes this such a delightful and beautiful read. Definitely recommend checking this book out!

This book surprised me! It wasn't at all what I was expecting. First of all, I didn't expect to really enjoy a book that basically had zero spice. This story ended up being so much more that I thought it was going to be. It had so much depth and really made me feel like I understood Pearl and her tendencies. I mean I thought I had OCD but man. I don't want to give anything away but this book is definitely worth the read!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*

Books like these are so needed on shelves! I loved this character exploration and how she deals with OCD in her twenties. It was a fascinating read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the story we all need right now! Pearl is amazing and watching her growth and resilience was a beautiful thing. I absolutely adored the writing and this story as a whole. A fabulous debut!

Firstly what an incredible debut for Claire Francis!

I absolutely adored Pearl! She is messy, flawed scattered and so real I can imagine sitting down for a cup of tea with her. Her voice in the book is so unique and I think of us neurodivergent folk will find a character we can relate to in Pearl.

I would say this is less a romance (although there most definitely is romance in this book) and more an absolutely beautiful story of growth, redefining boundaries and learning to live despite personal challenges. I think ‘free the butterflies’ is something we could all live by so thank you Pearl 💕

4.5 stars! Thank you Netgalley and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for my opinions!