After reading her debut book, One Night Only and really enjoying reading it, I decided to try out her newest book, The Rebound, which will be released on the Valentine's Day itself!

Abby was laid off from her work, and returned back to her childhood town, Clonard in Ireland. As she is trying to start her new life in Ireland, after living in Manhattan for so long, she is trying to adjust her life--and she meets her childhood friend Luke, who has grown into a tall dark handsome man. The story is mainly tells about the developing romance between Abby and Luke, and how Abby adjusts to her new life in Clonard.

OK, this was actually a funny read and I felt like I was watching a cheesy Hallmark romance movie on the TV when I was reading this book. The first part of the story was slightly boring but gradually it got slightly interesting. However, unlike One Night Only, this was not as good as her debut book, but nonetheless I actually enjoyed reading the book and the slow developing romance between Abby and Luke.

If you want a Happily Ever after stories, then this book is one for you--worth 3.5 stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I liked the premise of the book and was excited to dig in. Abby's fiance breaks up with her and then she loses her job at a financial firm in NYC (a la Bernie Madoff/Lehman Brothers) and moves back home to Ireland with her sister. She reconnects with an old family friend and then starts rebuilding her life. This love story was too slow burn for me and didn't have the pay off I was looking for. I found myself only meh on the book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the Arc.
I loved the authors writing in this, I definitely want to check out more of her work in the future, I need me a Luke Bailey! Overall, 4 stars.

Thank you net galley for a copy in exchange for my opinion. The Rebound was such a fun and funny story. I really enjoyed Abby and Luke. All the side characters were delightful

I was absolutely delighted to receive an advanced copy of 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 by Catherine Walsh as her previous book 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 was a solid 5-star read of mine. This is a super sweet and fun romcom set in small town Ireland. Abby Reynolds finds herself lost and without many options after he boyfriend of 3 years Tyler breaks off their engagement mere weeks before the New York, NY company she worked for imploded – leaving her not only single and unemployed but also homeless. She returns home to Clonard, Ireland to stay with her sister who now lives in their childhood home with here husband while Abby sorts out her life, only she didn’t exactly tell her family the extend of what had happened.

Returning home after having been away for a long time is never easy. It is amazing how much people change – I loved that Abby didn’t recognize Luke when they first met … and equally loved that he had a bit of fun at her expense when he realized this was the case. I know some will find Abby frustrating because she is indecisive, inadvertently leads Luke on and keeps secrets from her family. However, I think it is quite realistic. I can only imagine what it would feel like to have so much change in your life all at once. For someone as career and goal driven as Abby it would be tough to admit your life is in shambles and you don’t have a clear path out of the mess. I thought it was really great to see how she grew and matured throughout the book and especially how she gained her independence.

The secondary characters were really great. I was so surprised to read the author notes and find out Louise wasn’t originally a part of the book, the relationship between the sisters was so well done and felt equally as important as the romantic relationship with Luke. Abby and Louise are so different but really when you boil it down also very similar at their core.

Luke is the-boy-next-door, he is charming, endearing and easy on the eyes. He seems like such a good guy, considerate, generous and thoughtful. At times I was a bit frustrated with Abby for the way she treated him and was so thoughtless with his feelings – knowing this was part of her self-growth journey, but still he just always took it in stride. The flirting and the tug-and-pull of their relationship was very entertaining and I kept waiting for that “this is it” moment when thy would finally get together. I would have loved to know more about Lukes story.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and easy feel-good read, Abby and Luke were so fun, their banter was adorable keeping me entertained through out. Their story was a bit of a slow burn, which I coincidently love, but I did find myself occasionally saying “just have the talk already, tell each other how you feel”. I would absolutely recommend this book to others. It is not closed door, however there isn’t a lot of steamy scenes so I think it would still be enjoyable for those who enjoy closed door romance. It felt very much like a Hallmark romance to me.

Thank you to Catherine Walsh, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A super cute and fun rom-com set in Ireland. A totally wonderful escape and a really fun loving and light romance. I really enjoyed The Rebound with Abby Reynolds as she navigates the big changes in her life. Suddenly thrown off course from her goals, she finds herself unemployed and unengaged and on her way back home to Ireland after five years away. For once she’s unsure of herself and doesn’t know what direction to take or what to do, but being home will be refreshing for her. Especially when she runs into Luke Bailey, former childhood best friend and next door neighbor. She finds herself being able to focus on herself and what she wants and what she wants is Luke Bailey…..and a job. When her past comes calling, Abby has to decide if she’s changed for the better and when a job offer comes in in a new town her relationships, the old and new, will be tested.

This was a really fun book. I couldn’t get over Abby and Luke’s first and second meeting with each other. Just super funny, couldn’t stop grinning about it. Their flirty banter was so fun and you knew that when they finally got together it was going to be fire. I really enjoyed Abby’s growth throughout the book also. She really hit rock bottom, and home was the last place she wanted to be but in reality it was the best place for her, back to her roots. Also, I loved all the characters in this book. I loved all the relationships she had, the new ones, rekindling the old ones, and especially her and her sisters relationship. It was sweet seeing Abby and her sister, Louise, become really close. Overall this was a really awesome book. It was lighthearted, really fun at times and super sweet and romantic. Easy recommendation!

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

Thanks NetGalley and Boukouture for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Rebound is exactly what you expect from a contemporary romance set in Ireland and, while it offers no shocks or surprises and follows a fairly standard narrative, this does not make it a difficult read. It is, for the most part, a light hearted romance which offers comedy in the form of Abby and Luke's misfortune and side characters such as Beth and Jess. The familial relationship between Abby and Louise is heart warming, though it does little to endear the reader towards Abby for the first 2/3 of the book.

The novel reads easily and if contemporary romance in a semi-rural setting is your thing, then this is a book you won't want to put down!

RATING: 3.5/5

Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Abby Reynolds heads back to her hometown in rural Ireland after losing her job and fiancé. There, she met a hot stranger named Luke. Abby knows instantly that he’s exactly what she needs to take her mind off everything. The perfect rebound. But later on, she realizes that he's her childhood neighbor.

This story is a typical rom-com that you often see in movies, so I wouldn't doubt it if this book would hit the big screen one day! As I read along, I could see the vibe of the Kdrama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha in this story--small town setting, the often empty cafe, and the intimate relationship with the neighborhood. This made me want to include Ireland on my travel bucketlist!

There are a lot of conflicts between the characters that really frustrate me, like their misunderstandings and stuff that almost covered the whole book. I was a little bit disappointed because I was really excited to read this and had high hopes. Turns out, it's kinda monotonous for me.

Still, I had a good time reading this. I love how the story is very well-written and how Abby and and her sister become naturally close. This is a good read to light up and cheer anyone who's going through hardships in life. If you're into childhood friends to lovers, slow burn, and small town romance tropes, then this is for you.

4⭐️ First i would love to say a big thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for providing me this eARC! This story follows Abby Reynolds who has just lost her job and is dumped by her fiancé. She decides to head back to her home town to try and come back from what has happened. She then proceeds to see luke, who was her childhood neighbor. I loved luke so much because he was there for Abby and was truly good to her. There was so much chemistry between them that the dialogue was even better. The dialogue resembled real casual conversations which in some cases in other book that’s no always met. Another thing i enjoyed seeing was that relationship Abby was trying to rebuild with her sister, it was very special to me. My only complain is that at times Abby could be a bit selfish but i feel like we saw her work through that as she grew with the story. Overall i really enjoyed The Rebound!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. "The Rebound" is my surprise read for this month. Abby feels lost when she suddenly loses her apartment, her job and her fiancé breaks up with her. She finds herself in her hometown in Ireland, living with her sister, with whom she does not have a very good relationship. While reconnecting with her Irish roots, meeting old friends, making new ones, figuring out how to deal with everything that has happened to her and how to find what is truly vital for her, she grows as a character and mends her relationships, one of which being with Luke, a childhood friend and guy next-door.
I absolutely love Abby, probably because I am currently in a situation close to hers, but she truly is an awesome character, who grew so much and gave herself the chance to actually do what she desires and build herself up once again. As inspiring and motivational as it gets.
The dialogue and the banter were super realistic and well-written, but the writing style at times was shallow and it felt like the author is making an effort to keep the readers an arm length away from the book. The side characters simply existed and their storylines were created in a way which only benefited Abby, which is something I strongly dislike. I don't believe that everything that happens to a side characters has to be for the sake of the main character's development and storyline, had this not happened here the book would've been much more immersive. The end of the book was nice but it felt as if the author is simply rushing to have it done. The relationship between Luke and Abby had a very strange storyline, everything felt rushed at the beginning. On the other hand the relationship between Louise and Abby was well-built and it made me feel so happy to see them get closer to each other.
Overall, "The Rebound" was an enjoyable read with a very relatable main character, who gives you the inspiration to find what's truly important for you.

OMG I LOVED IT.

It's maybe a 4.5 tho.
I got the arc for this through Netgalley!

Once I started I couldn't put it down. I was expecting some kind of love triangle where the characters suffer a lot haha because well... It is called THE REBOUND, but it was nothing like that and still had the perfect amount of angst. But my favorite part was the sense of humor, I laughed out loud so many times, all the characters where endearing and I felt like I was watching a movie. I really love the trope where the city girl ends up in the middle of nowhere (at least the middle of nowhere in her eyes) and find a new meaning, but I also loved that Abby didn't lose that part of herself, that she grew to find love for her roots but didn't felt like having ambition and wanting more was a bad thing. I loved that she didn't left behind her dreams not even once.

I also enjoy small town stories, the way everyone knows everyone, it sounds like hell but it's also perfect to build so many amazing friendships and I was glad that that was part of the story. I loved Rory and her wife Sinead, actually they both made me laugh the most and their relationship was so funny and so cute, I loved Beth, Jess and specially Tomasz and Louise. At first I was hesitant with Louise (even when I'm an older sister and can understand where she was coming from) but the surprise of it all was the development of her relationship with Abby. The way they both were so different and at the same time could find common ground to stood over.

And I loved that Abby was Luke's childhood crush, that man was winning at life finally haha. I was grinning like an idiot everytime they flirted. And I loved that their relationship even with the misunderstandings and lack of communication sometimes, was easy. They were perfect for each other.

I also was glad to read about the timing of everyone in life and how every person has a different rythm and that doesn't mean you're stuck or losing something, it only means you're at a different pace and that's perfectly fine. I'm serious I didn't expect anything of this when I read the synopsis or the title or even the cute as hell cover, it felt like watching a very warm, very cute, very endearing movie. Loved every second of it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing this ARC! This book was such a fun read! The story follows Abby Reynolds, who has just hit the rock bottom of her adult life. She has lost her job in New York, her fiancé dumped her, and she's forced to give up her apartment. With nowhere else to go, she heads home to her small Irish town to stay with her sister while she tries to get back on her feet. On her first night back in town, she meets a very intriguing man, but VERY quickly finds out that he wasn't some rando, it is her childhood neighbor all grown up! As Abby navigates what she wants out of life, trying to get along with her sister, and figuring out what she's feeling for Luke, she starts to reexamine her priorities.

I found the dialogue to be so realistic, and I could see myself talking in the same casual cadence the characters do. Sometimes this was to a fault for me, as the characters fumbled through awkward conversations with one another, but overall I appreciated it. The secondary focus of Abby's relationship with her sister was sweet and felt as important to me as her relationship with Luke.

My only real fault with this book is that I found Abby to be thoughtless with the other characters' feelings (especially Luke's), and sometimes very selfish. I know that is part of the story of her learning to be okay with her new life, but I will almost never love a lying storyline.

Overall I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something sweet that reads fun and fast.

Thanks Netgalley for my review copy!

This was a sweet story in a lovely setting. Abby has it all until she doesn’t and is forced to return to the small Irish village she grew up in.

I enjoyed the characters in this book and how they all had fully fleshed out perspectives. I thought this story felt very realistic and I really enjoyed how it ended. And now I need to visit Ireland!

Sadly this book fell flat for me. I think it had loads of potential but I just couldn't connect with the writing or characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.
Abby was living the dream, with a successful career and a fiance in her life. Her life, however, comes crashing down when the company she works for files bankruptcy. Her fiancé then breaks up with her.
Abby finds herself on her sister's doorstep at her childhood home in Ireland, with nowhere to stay and heartbroken. Abby intends to spend only a few days with her sister. However, as she explores the streets of the little hamlet where she grew up, she reconnects with her Irish origins and meets old and new friends. Along the way, she discovers that the thin shy boy who used to live next door is no longer so skinny and shy.

To me, this felt like a conventional rom-com. Entertaining? Definitely! Memorable? Not so much. The narrative is somewhat predictable, which I appreciate on sometimes, especially when I simply want to read a charming, pleasant novel. I have conflicting thoughts about the characters. Luke, the aforementioned local hottie, was extremely endearing, though I don't think he's as well developed as he could be. Abby's pals Beth and Jess were both lovely (PLEASE GIVE US A SEQUEL) Abby, like her sister Louise, had her moments. Luke and Abby, on the other hand, were a significant source of frustration for me throughout the novel. Throughout the book, there is a lot of miscommunication, and I found myself growing irritated with the various characters at moments.

It was a cute story and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute light romance.

This was my first book by Catherine Walsh and I really enjoyed it! I really enjoyed the banter between Abby and Louise and found myself rooting for Abby.

3 out of 5 steam level- slightly descriptive sex scenes

Trigger warning- infertility, broken engagement

Abby Reynolds has lost it all: her job, her apartment, and her fiance. Now she's headed home to Ireland to stay with her sister and figure out what is next. Along the way she meets Luke Bailey, the boy next door who is cute and flirty. Will Abby get her life in order and find love? Or will she end up single and living with her sister for the rest of her thirties?

I really enjoyed this book. I do think it toes the line between women's fiction and romance, since there's just as much time spent addressing Abby's job and family as her romantic life. I personally enjoyed seeing how things played out in all areas of Abby's life, and I was a little surprised by where she ended up. I really loved Luke and Abby together and felt their chemistry was natural and really sweet. Their first meeting had me wanting more, and I was really satisfied with the ending. I also enjoyed the setting and imagined the Irish accents as I was reading. I look forward to reading more books by this author!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Follow me on Instagram @readwithsuzie for more reviews!

Abby Reynolds is a go-getter. Deciding that she can’t leave the little Irish village she grew up in fast enough, her hard work and ambition takes her to New York City, where she joins the cut-throat investment banking scene. When her new extravagant life comes crashing down, she returns home heartbroken and desperate. Reconnecting with the family and boy-next-door that she left behind, Abby gets a chance to mend some old wounds, ignite an old flame, and decide what direction her life needs to take to truly make her happy.

This is a light, easy, fun read. I didn’t love Abby; I thought she could be abrupt and a little mean at times. Her sister also has an abrasive personality, and it took me quite a bit to not be annoyed by her. However, I appreciated that not all the main characters were effortlessly charming and friendly. The world is full of different personalities and I thought the author did a great job of making them different and layered. Even though Louise was a piece of work, my heart did break for her at one point (bathtub scene!). I liked Luke and how he wasn’t perfect either, and Beth is the type of friend everyone would like to have.

My two main issues with the story were the title, and Abby’s financial ruin.

First, it’s never a good idea to say in the title that your story is hilarious. Comedy is subjective, and you shoot yourself in the foot when you make promises that aren’t delivered. I found a few parts humorous and overall it has a light touch, but I would not describe this book as hilarious by any stretch. So I would just leave it as “The Rebound”.

Second, Abby would not loose all her money just because the bank she had it in went bankrupt. It’s a fictional financial institution, but it’s described as being the ninth largest globally. Certainly they would be FDIC insured, and as someone who works in finance, Abby would know not to put all her eggs in one basket and exceed those FDIC limits. She says she lost all her savings. That would not happen - the FDIC would write her a check. There are so many feasible ways for her to lose everything. Even having a “friend” who manipulates her into rashly putting almost everything into an investment that turns out to be a shady ponzi scheme would be more believable.

This book is being marketed as a romance, but I think it’s more of a “finding yourself” story. There is romance, and it was sweet, but it’s a supporting player instead of the star of the show. Her relationship with her sister, and Abby learning how to connect with people in general, is really what “The Rebound” is about; rebounding from life and all it’s twists and turns. Overall I enjoyed it and would be interested in reading other titles by this author.

“Look, if you had an epiphany and realized you hated your life and everything in it and decided to move home to renovate a cottage and start an organic-honey business I would support you.… But this? As pretty as it all is, it isn’t a choice. This was something you were forced to do because of a series of shitty circumstances. And what I don’t want to happen is for you to settle and think this is all you are worth and be miserable.”

REVIEW: The Rebound by Catherine Walsh

As a romance novel about a rebound? ⭐️⭐️ 2 stars

As a feel good novel about a woman who loses her entire life and takes a journey to find herself and what’s important to her? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

In my opinion, The Rebound was woefully mis-marketed. Yes, there is romance in this book but I would not consider this a romance novel. Especially when most of the first half of the book, Abby and Luke barely interact.

What this book does have is wonderful, supportive female friendships, two sisters at odds coming together, and discovering what is truly important in life - a high powered job or family and love?

You see Abby grow from the girl who left Ireland so fast she gave everyone whiplash to the woman who actually calls Ireland “home”. To me, that’s where the story lies.

And the adorable and hilarious moments between Abby and Luke are just a wonderful addition to an already adorable story! Their relationship is sweet and confusing and they have this ability to poke fun at each other that is just so endearing.

You also get to meet my highlight of the story—Beth! Abby’s adorkable, sweet new best friend. Who gives us tidbits like:

“To be clear, I brought you here so I could get you drunk and pry into your life. You are falling for my plan perfectly.”

I was so hoping her story would be open ended so we could get an entire novel for just her!

Read if you enjoy: contemporary, discovering one self, humor, heartwarming stories, a side of romance

Note that this does include some mature content (very light steam).

📖 Stand-alone

****
Thank you so much to @netgalley and Catherine Walsh for this ARC!

<b>Ireland-set slow burn romance is a pleasurable read</b>

3.5 Stars rounded up

What you need to know about “The Rebound”:
✔ Small town romance
✔ First Person Narration only from Abby’s p.o.v.
✔ Childhood friends
✔ Abby, newly unemployed, homeless and broken up
✔ Luke Bailey, studying to be a physiotherapist, Abby’s childhood neighbor
✔ Slow burn romance
✔ Takes place in Ireland
✔ Complete Standalone

Abby has just lost her job, fiancé, and all of her savings. Out of options, she’s gone back home to Ireland to stay with her sister (with whom she constantly clashes) when she meets Luke who gives her a lift to her hometown village of Clonard.

Luke, who she first thought was a kind (and hot) stranger, turns out to be her former neighbor and friend from childhood. They grew up together and Abby becomes embarrassed that she didn’t recognize him and flirted with him on the drive.

In this slow burn romance there is a slight misunderstanding regarding Abby’s fiancé, a funny Easter egg hunt and a lovely day at the beach.

The relationships between Abby and her sister Louise, her hometown and herself are carefully unfurled and it’s lovely. This book moves slowly through these relationships but the pacing is very good and it wrapped me up so much that I didn’t put it down once.

This is a “gentle and unhurried” romance that lets the connections within occur organically. The Rebound is a low spice, low angst, slow burn romance that is a pleasure to read.

I received a review copy of this easygoing, Irish romance and this is my honest review.