When Abby's life falls apart, driven by the end of her engagement and the loss of her job in a Lehman Brothers-type scandal, she's suddenly alone and has nowhere to live. Her only option is to flee back to her sister's home in a tiny tourist town in Ireland, a prospect she doesn't relish. It turns out, however, that she, her family, and the town might have much more to offer than she realized.

Ostensibly a romance, this is actually a story about rebuilding one's self from the ground up. Abby is pushed out of her comfort zone and forced to reconsider almost everything she thought she knew. In opening herself up, she finds lots of wonderful things she'd missed. The romance is sweet, but only a part of her journey. Pick this up for an uplifting, low-angst tale about coming into yourself!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

30% of the way through and I had to stop. I’m a bit sad that I am just not enjoying this book. I kept skimming or putting the book down and not really wanting to come back to it. There are so many good reviews on this book, so I had set high expectations. I just feel like the book itself is frustrating, and a bit irritating. The more I read the more I just felt like I was reading a “poor me” story. Maybe this book just isn’t up my alley and that is totally fine. I kinda feel like there is nothing left to my imagination and I can already predict the end. I kept chalking this book up to be a cheesy hallmark movie that you would find for valentines day.

We follow Abby, the girl who had it all. An advanced career, money, upscale apartment, clothes.. A perfect new yorker life. All of it comes crashing down when the company she has worked for files for bankruptcy. She loses her home, money, job, career..Even her fiance decides that he doesn’t want to get married anymore. With nothing left to lose, Abby makes her way back to her hometown in Ireland to stay with a sister she does not get along with. Its not long till she finds a rather handsome man to help her get to her sisters place after a bus never shows to take her home. She finds herself completely enamored by this guy and flirts with him as soon as she can…not realizing who it is. Abby cannot believe such a gorgeous man lives in her small hometown. Little does she know this man was the neighborhood kid she use to be close friends with. Everyone in town knows shes lost her job, but they dont know about her failed engagement and true amount of loss she has taken. She finds herself wrapped in lies. Abby must tell the truth in order to get the guy she wants.

Needless to say..i should have known by the synopsis how predicting this book would be. I do have to say the banter is quite witty. I just couldn’t get myself to enjoy the storyline. Maybe ill come back to this at a later time but I have to DNF for now.

The Rebound by Catherine Walsh was just the tonic to fight off the winter blues, and the perfect antidote to my unfulfilled wanderlust.

Abby finds herself re-evaluating her life in Manhattan when things end rather unceremoniously with her fiance. Finding herself flying back to her childhood home in rural Ireland, she immediately runs into the childhood neighbour that she left behind so many years ago. Time has been kind to Luke, and he now has rebound potential in spades. Could he be the one that Abby has been searching for, when at one time he was right under her nose?

This is a fun, feel-good read that will restore your faith in love, and perhaps have you casting a glance around your own backyard for romantic possibilities.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

I loved the characters and the storyline in this book. Abby, a career-driven, knows what she wants woman seems to have just the life she wants until her fiance breaks up with her a few weeks before her company goes under leaving her with no job, house, or relationship. Not knowing what to do, she goes home to Ireland to stay with her sister and figure out what is next.

Luke is the old childhood friend who does not look like the old childhood friend Abby remembers. Louise is the sister Abby bickers with constantly. And Tomasz, the brother-in-law that is just trying to bring them together.

I found this book playing out like a movie in my head while reading it and I love when I can visualize the characters and setting. Walsh's first book has been added to my reading list! If you enjoy a feel-good rom com, read this one!

absolutely wonderful book. Felt all the emotions, laughing, (nearly) crying and keep me engrossed from page 1 right up until the end!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I had really mixed thoughts on this one. I almost DNFed it twice out of frustration, but also thoroughly enjoyed the witty banter. The writing was lovely and it was easy to read, but I get easily frustrated over complications in adult romance that involve childish miscommunications. The sister-bonding was my favourite part of this novel.

Although it’s not to my personal taste, I know many readers will enjoy the quick romance between Abby and Luke.

Oh my goodness! What an adorable blend of the friends-to-lovers theme set in a small town, full of witty dialogues, adorable characters, heartbreak, and personal growth.
Anyone who has grown up watching Katherine Heigl rom-com is in for a treat with this one. Both of the characters were raw and real, thus, easy to care for.
The book started off as a soft and sweet laugh-out-loud rom-com but took a serious turn of events in the middle, thus making it more genuine.
I am waiting to read more from this author. I can’t recommend this enough even for those who aren’t big on romance. Just pick this book up and I promise it will be worth it.

Thanks, Netgalley and Bookouture for a free arc copy of this book for an honest review.

Basic plot: Abby is having an awful time, personally and professionally. Whilst in her darkest hour, she decides to venture home, to Ireland. As she regains herself, she “re-meets” Luke, a childhood friend she doesn’t immediately recognize.

Rating: 5/5

What I enjoyed the most: I very much enjoyed this book. Reading about Abby and her finding who she is, what she loves, how she wants to live…she is a rollercoaster of emotions but it makes for a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley for granting me permission for an advanced copy of this great book!

Thank you for the advanced copy!
The Rebound had so much heart! I adored this romantic comedy.
Luke and Abby have so much great chemistry that I was hanging on every word!
The setting in Ireland was just perfect and I found myself drifting there often!
Perfect read for any rom-com lovers out there!
Enjoy!

Thank you for this ARC! A quick whimsical read- love how it was set in Ireland. The characters were a bit flat- it would have been great to see a little more depth from Beth or Luke- they had the potential to be more interesting. Overall very cute- thanks!

This is the first novel I’ve ever read by Catherine Walsh. I stumbled across her work on Netgalley and really liked the sound of the plot of The Rebound, and I wasn’t disappointed.

I loved the relationships between Abby and the other female characters in the book (Louise, Jess and Beth), and enjoyed that the book chose to focus on how she navigates these, as well as that of her love interest. I also loved watching Abby develop as the plot went on, staying true to herself in terms of her work ethic and drive but realising the importance of love, family and friendships.

Another fairly predictable ending (as is normally the case with this genre) but that didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it any less. I will definitely be adding Catherine’s first novel and any future books that she publishes to my TBR pile.

*Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This was an easy read and I enjoyed the setting and concept, but didn't feel the characterisation was as strong as it could be.

first of all thank you to netgalley and the oublisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

i just want to say that i tried really hard to enjoy this book but i really couldn’t fet through the whole thing. i gave it a few chances but it just wasnt hitting any of the right spots. i will be dnfing for now but will probably come back to it!

This was an adorable, funny, heartwarming read. I flew through the chapters and read it in less than 24hrs. I loved the romance between Abby and Luke. The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars and not 5 is that I just didn’t connect with Abby. But I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC on this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so cute, so The Rebound is about Abby Reynolds, an Irish girl from Clonard, who moved out for college, she went to New York and was hired in MacFarlane, a big investment bank. She met there her fiance Tyler, and they lived well until the day where he dumped her. A few weeks after she and all MacFarlane's employees lost their jobs.
Felling a bit depressed Abby packed her things and book a one-way flight to her home country, to stay with her sister (who doesn't know about her situation)
She meets her childhood best friend, and neighbor Luke Bayley, who became super hot, and day after day she started catching feelings for him. So the question is is she really falling for his or he is her rebound?

Overall, the enjoyed this story, Abby and Luke are so cute, the side characters are so funny. This book feels cozy.
I'm looking forward to Catherine Walsh's future books.

This is a lovely contemporary novel sprinkled with romcom vibes, set in rural Ireland. I really enjoyed it, especially the family bits between Abby and her sister Louise. I think some side characters had a lot of potential but only popped in too little to have any impact on my reading experience. Still, it's a good story. Perhaps more a women's fiction book than a proper romance, which I personally liked.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for this wonderful ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved all the characters in this book. I related to Abby and Beths friendship, understood her sisterhood with Louise and wanted to party with Jess.

To all those late bloomers out there, you will find your inner Luke! Sweet and a little scruffy, he is perfect!

I cannot wait to purchase a physical copy to add to my romance shelf.

This was such a cute and light book.

Loved the main character, Abby. Abby loses her job and fiancé while living in New York City and decides to go back to her hometown while she figures things out. A rural place in Ireland which I thought sounded so charming. She meets a new friend, finds love and strengthens her relationship with her sister.

Highly recommend this book.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When MacFarlane, the 9th biggest investment bank in the world, goes bankrupt, Abby and several other MacFarlane employees are left to fend for themselves. With no job and no place to live in NY (since she had been staying at a MacFarlane-provided housing unit), Abby must decide whether she’ll return home (aka Ireland) or if she’ll ask her ex-fiancé for help (jk! she definitely didn’t even consider that option since HE broke up with HER a few weeks before MacFarlane went bankrupt).

Upon arriving at the bus station that will take her to Clonard, her hometown, Abby is informed that the bus that she assumed would be there to pick her up, no longer runs every day and that she’s stranded. Luckily for her, Luke is heading towards Clonard and offers to give her a ride home. Desperate and not willing to risk being stranded, Abby agrees. What she doesn’t realize is that Luke is her childhood best friend…

I adored this story. There’s something wholesome about Abby returning home and fully coming home to herself. The plot was well-written, the character development was subtle but effective, and the story telling successfully drew me in from the very first page. 10/10 would recommend to folks looking for a wholesome love story.

What a wonderful, lovely, fun book! If I could read ten more like it I would be perfectly content.
Abby seemed to have it all - living in New York , a high-flying job, an equally high-flying fiancee - but when everything comes crashing down around her, she doesn't know what to do besides come back home to the West of Ireland, to a sister who she has barely had a proper conversation with in years. On arriving back, she meets a handsome stranger who offers her a drive back to her small village, and so begins the start of the 'rebound' of the title...

The chemistry between Abby and her handsome saviour is evident from the start, and you go on the inevitable (but thoroughly enjoyable) rollercoaster of 'will-they. won't they?' for much of the novel. In the meantime we also see her strained relationship with older sister Louise, plus funny little episodes where her parents (now ensconced happily in their retirement in Portugal) check in. Village neighbours, old school-mates and new friends all crop up as well, adding a bit of variety to the mix of this story.

Thankfully, even with all these interludes. it never loses sight of what it is - a romantic, funny and lovable story of a woman who thought she had it all, but ends up needing a total change of scenery to see what (and who) she really needs, and despite this sounding like a stereotypical romcom storyline, it isn't predictable by any means. An idea Valentine's read. I'm off now to read Walsh's previous book!

Thanks to Netgally and the publishers for an advance copy of this title in return for an honest review.