This was on okay read.
I came to the realization that I am not a fan of romances narrated from just one POV because I feel like I am missing part of the story.
This was even more true for this book, where I felt like every other character in the book was more flashed out than the love interest, Luke.
Abby was an interesting character and I really enjoyed her personal growth trough the relationship with the people around her. I just would have liked for the romantic relationship to have a bit more depth and space.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

This book was a solid 4 stars for me! I love the childhood friends to strangers to lovers trope, and Luke and Abby were SO cute together. This book kind of reminds me of the movie Leap Year — big corporate job girl goes to small town & meets hot, swoon worthy guy. I wish that there was a bit more “oomf” to the romance in this book… I think it would have really made this a stellar 5 star read for me. There was just something missing between Luke & Abby for me, maybe not quite enough written connection for the reader to grasp onto & really hang onto throughout the book. Overall, I liked it and will be recommending it to all my fellow romance lovers. So thankful that I got to read this ARC!

The Rebound is a charming, swoony and really sweet story.

With engaging and relatable characters, Abby and Luke are two unique characters you can’t help but love and need to see them united.
The passion between them was undeniable.
I loved watching their relationship evolve.
most well-written books I’ve read in a long time.
From start to finish, it was a delightful read.
Smart and witty, this story is consistently funny and genuinely affecting.
The plot is exceptionally clever and imaginative.
Catherine Walshtransports the reader to Manhattan with two lovable characters, humor, angst, and the power of love.
This well written, and well paced story is a great summer read, whether you're on the beach, a plane, or a lunch hour at work.
I was hooked on your book from the very beginning and made my own predictions as to what I thought would happen.  
I could easily relate to both and that made the characters even more lovable.  
Your story turned out to be one filled with humor, sexy moments, a spectacular setting and a cast of characters that are an absolute joy to be around!

Bookouture and NetGalley,
Thank You for this eARC!
I will post and tag to my platforms closer to pub date!

The Rebound
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Catherine Walsh
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Clean Read: PG-13ish
Content Warning: fertility struggles

Well, I liked it. I enjoyed picturing small-town Ireland and the familial connections that a community of life-long residents creates. Watching the relationship evolve between Louise & Abby was heart warming and fun! I appreciated the female empowerment and friendships all throughout and I loved that Abby didn’t settle for the safe and predictable path.

That said, I found the romance part of it to be a bit lackluster. It was generally sweet but I felt like it was missing some of the passion and heat that makes the reader’s heart race as they’re experiencing the book. I also expected more humor? Sure, there was snark and banter but it never really hit me to be as “laugh out loud” as I guess I was expecting based on the cover blurb.

I decided on 3 stars because as I mentioned, the family and friends parts of the book were great, I just didn’t feel the pull for the story of Luke and Abby, as much. However, I hope people read it for themselves and make up their own minds!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Bookouture for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! The Rebound follows Abby after her company shuts down and her fiancé breaks up with her. She then moves in with her sister in their hometown of Clonard, Ireland and is reintroduced to Luke, her neighbor and childhood friend (plus the guy who gave her a ride home).

My favorite part of this story was the relationship between Abby and her sister Louise. It was great getting to read about a sibling relationship and the development that they both went through. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Abby and Luke. The ending surprised me, but I actually really enjoyed it as well.

I felt like the writing was good and I loved the descriptions of Ireland and small-town life. It was also refreshing having a main character who didn’t change what she wanted for the love interest.

This was a really sweet and simple read. I’m giving four stars and I recommend it to fans of romance.

A fun, easy read that has a lovely ending.
I love a good romance and this book certainly didn’t disappoint.
The characters are all relatable and likeable.
It’s one that I’d definitely recommend.

A sweet romance with a happy ending. The way the author portrayed the turmoil of Abby and her reactions to the changes happening in her life were relatable. Luke's character was good but not strong enough. Overall it's a good book. Giving 5 stars.

The Rebound follows Abby, now homeless, jobless and freshly dumped by her fiancé returning to her hometown of Clonard in Ireland. While wallowing in her own self pity she meets a handsome stranger who turns out not to be a stranger after all but Luke, the boy next door, the boy she grew up with.

Luke still looks at Abby like the successful New Yorker she no longer is. The longer she is home the harder it is to hide her failures. But the more she opens up the more she is able to get closer to Luke - but is sharing all of her failures worth the risk if this is only supposedly a fling?

This was a sweet rom-com that showed the power of moving on and facing ones setbacks head on.

This releases on Valentines Day and I think it is the perfect story to read for those looking for a second chance at love and life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cahterine Walsh for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A super fun and easy read, Catherine Walsh introduces us to Abby Reynolds, a former superstar who has fallen from the sky and lands back in her childhood bedroom, living with her sister (with whom she does not really speak) and family, with nothing to do (she lost her job and the small town has no real prospects), and all alone (she just broke up with her fiance). What follows from the introduction is a delightful recovery for Abby. She has the opportunity to rebound into a better life, and we get to enjoy her progress.

Abby is going to die on a cold park bench at stupid o'clock Monday morning in with 2% phone battery. Okay, that might be a bit dramatic but that's how she feels. Rather than being home in Manhattan with her fiancé, she's returned to her small hometown in Ireland single, unemployed, homeless and a little hopeless.

So when a man offers to help her get home, she can't help but think maybe a handsome stranger is exactly what she needs to cheer her up … but he isn't a stranger at all. He's Luke, the boy next door. The boy she grew up with … and he has definitely grown.

But like everyone else, he still thinks she's a successful Manhattanite who's getting married soon. Can she finally admit the truth to everyone, and herself, if that means she might finally get to know the boy next door?

"I'm not having a breakdown. I have lists. Lists and a plan. This is my plan! I didn't say anything about it being a good one, I just ..."

A tale of mishaps, misunderstandings and mistakes that anyone who's ever had to start over again can't help but cry and laugh along with!

Abby was a woman who's life had shattered and she had to figure out not only how to put the pieces back together again, but what pieces she wanted. She made stupid choices, let her pride get in the way of her decisions and messed up along the way - but she was just trying to find her way in the world and I loved her no matter how much she sometimes infuriated me.

Her relationships with friends, family and lovers change and evolve as we progress through the pages - some heartbreaking and others completely heartwarming. I adored her friendship with Beth and how loving they were with each other, how much they helped each other despite their relationship being quite new.

This was a slow moving story, but it was never about the destination, instead it's Abbys journey through life that's the focus - and just how much life can change when you look the other way. An adorably indulgent romance about moving on and moving up, The Rebound is a perfect Valentines Day read!

Abby has lost her job, all her savings and her fiancé breaks up with her. With nowhere else to go, she jumps on a plane back to her home town of Clonard in Ireland. With only the clothes on her back and her meagre belongings in her suitcase, Abby finds herself stuck in the middle of nowhere after misreading the bus timetable. Along comes an attractive young man who Abby is instantly attracted to and offers her a lift. When she gets to her old house, she realises that the stranger is her neighbour Luke. Abby has to figure out what she’s going to do now, not only professionally but also how to tell everyone that she’s lost everything she worked so hard for.

Walsh’s new book is such an enjoyable and easy read with lots of laughs, heartfelt moments and romance- the perfect book to be released on Valentine’s Day next year.

Abby is a strong-willed and determined go-getter. She wasn’t afraid to make the move to New York to fight for her place in a very busy and competitive company. Even when everything goes wrong, her determination to find a solution and not giving up is emphasised by the author. The women in this story are all strong, independent women which I loved to see and read about!

Luke is your quintessential guy next door who’s grown up to be a “looker”- handsome, kind-hearted with a wicked sense of humour. I love the development of Abby & Luke’s relationship in this book with all the ups and downs to keep you wanting to read on to the next page and find out what happens. I love their banter- it makes the story and the characters seem so realistic and genuine.

The perfect feel-good romantic story with comedic moments throughout. Sweet and charming with a bit of spice, The Rebound is perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes. 4 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC! The Rebound is out in the 14th of February 2022. If you like this book, check out Catherine’s other book One Night Only!

A sweet, charming rom-com set in Ireland, the Rebound follows Abby Reynolds as she deals with her recent job loss, home loss, and breakup with her fiancé. Abby leaves New York to go back to her small home town (village) in Ireland, telling her sister she plans to stay with her for a couple of weeks. Shortly upon landing in Ireland, she bumps into a very handsome stranger who kindly offers her a ride to her sister’s house (and her former childhood home). What Abby doesn’t realize is that this stranger is the neighbor/boy next door she grew up with, Luke. As Abby figures out her next steps and how to move on with her life, she also has to figure out who Luke fits into her picture.

I thought this book was enjoyable, breezy, and easy to read. As much as it is a romance, it is also a story of Abby reconnecting or improving her relationship with her older sister. I enjoyed their dynamic and how they began to confide in one another and grow closer. The romance plot had some angst and miscommunication (which is not my favorite), but thankfully, miscommunications were dealt with in a fairly timely manner. The side characters were fun and supportive and I appreciated that they did not coddle Abby but encouraged her to stay true to herself and welcomed her back after many years of not seeing her.

This book comes out on Valentine’s Day - February 14, 2022. I recommend it to anyone looking for a cute romance read.




Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

A thoroughly enjoyable book with some great characters. It starts off a bit slowly, but once it gets going it’s a good read.

I have to say this because it is true. This book slaps.
The banter between Abby and Luke, the two main characters, is genuine and natural. And definitely witty.
Trust me, right now, you need this book in your life.I plan to get a physical copy of this book, because I will absolutely be rereading it in the future
Overall this was such a sweet lovely book!!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

QOTD: What are your Wednesday plans?
My A: We’re taking our kitten, Felis, to get spayed today. It’s a sad day in our household thinking about having to leave him overnight. The best way to beat the blues? A great book!
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Let me tell you, there are some AMAZING books coming out in 2022! I’ve been blessed with some NetGalley gems this week and I can’t wait for the books to go live so everyone can read them! Next up: The Rebound by Catherine Walsh.
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This Friends to lovers/ second chance romance is exactly what I needed this week! Over the weekend I ended up reading two books I didn’t bother finishing because they were just not that good and I could feel that pesky bad book slump inching in. This book is on the lighter side, never really tackling the super hard topics you sometimes come across in romances which made it the perfect book to cleanse my palate. The romance is pretty easy-going and a slow burn with the angst kept low which makes it easy to love! I would’ve liked to see a little more depth in the story in general, but I still really enjoyed it! I especially liked seeing Abby and his sister grow. My oldest sister and I could not be any more opposite if we actually tried and we had to share a room while I was in middle school and she was in high school. It was... fun. I totally understand their small bickers and instant defense when in reality, they just never knew how to talk to each other.
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All in all, this is a fun and fast read that will leave you with all of the warm and fuzzies!
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BLURB:
It’s 7 a.m. on a Monday morning and Abby Reynolds isn’t where she wants to be. She wants to be in her beautiful loft apartment in Manhattan, drinking a coffee with her fiancé
Instead, she’s heading back to the childhood home in rural Ireland she swore she’d never return to, with some big old secrets. Namely that she’s suddenly found herself unemployed, homeless, and absolutely 100% single. She’s feeling all out of luck. Until the first person she meets after she touches down is an absurdly hot guy called Luke, who offers her a lift home. Gazing deep into his sparkling emerald-green eyes, Abby knows instantly that he’s exactly what she needs to take her mind off everything. The perfect rebound. It’s a flawless plan. Until the next day, when Abby realizes who he actually is. Not just a stranger. He is, in fact, Luke Bailey, aka the boy next door. Luke Bailey who—so help her God—she’s pretty sure she once shared baths with, back when they were kids. Not that she can allow herself to imagine him in a bath now, not without blushing from head to foot. And judging by the smirk on his face, the same Luke Bailey who’s known exactly who she was the whole time… And who, like everyone in the village, still thinks she’s a high-flying New Yorker… who’s getting married next year. Abby is certain getting under Luke will help her get over her ex. But the truth is stopping her. Can she admit to everyone back home that she’s single and has lost everything? Because, if she wants the boy next door, she may just have to…

'A newly single girl. A tall dark handsome stranger. What could go wrong?'

Turned out, a lot could go wrong and I totally loved the journey. Abby Reynolds is at a turning point in her life but she doesn't quite know it yet, she's still stuck in the 'how did this happen to me' part. 
Jobless, fiance-less, and apartment-less - Abby moves back to Ireland to live with her sister until she figures things out. 

Abby was the best character, I totally related to her and rooted for her from the start. Catherine Walsh did a beautiful job of keeping the characters honest to themselves and the pages turning. 

I'd recommend this to any contemporary romance lovers who want a light but fun and relatable read.

4⭐️1🌶
Omg this book was so cute! I loved the small town vibes that gave me Gilmore Girls vibes. I loved Luke and Abby! The characters are all so well written and the relationships between them felt real. This is a single pov rom com with an friends to strangers to enemies to lovers situation 😂 (I know quite the journey). It’s a story that just makes you smile and feel good and you can relate to Abby, which I really enjoyed. I also really liked her relationship with her sister. If anyone has ever seen Dawson’s Creek they remind me of Joey and her sister Bessie lol. The spice in here is very mild which I didn’t mind because I felt it was done very well. It is set in Ireland and I am sucker for that as well😂 Abby is the overachieving, workaholic girl from a small town who ran to the big city as soon as she could, but things didn’t turn out the way she expected. Luke is your good boy from a small town, a little closed at times, fell for her first male mc. He is definitely the guy you bring home to meet the family 😂😍. Over all I really really enjoyed this book! It will be published February 14, 2022! You need to read this one!

I really wanted to enjoy this book.

Abby seemed like she would be an interesting heroine, but she fell quite flat for me.

The romantic tension between her and Luke seemed forced, and I almost feel like I would have preferred if they hadn’t been friends when they were children.

All in all… this romance book just didn’t give me what I was hoping it would give.

I liked this, but I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Overall Walsh writes compelling characters and understands how to make a romance interesting. My primary issue is how deeply unrelatable Abby, our primary character, is. Abby is going through some really relatable things and yet she still didn't quite hit the mark for me. She felt just slightly out of reach, which is a real shame.

This is cute and there are some really nice moments throughout, but it was overall "just" nice.

I enjoyed this book; it was a heartwarming, fun, romantic, easy read. The storyline follows main character Abby as her life falls apart and she moves back home to pick up the pieces. Once back home she falls for Luke, the boy next door.

As with most romcoms, it’s fairly predictable yet keeps you hooked until the end. I didn’t think that Luke’s character was very well developed and therefore had trouble feeling the connection between Luke and Abby. I actually enjoyed watching the connection grow between Abby and her sister Louise more so than Abby and Luke. This didn’t stop me from enjoying the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This is my first book from this author and I will definitely read more from her!