Profoundly beautiful and a true reflection of friendship in your twenties. I loved this so much, each one of the girls felt real and raw with their grief and sadness. Lydia herself even felt monumental, despite only existing as a ghost of their past.

The writing was beautiful and subtle in its emotions, one minute I’d be smiling to myself at the humour and the next I was fighting back tears. I found myself thinking of these women even when I wasn’t actively reading. They reminded me so much of my friends and the decisions we’ve all made so far in our twenties, and the decisions we’ve yet to make. This story had a heartbeat and a real sense of love and friendship. I loved reading about these girls.

Huge thank you to the lovely team at @picadorbooks for granting me access to this ARC on Netgalley!

Thirst Trap by Gráinne O’Hare is a bittersweet and bitingly funny story of three friends—Maggie, Harley, and Róise—navigating the aftermath of their twenties in a crumbling Belfast houseshare. Still grieving the tragic death of their friend Lydia and haunted by an unresolved fight, their friendships are tested as fault-lines begin to emerge.

O’Hare’s writing style is stunning and truly captivating, and I felt every ounce of emotion along with each of the girls. I laughed, cried, and absolutely adored spending time with them throughout this novel.

At its core, Thirst Trap is a profound and relatable reflection of friendship in your twenties; of enduring bonds through triumphs, catastrophes, and the chaos of growing up.

Biggest, FATTEST five stars from me

Thirst Trap is like Everything I Know About Love crossed with Blue Sisters, with a touch of Acts of Desperation — i.e my favourite kind of book, full of love, loss and friendship.

Róise, Harley and Maggie may be turning thirty, but none of them have their lives together. They’ve lived in the same crumbling house in South Belfast since university, they’re all working dead-end jobs and they still haven’t stopped partying hard and sleeping with the wrong people. They’re also grieving their fourth friend and housemate, Lydia, whose sudden death a year ago left them with an unwanted tortoise called Barnaby and an unresolved rift in their group.

The novel moves between the girls’ perspectives as they try to find their feet while still refusing to grow up. It’s a story of cocaine-fuelled house parties and morning-after regret which is entertaining and heartbreaking in equal measure. The characters are well-drawn and authentic, each with their own weaknesses and anxieties, and the writing is full of naughties nostalgia and sharp humour. I really loved this novel, which is sure to be a big-hitter when it’s published in June next year!

An absolute delight. O’Hare’s talent is unmatched, and I can’t wait for this to publish so I can tell every single person I know to read it. Heartbreaking and hysterical and so incredibly intelligent. Just such a pleasure to read.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the privilege of this arc.

This is such a gorgeously heartfelt and bittersweet story about friendship. The writing was just beautiful, I adore the way it was written. The style of writing worked perfectly with the story and so was the pacing. It kept me engaged and I didn’t want it to end.

It was good to see within the friendship group, how much that Lydia had an impact on them and how they are coming to terms with her passing. The fact they remained living in the same house when one of them is no longer there was so heartbreaking to read. They had such a connection to their house, even if it was falling apart. They wanted to hold onto the memories that they made in that house during their twenties.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Thirst Trap follows three housemates as they navigate life as a trio grieving the loss of their fourth housemate and friend, Lydia, and all of the complicated feelings that arose towards her both before and after the accident.

This book is a real triumph of a debut. It's an accurate portrayal of both grief and all the messy and complicated feelings that arise as a result of it, and also your messy twenties years - all of the characters felt incredibly real to me, to the point where I recognised several of my friends in them. Also, I'm not usually a fan of literary fiction and I've seen a lot of comparisons to Sally Rooney's work and I understand this to be a compliment, however, I honestly much preferred Gráinne O'Hare's writing and the characters felt far more real to me than Rooney's ever have done.

Gráinne's style of writing is also really funny in a way that will catch you off guard, slipped discretely in between darker moments.
Overall, this is an incredibly impressive debut and I have no doubt that Gráinne and this book will go far.

I haven't loved a book as much as this in a long time! Made me laugh and cry in equal measure. Perfect for fans of Girls.

From the very first sentence, Thirst Trap had me hooked. Grainne O’Hare sets the tone immediately, drawing readers into a world that is sharp, hilarious, and painfully relatable. This novel is an easy read in the best way—fast-paced, engaging, and filled with witty, authentic dialogue.

At its core, Thirst Trap is a modern and unfiltered reflection on friendships, adulthood, and the messiness of growing up. O’Hare masterfully captures the complexities of female relationships, weaving together a cast of flawed, complicated, and utterly real characters. Their struggles, missteps, and triumphs feel genuine, making the story both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving.

This was an effortless five-star read for me, I loved every page of it. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from Grainne O’Hare in the future.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Picador for the ARC!

'Thirst Trap' revolves around the messy and confusing post-university lives of three housemates Róise, Harley and Maggie. Still reeling from the grief of losing their fourth friend, Lydia, their relationships become simultaneously strained yet stronger (and more chaotic) than ever,

Navigating complex relationships, party scenes, rotting rented houses, the beauty of girlhood and female friendships, 'Thirst Trap' feels like mandatory reading for those of us who have recently graduated and are feeling somewhat intimidated at the prospect of entering true adulthood. Not much is certain other than the love that is shared between these girls.

The dialogue between these friends is so authentic and laugh-out-loud funny. You will recognise pieces of your friends in their interactions, for better or for worse, and you will love every minute you spend encapsulated in their world.

This felt like a grittier version of Alderton's 'Everything I Know About Love'. I was shocked to discover that this novel is O'Hare's fictional debut, because her writing is just THAT good. I am so excited to recommend this to my own circle of friends who I see reflected in this dynamic cast. An effortless five-star rating.

Thank you to Picador for the ARC!