The Rebound by Catherine Walsh Published by Bookouture on February 14, 2022
Pages: 326
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley
A newly single girl. A tall dark handsome stranger. What could go wrong?
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...
The perfect feel-good romantic comedy that will make you laugh until you cry and fall completely in love. Fans of Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, and Emily Henry won't be able to put this down!
Readers are completely obsessed with The Rebound:
'OMG this book was just what I needed... Kept me turning the pages and reading late into the night... It was like drinking a great big warm mug of hot chocolate, I just loved it.' Reading time at the zoo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Had me addicted from page one! I was laughing, crying and swooning from start to finish!... This book has something for everyone - great friendships, family reconciliations and a romance to sweep you off your feet!... Honestly, if Catherine Walsh wrote a menu I'd still read it and rate it five stars I love her storytelling that much!' Ateachersguidetoreading ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I really love this book... The HUMOUR!!! The perfect amount of sarcasm, wit, and darkness. Genuinely laughing out loud while reading... Perfect... Honestly, I just love this book. New instant fav - and the perfect read!' Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'To say I devoured this book is an understatement... I love love love that it's set in a small town in Ireland... A perfect recipe for swooning... I read this book right after The Hating Game when I was looking for something to fill the void and it did just that.' @_bookally_ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC copy of The Rebound by Catherine Walsh in return for an honest review. All of the thoughts and opinions in this review are entirely my own.
This story follows Abby Reynolds and her fall from the high life in New York City. Abby was making decent money, living with her fiance, and making her dream life come true. Then suddenly everything falls apart her fiance dumps her, she lost her job and has become homeless. Abby is left with no place to go except back home to Ireland a place that she hates to return to most. Abby has no other choice than to go to her childhood home in a small rural town called Clonard. She is going back home to the one person she can never seem to get along with and that is her sister Louise. They are both very different women. Abby is all about living the high life while Louise wants to save the planet and become a mother.
During Abby’s stay at home, she runs into old friends and meets some new ones as well. She reintroduces herself to her old neighbor and childhood friend Luke. He recognizes her right away but Abby has no idea who this new dreamy man is that just so happens to live nearby. It does not occur to her who he is until the next day when he comes for lunch with his parents at Louise’s home. As you go through this story you see Abby’s life unfolding and being remade. You will follow her through her adventures of catching up with old friends, hanging out with new ones, applying for jobs, working toward figuring out her sister, and possibly even falling in love.
This book has all the things that you would expect in a small-town rom-com-type story. I very much appreciated the fact that it took place in Ireland and spanned over many months. If you are looking for a light and fluffy read then this may be the book for you. I know I enjoyed reading it and getting to know the characters. I found it to be a quick read and I am grateful to have received an ARC copy. Now part of receiving it as I said is that I have to give an honest review of the book. I stand by what I have said above but I have to also mention that the digital copy I received had some editing issues. Often throughout the book, I found additional words in sentences that did not make any sense or in some cases a lack of words to make the sentence complete. When I was reading it I knew what words were supposed to be there so I just inserted them myself. However, that is something that should not have to be done by the reader it should already have been taken care of. That is one of the reasons that I am giving this book a 3-star rating.