The Rachel Incident: 'If you've ever been young, you will love The Rachel Incident' Gabrielle Zevin

Description

The hilarious and heartbreaking new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of PROMISING YOUNG WOMEN and SCENES OF A GRAPHIC NATURE A Most Anticipated Book of 2023 in the Irish Times, Sunday Independent, Irish Examiner and Irish Independent 'I didn't know books could be this hilarious' - Annie Lord, author of Notes on Heartbreak 'I really loved this book' - Emer McLysaght, author of Oh My God What a Complete Aisling The Rachel Incident is an all-consuming love story. But it's not the one you're expecting. It's unconventional and messy. It's young and foolish. It's about losing and finding yourself. But it is always about love. When Rachel falls in love with her married professor, Dr Byrne, her best friend James helps her devise a plan to seduce him. But what begins as a harmless crush soon pushes their friendship to its limits. Over the course of a year they will find their lives ever more entwined with the Byrnes' and be faced with impossible choices and a lie that can't be taken back... 'A gripping story, beautifully written' - Justin Myers, author of The Fake-Up

Caroline O'Donoghue is a New York Times best-selling author and the host of the award-winning podcast Sentimental Garbage. She has written two novels for adults, Promising Young Women, which was shortlisted for the AN Post Irish Book Awards - Sunday Independent Newcomer of the Year, and Scenes of a Graphic Nature, which was longlisted for the Ondaatje Prize, as well as the supernatural series for teenagers, All Our Hidden Gifts. She was born in Ireland and currently lives in London.

If you've ever had a literary internship that didn't really pay you; if you've ever contemplated writing a screenplay with a friend; if you've ever been unsure what to do with your degree in English; if you've ever wondered when the rug-buying part of your life will start; if you've ever avoided going home or run out of things to say to your parents; if you've ever built your life and your personality around a friend; if you've ever loved the wrong person, or the right person at the wrong time... In short, if you've ever been young, you will love The Rachel Incident like I did -- Gabrielle Zevin, author of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow A book I took to my heart. . . A truly lovely read; complex in its emotional range, funny, poignant, heart-breaking, beautifully plotted, with clever, pacey dialogue, vivid characters and a shocking plot twist that left me gasping in horror -- Barbara Trapido, author of Brother of the More Famous Jack I really loved this book. It was gentle yet compelling and I was truly rooting for each character, even the ones I didn't like. Caroline has a talent for writing complex characters with humour and tact. The Rachel Incident kept me guessing while feeling deeply comforted the whole way through -- Emer McLysaght, author of Oh My God What a Complete Aisling I didn't know books could be this hilarious. The Rachel Incident is so warm and comforting, and the characters so real. I can't believe Rachel and James aren't people that I know -- I care about them so deeply! -- Annie Lord, author of Notes on Heartbreak Caroline O'Donoghue, where have you been all my life? The Rachel Incident is a transportive joy, a superhighway to young friendship. Big-hearted, witty and expertly crafted - I want to live inside this book -- Sloane Crosley, author of Cult Classic A gripping story, beautifully written, with an expertly woven plot, packed with charm and suspense that sneaks up on you and leaves you rooting for the characters and gasping for more. A masterful, mesmerising tale of the joy of obsessive and consuming friendship, the secrets that bind us, and the damage we can't help but inflict on the ones we love the most -- Justin Myers, author of The Fake-Up The Rachel Incident worked its way under my skin and into my heart and has stayed there for months. It's such a beautifully observed, open-hearted, clever, horny, desperately funny, joy of a book. It captures, with unique eloquence, those years in our early twenties when every feeling reveals an exposed nerve, when every small event is tragedy or ecstasy, when we're trying to shape, and reshape (and reshape again), who it is we want to become. I adored it -- Kate Young, author of Experienced By turns hilarious and heartfelt, breezy and bittersweet, The Rachel Incident is a full-throated, big-hearted romp through early adulthood -- Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train Caroline O'Donoghue shines a laser beam on young adulthood, particularly the crazy intensity of those messy, beautiful friendships forged in the fires of romantic crisis. The Rachel Incident made me nostalgic for my early twenties. But even more than that, it made me wish I could go back and hug the person I was back then and tell her she'll be okay -- Lauren Fox, author of Send For Me An amusing coming-of-age saga -- Ones to Watch * Sunday Independent *