[REVIEW] THE REBOUND - CATHERINE WALSH (ENGLISH REVIEW)

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source: Goodreads

Title: The Rebound

Author: Catherine Walsh

Expected Publication: 14 February 2022

Pages: 334 pages

ISBN: 9781800195660

Language: English

BLURB

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…

REVIEW

Thank you for NetGalley and Bookouture to provide me the ARC of this book with exchange an honest review!

This book tells about Abby who suddenly has to return to her town in Clonard after she lost her job, her apartment and her fiancé. Abby has to live with her sister, Louise, in their former house which is now where Lou and her husband live. Lou and Abby never got along but this was the only place she could go now.

Abby never liked Clonard, she always had big dreams and Clonard was not a place to give her what she wished for. However, things are not getting better for her, she had to find a job and get out of Louise's house and this city until she met Luke, her childhood friend who had changed since the last time she saw him.

This story does have a romance comedy genre, but what is what is told in this book is much deeper than just a romance relationship to Abby. Here, we will see many developments and changes experienced by Abby. The main focus that we see on Abby is interesting because we will be shown how Abby copes with the terrible situation that happened to her. We will see Abby who can't be honest with the condition she is in, Abby who is shuts herself to her sister and even her parents, Abby who shuts herself off from the people in her city and even Abby has to lie so that she can still maintain her pride.

At first I didn't enjoy Abby's character shown here, but considering what Abby went through I think it makes sense why she is like that. Moreover, he left this city with pride. However, Abby's character development is really good. How Abby's efforts to start opening up with other people, especially with Abby's own families, Abby's efforts to make up with her sister, and how Abby is finally honest with how she feels.

As for the romance itself, I have mixed feelings here. There was a lot of miscommunications between Abby and Luke. It wasn't once but many times, until I was quite annoyed too, because I might get tired of seeing the problems between the two of them and that's all. When we thought we could finally enjoy a sweet and cute story, miscommunication erupted again. Even though to be honest, when they were already lovey dovey, it was really adorable and I really liked it, that's why when the problem that arose between them was communication again, well it makes me quite bored too to see it because in the end sometimes the romance story disappears completely.

However, as I approached the ending, I started to like Abby even more. His relationship with Louise is improving as well as with Luke, it's obvious that Abby is getting more mature during these tough times, I forgot how annoyed I felt at the beginning of the book. I think the author made a really good ending for this book because I am satisfied and I think this book closed very well for Abby and all the characters here.

I'm rating it 4/5 ⭐! A book that is not only about romance, but there is a great determination from the characters to rise up and change. Those who like romance or woman fiction will love this book!