A review by timetotalkbeauty
Thirst Trap by Grainne O'Hare

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Gráinne O’Hare’s Thirst Trap is a raw, vibrant, and emotionally tangled portrayal of friendship, grief, and growing up — set against the backdrop of a crumbling house share in Belfast, endless hangovers, and unresolved heartache.
Following three women — Róise, Maggie, and Harley — as they navigate their chaotic entrance into their thirties, this novel captures that tricky moment when youthful recklessness collides with the quiet realisation that life can’t always stay suspended in a student-era limbo.

The trio’s world is messy and loud: their shared home is falling apart, their love lives are more disaster than delight, and the absence of Lydia, their fourth housemate who died in a sudden accident, hangs heavily over everything. Each character’s personal struggles — Róise’s emotionally guarded romance with her boss, Maggie’s all-consuming and toxic entanglement with Cate, and Harley’s impulsive drug-fuelled escapades — are handled with empathy and unflinching honesty. The novel doesn’t shy away from difficult topics like grief, abortion, substance use, and anxiety-driven disordered eating, but balances them with moments of humour, warmth, and genuine affection.

O’Hare’s writing style is fluid and compulsively readable, capturing both the fizzy energy of nights out and the quiet ache of unspoken regret. There’s a deep authenticity in how she portrays the intensity of female friendship — its intimacy, pettiness, loyalty, and volatility. It’s a story that feels especially resonant for readers entering or living through their own messy thirties, particularly those familiar with Irish culture, though the themes are universally recognisable.

While the novel leans more into character than plot, that feels deliberate — it’s less about where these women end up and more about the emotional knots they untangle (or don’t) along the way. If there’s one drawback, it’s that the character development feels a bit rushed in the final chapter, but there’s still satisfaction in seeing them inch toward something resembling stability and self-awareness.

Thirst Trap is unflinchingly honest, often hilarious, and sometimes uncomfortable — but that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.
Ideal for fans of Caroline O'Donoghue or Dolly Alderton, this is a portrait of female friendship and grief that’s both brash and tender, reminding us that sometimes the mess is the point.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Car accident