This is one of the best Irish contemporary novels I've read in years

I started watching Girls for the first time recently, and like every other millennial woman, I love it.

There's something special about stories that explore the complexities of being a woman in your 20s and 30s. It's the main type of story I'm drawn to when picking books, especially after reading Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love.

I've been reading similar books for some time, but no debut has impressed me quite as much as Thirst Trap.

Gráinne O'Hare has created one of the strongest novels about female friendship, and I've been glued to it from the very first page.

Thirst Trap follows three friends from Belfast, Maggie, Harley, and Róise, as they come to terms with the loss of their friend Lydia, who died in a car accident one year before the story takes place.

Maggie, Harley, and Róise are friends on the brink: of triumph, catastrophe, or maybe just finally growing up. Their crumbling Belfast houseshare has been witness to their roaring twenties, filled with questionable one-night stands and ruthless hangovers. But now fault-lines are beginning to show.

The three girls are still grieving the tragic death of their friend, Lydia, whose room remains untouched. Their last big fight hangs heavy over their heads, unspoken since the accident. And now they are all beginning to unravel.

O'Hare's writing is as addictive as Sally Rooney's and Dolly Alderton's, and her words will stick with you long after you finish Thirst Trap.

She's blended a mix of light and dark themes throughout this book, making it a smooth and seamless read.

And although her characters are flawed, they're incredibly relatable and most importantly, likeable.

You know the girls are going to make mistakes, but we adore them because they're not the perfect leading ladies Hollywood focuses on.

Like Marianne in Normal People and Hannah in Girls, Maggie, Harley, and Róise are trying their best to get through womanhood.

Readers have been raving about Thirst Trap, which has been nominated for an An Post Book Award this year.

One said, "Perfect blend of serious topics but also lighthearted topics. It really delves into womanhood and what it means to have friends in your late 20s to early 30s."

"This book explores female friendship in all its complexities and has such well fleshed out characters, who, despite their chaos and flaws, I couldn’t help but love," said another.

"There were laugh-out-loud moments and equally sad times of grief and despair, but the friendship between the characters was unbreakable. I found the writing really addictive and couldn’t put it down," one reader added.

"This novel is an easy read in the best way—fast-paced, engaging, and filled with witty, authentic dialogue," one shared.

Thirst Trap by Gráinne O’Hare is one book you need to read if you loved Girls and Normal People.

This is the debut from an Irish author you cannot afford to skip. You'll be cheating yourself if you don't pick up a copy of this book.

Buy the Kindle version here.

Buy Thirst Trap here.