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kplab81 's review for:
One Plus One
by Jojo Moyes
Apparently I'm on a JoJo Moyes kick - and I still have 5 or so more to go before I've covered her complete canon. Her storytelling is so fluid and her characters are engaging and fun--I guess these are what you would call "easy reads" and so far I've enjoyed each one in its own way. This version of the Moyes narrative follows something of a patchwork family: Jess, the hardworking, tirelessly optimistic single mom working multiple jobs to keep her family afloat; Tanzie, her quirky, sweet young daughter who also happens to be something of a math genius; Nicky, her moody (but also sweet) stepson who can't seem to escape the taunts and fists of the small-town bullies; and Norman, the gigantic, slobbery mutt that follows them everywhere. Jess's main mission in life is to raise two smart, compassionate, morally-upright kids, but her attempts at parenting are often overshadowed by her constant financial instability. Regardless of the situation, she always tells her kids that they will "figure it out." The story takes off when Jess attempts to take Tanzie to Abderdeen for a Math Olympiad that could end up offering her the money she needs to attend an elite private school if she can win it all. The trip begins disastrously (a decrepit Rolls Royce and police are involved), but the family's compass shifts directions when Ed Nicholls, a wealthy tech whiz who also happens to be Jess's employer (she cleans his summer beach house), pulls over to lend them a hand. The journey the family (plus Ed) takes to get to Aberdeen and back is expectantly filled with pratfalls, but the humor is balanced out with equal parts of poignancy, fear, sadness, pride, and affection. I knew that One Plus One would be a love story at its heart, but I was impressive with how Moyes made it more about the family than about the couple. What can I say, i'm addicted to her writing. Sure - it's not the most challenging material, but she knows how to hook you right from the start and keep your attention until the last page.