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lindsaynixon 's review for:
One Plus One
by Jojo Moyes
3.5 stars.
This is a story is mainly about 'uncoventional', modern families... those that are built rather than bred with "coming of age" stories: one about a teenage boy and another about an adult man who (cliche here) didn't have his priorities straight and didn't realize what he was missing in his personal life.
SUMMARY:
Jess is a woman you know... that single mother working two jobs and barely scraping by, with a deadbeat ex that doesn't help, but despite this hardship, is wonderful and upbeat.
Her kids are the best part of this book and why I kept reading: Jess's stepson (whom she is raising as her own, bless her) is being bullied because he is 'different' than other teen boys (i.e. wears mascara) and her daughter is a math genius, but socially awkward...
The story begins when Tansy is accepted at a special school, but Jess doesn't have the money to pay for it... until she hears about a math competition... the first prize would cover tuiton...
Meanwhile, Ed, a nerdy "startup company" CEO, finds himself in a mess of trouble—he's facing charges for insider trading and might lose his company.
Jess and Ed "meet" when Jess shows up to clean his house. (Ed isn't very nice to her because he's frazzled) then later that night a drunk Ed walks into the bar Jess works at... and she lets him have it! Only for Ed to later find Jess, and her kids, stranded on the side of the road when their car fails. Ed reluctantly agrees to drive them to the math competition... and the stories wave together.
REVIEW:
This book is full of cliched storylines... but these "plots" are repeated for a reason, people like them, even for the 500th time.
About 60% in, this book became so over-the-top-cliche "romance novel" that I was rolling my eyes.
There's always some romance in chick lit but this was a lifetime movie on steroids.
My love for the kids kept me reading and I'm glad I did because as cliche and ridiculous as it was, I still liked the happy ending. Oh, Cinderella.
If you tend to love romance novels, I'll recommend this book. Otherwise it's a pass. It wouldn't make any list I would make.
I loved Me Before You by Moyes so much that I didn't read anything else by her for two years... mostly because all the other novels didn't sound as good. (note: I have this same issue with Emily Griffin) I decided to let go and read this, telling myself even if it was a stinker, it wasn't going to ruin my past experience with MBY.
I don't know that I'll read Moyes again (maybe?!) but I'm in no rush...
AUDIBLE: The narrators did an amazing job but the production was weird. The "voice" of the novel is third-person...the voice from above, but instead of a single narrator, they brought in voices for the characters, which I do love... but it became super awkward... everyone was 'speaking in the third person' it's odd to hear the child's voice for Tansy read "Tansy was confused and uncertain what her mom was thinking."
This is a story is mainly about 'uncoventional', modern families... those that are built rather than bred with "coming of age" stories: one about a teenage boy and another about an adult man who (cliche here) didn't have his priorities straight and didn't realize what he was missing in his personal life.
SUMMARY:
Jess is a woman you know... that single mother working two jobs and barely scraping by, with a deadbeat ex that doesn't help, but despite this hardship, is wonderful and upbeat.
Her kids are the best part of this book and why I kept reading: Jess's stepson (whom she is raising as her own, bless her) is being bullied because he is 'different' than other teen boys (i.e. wears mascara) and her daughter is a math genius, but socially awkward...
The story begins when Tansy is accepted at a special school, but Jess doesn't have the money to pay for it... until she hears about a math competition... the first prize would cover tuiton...
Meanwhile, Ed, a nerdy "startup company" CEO, finds himself in a mess of trouble—he's facing charges for insider trading and might lose his company.
Jess and Ed "meet" when Jess shows up to clean his house. (Ed isn't very nice to her because he's frazzled) then later that night a drunk Ed walks into the bar Jess works at... and she lets him have it! Only for Ed to later find Jess, and her kids, stranded on the side of the road when their car fails. Ed reluctantly agrees to drive them to the math competition... and the stories wave together.
REVIEW:
This book is full of cliched storylines... but these "plots" are repeated for a reason, people like them, even for the 500th time.
About 60% in, this book became so over-the-top-cliche "romance novel" that I was rolling my eyes.
There's always some romance in chick lit but this was a lifetime movie on steroids.
My love for the kids kept me reading and I'm glad I did because as cliche and ridiculous as it was, I still liked the happy ending. Oh, Cinderella.
If you tend to love romance novels, I'll recommend this book. Otherwise it's a pass. It wouldn't make any list I would make.
I loved Me Before You by Moyes so much that I didn't read anything else by her for two years... mostly because all the other novels didn't sound as good. (note: I have this same issue with Emily Griffin) I decided to let go and read this, telling myself even if it was a stinker, it wasn't going to ruin my past experience with MBY.
I don't know that I'll read Moyes again (maybe?!) but I'm in no rush...
AUDIBLE: The narrators did an amazing job but the production was weird. The "voice" of the novel is third-person...the voice from above, but instead of a single narrator, they brought in voices for the characters, which I do love... but it became super awkward... everyone was 'speaking in the third person' it's odd to hear the child's voice for Tansy read "Tansy was confused and uncertain what her mom was thinking."