Thursday, July 24, 2014

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Published July 2014 by Pamela Dorman Books
Source: Netgalley

Publisher's Summary:
Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied, and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.


My Thoughts:
"Good things happen to good people" - it's Jess' mantra, although it's difficult to know why. Other than her children, it seems as if almost nothing good as every happened to Jess. Pregnant at seventeen, married to a man who not only didn't support his family but sunk all of their money into pie-in-the-sky schemes and then who had a breakdown and left home, saddled with raising a boy who is not her own and who is profoundly unhappy, and forced to work two jobs and still barely able to make ends meet. It seems that positive attitude is the only way that Jess can keep going, trying to make a life for her family. When her first attempt to get her family to Scotland for that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity fails, Jess' positive attitude takes a big hit, a hit that forces her to accept an offer of help from Ed. A man she really, really doesn't like. Also a man she has just "borrowed" some money from, unbeknownst to him. This sets up a story line that could be nothing more than your standard rom-com - the battling couple you just know will end up falling in love. But for Jess "there's no room in my life for the whole one-plus-one thing."

"The only things Jess really cared about were those two children and letting them know they were okay. Because even if the whole world was throwing rocks at you, if you had your mother at your back, you'd be okay. Some deep-rooted part of you would know you were loved. That you deserved to be loved."

Moyes' is much too talented a writer to let things become mired in predictability. Moyes' characters are quirky, nuanced, and real. Her story lines balance cold hard slaps of reality with light-hearted moments. In One Plus One, Moyes takes aim at the widening gap between the rich and the poor, never stooping to making all wealthy people appear elitist and snooty nor the poor sad and pathetic.

Fans of Moyes will be happy to recognize the things they love about her writing but Moyes' books never follow a predictable pattern so readers will always find something new to love. While this one will not replace the special place in my heart that Me Before You holds, I loved this book.
"I might not fit in the way that you first with your family, neatly, a little row of round pegs in perfectly round holes. In our family all our pegs and holes belonged somewhere else first, and they're all sort of jammed in and a bit lopsided."
Moyes' books are not round pegs that fit into round holes - it's what makes them so special.

14 comments:

  1. Glad to see the novel isn't predictably as that would certainly ruin it. I take it that Jess does not end up with the millionaire but geeky Ed. That would be predictable. Can't wait to see...
    Harvee
    Book Dilettante

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  2. I loved this too! I'm so glad Moyes almost never lets one down, when one needs a really endearing read!

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  3. I have yet to read a Moyes book but this sounds like a good one to start with! I like the balance that it sounds like this has as well as the showing issues without making blanket statements.

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  4. Oh my gosh I loved this book SO much. She just has a certain something, a kind of magical way with words that guts me every single time.

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  5. Aww, sounds like another winner. On my list -- can't wait.

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  6. Sounds really good. I need to read more of her books.

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  7. I'm hoping this one is more satisfying than The Girl You Left Behind. I loved Me Before You and am eager for another winner!

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  8. I have read only one book by Moyes and have been thinking I should try another. This one sounds like a good one to pick up.

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  9. I really want to start reading Moyes--I got the audio of Me Before You from the library but returned it because I had just started The Signature of All Things, which will take many weeks to finish.

    This one sounds great--I like the idea that the characters feel real. That is critical and something that some modern writers really struggle to get right.

    <Her story lines balance cold hard slaps of reality with light-hearted moments.

    I like that kind of pacing. Great review.

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  10. I'm looking forward to reading this one next weekend! I loved Me Before You but not after hating the first few chapters. I wonder how this one will fare.

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  11. I've only read Me Before You and The Girl You Left Behind but I agree about your assessment of Moyes's writing and will look forward to this one. I've heard it isn't quite as substantial as her others but it sounds promising! Glad you enjoyed it. I love Moyes's ability to draw characters!

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  12. I loved this one. I finished reading it this weekend and I'm definitely going to explore more of Moyes' books.I think I'll read Me Before You as my next Jojo Moyes read.

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  13. I seem to have Jojo Moyes' entire back catalogue on my TBR! I always really like the idea of her books and I've heard such good things, but I never seem to get round to actually reading them.

    I liked your review though - it's made me want to finally pick one up!

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  14. You've made me add this one to my to-read list. I've heard such good things about Moyes' books, but I haven't read one yet.

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