Cover Image: Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

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Member Reviews

I had heard good things about Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting and when I saw it on the audible sale, I grabbed a copy and am so glad that I did. This is a story about strangers becoming friends or even family. People helping one another, supporting each other emotionally, giving encouragement and celebrating successes.

Iona is such a great character. She is no nonsense, doesn't blow her own horn, hard working, likes routine, and helps others when they need it. She brings together a group of strangers who commute. They knew each other by sight, gave them names based on their actions and weren't sure if they wanted to know each other. The story is told from various POVs, but it's not confusing. Each chapter title tells us who is narrating that part of the book. We learn about their lives, situations, jobs, dreams, relationships, problems and more. It was wonderful to see how these relationships helped them to change, grow and follow their dreams. They come together as a cohesive group and I absolutely loved these relationships. When Iona needed them, they were all there for her. I don't want to ruin this books for you, so that is all I am going to say, except that I highly recommend this one.

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2.5⭐️

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I started this. I think I needed a break from horror and this seemed interesting.

It was cute. A light fluffy read. Honestly kind of forgettable, but still enjoyable at the time.

This is a great summer read, but not something I would consider to have a lot of depth. Sometimes that’s just exactly what you need though.

Thank you to NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you to the publisher for allowing me advance access to this title. I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading more from this author. As a reader, I am really motivated by character driven stories and I found myself quickly becoming immersed in these characters’ lives. Full review to come.

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I tried reading the book and just couldn't get into it. In fact, I ended up DNFing it the first time around. However, about a year out I've given it another go and have to say I'm so, so glad I did. I loved this! Great writing and a heartwarming story of found family. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun, quirky read.

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This is a five star book all the way for me! I have recommended it so many times, I feel like its got something for everyone and it should be on everyone's reading list. I loved Iona and all of her friends and didn't want to say goodbye to them at the end of the book. Iona sits each day in the same spot on the train and after a life altering event, connects with a few of the fellow car passengers. I felt every emotion reading this, from pulling at my heartstrings to literally laughing out loud. I especially loved the diversity in characters, be it their age or race, sexuality or gender, I felt that everyone was represented uniquely but not stereotypically. There was so much feeling and care put into their characterizations. Getting to see this unique view into the lives of all of these very different strangers with different priorites who seemingly would never connect, if not for Iona. All I can say is read this one, you wont forget these lovely characters for a long time!

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i read clare pooley's first novel 'the authenticity project' in 2020, and wasn't sold on the story. however, i did like the characters and the writing, so i decided to give the author another chance by picking up 'iona iverson's rules for community'. in the same vein as her first novel, this story follows a diverse group of characters who all ride the same train into the city each day, at the centre of which is iona, an advice columnist who gives everyone she sees on the train nicknames in her head. when one of her fellow passengers chokes on a grape one day, the train passengers are brought together, and their lives begin to overlap with one another. as each character's life is impacted by the actions of other train riders, our group is able to learn more about themselves and the world around them. this is a cute, quick read that will have you laughing & crying from one page to the next. these stories aren't my typical read, but i can appreciate them all the same.

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Iona is a bit of an eccentric middle aged woman.  She has her list of rules for traveling on the commuter train. She sees a few people regularly but never interacts with them as per rule number 2. One day this changes and we get to know some of these regular commuters.  This is a great story about people and life and don't make assumptions.  These commuters all go through various trials and tribulations in their lives.  This is a warm story of  developing friendship and self reflection.  I really enjoyed the way it was written. It is a great easy read.

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I am really slow in writing a review on this book, I received an ARC and ended up buying the book as I knew I wanted to read it. It took a while for me to get to it and I regret that as I read Clare Pooley's previous book the Authenticity Project and loved it and was ready to ready her next book the moment I finished her first book.

Iona takes the train into work everyday and keeps to herself and has been so for many years. On this train is a cast of characters that the reader gets to learn about. The book is written in many different POVs of all the characters. The story meshes well and the author does a great job of covering many different points of view without it feeling confusing and overwhelming. It's a feel good story with themes of anxiety, loss, and isolation. As the story progresses I became more attached to all the characters in the book. My only criticism would be that I wanted to get to know each of them more. At the same time I enjoy that her books to date have had so many different characters that the reader gets to know. I recommend this book andam happy I have my own copy of the book.

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I tried reading the book and it just wasn't for me. And that's okay! I am going to try reading it again, because maybe I just wan't in the right mood for it. With the opening referencing working from home, hot design, etc., it just hits too close to home with ongoing work challenges I have (I prefer to WFH).

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Absolutely loved this book! It gave me Eudora Honeysett and Eleanor Oliphant vibes so if you liked those books/characters then you're sure to like this one too. While there is grief and loss throughout the book, the overall theme is that love will win.
I adored Iona, who will definitely make you laugh out loud, but really all of the characters were wonderful. Truly a gem of a book. 5 well deserved stars.

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This is a light-hearted, good for the soul type of book. Clare Pooley writes a wonderful story based on happenstance with a group of diverse characters that would not otherwise have interacted with one another. Each character has a unique story that you grow to appreciate and empathize with. The way Clare pulls them altogether is great. The story is also told from a multiple POV which is a style that I particularly enjoy.

Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books & NetGalley for the ARC.

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I loved this! Such a cute story of friends becoming family. The writing and storyline was great, although not too unique from other recent releases.

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Oh! My god! This made me laughed so much. The mix of characters made this book so fun to read. People not wanting to mess with each other’s lives but ended up doing so

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This is way different than something I would normally read which made it kind of fun to read.
It was an interesting concept that I could fall right into.. I felt like I really could feel this was a realistic life experience.
The fact that the train people knew one another by the nicknames they gave one another in their opinions.

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One of my favourite stories in a long time. Loved the quirky characters and the writing style. Will definitely look out for more from this author.

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I cannot express how much I loved this book. It will give you all the feels, with a healthy amount of humour. It speaks to how inaccurate our first impressions and judgements of others can be. The characters are quirky, but relatable. They will have you cheering them on through all their endeavors. Highly recommended, with a solid five stars!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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This was a really great feel good novel. I enjoyed reading it during my commute to work each day. It was light and fun and exciting. I actually started to look around an the people on my commute with me, almost trying to place them into this book.

The writing was wonderful and I enjoyed the character building. 9/10 would recommend.

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This novel was fun, heartfelt, and just one of those feel-good reads. There's a quirkiness to this book that readers of The Maid and Eleanor Oliphant will enjoy. The main character, Iona, is set in her ways and has a routine she's maintained for years. One event on the train changes her routine, setting her off course in ways for better and for worse. What I loved about this book is that it reminds us that nothing is as it seems and that the people we may see everyday, may be going through things we don't know about or see. So compassion, understanding, and care in our everyday interactions is something to think about.

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Heart felt with a memorable cast of characters, Iona’s Rules for commuting is a great read! Well written with lots of character development, this is a story about letting your guard down and relying on others when you need some help. Iona is an amazing woman but she’s feeling pushed out as she ages. She has a firm set of rules to follow during her daily commute. One day she breaks those rules and her life and the life of those around her are better for it. This book tackles many themes around the challenges and how it’s so much easier when we are alone. Loved this book!

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Thank you for the advanced copy

Sorry It took me so long to read it, as this book is a quirky gem.
Hooked you in with Iona’s way of dealing with people and her confidence and it didn’t stop until you finished the book.

Love reading from the different points of view from the many main characters.

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