Jenny James is Not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson is feel good women's fiction book.

The book started strong and the story really flows nicely and is easy to read. The disasters followed one another were almost comical to read and maybe a bit exggagerated but some aspect about daily life and struggles with raising teenagers are on point.

After a while I slowly but surely started losing interest but I can't pinpoint the exact reason why. Maybe my issues with it was that it was just too good to be true, even though I love happy ending.

I really enjoyed the trip and all the descriptions about it, it was very picturesque and it was interesting to read/
There are some quite funny moments.

Cute, but had I known the author's self-description of "feel-good emotional women's fiction," I might have passed on this one. Pretty predictable plot but sweet story. Think Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine meets Lessons in Chemistry meets Where'd You Go, Bernadette, but maybe not even that substantive. Fun summer beach read. Probably 3-1/2 stars.

I loved this delightfully sweet but comical coming of age look at Jenny James as she navigates through yet another tough time in her life.

In the past, Jenny had been estranged from her parents when she became pregnant at the age of 18. It was a tough time in her life, especially since the baby's father left her, but she got through it.

Fast forward to now, Jenny has her wonderful 18 year old son, Charlie, living with her. She has just recently met her fairly new but reclusive, attractive neighbor, Luke, who lives next door in a very nice RV campervan.

As if she is living in a nightmare, she loses her job, her car is dead, and she walks home just as her cute cliffside cottage literally slides into the sea during a rainstorm, all in one terrible day!

Luke is there and helps them dry off and warm up. Then, he ends up offering them a place to stay in his RV campervan with him and his cute dachshund Betty, who happily greets them until they can figure things out.

Luke is a guy who usually never stays in one place for too long as he likes to travel. He eventually offers them to travel around with him since they now have literally nothing else to do, at least until Charlie leaves for college.

They decide to travel around and have a good time. I loved that Jenny named the campervan, "Joy!"

To make their trip fun, they decide to put a bunch of destination ideas into a hat to draw from. They travel all over England, seeing all kinds of great places, hiking to remote beautiful areas, waterfalls, seeing stone circles, villages, amusement parks, etc.

And then, Charlie wants to know about what happened...in the past...with his grandparents...can they go see them?

Jenny not only finds herself for the first time but finds the best way to move forward in her life and to experience joy!

I loved this book, it was filled with a lot of fun and adventure and I recommend it!

I would like to thank #NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for a complimentary copy of an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sometimes you just have a really bad day. Jenny has such a day, Here job is in jeopardy, her car breaks down and there isn't enough money to fix it. Then as she walks home after her car disaster, she sees her home slip off the cliff and disappear into the sea. She is estranged from her parents and is a single mother. Her neighbor who lives is a RV with wonderful dog, lets them stay with him and offers them a life in a RV travelling around and having adventures. She finds a new sense of freedom and moves forward. A fun, uplifting read.

Surrounded by disastrous events, Jenny James is just trying to keep it all together for her 18 year old son and herself. Despite the book cover reading as more silly the novel itself has much more gravitas. Heartbreaking and redemptive this book felt quite real. Although not my favorite read ever, thanks #netgalley for the ARC copy.

Have you ever had one of those days? Be honest, we've all been there. Hopefully just not quite as completely as Jenny James.

The author does a marvelous job of developing the characters. I fell in love with Jenny and her son and was rooting for them throughout the book. As Jenny struggles to make ends meet and be a good mum to a teenage boy, you'll be right there offering her a glass of wine at the end of her day. Humble and charming, Jenny's can-do attitude serves her well but when the unthinkable happens... well, you just have to read the book to find out. You'll enjoy the highs and lows of life's unplanned challenges and the joys and anxieties Jenny faces as she deals with her past decisions, tries to slog through her present predicaments, and, just possibly, finds a spark of hope as she examines her future.

I read this book in one sitting (a luxury I don't often have) and enjoyed every minute of it. I hope Debbie Johnson will allow us to go along on many more adventures with the remarkable Jenny "not a disaster" James because I can't wait to read more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jenny James is not a Disaster is a story that touches multiple fiction genres: a romantic comedy, English RV travel guide, a Blog and raising a teenager. After more than one life altering disasters leave Jenny and her 18-year old son, Charlie homeless, they and recent friend, Luke, embark on a RV trip through England. Along the way, Jenny reunites with her estranged family and Luke starts making peace with his tragic path. The book is a page-turner and filled with great dialogue. I enjoyed every word and every page! Thank you to NetGalley and HarperMuse for an early read in exchange for a fair review.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley with the understanding I would share a review of the book.

You can tell a lot about a person by how they handle bad times, even disasters. The main character of this book, Jenny James, responds to a series of ‘unfortunate’ events mostly with humor. I doubt I would do the same in her place. It is difficult to say any more about this book without revealing too much. I found the characters and situations compelling and throughly enjoyed reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me to read an ARC of Jenny James Is Not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson, in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! I loved all of the characters, the witty banter, the descriptions, everything! I related to Jenny in that, as mothers, we are learning on the fly. We don't always have the answers, and (shhh) we are not always right. I admired her for stepping back and thinking from the other person's perspective.

This book was wonderful from start to finish, and I definitely recommend it to others.

I look forward to reading more by Debbie Johnson.

Jenny James house quite literally falls over a cliff with a rock slide. She has a teenage son that is almost dying me with high school. She decides to use this opportunity to take off on an adventure with a stranger. I could suspend my belief enough to get into this book. Jenny James is a full blown adult and is acting like a 20 something without a care in the world. Doesn’t she have homeowners insurance? Doesn’t she need to look for a new job. This book just wasn’t it for me.

I really enjoyed this mid-life road trip novel. Honest, humorous, and hopeful.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet story that made me feel things I hadn’t felt in a while. I could relate a lot with Jenny and the relationship she had with her parents.

I loved seeing her relationship with her son be caring yet flawed.

All of the characters were well developed in my mind. Look forward to reading more from Debbie Johnson.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy to review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Jenny is a single mother of an eighteen-year-old son working in a carpet store. Her life up until now has been quiet, mundane, and relatively uneventful - until the worst week of her life - and she watches her house slide into the ocean. It doesn’t help that her ancient car doesn’t start, her son is moving on to university, and her job is made redundant. What happens next for her is every kind of unknown, but sometimes the beauty of the unknown is what you can find there.

This is my favorite adult book I’ve read this year. I absolutely loved this story and its characters - Jenny, her son Charlie, and Luke, the unassuming, motorhome-living neighbor - and it just lifted me up. The banter is dynamite, and the whole thing is so, so funny while still dealing with unbelievably heavy issues; it is sort of an Eat, Pray, Love for real people. The lower-middle class struggle is real and relatable, especially the fact that one second you are hanging on, the other you are without any support system at all. This book is about finding yourself, forgiving yourself, dealing with and recovering from unimaginable grief, and trusting people to take care of you. I loved this book - I have already recommended it to anyone who will listen!

5 star read! It checked so many boxes- the perfect book to grab off your shelf when you’re not sure what you’re in the mood to read. Very enjoyable, and I was over the moon to have a chance to read it. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Publication date July 9, 2024.

Jenny James and her son Charlie might not have a lot of money but they have each other, she has a respectable job as office manager for a carpet showroom in Norfolk and he is about to go off to university. Then Jenny is hit by one disaster after another: her job is in jeopardy; her ancient banger refuses to start; its been raining for weeks on end; and the cliff on which her rented cottage sits has been so weakened by the continuous rain and high winds that it collapses taking her cottage with it. Now, in the space of one day, she is homeless, probably jobless, and without transport with approximately £20 in her purse, oh and she's 67p overdrawn.

While trying to rescue precious photographs which are fluttering close to the cliff edge Jenny nearly goes over as well, until the unfriendly motorhome owner who set up in a neighbouring field rescues her. He, Luke, actually doesn't seem that bad, he offers the two of them towels, tea, and brandy while they wait for emergency services and the council representative.

Faced with the prospect of having to live in emergency accommodation (again), with no job to keep her tied to Norfolk, Jenny wonders whether she and Charlie should also buy an RV and live in it like Luke, so Luke suggest they spend a few weeks in his luxurious motorhome that can sleep six people with him, like a holiday, to see if they enjoy the lifestyle.

Now I'm a creature comforts kind of gal, give me a mini bar and a spa over the horrors of teeny weeny showers, chemical toilets (or hooking up sewage pipes), and fold down beds, but this sounded idyllic. Choosing destinations based on a whim, visiting ancient sites, swimming in rivers and lakes, pottering round villages and small towns sounds lovely, although in reality I suspect it would be difficult to find a berth in high summer without a lot of searching.

As companions on the road Jenny and Luke open up about their pasts, why Jenny is no longer in contact with her family, why Luke gave up a high paying career and large house to aimlessly tour the British countryside.

I have to say I loved this, although I would say I don't think the title really does the book justice, it sat on my TBR pile for over two months because the title didn't call to me, before I picked it up last night and then devoured it.

Anyway, gorgeous countryside, a handsome companion, a cute dachshund, a teenage boy, and British sunshine, what's not to love?

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

What a cracker of a book! It can fit into so many categories... travel guide, self help book, romance novel, blog, and best of all... a warmhearted humourous tale.
I felt for the character in so many ways and think that she has been through so much in this book, I'm happy that she is finding her joy and living for herself.
The other characters bring it to life and add in moments that really make a reader smile. Betty and Frank certainly steal the show on many occasions.
My absolute favourite part of the book has to be the humour and the banter. Hilarious! I love the double act that Jenny and Charlie have and in fact love most of Jenny's dialogue.
While I have read a few books by this author and given them 5 stars for their ingenuity and heartfelt words, this one is a definite 5 star and buying to keep on the shelf.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Loved this! It was so funny, yet it also made me tear up, it was a feel good story even with all the tragic elements. The characters were fantastic. The very slow burn between Jenny and Luke was just right. And if all of these places are real, you could actually use it as a travel guide. Loved the mention of Henry Cavill - he is, indeed, a god among men.

This is my first time reading this author and now I have to check out her backlist. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for the ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I loved this book so much that I almost devoured it in one sitting. The characters were well developed and easy to root for and the writing was beautiful as well.

After a series of crazy disasters, Jenny, a 30 something single mom to a teenager, finds herself on a cross country motor home trip with her neighbor who she barely know. When Jenny, her son, Charlie and Luke travel she learns a lot about herself and what she wants in life and she forges a beautiful relationship with Luke, despite his complicated history. She also reunites with her estranged family. It's a wonderful read and I highly recommend it. Thanks for the opportunity to review it!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse Publishing for an eARC ♥️😍

Get ready to join Jenny on a wild ride! Her life is unraveling faster than a Norfolk coastal cliffside (yep, that actually happens!). But instead of wallowing in misery, she grabs her son Charlie and their adventurous neighbor Luke (plus his trusty sidekick Betty the dachshund) and hits the road.

As they explore England's hidden gems, Jenny faces her past head-on and starts to piece together a new future. You'll laugh at the witty banter, nod your head to the relatable struggles, and maybe even tear up a bit as Jenny confronts her fears and learns to let go.

This book is like a cozy British road trip in words - you'll feel like you're cruising along with the gang, sipping tea and snacking on scones (OK, maybe not, but you'll wish you were!). It's a heartwarming reminder that life's ups and downs can lead to unexpected adventures and new beginnings. So grab a cuppa, settle in, and join Jenny on her journey to rediscovery!

Debbie Johnson's latest novel, Jenny James Is Not a Disaster, is a heartwarming and relatable story about a single mother who finds herself at an unexpected crossroads. Jenny, a thirty-something single mom, is used to her fair share of bad days. But when her job, car, and home are all lost in one fell swoop, she's forced to face her life's trajectory and what she wants from it. Estranged from her parents and with nowhere else to turn, Jenny and her son, Charlie, find refuge in the camper of their reclusive neighbor, Luke. As the unlikely trio hit the road, Jenny begins to reflect on her past, present, and future. Along the way, Jenny learns to embrace the unexpected, finding both challenges and opportunities in her new nomadic lifestyle. She reconnects with her son, explores her own passions, and discovers a newfound sense of freedom. Johnson's writing is honest and humorous, capturing the complexities of Jenny's character and the challenges she faces. The supporting cast of characters is equally well-developed, each with their own unique story and impact on Jenny's journey. Jenny James Is Not a Disaster is a well-crafted and thought-provoking novel about resilience, self-discovery, and the power of human connection. It's a story that will resonate with readers of all ages and walks of life, reminding us that even in the face of adversity, we have the power to create a fulfilling and meaningful life.