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𝗝𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻

Having lost a job she didn’t care for and a rental home (that literally falls off a cliff into the ocean during torrential rains), Jenny James is faced with figuring out the next steps for herself and her 18 year old son Charlie.

Here’s the first thing I loved: Where she could have given up and given in - to depression, defeat - instead she embraces this monumental shift in her life, treats it as an opportunity not so much for reinvention but movement toward a happier existence.

The title isn’t a sarcastic quip or misleading moniker, it’s truth: Jenny James is, in fact, not a disaster.

And so, when Luke, a quiet, kind man, who lives in an RV behind where her house had been, offers for Jenny and Charlie to join him on the road for a week or two, they accept.

Jenny, overly grateful to Luke, concerned they might be cramping his style, soon realizes that he’s also in the middle of his own mess, a sadness surrounding him.

And so, the three, along with Betty the dachshund, become companions on the road as well as in a journey to figure themselves out. Using a hat filled with suggested locations to visit, they explore theme parks and Bond film locations, and go “wild” swimming.

Jenny, estranged from her family for two decades, eventually returns at Charlie’s request. He wants more than just him mom and absent father, has always felt he was missing out. And so they travel to Cornwall for a reunion.

Once there, decisions must be made: by Charlie, by Luke, by Jenny. None of them easy, all of them worthwhile.

I adored the dynamic of this single mom raising her son. The relationship feels authentic - with some distance, some private jokes, some misplaced teenage angst, and on a deeper level, real love.

It’s contemporary fiction with romance as a side note; more about understanding your boundaries and deciding how much bigger you are willing to make them.

And Beth Eyre’s gentle British accent makes this audiobook stand out even more.

All the stars for complicated women’s drama, and for Jenny James, unlikely hero.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpermusebooks for the audio ARC. This one comes out July 9, 2024.

Jenny James is Not a Disaster was such a charming, heartwarming read!

Jenny’s life hasn’t been easy, but she’s always made the best of it for her son, Charlie. Life gets even harder when a rapid series of disastrous events occur, and she’s suddenly homeless and at risk of being jobless. Lucky for her, she has a knight in shining armor living next door! Luke is her reclusive neighbor who resides in a cozy motor home with his precious pup, Betty. Luke extends the offer of a cross-country trip to Jenny, and with few options available, Jenny takes him up on that. What follows is a journey of self-discovery, adventure, and relationships of every kind.

I adored this book! I loved the relationship between Jenny and Charlie, and it was delightful watching the three grow closer as they explored fun locations together. I also really liked that this book dived into some harder topics. Difficult relationships were explored in different ways, and single parenthood and loss were both handled with care and honesty. The romance was sweet and simple, but I thought it fit the tone of the book as a whole.

I highly recommend this one!

This was another great audiobook. Listen for me. I really enjoyed it. From the very beginning to the very end. Pick this one up on publication day.

I absolutely adored this audiobook!

The story was sweet and the narrator was perfect. She really told the story in a way that I could visualize it in my mind.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

Sometimes you have to almost lose it all to learn what is most valuable. After losing her home and job and with her son on his way to adulthood, Jenny is at a loss as to what’s next. Meeting up with their quiet neighbor Luke and his dog Betty. they set off on an adventure . Picking stopping places out of a hat. This becomes one wild ride for all three. Learning from and about each other. It’s hard not to do in such cramped quarters. This was a fun listen. The narrator did an excellent job. Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily