26 August 2014

book review: one + one

one + one by jojo moyes

i'm back with another review of a jojo moyes book, this time of her newest novel one + one.  i was excited, yet apprehensive to read another one of her books based on the reaction i had after reading me before you {find that review here}.  i am happy to say this one left with me with nearly as much emotion -  minus the tears.

ed is a software developer, and in in a series of poor choices he finds himself in the middle of a legal dispute for insider trading at his own company.  jess is a single mother of a quirky daughter who excels at math and a misunderstood, bullied step-son.  jess can barely make ends meet for her family from housecleaning jobs and bar-tending at the local pub.  when ed and jess's lives intersect, they find they both may be able to help one another fit together the pieces of their broken lives to create something entirely new and amazing.

i loved the characters in this book.  i felt like i really understood jess's struggles, the personalities of her kids, and how well-intentioned ed was.  i think this was accomplished as the author chose to alternate the focus of a different character each chapter.  i've noticed more novels i read use this form of storytelling, but i found jojo moyes did it in a unique way by keeping the third person voice throughout the novel while still alternating the spotlight to each character.  and even though you assume the primary focus of the book is on the adult characters, the book would have gone nowhere without the addition of the two younger ones.

have you read any of jojo moyes' novels?  i'm off to add more to my reading queue!

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