Book review: The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

A positive aspect of social distancing and being on day 7 of staying home is having more time to read! I'm lucky that I am able to work from home, meaning I've got more time in the morning to read, as well as dabbling in yoga to get me ready for the day. I was in the mood for something cosy and easy, so picked up The One Plus One which has been on my shelf for a while after I picked it up at a charity book sale last year.

I love Jojo Moyes, and this novel didn't disappoint. It follows the life of Jessica Thomas and her unconventional family; Tanzie (her daughter), Nicky (her ex-partner's son from a previous relationship) and their dopey dog, Norman. Jess lives a hand to mouth existence, not knowing whether she's going to be able to feed her family for the next month or keep a roof over their heads. Working every hour as a cleaner and barmaid, she resents the time she's unable to spend with her children and feels constantly tired and burnt out. A failed attempt at driving the family to Scotland to enter the genius Tanzie into a prestigious maths competition results in a chance encounter with Ed Nicholls, the wealthy businessman who owns a property on Jess' cleaning round. There follows a story of first impressions, second impressions, and learning that it's okay to ask for help. 

I love stories that take place in the domestic sphere, or deal with daily family life, and I applaud author's like Jojo Moyes who celebrate families in all of their messy, patched up, dysfunctional glory. I liked that both Jess and Ed came with their own baggage; under the enviable veneer of Ed's wealth is a man struggling to keep his head above water, with family issues and a stressful work life threatening to pull him under. The novel is a beautiful reminder that nobody 'has it all' despite how it may appear from the outside. Another brilliant novel from Jojo Moyes and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for an easy, funny, and moving read.