Another 5 star book in 2021.

With little knowledge going into it, I was excited to read this as I was totally intrigued by the description and assuming it was a little bit of Erin Brockovich. That this is a story about what had become of those people years later who were wronged by big corporations?
Yes it is a story of this years later, but when Mabs, starts talking in the first chapter, I knew it was going to be an all nighter. From page one I am intrigued and sucked in. And I know right away I am getting a story that is bigger then the book Description.

The story is told from the triplets perspectives, each taking a turn to move the story along. They uniquely explain the history of a town so wronged by the big cooperation that let the towns water become toxic and now the residents left are struggling physically and mentally in many ways. The aftermath of what has been done is played out and then suddenly, a new change comes to town that threatens their fight for justice.
The author does an authentic job of giving a unique voice to the inner monologue of each of these characters. They symbolize so much in the story and contain so much power in their roles as young women, daughters, sisters, and teenagers.

So many times I felt connected to One, but then Two would start narrating and then I was with them. And then Three starts telling the story and now I am in love with Three. I couldn’t choose just one voice to listen to. They were written so well. But seriously the author nailed the narration of Two, (Monday). I was often found laughing out loud by the literalness of Her. She nails it with Monday!
And the character development of Nora and Omar were also a joy to see unfold. But then Maribel is just dashing. As this story ended, You are moved from feeling sorry for her to being so proud of who and how wise she is.
I have not seen this amount of thoughtfulness and depth put into every character done so well in a long time.

One Two Three releases on June 8th. Be sure to pre-order and put on your TBR list.

Thank you @netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced readers copy.

** Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. **

One Mab
Two Monday
Three Mirabel

Triplets with different personalities. This book was enjoyable. I appreciated the different narrators. I would have enjoyed the book more if it had not drug on in most places, making me lose interest. I agree with others that this book has a more YA feel rather than Women’s Fiction.

If you had told me that I would absolutely love a book about environmental contamination and the search for justice I would have rolled my eyes and said "hard pass." Yet I decided to push against my instincts and give it a try and I am so very glad I did.

Listened to this one as an audio book and the narrators are superb. Each sister has her own narrator that personifies her personality beautifully. It's the story of triplets in the small town of Borne, a town that has deeply suffered from the contamination of their water supply. The girls' mother Nora has been on a fourteen year fight for justice and retribution against the chemical company that she feels is responsible for the death of her husband and the effects on her daughters.
One is Mab, the "normal" one of the three who shoulders the blessing and curse of this fact.
Two is Monday, town librarian, literalist, and on the autism spectrum
Three is Mirabel, most brilliant mentally but confined to a wheelchair and cannot speak except through a voice modulator. When a moving truck is spotted in town, little do they know that their lives are about to be turned upside down in many ways.

There is so much to adore about this book. The personalities of the sisters are so distinctive and unique that I didn't even have a favorite narrator. I loved going seamlessly from one to the next and learning about the joys, triumphs, and heartaches each of them experienced. I was moved to tears as the narrative moved toward its conclusion, sometimes feeling triumph and defeat myself.

The one drawback I have for this novel, and it is slight, is that it's a bit too long and drawn out. There are parts that could have been condensed and tightened to make it flow better. I did appreciate the slowness at times, because it made me think of Nora's fight and how the wheels of justice often turn so slowly that we can't see movement, yet there were other times I just wanted things to start happening.

Overall, I highly recommend this unique and well-written story. It will make you laugh, cry, and think. The audio book is stellar.

Synopsis: Mirabel, Monday and Mab are triplets that live in the small town of Bourne. Seventeen years ago, when the triplets were still in utero, the plant in Bourne leaked chemicals into the drinking water. Their father died and Monday and Mirabel were born with some disabilities while Mab, the first to be born, is considered “normal”. The three children (they also call themselves one, two and three) have watched their mother, Nora, fight for justice against the owners of the plant their entire lives. This book is about so many different things – environmentalism, sistership, disabilities, and the politics of big corporations getting away with essentially murder but at the same time it is also about hope, resilience and the love of family.

My thoughts:

I’m a fan of Laurie Frankel; I loved “This is How It Always Is” and her newest, “One Two Three”, is another story that tugs on your heart. I developed a deep affection for the three girls and really wanted to see them get justice, and yes, money too as it would give them a good start in their young adult lives. While the subject matter is serious, Frankel balances this at times with a light touch by giving us some wry humor throughout the book which I thoroughly enjoyed. I listened to this on audiobook and the narrators, Emma Galvin, Jesse Villinsky and Rebecca Soler did a marvelous job.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Three 16 year old triplets are dealing with the aftermath on an environmental disaster that occurred before they were born. Mab (one) , carries the burden of being the “normal” one. Monday (two) , the town librarian, grapples with liking things just so and inflexibility. Mirabel (three) Is extremely observant and insightful and intelligent but can only communicate through a voice device in which she must type out her thoughts to have a computer voice read them aloud.
Their mother, Nora, has spent all of their 16 years of life fighting for justice against the chemical company that destroyed many lives and some believe, their little town. With the company back in town and looking to reopen, it opens many wounds and makes way for complicated decisions and relationships. The triplets and their mother try to uncover the truth and keep the enemy at bay.
The character development in this story was phenomenal. The reader really gets to know many of the town’s quirky residents, while also trying to guess who the “bad guys” really are. I enjoyed the book very much and highly recommend.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

There is so much here. So emotional. Interesting concept. Well executed. It was a little bit hard to tell the difference between 1 and 3 because the narrators' voices were kind of similar--I was finally able to realize who was who, but it took a little while to get into the groove of how the story was being told. Definitely belongs in the YA imo.

A really big thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

Frankel did it again - I loved This Is How It Always Is – and loved this book too! This was a book that I half read a hard copy (thanks to #goodreadsgiveaway) and half listened to the audiobook (thanks to #netgalley ). It was such an interesting concept. Three sisters, triplets, that were born in the aftermath of a town that was poisoned through its water system by a chemical plant, fight back against the same chemical plant that wants to come back and reopen in their town. Just about every child in their town of Borne was affected by the exposure. The three sisters, Mab (one – the “normal” one), Monday (two – on the Asperger’s spectrum), and Mirabel (three – confined to a wheelchair and can only speak through a robotic sounding AAC device) work together and form unexpected friendships while trying to save their town. The character development was great. Frankel does a wonderful job writing about family dynamic. This book was no exception.

The author interview at the end of the audio book is amazing. It brings such insight to the background of the story and the making of the audiobook. Definitely listen all the way through on this one.

When I saw that Laurie Frankel had a new book out, I knew that it would be one I would want to read. Then I read the synopsis and was even more convinced that this would be one I would love. And love it I did! I loved the setting, the plot, the characters, the struggles, the regrets and the ending. I was able to trade off both reading and listening to this book and that method worked really well.

This story centers around triplets born in a poor town, Bourne, that was devastated by a chemical company and their flippant and careless ways. The story is told through each of the sisters’ voices: One - Mab – the sister who feels the weight of the world on her shoulders simply because she is normal, Two - Monday – the sister on the spectrum who takes everything literally, and is emotionally challenged, but fine physically, and Three - Mirabel – the sister in a wheelchair who has extraordinary mental capacity and yet lacks physical capacity save for the use of her fingers and a voice box. The Narrator does a wonderful job with the 3 sister's voices - especially Mirabel's voice box.

As the reader learns, this town is different than any other. Sickness and disease have ravaged and decimated most of its residents. It has had to morph into a town that caters to people with disabilities. Because that is what Belsum Chemical forced upon it. The runoff from the plant poisoning the water system and turning it sulphuric and green. Once it was aware of the catastrophic effects of their greed, the company picked up and left without taking any of the blame.

“I think about the ways cause and effect might break you. Bourne is a town of unexpected consequences, a place where what no one sees coming runs you over like a truck.”

Although the town tried to force Belsum to assume responsibility, it was a David and Goliath fight with no results. The champion of the cause, Nora, the triplet’s mother, continues throughout the story to search for evidence. The evidence that will finally point the finger at Belsum and prove its culpability. The story was slightly reminiscent of Erin Brokovich. But only in purpose as these characters are all their own.

Without saying too much about the story and ruining the suspense for the reader, know that there are developments which bring Nora’s fight back into the forefront. Belsum moves to re-enter Bourne and reopen the plant. In a town with no jobs and no prospects, it proves easy to get people to forget the past and hope for a brighter future. There is suspense, betrayal, shock, unbelief, understanding and finally growth.

The character development in this book is sublime. The ways in which all the characters are interwoven serve to strengthen the story and yet also blur the lines between duty and responsibility. An overarching theme emerges – parental expectations and children paying the price for the sins of a parent. Although this may sound like a book that is depressing and heavy, it amazingly is not. It is a story of acceptance, flexibility, fight and personal triumph.

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillian Audio for the advance copy of this book to read and review. I highly recommend!

I don't think I've ever read a book quite like this one before. I knew nothing about One Two Three before requesting it from Netgalley, except I was intrigued by the cover and had heard wonderful things about Laurie Frankel's writing style. And although this was my first book by Laurie, it will definitely not be my last.

Her masterful handling of three different, distinct voices in the narrative was so well done. (On a side note: I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators were BRILLIANT. There are three different narrators, one for each sister, and they were so perfect personality-wise for each character, that I almost couldn't imagine experiencing the book in any other format but the audio. I have a son who uses an AAC device and it was interesting to see how they incorporated that into the audio/and additionally listening to the author's interview in the end where they delve into it even deeper.) One, Two, and Three are triplets who were born in the wake of a devastating chemical spill into their water supply, which rendered most of the town incapacitated or disabled in some way. Their mother is on a crusade to make the company pay for what they've done, but after over 16 years, the lawsuit has stalled without evidence, and now the big company is back and wants to reopen the plant, potentially poisoning the NEXT generation of citizens.

I loved all of the details from the sister's lives, and how they grew even closer through all of this. I especially love that this became the daughters' fight, and what that said about autonomy and the strength of the upcoming generation of women.

A great coming of age story. Loved reading about the three sisters and the choice of having 3 different narrators was right on. Highly recommend.

The Mitchell triplets of Bourne are well-known and well-loved, and not just because everyone knows everyone in Bourne. Mab, Monday and Mirabel live with their mother Nora in their small home, made smaller by the fact that Monday now runs the town library out of their home. Seventeen years ago, Belsum Chemical poisoned the town, and no one in the town was left untouched by the tragedy. Now Belsum is back and wants to reopen the plant, but the Mitchell girls and their mother aren't ready to forgive and forget quite yet.

Told alternately by each triplet - Mab, Monday and Mirabel - this story is engrossing and engaging. The girls are each distinct individuals with different goals and thoughts throughout. While they have been dealing with their mother's attempt to sue Belsum Chemical their entire lives, they are still also 16-year-old girls, with all the feelings and thoughts that come with that. Each girl has their strengths, along with their weaknesses, and put all together, they are an unstoppable force.

In the audiobook, there are subtle changes in the voices and inflections and it quickly became easy to tell each sister apart. The pacing was very well done and I enjoyed listening to this narrator quite a bit.

This is my second book by Laurie Frankel and she has quickly become one of my "must-read" authors.

Available June 8, 2021

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me this audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One, two, three…Mab, Monday and Mirabel. Triplets show us how to change the world. Laurie Frankel’s One Two three is a testament to what happens when young people believe they can make the impossible…possible.

Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with an audiobook review copy.

Like many of you, I'm sure, I didn't think anything could live up to Laurie Frankel's This Is How It Always Is. It was my favorite book I read in 2019, amazing and honest and very personal to the author. So I went into One Two Three with a little trepidation.

This book is the story of triplets Mab, Monday, and Mirabel, daughters of a single mother who is singleminded in her passion: get together a lawsuit for the chemicals dumped into their water supply 17 years ago.

The tiny town of Bourne was completely changed by the event and the chemical company that left them crippled - sometimes literally - and without many of their members. They can't escape now. And then they see moving trucks coming to town.

The audio is narrated by three different women, and it was a perfect decision. The narration of Mirabel's electronic speaking device is such a nice touch. I always think listening to a book can really make any overuses or choppy writing evident, and there is none of that here. Just a solid story as these three teen girls widen the horizons and peek into the world from their little town. Frankel's characters shine, from "normal" Mab and her loquacious best friend, to Monday who only wears yellow except when it rains, to Mirabel, who may not be able to move much but it hasn't stopped her from expressing her brilliance.

I highly recommend this book on audio to separate the voices out. It is beautifully produced, and the interview between Frankel and the audio producer at the end of the book is just a chef's kiss! So interesting.

The perspectives in this book was absolutely entrancing! I listened to the audio version and I really adored how each of their insanely unique voices added so much depth to the story. The plot was so thought provoking and heart breaking. I just fell in love with the Mitchell triplets. I will remember this book for a long time.

Audiobook specifics: This is a well-done audiobook. Three narrators of the same sex and age could make for confusion in identifying the speaker while listening to an audiobook. This potential problem is eliminated by the use of three separate readers. This really lent itself to highlighting the distinctive personalities of the three girls. The audio is well-paced and the narration sounds very natural-not forced or stilted.

What I liked about the content of One Two Three:
--The premise of the book. A mother of triplets seeks justice on behalf of her children and community for health problems/deaths due to a tainted water supply. (Think Erin Brokovich)
--The organization of the book. The book is broken into trilogies of chapters called simply One Two Three. Each is told by one of the triplets. One is Mab, Two is Monday, and Three is Mirabel.
--The distinct personalities of the three narrators. Each girl is unique and her perspective on the events stay true to her personality.

What I didn't like about the content of One Two Three:
--Unneccessary length. I would have enjoyed the book more if it had been shorter. It drug on in several places, making me lose my interest.
--YA-ness. This book is categorized as women's fiction, but it feels very YA a lot of the time. I understand that with three teenage narrators, a certain amount of that is to be expected, but it felt more YA than adult.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, the audio version of this book was perfect. I loved how each of the three main characters - teenage triplets Mab (aka One), Monday (aka Two) and Mirabelle (aka Three) was a different narrator.

The story is sad, a chemical plant did some shady business in Bourne years ago and most of the town has been impacted by it, including the Mitchell Triplets. Their mother, Nora, has been fighting a battle for years for this to be made right, to no avail.

The author told this sad story well through these three, all the while still showing us that teenagers are teenagers and experience much the same thing despite their unique circumstances.

I love a book that makes me FEEL and this one had me laughing at times and in tears at times and really pulled the heartstrings.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. Definitely recommend this one - out June 8th!

I just love the author's writing style and the content in her books, this audiobook is no exception. As with 'This is How it Always Is', the story revolves around an unusual family with some kickass female characters. This story is sort of like a fictitional version of what it might have been like living in a place like Flint Michigan with poisoned water. The narration in the story follows triplets, hence the title, one two three. I love that their names increase in syllables, Mab, Monday, and Mirabell and they refer to themselves as one, two and three. For the reader, this is an easy way to remember who is who and very clever of the author. The three girls have issues, possibly from the contaminated water due to a chemical plant, as do many of the people in this small town. All three girls get involved in mom's fight to take down the plant and the wealthy owners and the reader can't help but route for them in this uphill battle. I love the way the author turns weaknesses into strengths as the story unfolds.

I received the audio of One, Two, Three from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is set in Bourne. The sole employer Belsum has allegedly poisoned the water leaving the citizens dead, disabled or hopeless. The story centers on the Mitchell family-mother and triplet teen daughters. Mother Norah is a therapist and part time bartender. Mab (1) is the “caretaker” of the triplets. Monday(2) is on the spectrum. Maribel (3) is the smartest and most likable. The Belsum family returns to Bourne with their son River (love interest).
In my opinion this book is mostly YA and all unbelievable. Laurie Frankel is interviewed on the audio and states she did extensive research. I don’t believe she did. The old have progressed differently. The ending was ludicrous.
I fulfilled my commitment in listening to the audio. This is the only positive part of my review v

This has to be one of my favorite books I've listened to this year! Mab, Monday & Mirabel are triplets that live in Bourne, a small town that has seen better days. 16 years ago there was a terrible incident with the chemical plant in Bourne that left the residents physically, mentally & emotionally traumatized. The residents are just trying to get on with their lives while the triplets' mother, Nora, is still fighting for what's right.: restitution for the town and her family. Until, of course, the family that owns the chemical plant moves to Bourne and all the pain and suffering seems to come to a head.
I love the way 3 different actresses were used for the voices of the triplets. And the story was endearing and highly entertaining. Mab, Monday and Mirabel each a had a distinct personality and are probably 3 of the best characters I've read in fiction.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the McMillan Audio for this early audio version of One, Two, Three.*

I quite enjoyed listening to One Two Three. Careful thought went into choosing the narrators and they all delivered. I was captivated by the tale of the sisters entwined with the story of the town and had to listen to the last two hours straight through!