Jenny James is Not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson is a hilarious and heartwarming rom-com about self-discovery, love, and learning to embrace the messiness of life. The story follows Jenny James, a woman who feels like she’s always falling short—whether in her career, relationships, or general day-to-day life. She’s made some questionable choices, but she’s also determined to turn things around.

Jenny’s journey is relatable and filled with humor, but also moments of vulnerability. She’s an imperfect but lovable protagonist, and readers will find themselves cheering for her as she navigates the ups and downs of career challenges, romance, and personal growth. Johnson’s witty writing and sharp observations make for a laugh-out-loud read, while still managing to delve into deeper themes of identity, self-worth, and second chances.

The romance aspect is charming and sweet, with just the right amount of tension and humor to keep the pages turning. Jenny’s romantic journey is just as much about learning to love herself as it is about finding love with someone else.

Overall, Jenny James is Not a Disaster is a delightful, feel-good read that will leave readers with a smile on their face and a heart full of hope.

I must admit to enjoying the author’s writing style. This book is heavier than her usual series ( at least the ones I have had the opportunity to read). I expected this difference based on the title and the cover page which varied from the others. I am glad the author/ publisher decided to go for this change because it helped me visualise what I might encounter. It’s not always the case with some of the books I end up reading.

Jenny is a mother of an eighteen-year-old who is at the cusp of life changing events. Little do they know that both of them will be facing drastic changes and forced introspection.

When their house falls off a cliff, Jenny decides to travel in a motorhome. Choosing to travel with someone she’s known for such a short time may seem absurd but the sequence of events and the chatter building helps make it seem feasible.

The author does familial relationships really well. They are not perfect, but have that vein of fondness timing through it. The complexities of relationships are well done and there was a whole page I randomly showed my husband where she’s thinking about her parents which he was able to appreciate with no context whatsoever.

Jenny spends time with Charlie and Luk, trying out a whole new life and starts to exercise her writing skills. The journey takes them to certain places that might seem like the obvious route to us are readers but the prices of getting there was enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to fans of the author and those who like a story which almost works like a coming-of-age narrative.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience of this and other books by the author.

A delightful and heartening novel. Jenny’s life is falling apart and she embarks on a new journey. . The writing is filled with humor, warmth, and moments of genuine emotion. The story will leave you with a smile.
Many thanks to HarperCollins Focus and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I quite enjoyed getting to know Jenny James in this story. It's hard to believe the awful luck that befalls Jenny and her teenage son Charlie when their house literally falls off the side of a cliff. Enter their mysterious nomadic campervan neighbor Luke and his sausage dog Betty. With nothing tying Jenny and Charlie down, and much to process, the odd foursome embarks on a summer holiday traveling England in close quarters.

If you've watched the tv show Gilmore Girls, then be prepared to instantly love this story's Luke the same way we love Stars Hollow Luke.

Jenny's story was a sweet and funny journey that I'm glad I had the chance to go on. Now if only I could've actually ridden along in the campervan exploring small English towns and countryside...

Thank you Harper Muse and NetGalley for ARC access to this story!

Jenny James Is Not a Disaster by Debbie Johnson is a delightful and heartwarming read, packed with humor, relatable moments, and emotional depth. Johnson masterfully captures the chaos and charm of Jenny James' life as she navigates through personal and professional challenges with wit and resilience. The character of Jenny is endearing, perfectly balancing vulnerability and strength, making her someone readers can root for and connect with on a personal level.

The pacing is smooth, and the dialogue is sharp, often resulting in laugh-out-loud moments. But what truly elevates the book is the underlying message about self-acceptance and embracing imperfection. It’s a feel-good story with just the right amount of heart and humor, making it a perfect pick for fans of uplifting contemporary fiction.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Very cute story of a mother and son finding themselves and finding joy. I loved the descriptions of the places in England and the cute romance. I wish the problems with the parents were a bit more serious though, because 18 years is a long time to stay away.

Jenny James is no stranger to adversity. Since becoming pregnant at 18 and leaving home, she's been fighting an uphill battle to make ends meet. Now, with her son Charlie a teenager himself, it's mostly been just the two of them. Despite the challenges, Jenny has managed to secure an office job and a quaint seaside cottage with a garden.

But then comes an exceptionally bad day. Jenny's office faces potential layoffs, her car refuses to start, forcing her to walk home, and as she approaches her cottage, she watches in horror as it slides into the sea.

Suddenly homeless, Jenny encounters her nearest neighbor, Luke, who's camping in a nearby field. Luke lives in an RV with his dog, and when he offers to let Jenny and Charlie travel with him for two weeks, Jenny discovers that sometimes less truly is more.
Johnson's novel beautifully captures Jenny's journey as her world expands after losing all her material possessions. The collapse of her familiar life grants Jenny the freedom to rebuild her world on her own terms, even though the process of self-discovery and honesty is often challenging.

"Jenny James is Not a Disaster" is an uplifting tale about finding hope and opportunity when life hands you an abundance of lemons. This novel will likely resonate with a wide audience, particularly those who occasionally dream of escaping the rat race in search of a more fulfilling lifestyle.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus. The opinions expressed are my own.

A cute story, lighthearted but full of heart. I liked that there were no games no tropes in the love story just a nice journey. The different parent child relationships were nicely explored and it was a good lesson in how to handle older teenagers. There wasn't really a climax or a conflict or anything challenging though.

Book 166 of 300 ~ 2024

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First, the possibility of being made redundant. Then comes the cherry on the cake - your home that sits on a cliff.. well, just decides to *ahem* take a dive, thus leaving you homeless.

The protagonist is likeable, as are the other characters. As she finds herself, pushing herself to find adventures, and ultimately, finding herself.

I did both the audiobook and ebook versions of this wonderful read. The narrator was brilliant and kept me interested, too.

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

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This is a good crossroad-in-life novel. It combines humor, drama, and romance in realistic ways. Jenny James is a very relatable character, and I enjoyed the different adventures that she went on. I recommend this read for those who enjoy a good finding your purpose piece of fiction.

"Jenny James is Not a Disaster" by Debbie Johnson is an inspiring, emotional and sometimes funny story of a woman's journey back from disaster. Poor Jenny, I think at the beginning of this book. Everything goes wrong for her in a matter of days and she will learn what is most important in her life. I love how she rebounds from her disaster of a life to a new and better one. This was a great book about finding out exactly what she is capable of when faced with life changing events. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this opportunity to read this ARC! I received a complimentary copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Jenny James Is Not A Disaster is a cozy, feel good story that is a straightforward and enjoyable read. Perfect for fans who want a tidy plot with likeable characters who have to start their life over from scratch while wandering the English countryside, and a happy ending. This book reminded me of the authors Claire Poole (The Authenticity Project) and Abbi Waxman (The Garden Of Small Beginnings).

The author description of Debbie Johnson is that "she writes feel-good emotional women's fiction." That is a perfect description of this book. Jenny James is having a terrible week. She thinks fighting with her 18 year old son and a run in her stocking make for a bad day. She has no idea. Within a day, her workplace is closing down, her car dies, and her house falls off a cliff. As a single parent, Jenny can't just curl up in a ball and disappear. Instead, she and her son end up in a camper with a nomadic neighbor heading wherever the wind blows (or wherever the suggestions in the hat lead). Jenny and her son finally have time to discover what they truly want from life and how to get there. Jenny faces her past and figures out how to find joy, and that joy isn't found in the belongings she lost or the job she once had. This is definitely a feel-good story that might make you want to pack up and hit the road yourself.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an ecopy. My opinion is my own..

I was not able to read this book, as it came to me in PDF format. It was too small to read on my phone and too clunky to manipulate to a size that was readable. I requested a different format from the publisher and never heard back. I was still curious about Jenny Jones, however, and as soon as the book was available, I snatched it up. It was worth the wait.

I found this novel to be a great tale of finding yourself and confronting the scary things you think you know about your past. Jenny had a tricky relationship with her parents when she found herself pregnant in her teens. Instead of submitting to another blowup fight, she simply left home before they found out, and raised her son on her own. After a series of mishaps, she finds an opportunity to return home and discovers that she may have been a bit hasty back then. And her mother also realizes that she maybe didn't make all the right decisions when it came to Jenny.

This was a nice read for me. I liked Jenny getting back in touch with her family, getting to know a neighbor who became really important to her, and realizing that she was more like her mother than she thought (just in time to avoid another mistake with her son). The characters were well-written and the familial insight was good. These are good people whose good intentions had really bad consequences, and it's nice to see something like that resolve itself.

***Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for the ARC - wish I could have provided my feedback sooner!***

This is a 5 star book because Debbie Johnson is an outstanding writer.

The plot is kind of strange. Jenny James is a single mother with a teenaged son who’s been estranged from her family since she became a pregnant teen. The boy’s father left early on just as her family predicted. Jenny long ago gave up her dreams to earn a living at whatever jobs she could get to make ends meet. She’s finally managed to get a decent job and rent a decent place when the house topples off a cliff and she loses her job. In the aftermath, she and her son take off for what’s supposed to be a short trip (with a man she barely knows who’s been living nearby) to see if life in a camper will work.

As the trio travels around England, the reader gets to see how their relationships change and grow; the characters also change and grow as they take risks in letting themselves be known.

The author did an outstanding job helping the reader experience what the characters experience at the various stops along the way. The exchanges among the characters felt honest and helped move the plot along. Primary, as well as secondary characters were well-developed. I felt as if I were getting to know and experience the characters through what they said and how they reacted to what happened along the trip.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Many scenes were quite funny, some were quite touching, and best of all, there was a happy ending! Highly recommend.

Jenny James is Not a Disaster was a great read. I found it not too light but not too heavy. Like Goldilocks said, it was just right.

Jenny is having a really no good day. Her employer announces the possibility that they are one of two locations that will be shut down. It is pouring down rain. Her car breaks down on her way home from work. But thankfully the car troubles ultimately save her and her son's lives.

I love that Jenny does not let all of this major life challenges sour her spirit or her attitude.

I really did enjoy this book. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was just as delightful as I had expected as reading the summary. The main character Jenny, and the supporting characters, were all very relatable and were the kind of folks you'd like to hang out with. While the story was great fun, there were also very touching, heartfelt moments. I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more books by Debbie Johnson. Thanks #NetGalley #HarperCollins #DebbieJohnson

This is the first book I have read by this author and I absolutely love it. I expected a silly, light book about a woman going through a few disasters but it was so much more. It touches on so many relatable topics: parenthood, grief/loss, and how our decisions frame our future. This was a wonderful story and journey to go on with Jenny. I could not put this book down! Read it! You won’t regret it.

A big thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collins Focus for advanced copy of this book and the opportunity to discover this wonderful author.

Poor Jenny just can’t get a break. Her home collapses down a cliff, she’s laid off from her job, and her car dies, all in one day. This story has such a unique story line as it follows her and her son, plus wanderer Luke, all around England and leads her back to her roots. Definitely worth reading!
This book was provided to me from the publisher but all of my opinions expressed here are my own.