There are so many lessons in this sweet story. Finding joy, learning to let go, welcoming love and overcoming the hard bits. It is a romance but it’s also a grand adventure and a homecoming story.

# Jenny James Is Not a Disaster
# 8/19/2024 ~ 8/20/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

Jenny James has had her share of bad days. A single mother of a teenage son (with plenty of teenage attitude), she has a mediocre job with a less-than-mediocre paycheck, a car on its last leg, and too many discarded dreams to count. But then comes the day when her job is made redundant, her car dies its final death, and her home -- a cozy little seaside cottage on an English cliffside -- falls into the sea during a vicious storm. Literally.

With no home and no job, Jenny and Charlie join their kind but aloof neighbor, Luke, and his dog Betty, on his nomadic road trip around England. Each new destination, decided by a topic from a hat, brings all three of them -- four, counting the dog! -- closer, but also forces them to realize they can't outrun the events of their past. Jenny must eventually face her long-estranged family, Charlie must navigate his path into adulthood with pieces of an unknown past, and Luke must face the devastating tragedy that changed his life all those years ago.

I loved this book for so many reasons! The friendship that developed as they traveled was both strong and sweet. The author did not sugar coat past mistakes or the difficulty in facing them, but did so with hope for the future. The English road trip reminded me of places I've visited and added many to my bucket list.

I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet, feel-good, easy read -- and an armchair tour of England! It was a perfect summer escape and just what I needed.

This audiobook was narrated beautifully by Beth Eyre -- highly recommend!

Thank you to HarperCollins Focus/Harper Muse, NetGalley, and author Debbie Johnson for the complimentary advance copy! It was my pleasure to write this candid review.

Poor Jenny James was really going through it in this one! Losing her job on the same day she loses her house over a cliff is a serious string of bad luck. And then to find out it wasn’t cover by insurance… yikes! Although it’s unlikely readers will have had bad luck THAT serious, the feeling of nothing going right was definitely relatable.

When it would have been easy for Jenny James to just give up, she gives us an inspiring story of perseverance and persistence. I loved how hopeful this novel felt, and the fact that it was possible to work through all of the problems that came up and keep going. Jenny was able to make something good out of a bad situation, as she learned what she really wanted in life, repaired relationships, built new friendships, and learned to be ok on her own.

A thoughtfully written, charmingly narrated tale that redefines the very ideas of family, home, and love.

What a lovely story. I rounded up to 5 because I did cry. But also I laughed out loud multiple times. It was a sweet, soft story about the way that the worst day in Jenny's life changes everything for the better. I loved every character and the ways that they connected with each other.

I SO enjoyed this novel, which I listened to on audio, curtesy of HarperCollins and NetGalley. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The narrator reads the story well, which makes a huge difference for me. It was comedic from the start, which surprised and pleased me, a really light ‘read’ is needed sometimes. Yes some of the storyline was way too predictable, and I wished it wasn’t at times, however it couldn’t put me off leaving a 5 star review as overall this novel was wholesome fun. The storyline of broken family relationships added a sonbre side at times, but I loved how the road trip was led by Jenny,Luke and Charlie following themes, such as zombies, and travelling where that sent them. Everything fell a bit too neatly in place during the last quarter of the book, but again I found this forgivable given the overall feel. I recommend this as an easy, playful summer read.

Highlights:
✨RV Road Trip Adventure
✨Dog a star character
✨Self Discovery
✨Great Narration by Beth Eyre
✨Complicated parent-child relationships: I felt bad for Jenny's parents. She deserved her guilty conscience, but I appreciated Jenny’s growth despite this.

Bottom Line: Great potential but some pacing issues, heavy issues that only scratch the surface., ending = HEA. Maybe too Hallmark-esque for me

"What if I post a picture of my boobs? Or worse, put an apostrophe in the wrong place."

What an absolutely delightful audiobook from #debbiejohnson. I had no idea what I was getting into at the start and within minutes I knew that Jenny James, Charlie, Luke, etc. represented so many things to so many people. The narration was fantastic and I loved #jennyjamesisnotadisaster from start to finish! My only regret is that she doesn't REALLY author #thesausagedogdiaries.

#netgalley #arc #harpercollinsfocus

Jenny James is Not a Disaster
by Debbie Johnson
narrated by Beth Eyre

Five Stars

Imagine. Your life is so stressful. You ran away from home for a man who ended up getting you pregnant and then ditching you. Then you've spent the next 18 years trying to get by, raise your son right, and make ends meet only for your house to literally slide off a cliff! Now you've got nothing but a couple possessions and your son. Enter the grumpy guy in the caravan who has been staying near you. A man who ends up being very nice and invites you and your son to join him traveling the country for a couple weeks. Just until you get on your feet.

That's Jenny, and boy is her life an adventure over the bumpiest roads found anywhere! Her road trip with the grumpy man, Luke, really brings a lot of her life into perspective. Just when you think things are going to settle down, they don't.

I really enjoyed this story. It made me happy and sad. I laughed and I cried. I highly recommend this if you love a good slow burn adventure!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this story.

#JennyJamesIsNotADisaster #DebbieJohnson
#BethEyreNarrator #Slowburn #Family
#FoundFamily #Dogs #Travel #BritishLiterature
#ChickLit #Audiobook #ReadThisBook
#ReadAllTheBooks #ALCReview #Romance
#Contemporary #WomensFiction #NetGalley
#HarperCollinsFocus

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. Jenny, a single mom of an 18-year-old son, is having a rough time, to say the least. In a dramatic fashion, she meets a neighbor she's only seen (and assumed to be grumpy and rude) but never talked to. Meeting him takes Jenny and her son on wonderful new adventures as well as redemption of broken family relationships. It was a funny, sweet book with great narration. It was a wonderful story about letting yourself be open to change and saying yes to life, and, when you do, you never know what amazing things might happen.

I really wanted to love this book. With a hook like that, how could you not be invested?? But once they set off on the road with Luke, it just fell flat for me and I wanted more growth from Jenny.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for my ALC. All opinions here are my own.

Jenny James is a very likeable main character. She is like the girl next door and very relatable. I loved reading her unexpected romance with the neighbor who housed her after her world fell apart. It is an uplifting and sweet story of a women finding who she is and opening herself up to loving others. I would recommend this to my friends who like romance!

Felt this book has a great description of setting and characters as well as a story that kept me interested throughout the book. The characters were not typical and yet were believable. involving descriptions that kept me involved with the story. Narrator was very good as well.

I was having a really bad day. A really bad string of days really. Then I stepped into Jenny James world and I got some really great perspective.

Debbie Johnson wrote a book that hits just right. It was everything I needed to hear in my own life as a reminder not to let the hard days win.

Oh this book!!! My heart was just tugged at the whole time. I loved it and did not want the story to end. Highly recommend this great audiobook!

I loved this book so much! It truly encapsulates the persistence of a mom when everything comes crashing down around her, literally. It was funny, insightful, heartfelt, and left me wanting to know more about Jenny's future.

Funny, quirky, and a delight to listen to. I enjoyed this story from beginning to very satisfying end.
Jenni is have a very bad day. Her place of employment is closing, her car quits on her, and when she finally makes it home it is to watch her home slide into the sea. What follows is a sometimes silly but perfectly delightful book. I think more than one of us would like all our troubles to slide into the sea and give us a second chance on our lives.
So, relax, put your feet up and grab a glass of wine and enjoy this tale for what it really is, just a good story that will make you laugh, cry, and wish you were there with them all.

Jenny is having a seriously bad go of it. Her car wont start, her job is in jeopardy and her home literally fell off a cliff. She’s always tried to deal with everything with aplomb, but really what is a single mom to do? She has her beloved son to think about and has always and only wanted to make his life the best it could be and to never know of her hardships. With almost nothing left, she is trying to figure out what is next. Turns out her next is so fabulous. Her temporary neighbor Luke invites them both into his camper van for a fantastical road trip. And it is fantastical and so much more! It is eye opening, allows her to recognize what a strong smart woman she is and always been, helps her to reconnect to her estranged family, reflect on her life choices, find her own happiness, develop a healthy adult relationship with her beloved son, heal her heart, be open to love, discover her love of travel, reconnect with her passion of writing and more. Luke is a good and kind man dealing with his own emotional demons and loss. Together, they each find themselves and find their happily ever after. A wonderful story to read and or listen to. The narration was wonderful and added to the experience.

This was a heartwarming story about Jenny, a single mom who reaches a crossroads in her life in a way so disastrous that it’s almost comical. The audiobook narrator did a great job at bringing me through each step of Jenny’s journey, making it a very easy listen. The RV trips were cleverly done and my favorite part, especially the interactions and growth between Jenny and her son. Recommended if you want a cozy women’s fiction with a HEA. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollons Focus for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

"Jenny James is Not a Disaster" is a captivating read that offers a delightful blend of humor, drama, and personal growth. The book follows the life of Jenny James, a character who initially appears to be navigating a series of unfortunate events, but whose journey reveals deeper layers of resilience and self-discovery.

The author does an excellent job of portraying Jenny’s complexities and the challenges she faces with authenticity and wit. The narrative is engaging and often humorous, providing a lighthearted take on serious themes. The dialogue is sharp, and the interactions between characters feel genuine, adding depth to the story. The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of tension and introspection interspersed with lighter, comedic elements.

Overall, "Jenny James is Not a Disaster" is a well-crafted novel that resonates with readers who appreciate a story about personal growth and overcoming obstacles. It’s a testament to the idea that even in the face of adversity, there’s room for hope and transformation.